28 down, 10 to go!

The final international break of the 2022/2023 season is here and Arsenal is 8 points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

What’s even more impressive is the Gunners are 19 points ahead of Man United, 20 ahead of  Tottenham, 27 ahead of Liverpool and 31 ahead of Chelsea. So far, so good!

First, let’s talk about getting knocked-out of the Europa League on Thursday. This season, barring a major collapse by the Gunners, winning the Europa League will not be necessary to advance to the Champions League’s next season. Getting eliminated might actually be a blessing in disguise for the Gunners. Arsenal legend Martin Keown said it best, “There is disappointment for Arsenal but you wonder, is this a blessing? Does it affect momentum? I think not. But it almost seemed a game too many. Maybe it’s a blessing they have gone out.””

Here’s another factor that could play in favor of Arsenal. If Manchester City advance to the Champions League semifinal, along with their FA Cup semifinal, they will have 16 games to play in 3 competitions from April 1st to May 28th. That’s 10 games every 3 1/2 days. On the flip side, Arsenal will have only 10 games, or one game every 5.7 days during the same period. This could possibly become a big advantage for Mikel Arteta.

Second, let’s talk about the pros and cons of the this international break. Pros: The break will give William Saliba, Eddie Nketiah, and maybe even Takehiro Tomiyasu a chance to heal and get fit for the final ten matches. The break will also give us Gooners a chance to collectively catch our breath. Cons: This break interrupts the club’s current momentum of winning five Premier League matches in a row, and of course, there is always the worry about injury to players participating for their countries during the upcoming international competitions.

Third, let’s talk about the terrific individual performances on Sunday. Rob Holding started his first Premier League match of the season, and played extremely well in the absence of William Saliba. Ben White played one of his best games of the season, while Bukayo Saka was once again magnificent, as was his from line teammates of Gabriel Trossard and Leandro Trossard.

Finally, it’s time to commend Sunday’s performance of Granit Xhaka. All season long the Swiss midfielder has been a rock in the club’s starting XI. Since giving Xhaka more freedom to roam in the offensive half, the team’s goal scoring potential has dramatically increased by having him play more in and around the box.

And, of course, let’s not forget Arteta and his coaching staff for bringing the league’s youngest team to the top of the table. Even with 10 difficult matches yet to play, Arsenal has gained the ability, drive and desire to potentially put a bow on top of Arteta’s project this season. The Premier League trophy is in sight, but no one can look any further than Leeds United on April 1st! It has to be one match at a time, and one match only.

28 down and 10 to go!

Cheers. Gunner1953