Derby day awaits

by .

Late-breaking post today because I feel… err… a bit warm… and I… have a… k… kind of…cough.

SHUT UP IT’S NOT THAT YOU DRAMA QUEEN.

Quick post regardless.

LT has broken his ankle. We’re really in a bit of a rut when it comes to injuries. Some unlucky, some fatigue looking, some that are just the aftermath of people feeling sad that we really gave Emery 18 months. Yes, it’s a fact that sort of shit can play HAVOC with the muscles. The manager had this to say.

We don’t know! I could not tell you with points. For sure since I joined, the amount of things that happened is enormous, but we just have to try to adapt. It’s part of football. It doesn’t only happen to us, unfortunately it also happens to many other teams. So we cannot be crying about that. It is what it is. Sometimes it’s bad luck, sometimes it’s part of the game we play and sometimes things that we can avoid and do better as well – the coaches or fitness coaches – but it is what it is.

The only silver lining with LT is that he seemed to be fairly out of favour. I think he’ll be shifted back to Italy in the summer if we can find a buyer. We need someone that’s more athletic and about 6 inches taller. Super basic, but I do think this team needs more power in midfield. I think a profile like Denis Zakaria (6’2) would fit really well for us, though I’m sure he’ll have sexier suitors than us this summer… maybe we go younger and a little more inexperienced.

Arteta wouldn’t be drawn on whether he thinks the top 4 is a possibility this season, probably a smart move, the team is very up and down and we’re a bit all over the place.

Beat West Ham on Saturday and we are closer. That’s all I am thinking because a few weeks ago it looked impossible and if we beat West Ham it will look more likely. So that’s the only aim. If game-by-game we go and start grabbing three points and three points and three points, and then we’ll have a chance in the last three or four games of the season.

He won’t say it, but I will. We should be making a very good go of the next 6 games. We need to, at the very least, be in with a shot of top 5 by the time we roll into our stick run of Wolves, Spurs and Leicester. By that time, it’s with the gods, but if our next 6 see 5 wins and a draw, I’ll be very pleased.

One thing is for sure, the remaining fixtures are going to be about the kids and blooding them.

I have to manage the resources that I have at the moment, and they are a big resource at the moment. It’s not just because they are young and they can be good because they are already very good. Some of them can be phenomenal. But they can only be phenomenal or very good if they play in a consistent way and we get them surrounded with good coaching, with good club culture and also with good players around them. We have to support them. I’m ready to support them and they responded.

If we don’t make the Champions League this season, it’s going to be all about the youth next season and we’re going to have to rebuild like Dortmund are. I’d be happy with that, expectations would lower, fans would get behind the team, and we’d probably like the team a lot more than we have during the expensive years.

… but, it would be nice to make the big trophy.

Right, that’s me done. BIG GAME, really need us to be delivering an aggressive win.

Spotify | Stitcher | iTunes

568 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Receding Hairline

Not comfortable with this Auba on the wings thing. He works too hard there and does a lot of tracking back and then is still expected to come up with the goals.

Isn’t it better to blood Martinelli on the wings with his energy and play Auba through the middle? Do we really believe Nketiah will end up a regular starter at AFC?

Pierre

RH “Secondly the obsession with youth is beginning to irritate me, with kids you get inconsistency, no inconsistent football team is taken seriously. Some of these kids should be out on loan not playing for a team with legitimate aspirations of being a top team in England.” How can you talk about Arsenal being a top club in England when you professed your undying support for that clown Emery week after week . And yet you won’t come out in support for a bunch of 18-20 year olds who have taken the club to the quarter final of the FA… Read more »

Marko

No idea why he persists with Nketiah when Martinelli is back. But I mean getting the starting 11 right does seem to be a problem these days

Nelson

Arteta plays a possession system. It works better if we pass the ball quickly. I’ll see how often Pepe slowdown the play and also whether he tracks back at all.

Receding Hairline

“How can you talk about Arsenal being a top club in England when you professed your undying support for that clown Emery week after week .”

AFC got to a European cup final and finished two points off third with “that clown” in charge and you never uttered a word of praise. Now you think we should have 7000 comments to show our “support” because we beat Portsmouth. A team more concerned with promotion to Championship.

