NICK FEINBERG: ‘YOU CAN’T STOP ARTETA’S GUNS’

HELLO my good football people, I’m glad to be back in Cape Town and into a bit of sunshine!

I tell you what, for those of you who dream of a trip to the UK (around this time when flights and accommodation are doable with the rand) make sure you take Arctic coats! Jeeeez, it was freezing!

The funny thing was that I hooked up with a bunch of Saffas and they were laughing at me at how much I was struggling – in my home frikkin town!

Anyway, roll on summer, and roll on the end of this season please. For f***’s sake. Can we just all agree, there isn’t a decent team in England at this moment to stop the Gunners from winning the Premier League title this season.

Yes, it is still early days and there will be injuries, but Mikel Arteta deepened the resources and it just feels like it’s their season. I guess my defeatist stance is due to the fact that Manchester City didn’t look great against Newcastle in the league on Saturday. City are not complete and are yet to really find full rhythm.

Then you get the guys who don’t really follow the game, like one geezer from Cape Town living in London said to me: “Chelsea can do it this season, push Arsenal all the way”.

Of course he couldn’t have watched another incredibly frustrating performance. This time away to Burnley on Saturday, where the Blues looked absolutely lost after dominating the first half.

Burnley were great in the second half, leaving a late goal from Enzo Fernandez to finally win the game. No, no guys, Chelsea are way off the pace. Maybe not in points, but in quality on the field and bench. 

The one positive I get from Arsenal doing well is watching the #ArtetaOut brigade cowering away from mics, podcasts, cameras and banners. What a bunch of spoilt little plonkers. They have zero idea what’s going on. They are not prepared to wait a few seasons for a project to bear fruit.

As much as I dislike Arsenal, as a rival supporter you have to look at the job Arteta is doing and admire it. Yes, he is an arrogant prick sometimes and the moaning and flapping on the touchline is nauseating, but this is a team, a squad that will win the league title and possibly more this season.

It’s strange because the very same “Out” brigade were calling for Arteta to be sacked and replaced by Brentford’s Thomas Frank.

And there it was at the weekend for us all to see. Arteta in complete dominance of a coach whose long throws, long balls tactic that worked so well for the Bees looked Neanderthal as the Gunners professionally dismantled Tottenham in what was one of the more embarrassing North London derbies in recent years.

So yes, I say it again: “all praise to Mikel Arteta!”

It’s a massive week coming up… with Arsenal travelling to the Stamford Bridge on Sunday, preceded by Chelsea v Barcelona on Tuesday in west London and Arsenal v Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday in the Champions League.

It will be interesting to see squad selections and where Arteta will push the focus. I’d image he’ll be expecting two huge and intense performances from most of his favoured starting 11 for both matches.

I’m glad to be back ladies and gents… It was great in Ireland, passionate people, angry crowd, given the officiating which they felt favoured the Springboks, but all handshakes, whiskey and Guinness shared in the stands and streets afterwards. A bit different to the “Beautiful Game”.

Take care, chat next week, bye bye.