What Gabriel addresses in our defence + Arsenal look to America for coaching ideas

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Feels like we’re a little bit in stasis on the Gabriel signing, but some of the big transfer hitters have come out and stated that yes, he is our man, and he’ll be joining the Edu and Arteta project for FIVE years. Love it.

This really is a statement signing. The player has all the attributes we’re looking for in a defender. According to FreshArsenal, Gabriel isn’t really a ball-playing defender like you’d expect from a Brazilian, but he is an absolute machine when it comes to aerial duels. In France this season, he’s averaged a whopping 5.1 a game, which compares nicely to VVD on 4.9. I also didn’t realise he’s 6ft3. Next to Saliba at 6ft4, that’s quite an intimidating pairing.

What I love about this player is he speaks to a problem. I think 46% of our goals were conceded from setpieces, freekicks or penalties last season. We conceded 15 goals from setpieces alone. We’re trying to plug that with someone that has made his name dominating the box. That’s a smart move.

It’s also smart that we’re looking to hire Andreas Georgeson as a setpiece coach from Brentford. I’ve pondered the theory that the Premier League is becoming more like American sport. We’ve seen the rapid shift from KING managers who dominate every department and decision (Wenger)… to a more corporatised structure where you have specialist departments that are built out by Technical Directors. The thinking is that you put more specialism and accountability into these departments, and you don’t have situations where top managers leave and take 50 people out the door with them. Shad Forsythe doesn’t leave with Wenger. Gary O’D doesn’t leave with Emery. They report in to the Technical Director, or Head of Football, which gives them freedom to do what’s best for the club.

We’re now moving even harder into specialisms. Liverpool has a throw-in specialist. I’m pretty sure Jose Mourinho has a Head of Shithousery. That’s very much how American sport works. Defensive and offensive coaching has been a thing in NFL for a long time, but it goes deeper, you have kicking specialists, long snapper specialists. Anything that can give you an edge where others aren’t looking is worth finding a specialist.

It’s quite incredible because unrefined football fans like you and I have been saying for YEARS that ‘Arsenal should get Keown back in the mixer teaching the kids George Graham defending’, and now, Brentford are doing exactly that with a fancy exMalmo coach and it’s hip and acceptable. I am overjoyed that we’re tackling the big issues head-on with actual action.

Additionally, what I love about having a coach like Arteta is he doesn’t know everything. His greenness to the game is to the benefit of the club. He doesn’t have set ways of doing things. I think that makes you far more open to new ideas and experimentation, which is exactly what we need at Arsenal. Bring elite thinkers through the ranks and into the club, empower them to innovate and push boundaries, hopefully, reap the rewards on the pitch. A winning culture isn’t just about the players, it’s about every single person at the club having the same desire to win at whatever their job is. Hopefully, that’s the sort of energy that’s building out at Colney.

It’s also worth mentioning that Arsenal just signed Salah… not that one you fool, the Dutch kid who just left Feyenoord. It looks like Per Mertesacker has been working closely with people behind the scenes to set an agenda for how he wants to operate. These free transfers could be sniffed at as rejects, or we could be more positive and ponder whether there’s a… data story brewing that attracted Arsenal?

The Champions League tonight tells you how silly it is to write off any kid these days. I watched Serge G come on against Schalke and lose the ball, costing us a goal nearly immediately in the Champions League. I thought he looked more interesting than Theo did at the same age, but he went on to flunk at WBA and Wenger didn’t fancy him (which is telling, because Wenger loved to blood a kid). The story I was told by someone that knows him was Arsenal didn’t offer him a deal until AFTER he smashed it at the Olympics. Also, the player was horrified at how flummoxed the coaches were when a small French team shifted tactics and we had no answer (preseason). He moved, now he’s a star, lesson learned. Talent sometimes needs a different coach or a more compelling environment to be unleashed. Fingers crossed Arsenal can be that environment moving forward.

Before we go, I just want to say that all that shit I’ve been saying about 29-year-olds doesn’t count if we sign Thiago from Bayern. That’d be some statement. He’s a sublime midfielder. What an elevation that would be.

The Champions League will be fun this evening. I have to support Bayern here, I love the German side and what their game stands for. However, I spent a lot of time arguing with people on this blog about the sauce of Thomas Tuchel, particularly those who thought Emery was a better coach. Here we are chaps, sauce wins out again, the Emeryista on the worst losing streak of the year. Hopefully, it’s a fun game regardless, Hansi Flick is coach of the people, I’d love to see him lift the trophy. Let’s hope all the big players show up and it’s a final for the ages!

