Sorry for being absent from some time. I wasn’t able to watch the game live replayed it first thing in the morning and it stood out to me that we had a good game against a not so good team. Forests were average at best, and we tried to encash it.
Saka opened our account with a beautiful solo goal beating 5 defenders and the goal keeper. Ok, there was a bit of help from Odegaard but I would still give 100% credit to the best right winger on the planet. Bukayo could have scored 2 hat-tricks had he been more lethal, but he has come a long way in scoring and is only going to get better. Mikel subbed off Jorginho at the beginning of the second half and Thomas Partey, within 6 minutes of his introduction, scored a worldie. Saka passed it back to Partey, who wasn’t marked at all, made some space for himself, and sent the ball on a bullet train to the Forest’s nest.
About 10min left on the clock, Odegaard and Saka made way for Nwaneri and Sterling and within 4 minutes, the pair decided to make it 3-0. Nwaneri took the ball to the final third, passed it to Sterling who fed him back and the 17 year old scored his first Premier League goal. He is brilliant for his age, and to his bad luck, we have two world class players with whom he is competing. And the best part of it all, is that, he has that knack of goals. Probably too early to say that, but he is always there around the ball and is always direct. He has got the intent, he has that natural striking mind, and with more game time, he could become a 20-goal player. Time will tell, but I have a very positive feeling about this lad.
Right, so we won 3-0 and moved to 4th position with 22 points, equal to Chelsea who sits on 3rd and only 1 behind City. Tottenham, for once, helped us by beating City 4-0 at Etihad. This will further dent their confidence and we might see a change in title winner this season. Would it be us, or Liverpool who sits with a 5 point lead and a game in hand is a different conversation.
Let me quickly say that Odegaard was brilliant. We missed him, and we struggled without him. And we seriously need Nwaneri to step up as an understudy to him because if we want to win anything, his role becomes very crucial. If he remains fit, he plays that role or we get someone else to do it.
We have lots of games coming through, and December will give us a hint of our season. We are visiting Sporting on Tuesday night, then playing West Ham on Saturday evening in our next 2 games. Some exciting games ahead, December won’t bore you and me.
Short one today, hope winter is doing you well.
Ode and Saka looked on top form yesterday – Arteta needs to get it through his head that they perform at this level when they get an occasional break.
The situation at City is interesting – their squad is too good to lose 3 PL matches back to back just because of a couple of injuries you have to wonder if something isn’t going on behind the scenes.
They’re away at Liverpool next Sunday should be a cracking match.
Oh, I so wish both of them loses. A draw would be the best results for us though.
I caught up with a full length version of the game today. I thought Arsenal played well -fluent, threatening and plenty of energy. Three top goals. I especially enjoyed that shit from Partey for the second.
Shit? Shot! My typing’s a shit show!
Marc—5 in a row if you count their Cup and CL defeats…what does that say about us that they could be suffering an all-time low, when it comes to their form under Pep, yet they’re still above us in the standings…surely they will find a way to better their performances, but with Pep having to rely too heavily on players he clearly doesn’t feel are ready for primetime, I don’t think they will be able to make a title run, unless a player or two arrives ahead of schedule…for me this season is all about Pool’s ability to handle the role of front-runners for such an extended period of time, which means that our door isn’t completely closed…the always busy Xmas schedule will likely play a significant part in determining everyone’s ultimate fate, in that if Pool can emerge from the holiday ashes with a massive cushion the real battle could shift to who can secure the remaining CL spots
TRVL
Will City be able to spend / attract players with the threat of being kicked out of the league hanging over them?
KP—I still believe that Nuno was caught off-guard by MA’s starting 11, which makes some sense considering that Havertz, Rice and Marts were available yet none of them saw the pitch…MA’s such a broken record when it comes to selections, so you can hardly blame him…that said, they seemed bereft of adjustments, both in-game and at half, which speaks to their inability to offer a variety of tactical approaches…let’s face it they’ve been playing way above their pay grades for much of the season, which was never going to continue to be the case…good on us for showing some directness and limiting their chances
Marc—that would be difficult to answer until we see what’s truly in store for them once well-placed rumours start to emerge prior to the punishment phase…in reality, so long as Pep is in charge they will attract players, the question becomes what kind of players will be willing to put their higher aspirations on hold so they can be part of City’s return to prominance
TRVL
Absolutely and there’ll be a lot more questions depending on the punishment – if they are relegated by a couple of divisions will they get parachute payments etc, of course they’ll also have a problem of not being financially viable with their wage bill in a lower division breaking more FFP rules and so on.
As for players – a football career is short something like 12 – 15 years at a high level many of the players at City will not be willing to give up a couple of seasons to get them back. The better the player the quicker they’ll look to get out.
