courtesy @allthatchas
The final hurrah of Nacho Monreal sadly will NOT be scoring a 32-yard screamer against Spurs tomorrow. The Spanish left back will instead be heading back to sunnier climes, choosing Real Sociedad to see out his career.
I think I speak for most Arsenal fans… no… ALL Arsenal fans, even you @BREXITGOONER1 (my dad), when I say: Bit of an odd one, this.
We’re banking on Kola learning how to defend, and we’re putting a lot of chips on Tierney 1) Adapting to the league like VVD 2) Breezing past his fitness challenges of the last year.
Still, it is what it is. Nacho is getting on a bit and his hamstrings and body parts will all be a touch more brittle than in the past. I’d imagine he’s at that age when you grunt when you pick up a slipper and he’s at that age when the slipper is probably his. He’s also probably wearing those slippers to the newspaper shop as well. Age is a bitch, but damn, we’ll do it in M&S levels of comfort.
I get the logic behind not having 3 left backs as well, we can’t keep pumping money into the ether. I just thought that if anyone set a great example for professionalism at the club, it was Nacho. He never let us down. He was a true warrior. He was an excellent player.
I remember about 5 years ago, Arsenal let a bunch of us interview him. His English was a bit broken and he was asked a question about what he thought we needed.
‘Someone who can score more than 20 goals a season regularly’, then his agent whispered something to him and he backtracked as hard as his words would allow. We went off the record so as not to cause a stir. But today, I’m causing a stir because Giroud is at Chelsea and who really cares this far out?
Manchester United drew with Southampton today. A great start to a big weekend for Arsenal. Only thing that’s bothering me there is that OGS is going to end up getting sacked before Christmas if he doesn’t pick things up a little. Would love him to have the whole season. Give him a chance, Ed.
The news coming out of the Spurs camp is delightful. Poch is unhappy. His team is disrupted. He has four players angling for an exit, names like Aurier, Eriksen, Vertonghen and Toby. Their squad is finally picking up injuries, there should be no Ndombele, Dier or right back tomorrow. The press were asking if he’d leave this week.
Spurs are there for the taking.
My hope is that Emery can avoid being timid in this game. I don’t want to see us lined up with a deep block on the edge of our box. I don’t want to see us persisting with playing out the back if it looks like Spurs have that sussed. I don’t want us playing for a quick counter-attack at home.
We have the tools in our squad to play to win. Spurs are in a bit of a hole, if we gift them too much respect, we’ll make it hard for ourselves. When confidence is shaken, strike hard and strike first. Test their collective resolve.
I talk like Spurs are totally shite, chances are they’ll turn up because of the magnitude of the game. I just hope we’re positive. Emery plays with too much fear and indecision in big games. I hope that’s just Liverpool jitters… because the fans are not going to gift him a 50/50 split on tomorrow regardless of what he does tactically. It’s a must-win against a team that finished 1 point ahead of us last season.
Win this, and we’re telling the league that we’re here for the top 3 this year, lose, and you’ll start to worry if Emery has the beans to push the squad forward this season.
Our underlying stats have been poor this season. You only have to take a cursory looks across the numbers sites to see that we’re not in great shape. This from Statsbomb.
‘It’s well known that shot rates tend to increase as matches progress, so even when you see a 30-plus shot beatdown, most of the time, the shots get racked up in the second half. And that’s true here. Only four times in 2018-19 did a team reach the half time point having allowed 15 or more shots.’
That number above is quite staggering to read when you’re setting up to stifle attempts at your goal. Add to that, Arsenal has turned the ball over in their own half more than any other team in the league, and you can see a problem brewing. I say brewing because Liverp0ol was a particularly bad execution of what could be passed off as a new strategy against a new rule (I am reaching so badly for the Emeryista here).
A pal in my ArsenalMensSupport chat groups pointed out, Arsenal’s lack of expenditure at the back this summer points to a club not taking defence particularly seriously. The statistics early on this season point, mapped against last, point to a manager not capable of creating a defensive structure that can serve an elite team.
