via B-Engaged
It is GAME DAY and the big man Freddie Ljungberg is having a suit tailored for his first home game. Maybe not tailored. Probably pulled off the rack. Hope it’s a nice one.
Big story here: The elite journalists with good questions won out, I cannot thank them enough for their important intervention, and vital contribution to the world of football. One day, maybe, I’ll be as good at questions as them.
Before we land on the game tonight, it appears that by group consensus, the Arsenal family do NOT want to see Marcelino in the dugout. A real get in the bin appointment. Journeyman manager with about as much sauce as Unai Emery. No thanks. We’re not doing Heinz this time, we’re going elevated. Scoville levels off the chart.
There’s a lot of movement in Europe at the minute, a lot of managers that could be bucketed under the category of WINNER are close to the chop.
The one name that’s going to have a lot of fans desperately vommitting their opinion on people is none other than the man in black… Diego Simeone. There are very strong rumours the Argentine is about to get the chop at Atleti, a club where he’s done incredible things on a relatively modest budget over the past however many years.
I love Diego. If you could bottle his special sauce and sell it on the black market, no one would be talking about fentanyl. The guy is literally on a different planet when it comes to energy, touchline passion, and general all-round madness. He’s scary. Football’s real gangster. Pristine swept-back hair, elite enough to wear a black suit and a black shirt. Still as trim as one of his players.
The big challenge with him is two-fold. You are firstly hiring someone that speaks next to no English. Not that he couldn’t learn, but coming into a mess like Arsenal at this stage of our development, with a manager that can’t communicate the awful things he’d have to say about the players probably isn’t smart. My general rule of thumb is if you are going to be a bitch, do it in the native tongue.
Beyond that, you’d have to be able to get by on the cynical football. Not an impossibility by any stretch. Fans, first and foremost, like winning. Secondly, they like to see players die for the shirt. That’s what Diego brings you.
I know there’s a lot of Arsenal fans that just want a coach to come in and make us defensive beasts. Cut out all the fannying around. Get back to basics. Make the club George Graham when he was at its best. A great team, built from solid foundations. Emery tried, and failed. They feel that we need a real shock to the system. Someone who can come in and take a Stalin like approach to purging mediocrity from the club.
It’s a tempting thought, it really is. Diego is fucking unreal, even if I hate the football.
The other challenge for Arsenal is the expense. France Football had him pocketing €41m last year. He’s the highest-paid manager in the world. €788,461 a week. A quite incredible pay packet, but worth it for what he does over there. I think he’s likely out of our league. Not to mention he’s been very keen to move to Italy.
Carlo is also being touted. I have to say, I couldn’t be any less excited about the thought. He made a Sarri team worse, was outsmarted by Emery in the Europa League last year and generally would feel like a very flaccid attempt at progression.
Frontrunners from the shortlist I’m guessing at so far have to be Mikael Arteta and Brendan Rodgers. Most of the other names either seem out of our league, unsuited to the job at hand, or just far too expensive for what we can afford.
Onto the game tonight.
I was PLEASED to see Arsenal.com sharing videos of Freddie implementing some rapid fire one-touch football in training. No messing around. Combinations are coming back. Freddie is trying to impose his vision of football on a team that’s been in the football equivalent of a forced labour camp for 18 months.
Tonight is interesting because the action in the second half against Norwich was shite. He’s seen what the senior players can do, does he double down and go with the same players again, or does he start to introduce more of his thinking with players more to his liking?
For me, I struggle to see how a man with Freddie’s tasted for high-intensity pressing can opt with a frontline of players that don’t like to press. I said it on the podcast, could Martinelli be Freddie’s Nik Anelka? No one presses like him at Arsenal. If you had Auba flanked by him and Saka, you’d be a different beast.
Hector Bellerin will no doubt be back in contention. Huge questions mark over Tierney if he’s left out again. I’m assuming he was a precaution at the weekend because for me, he’s the future of that position. He’s a more capable defender than Kola and he looks where his deliveries are going from wide positions. It’ll be telling if he doesn’t start.
Let’s see what he does with midfield. The biggest problem we’ve had for a while is that we have to play Xhaka. I’d love to see LT given a chance in his real position, my concern with him is that he’s finished with Arsenal, and it shows in his performances. Either way, if Freddie doesn’t find a solve here, his tenure is going nowhere.
