Oh man, it was totally an accident, I was wandering around the supermarket trying to find something that resembled healthy that could be cooked fast… and I accidentally bought something called Better Than Rice and a curry jackfruit pouch which is a vegan chicken substitute. I swear guys, this is NOT who I want to be…
Tasted pretty good though. Have to admit it. Also, I do feel smug because I’m pretty sure I just saved the planet with one meal? What did you eat? You fucking culinary terrorist.
Anyway, outside saving the world, I was thinking about the impact of Stan taking Arsenal private and Josh K telling us to all ‘be excited’ the other week.
Give it to him, he f*cking delivered hard. He even made Emery change his teeth, harsh, but that’s America people.
I wonder how they’re setting the club up financially now? Are they merging all their sports teams like some sort of mega content network? How is this summer working? How is Raul making the numbers continue to work? Or did everyone just get thrown off because Arsenal spent all season leaking they had no money to spend?
Everything the club is doing makes sense. They’ve invested in players before they’re out of our price range. They’ve taken a huge punt on someone that could be worth £150m in 2 seasons time. They’re trying to promote youth as a cost-saving measure. They’ve reorg’d around a serial winner.
From a business perspective, it would be a bad thing if we slinked into mediocrity. There’s no value in being shite in the world of democratised football content. This all makes total sense. But I feel uneasy, because Arsenal are finally doing things that make sense? What’s the catch?
I feel like one of those boys that went to Pleasure Island with Pinnochio. I’m out here, swigging citrus pale ale, smoking cigars, shooting pool with a puppet that has gender issues… but where’s the catch?
This just, you know, doesn’t feel very KSE.
Well, I guess that’s unfair. As we’ve constantly penned, Stan spends money, just not very well. The difference is KSE is now making good ‘soccer’ decisions. Maybe it took Josh to open his old man’s eyes to the utter corruption (legal) that was going on at the club. Everyone getting fat off over-generous pay packages, underserved long deals working in a no-pressure lifestyle. The opposite of an elite performance culture.
Now things have changed. There’s an urgency to the problems at hand. Let’s be more specific, there’s been an urgency in the last two weeks. This summer, if analysed in a debriefing, would still be classed as a bit of a mess.
I think the calmness from the fans has come from the realization that Raul seems to be a mafia-style killer in the world of football. We’ve not had someone ruthless before. Arsenal is on his terms.
The Nokia 3210 vibe of yesteryear is dead, we’re now dialling in on space phones. It looks great, we just need to see it move a little quicker because at the minute, we’re still fucked going into this season.
We’re still desperately under-resourced in defence. Jenkinson is in the squad for next year, Koscielny and Mustafi are still here and Nacho is now a captain and our first choice left-back.
Edu and Raul can pepper in as many exciting attacking players as they like, but reality will always bite in the Premier League if you don’t address the glaring realities. If you have a defence that collapses under pressure, you will be punished over and over again.
We are 7 days away from the Newcastle game. They are a terribly run club and they’ve let an elite manager slip away from them. They shouldn’t be a problem, but again, Emery and away form have not mixed well so far. I’ve read some people reverse engineer rationale for Pepe being so important because the club think our away form issue was a lack of pace going forward… could be… but that reads flimsy.
We’ll have to see what happens there.
This is a huge week for Raul. Does he pivot from Tierney after reading about his hip problems? Very worrying to read Adrian Clarke tweet that he had the same injury when he was young and it took a year to clear.
Who is the centre back? Raul is in Barca and we know they are desperate to move on Umtiti because… you know… he has a chronic knee problem. An outrageous talent and a World Cup winner, but no good to us if he’s taking 2 months off in December.
The Barca game today will give us some indication as to what to expect this season. La Liga for the Blaugrana starts on the 16th, so they’ll be fairly fit. Things we’ll need to be looking out for is who starts in defence and midfield. Is it going to be Xhaka and Mustafi again? If so, will Emery have done anything in preseason to address their glaring issues? Will Willock be a regular, adding more athleticism? How will Ozil be used? Will Ceballos be able to deal with the butchers in the league?
My big worry is preseason has looked pretty much exactly the same as last season. I also expect we’ll realise that most of the kids we’re purring over will not be features this season. Willock, Reiss and Martinelli are the big bets. I do like ESR, but he wasn’t exactly drowning in-game time at Leipzig.