I don’t know what the exact solve is, but my amateur thoughts have led me to this:
- Be less predictable. If you play out the back every time, you make it easy to set up against. Being dedicated to an idea is commendable, but if it’s not working, mix things up. It shouldn’t take 80mins for a keeper to go long once. Even mix up the variety of how you do it. You can play from the back and have a more vertical approach.
- Do it faster. If you are slow and methodical at moving it out the back, you let teams reset, which again, makes it easy to play against you.
- Stop playing staff that are prone to being targeted. Xhaka is well known to be awful when put under pressure. Stop playing him.
Let’s see what Emery has in store tomorrow. He’s a tactically flexible coach, he needs to think a little deeper about what he wants from his defence this year. Hopefully, there’s a simple solution he can adopt.
In other news, Elneny is off to Turkey. Nice guy, about as useful to the squad as a motivational bus driver. Mustafi did not leave, an absolutely disgraceful indictment on his passion for the game. I really hope Emery doesn’t start using him. Keep him frozen out. Mesut Ozil also didn’t leave, he’ll be a bit part this season until he moves on to DC. Say what you will about the German, he’s at least useful.
Finally, listen to our pre-Spurs pod.
VAR is seriously becoming a joke ..watching MOTD , there have been at least 5 incidents that VAR should have overturned but the PMGOL are hiding behind the “clear and obvious” ruling .
Valentin
There’s no ready made player at 19. Young players make mistake and expecting a 19 year old Center Midfielder to be everything at 19 is ridiculous.
Valentin
I would not judge Mustafi and Holding the same way because Holding is still developing and would make mistake why Mustafi is unlikely to improve.
Pedro I hope that Emery shows tomorrow some “courage” and selects an attacking team rather than the passive one we watched last weekend against Liverpool. The game is there to be won and not to contain Spurs. The selection should include Pepe, Aubameyang and LACAZETTE in the staring lineup. If Liverpool can play with three forwards there is absolutely no reason that we cannot do likewise. Midfield needs also careful planning. Personally I would like Torreira selected. I think that he is a better player than Guendouzi and I think that him playing alongside Ceballos would be far more productive.… Read more »
Tony
I have just read the article you posted about interview between Itoje and Woodward in lead up to forthcoming Rugby World Cup.
Itoje is an highly intelligent and special player and I like his positivity and mentality. This is the sort of player that Arsenal need to recruit. He is a
“leader” and believes that the team whether it is Saracens or England can
beat all opposition and not have to rely on them not playing at their best.
Incidentally Itoje spent the summer training at the Arsenal in preparation for
World Cup.
Think I read somewhere that Salah has sold the most shirts in the UK. I know that a lot of Egyptian/African immigrants live in the UK, but it shouldn’t be all that different to the situation in Spain. I’m pretty sure that he’ll sell very well in Madrid and be loved to if he plays well. Maybe there is a pretty boy look needed to be considered a mega star, but it sure didn’t stop Zidane becoming a living legend. Hazard on one side and Salah on the other would have been something though.
Arsenal sell the 2nd most shirts in England. Liverpool are 1st.
I would like to see ALP start tomorrow with Ceballos, Guen and Torreira behind. Defence of Nacho…oh no… cries softly in the corner… Kolasinac, Luiz, Papa Sok (even though I like Holding more than him but he’s probably short), AMN. Then it will be a game of mistakes. I think that we will be extremely lively and unless we gift them 2 cheap goals I don’t see us losing the game. 3-1 prediction.
anyhow my thoughts about Mane: I love the player. Hard worker- always looking to help the team any way he can. Presses, passes, shoots, scores. does the dirty work….. runs back on defense!!! A humble man, pious and generous. Ive heard nothing bad about the young man at all. Fuck Salah- easy pass to Mane and yes he DID see him in his vision.|! Firminho also was going to get screwed by Salah when he scored. You can see Salah with his one track mind to shoot whenever he feels. Firminho took his mis dribble and shot it in… but… Read more »
My intial thoughts after seeing the NO pass to Mane was hmmm, why no reaction? that was a little weird. ….
Clearly, Mane was fuming from that point on….
I cant see that happening with our front three.
So I’m in the big apple,,,
Only here on family reasons,
Ain’t no London…
Lord knows why the pats sailed over here years ago…
The place is 5 years behind London above the ground and 20 below…
Avoid,
Any road some drum will show the game
3-1
come to california RSPC
much better
Guns will do..
