We have a game against PSG on April 29 and Thomas Partey, due to his idiotic yellow against Real Madrid, will be suspended from the game. Mikel, in his last press conference, wasn’t sure about Jorginho’s availability for the PSG game. So, we don’t have a DM for the biggest game of our season, the semi-final in Champions League. However, the positive thing is that we can use today’s game and the game against Crystal Palace on 23rd to find a solution.
There’s a problem as well to this. We are sitting on 2nd position and Liverpool has a 13 points lead with 6 games to go. We won’t catch up to them, lets be real. Also, there’s a very good chance (still) that we end up outside top 5 and don’t qualify for the Champions League next season . Forest is sitting on 5th position, only 6 points behind us. We have to not only prepare for the PSG game, but we have to make sure we don’t lose games, confidence and our form while doing so. A conundrum Mikel needs to go through!
Ipswich are a tight team. They will most likely get relegated after a sensational Premier League promotion but they can make fun of you sometimes. They don’t have anything to lose and this gives them some freedom to cause chaos. We have to manage this chaos, from the midfield. I’m a big Partey fan but we have only 2 games to find a solution for PSG game, and I would rather let him sit on bench. There are a few options we can try –
Move Timber to LB, put Ben White back to RB and promote MLS to midfield. A midfield of Odegaard, Declan Rice and MLS should be able to hold the fort against Ipswich and if it clicks, we find a solution.
The second option is to keep the defence line as it is, with Kiwior + Saliba as CBs, Timber on the right and MLS on left and introduce Nwaneri in the midfield. This is the best solution according to me, we are disturbing only 1 position (Thomas Partey) and keeping the rest of the winning squad in their position.
Mikel might also bring back Merino in the midfield and put Trossard up top, this is the most likely solution but I have never been convinced with Trossard as a striker. Against PSG, with Donnaruma in their goal, he wouldn’t be so much effective.
Back to today’s game. Calafiori will not be available along with the usuals – Havertz, Tomiyasu, Gabriel M and Jesus. It’s Ipswich last chance to survive the relegation and I am pretty sure they will put up a fight. This is the third consecutive year where we are playing on a Easter Sunday, and we have drawn the last 2. It makes me nervous a bit, but we should go through.
Also, it would be exciting to see one of the Nwaneri or MLS start in the midfield, because (I know you will come after me) ultimately we would have to improve on Odegaard.
We need to win, and we can do that in first half. Lets start the usuals, score couple of goals and then introduce Nwaneri / MLS in the midfield. We can start with that line up against Crystal Palace to practice one more time.
What’s the weather there? We have been suffering with this heat and the only thing keeping me sane is football. See you during the game, I have my set up ready.
Marc
William is still in touch with friends in Marseilles and during his time there his stated wish was to play for RM.
As he is now there No.1 target I expect they will be pushing the boat out to get him. How much I wonder – certainly over 110Million euros.
NORG
It was always a when not an if with Saliba and Madrid. Of course if we had a competent manager who’d given him a reason to stay by winning trophies that when would be further away.
Our problem now is we have both Saliba and Gabriel down to 2 years and we can’t afford to try and replace both at the same time.
Both players have grown into a formidable partnership which is possibly the best in the Premiership. It must grate El B as he shipped out Saliba when it would have been better to keep him at the Emirates. Gabriel was an Edu signing.
So City are 3 points behind us when we have a massive distraction hanging over our match tomorrow and then our next two PL matches are Liverpool (A) and Newcastle (H).
Arteta could be about to not only fuck up winning the PL AGAIN but not even managing 2nd in a season of mediocrity.
Arsenal playing a full team against Bournemouth
Both sides playing on a break
Rice proving first to MiL then to FiL that he is definitely not a striker. Both times off assists from Martineli
Rice up is an absolute embarassment. After so long of a misfiring experiment do not know why ElB persists with his stupidity
Hoopah
Mate you asked for that one!
It was pointless going into today’s game with our strongest line up as the players would be in self protection mode and would be reluctant to put their body on the line..
