Well, here we are, the first game of the season. It’s pounced on us. I’ve barely had the time to miss football, yet here she is, back with a 3 game a week schedule for the next 3 months. I am VERY excited.
Fulham is a tricky game simply because we’re not really sure who is going to show up. Both teams could spring a surprise. Arsenal could turn up like they did against Villa. Fulham could roll over like they did that time we thought we had our Arsenal back.
We need a win. There’s no glory in a draw. Arsenal needs to start the season the same way they played the FA Cup final. Everyone needs to show up focused. This season we’re gunning for top 4. Arsenal can’t have another transition year. We have the talent to do it. Arteta picked up a bag of shite in December, he took us from 8th to 8th, but the half-season table showed that we finished 4 points off 3rd (in 5th). If we’re that close to 3rd in March, we have every chance of taking a Champions League spot.
There are 4 very important games coming up before the international break. Anything above 9 points will be classified as very good. Most would say the big game is the Liverpool one, but for me, it’s actually the Fulham, West Ham, and Sheff U games that pose the threat.
Arsenal’s challenge this season will be dealing with deep blocks. We lack creativity through the middle and we haven’t really addressed that this summer so far. There has to be a solution. Arteta needs to evolve how we play this season. It’s no good becoming the London version of Wolves. We need to rack up points against the little teams this season.
There are some potential solutions. The biggest bet we’ve made is that Willian will carry over his elite form from last season. He had a great record for balls into the box last season. We’ll need some of that trickery tomorrow. The big question is whether Arteta opts to play him out on the left, or whether he moves him into a modern #10 role.
We could also see Mesut Ozil back in contention. The German international is out of the cold and he’s making a fuss online that he wants to play. Say what you like about him, he’s a deep-block specialist and if willing, he’s more than capable of being a solve for us there. Question, as always, is how much does he care?
There are also some other potential solves that are little more far fetched. Saka ‘might’ get a shout as a #10 at some point this season. Could be a little early for that. Especially as he’s been so good from wide positions. We also have ESR who can play in those pockets. He had a great time at Huddersfield. Would Arteta take the chance? I’m not sure (not tomorrow as he’s injured). Especially not for the first game.
What we do know is this: Fulham under Scotty Parker are pragmatists.
They will set up with a sturdy team tomorrow and they’ll look to nick a goal on the counter. They clearly aren’t elite pragmatists (they finished 4th in the Championship and there’s been a serious debate about #ParkerOut among entertainment starved fans), but they’ll be an early test for us. They have some decent ball-playing defenders and they have a bully of a target man in Mitrovic. Those two factors combining have been the death of us over the years. Hopefully, there’s a strategy tomorrow to work around the obvious plan that’ll be rolled out.
So here we are, heading into our 13th year together (feeling so emosh). This should be fun. We have a solid setup. We have a brilliant young manager. We have a vibrant squad of young players eager to make it happen. We have a chance to make the top 4 if things fall for us. Let’s enjoy it, it’ll be a fun ride. Lots of ups and downs. But we’re heading in the right direction regardless. I’ve not been able to honestly say that in a very long time.
Enjoy the game and listen to the podcast. Whoever gave me a 1* review, I hope you have some mild internet disruption today. Yeah, I’m that serious about the slander.
Also, I fixed the link issue on the newsletter. It should not be working perfectly!
COME ON YOU GOONERS!
Even if the base formation is 343,it will transform into a 2-3-5 when we have the ball in opposition half.
Gabriel and holding will play as CBs, Bellerin and Tierney as FBs pushing up to stretch Fulham’s defence, AMN(LCM),Xhaka(CM),Elneny(RCM)
Auba (lw), laca( half ST,half 10), Willian (RW)
THIS is when we have possession in their half, looking to score.
“….but they did so well in training…” Hope we don’t stumble against Fulham. Only a clear victory will do against a team that would be favourites for relegation.
Very conservative line up. Elneny ????
The good news is Arteta didnt pamper to the blog writers who said Arteta was going to give Ozil and Guendouzi another chance.They dont even make the bennch
Just a quick question – How many on here would pay £50 to watch that lineup?
So Soccer Saturday have really upped the quality of the line up!!!
A ball hasn’t even been kicked and the fans are already bitching.
“Doubt anyone was seriously considering Saliba for this game.”
I was! He has been out ‘on loan’ for a year, albeit with injury concerns and I would have at least expected him to be on the bench against a team like Fulham (no disrespect to them).
In terms of the lineup, can’t make too much of that.
