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!