Lowell Hornby 
That was huge.
What a result.
Such a commendable defensive display, as well as some fluttering moments of attacking fluidity - particularly impressive given we are a lifestyle sports brand playing a one off match of football.
Having not played in 18 days, to come back to a defeat would have been deflating - especially given the way the results fell for us in the last couple of days.
However rusty they may have been, without Tomiyasu too, Arsenal showed real metal to dig out three points in a real must win game. A proper 1-0 to the Arsenal.
The old trio reunited for this game - probably for the final time this season though as Harry embarks on his travels.
Hitchin at 2pm, Layth swoops round in the Goonermobile, you know the rest. Again Wolves is a pretty sweet spot in terms of distance - not too much of a drag without losing the feeling of it being a proper away day.
We did our usual predictions, not without a bit of a scuffle as I told Layth that we should never ‘take a draw’ after his 1-1 prediction - every time he’s said it we’ve won though, so I may stop discouraging it as much as I do.
Harry went 2-1, scrappy goals. I went 3-0, although I started to lose my confidence as KO approached. I’ve sort of forgotten what it’s like to watch my team play football so my emotions were all over the shop.
We parked up about two hours before kick off, Layth headed to the press box and me and Harry went for a wander. It’s a lovely ground, properly old fashioned. It’s placement (literally on a hill) also gives it some character. The golden glow that lights the concourse is very aesthetically pleasing too, it provides a vibrancy that most clubs’ colours fail to do.
We got to the away end at about 615pm, expecting to be allowed in. They told us they only opened the turnstiles an hour before KO!
Bloody cheek, especially in the sub-zero conditions.
You’d have thought they’d have the decency to think about those of us that need a piss too but clearly not!
Anyway, we got in. The concourse that you’re greeted with is very industrial. Everything a dull cement like colour, and all the entrances and exits stretched out across a 200m strip instead of on different levels as most are.
I’d heard it was one of the worst away ends in the league, and I wasn’t really sure why, but on arrival and especially throughout the game it became clear to me that it was because of how difficult it is to create an atmosphere.
The whole bottom tier of a stand being the away section, instead of the allocation being bent round a corner or vertically up as most are, meant it was very hard to sync up and create the noise that we have at most of our road trips this season.
It was a long cold wait for the KO, but it finally rolled around. I have to say I was more pleased by the big flames they shot up which warmed us up prior to KO than I was by the prospect of the game.
The magnitude of it daunted me, as it did the rest of the away end who were evidently shot with nerves.
Wolves 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal played a different system. Conscious of the pockets that Neves and co like to pick up, Mikel set us up in a 433 block - straying away from our regular 442 press.
We sat off Wolves more, allowing them the ball at the back and picked our battles. The attacking fluidity wasn’t as there as I’d have liked it to be, although there were a couple of good moves. Martinelli also tormented some of the Wolves defence as he ran at them in his typical lightning fast fashion.
Given the kind of game it was, the goal being of a scrappy nature was almost inevitable. White headed across for Laca to nip in in front of Sa and Gabriel poked home.
I held my celebrations, as I have now learned to do, convinced that it would be ruled out. The ref pointed to the centre circle though, and we all immediately turned round to give it to the executive boxes behind us who had been giving it the biggun pre KO. What a weird place for such expensive seats! I certainly wouldn’t pay to be sat behind away fans every week.
That was pretty much the only action of the first half, and the second half was very much more of the same. Wolves had more of the ball, without really threatening whilst we looked to create on the counter.
Martinelli's sees red
The game changed in the 70th minute though. Martinelli stopped a Wolves throw from being taken correctly, before then going to push Semedo over as he countered.
The ref pointed behind him and pulled out the first yellow, before pointing in front for the second yellow as he brandished the all too familiar blood red that Arsenal fans have become so used to in 2022.
Stressful
What a stressful 20 minutes followed. So stressful in fact that my Fitbit app told me I spent 26 minutes in a fat burn zone (114bpm+) during that exact period.
Probably not very healthy but my body clearly has a plan in place for these stressful periods - I dread to think how many minutes I’ve spent in a ‘fat burn zone’ throughout my whole Arsenal supporting career…
We dug in though, and the sound of that final whistle resulted in rapturous celebrations amongst the long strip of travelling Gooners.
That felt like such a huge result, not just for the points but for mentality and momentum - to come back after an 18 day break to defeat would’ve been so deflating, especially after the ‘disappointing’ transfer window. It’s such a big result. To capitalise on rival blunders is something we so rarely do too. It has been a perfect midweek of football.
Sixteen 'Cup Finals' remaining
It wasn’t pretty, but boy does that feel like a defining moment in Arsenal’s season. 16 ‘cup finals’ now remain, and every game requires that character - although preferably a bit prettier and with 11 on the field.
An Arsenal side that can play fantastic football are now partnering this flair with some real Graham style defensive metal.
The Arsenal of old don’t win that game. Every year for the last 15 you could’ve showed me that game and every time we’d drop points.
There’s something different about this side though, they want it more - and moreover have the ability to get it. I think this team is close.
A few incomings this summer and I really think we’ll be up there. We went to Wolves this time last year with a defence of a post ACL Bellerin, David Luiz, Holding, Leno, and Cedric (who did play tonight, more comfortably as a RB rather than LB though). This back 5 is immeasurably better, and that’s just a year's difference.
The connection between fans and players is like nothing I’ve seen in my lifetime - as both realise we are headed in the right direction, and if we get top four this year we’d be hurtling towards it.
Tonight put us in the driver’s seat, now let’s go and get a couple of prettier wins. See you in nine days, Gooners.
Read more from Lowell Hornby:
Life without Aubameyang is bliss as Arsenal power on
Magnificent Martinelli and Arsenal's awesome awayday at Leeds
Arsenal's excellent victory over West Ham moves Gunners into Champions League place
Lowell on Arsenal captain Aubameyang's disciplinary issues after Gunners ease past Southampton
Lowell on Arsenal's defeat to Everton: Absolutely inexcusable
Lowell reflects on Arsenal's 3-2 defeat at Manchester United
Back to winning ways against the Magpies
Lowell analyses loss to Liverpool
Arsenal's victory over Watford at the Emirates on Invincibles Day
Arsenal's stirring victory over land and sea and Leicester
Gunners outclass and overwhelm the Villa
Arsenal's frustrating evening against Palace
Arsenal's rain-check at wet and windy Brighton
My word Arsenal were good against Spurs
Another disappointing performance
Brentford: my first ever away game
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Learn more about Lowell in his own words.
My name is Lowell Hornby.
I’ve been a devout Gooner for all I can remember. I was taken to my first Arsenal game in 2007 and never looked back.
I’ve never really thought of football being in my life as a conscious choice, more of a genetic deficiency.
The relationship my Dad (who some of you may know: Nick Hornby, author of Fever Pitch) has developed with football inevitably has rubbed off on me.
It feels like it’s a lot more than results; it’s the club, the feeling, the fans, the friends - everything.
In my year off, after an unimaginably painful 18 months of fan-less football, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than follow my beloved Arsenal up and down the country as I attempt to go to every Premier League game this season.
The pieces I write will document not just the games, but my experiences, the cities, the journeys, the people.
I hope in doing so I can capture, express, articulate and transmit the visceral emotions of myself, fellow Gooners and football fans as a whole.
I live and breathe football, and I hope these pieces and my project this season can convey that in a way that’s enjoyable to experience vicariously.
If you’d like to be following me more casually, and be notified of any pieces of course, my Twitter handle is @weststandlowell and I’ll be tweeting over there. COYG
