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!
Wow… I see Pierre is still pimping Ozil hard… It’s like those pimps when you go over the border in Mexico pimping the tired haggard rough looking over- aged chica’s standing on the balcony as anything you would want to spend your money on. Nevermind that giant cold sore on her lip. Sure she is disinterested, worn out, and barely able to muster anything resembling a good time.. but just think of the talent and experience if you give her enough chances. She love you long time, gringo.
That would be Conchitta alias Rita.?
Still gives you better than what Ozil gives us these days. At least a sloppy assist from her leads to a happy ending
Only thing Ozil is going to give you is a bad liver and a broken heart.
Sloppy assist
Does not bear thinking about .
I will decline.
.
“It’s like those pimps when you go over the border in Mexico pimping the tired haggard rough looking over- aged chica’s standing on the balcony as anything you would want to spend your money on. Nevermind that giant cold sore on her lip. Sure she is disinterested, worn out, and barely able to muster anything resembling a good time.. but just think of the talent and experience if you give her enough chances. She love you long time, gringo.”
Sounds like a deleted scene from Dallas Buyers Club.
Cha Cha “”””Because it is. We lost goals from midfield through Ramsey (though how many given he’s not fit this season?), but bettered ourselves in Pepe, Martinelli, and Tierney. “””” And this from one of Le Grove’s finest. Even Cha Cha* is loosing the plot. We have not played well ,once since he left. He goes- We are midtable. And we will remain there. And If you think Tierney, Pepe and Martinelli are going to take us any higher- I have news for you. They wont. They are dross in comparison. Aaron Ramsey is Arsenal highest goalscoring central midfielder of… Read more »
What we saying regarding the Alex Lacazette- Tommy Lemar swap reportedly proposed by Atlético Madrid?
Sounds like a deleted scene from Dallas Buyers Club.
______
Good movie that.. Matt Mcconaugey has never recovered from it though… all that weight he lost messed him up. Looks like a war prison camp survivor now after they were able to eat food again.
Midwest – Yeah, not healthy. Looks like he went the method acting route, and didn’t stop at losing weight.
“What we saying regarding the Alex Lacazette- Tommy Lemar swap reportedly proposed by Atlético Madrid?”
Risky at this stage of the season, although Laca frustrates me immensely so yep.
“What we saying regarding the Alex Lacazette- Tommy Lemar swap reportedly proposed by Atlético Madrid?”
Terrible proposal. Between Martinelli, Saka and Nelson, we should be able to find someone for the left wing. Lacazette should only be leaving for cash or an athletic B2B midfielder.
I agree with you though Paulinho.. we miss the attributes Ramsey brought to the team. Not necessarily the player as he was too injured. But we have no midfielders who can beat their man on the dribble or who can realize when to make runs into the box and finish with confidence. Lampard was aces at that too. Always thought Ramsey must have emulated his play somewhat. At this point I would just take a midfielder who can tackle or is fast enough to intercept the ball, though. Imo, Willock is the only one close to that and he is… Read more »
Midwest – Laca has the ideas and intelligence but gets let down by his lack of physical power, so he can’t execute enough. He also has this really annoying habit of not abbreviating or improvising his finish when he has little time; he continues to go through the prolonged pull back, and insists on perfect strikes. Great when he has time to connect but all to often his shots get blocked or he balloons them over the bar. Yeah, we have no midfielders that can even disturb the shape of the opposition or attract their attention to give space to… Read more »
Please no to Lemar…how on earth did we bid 90m for this guy?Just take the cash and sell Lacazette…no need for the French Ryan Fraser
Paulinho
“Yeah, we have no midfielders that can even disturb the shape of the opposition or attract their attention to give space to others, let alone get in their box and score themselves.”
Yeah but possession Paulinho. Possession.
This is what some are looking for Arteta to bring and expect him to deliver.