Marc—I’m sure they will find a way to supplement some of their lost revenue streams, but clearly they won’t function in the same manner they’ve been accustomed to…that said, they’re in a much better position than the Rangers or Juve when they were relegated…if you remember they both retained a significant number of their first team players, as the ultimate objective, to get back into the top flight as soon as humanly possible, requires the team in question to have a vastly superior lineup…I’m sure their ownership group would be willing to eat some losses if they felt a return to the PL could be achieved in the shortest time possible
I still don’t think they will face a scortched earth-like punishment, as the bulk of their charges are largely gratuitous and were simply being used in order to force them to the table…biting the hand that feeds you isn’t really a common occurrence in this day and age, so whatever you believe will happen is likely a bridge too far for those in the room meting out the punishment…of course, I might be misreading the room
I think the PL legal wrangling is unsettling Pep’s squad which I don’t see improving this season, but City will still finish 2nd or 3rd; it’s in their DNA to deliver – just not this season’s title imho.
We finally showed our teeth against what was, in the end was a poor Forest side, where Nuno got it wrong and MA finally got his tactics and selection almost right, just should have started Ethan, and the goals would have come quicker.
Question is can we put in performances like that game in and game out? Without the proper rotation? No we can’t, which has been proven this season.
One game won with 8 more to win to maintain a serious title challenge.
The Manure game was too late for me, and I didn’t bother this morning as I felt Amorim would be assessing while trying to beat Ipswich lying in the relegation zone, which means precious little this season, as any team can beat the other. S’hampton pushed Pool after going in front, and Villa only managed a draw with Palace.
Spuds are just 3 points behind us where there is a top 10 slowly forming, to which I see United joining the 10 soon. Like you, TRVL, I’m curious to see how Amorim does with United, as he’s their best choice so far. I doubt Manure will be a thorn in our side positionally this season, but they will be a force to reckon with by the time we play them on 8 March. Next season will be different after Amorim has has 2 TWs.
Someone earlier said that we had an easy run in, I beg to differ. March, April & May sees us play Manure away, Pool away, Chavs home and B’Mouth home.
We have 6 away and 6 home games for our last 12.
I think this league is going to keep offering surprise results until the final games in May and why, unless we can keep repeating our last performance in every game, and upping the ante against the forming top 10, we will finish between 5th and 8th. We have good games then we slip back to the MA status quo of poor selections and dire rotation with our stars being run well into the red zone if their declining performances are anything to go by.
A big question will be are we going to find our missing pieces in January of 8 and 9?
I can’t see it…….. Just hopes and prayers we do then looking for a miracle MA actually buys the right player that fits his natural position he was bought for, but don’t hold your breath…..
All eyes on MA then………. Win the next 8 games and make a statement for our challenge or ………… struggle to get an Europe birth for next season.
Tony—Amorim won’t get things righted until several overpaid, underproducing former stars are off the books, like Harry, Casimiro, Eriksen and even Rashford…they might have to convince the new owner to sanction a Arteta-like culling, which could hinder their ability to reinvest at the level required, at least right away…it will be a difficult needle to thread with an already infuriated fanbase, who might not be willing to bite their collective tongues considering what’s been on offer ever since Fergie retired to the stands
I think he will try to bring in a couple former players, to help push his narrative, then he will quickly start to embed some of their blue chip prospects, like our old buddy Obi…it’s bite the bullet time finally, after several poorly-planned half measure attempts…it’s not too dissimilar to what happened here and if MA had gone full-bore youth initiative out of the gate, we would have already secured at least one title
I still believe we’re in better stead than any other side, minus Pool…Villa might never rise to the level of title contender, but they will continually impact the the race for a CL invite so long as Emery patrols the sidelines…Chelsea are getting closer, but they’re likely a year away from challenging for the top spot, as they still have some things to sort out on the backend…the Spurs are too inconsistent, in that one week they’ll smack City around like an ugly step-child, then the next they’ll completely disappear against a bottom-feeder side…BHA would have to replicate LC’s title run, as selling clubs rarely secure titles, but they could spoil things for others just often enough to sneak into Europe’s top competition…of course City should never be underestimated, as they’re rife with championship pedigree, I just think the weight of so many deep runs, their present injury concerns and what’s been transpiring off the pitch will finally take it’s toll
now we might not always look the part, but we do have a top 2 defensive unit and just enough scoring to find a way to sit atop everyone described above, except maybe City, should they somehow wake the fuck up…that said, it shouldn’t be viewed as a feather in our fucktard’s cap, as finishing in 2nd or 3rd would not only be a regression in my eyes, it would likewise be an indictment on MA’s misplaced tactical and recruitment pursuits (especially if Slot were to leapfrog him in year fucking one)
an Arteta-like
TRVL
Add Bruno to that list as well for Manure. He was excellent for them in his first season, but then fell off the cliff and no matter how passionate he looks on the pitch shouting his lungs out, he is a mid table player at his best. Rashford, could have been a great player but something went in his head.
Manures are messed up. Ten Hag made sure there’s no scope left for a overhaul after spending 600m+.
Remains to be seen if Amorin is a good manager, if he plays good football with sh*t players, it can be fixed in couple of seasons. If he is shit, god bless those cunts.
