Arsenal hit the ground running with a clinical dismantling of a hapless Fulham. The story of the day was all about the debutants. Willian landed two assists with a shout for a third and Gabriel kept a clean sheet and bulleted a header for his first goal.
The starting line-up looked very conservative, if Unai Emery had picked a starting 11 with so many defenders, we might have shrieked in complaint. However, this is a different era. Arteta’s 5 at the back is a little different. Maitland-Niles and Tierney added a lot to our attacking build-up play allowing us to play some joyful attacking football at times.
The midfield base was Xhaka and Elneny. Not where I thought we’d be at this stage of the season, but the two of them worked really well together. Mo(dric) is more mobile than Xhaka and he’s super tidy. He’s an engine room of a player, moving the ball fast, accurately (95% pcr), and mostly forwards. His height and size also gives us something. Granit Xhaka looked composed and fit, he completed the most progressive balls into the final third, his one into the box was a sight to behold, finding Auba with an over the shoulder pass Pirlo would have purred over.
Our defensive structure was solid again. Admittedly, Fulham really offered very little in way of threat. Our biggest errors were mostly self-made, the biggest scare came when AMN passed to Gabriel and the Brazilian ghosted the ball requiring Bernd Leno to be fast on his feet to stop the encroaching striker. He warmed as the game progressed. His erratic passing started to improve and his tackling sharpened. I think most of us forgot he’d not played for the best part of 6 months.
Rob Holding also looked very steady. Arsenal.com showed the Bolton boy dropping stepovers in training, he took that into Fulham’s half with a lovely bit of technique that opened up an attack. I wasn’t sure he had it in him to play at the level we need, but he’s getting better and better and the manager has told him he’s going nowhere.
Bernd Leno was under some extreme scrutiny. Martinez is off to Villa and there are a lot of hurt feelings in the fanbase. The German was fine. He’s a world-class keeper and he breezed the 90 minutes.
Hector Bellerin made a pretty excellent case for his continued inclusion in the plans of the manager. He looks fit, he’s grown out his fade, and he’s sharpened his attacking prowess. Everything about his game looks better at the moment. It is VERY interesting that after Vinai said Arsenal don’t sign players based on agent reccos that the squad didn’t contain Cedric Soares.
AMN worked hard for the team, his passing was a little off, 75% isn’t going to be his best number this season, but it was in the name of a vital role for our build-up play and he seemed to spend most of his time on the left. Rio Ferdinand had this to say on what he was doing for the team.
‘Maitland-Niles is a wing-back and when you speak about wing-backs you’d expect him to be in the wide areas, coming out consistently throughout the game.
‘He’s done anything but that, he comes in, passes the ball and his first run after that is to run inside and create an overload in midfield.
‘He comes straight into the midfield area and what that does is it causes confusion and causes them to have more numbers in there than they’d usually have.
‘After that, you’ve got the width being created by Aubameyang, your main goalscoring threat, and the left-sided centre-half, Tierney, he’s the man who creates the width.
‘It’s so different to what you expect from a three at the back. You normally see it being quite rigid and you know where people are.
‘When you’re a player out there and you don’t see players in the positions you expect to see them in, that is a confusing element.
‘That’s what Arteta seems to be doing and we see are they a well-drilled team? Yes, they are.’
Some people questioned Mikel keeping AMN. I couldn’t be more pro his inclusion. The guy is an absolute expert at executing tactical plans. I’m so happy for him, he’s an absolutely class act.
Tierney also had a good game, his pass completion was 86%, and some of them were dreamy to watch. He is going to be hugely important to our success this season, I really hope we keep him fit.
In attack, it was another positive game for Auba. We played out of the back in now trademark fashion, Willian switched the ball to him on the left, he cut inside and fizzed his shot into the top corner. We know what we’re getting with Auba, game-changing finishing every week. Rio Ferdinand told BT that he’s a player you always feel is going to do something, that’s a huge compliment.
Willian shut the doubters up (lololol) with an incredible debut. He’s sharp in the mind, he’s electric on the ball, and he gave us the sort of creativity we’ve been lacking. Near 100% pass completion. A hand in all 3 goals. He’s slotted right in. I think he’ll be very important to our success, what a dreamy player. I particularly liked that he kept Pepe benched. The Ivorian came roaring onto the field when he landed his minutes. We need a better level from him this season. The occasional flutter of magic isn’t enough at the highest level. We need him more present. Hopefully, Willian will push his game.
