Sign For A Big Club

You Should Have Signed for a Big Club! Arsenal Turn Chelsea’s Early Swagger into Another Emirates Defeat

Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1

There are few things more satisfying in football than watching an opposition player celebrate as though he has just won the World Cup, only to spend the rest of the afternoon discovering that he may have poked a rather large bear.

Morgan Rogers needed just 77 seconds to silence the Emirates. His superb volley from outside the area flew past David Raya and suddenly Chelsea were ahead, their new boy was celebrating and Arsenal’s perfect start to the season was under threat.

The Arsenal supporters had an answer.

“YOU SHOULD HAVE SIGNED FOR A BIG CLUB!”

Welcome to the Emirates, Morgan.

It was particularly delicious because Arsenal had been linked with Rogers before his move to Chelsea. He had chosen blue. The North Bank clearly hadn’t forgotten.

For a few minutes Arsenal looked rattled. Riccardo Calafiori appeared to have equalised, only for VAR to intervene and rule it out for offside. But rather than lose their heads, the champions gradually took control.

And who better to bring Arsenal level than Kai Havertz?

Declan Rice found the German, Havertz made himself a yard and promptly smashed the ball past Emi Martinez at his near post.

Yes, that Emi Martinez.

An ex-Gunner in the Chelsea goal was always going to receive a lively reception, but conceding at his near post to Havertz ensured that the Emirates faithful weren’t exactly inclined to send him home with a bunch of flowers.

Chelsea nearly restored their lead when Pedro Neto hit the post in first-half stoppage time, but Arsenal went into the break level and emerged looking like a side that knew precisely what it was doing.

Five minutes into the second half, the turnaround was complete.

Christos Tzolis drove down the left and fired a low ball towards Havertz. The German produced a wonderful dummy, allowing it to run through to Martin Odegaard, and the skipper buried his left-footed finish.

2-1.

From 0-1 after 77 seconds to 2-1 after 50 minutes.

Chelsea had poked the bear. The bear had eaten them.

They certainly had chances afterwards. Estevao forced a magnificent save from Raya, while Reece James pumped balls into the Arsenal area as Chelsea desperately searched for an equaliser. But Arsenal stood firm.

Rice controlled the midfield. Havertz finished with a goal and an assist. Odegaard provided the winner. Raya produced the big save when required.

And Chelsea?

For all the money spent and all the noise surrounding another rebuild, they still haven’t beaten Arsenal in the Premier League since August 2021.

That is becoming less a statistic and more an archaeological period.

There was still time for one final bit of Emirates entertainment.

As Martinez made his way home afterwards, the former Arsenal keeper received plenty of stick from supporters. Football crowds have long memories, and the Argentine’s various encounters with his old club have hardly been characterised by warm nostalgia. After conceding twice and leaving north London empty-handed, his journey away from the Emirates was accompanied by a few reminders of exactly where he was.

Farewell, Gabi

The victory also came with a genuinely sad piece of Arsenal news: Gabriel Martinelli has now officially left the club to join Al-Hilal.

The Brazilian departs for a club-record fee received, making the deal extraordinary business financially, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be missed.

Martinelli arrived as a relatively unknown teenager and became one of the symbols of Arsenal’s transformation under Arteta: direct, fearless, ridiculously quick and always prepared to run himself into the ground for the shirt.

There were frustrating spells. There were questions over his final ball and whether he had quite fulfilled the enormous potential we saw during his breakthrough. But there were also huge goals, electrifying performances and that infectious enthusiasm which made it very difficult not to like him.

Football moves quickly. Arsenal have evolved, competition for places has become ferocious and a record offer is difficult to refuse.

But Gabi leaves with our thanks.

Once a Gunner, always a Gunner.

Meanwhile, back at the Emirates, Arsenal have nine points from nine.

Three matches. Three wins.

And Chelsea arrived, scored after 77 seconds and presumably thought this might finally be their day.

It wasn’t.

Perhaps Morgan Rogers should have listened to the North Bank.

“YOU SHOULD HAVE SIGNED FOR A BIG CLUB!”

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Saka Silences Villa

Premier League champions Arsenal continued their perfect start to the season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Aston Villa, courtesy of a familiar match-winner and a performance that was far more efficient than exhilarating.

Bukayo Saka scored the decisive goal in the 59th minute, poking home from close range after Riccardo Calafiori delivered an excellent cross into the Villa penalty area. Remarkably, it was the first attempt on target by either side.

This was hardly Arsenal at their free-flowing best. Chances were scarce, the football was frequently scrappy and Villa did a reasonable job of disrupting the champions’ rhythm. Yet winning these awkward matches is exactly what champions do. Arsenal did not need to produce a masterpiece. They needed one moment of quality, and Saka provided it.