It was a similar performance and similar outcome to our previous league game v palace in that we tried to coast through the final quarter of the game and consequently became sloppy in our play and conceded late on.
Having Timber, jesus, havertz, jorginho, tomiyasu, calfiori and Gabriel out didn’t help but Arteta could and should have used his squad better and brought in Tierney, zinchenko, Nwaneri, Sterling and used a couple of the academy players to give them game time.
The one thing this group of players would give you is 100% as they wouldn’t be in self protection mode as they would be fighting to be considered for a place in the side on Wednesday.
PSG played today and rested all their starting X1 and lost today, though they were in a more enviable position in knowing that the title was won and had no injuries in their squad so it was easier for their manager to rotate the squad.
Arteta is hamstrung by the lengthy injury list but there is no excuses for not at least giving a few of the starting X1 a rest by giving them 45 minutes each..
The knives will be out for Arteta if we fail to overcome PSG but he won’t be sacked I’m sure of that .
Personally I’d give him one more season and if it looks like the team is stagnating despite buying a new striker and no crippling injury list then it could be time to go, though I doubt that next season we will have so many decisions go against us and suffer so many injuries.
As for today , the question I would ask is have they changed the rules again regarding hand ball as previously any ball that touches a hand, arm or elbow when directly leading to a goal should automatically l00% be disallowed but today was different and the commentators and pundits were hiding behind the ” not conclusive ” line that they used on previous dubious Arsenal decisions that went against us …there is no doubt the ball hit him on the elbow and yes there could be an argument as to why Odegaard wasn’t looking at the ball and why was he holding/ blocking the goalscorer , though it’s fair to say that the attacker also had a hold of Odegaard though the commentators failed to mention that unsurprisingly…..I suppose it’s just another dubious decision this season to add to the growing list from the pgmol.
Hoopah—to be fair you were spot on right up until the point when he scored…I’ve done something quite similar on a few occasions over the last couple of years, but your point was well-taken…he was rather dire for much of this match and regardless of his silver platter offering he continues to prove that if our intention all along was to deploy him at the top of the pitch we paid WAY over the number for his services…fuck me, Havertz could have potted that one
even those who should know better, like longtime commentators, can fall victim to all that post-free kicks wet dream “prisoners of the moment” bullshit…there’s no disputing that his two tallies against Real were brilliant, but hardly par for his course, as he’s never EVER scored in that fashion as a professional…yet in yesterday’s match, shortly after Rice had been subbed off, we were awarded a free kick and they intentionallly panned over to Rice on the bench and lamented the fact that our supposed master of the free kick wasn’t available to take it, almost as if it would have been a forgone conclusion…I get it, but holy shit have a little perspective…after all, he doesn’t have to be a left-sided 8 to be our primary set piece taker
as for the match itself, this performance simply highlighted our lack of clinical finishing, which is why it was so baffling that Ethan didn’t get the start, especially with our return leg mid-week…even when he came on MA ran the offence primarily through Sterling on the left…wtf is going on here??? of course this doesn’t mean we can’t get the better of PSG in their own park, but this was a very similar-type performance to the Palace fixture and that certainly didn’t set us up for success in the first leg…simply-put, if you put in your starters take the fucking handbrakes off and stop all this going through the motions bullshit…btw if Pool win tomorrow they’ll be 18 points ahead of us…the only thing more depressing than that very real possibility is the horrifying notion that the conspiratoral nutjobs will continue to spew their nonsense until the end of fucking time…Cheers
I fucking loathe Arteta. No one makes games utterly meaningless and devoid of emotion like him. Carabao, FA Cup, end of another fruitless league campaign games. He kills the joy in every single game. Doubled by a team of turquoise ponces from fucking Dorset! Dorset!
No interest in maintaining momentum and confidence, just a collective submission to a team of wankers like Bournemouth. He’s dismantling whatever character and grit we possessed. No wonder northern teams laugh at us. Cunteta.
KP – the phrase that you used devoid of emotions is precisely what a one time nervous/passionate fan of AFC me has become. I watch games with my son and iam devoid of all emotions. My son is upset, moaning and spoils his mood after every draw or a loss. I keep trying to teach him that no matter what the players and coach gets their wage and leads a very good life. Don’t waste yours in investing so much emotions on these folks.
