Sir Keir Starmer interview: My role in bringing Declan Rice to Arsenal telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/…

PODCAST! Chatting to Sam Dean about Ben White's antics & focus on them this week, Gabriel Jesus and his future, Jorginho's contract offer + midfield decisions in the summer, PL 'anchoring rules', competitive games in the US, and LOTS more.

p1r.es/arsecast781

David Raya is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League at stopping crosses. He either caught or blocked five crosses in the last 15 minutes yesterday.

How does he do it?

🧠 Ultra-aggressive positioning
🏋️‍♂️ Fast footwork & huge spring
✋ Massive hands

telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/…

With seconds remaining of the north London derby, Mikel Arteta produced his final touchline act: slapping Nicolas Jover on the backside.

This was a day for Jover and set-piece coaches across the land. Ange Postecoglou doesn’t want one. Maybe he should.

telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/…

Arteta: 'What I love is that David does that [the mistake] and then he was sensational in the last 20 minutes of the game.' #AFC

The Spurs DJ has just turned up the volume to drown out the Arsenal fans celebrating in the corner. Superb derby pettiness.

Huge clanger by David Raya for the Romero goal, and that obviously changed the game. BUT he was so, so good at dealing with all the crosses in that second half. Claimed everything. He's just had an enormous hug from Arteta.

These are huge moments in Arsenal's season now. Odegaard off for Kiwior. Arteta trying to lock it down.

Can't remember another example of Havertz playing a raking long pass like that this season? Xhaka-esque assist. He's clearly got it in his locker.

The Arsenal players all celebrate their opener in a huddle by the corner flag. Apart from Odegaard, who ran straight to Arteta to talk tactics. Some tweaks required?

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg has started eight matches for Spurs this season. They have won just one of those games. Bissouma and Sarr on the bench for #THFC

Teams at Spurs

#THFC Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies; Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Maddison; Kulsevski, Son, Werner

#AFC Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Trossard

Arteta on Timber: “We are going to have to make that decision [if he can play this weekend] tomorrow after training. He is very close. I don’t know if it is going to come too early, this one. But he is very close.” #AFC

Kevin De Bruyne has been everywhere in this first half. Sometimes left-wing, sometimes picking it up at centre-back, sometimes running in behind. Brighton are getting nowhere near him.

Teams at the Amex.

#BHAFC Steele; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Barco; Gross, Baleba; Lallana, Moder, Pedro; Welbeck

#MCFC Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden; Alvarez

With four games remaining, Arsenal are on course to score more goals this season than in any other Premier League campaign in their history (record is 88, from last season).

They are also on course to concede their fewest amount of league goals in a season since 2003/04 #AFC

The evolution of Ben White over the past couple of years has been an absolute triumph of player development and coaching. From centre-back to defensive-minded full-back, to overlapping right-back (with some shuffling into midfield along the way) and a genuine creative force.

Chelsea have basically turned up at the Emirates and decided to play YOLO football. Completely open. Pure chaos. Not even attempting to control the game or stop the flow in any way. There is a reason no one does this against Arsenal. They have had chances but it's so high risk.

Martin Odegaard with the Kevin De Bruyne-style ripper of an assist there. An absolute bullet across 50 yards.

Partey popping it first-time to Rice, who has the freedom to drive forward and set up the goal. Is that an example of the original plan for this Arsenal midfield? The plan that was derailed by Partey's injury? Looked like it. 1-0.