Let’s see what today looks like… a 3pm kickoff for me for the first time in a while! I think London has to wait until November until they get their first one… sad times, fuck Europa.
See you in the comments! x
AMN is far too apathetic in his approach to the game.
Saw this on numerous occasions over the past season or two.
Needs a kick up the backside from someone.
Midwest
I thought the first rule of defending was don’t back pass on target.
AMN get’s too much grief he’s not a full back = he might not be good enough but he hasn’t been judged in his natural position.
So close. Auba should tell him not to shoot.
@ cesc appeal. we look so dangerous with width. Can you imagine pepe lw and zaha rw.
Just how much better we look with width.
The difference compared to last season where there were no full backs or wingers of any kind.
Martinelli is another one that’s probably still too raw and needs a loan but he does look to have something about him from the snippets we’ve seen.
Danny M.O
It should be the end of 3 at the back as well.
Laughable the state this squad was left in.
Marc –
Yeah it is pretty much., the first rule unless you have no choice and you are sure the Keeper is aware. Needs must sometimes. That was poor though..
Danny / Cesc
Stop fucking teasing ok!
I thought Guen was alright tonight, distributing the ball well at the back.
Have I missed something ?
Saka heads over shoulder above everyone else. Composed. If Spanish Waiter was a connaiseur coach would have gelled him with the team . Right now superb crosses but the striker not attuned to him
I really like the look of Martinelli.
Here you go Barcelona
WE
You can definitely see why we’ve bought him.
Xhaka off.
There should be no place for that Swiss mummy’s boy in a serious side.
Well Mustafi on … that’s us done then… lol
this is a bittersweet couple of subs – Torreira and Mustafi
Talent in sport is one thing.
Mental fortitude is another.
AMN lacks the latter.
Oh fuck
Mustafi coming on that’s Barca 17 Arsenal 1 – quite disturbing with only 4 minutes left.
As of now Martinelli bit immature at the highest level. Lots of desire and trickery, but decision process has to improy. Has to know when to pass
Karim Guen chases the ball too much like a ten year old he needs to develop more
Hopefully Wilock gets his game time this season
Martinelli not so impressive other end of the pitch.
How he end up marking Suarez in the box,
Suarez you diving cunt.. get up.
Who dives in a friendly? Only him
Spanish commentatprs perplexed as to why Emery put his team under so much pressure using 3511.
That’s a great goal
Bitey scored bastard
Fuck off
What a goal !
Not watching but by the sounds of it AMN had himself a self-congratulatory spliff halftime. Standard AMN.
All on his own.
Chambers like a fairy.
Shocker.. was that Mustafi”s man? I didn’t see
Lol, guess who was napping?
Karim you haven’t missed anything.. Guendouzi has fallen from grace here. Last season some wanted the team built around him, now he is the teachers pet blocking the academy players
Mustafi just on caught out and Barcelona score. Shocking no one
If Sokratis is on?
Mustafi is day dreaming
Mustafi marking suarez there. fucking useless twat
Not surprised there
Chambers was nearer to Suarez.
Really no need to get hopes up regarding Chambers.
Same piff paff defender
Mustafi comes on, and pronto we concede a goal due to poor defending!!
2 Quick yellow card fouls by barca going un noticed
No pressure on their midfield, simple long ball over the top nobody follow the runner. Goal.
Mustafi jogging back while Suarez the biter knocks it in. Looooool…. Sigh…
Same old old arsenal but not all bad though. Thought we would be hammered.
Pffffffft … Saw the replay.. useless surprised Mustafi didn’t point at him instead. of just ignoring him..
The Clown loves losing late goals at The Nou Camp
Loves it…
The Original Specialist in Failure
Once a Looser – always a Looser!
Ah well, this doesn’t shatter the heart like another time it was Barcelona 2 Arsenal 1. Seen some positive moments this evening and will try to forget the horrendous! Now the real thing can begin, with hopefully at least one defensive addition to come before the end of the week.
Maitland Niles is shit, his best position or not, he’s maybe just as bad as Jenkinson….Plays so relaxed you’d think he’s won 4 world cups
Defence is shite, we’ll concede 50 PL goals or thereabouts once again.
Hopefully Pepe’s addition means that we’ll sneak 4th on merit on scoring more goals.
Takes Sokratis off for Mustafi
Game over
I don’t know why people are saying Mustafi had switched off.
That’s the most switched on I’ve seen him in years.
Well Messi didn’t need to come on.