Brighton are a good side with a very interesting manager. Potter was a huge risk for them after Hughton, but you can see where their game is going, and it certainly looks like he’s making progress.
Right, that is me done, give Freddie the reception he deserves tonight, should be a fun atmosphere for once!
Looks like Freddie is playing it safe
I’d have hoped for a little more balls. Still. He’s in charge
He picks the team he thinks will perform best
Saka to be subbed on later
Substitutes: Martinez, Chambers, Tierney, Guendouzi, Nelson, Pepe, Martinelli
Sup Ladies? Really hoping Freddie can stop the slide today.. pulling for him bigtime. Win today puts us back in top 6.. lose and it gets uglier.
Kola, Xhaka, Luiz, Ozil … are going to have to not suck today. A big task. Papa has been in terrible form as well.
Freddie will soon run down his favorite players. No worries.
Nelson
Really? Why no Saka? Hmmm
Mustafi completely dropped is good. Kolasinac and Xhaka still starting and still no Pepe and Martinelli suggest that Freddie is still getting the starting 11 wrong
Tierney chambers martinelli and Pepe should have got the nod for me tonight. Still. Freddie knows he’s got a fractured squad and if he wants the job fulltime he can’t piss on the big hitters
Shame.
Guen getting a rest. Auba should have been a sub in this one
I think Pepe features and Martinelli
not sure why Xhaka is in there.
Glad Mustafi is out
I have a feeling that if Freddie has the job on a 3 year contract this would not be our lineup tonight.
Ozil on the wings?
Freddie isn’t doing himself any favors.
Sf
I’d have rested auba myself. Gone with Lacazette Pepe and martinelli as the front 3
Wouldn’t be my starting 11.. but it this what it is at this point. Think Freddie is putting too much pressure on himself to try and get that group coordinated. Should still be enough to beat Brighton but then again it should have been enough to beat Norwich.
Think Freddie is putting too much pressure on himself to try and get that group coordinated.
Spot on… I think he is trying to make the first 11 work versus tinkering like Emery did.
To add to this scandal. Luiz was out of contract at the end of last season with Chelsea!!!We could have got him for nothing!!!
You see this is exactly what I’m talking about. You let in a little bit of bullshit here and there and the next thing you know we’re elbow deep in feces. An 8 million transfer has gone from 40 million to could have been gotten for free in mins.
To all the wonderful folk and my fellow Le Grove patients out there, with this team:
Are we playing The Pressing Game or are we playing Soccer this evening?
Because, I am getting confused.
I guess on a positive note if these boys consistently can’t get it done.. won’t be many excuses left for them. And maybe we can clean house January and this summer.
CG
Why you call it Soccer? I am a yank, and i always call it Football.
its the true and proper name.
you from the US? living in South Africa?
Again another questionable starting 11… Looks like he’s not even remotely interested in the job at this rate… Would have expected Martinelli to get more game time, same with Pepe….It’s a home game we should be winning so don’t get it neither do i get Sokratis ahead of Chambers for CB, he’s awful… Xhaka wasn’t very bad last game and its a home match so we’ll have a lot of the ball… What’s wrong with Tierney? Why no wingers when we’ve got 2 on the bench?
Marko
Who cares? Pedro is against raul and he was against emery as well as Wenger. So far he’s been quite right but jury is still out on raul. What does it matter wether it’s £21m or £40m?
It’s still a terrible waste of money
Bati
It’s because he is desperate for the job that he’s not picking the right lineup
He’s going for safe rather than what he replay believes in. That’s my view.
A new manager can’t come here quick enough. My guess is that we’d prefer to get Poch and are probably trying to persuade him to join but it’s likely going to be Arteta. This place will then go into a mini meltdown
Let’s just hope the idiots who took forever to sack Emery don’t take that long to appoint a new head coach because we’ll probably be in a relegation fight by the time we finally get a new manager
Ozil out wide and Tierney on the bench. Xhaka at DM with Torriera as box to box midfielder. FFS.
Guns of sf
(Forget semantics for now.)
I just need to know, is it football/soccer or we are just doing bloody shuttle runs all night- because you sure cant do both!
Un na
Nah, I’d have wanted him to be bold enough and pick a much more different team than have half the lot who have let us down over an over again in the team…It’s almost lime he’s scared of the players at this rate and doesn’t want to rock the boat, seems the only explanation
CG
Shuttle runs- haven’t heard that term in a while…
You from the US aren’t you????