Not every game will be a simple as this one, but you can only play what is in front of you. I read that this game was our best xG against away from home in 5 years. The players were focused and motivated. Everyone wanted to be on the pitch. The squad is finally united around a vision. They all want success, and who would bet against it? We look a different animal these days and everything coming out of the club is positive. What a difference 6 months can make.
Do we still need signings? Absolutely. I think they’ll arrive. I think the biggest need is a dynamic #8. We lack a bit of midfield dazzle. Balls into the box rarely come from central midfield, Xhaka and Elneny between them put the ball in the box once, so that needs to change, particularly against teams that’ll have more organised defensive structures. I think we’d all love a #6, but we could survive without one. Hopefully, we sign two players, the desire is there, the challenge is raising enough funds to make it happen.
The manager made a statement of Mesut and Matteo. They aren’t part of our future. Matteo will have to find a new club. Mesut will likely just sit out the season to make a point no one cares about.
Might also be worth a small mention about the Ceballos and Eddie dustup. It looked like handbags and both of them made up on Insta after the game. Best pals again.
Next up is West Ham. They are in total disarray. Players in open revolt against the club. A shambles on the pitch. We are normally a gift for beleaguered managers, let’s hope we’re not next Saturday. A huge Top 4 game today when Spurs and Everton go head to head at Goodison Park. I can’t wait to see what that looks like.
WE ARE BACK! See you in the comments. x
1st
And
Now
Tr4phy
1st
Nice! A clean sweep after a season opener like yesterday 🙂
It was a good game. Tidy performance by the team, but we need a more dynamic midfielder, basically a hard working ozil, someone who cares.
Nice write Pedro.
West Ham is dispirited and the fan base is divided and in revolt. We need to be ruthless and take advantage of them now.
Really wish we could complete some signings and shed more dead weight by the end of the new week so that we con focus on consolidating what we have and build some more cohesion. I don’t Wanna go back to the Arsene days of dithering
and foot dragging while waiting for bargain basement last minute deals
Ozil must really like where he lives, and can’t be that interested in playing football if he’s happy to be sidelined for a whole season.
I know he’s got a big social media following, but this will surely put off future employers?
A player who’s content to not play would ring alarm bells.
Nice post Pedro
Cheerios
Good post Pedro. As you mentioned him, I must say how impressed I am with Rio Ferdinand as a pundit. The guy is incisive and analytical and really puts points across well. Helps to compensate a bit for his awkward BT colleague, Crouch, who really looked all over the place although quite listenable.
BT seem t have upped their game now from the dreary and biased Michael Owen and the thick as shit Phil Neville
just two additions in midfield then we will dominate most teams this season.trust the process
Not putting £30 mill on the table to sign Ceballos this window, will come back and bite us. I think he’s going to be one of the PL players of the season, meaning he’ll cost at least twice the price next summer, or he’ll go back to Madrid and become a regular starter. He’s a brilliant footballer, Ceballos and Aouar playing as 2 number 8s against sides who sit deep, with Willian to the right of them, will hopefully give us more craft and creativity than last season. I know YouTube videos can be deceptive, but there’s a really good… Read more »
Love a positive piece after a good win, fantastic stuff.
1st eleven? And I read the article too.
And please write something on the recent additions to the coaching staff.
Ozil had achieved everything in his career and no motivation to up the anti. He will be content to sit back and enjoy the hugh salary every week without lifting a finger. What a life!
Matteo if he gets back into the team and Arsenal family can be the central midfielder we are craving for. Hopefully things turn around for him.
Willian will be the key to unlock teams that pack their defense hoping for a point. Something that we lack for sometime.
When everyone is fit, we have healthy competition in all departments.
Decent performance yesterday. I have to disagree on Bellerin. He is the weak link in defence and is a shadow of his former self and his crossing is as bad as Sagna’s in his day! If we could get 30m for him I’d bite their arm off.
If we somehow manage to get Aouar and Partey we’ll be right in the mix for top 4 and could well win something. If we play the season with Xhaka/ElNanny/Torreira/Doozy/Willock in CM we’ll have zero chance of a top 6 place.
