jamesash89

[jamesash89]

Unity delivers hope for Arteta’s revitalised Arsenal

When Arsenal lifted the FA Cup on Saturday evening, it was pretty easy to think about the football reasons that made the achievement possible. A world-class striker in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and a more disciplined defence have been the main contributing factors to Arsenal’s upturn in fortune since the turn of the year. Chelsea went 1-0 up in the fifth minute of the contest and looked like they were going to take complete control of the final.

Not so long ago, the Arsenal players would have crumbled. Goalkeeper made a crucial save to deny Chelsea a second and from the 10th minute onwards, the blues didn’t have another shot on target. Instead, Arsenal stuck to their game plan to turn the match around to secure a 2-1 victory. Yet while Arsenal of course had to play well on the day to win, there is a much more to it than football skills. 

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Mikel Arteta became Arsenal manager in December last year with an ambition to turn a group of above-average players, with a couple of superstars, and turn them into a squad that could at the very least compete with England’s best teams. Liverpool and Manchester City are now the juggernauts of Premier League football, while Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea have had the edge over Arsenal for several years. 

Arteta’s job is to turn this around and get Arsenal challenging for the biggest prizes once again. Even though Arsenal can still be considered as one of the country’s ‘big six’ due to its fan base, infrastructure and wage bill, the club needs to be re-established as a footballing entity that everyone else will take seriously. 

The Spaniard’s approach has been to instil a positive environment and unify his players - even if it has meant leaving a few noses out of joint. This has been widely appreciated by Arsenal fans. For too many years the club has been carrying deadwood who, despite their best intentions, haven’t been consistent enough to make a real difference or others who haven’t had the right attitude.

Granit Xhaka and Shkodran Mustafi are prime examples of players whose Arsenal careers looked finished in late November after a terrible run of results under previous manager Unai Emery. Now unified, the squad has been more consistent since January. But the real rise in Arsenal’s performances has come following the restart of English football in June. Wins over Liverpool, Manchester City and now Chelsea have shown just how far Arsenal have come in such a short space of time - especially considering they couldn’t play any matches for three months of Arteta’s tenure.

We mustn’t forget that it was Arteta’s coronavirus diagnosis in March that effectively put football on hold. He and his players have come out of a difficult period stronger and despite a couple of poor performances against the likes of Brighton and Aston Villa, there has been significant progress. The players now look ready to take on their ‘big six’ rivals and have a manager who believes they can do it. 

[jamesash89]

Do what you’d normally do (unless we tell you not to)

It’s starting to feel strange when a day goes by and the government hasn’t angered the nation with its COVID-19 strategy. Luckily for us, those days are now rare. While we may all think the ‘new normal’ is Zoom calls, social distancing and never hugging loved ones again, but it is actually those in charge of keeping us all safe regularly tripping over their own guidance. 

In fairness, a global pandemic is a pretty tricky disaster to manage... But after four months, you’d have thought they’d have more foresight in their decision making. 

At 9pm on July 30th, the health secretary, Matt Hancock announced that people living in Greater Manchester and its surrounding areas were once again prohibited from visiting other households - via social media. No televised briefing, a Twitter thread. On the night Eid al-Adha began, millions were told they could not see their families. Hancock blamed the public for this latest, last minute decision. 

Despite instructions to get out and jump start the economy or bring back normality into our lives so we feel better mentally, too many of us have not been following the rules - apparently. Trust me Matt, the majority have only been doing what the chancellor and prime minister told them to do.  

The decision has been defended by the government because infection rates are rising in those areas. While I agree with the principle (it makes perfect sense really), the data has been clear for quite a while now and action should have been taken sooner.

However, while people can’t visit each other’s homes they can still: go to the pub, go to work, shop till they drop, eat out to help out and even go to the beach. The onus is on businesses to provide staff with COVID safe environments, while the same staff could becoming infecting on public transport they rely on. The lesson here? Don’t get your hopes up. 

Don’t get your hopes up that the government will get its act together. And don’t get your hopes up that normality is returning any time soon. When Google tells its employees they are working from home until next Spring, you know things aren’t getting any better quickly. 

