HALFWAY THERE: 5 Points Clear in Premier League & Chasing The Treble (Mid-Season Review)

 

Date: Thursday, January 1, 2026

Mood: Dreaming Big 🏆And just like that, 2025 is in the history books.

If you had told me in August that we would wake up on New Year's Day 5 points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League, through to the Champions League knockouts as group winners, and in the Carabao Cup semi-finals... I would have told you to calm down.

But this isn't a dream. It’s reality. The first half of the 2025/26 season has been nothing short of spectacular. Here is my breakdown of how The Arsenal have fared across all competitions.

🏆 Premier League: 9.5/10

Position: 1st The Story: Consistency and "Big Game" Mentality. We haven't just beaten the "small" teams; we’ve turned up for the wars.

• High Point: It has to be the 4-1 North London Derby demolition in November. That Eze hattrick will be played on repeat for years. Following that up with the 4-1 revenge win against Villa yesterday was the perfect end to the year.

• Low Point: That frustration away at Villa Park (the 2-1 loss). It was a reminder that if we switch off for a second, this league punishes you.

• The Difference: Eberechi Eze. We missed that "spark" in midfield last year. He has come in and looked like he’s played here for a decade. Double figures in goal contributions already? He is the signing of the season.

🇪🇺 Champions League: 9/10

Qualified for Round of 16 and The Emirates is a Fortress again. Beating Bayern Munich 3-1 was the statement. In previous years, we might have played it safe against a giant like that. This season? We went for the victory.

🥤 Carabao Cup: 8/10

Semi-Finalists Usually, I don't care too much about this cup, but the kids have made it fun. Ethan Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly haven't just "filled in"; they've dominated matches against lower-league opposition. Now that we are in the semis, surely we go for the victory? A trophy in February would be the perfect fuel for the title charge.

🌟 Player of the Half-Season

It is so hard to pick just one.

• Saka: Consistent as ever. World-class.

• Saliba & Gabriel: The best CB partnership on the planet.

• The Winner: Mikel Merino. I’m giving it to Merino. Why? Because of the big moments. The equalizer at Chelsea. The deadlock-breaker against Brentford. Stepping up when Odegaard needed a rest. He has become the heartbeat of this midfield alongside Rice.

🚑 The One Concern...

Injuries. We survived the Declan Rice injury scare against Aston Villa at home (thankfully Zubimendi stepped up), and we navigated the Saliba injury earlier in December. But the squad depth is still our biggest enemy. We need to wrap our key men in cotton wool for the next 5 months.

Final Thoughts

We are in the driver's seat. City will come charging—they always do. But this Arsenal team feels different. More mature. More nasty. More ready.

COYG!

ENDING 2025 ON TOP: The Zubimendi Masterclass & A Second Half Blitz (Arsenal 4-1 Villa)

Date: Thursday, January 01, 2026 
Mood: Top of the League & 5 Points Clear! 🥳

What a way to sign off the year.

If you were nervous when the team news dropped, you weren't alone. No Declan Rice (knee injury—please let it be minor) in the biggest home game of December? Against an Aston Villa side that had won 11 games in a row? I was worried a little to be honest.

But this team... this team just finds a way. We didn't just beat Unai Emery’s side; we dominated them in the 2nd half.

The "Rice-Less" Worry & A Tense First Half

The first 45 minutes were sticky. You could feel the tension in the Emirates. Without Rice’s physical presence, Villa’s midfield runners (Onana and Tielemans) were finding big gaps to run into during their counter-attacks . We looked a bit disjointed, and honestly, if Ollie Watkins had his shooting boots on early, we could have been in trouble.

But we held firm. Saliba and Gabriel being back together at the back brings a calmness that you just can't buy. They kept us in it when we weren't at our best.

The Second Half Explosion 💥

Whatever Arteta said at halftime needs to be bottled and sold. We came out with a purpose.

• 1-0 (48 mins): Who else? Big Gabi. A trademark corner, a towering header. BIG Relief!!! Set-piece FC is back!

• 2-0 (52 mins): This was the moment of the match for me. Martin Zubimendi. Stepping into that Rice role, he didn't just defend; he surged forward. That outside-of-the-boot finish from Odegaard’s pass? Pure class.

• 3-0 (69 mins): Leo Trossard. The most clinical finisher at the club? He curled one in from the edge of the box to kill the game dead. Even VAR could not find ways to disallow that goal.

• 4-0 (78 mins): A special mention for Gabriel Jesus. He’s had a tough few months, but coming off the bench and curling that beauty into the corner? You could see how much it meant to him.

(Let's ignore the Watkins consolation goal in stoppage time—it annoyed Raya, but it didn't ruin the party).

Key Talking Points

1. Life Without Rice: We passed the test. Zubimendi stepped up massively, and Odegaard dropped deeper to help control the tempo. It proves we do have a squad capable of adapting.

