The Sports Buff ⚽️ ⚾️ 🏈

Two weeks is a long time in life and even longer in football. Usually, it’s the International break that is a headache, why? Well, it’s just not welcome, unless it’s the World Cup or the Euros.

In this instant, what I am referring to is Arsenal FC, the football team that some call Bottlers FC. This nickname originated from the fact that Mikel Areta’s men have finished second in the Premier League for the last three seasons.

The reason for that, I argue, is due to The Arsenal having a ‘weak underbelly’. What that means is they get bullied out of matches and get easily brushed aside. In last week’s Carabao Cup final, it appeared that those demons hadn’t gone yet.

Title rivals Manchester City beat Arsenal with ease a fortnight ago to end their two-year title drought. The Gunners haven’t suffered back-to-back defeats all season, so when they lost to Southampton over the weekend, the murmurings of Arsenal ‘bottling’ it again are now turning more into screams.

Throughout the year, the North London side have bounced back from adversity, but against Tonda Eckert’s side, Arsenal, who have won the FA Cup more than anyone else, seemed very flat.

Then came tonight’s Champions League test against Portugal giants Sporting Lisbon. For long periods in this game, it looked like Arsenal were going to be frustrated and, worse still, unable to win for the third successive game.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man, Kai Havertz. The German, who might not be the most prolific, sure knows how to score important goals and did so here in the 91st minute to put Arsenal in control of the tie.

This was a testament to The Gunners’ mental strength. So easy it would have been to fall by the wayside in this one, but to their credit, they hung on in there.

After having a nightmare two-week period, Arsenal have gone a long way in getting back on track.