CLUB BRUGGE BULLIED BY ROTATION FC
Rotation FC bores, RISE UP!
For we just won a very important battle in the war of information against the fitness masochists, the MAN UP brigade, those who believe mind over matter can conquer all!
Señor Arteta leaned into heavy rotation against Club Brugge and exited Belgium VICTORIOUS.
So what did we learn here? Well, against poor teams, you can afford to lean into the lower reaches of the squad and still come out on top. Andrea Berta served up one of the best Arsenal windows of all time, and the whole point of that move was to give the manager depth so he could preserve his best players deep into the season… the idea wasn’t to have better tools when he careens off a cliff by burying his best players.
The luck of Block 5 is that Arteta has taken things too far with his players, but the car crash looks like no more than a Tesco car park mishap. But, that’s a warning sign, like putting the car in reverse by accident when you’re tired… put the keys away, and get some sleep. And by sleep, I mean keep your prized possessions out of the squad. Arteta did that. No Saliba, no Declan, no Timber.
He also benched Saka, Trossard, Eze, and Calafiori… BIG NEWS.
Norgaard got a start at centre-back. We had the chance to see what Gyökeres could do against another average team. Starts for White, Myles, and Madueke.
How did we play?
It was a bit like the Villa game. The biggest miss when we rotate heavily is defensive control. The games lack the rigidity and focus you get when it’s the big boys out there. Arsenal conceded over 1 xG, which feels like a high crime this season, when it’s actually pretty damn decent.
Attack-wise? We were almost more interesting to watch. The lack of control out of possession was probably the byproduct of the showboating in possession. Zubimendi ran the show, creating 6 chances, with two assists.
The goals scored by Madueke and Martinelli really summed up the “zero fucks given” approach to getting stuck into an underpowered Club Brugge. Madueke held off a challenge near the halfway line, moved centrally via a vertical path, and just belted it from 28 yards into the top corner. Bang BANG? Absolutely. The sort of goal we just didn’t have last season.
Those sorts of moments are infectious. Martinelli had his moment in the second half to replicate the magic; he cut in from the left and unleashed heavenly fury with his right foot, sending his missile up and over the keeper from distance. An incredible goal, taking his run in the Champions League to scoring in 5 games on the bounce.
Is he back? It would seem so. At least on Champions League evenings.
Zubimendi though… what a fucking KING. The man created 6 chances. He was so on his game, he managed to play a ball so perfect, Madueke could NOT miss his header from half a yard out at the back post. Majestic on another level. He really is one of those players that kind of rewires how you think about players. We’ve all been keyed into this idea that existence as a 6 in the Premier League comes with a requirement to be fast, tall, powerful, and really aggressive… how is Zubimendi being so effective without those attributes in the abundance we’ve been groomed to believe in?
Viktor Gyökeres—what is there left for me to say? We’re December 10th and he looks like he’s getting worse and less confident as the season wears on. He makes runs that players don’t want to find, presumably because they don’t trust him. We’ve gone from hoping for 20 goals to now wondering if 12 is a good return? He just doesn’t have a very sophisticated game—and you can get away with that if you have superpowers like pace or power. He lacks both.
Which is why we need to talk about cameos… Gabriel Jesus returned to the fold, rocking the number 9 shirt, looking very fit and fresh. He was brilliant. The touch, the vision, the open hips, the movement, and a little bar rattler just to show that he still can’t finish. The man has a lot about his game that’s going to make the team better… the main feature he has that Gyökeres doesn’t is that he can create chances for himself out of nothing moments. Welcoming him back in the same month as Kai Havertz really is our LIKE A NEW SIGNING MOMENT. A total striker palate cleanser!
So we are now 6 for 6 in the Champions League. 3 points clear of Bayern in 2nd. 5 points clear of 3rd place. We are secure in the top 8. The final two games are against Inter Milan (12 points) and Kairat (36th). Now we have options for those two games…
Forest (a) - Inter (a) - United (h) - Kairat (h) - Leeds (a)
My hope, at this point, is that we use our Champions League freedom to maximise our hopes in a bruising Premier League campaign. 3 points from those two games should see us finish top—our goal difference is insanely good… we’ve only conceded one goal so far this season.
Can I share one concern with you… and it’s completely pathetic? Oh, you think I’m always pathetic so you’re cool with it? Sheesh…
I do worry we’re almost too good right now.
That is the worry of a damaged fan right there. So I’ll leave you with that.
Check out the Later On The Whistle last night. My internet caved last night so couldn’t do the normal time. Someone rage quit membership because for the first time this year, it wasn’t On The Whistle. I’m a brand guy, our issues betrayed a promise, the rage quitter was right.
But… if you like tardy podcasts, this episode was FUN. x