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!
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