[jamesash89]

I’ve been ill with a hideous virus for nearly three weeks but luckily I had my three favourite ladies cheering me up today 🤧👶🏼🥩🍴 #saturday #lunch #daughter #newborn #wife #sister #february #winter https://ift.tt/32mNHDU

[jamesash89]

Food please #baby #hungrygirl #hungrybaby #wheresthesauce https://ift.tt/3b3ACDl

[jamesash89]

The daylight is slowly lasting longer @greenparkuk #friday #fridaynight #evening #endoftheweek #worklife #greenpark #reading #rdguk #shotoniphone #iphonex https://ift.tt/2u6suRs

[jamesash89]

I’m the lucky one, I get to see her when she’s already tired 😴 💤 #sleepyhead #evening #afterwork #shattered https://ift.tt/2T5GOUA

[jamesash89]

Cheers for the birthday beers @tigginit @itsaslugslife 🍻 . . #lager #beer #birthdaypresent #gift #cratelager #crate #curiousbrew #budvar #czech #drinkup #cheers #iphonex #shotoniphone #portraitmode https://ift.tt/2P343Lt

[jamesash89]

Flashing back to a photo from @disneylandparis that got lost in the hundreds I took in May #flashbackfriday #disneylandparis #disneyland #paris #disney #magickingdom #castle #evening #sunset #shotoniphone #shotoniphonex #iphonex #iphonography #nofilter https://ift.tt/32Be7Bb

[jamesash89]

Quick snap while the #Oracle car park lift takes forever to come... Oh and #toystory4 is excellent! #saturday #saturdaynight #lift #elevator #rdguk #reading #cinematrip #datenight #selfie #couple #marriedlife #husband #wife #glassestwins #iphonex #nofilter http://bit.ly/2KvENxF

[jamesash89]

What a fucking nerd 🤓 . . . #newglasses #firstpair #firstpairofglasses #nerd #geek #gettingold #gettingolder #prescriptionglasses #nearlythirty #selfie #nofilter #rdguk #icansee #clarity #frenchconnection #fcuk http://bit.ly/2wDBNGJ

[jamesash89]

So, about last night... . . . #nandos #periperi #periperichicken #chicken #chickenthighs #medium #fries #periperisalt #garlicbread #spice #dinner #instafood #foodphotography #wednesday #rdguk #oracle #riverside #nofilter #nofilterneeded #iphonex #shotoniphone http://bit.ly/2WNKUzI

[jamesash89]

@disneylandparis Day 3 . . . #disney #disneyland #paris #disneylandparis #eurodisney #disneyparks #instadisney #minnie #minniemouse #jafar #darthvader #bb8 #starwars #tigger #characters #layout #minibreak #may2019 #france #nofilter http://bit.ly/2JewXHZ

[jamesash89]

@disneylandparis Day 2 . . . #disney #disneyland #paris #disneylandparis #disneyparks #disneycharacters #instadisney #mickeymouse #mickey #goofy #donald #chipanddale #ticandtac #baloo #captainhook #smee #buzzlightyear #jessie #toystory #minibreak #may2019 #layout http://bit.ly/2JxgPAW

[jamesash89]

@disneylandparis Day 1 . . . #disney #disneyland #paris #disneylandparis #parade #selfie #walle #pinocchio #tigger #timon #mickey #mickeymouse #minibreak #france #may2019 #nofilter #iphonex #layout #instadisney http://bit.ly/2JtSJXt

[jamesash89]

The #hujicam is my new jam 🌅 . . . #goodmorning #early #sunrise #holiday #menorca #mahon #huji #may2019 #views http://bit.ly/2Llzjqn

[jamesash89]

Cruising with @bill_g_thomas 🌊🚤 #boatlife #ballin #lovinglife #imonboat #mahon #menorca #worklife #may #may2019 http://bit.ly/2IVqMIC

[jamesash89]

😔🇫🇷 #notredame http://bit.ly/2VQsBd2