Arsenal shedding centre backs

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Mikel Arteta has an entire week with his players, the longest gap of time between games since he joined the club. That means more recovery time for the players, more time to spend talking through ideas, and plenty of practice for whatever the plan is against Chris Wilders excellent Sheffield United outfit this weekend.

One of the main challenges the coaching staff will be dealing with is the loss of Auba, our most lethal player. Overall, one of the issues we’ve had for a while is the lack of shared responsibilities when it comes to goal-scoring duties. This was Arteta.

“They now have to make a step forward now he is not able to contribute to the team with goals.

“Someone else has to do it and I want to see that reaction too.”

My hope is that as we move closer to the vision of the new regime, goals will start to be more evenly distributed.

There are a few players I’d love to see step up to the plate, one of them is Gabriel Martinelli. He has a monstrous opportunity ahead of him. He’s Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus, so I’m intrigued to see what the manager does to the structure of the team to unleash him. My guess is he’ll slip into the left of the front three and just replace Auba. He’s more of a natural presser though, so maybe the temptation might be to have him lead through the middle.

Another player who should start offering up more goals is Nicolas Pepe. We’ve seen flashes of what he’s capable of, but he really needs to double down and focus on more consistent delivery. He can be a bit ponderous at times. His casual nature can come across like he’s not bothered, I’m hoping a bit more urgency in his game and the added responsibility over the next 3 games will see him rise to the occasion.

When it comes to our midfield, it’s hard to see where the goals will come from. Torreira finds good positions sometimes, but when he’s too far forward he struggles to make up ground, he’s thrived playing in a smaller area of the pitch. Same can be said of Xhaka, though it has been noted that he’s powered through on the overlap twice in two games. Matteo and Ceballos both have limited productivity, and Ozil has rarely shown much of a gift for goal scoring.

It seems I have talked myself out of this, let’s just hope the front three can offer something otherwise we’re in trouble.

In defence, there appears to be movement. Mavrapanos has been sent out on loan. Sven Mislintat came back in for the player, but Nurnberg appears to have won the race for the Greek defender. Everyone loved him when he joined, but he’s been well off the pace since. Hopefully, a stint in Germany can help with his fitness and confidence.

The player we’re all desperate to see the back of is Mustafi. Sport is a brutal job, but he’s quite simply not good enough and no amount of coaching is going to save a player that stopped being hungry. He’s certainly a lesson in what £90k a week contract can do to a persons appetite for success. Galatasaray, regularly a saving grace for persona non grata in the Premier League, are rumoured to be interested in reinvigorating his career. Good luck to them.

The worry I have with exiting these defenders is we’re left very short through the middle. We’ll be relying on two 30+ centre backs, and the fitness of Rob Holding. Feels very, very risky… which is why I suspect there will be some sort of cover on loan. I just hope it’s not Jerome Boateng, who is hilariously being courted by Ivan Gazidis.

ESPN ran some analysis on bad reffing this season, it had Arsenal down 9 points.

I DON’T WANT TO BE A VICTIM BUT COME ON FEEL SORRY FOR US.

The reffing was pretty bad at the Palace game and it was atrocious at the Chelsea game. I don’t understand how they run the associations. What are they looking at? Who is bringing them patterns of bad behaviour that go on? Like, how can this tactical fouling thing still be an issue? Shouldn’t the refs make a statement to clubs and say that they’ll be dropping red cards as a deterrent. If we’re using VAR, can’t someone update a live iWatch table that tells refs how many tactical fouls a player or a team have dropped in a game? These problems we have in the game seem fairly simple to solve, but when the problem is given to Mike Riley, he comes up with the most bizarre ways of fixing them.

I still maintain the refs should be accountable to press. I also think we should hear them justify decisions. It works in the NFL, it brings the fans into the decisions.

Right, that’s the blog done, jump on board for the latest podcast with Alex who occasionally blogs on here. I bought a new mic, the sound is pretty damn crisp. Let me know what you think in the comments!

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Jamie

CC –

I knew it!

Jamie

When he said he was a le-grover, to someone on le-grove no less, it was too much.

Freddie Ljungberg

Oh! Stop kicking Bamford when he’s down.

Can he be obnoxious, sure, dogmatic, yes. Bit of a dick sometimes, yep.
Still far less so than some others roaming free on the le grove pastures.

He just needs to stop with the Man u love in, they’re in a similar situation to us squad wise just with far more athleticism. They’re looking like they’re trying to remedy some of that this window though while we’re busy applying for a permit for Xhakas zimmer frame.