Mo the engine running the Partey
Neither spurs nor Everton are going to be top 4 this season. That is a banker if ever there was one Pedro
I hope it’s a draw between them because I don’t want mourinhos car crash to be a quick one. It’s all the more enjoyable when it’s slow motion ala his time at Utd and the longer it goes on the more damage it will do
Liked this comment from Ferdinand “That’s what Arteta seems to be doing and we see are they a well-drilled team? Yes, they are.”
We now have a manager that has a plan and the intelligence to implement it. Good days ahead.
Continue like this for few more months and 1 or 2 more signings I will start to feel like I did in the very early days of Wenger. Going into every game expecting to win.
Very good article Pedro. Nice podcast I really enjoyed the part where you and Ash talked about the players we have in all the positions. And the need to have goal scoring midfielders. Indeed more creativity is needed to make that happen.
I will like to send a mail to you. I have some questions as it concerns Podcasting. How can I do that.
I will really appreciate it if you can let me have a moment with you.
Ceballos and pepe both did coming of the bench, but as Eddie nikita, hes anonymous again. permanent or loan deals, for Eddie nikita, Nelson,Joe willock.
Woah early morning post lucky I made it on page 1!
Great write up Pedro. Things look very promising, MA is getting results out of a group written off previously. This is what a coached team looks like, the gap between then and now because of clear communication and transmission of ideas is the delta.
I am truly excited for this season, the first time in about 7 years. I am a new AKB (Arteta. Knows Best)
Jay,
I don’t think you can send Eddie out on loan who’s going to challenge lacca for a starting spot,
Against Liverpool when he started against one of the best defenders in the world vvd, he completely overpowered him he muscled him off the ball for every header. He needs to find some shooting boots but that will come with confidence if he’s abusing defenders it allows for or men on the wing to run in and score!
Also how nice is it to have a big squad with squad players that we can actually rely on. Someone is injured not a problem we have players that are hungry to come in behind them
@pedro great write up. Do you have a source for the best xg in five years?
Eddie nikita won’t have the chance to face a u21 Kosovan defence in the league every week. How many goals has Eddie nikita scored for arsenal? martineli in hes first season in English football, has 10 goals in 26 games.
Pedro I have made a similar post on last thread. Arsenal will have to bring in a second string goalkeeper, which is frankly regrettable and means that we will land up diverting money where which should have been avoided. Otherwise we need still a dynamic and creative midfielder, but that is it. That should cost Arsenal £40-50 million in market based on current conditions. As far as I am concerned Arsenal should only offload “unwanted or unneeded players”. We know who these players are. They are players UNLIKELY to get gametime with the club and will help the club to… Read more »
Hi Pedro, really hope the bullet header comment was a joke lol
Yesterday was a very good game. The days of gung-ho starting elevens and players not knowing what their job on the field feels long gone now. Everybody knows what their role is and most perform them well. There’s a very clear pattern of how we attack and shape and structure to how we defend. I think Kieran Tierney and Alex Lacazette are the most important pieces in is playing out from the back. After our keeper, Midfielders and CB pass the ball out and invite th defenders onto us, we play the ball to Tierney who usually carries it, finds… Read more »
Is it the beginning of the end for liverpool? Leeds outclassed them, 2 unfortunate penalities or otherwise they would have got 3 points.
I’m banking on a non liverpool/city Premier League Winner this time. Chelsea? Man Untd? Fuck’em both.
It’s gonna be the Arsenal ❤️
A very good post with the occasional hint of an agenda* Cedric*
I like the enthusiasm and optimism.
Anyway we might look for free agents as a backup goalie.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=1&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show
Some available choices are here. young or experienced. Subasic was good a couple of years ago. Don’t know much about him now.
This guy has decent stats. I hope we go for a free agent and try for both Partey and Aouar if possible.
Nice write up, and a very good game. Holding did well alongside Gabriel but where does Saliba fit in? No way to alot him in when Holding is doing well, so I see serious competition in that central defence, not to talk of Luiz when he is back.
AMN will make that position his permanently if he continues this way. Sometimes even I cant seem to locate his position during play.
Can Auba sign the thing please!