Only saw the second half and tbh that was disappointing and didn’t tell us a lot.
Barca dominating play and Arsenal with a few rare counter attacks.
That was it basically.
What we already knew though is that AMN is really not up to the full task.
Please play wingers emery please don’t play Mustafi ozil and Miki
Chambers was the right position. It was mustafi that was unaware of suarez behind him. chambers was then able to get close to him whereas Mustafi was still nowhere yet Suarez was on his side.
Mustafi comes on and we concede. nothing new there.
I thought guen played alright although I didn’t catch the first half.
Looked like the only midfield player ready to receive the ball and spread ball.
Subs pretty much screwed up stability … second half.. but it’s preseason… defensive liabilities still there..
Willock looks very good though… like Nelson as well..
Decent pre season overall
Let the season begin !
We need a CB to partner sok chambers is decent back up holding needs to come back
Buy a CB sell Mustafi then we have 4 decent CB
If Emery insists with this Mikhitaryan RW nonsense that he should be sacked immediately….. Nelson, Saka offer us much more.
The manager has better options now to control the game, bad defenders or not.
Obviously, there is no one commanding the defense once PapaSok is off. One of the CB has to mark Suarez. Instead, Suarez is standing between the two CBs.
Great team performance in the main undermined by individual incompetence. Lots of positives from that. Far better than I expected us to be. Willock was great against top opposition, Nelson was good and mature, Saka looked great, Martinelli was great and that is so important because Arsenal with width is a world away from last season where we had none at all and had to use wingbacks. Willock, Nelson, Saka and Martinelli at a total cost of £6 Million and they look like they have real potential. I thought Ozil had a decent game, Chambers was decent, Dani Ceballos looked… Read more »
Gazzap
“Chambers was the right position”
yeah right position but did fuck all.
Sort of jumped like a fairy. That was his reaction.
Chambers is a piff paff defender.
These defenders can’t sniff danger, unmarked in the penalty area lol
I am willing to bet that despite the pre season games next Sunday AMN, Xhaka, Mhikitarian will start and stink the place out.
Guen played fantastically well today, he was busy spraying passes at the back. What a player we have there..
Emery again will repeat has regressed. Last year his substitutions used to correct. This year jmaking things worse. The Idiot does not seem to have any judgement of his players
How management times did we lose the ball inour won third
AMN, Guendouzi, ceballos, martinelli. What a joke.
The goals we gave away were soft as dog shit. Both of them. Why was Leno rushing out to AMN? Why did AMN pass so wide of Leno and not react?
What was Mustafi doing for the goal?
Guendouzi flatters to deceive
The defence handled everything really until Mustafi came on and AMN gave away the stupidest goal I’ve seen in years
Willock Saka and Nelson looked good though. More from them please
Now get some defenders in before 5pm Friday
We can’t be bringing Mustafi in every again
If Emery and Raul cannot see how poor Mustafi has become then they need to move on as well.
We are a mess at the back, nothing has been addressed.
2nd goal all on Chambers….Went away from Suarez before the ball was played, realised his mistake and was late to attack ball….What a numpty just jumping and backing away
vickingz
Not that easy at the Camp nou mate.
Look at the panic scenes in our own box at the end of the game.
I never said he had a great game anyway.
.
Some of you are just slating Mustafi because he has a reputation for errors but that goal is Chambers fault.
Alright moaning about the defence but where was the competing in midfield 2nd half.
Just totally dropped off and let Barca dominate and this wasn’t their strongest side by any stretch.
Mind you Xhaka has to drop off deep. Even bigger nightmare pressing higher up.
How is that second goal mistake of Mustafi? Come on guys Mustafi is shit at least 2-3 times a game but that one was not his fault…All on Chambers
Why play ozil on right and Mkhitaryan on left in second half? Makes no sense? They are both patently unsuited to those roles.
Why not just bring martinelli and Saka straight on?
I’d have left willock in the Middle too. He was our only midfielder who seemed to get his foot on the ball or who could defend
I would donate money to get rid of Mustafi.. he is done mentally. I don’t care what he says about proving himself.
Saka looked bright and I like the directness of Martinelli. Nelson had a good game overall. Pepe still to come in. A real positive appears to be that we have the width we have been craving for, in terms of personnel, and in play in glimpses. Future is bright and loaded there.
Thank you guys for clearing up who the main culprit was for their 2nd goal.
Piff paff Chambers.