Dominate games by controlled constant possession.
zzzzzzzzzz
For me it really isn’t about player poverty because for the most part we have a good squad with some attacking talent that other teams would kill for. But its the 3 or 4 senior players who have proven that they have huge glaring holes in their abilities and to play them we have to over compensate for them. They also happen to be the higher paid players keeping us from signing new players and they also are the same players that have tanked 4 managers now if Arteta can’t get it sorted over this season and next. . Which… Read more »
I hear laca has been bulking up and focusing more on hold up play…maybe that’s why this season his focus is so much on making needless fouls in the name of pressing and it has cost him his finishing.I agree with Midwest,he has this annoying habit of takingultiole touches before shooting which takes the chance away… surprised especially considering that he actually has a good shot in him
Receding HairlineJanuary 13, 2020 17:06:48
“Nothing unfair about his dismissal..”Nothing unfair about Conte’s either, he was begging to be sacked for months before they sacked him.
DSude! Conte won the league for Chelsea, WTF has Emery won for Arsenal?
“For me it really isn’t about player poverty because for the most part we have a good squad with some attacking talent that other teams would kill for” A couple of quality midfielders/wide forwards would make a huge difference. We have players that can be very dangerous in space, but they struggle creating it for themselves, so they need someone in and around them that can cause mischief and leave them free grass to move into. We only look menacing at the moment when the opposition are having an early game snooze and sit deep enough to let us move… Read more »
With PEA and Laca suspended for the next fixture… and only Martinelli ( not a center forward in my book)
Only modern Arsenal would contemplate loaning out our goalscoring prodigy Eddie to another PREM club.
You cant actually make this stuff up.
(King Fergie- always had his goalscorers on the bench at first then ultimately the pitch late on if needed)
He loved his 4 strikers!
We have 2!
Why not actually incorporate ESR and Eddie into our first team?
Getting those midfielders is the big problem.
________
Yep… the Club isn’t exactly good at being ruthless and bringing in what we need.
Midwest
“Wow… I see Pierre is still pimping Ozil hard”
Yeah..l said he was nothing special against united and can play a lot better whilst everyone was eulogising over him.
I said Phillip’s had Ozil in his pocket v Leeds.
After the palace game , I said Ozil shouldn’t be in the team if they cant get the ball to him.
With PEA and Laca suspended for the next fixture-
_______
I don’t believe Lacazette is suspended. But don’t let that stop your rant.
Lacazette bulking up? If we wanted a back to goal striker for hold up play, should have just signed Haller, Moussa Dembélé or bring back Giroud.
CG
Nketiah will prove a lot of people wrong on Le Grove.
His time will come .
Pierre- Well.. I just don’t buy the theory that Ozil was bad because LT couldn’t get him the ball. Ozil is a one trick pony anymore to be used against teams who don’t pressure the ball. Which is fine if you have World Class players at every position like Real Madrid or the German National team. I do think Arteta has tried to marginalize his defensive liabilities and it has worked somewhat but if defensive stability is the priority then what’s the point really of playing him? Plus if a give you shit about it.. There is 70% chance he… Read more »
We have potentially a quality front 3 developing in Saka, Nketiah and Martinelli.
Pierre – I like him as well. He’s got a something, but needs to get time to get into a rhythm. I think him and Martinelli could work in a two.
Putting Cazorla as an example of some sort of defensive protection is beyond dumb. Ramsey was played right midfield specifically to add defensive steel to that lightweight duo.
