I have a feeling it’s going to be the Gyokeres day. Leeds are in town for today’s game and we must have practiced some more fluidity among the new signings after a disjointed Man Utd game. We won’t see Eze in the line up today unfortunately but it’s a done deal and he will soon join the pack.
Havertz picked up an injury. He was a direct competition to Gyokeres considering Mikel’s system and his preference to play a #9 who excels in dirty work rather than scoring. The primary reason he didn’t sign a striker so far and have tried to push Havertz, Merino, Trossard in that role. Not that any of them were total failure but we lacked a 20 goal a season player and someone who could make a difference on his own in games where the opposition just likes to sit back and defend. With Gyokeres, we are trying to fix that problem. Havertz’s injury is sad news, at worst – he was a back up to Gyokeres if the Swedish fails to deliver or picks up an injury. But the silver lining out of this I feel, is that, he now knows it’s all him we got and he doesn’t have that additional pressure to score in order to keep his place for the next game(s).
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Leeds were the Championship leaders, finished with 100 points and are always a threat. We can’t take them lightly. Chelsea thrashed West Ham last night, announcing themselves in the Title run, and with Liverpool eyeing an Isak move, Pep throwing money anywhere and everywhere, it would be a very tough season. We won the Man Utd game in a very dirty display and we just need to build on it. Lets go out there and win, keep ourselves 6/6 points and there are some massive games coming up from next week – Liverpool, Man City and Newcastle in next 4 games.
In the team news, we won’t have Kai available due to his knee injury. Norgaard also has some discomfort and will not be available. The RB situation is a bit messy, both White and Timber are a doubt for the game and it would be interesting to see who Mikel prefers if they don’t make it. I am guessing one of MLS and Kiwior would have to do it in the worst scenario. Jesus will be out for some more months, while everyone else is fit for the game.
I am expecting a back 4 of MLS, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori unless one of the White or Timber are available. It would be the usual midfield of Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice with a front 3 of Saka, Gyokeres and Madueke. Martinelli might not make it, because Mikel loves his new suits and Martinelli had a stinker last weekend. I am a Team Gabi but unless he gets back his old self, I won’t complain if Madueke starts ahead of him. After all, we need to know if the 52m GBP we spent was worth it.
Farke, Leed’s manager, was very clear about his approach in his pre-match conference. He promised an attacking game and that he won’t sell out their DNA by going defensive and parking the bus. Well, we love these kinds of oppositions. I am pretty sure they won’t change, Bielsa’s shadow stays with you till eternity. It would be an exciting game and one of those where Odegaard might gets his praise.
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What’s your prediction? I am hoping we get to see the mask celebration today at Home for our new no 14. Saka doesn’t like 2 bad games in a row so he will score one too.
2-0 to the boys, with a much better performance compared to last game; also preparing for the next week’s 6 pointer against Liverpool at their home.
Right, that’s all for today. Man City playing Spurs in about a minute, it’s a bit of a pickle because both of them can’t lose the game so i would take it if both of them drop points. Let the Spuds cherish 1 point after losing on Eze. It happened again.. It happened again..
Cheers
KP
I have played on worse. I can remember a village team in our sunday morning league was also used for grazing sheep. One Sunday the farmer hadnt removed them before the game so both teams had to herd them into an adjacent field.
NORG
Call me scatological but I was reading that story and was certain it was going to end with someone swallowing sheep shit while slide tackling.
I remember playing football in Argentina and stepping over used condoms in the centre circle and finding car spare parts scattered everywhere.
I played rugby as a kid and a mate of mine was at the bottom of a ruck screaming his head off. I dived in and started pulling people out thinking he’d broken something. It turned out he was covered in spew left there the night before by someone on their way home from a pub. I can’t imagine the immaculately groomed VG would put up with that.
ManU 2 nil down against Grimsby in horrible weather conditions (its chucking it down and then some at the moment).
If they lose the match what do they do? Fire another manager and then what? Whatever is wrong at ManU is rotten to the core and they just can’t seem to find out how to fix it.
