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.
Son needs to be checked all the time
Fantastic save by Leno.
Did horrible for the goal, did fantastic on the Son shot, Leno
Can’t jump, can’t head…. since ages
Rubbish MF today to support ALP… slow, slow released of the ball
Waste of Auba and Pepe’ pace
Torr twice not releasing Pepe and back pass… why??
Guen making someone I don’t see?
Good save Leno.
Spurs looking very dangerous going forward
Spurs having best chances. we defend like idiots
That was the pass on for Pepe…..
We have to score… at least 3 with this defense Fullbacks aren’t good at defending as well.
Xhaka needs to come out
Just feed them more only need one to go through and hope Pepe finally put his mark.
Or Ceballos needs in
Lamela has fouled twice in 3 mins …still no card
So far Poch has this all worked out unlike our clown. 20 minutes gone and their goalkeeper hasn’t touched the ball.
Front three not getting fed – ceballos needed
Pepe the 70 million dud
Guns of SFSeptember 1, 2019 16:48:54
Luiz is not trusted in big games hate to say it
Neither are emery’s tactics
Spuds got a goal, two dangerous shots on target
ALP…. huh
None of the MF could make a pass to save the contract…. waste of ALP
Sok is playing too far up the pitch.
PTSD picking up on the blog…
Front three not fed?
What nonsense , we’ve gotten behind them several times…scuffing shots and Kola can’t cross to save his life.
Where’s our press ? Just watching the spuds play ffs
Sokratis is wildly suspect against pace
But at least we can see that Guen released the ball sooner and more clever now I think Xhaka can be considered as redundant at this point.
Spurs got 4 shots all on target
Arsenal 3 all off target
Auba is playing well.
And predictably the Arsenal response to going a goal down has been tepid. Very little possession and gave up a couple more shots on goal.
Can’t play from behind for shit.
Don’t like Auba on the wings, totally ineffective
So close for Pepe
This is trash.
Emery preps all wrong for games like this.
Have we had a shot on target yet?
Impressed with Guendouzi
Don’t like Auba on the wings, totally ineffective
Today so far been our best player.
I’m worried bout how we are allowing them the counter!!
We need to relax and be patient
No go all guns blazing for an equaliser and instead concede another
Come on you gunners !!
Come on !
Guen has not put a foot wrong so far.
Arsenal players slipping on own ground. Spurs fine probably used proper studs. Our Waiter seems tripped on own smartness
Not luis please
Emery is a fucking loser
Samesong
“Don’t like Auba on the wings, totally ineffectiveToday so far been our best player.”
Pros and cons of playing all three strikers at once.
Yeah Auba is no winger and a waste out there
Kolac should have gone and is slowing things down
Need Nelson on the wing and move Auba in the middle
Change formation
Kola is our weakest link.
The fvck is even our gameplan?
Joke club
shut up rose
Reinstated Xhaka to the detriment of Willock or Ceballos is not doing us any favour. We are not solid when Spurs attack and no end product going forward.
Finally a card
Laca put it out there. Good work
What’s Danny Rose complaining about
He got Torriersa sent off for a similar incident last season.
Kola.. should just play as a winger…. totally not interested in defending anymore. Hanging around Ozil rubbing off on him.
What game are you guys watching. Auba is looking sharp and has been our most effective attacking player so far.
Can anyone remember the last time scored from a direct free kick?
That freekick from the other angle was embarrassing. Not even close. Come on Arsenal.
Pepe may force Rose to take another yellow.
We are playing well enough
Lots of gripe here about nothing
We are playing well. But my goodness this team simply won’t defend!
Iwobi is better left attack than Auba…
Target Rose- spot on Nelson
The whole game is way too open for an opponent like Spurs. Suicide football.
Rose is triggered
gethim!
UN
You see spurs putting two defenders besides the keeper on goal kicks?
Do you think Poch is copying Emery?
Somethings got to give!!! Come on Reds.
30 minutes gone and Lloris still has fuck all to do.
I can see Rose getting his marching orders this afternoon.
Guen finally makes one mistake
Almost confused him with David Luiz. The cub has to take one get a hair cut.
Lol at playing well.
Not created one chance or one moment of quality.
Goes to show how far the standards have fallen.
Torreira is vocal and agressive. Would have been better captain material considering Luis is a nadcap
Dissenter – We should be 2-0 down. we haven’t had a clear cut chance and look like conceding every time Spurs break!
Lamela haha
Dirty laundry booked…. gradually
My grandma can take better corners
Auba and Pepe ran and cut inside into each other so much that they ended up on the opposite flanks.
GO after Lamela
He cannot defend either… will tug shirts and or tackle clumsily
This is so sloppy.
Arsenal have settled a bit now thanks to the all the fouls by Spurs but need to take advantage of one of these set plays, not a single one has been remotely threatening.
Get it onions on
1) alp are getting plenty of the ball. The spurs defence are very deep though so no room. This is where you want your playmakers to step up
2) Aubameyang has actually looked very lively on the left
Not sure why he’s being criticized
He’s involved and skinned their fullback a couple of times already
TBone
Yea, we should be 10-0 down
We should have conceded every time Spuds come forward.
Lacazette isn’t playing well tom link up both strikers around him.
Sokrates is having a nightmare
What else is there to say?
Sok not good enough at this level. No turn of pace and looks very suspect
Ok the team need a rocket up the ass at halftime…
someone needs to get violent in the locker room
our two strikers can score but can’t pass.
Spurs will take this all day we’ve been so toothless with the final ball and in the final third generally.
Accuracy of passing is poor. Etc Waiter is teaching during practice
Thanks Harry
horrible again
Quality Torreira!!
Fucking quality
Beat midfielder at the club by a mile
Never drop this lad
Err err I blame the blinding sunlight for the flappiness of Leno.
Lacca mistaking Pepe for TH14 putting the ball that far ahead of him!!
Leno spilling again
N5
Great turn and break though. He’s the link man. Needed more of that vs Liverpool
But with an accurate pass
Lacazette is frustrating me.
Torreira having a good game too
Wide open game… really… not much defending either way. All last ditch efforts. Have to outscore them… and we may give up a few more.
Need Ceballos to make the killer pass…. its not happening with these long outlet passes to the wings…
Why are they letting Kane and son cut in on tight foot?
Dumb dumb dumb
Show them down the line you dumb cunts
Laca looks holding onto the ball in the box a tad too long. Used to be a sharp shooter.
Ffs how many shots on target now
Fuck. Pen
Life, death and penalties in a NLD
FFS Xhaka!!!
Oh fuck off xhaka
Xhaka is a fkin idiot. Absolute disaster of a player.
Xhaka the gift that keep giving penalties.
Oh look, Xhaka does it again.
King Xhaka!!