Arsenal v Wolves – the Grand Opening

Arsenal v Wolves – the Grand Opening

Grand, because we have not seen Premier League football from 3 long months and the opening match between Man Utd and Fulham was shit. So, forget about what happened yesterday and treat this as the opening of the season. I can guarantee much more excitement, enthusiasm, the eagerness to win and the quest for the title begins for Arsenal.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the best club in the world plays football today. Arsenal takes on Wolves at 3 PM BST (7.30 PM IST), at Emirates. We have a almost everyone available to play, Fabio Vieira and Jurrien Timber missed the Emirates Cup but they are mostly likely to be available today. Whether they will play is a different thing, since Zinchenko is most likely to start in that LB and midfield is full. Tomiyasu and Tierney are the only two players who will not be available for today’s game but we are not going to miss him at all.

Team selection will be a headache for Mikel, since we haven’t got Merino and if he tries to fit in Havertz along side Rice, the CF position will remain open. He can alternatively play Havertz up top and have a midfield of Partey, Rice and Odegaard. I am expecting to see Martinelli on the left, the rest of the squad picks itself up. Wolves are a bit in a mess after selling their captain Max Kilman to West Ham and Pedro Neto to Chelsea. Two very important players for Wolves missing out today, and we need to capitalise on it.

Mikel Arteta was very positive about today in his press conference –

We are really excited. We’ve been missing the competition for many weeks, it’s too long for us. We are so willing to start and so enthusiastic about it. 
source : Arsenal.com

We have got a pretty decent track record against Wolves. We have won our last 6 games against them, we have won our opening games in our last season and before that. We have at least scored once against Wolves in our last 33 games and that’s some achievement.

There are a few things I am expecting to see as the season folds. Timber will slowly take up the space Zinchenko plays in. He showed promise when he joined us in pre-season last season before his injury and there will be some time before he is match fit. It remains to be seen if Arteta takes his time or rushes him back in the team, but it’s going to happen.

Havertz, moving to the CF position for final. Kai had 14 goals and 7 assists last season, mostly playing up top and I am sure Mikel is in the mood to make him permanent in that position. Primary reason why we are looking for midfielder than a CF. Now, would I loved a traditional CF? Yes. Is it going to happen? No. So, lets hope Kai have a great season, ends up 20+ goals this season and become a main character in our winning season!

Third, Calafiori. This one is a mystery to me. I believe he is a back up / competition to Saliba and Gabriel and not brought as a LB or RB. Saliba played every minute for the club last season, and there is always a probability for injuries / sickness / form loss. We needed a back up, we had Tomi and White but Mikel never tested them so yeah, lets see how much Mikel uses Calafiori this season.


Right, I won’t bore you much today. We have an exciting team, an exciting season ahead and we hope Mikel delivers a trophy (or 2 I won’t mind). Don’t forget to share you predictions, expected team and anything related to Arsenal in the comments.

136 Comments

  1. If Marts had a better football IQ then Lookman and Tross could really work well with their mobility and speed.

    I thought Marts would have added more to his development, but he’s become more limited. El B hasn’t helped Marts with no natural 8AMF. He’s had 6/8s with little interplay as Marts is told to hug the line, but far less utilized than Saka, who has support from White and Ode with Havertz add new triangle dynamics.

    Poor Marts has the sluggish Zinchenko and whoever can play 8 at the time to work his magic with, which oft sees head down Marts heading for the corner flag on a wing and a prayer..

    I was hoping for much more invention from our young Brazilian who really has had his development wings clipped by El B.

    If Lookman comes, I see Marts heading the ESR route out via the bench.

    Another lost young soul who had his spark doused by El B. Tross to start tonight wouldn’t surprise me.

  2. KP
    Are you on your roving football fix mit trusty flask and car full of Tik Tok and SM chat et al?

    Enjoy your travels in the sunshine ☀️ and see you at the game 🙄

  3. Thinking about tonight’s game we know Emery will have three very well trained plans drilled into his players who all buy into Unai’s tactical plans and execute them well.

    For Emery I would imagine after the humiliation he suffered at the hands of Raul and Diamond Eye, he sees every game as a personal redemption that offers more satisfaction the more he humiliates El B, and let’s face it how many times have we see El B with his head in his hands and then looking into space in utter clueless despair as he loses each time to Emery?

