Arsenal Review USA

After so much potential shown against Newcastle and then Burnley, Arsenal revert to type against stiffer opposition and drop all three points at Anfield, capitulating to Liverpool 3-1. We'll debate the pros and cons of David Luis (now that we've seen him in action), discuss the setup vs execution debate, and try to evaluate how good Arsenal really can be in the long run when they're still capable of the same defensive lapses...

After a mad but satisfying transfer market dash, Arsenal get off the blocks in the Premier League with an efficient 1-nil road win against Newcastle thanks to an Auba goal and a solid performance by up-and-comers Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock. We'll give our grade to the summer transfer dealings, discuss where this compares to previous summer business, evaluate the long-term inclusion of players like Willock and Nelson based on the Newcastle win, as well as bemoan the rise of football's latest evil overlord, VAR...

Arsenal appropriately end their 2018/19 campaign with a second half whimper as they eventually concede a four-goal-shellacking to their superior cross-town rivals Chelsea. We'll review the career of Jose Antonio Reyes, who tragically passed over the weekend, before touching on Unai Emery's potential for change, squad rebuilding, and generally making the summer a bit more hopeful than it currently looks here on June 2...

Arsenal just manages to squeak out one last win (away from home even!) to finish out their Premiership campaign as they see off Burnley 3-1 at Turf Moor. We’ll take this win with a pinch of salt as we look back on Arsenal’s promising spells throughout the 2018/19 season and give you the best, the worst, the most wankerish, the most sell-worthy, the most indispensable of a very very up-and-down first season* for Unai Emery… (*Joel wants you to know he’s really sorry for forgetting stuff at random during this production. Just a case of the Mustafi’s…)

Arsenal follow up their Europa League comeback win by falling back into their sputtering Premiership form, drawing 1-1 to Brighton at home in another lackluster offensive display. We'll catch up with Arsenal match day commentator Dan Roebuck to chronicle Arsenal's downward trajectory at home, evaluate Aaron Ramsey's 11 year legacy and gauge optimism as the club prepares (we hope) for some major summer restructuring...

Things go from bad, to worse, to downright pathetic over a three game stretch where Arsenal bank precisely zero points and leak no less than *NINE* goals in very winnable fixtures. We'll discuss to what extent is Emery's managerial style taking a toll on his players, discuss the pedigree of said players and where it all went pear-shaped for Arsenal's top four ambitions...

Arsenal's away-from-home nerves yield yet another dismal performance as they allow the oldest Premier League goalscorer to dispatch them at Goodison Park. We'll evaluate how big a dent this puts in the Gunner's St. Totteringham's Day hopes plus re-evaluate the amount of poise this squad really has as they lay another away egg...

Arsenal strike when the iron is most-definitely hot, beating Man U at home to ensure all their top four rivals drop precious points. We discuss how exactly Arsenal made their own luck, gutsy starting lineups, Maitland-Niles' unorthodox coming of age and how Xhaka can essentially turn any ball into a Jabulani...

Arsenal's good week comes to a slightly dissatisfying and anti-climactic end as they get pegged back (controversially!) by Sp*rs to finish 1-1 in the North London Derby. We'll take time to talk over Emery's masterclass of lineup decision making, the Sokratis Method, the hard-yet-still-soft science that is offside as well as some Bournemouth fun thrown in for good measure...

Arsenal string together two (extremely!) rare clean sheets to revitalize their Europa League campaign and possibly their Premiership top four aspirations as well, comfortably thumping BATE Borisov before cruising past Southampton in the league. We'll talk Ozil's improvement and whether or not it can be sustainable, Lacazette's quiet domination and the squad's momentum as it improves its position on two fronts...

An expected loss against a good team is followed by a (maybe) unexpectedly bad win against a crap team as Arsenal continue to scrap their way through a dismal new year. We'll attempt to pinpoint the cause of the squad's disconnect between midfield and frontline, talk indirect midfield play and flirt with the idea of bringing back Ozil for an outside chance at some precious momentum...

Arsenal win big when the chips are down in a heartening 2-nil thriller against the oil barons at the Emirates. We’ll discuss the positives of actually playing your heart out, debate just how boring Chelsea’s offense was plus touch on Sven Mislintat’s departure and wonder whether or not Ozil can ever post enough weight-lifting selfies to get back into the starting lineup…

After a rough December, Unai Emery's men start the new year off with a bang by putting four past an impotent Fulham and easing past Blackpool on the road. We'll discuss the youth power lineup, why Arsenal still look rickety plus gauge the trade-in value of one Mesut Ozil for ohhhh, two-three players who actually give a rat's in the January transfer window...

Arsenal stutter slightly with a (meaningless!) loss to Sp*rs in the League Cup before bulldozing their way past an elbowy Ashley Barnes and Burnley. We'll get in touch with The Big Diag's Sam Limbert for input on these two aggro-filled home matches, all the latest Ozil and Ramsey rumors and how much more Emery can shuffle a very very makeshift defense before January...

Arsenal squander the lead twice against Man U in midweek before eking out a win over a jammy, fouly Huddersfield side at home. We'll hit up Arsenal match day commentator Dan Roebuck for some insight what went wrong at Old Trafford, get his take on why Torreira relishes the defensive midfield role and even harken back to the North London derby to see if it ranks as a "signature" win at the Emirates...