It’s FA Cup time for us. We’ve watched Jose Mourinho and OGS lead their teams to magnificent replays after embarrassing stalemates, we have to avoid that sort of indignity at all costs.
Mikel Arteta might look to Jose Mourinho for a little inspiration. When the ‘Special One’ first landed at Chelsea, he went all guns blazing in the cups, making the league cup the first win of historic tenure.
We don’t have the luxury of a league cup run, but we do have a great opportunity to progress today against a Leeds side that has promotion on their mind.
I don’t know how the manager will line up for this one, but he’s making big noises about winning something.
“I think winning brings togetherness and when you have beautiful experiences together and you win trophies, those experiences stay within that group,” Arteta said.
“You like more the people you work with and you believe more in them and share some fantastic moments and that stays.
“That habit of winning, winning and winning. After you win, you don’t want to stop winning and you become addicted to that and that is what we have to try and implement at this club.”
There’s no lack of clarity there, he’s not a top 4 merchant, he wants to build a winning machine.
I suspect the pumped-up rhetoric is part for the fans, but more for the second string players he’s going to likely have to pick this evening. We’ve had problems the last few seasons raising our levels with players who sit on the bench. Rotation of the squad hasn’t always been fair and to be honest, the depth of our bench has been fairly poor. This season, the main difference is we have a lot of kids who intro’d last season who are year older, and all should be desperate to impress the new management team.
Matteo G and Dani Ceballos are probably the two closest to the first team with the most to prove. Matteo has been all over the place this season, far too much responsibility was put on his shoulders and he’s struggling for form… worse, his attitude has been less than spotless. He has the chance to show he can play with discipline and listen to a manager that will be good for him. I’d really love him to blow up under Arteta.
Dani is very different, there’s been no lack of enthusiasm, more a struggle to keep pace with the relentless physicality of the Premier League. I think his attitude is there, the talent is not in doubt, he just needs to be given a clear role and deliver against it. No way his energy isn’t going to be useful over the next 5 months.
Nicolas Pepe could start again, if he does, this is a huge test of attitude. It’s all well and good putting on a show against United, but can you motivate yourself against a Championship side? I hope so.
As for the kids, I’d love to see Saka have a chance further up the pitch. I think this could be a good game for ESR to show what he’s made of. I’d also love Willock to deliver to productivity in the final third, the club are clearly excited about him, hopefully he can show the fans why.
… could also be a bit tasty to see Eddie land some minutes.
No idea who else is going to play, but I do think it’d be wise to put some heavy rotation into the starting 11 so we don’t suffer any more injuries to key players.
It’s a home game, Arteta is clearly looking for a performance from the fans after seeing a lot of empty seats this weekend (shame on you, Stoke City fans).
“It is too powerful, with the fanbase we have, our history and the great players they have seen and the great teams they have seen, if we get that connected it is so powerful. Without that, I think it is impossible to do it.”
You heard the man, take your vuvuzelas and makes some noise.
Enjoy the evening, I’m very sad not to be there… also listen to my podcast with Matt.
If Nelson had some conviction to his shots and his general play he would be a good player. but he touches the ball like he is scared of it.
I just wish xhaka would go to Berlin.
That was a penalty.
Quality from Mesut.
Danny Murphy is a bitter man.
This ref…. isn’t interested in penalties I guess. Martinelli coming on I think.
Wengaball True, but we’ve clearly forgotten many of the basics! One interesting instruction from Tets has been his preference for the attacker to be more thoughtful about body position when they receive the ball. Face back towards the passer or towards the touchline when receiving the ball (like Pepe usually does) and you can’t explode forward quickly, or threaten to go either side of the defender; but if the attacker positions themselves facing the opposite corner flag, there are many more direct options quickly available, forcing defenders to be more stand-offish. All sounds basic, but apparently was revolutionary for Sterling.… Read more »
come on come on finally!!!
score one pls Marti
Marko it’s not as simple as players decide to play better. The whole team is biting into challenges, we have more ball and now are best players are getting on it. They can’t just do it themselves
Nelson has a nice shimmy too create a yard, final ball needs work but he showed a bit more personality tonight so good on him.
here comes the one man pressing machine.
finally Martinelli is on
Am I the only one who thinks Danny Murphy is a waste of fucking space as a summariser? He does nothing but bitch and whine about us.
If the ref had a clue xhaka would not be on the pitch.
What Murphy is saying is basically true though
hahaa typical Bielsa antics
you really need that kind of charismatic quirks to be one of those saucy hipster manager eh?
Danny Murphy is another miserable prick that never has a good word to say about Arsenal. Anyone actually surprised he’s been anything but scathing all night?
Nelson has a nice shimmy too create a yard, final ball needs work but he showed a bit more personality tonight so good on him.
Yeah I saw a player that showed heart today. I was a bit harsh, but this is player development. One thing is his movement is good. Gets into decent positions.
Add Danny Mills to another who has an inherent hatred for Arsenal
Absolutely sick of the constant Murphy Leeds bias….a real fckin pain in the arse.
Really want to comment on how poor Kolasinac has been tonight but I can’t
that was Guen not being alert there
he’s only good when pressing high up as he’s really lost when defending deep
Fuck Danny Murphy, Alan Shearer and Michael owen. They are just bitter because we were spanking them to league titles and Fa cups when they were players. Now that we are poor they can stick the knife in and everyone is okay with it.
