CLEAN SHEET AWAY FROM HOME!

by .

The season was supposed to start with BANG, but it’d be fairer to categorise the Newcastle showing as a light crackle, not even a firework, I’m talking a bag of Quavers in the cinema.

The opening game of the season was all about delivering a win, something we didn’t manage last season. It was also about showing that the club had moved on defensively. We delivered against both objectives, landing a clean sheet and a 0-1 win.

The football wasn’t very pleasant and had most of the hallmarks of last season. We struggled to make use of the possession we were afforded, there was little coherence moving forward, and we looked similarly one dimensional.

That said, it’s hard to fault the manager on this occasion. Most of our new players are either injured, unfit or off the pace of the league. Kola and Ozil were dealing with criminal issues in London which don’t sound pleasant. So Emery really had to roll with a makeshift starting 11.

That gave Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson a start, and it also offered up Emery the chance to leave Mustafi out of the 11, something he wasn’t prone to doing last season… so we saw Chambers gifted a start. I think you could confidently say that with a fully fit squad, at least 6 of the player wouldn’t have featured.

We controlled possession with ease but struggled at times to deal with Newcastle’s aggressive pressing approach. We struggled to create chances, so you felt that we were going to need a decisive intervention. Auba to the rescue. The man doesn’t need much of opportunity to devastate teams. We hit Newcastle on a quick break led by AMN who intercepted a stray pass and drove forward, his threaded pass to an unmarked Auba was truly special, the finish was tight, the deadliest sharpshooter in the game lifted the ball over the keeper and did just enough to make the difference.

We took control for the rest of the game, introduced Pepe, Martinelli and Ceballos all made their debuts and all did very little. The Spanish U21 looked extremely off the pace, which is to be expected, but also a big problem because we need a ball-carrying midfielder that can do the job now.

Of the kids, I think Chambers had a solid game, Joe Willock looked comfortable but a touch meek, Reiss was largely anonymous for me, he did create two chances though, and that’s what he’s there to do. He will need to impose himself a little more if he wants to earn more chances.

The player that really stunk the house out was one that’s dropping £170k a week. Mikhi had a shocker of a game, he’s so out of sorts it looks like he’s come out of retirement to play in a charity game at Old Trafford with Robbie Williams best mate… but to be fair, I think Robbie’s best mate would contribute more to the game. Outside one devilishly good pass to Auba, he spent the game getting himself dispossessed or spraying the ball at imagined shadows. His pass completion rate in the final third was 55%… even for someone taking riskier options, that’s kind of appalling. As someone said online, it’s like peak Alexis Sanchez without the goals or assists.

The big thing I’m focused on this season is how Emery evolves the style of play. Our pressing seems very unstructured at the moment and I’m concerned that this system he’s building is easy to suss and not exactly a chance creation machine. We had two shots on target yesterday, that’s really poor when you consider the level of striker we have upfront.

Hopefully, those numbers will improve as we integrate pace and quality into the side. I’m very interested to see what David Luiz brings to the table. Xhaka isn’t the full ticket, but whatever you think of him, you can’t deny that he’s vital to our ability to move the ball forwards and his long balls are a chance creation option in a side that doesn’t create a lot of chances. When opposition teams know where the creativity comes from, it’s easy to control us. Xhaka can get away with being Xhaka against teams like Newcastle, but he’s easily wiped out when you have a team that aggressively pursues him.

Problem is… I’m not sure Matteo and Joe are ready to hold strong in that midfield with Ceballos. Could be a touch weak sauce and it’d be open to bullying. So I’d imagine the main hope is that if we put more mobility into the midfield with Willock and Ceballos, hopefully, we’ll offer more creativity and more running options. Having a midfielder that can move the ball through agressive press is also going to be game-changing. It’s so easy to box our midfield in at the moment.

This squad is exciting because I have literally no idea what it’s capable of producing. The great thing is it’s all on Emery to unlock heat, these are his guys. 8 of that starting 11 are Emery players, probably 9 as Chambers wasn’t a regular fixture with Wenger. All 3 subs were his. No more excuses.