Pepe and ceballos have barely trained.
We had a hectic end to the season and a quick start.
@Bojangles:
So who seriously considered GABRIEL?
LFC
Saka and Pepe didn’t play a huge amount during the run in – why couldn’t one of them make the team?
Right now Arteta just looks a very cautious coach. Overly cautious would not be unreasonable and people need t remember our goal difference post lock down in the PL.
No problem with Elneny in the side ..he was quality v liverpool.
I thought gabriel looked the better defender out of him and Saliba…
Good to see Willian in the side .
Very weird back line. Not a fan of having two left footers in a back three. This XI is dependent upon Willian’s set pieces and of course Aubameyang goal scoring ability. As for the season, we have to remember our underlying numbers last year were not great. We’ll need the league to be congested in order for us to have a chance at a CL spot. With the way Arteta picks teams and limited creativity, we are more likely to finish 10th than in the top 4. Every match is up for grabs, which is generally not a good sign.… Read more »
The only exciting thing about this lineup is Willian…i think he’s going to surprise a lot of people..he and Pulisic were the best players for Chelsea last season and Willians performance against Mourinhos Spurs was one the best Ive seen…low key signings like these sometimes end up being the best.
The best thing about that lineup is that Ozil is nowhere to be seen. If this is the lineup against Fulham, what will it be against Liverpool?
Saliba is a 19 year old CD. Different to a young attacking player. Not sure Arteta will play him too early in the pl. More likely play cup games.
Whether people like it or not Pepe’s playing time now is under real threat with the arrival of Willian.
Willian has always been better playing from the flanks and drifting in to central areas rather than starting central.
And as we see today the option again is to have Auba not as a starting central striker.
It improves the options and strength of the squad but not so good personally for Pepe.
“Just a quick question – How many on here would pay £50 to watch that lineup?” Not me! I will be watching on some dodgy free internet stream! We need to get the excitement back in our game to get the fans on board. I am afraid that Arsenal’s status in world football has taken a hit in the last few years and this has had negative financial implications for the club. Sponsors want to see the fan base increasing in order to generate further revenue. Football is the global game and we need to play progressive and entreating football… Read more »
Does anyone have a good stream?
“So Soccer Saturday have really upped the quality of the line up!!!”
Think it’s a pretty good line-up.
For all the talk of Alex Scott, Sue Smith is miles better as the ‘token’ female.
Paulinho
Tony Pulis and Tim Sherwood.
Are you fucking serious?
That midfield is garbo.
Aussie
If we keep this up we’ll still have an empty ground even though fans are allowed back in the stadiums!
Hello Ladies. already in a tizzy are we? These are the players with the most fitness.. Gabriel is playing because Luiz is injured… Elneny because Ceballos just got here.. Pepe didn’t play at all in preseason.. I’d imagine that’s why. Arteta is looking for a bit of cohesiveness in a short short preseason.. Like chill already…sheesh. hahaha If this is our lineup in 4 weeks then freak out. I guess, if that’s your thing. Of course we need midfield help as has been noted about a billion times. For me Lacazette needs to step it up, today.
that line up befuddles me.
I hope Jay Leno has learnt how to catch instead of punching. He likes to flap around , emi for twenty is a mad ting.
We have a massive squad by the way.
Martinez
Chambers, Saliba, Luiz, Cedric
Torreira, Guendouzi
Nelson, Özil, Smith Rowe
Martinelli
All not in the squad
El-fuckin’ Neny?
Martinez finished?
Another season with us starting like shit. Fuckin’ hell.
Marc – Ha ha, I must be the only one that likes Sherwood.
Pulis, granted, is a twat.
I do find it quite funny though that people were expecting some progressive panel and they roll out pundits even more ‘primitive’ than the old crowd. Wonder if they did it on purpose after all the virtue-signalling stick they were getting after sacking off Le Tissier, Thompson, Nicholas.
Marko
You think it’s that good?
This is family, shut the f up, no grumbling
Hugs and kumbaya
Paulinho
I’ve got to say I’m amazed by the line up – wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the “old” guys back in time. Really thought we were going to see a progressive line up of one legged, left handed black lesbians who don’t agree with having winners and loses!
Who was Ceballos facing up to there?
arsenal 4 Fulham 0
Lol with all the centre backs we have, not one on the bench?
Let’s hope no one gets Injured, otherwise it’s elneney or xhaka moved in there.