Big Dave

Paulinho Bamford posts under J.M. Bapple on Twitter. He uses the same name when posting about his man crush, Señor Gud Ebening on Arseblog.

As I said earlier, he was trying to reply on Arseblog to Bill following a bad stomping by Bill here.

Bamford has kicked his wounds, put a new nappy on and started bawling somewhere else.

I for one don’t want him back.

Big Dave

Anyone heard from Bill recently.

Seemed a funny guy.

Big Dave

DaledaGooner why are you letting Spamford up your back door mate?

China1

Auba’s challenge was a red card all day. Plenty of shit refereeing out there but that decision was bang on.

The only issue with the reffing on that decision was it took them 3 mins to decide something that should’ve been easy to identify in 10-15 seconds

China1

Any methodology that says we should have x or y number of points with better refs can’t be taken seriously

Let’s imagine there’s a bad decision in our next game which results in someone being sent off wrongly and we later go on to concede a goal and lose – does that mean we wouldn’t have conceded a goal if the player hadn’t been sent off? It would be less likely but hardly confirmed as certain.

Nelson

Most of the time, Auba’s challenge’s would have seen Auba’s foot stepping on the opponent’s foot. It happened very often. That would be at most a yellow. This time, it was unlucky that Auba’s foot stepped on the side of the opponent’s foot, thereby causing the opponent to twist his angle.

Aussie Gooner

As you say Marko, Barcelona don’t mess about. The really surprising thing is the replacement they chose and it’s not Poch!

“Barcelona have sacked manager Ernesto Valverde despite the club sitting top of La Liga at the halfway point of the season, with Quique Setien announced as his successor”.

And Xavi turned the job down!

Aussie Gooner

Pedro

Not on Twitter thank God!

Tony

Seems Poch didn’t have enough sauce for the Barca job

Tony

We can hope! What do African gooners think of Dangote? ‘I’m buying Arsenal when I finish these projects’: Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote – who is worth £8.5BILLION- promises to oust loathed owner Stan Kroenke and take over his beloved Gunners in 2021 The richest man in Africa has revealed his plan to buy Arsenal in 2021 Billionaire Aliko Dangote is a Gunners fan and has long planned a takeover He wants to finish constructing one of the world’s largest oil refineries first Tension between fans and current owner Stan Kroenke has been ratcheting up Arsenal fans are tired of… Read more »

Aussie Gooner

Tony

You don’t have to be African to welcome a challenge to the Krankies! At least Dangote knows all about Arsenal unlike Stan. At this moment in time I would welcome him with open arms. He is a fan- of the sport and of Arsenal and has a shit load of money to boot which he appears ready to spend! What is there not to like about him? And I really don’t want to hear the negative racist views on Nigerians and scams etc. We already have our own in house scammer – Stan!

China1

Re Thomas Lemar, It’s a risk because he’s done poorly at Athletico, but with laca doing this poorly, his age, relative value and contract situation, you wonder if a direct swap laca for Lemar could be a good gamble for us We could then end this auba wide and laca up front experiment which has been a failure on laca’s part and make room for Lemar with a better balance to the team It’s defintely a risk but my dear is if we don’t push laca out the door soon his value is only going to go down and we… Read more »

China1

I’d be very open to regime change at arsenal. I don’t know much about this guy so dunno if he’s the right one, but subject to knowing more about him I’d be very glad to hear of his interest One thing I’d say is take his words on his plans for years down the line with a pinch of salt. In business things can change overnight. Market fluctuations, for example to oil, could overnight wipe a chunk of his net worth off the map. Suddenly buying a football club could be seen as a luxury he might not want to… Read more »

Leftfootcurler

I doubt Pepe will increase his goal scoring output immediately. He has to learn how to make blind side runs in behind. Also to take advantage of those runs,someone has to be able to hold up the ball up and lay off to likes of ozil etc. Laca can link the play well but he can’t hold up the ball. I wonder if ESR has gone on loan. If not,I would play him instead of ozil. Make blind side runs in behind,or go wide and cross,allowing Pepe to come inside. The gap he leaves in midfield can be covered by… Read more »

Tony

Aussie Gooner
I’m aware of Dangote’s love of the club; there was much written about him last year.

Not interested in scams and the like but wouldn’t want a guy owning our club who has/is supporting human atrocities’ groups/militia.

That was the meaning behind my question to African gooners.