Laughable and agenda driven….Ramsey and defensive steel….LMAO
Midwest Gun “”””I don’t believe Lacazette is suspended. But don’t let that stop your rant.””” Thats good news – that he ain’t suspended. Told otherwise. Apologies for the rant. Eddie and Laca up front together against their back 3 – we might have stumbled across a good combo. Could dovetail nicely those two. But we wont know if he will keep loaning him out. If Arteta wants to play his high press soccer – the more young players he has at his disposal surely the better? To let ESR and Eddie out on loan smacks of continued incompetence at the… Read more »
Paulinho & Pierre
Player like Nketiah and Martinelli can put the ball in the net. Not sure they have capacity for combination play. If they were wide players in an old 442, they would be more Ljungberg than Pires. Need much more creativity in the side. Dribblers particularly
“Laughable and agenda driven….Ramsey and defensive steel….LMAO”
Ramsey’s stats against United at home last season:
8 tackles (more than any other player & the second most by an #afc player in a game this season; only Lucas Torreira made more against Chelsea with 9 tackles)
12 duels won (more than any other player)
12.7km covered (most in the match)
Supposed the stats had an agenda.
My understanding is yellow cards get reset on Jan. 1. Unless Lacazette has gotten 5 since then. I believe he only has 1.
Pierre
“”””CG Nketiah will prove a lot of people wrong on Le Grove.His time will come”””
I agree
Only 2 youngsters at AFC that cut the mustard for me.
AMN and Eddie.
The rest- I ain’t so sure, they are as good as the hype they get.
But still time for them- if we actually played them more.
Loaning out Eddie ONCE was gross stupidity
To loan him out TWICE is gross incompetence.
but I guess our Teck Deck has got to be seen to be doing something for his exorbitant salary.
Paulinho, maybe he can do his job as a CM, who should be able to put in a shift in dueling, distance covered, and tackles, but Steel is more reserved for players who have an aggressive style to their play and can defend properly and consistently, Ramsey was never that type, his indiscipline in CM cost us a lot of games in case you didn’t realize.
He was shunted out wide to accommodate his adventurous runs into the opponents box. I recall he moaned about being put out wide too
Eddie absolutely needed to be loaned out. He was well off the pace. Getting time under Bielsa will have done him a world of good.
And Cazorla worked well with Coq for a good number of runs until Caz got hurt….best defense they say is an offense, and Caz could hold the ball well in the middle without giving it away and dribbles far better than Ramsey in the middle of the park. His ball retention helped us tremendously, even Ramsey benefited from it.
“Ramsey was never that type, his indiscipline in CM cost us a lot of games in case you didn’t realize.” Bullshit myth. Win rate always higher with him in the team than without him. Anyway, defensive ability is even less important out wide, even when put there partly to add steel. Simply by being virtue of being a central player you add to the team defensively, when you consider lightweight players like Walcott often played there for us.. Same when Liverpool used to play Carragher and Markus Babbel at full back. They were central players and naturally moved inside to… Read more »
“Caz could hold the ball well in the middle without giving it away and dribbles far better than Ramsey in the middle of the park. ”
Him and Coquelin got destroyed by Bentaleb and Mason at Spurs in 2016. Go easy on the glorification of that partnership.
PedRo
“””Eddie absolutely needed to be loaned out.'”””
Disagree, especially as he been sitting on the bench with that horror Bamford ahead of him most of the season.
He should have been playing in the Loosers on a Thursday and the Liverpool league cup fixture.
We might have actually beaten Liverpool in the Quarter Final.
A semi to look forward too.
Soccer more so than ever with FFP at stake is all about the here and now.
We need him.
Leeds can get solve their own goalscoring problems.
Laca is a different striker to Auba so that is a good thing. He is more a street fighter in the box type. How many times we seen him hold off one or 2 defenders to score.
Auba not so much.
What we do need is better attacking mids.
We are so one dimensional that it makes Aubas goals even more remarkable – teams knowing that they only really have to mark him mostly
not sure I want Lemar for Laca
Him and Coquelin got destroyed by Bentaleb and Mason at Spurs in 2016. Go easy on the glorification of that partnership.
LOL, So we can’t dig up times Ramsey was destroyed? Or is he superhuman in that respect? Was he not part of the 8-2 destruction? We can dig up anything about anyone Paulie, the Coq and Santi axis was very balanced, you can admit it or ignore it. The win percentage myth is nuts! Our win percentage with Cesc was great too you know.