Right, see you in the comments. x

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Habesha Gooner

Lewandowski is an insane hit man. Always makes space.

Nelson

Bayern hits the post.

MidwestGun

Ohhh Lewan didn’t catch that clean or that would have been one.

MidwestGun

End to end now.. more of that please.

TR7

Di Maria should have slotted that one in.

Buzzy

What a fuck all match till now…commentators trying to make it sound like its anythint but lol

Buzzy

Talking about commentators does anyone feel the color commentstors are basically a useless bunch..like they say the most obvious things..”dimaria should have done better”..yeah fuckface we all saw that

TR7

PSG need someone like Veratti in midfield who can keep the ball and bring Neymar and Mbappe in to play. Right now it’s all very haphazard, little possession and no composure on the ball.

CG

zzzzz

bedtime for me.

Habesha Gooner

Yeah this would be a different game if Veratti had started.

Keylor Navas is relaxed. I forgot he plays in champions league finals all the time.

Buzzy

No way Psg is doing squat in this game..Bayern clearly look superior in every department..2nd half PSG will tire and Bayern will destroy them

raptora

Absolute gift by Mbappe. You can’t do this in a final game.

Habesha Gooner

Midfield is why PSG look so average. They need Veratti. Mbappe should Bury that.

MidwestGun

Mbappe choked.

Buzzy

How the fuck is that not a pen..grabbed his shoulder all way long

raptora

It was more penalty than not. It’s on the refs but I’d be pissed off if I was a Bayern supporter.

Nelson

Mbappé’s weak shot.

Batistuta

Good game, very good game.

raptora

We are still upset at Henry for the UCL final we could have won. Mbappe’s weak shot is a bummer.

Habesha Gooner

That’s a bit soft. By the time he fell down, the challenge was irrelevant. He looked for it when the ball got away from him. I don’t think it’s a Penalty.

MidwestGun

Way more of a cagey match then I expected. .. Both teams playing more not to lose then, to win. Always the risk in a final. Guess I should have taken the under on total goals scored.

Buzzy

Habesha, if he doesnt get the advantage he wanted it would have been pulled back for the foul anywhere else on the field..why not in the box?

Batistuta

Bayern’s right is suspect as is PSG’s…

Best game I’ve seen from Paredes in the middle for PSG since he signed for them.

Keylo Navas always gives me Ospina vibes

Still feel PSG will nick it though, Bayern’s back line looks scared each time PSG run at it.

Trask

Kehrer was beaten all ends. No intention to play the ball whatsoever. Coman actually dribbled back in. wasn’tike the ball was going for a goal kic

Surely a pen

If I was a Bayern fan ild be fuming

Batistuta

Midwest

Don’t tell me you bought goals like mystic CG suggested we all should

raptora

He has his hand on the dude’s back. Holding plus potential pulling him back. It’s more of a pen than not imo.

MidwestGun

Bat-
Haha no.. I just expected a more open game. If we all placed bets based on CG’s prognostications we would all be broke. Although I must say he seems like a stable genius. 😀

Habesha Gooner

Buzzy
I don’t think the rules allow for a player to use an advantage and if he doesn’t then giving a penalty if there was none. That would almost guarantee a goal scoring chance for the team. Anywhere else it is a foul but inside the penalty area, you can’t play on and expect the referee to pull play back for a penalty.

karim

M’bappe should have buried that, no doubt.
Neymar and M‘bappe need to be more influential or PSG will tire.
Coman looking more and more dangerous by the minute.

OCGooner

Whoever scores first will win. Bayern scores first and PSG will fold. PSG scores first and Bayern will play even higher/riskier line to get back in and PSG will counter for another goal (or two).

Radio Raheem

That was a penalty going by previous VAR decisions.

Habesha Gooner

If he had went down as soon as kehrer put a hand on him it was a penalty. A soft penalty but a penalty nonetheless. He played on and went down when the advantage had gone.

Northbanker

Bad miss by Mbappe, who as we learned today is the greatest footballer ever

raptora

I don’t think he fell too late. I feel he fell cause of the contact.

London gunner

The game is balanced on a knives edge. It can go either way.

raptora

Mbappe is kind of a diver lol. Haven’t watched him enough but he falls down so easily wtf.