Certain aspect of the ‘big apple… man it like Going back in time …
No gambling
12 dollars a pint
Dirt old Tubes,…
Hotels charging for WiFi …fuck we gave the world that …
Just a general,feeling all is wrong in da town ..
Prefer Vegas, or Toronto in Canada best town I’ve visited…
Big apple is reels of cotton …
Lack if expenditure at the back? What’s your mate talking about Pedro? We’ve bought 3 defenders in one summer window, including a very promising left back to address one of our weakest areas, an elite prospect at CB for big money and a stop gap veteran who has tonnes of silverware to his name. We also supposedly bid 60 odd million for an elite CB in Germany near the windows end It’s not true at all that we didn’t take the defense seriously Tierney is injured. Saliba is on loan. Luiz is Luiz and our bid wasn’t quite enough for… Read more »
I reeeeaaally wanna go to New York. I have since I was 5
i dislike the east coast too. Weather sucks and the folks are a little to in your face types.
I prefer my west coast – different world entirely than the east coast.
SO many sub cultures in the US
Weather: Fine and sunny at 20 degrees in London for the NLD
Time: 16:30 GMT – 3:30 am my fucking time.
Can some cunt please hurry up and invent wormhole technology so I can watch the game in a London pub and still get home for work in NZ on Monday morning.
Thank you. You’re very kind.
GuNZ
I feel ya man. I like that we have the games on from 6-10am here. still gives me the day to do shit.
Tomorrow is 830am west coast time US
My only experience on the west coast was waiting for a bus into LA. An AA gay tried to chat me up, he did not good Pon that front but did talk me into going to santa Monica rather than the city. No I didn’t invite him to join me.
Never had any inclination to visit NY city, reckon it would be a bit of a shit hole. RSPCA appears to confirm that.
Gunz
Match is on at 10.30 here. That worm hole sounds good., Not sure it’d do you much good though, never get a ticket into the Emirates.
SF
And that would be 8:30 am Sunday morning, right?
I’ve already had my one of those. It wasn’t pretty as I’m home alone (the missus is in Aussie visiting our daughter and grandson) so I gave the old vodka bottle a bit of a nudge last night. And some Prosecco. I think I ended up adding some brandy as well to create a rather nice cocktail that probably wouldn’t taste rather nice in the cold, harsh light of day.
God bless your 8:30 am Sunday morning and all who sail on her!
Ah, Mr. Bojangles
Good afternoon. You must be in Perth then if kick off’s at 10:30 pm?
I see its 429pm in NZ
Sunday!
SO the game is on 330am Monday morning
That is utterly morbid
In Viet Nam mate. Though I was living in Perth.
Folks on at this time seem a bit more civilised than the afternoon/evening shifts…lol
Good afternoon to you too sir
Absolutely. Some of the others, who are hopefully tucked up nicely in their beds by now, do tend to over-excitement at times.
SF
Indeed! You see my disgruntlement. I’ve petitioned the FA to get the Arsenal games rescheduled for the middle of the UK night but they told me to fuck off.
Tactfully stated. Must be due to your Kiwi upbringing. Not much tact in Aussie, very forthright mob.
well shit man… its the NLD… what time you awake anyhow? Got work? Up at 530? the game will end near that time anyhow…. just get the coffee made and bite the bullet. its worth watching us put one on spurs.
Oh I’ll be up all right! It’s the NLD, the one game that could get me out of a fucking coffin.
Nice piece on Freddie L
“Freddie Ljungberg’s work means Arsenal’s starlets have a spring in their step… the Gunners legend is offering great value to Unai Emery”
Freddie Ljungberg is helping Arsenal’s youngsters make step up to first team
Former midfielder is coach but also transitions manager, helping youth players
He has already been integral to rise of Joe Willock to regular action in side
Ljungberg is a big fan of Bukayo Saka and he could be the next to make his mark
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7412687/Arsenal-news-Freddie-Ljungbergs-work-means-Gunners-starlets-spring-step.html
“Guess what nearly all my predictions turn out to be true.”
Lol! Lol! Lol!