The state of you

Ishola70

We’re on the march with Mikel’s army!

Looks a shit midfield per usual. Hopefully West Ham not good enough to exploit it.

And let’s see how Mari and Nketiah get on in a bread and butter EPL game.

Go for it boys. Win an absolute must.

Pierre

RH
““Fans like Pierre puzzle me, always longing for the past rather than moving on”

Slightly contradictory dont you think considering your negative comments compared to mine about the young players coming through who are the future of the club.

Marko

It’s like some people forget how garbage Mhikitaryan was for Arsenal. Yeah let’s bring him back that’s the way forward bring back a player in his 30’s who was shit for 18 months here. Smart. Really smart.

Receding Hairline

“Slightly contradictory dont you think considering your negative comments compared to mine about the young players coming through who are the future of the club.”

If Nketiah and Nelson are the future of this football club then we are in trouble.

Saka i can stomach as he has something about him

Not long ago some of you wanted the team built around Guendouzi and thought AMN was quality..lol….

There is nothing “coming through” to piss yourself over Pierre

TR7

Pierre does seem to know a thing or two about Arteta’s thought process behind picking his team.

I am happy to see Caballos in midfield. Doesn’t look like Arteta rates Guen.

Ishola70

Truth is out of the youngsters so far only Saka and Martinelli have really shown that quality in proper first team games meaning matches where a team is picked comprosing of bona fide first XI players.

Let’s see if Nketiah can join them. Let’s see him have a big game today.

Nelson

AMN isn’t on the sub bench. I thought is the backup to Torr.

TR7

I like Laca but Nketiah is more mobile and agile in the box. Perhaps the reason why he gets the nod ahead of the Frenchman.

Leftside

I’d prefer Auba close to goal with Martinelli on the left. My main question is the continual inclusion of Ozil.

Pierre

Marko
“No idea why he persists with Nketiah when Martinelli is back. ”

How about looking at their performances on the pitch in the last few weeks and you might find the answer.

Bob N16

Beat me to it Unnaii.
‘If Nketiah and Nelson are the future of this football club then we are in trouble’.
Receding brain cells more like.

Marko

TR7 Nketiah has gotten a couple goals and floated through matches. I get him getting picked over Lacazette but Martinelli has imo done more than enough this season to be in the conversation to start more. Why he doesn’t considering that he can play centrally well or can play on the left which frees up Auba in his preferred position is frankly beyond me.

CazOnARola

In Arteta’s mind, Martinelli and Auba are playing the same role. Running into space vacated by the striker.
At the moment he sees it that way and hence he doesn’t get ahead of Auba for obvious reasons.

He doesn’t play as well on the right, so Pepe gets the nod ahead of him.

For Arteta, he isn’t competing with Nketiah for a start. Lacazette is and he has benched him in favor of Eddie.

Marko

My main question is the continual inclusion of Ozil.

Baffling.

HillWood

Has anyone got a link for the match pls

TR7

Marko

I think Martinelli is competing with Auba for a place in our starting 11, not Eddie. Since he has joined us, he has mostly played at left wing.

CazOnARola

Ozil plays as he is the only nos 10 available in the 25 squad.. Willock is not a play maker, but a line breaker who makes ends into the box and does little else. Plus he isn’t playing that well.
Before we bring in Ceballos again, remember emery played him as a 10 against Liverpool never to play him there again.. Infact he started playing Torreira there.
Just imagine how poor guendouzi, xhaka, Ceballos are as 10s, that they can’t get what of ozil who is chastised by everyone 😀

Marko

Caz that’s fair enough but then there’s something with his mind if he thinks Auba is a LW and we only have Nketiah and Lacazette for CF. Look let’s just call a spade a spade here he’s making very very Wenger-esq decisions. Players out of position to accommodate others in lesser form and certain favoured youngsters getting game time at the expense of better more obvious prospects. I’m hoping we don’t do to Martinelli what we did with Gnabry and Malen. Guendouzi and Nelson to lesser extents.

CazOnARola

get ahead of ozil *

Pierre

Personally, I think Martinelli’s best position is up top as the striker , besides being lethal in and around the box he is also a pest for defenders with his constant harassment and pressing.