Habesha Gooner

I don’t get why PSG spend all this money but only have Veratti as the only Top class CM. I am not sure most top sides would take their other midfielders if they were offered.

Nelson

PSG’s midfield is weaker than the Bayern’s.

Buzzy

Faiir enough Habesha but by that logic the pen has to be deemed of max advantage and I’m just surprised the ref did not see that as a foul..at least the VAR could have had a look

MidwestGun

Gnabry having a poor game so far. Losing his head now.

OCGooner

Habesha
Exactly, had he gone down on the early high hand contact pen would’ve likely been called. As he carried on, that last stub of Coman’s toe into the turf was more the reason he went down in ref’s eyes. At full speed that was easier to see than the incidental heel contact.

Nelson

Paredes is stupid.

raptora

Koman Bayern 1 PSG 0

Habesha Gooner

Wonderful cross from kimmich. Bayern has been the better side so far.

raptora

PSG’s right back at fault.

MidwestGun

Coman has been their best player. Maybe a goal will open things up now.

Buzzy

Told ya no way Psg gonna sustain in second half..half the team Bayern is

raptora

PSG barely holding on to not conceding again.

Nelson

Neymar has a bad game.

Nelson

The PSG RB is tired.

Guns of SF

Kahrer is shit.
Koman skinning him alive just like he did with us last year….

Guns of SF

PSG will have no one to blame but themselves for their poor finishing. Could be leading this game potentially.

Guns of SF

Need some Neymar magic… come on….!

raptora

Bayern, the monopolistic club in Germany, using all kinds of dirty methods to get players on the cheap or for free. Surely they are a pure club lol.

Guns of SF

another missed chance…. WTF

London gunner

Gnabry has been gash tonight bayerns worse player tonight

raptora

Draxler in. PSG are truly desperate.

MidwestGun

I think PSG were relieved to see Coman go off. Bayern attack been muted ever since.

Moe

Neymar is so freaking overrated.

Radio Raheem

Alfonso Davies another that has been subpar the last 2 matches.

Habesha Gooner

At least PSG’S midfield will be better with Veratti and Draxler in it. Paredes and Herrera are so poor I might prefer our wank midfielders to them.

Guns of SF

PSG fullbacks are weak

TR7

Really a criminal mistake to compare Messi to either Ronaldo or Neymar. A huge gulf in class as far as I am concerned. Touch, dribbling, awareness, vision,play making ability – Messi light years ahead of any other player in the world.

Nelson

PSG is losing its cool.

Guns of SF

PSG need a better midfield- its like give the ball to neymar or Mbappe and see what happens.

It almost paid off a few times but a better supporting cast would help their cause

London gunner

Yeah the coman sub was very odd guy was clearly the best player for bayern.

Habesha Gooner

TR7
There will never be another player like messi again. Even at 33 the stuff he does is unmatched. Being in a poor Barcelona team the last few years won’t change that.

raptora

Not criminal at all to compare CR7 to Messi. It’s like saying Nadal shouldn’t be compared to Fed cause they have different styles. They can be compared by goals, trophies, influence, consistency, leadership. Everything. Truth is Messi without Xavi and Iniesta has been struggling to bring success to this Barca team. Something CR7 did in teams that weren’t really all that good.

Guns of SF

Messi is great but Ronaldo is just as good in my book or even better…
Across three leagues, Ronaldo has been just as consistent and still racking up the goals. Add all the trophies too….

Messi has arguably the better supporting case throughout his career bar the last 2 seasons…

London gunner

I think its fair to say for a long time messi was number 1 and was a couple levels above ronaldo.

But i think its fair to say with ronaldo breaking records in Italy has put him in my eyes level with messi.

The fact he has now done it in three leagues.

You can say messi gas more balon’dor but ronaldo also one an international tournament (euros)

Nelson

Neuer has very long leg. His best move is leg save.

Guns of SF

Well said Un

London gunner

Neymar slapped at that pass.

If he had passed to the feet tl bloke with the blonde hairlights psg would have scored.

Are we still in for coutinho i actually rate him.

MidwestGun

Well the result was not surprising the quality of the match was though, to me anyhow. Won’t be a memorable final. Other then the lack of fans and the Covid.

Guns of SF

and thats it…

I like Neymar, he played his socks off today… feel for him.
However, PSG could easily have won this game….