My coach in the early 80’s used to make us do that drill….. and Im 47.
how old are you CG???
Looks like Freddie is pandering to the “big names” rather than doing whats best for the squad.
Aubameyang and Ozil don’t defend which means Bellerin and Kolasinac have to be spectacular tonight.
At this point, Just give it to Arteta already. Hahahaha Wouldn’t have ever been my pick.. but hell after hearing about it for so long and what we have been through..
Couldn’t be much worse. I think Pedro has finally broken through my resistance. 😀
Wtf with Ozil out wide.
This front 3 is zero pressure for the Brighton back for. No pressing there.
3-3 today.
Why is Freddie persisting with kola and luiz ? They are terrible that team does not inspire me at all
Midwest
Resist I say- don’t give up the resistance.
Anyway, hope we pick up the win though and maybe smuggle a clean sheet while we’re at it…. The teams above us don’t look like dropping that much points so we’ll probably end up where we are at on the table…. Watched Palace beat Bournemouth with 10 men on Tuesday and they were more comfortable defending than we usually are with 11…. Wolves don’t look like slowing down, United are United, Spurs are sieving goals all over the pitch, Sheffield are good….That’s the circle we’re playing at right now
I think Wenger is picking this team.
Azed
Yea more Auba on the wings which is just plainly daft…Hasn’t worked, either play a 442 or bench one of Auba and Laca
I want to see players busting a gut off the ball.
Freddie does do some Wenger like tactics.. Putting Ozil on the wing and letting him roam wherever he wants. Pretty classic Wenger for a time. To be fair it usually worked against lower table teams.
Azed/TBone,
Why Özil on the wing?
Formation likely to be 4-3-1-2
………………………….Leno
Bellerin Sokratis Luiz Kolasinac
……….Torreira Xhaka Willock
…,……………………..Özil
Aubameyang……….Lacazette
Or potentially in a 4-4-2 diamond formation
With Torreira at the base of the diamond and Özil at the tip.
………………………….Leno
Bellerin Sokratis Luiz Kolasinac
………………………..Torreira
………. Xhaka ….,…..,………..Willock
…,……………………..Özil
Aubameyang……….Lacazette
I don’t want to see Xhaka on the pitch
I don’t want to see Xhaka on the pitch
______
Don’t worry he will probably get a red card about 15 minutes in.. 😀
Looks like Everton looking for a new manager now too.
Tierney was just starting to find form and fitness. Yes he does go missing in second half of games but so does Kolasinac who is also a terrible defender and can only do cutbacks.
I suppose if FL is trying to get the team new tactics and attacking play, he wants to try it with the main starters?
Still wonder why no wingers?
perhaps those come in to add the death blow later on?
Midwest I guarantee he will make at least 3 mistakes he is an oaf hopefully Xhaka and kola both go back to the bundesliga soon
Wonder what the banter on LG will be if Arteta takes the Everton job.. Top notch I bet.
“Formation likely to be 4-3-1-2”
Valentin
Every where says a 4-2-3-1, lets just hope they are wrong.
We committed close to a 100m pounds to improve our wings and fullback option. They are both on the bench.
Yep.. Receding … things that make you go .. hmmmm.
To think the club spent 72 million on a winger to address a very obvious problem we’ve had for 4-6 seasons.
The interim manager comes in and decides Ozil is the new and improved winger we’ve all been waiting for.
Bugger! No sauce!
Er
Ljunberg out
Second time he’s got the incorrect lineup. I’ve just tuned into Prime and would like to know his rationale.
A proper manager cannot be appointed soon enough.
Azed,
Even in a 4-2-3-1, why would Özil on the wing?
Torreira – Xhaka would be the two protecting the back four.
With Aubameyang on the right, Willock on the left and Özil in the middle with Lacazette at the top.
Genuine question, Does the published formation indicates Willock in the middle and Özil on the wing?
The line up that drew with them last May besides Leno included – Sokratis, Torreira, Xhaka, Ozil, Aubameyang and Lacazette. Why should the result today be any different?
It won’t be any different.
Putting ozil and auba on flanks just to shoehorn Willock into the side. Hope it is works.
