I’ve been really busy. I have to leave for work on Thursdays and Fridays an hour earlier than I used to last year so I can drop my daughter off at school on time. But I’ve also been spending more time with her at night, doing homework, and helping her with her revisions for tests. That means I have less time to watch football, compile stats, and write. In fact, I’m going to have to cut my morning dog walk short just so that I can even write this. Weird – the dog just came into my writing area when I typed that sentence. She knows it’s time for her walk.
I couldn’t even watch the match very closely yesterday. I put it on in my office but couldn’t pay attention because I’m writing grant proposals, answering questions, helping students, and keeping up with the myriad communications methods that we all are buried under these days. I think I saw Guendouzi fouled a bunch. I know I saw Lacazette score a late goal. But I didn’t see any of the buildup play and because I was literally on the way to a meeting (which I had right before a dentist appointment) I couldn’t even rewind to see the cross by Saka.
I feel an enormous pressure to put out an article after a match – even though you all are going to say “DUDE! You don’t have to do anything!”. But I do and my busy schedule means I can’t.
And when some of you think “Arseblog and Tim had a falling out” you couldn’t be further from the truth: I was just stressed out to the point of breaking at the schedule of having to produce twice-weekly stats columns. I was literally getting up at 0400, compiling data (every day nearly), and then either watching the match in question or writing a stats column. When Avie would get up I was in a panic to get her to school on time so I would get snippy and short with her when it was all really just my fault. I was suffering and my kid was suffering, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let that happen.
So, last night instead of watching the game, I made some bread and I made dinner (which included Chef John’s quinoa tabbouleh – which is incredible and you should make it even if you’re one of those “anti-quinoa” hipsters). Then I helped Avie with her math homework. Then we watched Bob’s Burgers and then we watched a show called Miracle Workers (Dark Ages). And then we read some Terry Pratchett together and went to bed.
I’m stoked that Arteta’s Arsenal have kept three clean sheets in a row. Under Unai Emery, Arsenal kept five clean sheets in all competitions (Ljungberg had 1) this season while Arteta already has five clean sheets in his first 11 matches in charge. The underlying numbers aren’t great (quite yet – Nuke was 0.8 xGA but Chelsea and Burnley were around 2.5 xGA each!) but we did keep Olympiakos to just 0.4 xG on the night (two of their early good chances were offside) and we escaped despite some pretty sloppy play early on. But like I said in my preview, our superior fitness won out at the end.
All around a terrific result for Arsenal. But am I going to remember this game? No! And would it have been a memorable match if I had watched it closely in my cubicle – shutting everyone out – and then sat here at home that night pouring over stats while my kid did her homework on her own? Maybe getting frustrated at her interrupting me? Would this match, this article, be worth that stress?
Nope.
i’ve read your blog for years and i love it. i also love how you infuse literary/life appreciation in your posts. however, i want to post a challenge, i know you’re not a bible buff, but you do a post on the book of ecclesiastis? i’m just curious.
By no means being snarky here, but consider doing a post on the Book of Ecclesiastes yourself. I’d take a gander.
And I’d bet you’d benefit more from the experience.
What an odd request.
The glass half-full view is that the team went out to “do a job” against a good team in a difficult environment and they got that job done, with a clean sheet to boot. The team selection was clearly conservative with three CB’s across the back line and Willock at the tip of midfield and the performance mirrored that. With Sokratis at RB and Auba in an unfamiliar right sided role ahead of him, Arsenal had nothing going down that flank in an attacking sense. For their part, the Greeks didn’t exactly contribute to a spectacle either. They fielded three big, physical midfielders and dropped into a flat back 5 when Arsenal had the ball. Predictably, with both teams opting for conservatism, the football on show was less than first rate.
Things opened up after the substitutions though. Dani Ceballos was brought on to link play and tried his best to make things happen. He was not terribly effective on either side of the ball though and it’s worrisome how easily he loses out on physical duels despite appearing to try his best to compete. Nevertheless, Oly took off two of their clunky midfielders in favor of more attacking options and that opened things up for Arsenal just enough to create the chances for a goal, predictably once again through the excellent Bukayo Saka. In an open game, the attacking talent Arsenal has was always going to make the difference and so it proved.