He’s still very young so there is no need to push him into the side if he is struggling a little with his game and what Arteta is asking of him.

Coming on as sub suits him at the moment.

Micheal

“Has anyone got a link for the match pls”

This is working at the moment
http://60fps.live/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united

CazOnARola

On a separate note, Auba wants 300k/w for what i presume is a 3 year deal.

Real and Barca are no longer interested. Inter are and figures of 30mn transfer fee quoted.
In the absence of a bidding war, I’m not sure if we can get more than 40mn.

Thoughts ?

Marko

I think Martinelli is competing with Auba for a place in our starting 11, not Eddie

Yeah. Therein lies the problem though. That the manager sees arguably the best two CF’s at the club this season playing for a position on the left. Again my biggest issue is why persist with Auba who scores for fun out wide? Why not start Martinelli who’s been a revelation for us this season?

Thorough

We’ve got to put this to Ned in the first half.
The sight of Lanzini and Anderson on the bench scares the shit out of me.

Habesha Gooner

Arteta’s squad selections have been mostly weird. Obvious players that actually have contributed to a good season are being overlooked and players that have been liabilities have been given second chances. I would hope he is trying to sell them if not he is hanging himself like previous managers did with some of these players.

jwl

And it’s Arsenal,
Arsenal FC,
We’re by far the greatest team,
The world has ever seen…

Habesha Gooner

Not good season but positive contributions

TR7

Marko

My guess is Nketiah is on a trial from Arteta’s perspective. He wants to give him a few opportunities to judge whether he has a future at the club. Martinelli and Saka have pretty much cemented their place. Nketiah has scored a few goals off late, so not a bad time to give him a run of games. Ceballos in the same boat too imo.

MidwestGun

Sup Ladies? Big match to keep hope alive. Not that concerned about Auba wide because he basically pinches in to the middle so essentially we are playing a 3-5-2… 3-4-3 when Pepe or Saka get forward. .. Not crazy about the 3 -5-2 formation in general because it leads to space to the corner flag which teams with quick wingers can exploit. But with injuries and whatnot it is what it is. Arteta has recognized Laca is struggling immensely and moved him to the bench .. I salute that decision. Martinelli gives us attacking option off the bench.. He just… Read more »

TheLegendaryDB10

Come on The Arsenal!!!!!!

Nelson

Xhaka again gave the ball away

Tony

Poor by Xhaka

TheLegendaryDB10

Hillwood

Or try 60fps.live . Excellent website!

(Thanks again Vladdy P!!)

gazzap

1 minute in Xhaka gives the ball away cheaply. so sloppy and typical

Batistuta

Don’t make any sense with the whole Sokratis at RB thing, looks intelligent on paper but almost feels like he’s trying to squeeze him in there somehow

bennydevito
Ishola70

lol our boy Granit

gazzap

Papa at RB is just an arteta experiment that is doomed to fail. Bad idea. just play AMN until Cedric Soares is fit FFS

gazzap

wondereful atempt by Xhaka not. Waste of possession. the guy is shit.

Marko

Ishola don’t bring up a mistake by Xhaka that nearly costs us a goal you’ll be called an obsessive if you’re not careful

raptora

Huge, huge mistake by Pablo. Phenomenal reaction/positioning by Luiz.

Nelson

Mari made one mistake already.

TheLegendaryDB10

We got away with that one. West Ham do look shit.

Any other team would have scored the goal.

raptora

Nketiah probably scores this if Ozil doesn’t try to steal his shot. (L)O(L)zil.

TR7

An 18 year old boy is both the best defender and attacker at Arsenal.

Ishola70

Mari got done there.

Welcome to the EPL

Useroz

No mobility whatever on the pitch.

Oh my.

Don’t know if Ozil should leave it to Eddie or not. But still a good play. At least we shoot.

It seems only Saka manages to hold onto the ball at all , so far

raptora

We are sharp though. Fancy us scoring a couple at least.

gazzap

Ozil took that off Nketiah strong foot to take a left foot swipe. Eddie was facing goal. Poor by Ozil.

Ishola70

Very lucky that the square back was behind the player and not good enough from West Ham

TheLegendaryDB10

Saka is so composed and nonchalant.