2. The Emery "Curse" Lifted: Unai Emery has haunted us recently, but yesterday he had no answers for our intensity. We pressed them into oblivion in that second half.

3. The Table: We wake up on New Year's Day 5 points clear of Man City.

We are halfway there. Let's hope that we maintain the lead and momentum.

Happy New Year! Let’s make 2026 ours.

COYG!

MERINO MANIA: Bayern Battered, Battle at the Bridge & A Professional Job vs Brentford

What a month. Seriously, take a breath, Gooners.

Since my last post (where we absolutely demolished Spurs 4-1—still watching the highlights, by the way), the schedule has been relentless. If you thought the North London Derby was the peak, you were wrong. This team is made of steel.

As we are in crucial period of the season, here is the breakdown of our run from November up to last night's win under the lights.

🇪🇺 The European Night: Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Three days after beating Spurs, we had Bayern at the Carpet. I was worried that there would be some emotional hungover from the Derby, but the team provide me wrong.

• The Result: A commanding 3-1 win. Timber, Madueke and Martinelli scored for us.

• The Vibe: Electric. Beating Bayern is always a benchmark. We didn't just counter them; we controlled them especially in the 2nd half.

Right substitutions made the difference in the 2nd half. Noni Madueke came in and scored his 1st goal for us and Martinelli continued is goal scoring run in the champions league.

Beating a European giant so convincingly proved that this squad is ready to go deep in the UCL this year.

⚔️ The Stamford Bridge Battle: Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Then came Sunday. The short trip to West London.

This was a frustrating one. Chelsea going down to 10 men (Moises Caicedo, what were you doing?) should have handed us the win, but we looked leggy. When Chalobah scored that loopy header for them, I feared the worst.

Enter Mikel Merino. The man is becoming a cult hero. He popped up with a massive equaliser to save a point. In the grand scheme of the title race, a point away at Chelsea after playing Spurs and Bayern in the same week? I’ll take it.

🐝 Last Night: Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

That brings us to yesterday. A cold Wednesday night, Saliba out injured (still can't believe that "bizarre" training ground injury), and a stubborn Brentford side.

This was a "professional" performance. It wasn't flashy, but it was dominant.

• Merino Again: He is on fire! Another goal plus an assist for the Spaniard. He has truly found his feet in this team, playing that False 9 (or whatever it is) role perfectly.

• Clean Sheet: Huge credit to the backline. With Saliba out, watching Mosquera step up (before he limped off—fingers crossed it’s minor) and then Timber filling in was reassuring. Raya made an outstanding save in the 1st half to protect our lead.

🚑 The Injury Ward: Highs & Lows

It’s not all sunshine, though. The fixture congestion is biting.

• The Saliba Situation: We need him back ASAP. The defense looks solid, but Saliba is Saliba.

• Dec & Mosquera Scares: Seeing Declan Rice limp off late yesterday gave me a heart attack. Arteta seemed to think it was just a knock in the post-match interview, but we need to wrap that man in cotton wool.

• The Good News: Ben White played full 90 minutes and produced a MOM performance. Jesus is back on the bench, Gyökeres is getting minutes again, and Odegaard looks back to his sharpest self.

🦁 Up Next: Aston Villa (Away)

We are off to Villa Park on Saturday. Villa are flying high, currently 3rd on the table, so this is arguably tougher than the Chelsea game.

If Rice is fit and Merino keeps this goal-scoring form up, I back us to take all three points. But we will need to be clinical.

COYG!

NORTH LONDON IS RED: Eze’s Hattrick, That Tifo, and an impressive 4-1 Victory!

Wake up, Gooners! The morning coffee tastes sweeter today, doesn't it?

If you were at the Emirates yesterday—or even watching from home like me—you felt it. There is winning a football match, and then there is dominating one of your biggest rivals to go six points clear at the top of the league. Yesterday was a STATEMENT. Arsenal 4, Tottenham 1.

With Man City and Liverpool's results from the other day, all eyes were on us to see to if we can capitalize on that.
Let's get straight into my thoughts on a perfect Sunday. 

The Atmosphere & That Tifo

Before a ball was even kicked, we had already won the psychological battle. The Ashburton Army outdid themselves again.

As the players walked out, the North Bank was covered by that colossal tifo: "The Arsenal, These Streets Are Our Own." Seeing the faces of legends like Tony Adams, Thierry Henry, and—most brutally for the Spurs fans—Sol Campbell right front and center alongside Saka and Gabriel? It was magnificent. You could see the Spurs players shrinking before the whistle even blew. The Emirates was a cauldron of noise.

The Eberechi Eze Show

When Ornstein announced that we are going to get Eze, I was excited because I felt that he can bring in something that we were missing. The DIRECTNESS. What a signing he has been so far. To think Spurs thought they had him in the summer, only for him to choose The Arsenal... and then score a hattrick against them? You couldn't script it better.