Surprised to see NYC getting a bashing here, granted I have only spent a few days there but I loved the place.
However I also prefer Cali overall, San Diego is my favourite place in the world that isn’t home.
Conte has won serie A thrice… Sarri none People expect Inter to compete based on that. And Conte did bring in quire a handful of players. Sarri has a remit to play entertaining football while winning not just win, this might play into Conte’s hands. All these are hypothetical by the way. I really don’t see how it compares to the situation in the EPL. Klopp and Pep have been here for years building their team, Poch who has a higher ceiling is still far from them in five years so the idea Emery should have closed the gap in… Read more »
So it’s derby day. What do we think of Tottenham??
He has closed the gap on Spurs who many kept repeating were light years ahead, one point gap last season and if they finish ahead this season many will be disappointed
RSPC
Vancouver is my favourite city in Canada. Easy access to grunge city (Seattle) and Oregon if you want to get adventurous at Whistler and Oregon wilderness.
Bojangles
Sadly NYC was the place to be in the 70s and early 80s.
United really need to just give Pogba the bullet. Just a total wanker of a player.
Totally overrated and not worth the money spent on him.
Still say xakha is better value at £35m
Yeah I loved New York too
Worked over there for 2 weeks when I was a young fella and it was quality.
Enjoy the game stroller, I’m envious of you going to what I believe will be a pulsating derby at the Emirates. I used to love going to watch the derbies at white hart lane in my teens in the late 60’s,early70’s , moreso than the home games….I witnessed some great Arsenal victories there, notably a couple of evening games ,semi final 2nd leg of the league cup 1968/69 1 think it was, John Radford last minute header at the park lane end packed with Arsenal fans and then the never to be forgotten league decider on a Monday night, 50,000… Read more »
Agenda for the day
Pub at 12 for Guinness
Home at 2 for Belgium GP and cans of Guinness
Which leads on nicely to Arsenal v Scum at 4:30 with Guinness
Sunday roast
Heaven
NYC has a particular charm, you’ve got to embrace some of the archaic stuff along the way. It’s a brilliantly diverse City, it’s always alive, food ranges from a dollar to a grand, people from proper cunts to alright cunts, and the talent there from all walks is something else. Some of the best professionals around.
That being said I’d sooner love long and prosper on the west coast. More my Tetley’s.
Agenda for the day
Pub at 12 for Guinness
Home at 2 for Belgium GP and cans of Guinness
Which leads on nicely to Arsenal v Scum at 4:30 with Guinness
Sunday roast with a glass of Merlot
Heaven
Azed, I don’t expect 19 year old player to be perfect, but I don’t expect them to keep making the same basic mistakes and not been called upon them. If they are not ready, they should not start in important game for Arsenal. Last season in Every game Guendouzi had at least one instance where he was robbed of the ball in a dangerous position and expected a free kick. We conceded goals from that lack of defensive nous. During the U21 tournament, Guendouzi was dropped by the France coach. He was told that he was too weak against physical… Read more »
Proper football day today, Old Firm and then the NLD.
Hopefully a bit of a throwback and we see oodles of pashun.
Agenda for the day
Pub at 12 for Guinness
Home at 2 for Belgium GP and cans of Guinness
Which leads on nicely to Arsenal v Scum at 4:30 with Guinness
Sunday roast with a glass of Merlot
Agenda for the day
Pub at 12 for Guinness
Home at 2 for Belgium Grand Prix and cans of Guinness
Which leads on nicely to Arsenal v Scum at 4:30 with Guinness
Sunday roast with a glass of Merlot
Say hello to the Wife
My word Pierre
You brought back some memories there. How about this goal from the absolute master, Mr. Brady, in 1978.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA_IShNbS5Y
Shit, just copied and pasted it, hope it shows up as a link.
Charlie
The series The Deuce is a good series about the seedy side of NY well written and acted.
Would represent part of your summery well.
VAR is fast becoming a joke in the EPL.
Some referees refuse to call on it because of their ego. It seems that the only things the video ref in the truck are ready to overrule a referee on is handball and offsides.
Garry Neville did call it right on Monday night football when he said that unless they change their approach, they will keep the same number of incorrect decisions.