Villa’s supporters responded by singing “1-0 to the referee”, which was an extraordinary interpretation of events given that Arsenal had already seen a couple of stonewall penalty appeals waved away.

If the referee was attempting to help Arsenal, he had a remarkably discreet way of showing it.

There is something particularly irritating about supporters chanting about refereeing conspiracies when their own side has been the obvious beneficiary of the questionable decisions. Arsenal could easily have been awarded at least one penalty, and the match might have been considerably more comfortable had the officials done their jobs properly.

Instead, Arsenal had to win it the hard way. Perhaps that made the victory even more satisfying.

Saka’s importance to this team requires no further explanation. When Arsenal need inspiration, he usually supplies it. Opponents know what he wants to do, double up on him and kick him whenever possible, yet he continues to decide matches.

However, Saka’s status also raises questions about Ethan Nwaneri’s immediate future.

Borussia Dortmund have approached Arsenal about taking the 19-year-old on loan, and the German club remain hopeful that a deal can be completed before the transfer window closes. Nwaneri has not appeared this season and was omitted from Arsenal’s matchday squads for both the Community Shield victory over Manchester City and Monday’s trip to Villa.

Mikel Arteta has already admitted that while he wants Nwaneri to remain at Arsenal, the teenager “needs to play football”. That is the central issue.

Nwaneri has already made 51 senior appearances for Arsenal and remains the youngest player ever to appear in the Premier League, having made his debut at just 15 years, five months and 28 days. During the 2024-25 campaign, he scored nine goals and supplied two assists in 37 appearances, taking advantage of Saka’s lengthy injury absence.

Yet his pathway has become increasingly congested.

Initially used on the right wing, Nwaneri has more recently been developed as a central midfielder. Unfortunately, Martin Ødegaard, Eberechi Eze and Bruno Guimarães now stand between him and regular football in that position. On the right, he is competing with Arsenal’s most important attacking player.

His loan spell at Marseille during the second half of last season was not especially successful. He made nine league appearances but started only three of them. Arsenal cannot afford to send him somewhere merely to exchange their bench for somebody else’s.

Dortmund, though, could be different. They have an outstanding record of trusting and developing young attacking players. If they can offer Nwaneri meaningful minutes in the Bundesliga and Champions League, it could be the ideal move. A season playing regularly in Germany would do far more for his development than occasional domestic cup appearances in north London.

The key word is “regularly”. Arsenal must receive firm assurances about his intended role before approving anything.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are considering a move for Lyon winger Malick Fofana as Arteta continues to reshape his attack.

The 21-year-old has scored 19 goals in 83 appearances for Lyon, including two in five matches this season. He found the net against Fenerbahçe in Lyon’s Champions League play-off defeat and also scored in a Ligue 1 victory over Toulouse.

Fofana is quick, direct and capable of operating from the left, making Arsenal’s interest understandable. Gabriel Martinelli is set to join Al Hilal in a €70 million deal, while Gabriel Jesus is closing in on a €10 million move to Barcelona. Leandro Trossard has already departed for Beşiktaş.

Arsenal signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge earlier in the summer, and the Greek international started the opening victory over Coventry following an impressive pre-season. The pursuit of Fofana suggests Arsenal want genuine competition rather than simply replacing departing players one for one.

After exploring an ambitious move for Vinícius Júnior, only for the Brazilian to sign a new contract with Real Madrid, Fofana represents a younger and considerably more attainable option.

Lyon signed him from Gent for €17 million in January 2024, and his contract runs until 2028. They will not allow him to leave cheaply, particularly this late in the window. Chelsea made an enquiry last summer and Everton also held talks, so Arsenal are unlikely to be alone if Lyon indicate that a deal is possible.

Fofana would not provide the guaranteed superstar impact of Vinícius, but Arsenal no longer need to gamble everything on one glamorous signing. They already possess match-winners. What they need is depth, pace and enough attacking variation to survive another long campaign.

That was evident at Villa Park. Arsenal were not brilliant, but they were composed, resilient and clinical when the opportunity finally arrived.

Saka scored. Calafiori created it. The defence held firm. The referee declined to give Arsenal anything, and Villa supporters somehow blamed him for their defeat anyway.

Champions find a way. Arsenal found one again, but it’s tinged with sadness with Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli poised to leave the club. We wish them both well!

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Nelson’s Next Column To Be Built Elsewhere Plus Álvarez Arrival?