You guys can second guess your common sence all you like, all that ever does is delay whats staring you right in the face. He’s a dud. Legend. Invincible. But managerially a dud. Get Allegri in ASAP!
Its a lineup intended to keep the factions happy, the prima donnas.
And his boy willock who by the way was not ineffective at Norwich.
Swapping Mustafi for Sokratis might look good on paper except for now Mustafi is the better defender.
Like many have already said we need a proper manager
*was ineffective
I think the Ozil thing is just a starting point.. He will be allowed to go wherever he wants. As for Willock .. I prefer him to Matty G to be honest. But a CB pairing of Luiz and Papa with Xhaka in front and Kola and Bell on the wings is not exactly a wall of defense. Hope Leno is on his game today.
What channel is the game on tonight
Inadvertently signed up to Amazon Prime when buying in a rush some Xmas for my company team secret Santa. Genyinely wanted to cancel, until I realised that they are showing tonights game. Cancelling after the trial is up. Come on The Arsenal!!!! Still going for an experienced line up (:/) but Torreira is on with Guen benched (good). Tierney now on bench. Was he injured?? The Chelski piece of shit still playing. And still insisting on having both Laca and Auba. Let’s hope that they practiced this formation and have a little bit more confidence in knowing what to do… Read more »
Guen Benched. I guess a win for Arsenal after all.
Midwest I have no issues with dropping Guendouzi,Emery overplayed him.
But this team lacks natural width and no one who can really take on his marker and beat him with skill.
Nor anyone who can press past the first twenty minutes. No ball carrier either.
Its an interesting line up.
For all our supposed great twenty minutes on Sunday how many saves did Krul make?
Un,
Amazon Prime Video.
Nicolas Pépé on RMC: ‘Losing Emery was painful for me. He’s the coach who brought me here. It’s painful. Freddie? He used to play so he understands me. It’s up to me to win my place’
Big night for Freddy.
anyone have a link? NBC sports gold is not showing this
Indeed Sal.
Come on The Arsenal!!!!!!!!
Freddie just said in pre-match interview .. they had only maybe 1 day to train and he is trying to take small steps. Still think he is putting too much pressure on himself though by picking that lineup.. Anyhow Fuck it we need a win… been forever. Come on The Arsenal!
Un
For free if you get the 30 day free trial .
Lads I’ve got the game on amazon prime
For free
Is this for real?
Genuine question, Does the published formation indicates Willock in the middle and Özil on the wing?
Yes Valentin.
Published information from Google has Willock in the centre and Ozil on the wings.
Pierre
I’m already a paying member
Is this just for tonight or will this be long term?
Un
Yes.
Guns of SF
It’s on Amazon Prime.
Freddie is just playing the team Arsene would…
Aubameyang loses the ball immediately
Ok I found this link
https://footybite.com/football/arsenal-vs-brighton-hove-albion-live-stream-2/
Leno already to the rescue.. game barely started.
Twice in less than a minute
Yeah Aubameyang is the bomb
Luke
Wenger would play Pepe
Same old same old with that team
Torreira not shielding the back four.
Great ball xakha
He looks a lot better under Freddie already
Needs those early passes to being the best out of him
Emery is such a fuck up man
Come on Kola.. need a better pass then that. Had the numbers on the break.
Aubameyang hugging the right touchline like a prime Raymond Parlour.
Freddie, love you, but it’s apparent this isn’t going to work out. It’s time to say goodbye.
Amazon prime free trial clear pic cancel after a month forget the links
We are attacking through the wing
I’ve always said auba is just there for the tap ins and rebounds, smh
Samesong
Prime is only £80 for the year though. No brainer
Come on Kola.. need a better pass then that. Had the numbers on the break
As soon as I saw that I was this is Kola constant mistimed passes.
Ozil really needs to become a scorer… would help diversify our attack… i want to see this fool take more shots
Un Na, a 70 million pound Sanllehi signing which caused us to sell his love, Iwobi? no way…
vickingzDecember 5, 2019 20:20:52
I’ve always said auba is just there for the tap ins and rebounds, smh
Hear hear
Don I installed some sports apps on my firestick so f paying £80 a year already paying for Sky.
Look at ozil chasing back and trying to block the cross
Cancel after a month Bob’s your uncle.
Lol yep I had to check the number UN.. Ozil defending a cross. small miracle.
Ah yes
Lacazette has no physicality….