Arsenal embrace title race noise as Chelsea squad depth hits again

Arsenal embracing the title race noise

After last weekend's defeat to Manchester United, Mikel Arteta held a meeting with his Arsenal players this week. The meeting was "beautiful", according to the Arsenal manager, and the topic was how his squad would handle the noise.

Arsenal's form was dipping. The league's best defence was leaking goals and the attack was dwindling, with debates about who should be centre-forward, and who should play behind him in attacking midfield.

They then lost Bukayo Saka in the warm-up at Leeds and with Mikel Merino also out, the injury topic was emerging again. They even had to change travel plans to Leeds at the last minute on Friday.

Lots of problems have tried to derail Arsenal recently. But instead Arsenal have come through their sticky patch. After that meeting, seven goals have gone in - including goals for centre-forward options Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

Their defence is firming up again, with Leeds limited to just one shot on target. Martin Odegaard came off the bench and played big roles in goals three and four at Elland Road. Noni Madueke's stand-in display showed Arsenal cannot be badly affected by a Saka blow, and they are not as reliant on him like in previous seasons.

Yes, it's only Kairat Almaty and Leeds - but the opposition is almost irrelevant when it comes to Arteta's side. Their biggest threat to the title is themselves - it's often quipped that only Arsenal can stop Arsenal winning the title.

After some clear-the-air talks, the Gunners seem to be embracing the noise, and they're enjoying their football again.
Sam Blitz

This is the biggest week of Leeds' season

Only two defeats in 11 for Leeds, and losing to Arsenal in this manner isn't a disaster. But they're not quite safe yet - they cannot get complacent.

West Ham's revival has blown the relegation zone wide open and while Leeds believe Daniel Farke is doing a good job while he maintains a 'point per game' tally in the table, there's a risk that 38 points may not be enough this season.

This is perhaps the biggest week of Leeds' season coming up. Deadline Day on Monday will be a key checkpoint in their season.

A centre-forward like Jorgen Strand Larsen would add more goals and relieve some of the pressure on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while Lucas Perri and Karl Darlow's inability to nail the No 1 spot means a goalkeeper at the other end may be required.

Then comes next Friday's big game at home to Nottingham Forest, live on Sky Sports. Get bodies in and win that, Leeds will be back on track. But there's a trap door lurking.
Sam Blitz

Incredible Chelsea comeback only heightens squad depth issues

If you had asked every single Chelsea fan inside Stamford Bridge at the interval what they thought the full-time score would be, not one would've predicted this. The stadium was volatile, on the brink of anarchy and then Liam Rosenior turned to his bench and turned the game on its head.

Seven changes were made to the starting line-up, seemingly with the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal in mind. But it looked like Rosenior had put out the academy. His players lacked sharpness and ideas. Alejandro Garnacho played just two forward passes in his 45 minutes on the pitch.

On come Joao Pedro, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana and suddenly, Chelsea look a different team. All three had a hand in goals and at the end of the day, the points are all that matters. But you cannot overlook the fact Rosenior has a problem that despite all the spending in recent years, no one at the club has managed to solve.

"We all know the [regular] starting XI but the players not in that are so far off the starting XI," was Rob Green's verdict and he couldn't be more right. Chelsea's best team can compete with anyone in the Premier League. But this proved that if you remove some of those ingredients, it is a recipe for disaster.
Callum Bishop

The final blow in West Ham's hopes of survival?

The first half could not have gone any better for Nuno Espirito Santo. And off the back of three wins in a row in all competitions, you'd imagine the confidence in the West Ham dressing room would have been sky high during the break.

Now, it will be shattered. So too may be their chances of survival.

The defeat will hurt, but the manner of it will be the killer blow. Nuno already has a task on his hand to overturn the five-point gap that is keeping them in the bottom three. But to pick his players up from this? That will be some task.

Of course there are positives. The first half was full of them for West Ham. But they arguably can't have played any better than that. The fact that still wasn't enough could mean game, set and match for their Premier League safety.
Callum Bishop

Things could turn toxic at Brighton

The boos were defeating at full-time inside the Amex Stadium. It's not something that the fans have been used to doing in recent years, but the atmosphere at Brighton has the potential to turn toxic.

It is the second weekend in a row that the Seagulls have conceded late on. Harry Wilson's late goal last Saturday saw them drop a point, Beto's slot home from a rebounded save cost them two.

As it stands, Brighton are hardly in a relegation battle, but they are stagnating. After a dominant opening 20 minutes, they did not really create too much until the goal from Pascal Gross. There are also clear issues with concentration and seeing out games.

They have won one of their last 11 Premier League games, only beating Burnley in that time.

Fabian Hurzeler called the defeat "painful", but added they must take responsibility. Brighton take on rivals Crystal Palace next Sunday and should the same situation happen again - especially in defeat - the powder keg could explode.
Charlotte Marsh

Everton finding goals - but questions linger

For the second game in a row, Everton came from behind to take a point in a Premier League away game.

It was in dramatic circumstances against Brighton too as Beto slotted home the equaliser in the 97th minute - Everton's latest result-altering goal in a Premier League away match on record (since 2006-07), only behind Yerry Mina's equaliser at Wolves in May 2023 (98:54).

It's no mean feat to go to battle back at the likes of Elland Road and the Amex Stadium, but despite two good results, there will be a few questions niggling at David Moyes and the Everton fans alike.

Both games saw the Toffees have a poor first half, with vast improvements after the break. While things do get better, some may wonder why there have been such slow starts in the first place.

Then, there is chance creation. For the third time this season, Everton did not register a shot in the opening 45 minutes. They had a xG of zero and just four touches in the opposition box.

The xG had ticked up to 1.2 by the end of the game, and they actually registered more shots on target than Brighton in the end, but even Moyes conceded his side need to improve their creation.

"The truth was we still need to make opportunities and create more," he told Sky Sports.

But Everton have now lost just one of their last seven Premier League games and in their last four matches, one goal has been enough for points.

However, one wonders if they improve their starts and opportunities, they could easily be challenging the top four for Champions League football next season.
Charlotte Marsh

Bournemouth have done it again with starlet Kroupi Jr

We know the answer already but where do Bournemouth keep finding these players? Eli Kroupi Junior is the latest off the Vitality Stadium conveyor belt after a superb season of scoring in the *checks notes* French second division last season.

Fast forward less than a year and he is two goals away from reaching double figures in the Premier League in his debut season and has the best shot conversion rate of any Premier League player who has scored five or more goals this season - all before turning 20. The only teenager with more goals across Europe's top five leagues this season is Lamine Yamal. Not a bad yard stick.

The France U21 forward's finishing is impressive but he can also mix it up, and is developing an increasingly fruitful partnership with fellow forward Evanilson in an era where managers are so often reluctant to play two out-and-out forwards. But he's just too good to leave out.

"We're trying to find a way to play with two No 9s," Iraola told Sky Sports after Kroupi Jr's goal in Saturday's 2-0 win at Wolves. "In possession we are more of a threat if we can put Junior and Evanilson around the box we offer a threat. I am pleased with the work he is doing and he can stay on the pitch."

Bournemouth's hit rate for finding hidden gems has long been the envy of their Premier League rivals. It's early days, but Kroupi Jr could yet be one of their best.
Ron Walker