Tony
Sounds familiar, James Franco in that? NYC is plenty seedy too, as I say, it’s a particular old spot haha but a really enjoyable place if you find the right frequency to match.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4998350/ The Deuce set in the 70s New York.
NLD
Very difficult to make a score prediction when we have no idea what Emery is thinking and what starting 11 & bench he is going to play.
My heart says 4:1 but my head says just predict a win.
*odd……not old
Agenda
Pub at 12
Home for Belgium GP
Arsenal v Scum
Sunday roast
All with Guinness
Heaven
Pub at 12
Home for Belgium GP
Arsenal v Scum
Sunday roast
All with Guinness
Heaven
Hill Wood
So good you named it twice
Hill wood on the sauce
I do so wish I were in an Arsenal pub watching this game.
Instead I’m getting rather fucked on a bottle of vodka, waiting for the missus to get back from Aussie and realising I’m going to feel like shit when the alarm goes off at 3:00 am to watch the game.
Guinness
Grand Prix
Gooners
Great
Gunz
Was at the 5-0 demolition , that’s where the song ” we won 5-0 at the lane” ( to the tune of rod Stewart’s sailing) was born.
Our 2nd half performance that day was a joy to behold with Brady running rings round the Tottenham defenders and then scoring that classic 20 yarder…
Sorry all got a bit carried away there !
GuNZ
My son is in Australia for a few years , he’ll be going through the same as you ,up at 3am , watch the game and then off to work.
Sydney area I think he is .
My team for today will be
AMN Luiz Sok Kol
Willock Torriera Ceballos
Pepe Laca Auba
Pierre
At least in Sydney he can keep his Sunday night sesh going until the game starts (they’re 2 hours behind us) but good on you for bringing your kids up in the fold. Only one of my daughters is a Gooner, the other one’s bloody West Ham. I am a bad father!
Silverhawk
Looks good to me but don’t be surprised to see xhaka in the starting line up..
He may even play 3 at the back ( hope not), that will probably mean one of Lacazette/Ceballos/Aubameyang/pepe will be on the bench.
GuNZ
Sad to say but my son was born 1991 when we won the league under George Graham so he had to be named after him ….George is a good name though , wouldn’t have inflicted Arsene or Bruce(rioch) on him that’s for sure.
Good line up there, Silverhawk.
Pierre
Ah, George . . . that’s actually my middle name. A fine and noble one it is too. Well chosen.
Bugeye”s here
1-0 to The Arsenal today
Pierre
Adding Xhaka in there or going back to a back 3 will make this a long afternoon for us. We need to dominate the middle
Chika
Thanks. I hope we win today. Bland football or not. Anything less than 3 points is a big disappointment.
Anyone know what happened to Frank Mc with his wonderful hanging one-liners or Kwikfit with his great little links to totally inappropriate things? Did they get binned?
Today is a must win for Emery although I’m not as convinced as so many on here that we will prevail with the 3 points….1) Xhaka will play 2) Form goes out the window for NLD..
I’ll be there and praying we don’t fuck up. This is a MASSIVE game for us today
Remember the first time I got called an ass hole in Manhattan
Was like earning my stripes
A right of passage
I think I didn’t move out of someone’s way quickly enough at a crossing.
ASS HOLE!! Hey I’m walking here!!
It’s a bit like a comet that comes around every now and then, isn’t it? We’re going to stuff Spurs this arvo. My precognitive dream of 6-1 may be a bit exaggerated but it’s going to be substantial. I can feel this one coming . . .
Physcologically, it is the first time time for a few years that Arsenal go in to the derby with the upper hand. This will put enormous pressure on Pochettino and his players as deep down they will know that Arsenal have the players to inflict damage on the Tottenham defence , hence they may set up quite defensively and try to grind out a win or a draw. Arsenal can go into this game with confidence high ( despite the liverpool defeat) , the signings of Pepe, Ceballos and Luiz have given the club and the players a lift .… Read more »
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/aug/31/unai-emery-arsenal-searching-for-soul-tinkering-tottenham
Great article and spot on
AZED
this one’s for you
Pay particular attention to the part where they detail emery instructs us to pass out from the back
Not the players
My prediction for tonight; whatever tactics are used, if we lose it will be down to Emery, if we win (we will 3-1) it will be down to the players.