We are too predictive with the same playing XI. Not having Rice, Havertz, Marts gave us some entropy. Mikel allowed Trossard and Saka to move inside, which he don’t want from Marts for some reason and it gave us atleast 4 moments in first half that could have been a goal. Trossard first shot on target was from the right side and he was playing on left.
How many times have seen Martinelli drifting to right in first 11 games? None.
This structured, possesion-based, pass between yourself till eternity wins you game but it makes a boring display. Nwaneri looks promising, who can’t be controlled. That lads is subbed in in 82nd minute and tries a shot within 2 min. That’s some guts as a midfielder. I seriously hope he doesn’t sacrifice his natural play to get more game time like Martinelli has done over years.
KP
It was ‘the shit’.
And Morning Everyone.
Ambarish – Your point is precisely where my worries for MA having seen him for last 5 years. He has effectively killed Marty as a Shot monster. Sure teach him defense as its necessary for all attacking players in modern football, but at the same time you cannot kill his instinct and natural talent. Marty rarely comes into center or exchange places with Saka on the wings in a match. He has played on the right and i remember a superb volley couple of seasons ago. He should be encouraged to so something different as otherwise he is being sorted out by opponents. I just hope that he doesn’t kill Ethan’s creativity and shot taking ability by drilling him with positional discipline. The key for MA is to mold his coaching abilities to add elements to a players natural talent as apposed to killing them.
This season is going to a be a topsy turvy for everyone. Lets see how it pans out but that makes it more exciting to watch.
Madhu,
Couldn’t agree more, just adding that I personally believe Mikel uses Martinelli to keep 2 opposition’s defenders busy and then crowd the other side. It would have been a good move if Merino or Timber were overlapping and keeping those 2 defenders in check while Marts drifts to the middle.
As of now, we are losing on the creativity of a player.
Looks like Saka will be leaving bin dippers at the end of this season.
🚨 Salah on his Liverpool future: “I’m probably more out than in! I didn’t receive any proposal”.
“We’re almost in December and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in the club…”.
“I’m probably more out than in”.
– Fabrizio
Couple things out of it –
1. They are going to push it harder now.
2. Liverpool management is smart. Salah’s pace is going to die in a season max, just like Auba. And they would be left with a player on 350k/week.
*push it for the title
Ambarish
Slot will buy Martinelli and turn him into a monster.
By the way Ambarish, where are you from?
Great stuff guys totally agree with both your thinking.
Sporting tonight but 3am for me so will watch in the morning.
Will be good to finally get to see what the VG fuss is all about. Amorim wants him at Manure where MA is also a fan, but I’ve not seen him play yet.
We last beat Sporting 1:0 in 2018 with 3 draws since home and away.
So, another draw? Will Sporting have a new manager bounce? Will we improve on our Forest performance with Ethan starting?
Always questions with MA’s selections but I’d be surprised if Rice & Kai didn’t join tonight’s selection, so will they slow our game down in our transitions again?
Hard to predict when we have no idea who starts in Portugal: however, if we improve on our last game, then maybe a 2:1 win for us……🙏
“Gunners have lost all of their last four matches on the road in Europe without scoring, a run that dates back over a year…under Arteta, we’ve won just one of seven games on the road in Europe”
these facts certainly don’t fill me with the utmost of confidence going into today’s affair against Sporting…to make matters worse, MA did functionally nothing in the off-season to help rectify our CL road-scoring drought…I will say this though, at least the manager who toyed with MA when last we met, will no longer be patrolling the sidelines…of course, the fact that Amorim just left and his replacement, Joao Pereira, was an in-house hire, means that we should expect a very similar tactical approach…even so, surely MA can’t get schooled, when it comes to player selections and in-game adjustments, by someone so wet behind the ears he needs to wear a fucking baby’s bib to keep his shoes dry
if it were up to me I would try to overwhelm them from the off by starting what might be best described as a 4-1-4-1, with Rice sitting just ahead of the same back 4 as on the weekend, then Marts, Ethan, Ode and Saka in the “midfield”, with Havertz up top…if Tross weren’t so diminutive I would start him instead of Havertz, but we all know there’s no chance in hell that Kai isn’t the first name on the lineup sheet, especially after him not seeing the pitch for the first time in seemingly forever…I just think we need to find a way to get up early on this side so as to force them into making the kind of adjustments that could leave them even more exposed at the back
of course, this will never happen…in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if MA found a way to have Partey, Rice, Merino and Havertz in the starting 11, or at least 3 of the 4, then simply hoped & prayed that our new bully-ball tactics found a way to win the day, even though that hasn’t been a winning formula thus far…regardless, he will undoubtedly have a preprepared post-match statement blaming the refs in his back pocket just in case
Madhu
From Patna, Bihar but been living in the capital from some time now..
Ambarish that’s nice to see an Arsenal Blog from India. It’s always been Man U everywhere when I started supporting Arsenal.
Timber shouldn’t play anywhere but on the right.. it was a brilliant pass, Martinelli putting it IN will give him confidence as well.