Blooming Fruits (Positives Needs & Hopes) [ARS 4-1 TOT]

‘Blooming Fruits’

An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective

This should really be about a hat trick hero or a big win in a big game or another statement to the league. Then I read this and got pissed off.

I’m getting rather frustrated at hearing opposing coach’s using Arteta’s experience at Arsenal as an example to explain how poorly they are doing. There might be a teaspoonful of truth in it as Arsenal could’ve won something more than 1 FA Cup in his tenure, but when all is said and done, it will have to be acknowledged that Arteta was special. That his success at Arsenal was a product of everything you should do and in the right order. In fact I think I’m going to write the book.

Hold on, I need to go on my phone……

I know I’m great at art (note the subtle stubble) because a wise person once taught me that “it’s easy to be great at drawing because if you can’t draw, claim it’s modern art.” I’m thinking that this book will then become a movie because Thom Yorke at Radiohead will see my title and be inspired to write a song for the movie.

The title of the book is Radiohead genius and the title of this blog is something my Nana would say when she was upset. It makes sense in my head so I’m moving forward regardless of whether fruits can bloom or not.

EllieAnn, Max and I watched the game in the Arsenal Pub in Knoxville, TN. I always spend the last 15 or so minutes trying to decide on the story of the game. I always hate to make it about one player even though it was jolly tempting. There is always a deeper thought and bigger picture to why something happened.

Amongst the many other things that Arteta and Arsenal have done during his tenure, ‘identifying the correct profile for transfer’ is in the top three most important.

I will admit to being frustrated at Eze this season. I’ve wanted him to be more involved like Odegaard is. Thinking that he is too laid back. I’ve spent too much head space on this and not appreciated what was inevitable. Seeing him have more shots on target than anyone in the league should’ve nudged me to consider that there will be a day or two where they won’t be blocked. The deeper thought is that today happened primarily because even though Eze prompted Arteta with a phone call, you don’t get a ‘yes’ from Arsenal because you know Arteta’s cell number. Arsenal picked him because he answered their question. Arteta and his men got together sometime in early 2025 and posed the question, ‘ What are we missing and what’s his name?’

Arsenal have for the vast majority of the new millennium, needed a player who has a willingness to shoot and the stats to prove it. It wasn’t just him though. A team with a major issue can’t put that on one player. So, they bought three of them. Three attackers that take more shots than the players we have and those on the market. Last season, Eze had 3.5 shots per game, Noni had 3.6 and VG had 4.1. Not just 3 good options added to strengthen our team and squad but three picked for the right reasons.

To be fair to myself, I had pointed out that Eze’s shooting seemed to always be on target. To illuminate this point is to elevate his profile in the game because most of the good players hit shots all over the map. Eze doesn’t. He is the player who never lost a game of ‘bung’ at school because he never missed the target.

How does he do it though? Well, somebody has gotten a hold of him at some stage in his youth or career and told him to find 100% focus. It is the state where a footballer gets to that is the major reason why he is able to execute an opposed action as if it was unopposed. It’s bloody difficult and it’s why Robbie Fowler’s name still gets mentioned when he played twenty years ago. There aren’t many out there. Players that have the gift of ignoring the butterflies, the potential challenge, the expectation, the noise and everything else by learning that you can’t focus on the pressures, if you are 100% focused on the technique. You can see it in his goals. Such clean technique on the second goal with players all around him. The first goal was even harder as three players swung for the ball at the same time. I distinctly remember thinking he should pull out as he was about to get a severely twisted ankle by kicking a ball at the same time as their Argentine lunatic. The 3rd goal seemed inevitable to me after the first two.

It’s not just Eze and his focus that needs conversation.

Hincapie seems perfect for Arsenal. It is too early to claim much but you can’t replace Gabriel with Kiwior and give those in the stadium and on the pitch the same feeling unless you chose Hincapie of all the other summer opportunities. Not many players could make their PL debut in the derby but he is the type that relishes a battle where others are overwhelmed by occasion. In fact it would’ve been hard to blame him if he looked edgy but as this genius predictor who has the same name and same icon as me stated in the week….

I knew it would be him mainly because you don’t get a Gabriel back up and then play Saliba’s back up. Players lose faith if you do that. You make the choice, you play the player.

There is so much more that can be said about so many similar Arteta choices, but then you wouldn’t pre-order my book. I’ll just have to find a publisher that likes modern art.

POSITIVES:

Rice

There is a strong argument that Rice has been the best ‘player’ in the league this season. Haaland puts the ball in the net like no other, fair enough, but the best player is probably Rice. If it’s not him then it’s another AFC player, perhaps Timber. The 90’s brought many midfielders who sit in the conversation as ‘the best’ we’ve seen in the PL. Many played for Liverpool and United to be fair. They too would have been 100M players. Rice is now in this conversation. If you add physical attributes to natural footballing ability, then Rice may overtake them. He just needs to get 10+ goals a season to perhaps top the pile.