Marc
That Grimsby game was pure magic.
the fact that things are rather quiet on.the Arsenal front bodes well, I think…usually things would be far squirrelier, especially with our present injury concerns and the window about to close…i still believe wholeheartedly in the quality over quantity argument, but it’s clear that our added depth might come in handy, at least early on…after last season, I would figured that a training room overhaul would have been in the offing…of course Ode’s shoulder injury isn’t a staffing concern, but I don’t know if I can say the same regarding the rash of hammy issues(which continues to be the case)…successful teams can’t stand pat when any sort of negative pattern forms, even if there’s no definitive casual relationship
as for the weekend, I’m not going to get too fixated on the result, as I’m far more concerned about how MA sets up the team and our overall performance…Pool likewise have a few injury concerns and it’s too early to draw too many conclusions…that said, I think this could be a win the battle, lose the war-type scenario, in that if we do take all 3 it might provide them with the necessary impetus to make a late window push for both Guehi and Isak, whereas if they win they might be less inclined…we know all too well how that gig works…sometimes I forget how many player minutes they’ve lost this summer(TAA, Diaz, Nunez, Quansah and Jota’s passing, plus a player like Robertson, who no longer makes the grade)…I’ve liked their window thus far, but things could get tense if they don’t continue to reinforce and their injuries mount
as for the other “contenders”:
(1) I don’t think City will come good until Rodri regains his everyday role so that Pep can field his most offensively effective side
(2) I still think the Spurs will run hot and cold until Frank has at least one more summer window, although I think they will steal some points from the better sides
(3) Chelsea could emerge as the favourite, as they might have the deepest side when the window closes…that said, I’m not convinced that Enzo has the balls to play the kind of football that they need to play in order to win and they might create a too many cooks in the kitchen scenario, if they continue to buy and don’t sell off enough players
Cheers
would have figured…
Before everyone gets ahead of themselves
Grimsby beat Manchester United on penalties. Scored 10/11. All were better than Ezes for Crystal Palace V Liverpool in the Charity Shield
And our cunts with 10 men lost at home to them last season on pens.
We overhype our dross.
And it always comes back to bite our fucking arses.
Eze might surprise you, AF.
TRVL
Your post makes a lot of sense and like you I’m interested to see of Slot get the 2 missing pieces for now at an additional £200M+
The name dropped.
Eze might surprise you, AF.
TRVL
Your post makes a lot of sense and like you I’m interested to see of Slot get the 2 missing pieces for now at an additional £200M+
if Slot can get*
I have to say I’m amazed we haven’t moved any players out with the amount we’ve spent – Kiwior and Trossard seemed certain to be on the move. As it stands we’ve raised less than €10 from sales and have an overloaded squad.
Marc
Perhaps Stan has gone ga ga and the lunatics have taken over.
Errr, Stan IS a mega, syphylitic psychopathic narcissistic lunatic. Arguably the biggest at AFC if you put mere minions like Stubborn to one side.
The interesting thing about the penalty shootout AF was the number of pens Onana got to (3/4) that his wrists were not strong enough to stop. Both of their goalies combined are in Almunia-Flappyhandski territory. And given Manure aren’t in Europe, the early exit from the Carabao will have fucked them.
Kroenkephobe
Grimsby would have beaten most sides last night .
They were brilliant in the rain.
Most of these scrotes who play for the top sides are fucking useless wankers thieving a living.
I detest and despise what these frauds like ours and Manchester United have done to our game.
If Arsenal play Grimsby in the later stages
I would support Grimsby
Seeing their young kids in tears last night in the rain, how can you not support.
I read our moronic bullshitter is one of the highest paid managers around
Cunt.