Better football has to be on the menu. Raul and Edu are Barca/Wengerball types. Top 4 needs to come with style. Emery has the players now, let’s see what he can do.

ALSO, did you watch the Chelsea vs United game? The most Brexit game I’ve seen in a while. Neither side impressive, but I’m still unsure how Chelsea managed to lose 3-0. Both squads are not good enough, both managers are not good enough. Top 4 really should be ours! Interesting that Chelsea are going so hard at youth with players that don’t look up to scratch.

Final thought before we go… it was interesting that Jose Mourinho was being so kind about Arsenal players. This on Auba.

“That control looks simple but it’s not simple, it’s genius. Then the finishing is beautiful.”

A few voices indicating that he has deep ties with Mendes and might be trying to ingratiate himself with the Arsenal fans/execs if the inevitable happens earlier than May.

I wanted to hate that idea, but then I started to like it. It totally goes against everything I believe our next manager should be, but the guy has prestige, he’s built winning machines and now I love the idea despite knowing the risks.

There, I said it. I’m really sorry. It was literally a fleeting thought that got out of control.

See you in the comments. x

P.S. I cleared out the banned list as it’s the new season. Same rules apply, agree with me or go elsewhere. Just jokes. But play nice. All are welcome.

530 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MidwestGun

Luteo- Yep I pretty much feel the same way … we are just missing that ingredient, that something that would make our midfield click… I mean it would help immensely if Xhaka and Ozil didn’t suck for one thing.. makes me start thinking crazy things like Start Luiz for Xhaka and make a move for a CAM in the January window.. if Ozil can’t recover from his situation and start playing like he needs to . which to be honest feels like an extreme longshot at this point. The midfield truly does have more question marks then answers right now.… Read more »

Luteo Guenreira

Maybe Ozil will toughen up on the pitch to show those gangsters he’s not someone to be messed with. Talk about a plot twist.

I just remembered why I have an affinity for Adidas, when I was very young some kid told me it stood for “All Day I Dream About Sex”.

MidwestGun

I just remembered why I have an affinity for Adidas, when I was very young some kid told me it stood for “All Day I Dream About Sex”.
_
Yeah sorry about that… It seemed like a good rumor to start at the time. 😀

Guns of SF

We all heard that one Midwest.
How funny- that back in the day that someone came up with that one. I heard some others but have long forgotten

Ceballos needs more time. He was a sub- let him get used to the EPL. he does look very thin however… needs to bulk up 10lbs

RockyRoe

In

I’d say an idiot ends up letter sorting for a living……
———–
Better than an idiot who thinks someone’s profession is of any consequence on a football blog.

Freddie Ljungberg

RockyRoe

Even still better than someone that makes up a profession for another poster and then use that fantasy to ridicule said poster.
That’s how Don works though, that and the posters countries are his go tos

Funny to read the 2 most abusive and vile posters, ( both with clear anger management issues) in le grove history white knighting the dumbest and most annoying poster in le grove history.
Cringey af.

Marko

Hear hear

Also All Day I Dream About Sex is a song by outcast

Tony

The saga continues:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7350325/Arsenal-fear-security-threat-prevent-Mesut-Ozil-playing-games-season.html

So what happens regarding their match fitness while they are being kept safe?

Will be interesting to see how this all unfolds and what the real story is if there is one.

Guns of SF

Something shady going on with Ozil and Kola. Got to be…. perhaps something got blown out of proportion or something? Gangs??

Anyhow, Im sure this will cool off, I hope! I hope no one gets hurt

Guns of SF

Now daily mail saying ozil and kola might withdraw completely for safety concerns and arsenal logistical issues in guaranteeing their safety on the road. Wow this is really blowing up

Bojangles

As long as the moderator police’s racist remarks and Pedro deals with them as he should then everything else is fair game I guess. All other comments should be treated as opinions, how you deal with the is up to you. If opinions are backed up with facts more power to you providing you keep in mind the quote attributed to DP Moynihan, “everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not his own facts.”