Less reliance

Saka has been very good, injured or surprisingly quiet this season. What is so beautiful is that we are not having to beg him to win games. He has done his part and been the equal of others and I see this as a big positive. Because our threat is now pitch wide, he is getting more room and he will go on a tear soon.

Trossard

When I was young, I didn’t appreciate players like Trossard. I wanted more glitz. More speed and more dazzle. I loved Glenn Helder more than Freddie Ljungberg, which is shameful. It was actually when I became a Christian that my viewpoint changed. I started to appreciate people who used their gift to its fullest. That is how I see Trossard. He isn’t fast or particularly quick, so I don’t judge him on that. He might be muscular but he is not physical, but I’m being petty if I criticize him for that. He doesn’t have a YouTube move and he probably wouldn’t dazzle your razzle if you watched his YouTube compilation video. What he is though is a player who plays at his ceiling. He is a 7.5-8/10 player in world football who plays at 9-10/10 when you look at his ability.

He is clever. If you can’t be fast then be proactive in your movement. If you can’t dribble around players then jerk them around and rely on combinations. If you can’t be a physical or aerial threat in the box then be a two footed finisher. Be more composed than others. Be more demanding of yourself. Don’t just rely on talent, make the most of yourself. Heck, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was probably more talented but he is a similar age and plays for Braintree Town in the National League.

Merino

Is he the most underrated player in this squad? See Trossard and what I just said about him, see Merino. He played a very interesting role. Not a striker. not really a false nine. An Arteta player who plays in certain zones at certain times. He played in the ‘Odegaard space’ on the right quite often, leaving Trossard and Eze to penetrate the central areas.

Dinking

I love dinking. Lil dinks, any kind of dink. Actually, I’d pick Dinking as a last name, if I could choose and Lil Dinks is my rappers name on Saturday nights when I’m out on my deck.

Arsenal have not been using the dink over Arteta’s tenure, much to my concern. We’ve had the technical players and the players to make the off-ball runs, but have been reticent to try. Zubimendi has started doing it this season. I wish Rice would try too. Eze lifted a beauty to Rice early in the game and Merino found Trossard for the first goal. It will encourage more, I’m sure.

Calafiori

Why is he so good?

He makes difficult situations look easy. The sign of a great player.

Madueke

It was interesting that Madueke was preferred to Martinelli. Probably had more to do with getting him comeback minutes. Actually, I think Gabi starts on Wednesday.

NEEDS:

Raya..…

What was he doing panicking twice under very little pressure? Very odd.

You must….

You know Arsenal are having a great season when I am really struggling to find things that need improving. So, I’m going to highlight that anybody reading could do a lot worse than going to your closest city the next time you are in the USA. It’s so encouraging that you can be in as remote a place as Knoxville in East Tennessee and have as many Arsenal fans in a photo as you would in a pub in Islington.

HOPES:

Bayern

It will be interesting to see what Bayern fans make of Arsenal. Many of them will be there on Wednesday and remember how hilariously easy it was the last time they came.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich are the best two teams in the world right now. I’m not sure if we will see who is more likely to win the CL, as both will comfortably qualify regardless of Wednesday’s result. Will Gyokeres be given a start and get 60 mins so he is ready for Chelsea? Odegaard will play a few mins, I’m sure, but you can’t sit Eze who will be on the highest high. Unless Eze plays for Leo and Odegaard starts?

Chelsea

The game will be hyped as a title decider which is silliness as Chelsea won’t get close. They will make it so because they will be within reach of us if they win and we might be uncatchable for them if we do.

SCOUT MAX:

Max is back! He has nudged me to look at this guy….

A rather large and imposing central midfielder who has just gotten his first German cap. Arsenal are rumoured to be looking at a few young players right now. Young talented players is exactly what we need to focus on as our team and squad are complete, but in time will need refreshing and replacing. Anyone coming in will need to have a full career ahead of them, like Quedraogo because anyone in their prime might be wasting their time joining a complete squad.

TWEETS and THOUGHTS:

I think this encapsulates what the football world has noticed.

Without my rivalry speaking, I didn’t expect much different.

You might not have thought how they feel today. Like this.

This seasons stats and percentile, but for which Arsenal player?

This averages out as 0.54. Take away the anomalies of Utd and BHA, it is 0.41.

Not sure that I saw this on first watch. Probably a compliment on their level and consistency.

The perfect post by Eze.

I’d loved this tweet

Just one more.

And to finish here are three quite amazing Leo stats…

FINAL THOUGHT:

My friend Sebby was in NYC watching the game. He drove past the Spurs pub only to capture their flag upside down. Seems quite poignant.

Thanks for reading. That was so much fun to write. Thanks also to those that share and quote 🙂

Mike McDonald

Former Highbury regular. Moved to TN, USA in ’99. Married with 3 kids. Coached in UK and US for 27 years.
Mike McDonald Soccer Academy in Morristown TN, Olympic Development coach, Regional Premier League Champion.