Arsenal are approaching the transfer deadline with several pieces still moving—and the tantalising possibility that Julián Álvarez could be the final one to fall into place.

There is reportedly a growing feeling within the industry that Arsenal are now the most likely destination for the Atlético Madrid forward. That does not mean a deal is agreed, or even that an acceptable offer has been submitted, but the story is beginning to feel considerably more substantial than the usual late-window speculation.

Álvarez would be a transformative signing. He can lead the line, operate behind another striker or move into wider areas. More importantly, he possesses the intelligence, aggression and technical quality required to thrive in Mikel Arteta’s football.

This is precisely the calibre of player Arsenal should pursue. Having finally won the Premier League, the club must use that success as a springboard. The objective cannot merely be to defend the title respectably. Arsenal should be attempting to establish themselves as the dominant force in England and serious contenders in Europe.

If Álvarez is genuinely attainable, this is not the moment for excessive caution.

Arsenal still exploring attacking options

The club have also made a late enquiry about Marseille winger Igor Paixão, while reports suggest Arsenal were prepared to match Liverpool’s offer for Bradley Barcola in an attempt to hijack that transfer.

Those names point towards a clear desire for greater pace and unpredictability in the attacking positions. Paixão may represent a more achievable alternative, but Álvarez would be the signing capable of changing the entire complexion of Arsenal’s forward line.

Meanwhile, Arteta is reportedly determined to prevent Cristhian Mosquera from leaving. The centre-back has attracted strong interest from Fenerbahçe and two Saudi Pro League clubs, but allowing him to depart would make little sense unless he is actively demanding an exit.

Arsenal’s defensive depth can appear excessive until the injuries begin. Then, almost overnight, a surplus becomes a crisis. Mosquera still has an important role to play across a season containing four competitions.

There will be no such future at Arsenal for Reiss Nelson. The club have officially terminated the 26-year-old’s contract, allowing him to become a free agent.

It is a melancholy conclusion to a career that once promised so much. Nelson joined Arsenal as a child, progressed through the academy and supplied several unforgettable moments—most notably that extraordinary stoppage-time winner against Bournemouth.

Nevertheless, sentiment cannot disguise the reality. He was no longer part of Arteta’s plans and needed the opportunity to rebuild his career elsewhere.

Arsenal will be criticised for receiving nothing for another academy graduate, and with some justification. Contract termination is not clever trading. It is the final acknowledgement that the club could not find a buyer prepared to inherit Nelson’s wages and limited recent playing record.

For the player, though, freedom may prove more valuable than another wasted season.

European heavyweights are coming

Arsenal have also learned the identity of their eight Champions League league-stage opponents.

For anyone still pretending to understand UEFA’s format without occasionally checking it, the basic principle is straightforward: the top eight advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing ninth to 24th enter a seeded play-off.

Arsenal will face two opponents from each coefficient pot, with four matches at home and four away.

The headline fixture is undoubtedly Real Madrid at the Emirates. José Mourinho returning to north London in charge of Madrid is already a considerable story. Add Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Federico Valverde and several familiar Premier League faces, and it becomes one of the most eagerly anticipated European nights the stadium has hosted.

Madrid have begun strongly, scoring six goals in victories over Real Sociedad and Espanyol, with Mbappé contributing four. Their summer recruitment has included Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté, Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries.

There will naturally be plenty of attention on Vinícius after Arsenal came close to becoming his new home. The reception he receives may depend upon precisely how that episode ended, but the greater concern will be preventing him and Mbappé from turning the Emirates into their playground.

It is an intimidating fixture, but it is also exactly the occasion Arsenal wanted when they returned to Europe’s elite. If Arteta’s team intend to win this competition, they cannot spend the season hoping to avoid its biggest clubs.

Another trip to Munich

Arsenal will travel to face Bayern Munich in what should be their most difficult away assignment.

Vincent Kompany’s side remain a ferocious attacking team featuring Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Díaz. Arsenal defeated them 3–1 in last season’s league stage, but repeating that performance at the Allianz Arena will be an entirely different challenge.

Bayern’s additions of Ismael Saibari and Nathaniel Brown may not command the attention of their established stars, but both could become important players. This is a more dynamic Bayern than some of the ageing sides Arsenal encountered during their earlier European disappointments.

The history between the clubs remains unpleasant from an Arsenal perspective, but the inferiority complex should be gone. Arsenal are no longer arriving simply hoping to survive.

Dortmund bring danger, but no excuses

Borussia Dortmund will visit the Emirates after the clubs contested a surprisingly heated pre-season meeting.