Shout out to Shkodran Mustafi who put in another outstanding display. As against Newcastle, we dealt well with the set piece threat in no small part due to his excellent heading of the ball (won 6 of 7 aerial duels). It’s incredible how quickly he has turned from a liability to an asset under Arteta. Speaking of CB’s, I liked the look of Ruben Semedo on the other side who seemed to possess a good combination of power and mobility.
Also I loved Miracle Workers, the first season. It was witty, original, well executed. Miracle Workers, Dark Ages just seems more about shock value. Half the charm, in my opinion.
“Arseblog and Tim had a falling out”
INTERNET DRAMA!
“When Avie would get up I was in a panic to get her to school on time so I would get snippy and short with her when it was all really just my fault. I was suffering and my kid was suffering, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let that happen.”
This tells me everything i need to know about who you are as a person Tim. It is a honour reading your posts, and along with Arseblog, Le-grove and Kevin Whitcher, your posts form part of my daily Arsenal discourse. Please continue the good work.
“like I said in my preview, our superior fitness won out at the end” – Indeed that’s what I was thinking about watching the match, their initial pressing but able to keep it up for the entire half, our mispasses and the flourish in the end. But for the ending, it wasn’t a memorable game – even the enthusiastic Martinelli was subdued!
RVP was mentioning that Olympiacos aren’t as good away. So hoping for an enjoyable home game.
The game was an utter borefest, at least from what I saw. Like you, I could only catch snippets. Quite overwhelmed with work these days.
Really enjoyed your juicer post the other day, btw.
When did it all get so difficult?
It’s hell getting old 🙁
Tim,
I gather from your blog that your are a single parent raising your child.
I have to say, hats off to you dude!
I have two children, 3 and 7, and a wife who has been a homemaker since my daughter was born due to ongoing health issues – nothing serious (touch wood) – just some chronic back and abdomen pain which limits here mobility and the amount of physical work that she can do.
What this means for me is that when I get home (I usually leave for work at 7.30 AM and return home at 6.30 PM, weekdays only), I have to clean up the kitchen, do the hoover and give the children a bath etc. Which means oI can only get to sit down around 9.00 PM on most days. On the plus side, my wife does the school runs, does their homework, prepares most meals for the children and provides emtional support to both so I am free to make small talk and fool around with them during the time I spend with them.
Despite this, as much as I love my kids, I find it exhausting and can hardly wait for them to grow up a bit and become a bit more self sufficient!
I can’t imagine being able to do what you do, working full time, raising a child on your own, and even finding time to write a serious football blog.
So as far as I am concerned, you are a Superman!
Her revisions?? Americans use this phrasing?
I loved Red Dwarf as a young man and prefer “revisions” to “studying for her test”
The the takeaway for me is that we need to try Auba down the middle. Despite getting the goal Laca really getting it done. His poor hold up/link up play put Arsenal under pressure when possession should have been retained. The movement for the goal was good but we’ve seen Auba do the exact same thing…and the miss early game definitely put me in an exceptionally critical mood. I’m getting to the point though I would like to see Auba down the middle flanked by Pepe and Martenelli with Ozil behind. I don’t know maybe Auba also misses those chances, but using him in the buildup is a waste and the chances we had yesterday is the kind of day Auba has a hat trick.
I wouldn’t get too worked up about anything Arsenal related this season.
Maitland-Niles, Auba, Laca, Willock, Ozil, Guendo, Xhaka, etc etc. It’s all just noise I feel at this point.
As rational as we like to try and be it’s not why we love sport 🙂
Keep on keeping on, Tim. You’re one of the good guys in a world that needs as many good guys and gals as possible.
What do do you think of Mustafi’s rebirth as an…um… actual defender under Arteta? Wouldn’t have thought it possible myself.
Keep pumping up his pricetag!!