Everytime I see Sterling in AFC colours I get a reality of life lesson. Thank God at least at 50 I have learn a life lesson and don’t spare a single moment getting emotionally involved with AFC. I should thanks Arteta for that. I still feel thrilled seeing the women team or the academy team achieving something but this men’s team under Arteta has thought me a valuable life lesson. AFC is in my blood but my relationship with the Men’s team have been fractured and it solely due to Arteta. He has the temerity, audacity and gumption to destroy a player like ESR and yet give someone like sterling and AFC colours. That’s killed my emotions forever and iam not sure I will ever go back to being a passionate fan anymore. Devoid of emotions is how I have become.
Berta must be here for his fucking retirement package, if he doesn’t sack this useless cunt at the end of the season and actual make some decisions.
Simeone, Iraola, Alonso, Frank, Fabregas , others. Get one , you cunt!
West Ham are shit, Potter is having a meltdown, they beat us at home.
Bournemouth, used to be part time, they now beat us home and away.
Dropped points at home to Brighton, Everton Brentford and Crystal Palace.
Football is the worse , I have seen for 30 years plus .
Berta do your job or you can fuck off as well.
“He kills the joy in every single game.”
Sums it up perfectly.
As an interesting side note my ticket hasn’t sold on ticket exchange for the last couple of matches – go back a few months and a ticket would go in minutes of being posted. My Bournemouth ticket was up for a week.
Was reading your comments there today,especially KP and Madhu,really resonated with me. Arteta destroyed my relationship with Arsenal,it became impossible to separate my hatred of him and my love of the club. I don’t know what it’s like for you lads in England,Wales ,India,USA,Thailand or whatever part of the world you’re in but in Ireland it’s embarrassing being a gooner. That victim mentality that he has fostered is pathetic and is now synonymous with being a gooner. We’re a laughing stock because of him and that’s not even to mention events on the football pitch. I’m not political but I can’t help but draw an analogy between Arsenal and the Republican party in America. If you allow a total narcissist take over who brings with him his own special brand of sycophant and then proceeds to operate under a veil of propaganda and lies,then all that you once were ceases to exist. Now,was I talking about the GOP or Arsenal? Anyway,sorry for not keeping in touch,the disillusionment was particularly strong this time. Hope you and your families are all well.
Aluminiasaynomore
Madhu
You guys made me understand the retching as I see Cunteta / ElB on the touchline.
The game put me to . Just saw score Arsenal 1 up . But watching the play decided to call it quits and go to sleep.
Game put me to sleep on the recliner
Good to see you back, Almunia. It has been long.
Hope everything is awesome at your end.
Almunia—good to hear from you after a rather lengthy absence…the whole victimization narrative drives me fucking batty…considering that our present brand of football is so lacking in top-end quality, I guess it makes perfect sense that we’re now defined by the floppity demeanor of overpaid and underwhelming players like Havertz and our excuse-laden manager…just try to imagine what a video montage of our season-long highlights would look like, Rice’s free kicks, a save or two by Raya and a longer range tally by our presently doghoused Ethan…a better manager would have sought out those who best mirrored the on-pitch attributes of Saka and Saliba, instead he’s waded into the muck by emulating the tactics of those former clubs, like Stoke, who regularly took a dump on the beautiful game…at least they had a financial excuse for their chosen tactics, whereas we’ve paid dearly to dumb the game down…for my money, Arteta is far more reminiscent of Elon’s Doge persona, as he’s all bluster and no substance…take care
Hoopah—I hope you caught my post to you on the previous page…Cheers
Ambarish, all good thanks,hope you and yours are well also.
TRVL, yes the two types of players we all love,the maverick skill laden game changer and the tough as nails midfield enforcer are exactly the type of personalities Arteta is afraid of. He can’t control them because they are independent thinkers. So we won’t get to see them at our club unless he goes. The fact that he hasn’t destroyed Saka is testament to that young man’s brilliance.