Henry Winter 🤖You can question the quality of some of Arsenal’s football. But you cannot question their character. Still some way to go to the finishing line but Arsenal don’t look like slowing up. When Manchester City applied pressure in the title race, Arsenal responded. They found a way to win. They fought hard. Gabriel and Rice particularly immense. Arsenal are battlers, not the “bottlers” as their critics derisively depicted them. They're resilient.
You can question Arteta’s use of set-pieces (24 of 61 goals in PL), the unseemly wrestling and occasional caution. But you also have to admire that in a crunch moment Arsenal’s manager sent on a 16-year-old ball-player with 28 minutes’ PL experience to turn the game against an obdurate Everton. Dowman delivered.
Max stretches headroom at the top for Arsenal. Hard to dislike a team with a talent like Dowman. He brings more adventure. The clamour now will be for him to play more. Dowmania. And just wait for the inevitable World Cup speculation, media frenzy, Theo revisited, but don't forget the group stage clashes with GCSEs. Let's not put too much pressure and expectation on Dowman (although he sounds like he can handle it and has good people around him, including Arteta).
Arteta also deserves credit for the way he has evolved this side. He’s bought/chosen well (Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Rice, Zubimendi, Gyokeres etc), loaned in well (Hincapie) while Hale End plays its part (Saka, MLS, Dowman).
If they keep holding their nerve, Arsenal will deserve this first title since the Invincibles. They don’t quicken the pulse like some past champions but the Indestructibles absolutely deserve more respect than they receive. #AFC
BBC Sport Arsenal
Simon
Fabrizio Romano 🤖