No-one make that kind of fortune without a dark side to their dealings.

Tony

makes*

China1

Lol left foot cutler that’s one hell of a drop

You want a sane/Dembele/sancho winger but would accept mikki due to lack of funds is like saying you’d like a Ferrari but are happy with a 2003 vauxhall astra due to lack of funds! Even on a budget we can surely do much better than mikki

Tony

Losing Auba could actually be a good thing with Arteta being forced to try new Attacking/striker/AM combinations.

Certainly gives Arteta data for a life without Auba perhaps from next summer.

The next 5 months will probably be the toughest baptism by fire Arteta is likely to encounter through his managerial career.

Nothing like getting experience on the job whether novice or otherwise.

Somehow I don’t see Arteta crash and burning. through the malaise that is Arsenal right now.

The backpass

No to tarkowski.. He is a mini Mustafi. Burnley fans always complain about him that he makes too much mistakes.. No thanks. Ben mee is much better, but I dont wish for us to buy him.

Leedsgunner

If Atletico Madrid want to swap anyone with us we should ask for Thomas Partey plus cash. According to transfermarkt Laca is worth €70m, and Partey is worth €50m. So a player swap plus €20m seems fair to me.

No more taking other club’s cast offs!

The backpass

Not interested in scams and the like but wouldn’t want a guy owning our club who has/is supporting human atrocities’ groups/militia.

Dangote isn’t someone like that, obviously, you don’t become a billionaire by not ruffing a few feathers,( most dont know what goes on behind close doors). I actually like and respect him, Virtually every nigerian wants to be a “Dangote”.

Aussie Gooner

Tony I think that is true of many ‘rich’ people ie employing the best tax accounts to avoid paying their ‘fair share’ of tax, off shore investments in very questionable regimes, financial support for political parties to promote their interests, lobbying politicians to circumvent legislation etc etc. I have read many comments from Nigerians who in general appear to approve of Dangote, suggesting that he is a fair minded, socially aware, legitimate business man etc. I have yet to hear of any defamatory remarks about him (except from jealous Spuds fans!). But this is all pure speculation, an offer may… Read more »

Graham62

Arsenal 11th in richest clubs money list.

Tony

Aussi Gooner/The Backpass
With you on all points you mentioned.

Never wanted the Kroenkes purely because they have no interest in football and are more about the corporate sports’ investments than results on the fields of play.

At the risk of being paradoxical Ursmanov was my choice back then skeletons, warts and all.

Aussi Gooner
What are your thoughts on the bush fires in terms of when they will be put out?

My daughter is due to go to university in Melbourne this June, which is being affected by smoke air pollution now.

Terrible thing for Australians and the wildlife.

Samesong

Only a matter of time before we are linked to Goetze again 🤣

Sid

I heard the australuan fires are karmas way of chasing the settlers back to the coast, for what they done to the aborigines

Freddie Ljungberg

Sid

So karma’s not only a bitch, but slow too?

Pierre

So we are 9 points worse off due to dodgy ref decisions. This would put us above Tottenham, United and level on points with Chelsea. Whether one believes these figures or how they arrive at them is open for discussion. The only thing that is constant is that when these different stats are published, Arsenal are always ,and I mean always the victim of poor decisions and the stats prove this . Whether it’s Penalties for. Penalties against. Cards per foul . Red cards. Arsenal always come out negative . Is it just a coincidence, maybe or maybe not but… Read more »

Redtruth

VAR has robbed Arsenal more than refereeing decisions.
VAR is unreliable and not to be trusted…

Dark Hei

Pierre

Fair points.

Guys in the background who want to manipulate results will always try to sway opinion that “everything evens out”.

Of course, it mathematically never evens out.

Take a look at the VAR. It seems like authorities are trying to fail at the project by implementing the dumbest way to use it. Probably so that they can do away with it altogether.

Ishola70

Untold style drivel.

All the world is against Arsenal nonsense.

Ishola70

Thank god we don’t have to hear Wenger and his woe betide us platitudes anymore.

Just his acolytes preaching for him now.

Dark Hei

Ishola70

Yup, so is climate change just nonsense driven politics.

Major_Jeneral

New post

Ishola70

Dark Hei

When did this world wide conspiracy start against Arsenal FC?

Has there always been this conspiracy against Arsenal since it’s inception in 1886?

Or has this world wide conspiracy against Arsenal been more to the fore when a certain manager was at the helm?

I think you know the answer.

People will mimick their leaders.

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