Wow, page 1! Props to the whole team. Fulham are not all that but all the same. Elneny excellent. Willian better than I expected. Gabriel confirming some of the hype. Rob playing like he did before his injury. Xhaka picking up where he left off last season. All good stuff Fully on board with Mikel and his sauce! Have not felt this comfortable with Arsenal in years. Regardless of more signings, and I hope we do get more, this team has a plan and doesn’t just coast anymore. That is a great starting point and one I can fully get… Read more »
Gabriel’s got a bit of Joleon Lescott about him
A great post following a great result. Hearing Arteta conducting his team the whole games makes me wonder how having no crowd may benefit us in the short term. He provides constant instructions throughout the game and everyone can hear him. It would be far more difficult with a packed stadium. Bring on West Ham.
The clamouring for Partey reminds me of a similar ruckus on this site for certain Granit Xhaka back in the days.
Excellent post Pedro. Performance was exciting and you could see some of the quality returning to the play yesterday. Was a bit concerned about the mix up with Gabriel after two minutes, but after that he owned it. Tony Adams would have been proud scoring a goal like that in the famous number six shirt. We looked like a team yesterday, and everyone played there part even xhaka and elneney in the engine room. Yes it was Fulham and on that display would expect them to be in the bottom three in May next year. But artetas arsenal started to… Read more »
29th August 2020
Arsenal at Anfield.
That will tell us all we need to know.
As Fulham were abysmal and fodder for any competent side yesterday. They are already relegated..A one game relagation. Ouch.
Eg.
Can Gabriel actually defend against world class forwards?
Can Willian play well outside West London?
Is Leno more solid than Martinen?
Fulham beaten
West Ham will be beaten
Liverpool the litmus test.
Win that and then some of the excessive and nonsensical hype spouted on here can be justified.
29//9//20
not 29//8//20
If I remember correctly we already played Liverpool once this season and came out on top. Dont you, CG?
Cg,
On yesterday’s bindippers display against Leeds maybe it’s the right time to visit an empty anfield?
I’d be amazed if we get the freedom Fulham allowed us yesterday, but their defence does look like it’s got issues, and with an on form front three the win could be there for the taking for us.
“””””If I remember correctly we already played Liverpool once this season and came out on top. Dont you, CG?””””‘
Yes Captain.
And deseverdly so.
I remember it well.x 9 Wengerrites started.
Anfield will be the key.
Win that- and Ill shup for a few weeks.
How would CG know Fulham were abysmal? He was too busy watching his favourite club Brentford lose at home to Birmingham.
Any excuse to denigrate Arteta. Waster.
A great read and loving the positivity and completely agreeing with it. This is the most excited I have been as an Arsenal fan, in terms of truly believing we are on the verge of something special, since perhaps 2008. After the 2008 title challenging team fell just short we had some near misses in following years, but thereafter that point we never truly looked like a title winning team, and we looked flat tactically with a soft mentality. It was great to win those FA Cups under latter era Wenger but you never felt it would be a stepping… Read more »
Iwobi will tear the spuds a new one, their behinds will be in the same state as Dons/unaai when he is through with them
Liverpool are a very good team, but I don’t see them winning the League this season.
Indeed I see them competing for a top 4 finish like ourselves. Arsenal’s chances will improve
dramatically with recruitment of a dynamic and classy midfielder.
Up 4 grabs now
I agree this is perhaps an ideal time to play Liverpool at Anfield, as much as there ever is one. They are a fantastic team obviously and I think Leeds caught them out yesterday on the crest of their wave. It will be difficult but given our record there in recent years (which is abysmal) a draw with a good performance would be something I would be delighted with.
I think the best part about yesterday’s match was how for the first time in a long time, I did not feel like we were gonna concede a goal for the sake of conceding a goal.
It seems like we value clean sheets again finally. We are not conceding one to score two more and we look impenetrable as a result.
Chris,
I think the first goal will be important up there.
If it’s us we have something to defend and can hit them on the Break.
They also won’t have the kopp behind them as well.
The fact that we are defending better in the big games is a big bonus too.
CG,
Arsenal beat Liverpool twice in the last few months.
You’re a gambling man, do you know the odds for beating a team of equal, or in this case , a superior quality, three times on the trot?
They’re astronomical.
Besides , I don’t know if this site can survive without your input for two weeks.
I think city win the league this year and by quite a gap 6-8 points?
The bindippers will be in the top four mix with us utd and Chelsea.
Let’s hope it’s not us in fifth spot!
“but as Eddie nikita, hes anonymous again”
You talking about the 10 minutes he had yesterday
Chris
It must be the West Sussex air because I totally agree with you.