let’s face it, seeing a Grimsby get over on a side like United is what these in-season tournaments are supposed to be all about…of course the conditions played a role, as it undoubtedly dumbed-down the game a bit and set the stage for a potential upset, but you’ve got to give Grimsby full credit, as they still needed to perform well enough to make the seemingly impossible possible…the scene at the end was well worth the price of admission, even for the neutral observer
I still think Amorim would rather focus on League results than worrying too much about a 3rd rate competition, although I highly doubt he would voice that notion publicly, especially considering the state of the franchise since his arrival…he had better hope that an embarassing loss like that doesn’t cause him to lose the room or even a player of considerable significance, like Bruno, who’s still being heavily courted by the Saudis…with a loss to us in week one, albeit they played well enough to at least earn a point, then a draw against Fulham, he needs a big result this weekend against a Burnley side who will be looking to kick them while they’re down
I like him as a manager, I’m just not too sure that this particular club, with all their post-Fergie scar tissue and their continued unwillingness to endure a proper rebuild, is the best fit…he requires considerably more autonomy than he’ll likely ever get without proving something first…therein lies the problem, as they still have a handful of players on the books who will make that a near impossible task(Casemiro, Shaw, Harry, all their Keepers, Hojlund etc…)…I do think he’s trying to change the profile of his squad by investing in PL readymade talent, like Mbeumo and Cunha, and attempting to lure away academy pieces from other top clubs, like us, so maybe he’s attempted a rebuild of sorts on the down-low…he needs a signature win like few other managers…maybe he can help himself and us by taking down City following the fucking break
Looking forward to the Liverpool game this weekend I am sure Arteta has spotted the weak link in the opposition, namely the left back milo kerkez. Watching him in the first 2 league games he looks like a player who can be bullied especially in the air and this should be our get out of jail card if and when Liverpool implement the high press, it may be worth telling gyokeres to put himself on Kerkez whenever Raya has the ball as it would be a mismatch.
Mcallister is a player I admire , it seems he is 50/50 for Sunday, I’m not sure slot will risk him and if he doesn’t start it could tip the balance in our favour .Entikete has started well and looks decent , hopefully salah has another off day, Liverpool haven’t beaten us in the league for 3 seasons so we should go into the game with confidence. A draw looks the best bet.
Wicksy
I’m a bit more sanguine about our chances. They and the red devils are two wildly different clubs right now, but winning up at Manure 2 weeks ago will have given the squad a confidence boost. The mashing that we gave Leeds will also inspire as will having Eze in the changing room. I think we’ll win.
Liverpool away is a hard one to call. They are suspect at the back and better in attack. We are solid at the back but have 2 of our first attackers out, will have Eze making a debut (I assume Eze will start) and have a striker new to the PL making his third start. In fact our front 4 could easily be 3 new players and Nwaneri.
A draw would be a good result anything better is a bonus.
Marc
” In fact our front 4 could easily be 3 new players and Nwaneri.”
Not necessarily, other than gyokeres up top Arteta may go with the tried and tested, meaning trossard and martinelli playing out wide with a midfield of Rice , Merino and Zubimendi .
As much as the fans would love to see Madueke, Eze and Nwaneri start it may be a game to be pragmatic as Anfield is not a game to carry passengers, to have Eze, Madueke and Nwaneri on the bench could give us an advantage in the final quarter of the game as players tire.
The argument against being pragmatic is that it would send a message to the rest of the league of our intentions if we went out all guns blazing , but let’s remember that Wenger was often criticised for sending out attacking teams in big games at anfield , old Trafford and Stamford bridge and was on the end of a few heavy defeats.
Whichever way Arteta chooses to go he will either be classed as a tactical genius if the result goes our way or tactically inept if it doesn’t work out.
Personally I think Eze should start especially if Odegaard is out, but I would start martinelli and trossard and leave Nwaneri on the bench.
If, as you’ve suggested, MA rolls out a starting lineup that includes Tross, Marts(on his weaker side), and a midfield of Merino, Rice and Zubi, it will be a clear signal that he’s not the manager to take us forward, regardless of the result (of course I believe that to be the case anyways)…it’s absolutely imperative that MA prove that he has both the onions and tactical nous required to have a go against the best sides, especially after that window, instead of just hunkering down and trying to eke one out with a set piece…now that doesn’t mean we should ignore the defensive side of the ball, it simply means that we should have a plan in place that will allow us to best express ourselves from an offensive capacity…this certainly wouldn’t be the case with the above lineup
if he can’t take the necessary “chances” now, when Pool are still figuring their shit out and have some injuries to boot, what are the chances that he’ll do so when the points matter significantly more…this is when you implement things so that when it matters most you’re playing your best football…no one’s winning jackshit in August, but we need to set the tone, much in the same vein as Pool did last season…they have some things to iron out on their backend and we need to take full advantage…if it were up to me I would start Marts, VG and Noni up front, with Rice, Zubi and Eze in the midfield…now if we find ourselves down at the 65th minute mark, I would have Ethan replace either Rice or Zubi(not Eze)