Bojangles, you are correct. There is a level of agenda with each result.
Win = Players
Lose = Manager
So I propose a draw is both and its due to them not playing well and playing really well.
😀
Fairly confident about today. 3-2 to Arsenal.
Starting to lose patience with Emery, nothing to do with Liverpool result or overall result as I think they are on par with where we stand as a club.
Early days, I think we are still severely lacking in midfield technical/tactical as well as physical department. Also lack of decent quality depth upfront. Also injuries for now.
‘So I propose a draw is both and its due to them not playing well and playing really well’
I fucking hate syllogistic arguments but your use of the 3rd person plural there excludes Unai from that part of your settlement?
Actually N5, let me stop this right here. I am far too drunk for this type of discussion so I will bow out right now and drink some water and go to bed.
I love you all and we shall beat them. THem.
Brooklyn good call with 3-2. Our defence is dodgy at best and now with Nacho gone I’m not sure who he’s going to put there, I hope it isn’t AMN or Nelson both of whom have been played as full backs by Wenger so…..
We will likely concede due to this but as long as we score more we can’t lose!!
N5
Not sure about that. I am thinking a draw will be taken as a negative result. Only a win will deflect the attention from the coach. ;))
Can’t see a clean sheet from us, but they’re missing their backbone and we’ve got plenty of threat up top so we should be creating chances
I agree Bojangles, I was just being silly really. Nothing short of a win with a good performance is going to be surfice today.
Agree CC ,with their defensive issues and our injuries and departures in that area, we could see a cricket score today.
Emery says Ozil is available for selection today. I would rather he wasn’t picked to be honest!!
Here’s hoping Ceballos has found his way back to London after getting plastered on the side of milk cartons across Liverpool.
Fancy him to be a difference maker in a front foot side like we should see today.
Would be starting with Laca central, let Pepe and Auba dart in from wide while he’s causing trouble. Can see some interplay developing between Dani and Laca. Or maybe I’m being hopeful who knows.
Also, impressed with Guendouzi’s improvement this season especially defensively. He was quite good aerially against Newcastle, bad against Burnley but still find his approach to aerial duels vast improvement to last season where he would just duck or apply token jump/tussle. Doesn’t lose ball as often facing our goal despite all of our opponents pressing high up. It was refreshing to see him cover for LB and in position near enough to challenge for that Barnes goal, didn’t have any hopes from our midfielder to provide such cover last season. He was also helping out our CB’s quite often against… Read more »
Brooklyn
duck is to correct word to describe Guen for the first goal against the Pool.
Arsenal do not want or need a draw.
We won last season our home fixture in EPL with a clear cut victory.
If the selections are made with the correct balance between defence and attack there is no reason that we cannot produce the same outcome.
On the other hand if we are timid and play unproductive football as we did last
weekend we will achieve nothing.
For once we need to set up an attack with Aubameyang, Pepe and Lacazette starting as a collective.
I start to understand why Emery does deploy Torr as a DM. In Emery’s playbook, all midfielders should be doing high pressing.
#doesn’t
Ozil hat-trick, then moves to Spurs in Jan
Ha ha Karim, don’t toy with my emotions like that
It all points to a 5-2 victory if we score the first
1-1 if they score first as they will defend for their lives.
Just read on the BBC Football site that Kane is 9 Goals in 9 Games vs Arsenal.
That really needs to be nipped in the bud today.
Like the look of Martinelli and Pepe.
Pepe has pleasantly surprised me in terms of his ability to beat opponents one on one, exciting player. Still vast improvement needed in terms of holding onto ball, not losing possession at the rate of Sanchez particularly owing to our other senior forwards inability to hold onto ball to create sustained pressure against opponents and to help our defence.
Nelson,
Individual moments but I am talking overall improvement in approach. I am not claiming him to Mertesacker. Just noticed improvement that is all.
He may still lose possession while facing our own goal but decrease it vastly overall compared to last season. You know improvement overall.
N5,
Yeah Kane, I thought he was stiffled compared to our previous season, bar that dumb penalty conceded by Mustafi.
Looking back he may have had fewest open play shot last season compared to the previous ones.