    Will Unai school El B as Pep regularly does?

    I hope not for El B’s football sanity and our season going forward.

    Our first away game in Peaky Blinder’s Brummy land is not far as the crow flies up the M1, so not traveling well is not a valid excuse if the wheels come off this evening.

    I’d love us to score first, and then command the game to frustrate Villa and nullify what Emery has dreamt up for us, especially for our left side, so looking forward to seeing what Calafiori has in his locker.

    I’ll wait to see the starting lineup and then offer a prediction but a draw is most likely for me.

  4. The Real Vieira Lynn

    “Mikel Arteta has told Arsenal fans not to panic over the fact he is yet to sign a new contract”

    Fuck me!

  5. The Real Vieira Lynn

    Don’t think this Villa side is quite up to speed yet, so it should be a fairly routine win…now if we don’t take our chances, of which there should be plenty, I guess things could go pear-shaped, but I favour our chances at this early juncture of the season, especially if we can top 60% possession…there’s no doubt Unai would have much rather had 3 or 4 more matches before facing us…he will likely need an inspired performace just to secure a point

  6. look at the*

    Hope you’re right TRVL. Emery has had more time with his squad’s key players, than we did, but from what you say the Hammers game was poor. Sometimes, playing teams like West Ham we can be drawn into their level scrapping it out instead of using tactical nous.

    I’ll stick to my draw and hope for your more positive win thinking.

  7. In other news close to our LIR hearts. This from the DM:

    “Pep Guardiola wants a quick resolution to Manchester City’s 115 charges and insists Premier League champions WILL accept ruling, with potential punishments including relegation. City were charged with 115 alleged breaches of financial rules in February 2023

    The club’s case in front of an independent panel is set to begin next month

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13774669/Pep-Guardiola-says-wants-quick-decision-115-charges-insists-Man-City-accept-ruling.html

    Good for Pep.

    Is he looking for a way out or relishing making City great again only keeping to the rules this time.

    I’d love to see Pep in the Championship or lower leagues.

    Could City be rocking up at Haverford West next season, KP?

  8. Marc

    Tony

    Pep’s got to say that, one of the potential punishments includes being kicked out of the whole league structure – they’d have to rejoin somewhere at the bottom (gods knows where).

    If you think City wouldn’t appeal that then sorry but you need to share the good stuff with the rest of us!

    My take is the powerbrokers of the PL (ManU, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spuddies) are not going to let this get swept under the carpet, a slap on the wrist (points deduction) just encourages Newcastle to do the same and turns the whole thing into a handicap system. Spend £100 million too much and get docked 6 points but if the £100 million spend earnt you an extra 7 points then its worth taking a hit for one season when you’re going to benefit for several.

    Stripping City of previous titles turns the whole thing into a mockery suddenly we’ve won 2 titles and Liverpool have won several all years after the event. Relegating several divisions (think of the consequences they’d have to balance the books with hundreds of millions lost in revenue) sends a warning that will make clubs take notice.

    It all comes down to how big are the balls on the PL when it comes to enforcing its own rules? City are not a big club despite what their fans or media would tell you – if the PL won’t punish City then we might as well throw the rule book in the bin.

  9. A good win for BHA would be a very good start to the day’s games.

  10. Marc
    I agree with you and always happy to share the good stuff. There are some very good growers all over the country churning out organic OG and hybrids. It’s all gone new style with the Venty from S&B. I digress.

    I want to see them dropped to the lowest league possible. We can have a pick of the departing litter, as players should have relegation clauses in their contracts. Then, also how does City in the lowly semi pro league keep with FFP with their current wage bill?

    The PL should also make City give 50% from their home games to the away team.

    I would be happy to never see City again and their owners banned from global football.

  11. Manure looking less disjointed than previous seasons. They are keeping BHA quiet at the Amex.

  12. Love watching Maguire being the donkey he is letting Welbeck get a tap in.
    1:0 to Brighton

  13. What an intelligent player Jao Pedro is with his positioning for Brighton’s winner and youngest manager in the OL picking up 6 points against a decent Manure.

    Maguire is Manures nemesis and Brighton’s best player.

    Not an easy game for us next week.

  14. Brighton’s manager is younger than some of his players. Got to hand it to Tony Bloom, what a wonderful owner to work for.

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