From 2009 onwards things just fell away.
Arteta has got us actually looking like a competitive unit.
—————————————————-
CG
“9 Wengerrites” properly drilled and knowing what is expected of them.
So refreshing.
Holding is demonstrating for the third time in his arsenal career that with a run of games he’s a very competent defender
I don’t think he’s a brilliant passer but he’s okay. He just suffers from being in and out of the team and long term injuries tho. When he has a run he always looks very stable as he did in emery’s first season before that long injury
Cg
So let me get this straight.
You’ve been moaning how bad our squad is, how we deserved to finish as low as we did and also want us to beat the champions at their home.
Are you on something, because you’ve gotta stick to your story.
Tom
“””””Arsenal beat Liverpool twice in the last few months.
You’re a gambling man, do you know””””””
Liverpool will probably win this fixture. Not rocket science ,granted.
Becuase any complacency that Liverpool had previously wont now exist.Plus Martinez aint playing and Leno is.
(Martinez immense in the league game especially)
But , the good news is- I have been known to be wrong before. Not often mind.
How can any fan have that persistent feeling of regression in their psyche and still believe that things were ok.
That’s right, nine years(2009-2018) of going backwards.
Wow!!
What we see now is something we never saw during this period.
China, I think if holding has a quality player alongside him that makes all the difference as well.
Brings out the best in him.
And top marks for that jinking run into the box as well, that shows how the conference is there.
Confidence not conference.
Theres nothing competent about Holding, the minute he is faced with a fast attacker his behind will be in the same state as Dons/unaai
I’d much rather see holding play (after a run of games) than mustafi and even Luiz if I’m honest. He’s not more talented as them, he’s less so, but he’s just consistently dependable when he’s well bedded in. In defense you can’t be putting all your hopes on Frankenstein players like mustafi and Luiz who are as likely to cost you the game as they are to win you it. Being world class two thirds of the time and awful the rest in defense is not a tolerable scenario It’s better to be a stable 7.5 than it is to… Read more »
If Winaldum goes.
And Henderson gets injured Liverpool will fail .
Henderson is especially important to Liverpool they do
not operate properly With him not in the side.
Liverpool’s confidence has taken a knock since they lost their first league game in march… The 6 months up until that defeat they probably felt invincible…not now. The pendulum has swung quite dramatically in the last 12 months., we are now going into the game with expectations instead of fear. This time last year we were getting well and truly thumped by Liverpool when Emery gave the liverpool full backs the freedom of Anfield , and were punished for such naive tactics. Arteta will not be so naive , the team will be set up to have a reasonable chance… Read more »
One would inagine , Liverpool would have made a couple of juicy signings before the title decider at the end of the month- whilst Stan and Arsenal are still looking for some pennies behind the sofas in London Colney.
Excellent perceptive post. In essence, every reason to be hopeful.
Somehow or other Mikel will add the missing piece of the jigsaw.
Holding is not some beautifully cultured player (despite that awesome bit of skill we saw yesterday) he’s just a very simple defender. Big, good in the air and tackle, reads the game, strong and committed. I don’t think he can regularly play defense splitting passes like Luiz but I suspect if he stays free of injuries and is kept in the team he will continue to impress as an old fashioned CB. As for him getting exposed by fast strikers, I don’t think so because the team is no longer set up to let our defense get constantly exposed that… Read more »
CG I think Liverpool are going to have a wenger summer and just sit on what they’ve got basically
And I think it will be to the teams detriment personally.
Good morning Graham, a wonderful day down here again! Yes it’s an exciting feeling to have this ever growing sense of optimism of where the team is going. I did live the attacking verve of the teams from 2008-2011 but we always fell short in the title races due to a soft underbelly or naive tactics. Liverpool away will be a very good test for us. We have suffered some shocking results and performances there over the last 5/6 years under both Wenger and Emery. A good result and performance there and the optimism will increase further. Obviously we play… Read more »
As for him getting exposed by fast strikers, I don’t think so because the team is no longer set up to let our defense get constantly exposed that easily
Great comment.
“Since the start of the 2018-19 season, no outfield player has made more errors leading to goals in the Premier League than Virgil van Dijk (3), David Luiz (3), Danny Rose (3) – Squawka”
What stats tell you and what they don’t.