@gazzap…I said 10mins into the game xhaka would be sent off….he should of had 4 yellows so far lol!
Arteta has a strong voice yelling from pitch side
Kolac always does this
Kola’s dark art.
Leeds fans take your pick for the missing link…. Orrible backward tribe of morons
PEPE needs another goal. So do we.
Murphy offers no insight whatsoever. He adds no value. He’s just another of those washed up has beens who can’t stand that he’s now irrelevant – apart from in the mind of out of touch BBC producers.
Stupid from Lacazette.
yeah using VAR only when against us how typical
One thing I want from Arteta is to be more aggressive with the referees. Emery was new to the country so he’s excused. Lacazette has been denied a number of penalties since he came to the Prem. If he played for Spurs or Utd he would have got them. That should be high on Arteta’s agenda
Nice … Marti has quick feet.
Love Martinelli. David Villa vibes
Laca needs taking off. He’s too frustrated and he’s not controlling his temper.
He’s a real talent that Martinelli.
Good piece of skill and sot from Martinelli
Willock on for ozil
Much better this half. Would love Martinelli to score one.
p.s. Laca is an idiot. Always lashing out.
Why Willock?
Cellabos surely
yeah like for like here something for Willock too please
nice from both Özil and fans alike there
Martinelli. The future
I’m also getting fed up with Guendouzi constantly pulling the far arm of players going past him. Arteta needs to slap that out of him.
Arsenal are allowed to have shit games, I hope folk are aware of that. We’re quite obviously trending and working towards something we haven’t seen at the club for years and years – there’s some teething pains to endure.
Leeds bossing is first half is one such example. We’ve been much better second half so far, and that’s going to be how things are for a few months.
Have to tip your cap to Leeds too, they’ve been really good.
PEPE a little quiet
nice that’s how you press high up almost force another De Gea-like error there
Murphy getting excited…Leeds corner….
Does Holding know we are playing in red tonight.?
Holding has been utter shite today
Hold is an idiot.
Holding has a highlight reel of shite passes to study tonight. Harsh reintroduction for him
I hope Arteta can improve holding, been awful tonight. Giving the ball away, I know he’s been injured but poor tonight.
Be a real shame if Leeds don’t come up this season, very very good team
Holding. Tchoh
Anthony Taylor has been crap. Allowing Excessive force challenges the whole game.
Better 2nd half from us though. If we had Better players we wouldn’t need to make it so stressful though.
Well played Xhaka….
I think this probably should have been starting lineup.. But also I think Arteta leaned a lot from first half. Plus he probably got to use that get your head out of your asses speech he has been saving at halftime.
Martinelli is going to be fantastic working with arteta
Marti is a starter, fact
yeah CC there’s no excuse for squad poverty even last season
the problem here just like the first half is the problem of the system
Guen faring well in the second half compared to the horrendous first half is testament to that
Guendouzi has been better in the second half. Credit where credit is due
Martinelli is as sexy as they come.
Moisture. I love him like Pierre loves Ozil.
Indeed guen has
Cmon. 5 more min
loving Papa Sok lolol
Sokratis doing a great job
Hahahah Papa Sok… that was awesome.
Sok needs his own comedy channel
Sokratis should have been a wrestler. He would have had a much better Career.
Sok UFC
Sok beast mode! Hahahaa
The dickhead linesman just stood there doing nothing.
Sums up our officials. Ref is poor
Jaime You will never love anyone as much as pierre loves Ozil.
Is VAR on Sok or those thugs around a gentleman down on the ground👀??
Waste of time
Sokratis doing a great job ….
Murphy and the otherwanker pointing out the ref needs to add time on.
Jesus, 4 minute review because a hand touched Sokratis on the forehead.
Love VAR
Refs been our best player this game.
Saka on to shore up defence?!
Ceballos not enough in the tank for 10 mins? Shame
The ref has given nearly everything to us tonight. Makes a change.
Release the darn ball quicker guendouzi
Habesha –
Fair point! I’m not sure I love my wife as much as Pierre loves Ozil.
@Gazzap
Yep, shame we can’t have more help from the refs, god knows we need it 😁
fuckig hell Guen should’ve release that to Marti sooner I guess no matter what we need someone better as backup or competition to Torreira
If Papa Sok was a better footballer I would make him Captain… straight up fighter. Unfortunately he is a bit shit at times.
Cmon arsenal hold on!!!!!
Laca man of the match?
Having a laugh.
Murphy is right, guen and granit look to go down in possession , even in attacking areas. Strange
fuckthisreffuckthisreffuvkthisref
Has anyone else noticed arsenal only play well for one half?
How is Laca msn of the match???
I would have said Martinelli considering he is always willing to push forward and create something.
Done.
MoM should be our keeper
I will take the win. A lot of work to do still.
Jack used to do it as well, it’s the easy way out. You don’t do anything wrong but you give up potentially threatening scenarios. Different to buying fouls with your back to goal
Marching home together,
the empty handed Leeds…
Tricky tie overcome. I’ll take that.
Confidence building.
Wins feel so much better.
Marko called it earlier – Mikel needed his best 2nd half performance so far and delivered.
Nice. On the the next one.
Well done. 2H.
Arteta got the boys playing the second half. Keep the momentum going .. I like it. Still lots of work to be done.. But I enjoyed the second half.
MOTM. Lava? Fuck my boots
13 shots second half to their 3
Wins wins wins. Great sign tet got a reaction without even making changes. Impressive. Good Leeds side that