I don’t think many foresaw Nketiah playing so few minutes for Leeds when the loan deal was agreed, especially as Leeds apparently made a big deal about wanting him and specifying game time. The idea was a good one, that being Nketiah getting lots of games under Bielsa in a thriving attack in a physical division. For whatever reason, it hasn’t turned out like that. The scenario I mention previous would undoubtedly have been more beneficial to Nketiah than a few games here and there in cup competitions for Arsenal. If another team wants him on loan and says they… Read more »
Our win percentage with Vieira was out of this world….lol
Bruno Alves still turning out in Serie A at 38 years old.
Just made an agricultural foul for Parma in their match against Lecce. He looked all of 38 and more in that certain play.
Dale – Scoreline is irrelevant, if that mattered I would bring up the 6-0 defeat away at Chelsea where Cazorla was again dreadful. It was the manner: Mason and Bentaleb pressed them, harried them, and Cazorla was a panicky mess, and got bypassed defensively time and time again.
what is an agricultural foul
lol
How many times did Ramsey go looking for a goal up front and we were exposed badly? He was ok, but lets pipe down about the Ramsey glorification, the midfielders i missed the most, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri…this current squad is crying out for such midfielders with possible Torreira and a Doucoure sitting deep….we don’t have forward passing mid, CM tht can consistently find those gaps inbetween defenders, passing itno gaps for the likes of Walcott etc to run behind a defender. Ramsey was part of Wengers final failure of reaching CL, let’s not pretend.
“How many times did Ramsey go looking for a goal up front and we were exposed badly?”
Go ahead then, should be numerous examples if it was as commonplace as presented.
Guns of SF
“what is an agricultural foul”
Not pleasing on the eye.
He just flung himself in front of the Lecce player because he was in danger of being shown up for pace.
Threw himself into the advancing Lecce player.
I would consider Lemar as part of a potential deal for Lacazette because he can play in a position where we currently have a player playing out of position in. But ideally we should try to do a straight swap for Partey.
Now Cazorla is having shit thrown his way to satisfy a Ramsey narrative. Sounds about right.
Paulinho, i get it, you like Ramsey, but a lot would agree he’s not sorely missed in our current situation.
Now Cazorla is having shit thrown his way to satisfy a Ramsey narrative. Sounds about right.
YA KNOW????
“but a lot would agree he’s not sorely missed in our current situation.”
You’ve convinced me. I take it all back.
Paulinho are you on Twitter?
Yeah Cazorla was perfect. No weakness.
But narrative………
Charles – Nope.
thanks
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Cazorla post Arsenal, despite his injuries and age. I am yet to be wow’ed by Ramsey’s Juventus exploits. He’ll soon be shipped back on loan.
Was Cazorla another unable to evade a press? His close control and ability to wriggle through the lines was his trademark but now there’s talk of a game he was getting hassled as some apparent evidence of being shite.
The entire ‘ability to evade a press’ thing is wildly overblown by folk on here as I see it, good pressing will fuck anyone.
I’d admit though, the Ramsey being used out wide as a “steely” support for Bakary made me chuckle out loud.
Paulinho
Well Banford is addressing you on there with the following 😂
“Dear Paulinho of @legrove:
Other PL teams have goal-scoring midfielders, e.g., DeBruyne, Maddison, Mount, Fleck, Neves. Also, you definitely need to re-think your assessment of Rashford now. Watch his play over the past 5-6 weeks.”
““How many times did Ramsey go looking for a goal up front and we were exposed badly?”
I counted at least 2,721 but I may be wrong.
Cazorla was very good against a medium press. So for example, when United came to us and got smashed, Van Gaal tasked Schweinsteiger with tracking him, which wasnt his game, and Cazorla dealt with it easily and played great from deep.
In away games, and against an intense press, he was very hit and miss. City away was probably had his best game but it took an incredible physical effort, and was simply not sustainable for him, and he went on struggle more often than not when teams pressed him in numbers (Chelsea, Tottenham, Munich away).