Very good traits to have. It really looks like he is going to make it as a top player.

MidwestGun

I’m not gonna complain about Ozil shooting .. it’s so rare.. as to be non existent. Kind of like seeing Big foot.. Not really sure it happened.

Useroz

Xhara is so slow releasing balls

Just give Saka the ball and cross So far it seems the most dangerous

Our corners do suck

Ishola70

Ozil not clinical enough

Useroz

I think Ozil should shoot just not very well in this occasion

Btw Ceballos reverts to form and side/back pass most time. Except that one game Arteta let him play again hasn’t shown much

Ishola70

Looking quite lively offensively now

Useroz

Torreira is a big loss

Our MF sucks

Nelson

Eddie is physically weak!

raptora

How is this a corner?
Anyone unhappy with Leno still?

TheBayingMob

We look clueless defensively

MidwestGun

Was that not a foul on Eddie? wtf.

gazzap

Poor positioning from Papa. He aint a RB.

TheBayingMob

Sham look like they are going to score with each attack

Ishola70

Poor from Ceballos. Give away in the middle

Marko

The positioning of Sokratis there was about as braindead as you can get

gazzap

Ozil’s lost it. 3 years ago that goes first time into Pepe. Now he dwells on it and gets the pass all wrong

raptora

Fantastic cross by Auba. How did Sokratis miss?@?@?@??@??@?@?@?@?@?# Furious!!!!

Ishola70

Pepe caught on the ball in front of the penalty area.

Looking quite lively offensively but as ever shaky looking defensively

MidwestGun

Papa Sok… got to score that man.. ugh…

raptora

Papa Sok has got to score from there. I’m still fuming…

Ishola70

Papa got the smell of goals

TR7

Both Pepe and Nketiah should learn some poise from Saka.

Pierre

All 50/50 decisions going one way as per usual

raptora

Except last one Pierre. Saka fouled their attacker there I’m pretty sure.

Batistuta

Oh please with the complaints of officials

Useroz

Not impressed with Ceballos at all. Slow in everything and final ball not something to look forward to anyway.

MidwestGun

Xhaka’s passing today… has been horrendous. Step it up dude. seriously.

raptora

Feels like Arteta has told Ceballos to be extra careful with his passes. In yet another game I should say. Doesn’t want any turnovers in the center of the pitch. Sideway passing is not the usual Ceballos but if his manager wants it, then it’s probably a good idea.

PieAFC

Lack so much pace and tempo in the middle of the park and defense.

Is it me or are we becoming slightly predictable on the left side?

Batistuta

Ceballos only one in that midfield doing anything of note

Ishola70

Simple pass and Granit fucks up leading to a West Ham breakaway

gazzap

both ceballos and Xhaka take years getting the ball to the attackers. It’s a key reason for Arsenal’s general lack of dominance over the last couple of years.

MidwestGun

There we go… that was better .. maybe he heard me. haha

Tony

Pie
We’re predictable all over the pitch

Useroz

If we play like this cs West Ham can forget about beating the others

MidwestGun

Flappy Handski = LOL… we have to test him more.

MidwestGun

Yeah I saw it Un .. that’s what I said maybe he heard me..

raptora

Pepe’s technique is magnificent if only he knows exactly when to release the ball or shoot.

Useroz

Leno is slow in releasing the ball

3 of 4 are slow in the back

3 across MF have no pace

Feel sorry for PEPE, auba and Eddie

gazzap

Unlucky auba. dont mind giving away possession when trying to do something to get a goal. Do that 3 or 4 times and you score. Pass it sideways a million times and you never score.

raptora

Why do people steal the chance opened up to a teammate? First Ozil to Nketiah and now Nketiah himself to Pepe….. Wtf?@?!!!!??

Marko

Sounds like a typical Xhaka performance. Slow ponderous passing and lax movement but he hit that one worldie pass so all is forgotten. I see you

Nelson

Eddie is not ready. Just stood in the offside position for ages.

MidwestGun

Pepe is dribbling thru and around dudes today… just needs to get that final pass bit right.

gazzap

how doesn’t Nketiah realise he’s in an offisde position? It would have fallen to Pepe there.