• Goal #1: The timing was perfect, right before half-time. A moment of magic to settle the nerves going into the break.

• Goal #2: 35 seconds into the second half! He didn't even let them settle. A beautiful strike with his left foot.

• Goal #3: That curled finish for the hattrick was pure class. He has that "pause" in his game that only the best players have.

He is the X-factor we needed.

Trossard & Merino: The Unsung Heroes

While Eze will grab the headlines, we need to appreciate the contributions of Trossard and Merino.

I know many were worried about Merion playing that false-9 striker role in place of Gyokeres, but he was immense. He wasn't just a target man; he was a facilitator. That "delightful" ball he played through for Trossard’s opener was pass-of-the-season material. He battled for every ball, held play up, and allowed the wingers to fly. 

Trossard must be one of the best finishers in the league. As soon as Merino played him through, you knew it was a goal. He loves a big game, and his finish to open the scoring (a deflection though but who cares 😄) broke the deadlock when Spurs were just trying to park the bus.

Even for the fourth goal, Merino and Trossard's contribution is critical. They both combined well before Trossard's pass to Eze to complete his hat-trick.

Declan Rice: Our Engine

As usual, Rice was our Engine and the heartbeat. He controlled the tempo and completely shut down any hope Spurs had of playing through the middle. He also added an assist to his tally by intercepting the ball for Eze’s second goal! It was a dominant display—he made sure their midfield (which cost a fortune, by the way) looked non-existent.

What's Next?

We enjoy this for today, but the big games keep coming.

We are back at the carpet on Wednesday to face Bayern. It’s a battle for the top spot in the group and also a battle between teams at the top in their respective leagues. If we bring this same intensity, I don't see why we can't beat them too.

For now, enjoy the bragging rights, Gooners. North London is, and always will be, Red.

COYG!

The Arsenal: Clean Sheet Run Ends, But Ambitions Remain.

 

A Record Breaking October and Early November

It’s been over a month since we asked, “Do we have everything?” and in that time, we’ve certainly seen what we do have: resilience, exciting youth talent, and a few painful reminders of the Premier League's brutality. Across the men's and women's teams, we’ve witnessed a captivating period of high-stakes football, marked by the shine of a historic clean sheet streak, the pain of injuries, and a draw on the weekend.

A 10-Game Winning Streak Snapped

Competition	Opponent	Date	Result	Key Takeaway
Premier League	Sunderland (A)	Nov 8	Draw (2-2)	Ended a 10-game winning run in all competitions after a last-minute equaliser. Saka and Trossard scored.
Premier League	Burnley (A)	Nov 1	Win (2-0)	Solid away win.
EFL Cup	Brighton (H)	Oct 29	Win (2-0)	Academy stars Nwaneri and Saka scored. Ethan Nwaneri's first senior goal.
Champions League	Slavia Prague (A)	Nov 4	Win (3-0)	Maintained a perfect record in the group stage.
Champions League	Atletico Madrid (H)	Oct 21	Win (4-0)	Dominant performance, showcasing ruthlessness.
Premier League	Crystal Palace (H)	Oct 26	Win (1-0)	Hard-fought victory to stay on top.

The Run and the Blip: The men's team was in sensational form, reaching a remarkable 10-game winning streak across all competitions, built on a phenomenal defensive record that saw us go over 800 minutes without conceding a goal.

The Sunderland Shock: That defensive wall was finally breached (twice) in a frustrating 2-2 draw at Sunderland on November 8th. Despite goals from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, a stoppage-time equaliser cost us two vital points.

Youth Excitement: A major highlight was the Carabao Cup win against Brighton, which saw academy talent like Ethan Nwaneri score his first senior goal and Max Dowman become the club's youngest ever competitive starter.

Injury Update: The Growing Sick Bay

The biggest concern from the past month is the list of unavailable players, which severely tested the depth of the men's squad.

Star forwards and creative players like Martin Ødegaard (Captain), Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Martinelli were all unavailable for the last few games. This highlights the brilliant effort from the rest of the squad to maintain the winning run despite missing key personnel.

The Road Ahead: Crucial November Fixtures

Team	Opponent	Competition	Date
Men	Tottenham Hotspur (H)	Premier League	Sun, Nov 23
Men	Bayern Munich (H)	UEFA Champions League	Wed, Nov 26
Men	Chelsea (A)	Premier League	Sun, Nov 30
Women	Bayern Munich (A)	UWCL	Tue, Nov 12
Women	Tottenham Hotspur (A)	WSL	Sun, Nov 16
Women	Real Madrid (H)	UWCL	Wed, Nov 19

All of our remaining fixtures in November after the international break are against top teams. We really hope to get a few players back from injury for this run.

Let's keep the momentum going and kick start another winning run with a victory in North London Derby(NLD).

#COYG #ARSENAL #GOONERS