Him and Coquelin got destroyed by Bentaleb and Mason at Spurs in 2016. Go easy on the glorification of that partnership.
Scathing stuff really.
Bamford having arguments with himself on Twitter.
Surprising no one.
Imagine following Bamford on the twitter, CC you’re far too intelligent to be indulging in such masochistic behavior.
Charlie – FFS, you’re searching out on social media for your Bamford fix. Pedro let him back mate, it’s like speaking to a loved one behind a screen in a high security prison. Bamford – Yeah, I agree other teams have goal-scoring midfielders . I still don’t rate Rashford, and I hope United keep him there as long as possible, because they won’t challenge with forwards that only light up when presented with space and do nothing against compact teams that defend resolutely from deep. Where was Rashford against us? Disappeared as per when met with resistance. 90% goals penalties… Read more »
If Bamford is let back in via the back door, who’ll be the first to abuse him? LOL, i’d like to take the first shot…for no reason too…i kid, i kid!
Mario Celso Petraglia, President of Athletico Paranaense speaking to Portuguese outlet O Jogo on Bruno Guimarães: “Arsenal are interested, but will only make an offer towards the end of the season.” [@Sport_Witness]
Atletico madras and benfica up on his tails.. €20 million or there about would do. We should better not screw this up.
Atletico Madrid ffs
“it’s like speaking to a loved one behind a screen in a high security prison.”
Lol
Gonna make a bold statement here.
The 3 games with out Auba we will score an average of 3 goals each game…
Someone will come to the fore front.
Paulinho
“Where was Rashford against us?”
They couldn’t get the ball to him due to our 2 centre midfielders closing down the space between the lines .
Pierre – Yep, and he doesn’t make his presence felt in a crowded box to compensate when he doesn’t have space to run into. Then his whole game collapses and he shanks free kicks etc.
Awwww Bamford misses us… Brings a tear… almost. At least he said dear Paulinho and not Dear Dipshit. although I do miss a good dipshit.. reference not gonna lie.
To be fair it’s really weird to call someone attention seeking and then to give that person who is currently banned attention.
Midwest – Missed that first time. To be fair, I’m probably one of the few that has time for Bamford, so I would like to think I would be spared the dipshit treatment. It’s quite comforting as well that Charlie is acting as medium, bit like Whoopi Goldberg from Ghost.
Is Bamford Demi Moore in that scenario?
Jamie – Fuck knows, I’ve gone too far as it is with that one.
Barcelona don’t fuck about.
If he likes a bit of pottery, I think it still works. Not sure if you still want the Swayze role..
Marko – Most Barca fans will be happy.
Truuuu
Jamie – I was hoping no one would get the reference with that question in mind, but there are worse people to be than The Swayze to be honest.
Paulinho_
Yep.. Im aware..he likes your opinions Bamford likes to take sides. I”ve always found life falls somewhere in the middle of two extremes usually.
I’m just sayin I like when he calls someone a dipshit.. reminds me of home.. That’s about as American as it gets. 😀
Yea there’s no following of Banford going on, he appeared under the LeGrove hashtag and I found his bizarre involvement in a debate being had on here quite funny given he was commenting via twitter.
Bit weird that someone is acting as a go between for two people he doesn’t like. Odd.
Paulinho –
The reference was great. CC as Whoopi! Even he must think that was funny.
“The reference was great. CC as Whoopi! Even he must think that was funny.“
I’ve a similar wardrobe, but that aside I don’t get the comparison…
Pochettino famously said he wouldn’t consider managing Barcelona because he once managed Espanyol.
I guess being out work can help to reset life’s priorities.
Charlie – Is his twitter handle @Bamford?
John Stones on loan? Ugh
Arteta using his contacts. Wonder if they will give us Foden as well.
Paulinho
I’m not sure, it’s something odd like @JBapple.
Charlie – Cheers.
He’s a LB and a le-grover