PSG needs a better attacking midfield.

Radio Raheem

And so it came to be…

Habesha Gooner

Deserved from Bayern. The best side by far in the competition.

London gunner

Yeah this was pretty torid affair.
Is this the worst cl in the past 10 years

Nelson

I find Thomas Tuchel not very good. His team loses its cool after falling behind. They rushed the passes.

Dissenter

Neymar needs to get a patent on that head-in-jersey sobbing after losing finals.

Samir

Don’t understand why PSG aren’t going hard for Aouar; just what they’re missing.

Zeus

and thats it…I like Neymar, he played his socks off today… feel for him.
However, PSG could easily have won this game….PSG needs a better attacking midfield

*******
Get Coutinho in.

Radio Raheem

This final was better than last season’s. Finals are mostly drab affairs.

karim

PSG lacked the mental strength, little to no reaction after Bayern’s goal.

Guns of SF

Raheem
Last years final I turned off and left the house. Shit teams…. shit final.

Today was much better…. Mbappe, and Di Maria wont be sleeping for a long time…. easy chances missed!

Dissenter

Neymar shouldn’t be named with the same breath as Christiano and Messi.
He’s closer to thirty now and it’s hard to find those special final moments for him.

London gunner

Dissenter

He is still very good but psg ruined his career at the top.

Zeus

London gunnerAugust 23, 2020 20:48:22
I think its fair to say for a long time messi was number 1 and was a couple levels above ronaldo.But i think its fair to say with ronaldo breaking records in Italy has put him in my eyes level with messi.

******
We simply must stop this. Ronaldo went to a team that is head and shoulders above all other Italian sides. They won seria a 7 on the bounce before he arrived. He added little to that team outside of increased profile on the world stage.

They would’ve been successful without him.

WengerEagle

I thought that was a good Final, they are always scrappy affairs but we saw some top class football tonight.

Bayern were deserving winners over the ninety just about imo but they got away with murder on that foul on M’Bappe in the box, penalty all day and mental that VAR didn’t even bother check it.

Kimpembe and Bernat were outstanding for PSG and for Bayern, Coman their MVP but also thought that Kimmich, Goretzka and Neuer were great.

PSG will be kicking themselves, not sure how they didn’t score, M’Bappe miss especially a sitter.

salparadisenyc

Great game for a 1 nil scoreline, enjoyed it.
Neymar will get the knife for this loss buts its Mbappe that really deserves it.

London gunner

Zeus

Its a fair point you made.

But I just think that messi was miles ahead of ronaldo, but now messi has declined in ability and ronaldo has minted his level more I think they on current trajectory finish their careers on the same level.

Radio Raheem

Guns SF

Too right it was. Yeah PSG’s front 3 let them down today.

Bayern did what was required to win but at no point did they hit top form the last two weeks.

MidwestGun

Muller isn’t the most skilled, but dude never stops and is a coach on the pitch. True winner.

Anyhow, I can’t see Coutinho moving on from Barca now. New manager, new opportunity.

Guns of SF

Neymar had at least 2 to 4 defenders chasing him all game…
One thing I like about his game is that he holds the ball until the last milisecond to release it to the open player after pulling in defenders out of position.

I agree he should have stayed at Barca but oh well…..

He aint going back there anytime soon.

Habesha Gooner

Neymar crying is a bit funny to me. He could have had more champions league titles had he stayed at Barcelona. And he could have eventually become the main man. Now his career is wasted. He could have been so much more. Mbappe will get another tilt at the champions league though.

Dissenter

London gunner
I’m not sure he would have done better at Barca. Barca has been rotting out from the core for a while now.
I’m not even sure Brazil would have won the Copa America had Neymar been healthy. His injury made them stronger and more cohesive.
I know Wenger Eagle will come out swinging pretty soon.

TR7

Neymar should be clubbed with the likes of Hazard, Suarez, Aguero etc. not with Messi or even Ronaldo or Iniesta for that matter.

karim

Coman comes from the PSG academy quite ironically.

WengerEagle

I love Messi and think he’s the GOAT but it’s laughable to say that Ronaldo can’t be compared to him.

5 CL titles where he was the best player/top scorer in all of them, Messi himself in my eyes only has won 3 because he wasn’t involved after the group stage in 2006 when they won it without him.

And Ronaldo’s CL knockout stage record is outrageous. In 2017 he won it pretty much by himself.