Dortmund still possess significant quality through Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Maxi Beier and Serhou Guirassy. Much will also depend upon whether young Greek playmaker Konstantinos Karetsas can provide the creativity they lost with the departures of Julian Brandt and Karim Adeyemi.

They are dangerous, experienced and capable of punishing a careless performance. They are also a team Arsenal should beat at home.

Finishing in the top eight will require taking maximum points from this type of fixture. Respect Dortmund, certainly, but do not turn them into something they are not.

A hostile night in Seville

Real Betis away carries a different sort of danger.

Betis scored three times against an unusually disorganised Arsenal during pre-season, although their competitive attacking form has subsequently been far less convincing. Antony, Pablo Fornals and Cucho Hernández remain their main threats, while former Tottenham prospect Troy Parrott provides another option at centre-forward.

The atmosphere in Seville will be fierce and Manuel Pellegrini is far too experienced to allow his side to approach the match naively. This has all the ingredients of one of those awkward European nights in which Arsenal dominate possession, miss opportunities and suddenly find themselves defending a one-goal lead amid deafening noise.

It is not the most glamorous game in the draw, but it may reveal more about Arsenal’s maturity than some of the headline encounters.

Giroud comes home

Olivier Giroud will return to the Emirates with Lille, providing the evening with an obvious emotional subplot.

Giroud’s Arsenal career was often underappreciated, even if his limitations also became painfully apparent during the title challenge of 2015–16. He should receive a warm welcome—before Arsenal attempt to ensure he barely touches the ball.

Lille finished third in Ligue 1 last season and reached the Europa League quarter-finals, but looked toothless when eliminated by Aston Villa. Hákon Haraldsson supplies creativity in advanced areas, while Başar Önal is an intriguing attacking addition.

The losses of experienced defenders Aïssa Mandi and Thomas Meunier may leave Lille vulnerable, particularly at the Emirates. This is another fixture from which Arsenal must collect three points if they are serious about avoiding the play-off round.

Napoli are no longer a team to fear

The trip to Napoli sounds more threatening than the recent evidence suggests.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side finished only 30th in last season’s Champions League league stage and continue to struggle for attacking fluency. They produced less than 1.0 expected goals in their league opener against Genoa and are a long way removed from the exhilarating team inspired by Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Scott McTominay and Rasmus Højlund have become central figures, while Kevin De Bruyne still offers moments of exceptional quality without being capable of dominating every game as he once did.

The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona remains a difficult venue and Napoli may add another striker before Arsenal arrive. Nevertheless, this is not a vintage Napoli side. Arsenal should approach the match looking to win, not merely escape.

Sabah supply the romance

Sabah’s visit to the Emirates is the wonderful curiosity of the draw.

Founded only in 2017, the Azerbaijani champions eliminated The New Saints, KuPS, AGF and Hapoel Be’er Sheva to reach the league stage. Veljko Simić, Joy-Lance Mickels and former Plymouth full-back Tymoteusz Puchacz were instrumental in that run.

There is no need to patronise them. Reaching this stage is a magnificent achievement and their players have earned the right to walk out at the Emirates.

There is also no need to pretend Arsenal should experience serious difficulty. Anything other than a comfortable home victory would be an embarrassment.

Slavia will attack Arsenal

The final opponent is Slavia Prague, whom Arsenal must face away.

Slavia finished 34th in last season’s league stage but are not a side likely to retreat into their own penalty area. They scored 74 goals in 35 league games last season and opened the new domestic campaign with three victories by an aggregate score of 11–2.

Manager Jindřich Trpišovský generally employs an adventurous back three, with wing-backs and two attacking midfielders supporting the striker. Lukas Provod, Michal Sadílek and Tomáš Chorý bring international experience, while 22-year-old defender Ange N’Guessan has become the club’s record signing.

Their attacking approach could create an entertaining game. It should also leave spaces for Arsenal to exploit.

Arsenal should finish in the top eight

Real Madrid at home and Bayern away are formidable assignments. The other six fixtures, however, offer Arsenal a clear route into the top eight.

Dortmund and Lille should be beaten at the Emirates. Sabah absolutely must be. Arsenal should also expect to collect a healthy return from the trips to Betis, Napoli and Slavia Prague.

Five wins would place Arteta’s side in a strong position. Six would almost certainly be enough to advance automatically and avoid two unnecessary play-off matches during an already crowded season.

It is a draw containing glamour, nostalgia, unfamiliar opposition and a couple of genuine tests. There can be no complaints.

The next task is to complete the squad. Keep Mosquera, add another attacker and do everything possible to sign Álvarez.

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will provide Arsenal with an examination of their European credentials. Landing a player of Álvarez’s quality would help ensure they arrive properly prepared.

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