Sok goes off
Mustafi on
Barca get their best chance if the 90 mins
No coincidence
Arsenal 1 Lyon 0 (h/t)
Arsenal 1 Lyon 2 ( f/t)
7 days later…..
Barcelona 0 Arsenal 1( h/t)
Barcelona 2 Arsenal 1(f/t)
The Bad News:
Worst manager bar none in the Prem.
Worst Teck Deck in the Prem
Worst Dof in the Prem
Worst owners in the Prem
The Good News:
Best and loyal fans in the Prem
And off course Best soccer Blog…Le Grove!
Mustafi came in to captain the defense… the ball was played between him and Chambers.. Chambers wasn’t quick enough to react but Mustafi was marking empty space… that’s why it’s on him.
Chris
We need defenders. Short and simple
And emery needs to get his head straight
A win at the nou camp would have done us wonders and we were so close
Barca didn’t really trouble us until he fucked the midfield and then brings on Mustafi
Why???? 5 mins left. 1-1. Nou camp. Idiot
And honestly Chambers is only playing because he is slightly better then Mustafi… neither one is top top quality as Wenger used to say..
Mustafi was ball watching
Had no idea Suarez had run in behind him. He’s just not aware of his surroundings. Only focuses on what’s in front of him.
AMN
Confidence is raped by Chelsie
Fella needs a loan away..
Don’t care what his mom says…
Chambers should be nowhere near starting 11 if we’re not selling him he can take elneny’s place. I will be very disappointed if we don’t at least bring in a starting CB before the window closes.
Defence jittery because their is no outlet from midfield. A strong midfield controls the game thus easing the pressure on defence. This is basic football principle which some clowns on here can’t seem to grasp.
bullshit midwest
chambers has to do better.
you are only focusing on mustafi because you don’t want to admit that Arsenal have two shit defenders in both mustafi and chambers rather than just the one.
i like midwest though.
he’s a nice chap on here.
never mind pierre.
next season perhaps for the joan gamper trophy.
Midwest,
That was Zonal Marking, Player can’t glue to opposition playing on shoulder while trying offside trap….otherwise opposition will pull one defender with him and fuck up offside line…..Mustafi needed to cover near side and Chambers his rear from the area of pitch Roberto played the ball…..Ball was on Mustafi’s rear side so it was Chambers ball all day long….
Hand on heart.
We kept our shape in defence , you could se3 work been done,
Amn is a cm .
Chambers played well imo, one or two scary moments, but you get that,.
Cjsmbers n papa n rob
Only way forward
With what we got
CGAugust 4, 2019 21:03:42
The Clown loves losing late goals at The Nou Camp Loves it…
The Original Specialist in Failure Once a Looser – always a Looser!
————————
Ha , ha, You were on pins and needles there towards the end praying for that Barca goal weren’t you.
Good for you lol.
So true though, Emery is such a looser for allowing Wenger era players prove themselves in a meaningless preseason game…….only to confirm they aren’t good enough, not nearly.
Chambers played OK with PapaSok. Once Mustafi came in, there was no defense coordination.
Guendouzi is such a piss poor player. The hype really baffles me.
Ishola-
I just literally said they both aren’t good.. Mustafi has to shoulder blame there.. I bet if he was interviewed he would say he was at fault as well. Zonal marking doesn’t mean you ignore runner when you have nobody to mark.
I would say the responsibility of the second goal is shared. I don’t know if Emery took the decision to change formation to a 4-4-1-1 and drop deeper or if the players unconsciously dropped deeper. Also once Nelson and Willock got substituted, our midfield was a shamble. Too passive and reactive defensively (that is understandable for Martinelli, Caballos, Saka but still disappointing). Nobody took control and organised how to put pressure on Barcelona. Oppositions should not have the time to look around, see an opening and make a floated passe from within our half without being challenged. Kolasinac was too… Read more »
Un
I obviously agree completely about the defence, the world and it’s dog knows we need reinforcements there. I hope Raul has another ace up his sleeve.
I’m just so happy to see at last the quality of width we have waiting in the wings and in the now, Nelson and Pepe to feature immediately and Saka and Martinelli to come.
The performance of Willock another huge positive. As ha been said, think he is ready to go full time!
My mom
From our prospective was wilox.
Fella has to start,.
Iwobi should be ready for some bench warming duties. Apart from the big boys, Martinelli, Nelson and Saka are raring to go!