This is family, shut the f up
______
Sid you haven’t met most peoples families then… My brother hasn’t shut the F up in 50 years.
shocking to see Nketiah and Cebellos having a fight in the warm up. Not a great look
Soccer Saturday doesn’t have Tim Sherwood and Tony Pulis does it? Fuck me what is sky up to
They said Nketiah but I don’t think it was.
Marko
Clearly they thought Phil Thompson was too highbrow and are looking to dumb down!
Still excited. But has to be said one look at that starting lineup and bench and tell me we don’t still need major reinforcements
Give it a couple of weeks and all the Sky pundits will be women/BAME.
it LOOKED like it could be Pepe but they said it was Nketiah – hard to tell
What the fuck was Ceballos doing there? Lol
I didn’t think it was Nketiah.
Lol at our centre midfield. Still should be enough to get the win though so fingers crossed
“An interesting moment during the rondo in Arsenal’s warm up there. It looked like Dani Ceballos went in a little hard on Eddie Nketiah and there were some handbags afterwards,”
I was hoping to see a 4-3-3 with Willian the CAM, so this is a little disappointing. I guess it may take a bit more time and training for Arteta to be comfortable setting up that way, but I hope that’s the plan. The 3-4-3 has a number of disadvantages, including the fact that today it leaves a £72m forward sitting on the bench. One has to ask: what exactly was the point of spending that much money on a player if he doesn’t even start? A line-up that sees both Willian and Pepe in the XI would be better,… Read more »
This line up is a bit underwhelming. I can understand maybe why Saliba is not playing as it is his first steps in the PL. As for Ceballos, is he not fit enough to start? If not, why?
As for the Martinez, i just hope he doesn’t leave. He really suits us to a T.
*situation
Bamford
We’ve also got a right footed player playing at LWB.
Try this link; http://hockeynews.site/events/2020/fu-ars/
So the new 2020/21 season is upon us. We still need 1-2 new signings.
Partey/Aouar/Edouard. Who is it to be?
And we need to sell some surplus players as well, but with the few injuries we have, it makes things a bit difficult.
Anyway, onto the game. I don’t want to predict a score, but just to say let’s play well and get off to a great start.
COYG!!!
Stream guys
Arsenal in blue????
Wtf are we wearing blue
Here we go start of the season already! Let’s GO!
Arsenal back to 3-4-3.
Gabriel looks like a Unit.
Excellent first touchby Willia..the guys class
And here we go!!!
Come on The Arsenal!!!
See Leno back in goal and defenceisvshaky.
Gabriel, oh dear.
Defence shaky
Maybe Leno not so bad wtf!
WTF
Leno is shite
Fact
Sloppy from Gabriel
You already see the communication problem between Leon and Galbiel. They have never played together….
Chill out moaning with 5 mins gone
Lol this place always guarantees a real life lol
That being said we haven’t started that brightly
As I said
Lacaaaaa
Willian assist
Laca 1-0!!!!!
first blood
R.S.P.C.Arsenal
I suspect it is due to our away shirt being a bit too “white-ish” compared to Fulham’.
So the refs decide it should be the 3rd.
I could also be cynical and say that the club are in fact advertising the third shirt like they did with the home and away shirt at the end of last season. 🙂
Just like that! 1-0
Alright
Well done Laca!!!!!
Woohoo!
Let’s keep going now!
good goal!!!
Goal!!!!! hahaha pinball goal… Ill take it.. Good reaction from Laca.
Welcome back to the PL, fulham
Can Fulham keep this energy up for 90 minutes? IGG
We’ll take them however they come.
Willian assist
———
I wouldn’t call it that.
Holding got overrun easily.
The in-game reactions would be one hell of a scene in here owing to all these pre game reactions.
If you expect teams to come flying out today then you are standing on a very long thing.
Willian with an impact already. Good on Laca. Nice goal. We need to defend a bit better.
Good in the air Gabriel
Nice one touch passing by fulham
Assist or no assist William was in the right place at the right time. Imagine how having a #10 that goes in the small penalty area could create problems for your opponent.
No team is going to start the season on all four cylinders, there’s been a very short pre-season.
Any type of victory will do today.
Gabriel is like a fucking giant there at the back lol
Bellerin is just a fool
Looking very sharp so far, good vibes!
Leg 10
Yeah could be.
Good to see that we are fighting for the ball.
Decent spell but lacking the final ball and some quality in final third. Gotta make these count.
Parker dressed like he’s auditioning for James Bond!
Just turned the game on—anyone know what system we’re playing?
I know people are going to think it’s a bias or something but I honestly have never seen what others see in AMN going forward.