Kamp

Reading between the lines I think Eriksen is off. He was kept on the bench as long as they could and poch has been whining about the European window remaining open longer than ours…

Freddie Ljungberg

Celtic has confirmed that we paid 25m in one go for Tierney, no installments.

https://celtsarehere.com/celtics-letter-to-london-stock-exchange-kieran-tierney-single-payment-price-confirmed/

That’s good, we have enough other transfers that needs paying off in the future with Pepe and Saliba.

Now to swell the coffers with some dough for Mustafi and Elneny.

Hope the Ozil and Kola situation gets resolved soon too, terrible for them personally and for the club.

Freddie Ljungberg

Kamp

I hope they get stuck with him and he leaves on a free next year.
Yes it will benefit them this year on the pitch but they can’t afford to lose out on that money, would allow us to catch up quicker.

peanuts&monkeys

all the great midfield play, possession, starting with possession from the back…are all great. But where are the goals? Worse still, where are the SOTs?

Rambo Ramsey

Leftside,

Perhaps you should review some of your own comments and words used before piping up about ‘abuse’ etc.

Another pretentious moron who acts like the voice of reason but is a vile cretin in reality.

You and your buddies Dissenter, Marko et al do make me laugh.

Posting 100 ‘contributions’ every day on this blog, keep up the sad work.

Un na naai

InI’d say an idiot ends up letter sorting for a living……
———–
Better than an idiot who thinks someone’s profession is of any consequence on a football blog.

Rocky
It is when someone is comparing his intellect with others whilst residing in the glassiest of glass houses.

Chika

Whatever the case may be, I really hope the imbroglio surrounding Ozil and Kolasinac is resolved ASAP.

Chika

Good to hear Holding completed another 60mins for the U23, this should push Mustafi closer to the exit.

Ulstersaysarse

Un na naaiAugust 12, 2019 22:53:04
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2019/08/12/unai-emery-celebrates-joe-willocks-tackle-like-goal-arsenals-win-newcastle-united-10560098/amp/Great to see from willock here. We need more of this from our midfield. Haven’t seen Torreira make a tackle like this for nearly a year. He needs to get back to that. That bite in his game

This is exactly what I was talking about. So good to see fearless young blood making his mark. Hope he has a blinder of a season. It’s this type of player that can lift others around him.

Un na naai

Uslter

Good man. Couldn’t agree more pal. Not enough of it in the modern game
Gets the blood pumping.
Right after my anger therapy session too 🙄😝

Pierre

Regarding Ceballos I think that the player we saw at Newcastle is the player he is . Some think he wasnt very influential , I disagree. After the initial poor opening 5 minutes he settled into the game , saw a lot of the ball , kept possession, was always available and he as much as anyone allowed Arsenal to see the game out comfortably, something we struggled with last season due to our inability to retain possession of the football. I said when we brought him in and I will say again, he is not a player who will… Read more »

Danny S

Maybe Arsenal will suggest that its not safe for Ozil to remain in London, and kindly offer to cancel his contract to allow him to move to another country……

Danny S

Pierre

I agree with that re; Ceb.

players like that are exactly what we missed last season and together with some wingers that press and track back, are worth more to Arsenal than a world class CB would have been (though hopefully we get one of those too eventually).

Ramsey in that situation would have been making bursting runs into the box and Ozil would have been floating about waiting for the ball to arrive at his feet and we would have conceded a late goal for sure.

chris

The way Ceballos blocked the ball from the Newcastle defenders attempts to get it to his keeper in the dying moments is the type of bastardry we need a lot more of.

Leftsidesanch

Rambo pussy

I’m far from a voice of a reason, you literally exist to come on here and give it the big talk and then go back into your cage. You pointless nonentity.

Leftsidesanch

And how would you know about the ‘100’ comments if you weren’t constantly galavanting here incognito. Now run along Rambo.

Leftsidesanch

New post btw

Normski

Testing one two

1 4 5 6