Habesha
I’m pretty sure the David Raya lad from Brentford is Martinez’s replacement for 10m. Wouldn’t be surprised if the deal is done. Brentford probably just securing their replacement. Only thing I know about him is his howler at Wembley in the playoff final.
The longer the Covid induced measures go on the more Liverpool will likely suffer.
No other PL team benefits more from home crowd support than Liverpool does.
24 consecutive home wins last season tell the story.
Holding is preferable to Mustafi but thats lowering the bar, could be at par defensively with Luiz though Luiz role is to distribute the ball, a role he does well,
once Maga and Saliba settle then having Holding over Luiz is a better option.
@Pedro Cebellos had such a good cameo, was really sharp, he is hungry for the starting place. Competition is good. Laca needs a way to relax his mind in the tense moments, he’s so focused on doing well he ends up over hitting the ball quite a lot. Still doing mountains of work so glad he’s staying. Eddie needs a productive loan in a championship side. He’s young but he needs to play like “the man” something he has to discover himself. I don’t think staying will progress him. Bellerin was looking good, fit and hungry, his pace doesn’t look… Read more »
U4GN yeah it’s just true
He will face 1 on 1s ofc, but the days of teams just running through our midfield over and over again and isolating our CBs and taking shot after shot have now officially gone
We’ve played plenty of good teams with pacy and prolific wingers and strikers and most of the problems we’ve faced were self induced, not systemic. Like kola and mustafi against spurs near the end of last season were heaping pressure on their own defense inexplicably.
Or Luiz having his periodic bants performances
VDV being shielded by Xhakalson would be as disastrouos as Luiz
Luiz with Kante shielding him was a title winnind CB
Im telling you for free!
Yeah but I also think Liverpool are going to struggle without any real changes this summer They’ll still be awesome but players need to be kept on their toes and the squad always needs a bit of freshening up even if the vast majority is great. I don’t think many teams over the years have basically done nothing in the summer after winning the league and maintained the same standards the following year. It becomes a bit of a lull, the routine of always playing with the same players every game every week every year It would be extremely wenger… Read more »
Pedro.
Pls upsize and darken the fonts asap in the post and comments sections Writing comments are harder with the gray font.
Need to dial brightness up quite a bit to condensation and that strains the eyes.
The minimalist theme wouldn’t be impacted for sure!
Thanks.
China,
I still look back to the cup final when per came in alongside him.
They were both immense that day and Costa never really troubled US.
Still young for a defender and think given a chance can only get better.
He’s in the team it’s down to him to keep his place now.
During our game with chelsea at some point late in the gameLampard brought in Pedro with instructions to occupy Holding, luckily the clock was on our side.
Playing devil’s advocate here – can Arsenal challenge for the title if we get Auoar and Partey/Soumare ?
Sid Luiz has demonstrated time and time again that his brain can fart so hard it completely sharts
Even in a more organized arteta lineup he still gave so many penalties away. If the good Luiz shows up he’s amazing, really, but if he’s not amazing he’s costing us games. I don’t like those odds one bit in a defender
Yeah concerning the bindippers,
It would be folly to not strengthen, they’ve been pretty lucky with injuries the last few seasons and with the later start this year, no Xmas break either and Euros in June it’s going to be a long condensed season.
TR7 I think we will have a solid season and break 75 points. Where that leaves us will be decided by how good the other teams are which is out of our hands.
TR7,
Yes, I still think even without them we have an outside shot at 2nd/3rd
Man I need to stop drinking!.
Bojangles What would the positives have been of keeping Wilshere? He’d have been on a top contract and played 1 game. It’s certain fans sentimentality in that instance that wanted him to stay, as he’d come through the ranks and was Arsenal through and through. But even if you have ability, if you can’t get on the pitch what’s the point. Luckily the club didn’t think it was wise to keep him.Wilshere and Diaby were paid millions for jack shit sitting on the physio table. Just like Ozil getting paid for jack shit but that’s a little different obviously not… Read more »
Together Elneny and Xhaka looked competent but ordinary
Elneny combined with Ceballos looked really promising and having sen him play the last 2 games I have now revised my opinion that Aouar would be a better priority than Partey. If we played 4-3-3 with those 4 in midfield then we will rip quite a lot of teams up
Probably will also help to move Xhaka on as a result which could then mean funds for Partey (or better still Soumare)
3 in midfield lol
China
“Sid Luiz has demonstrated time and time again that his brain can fart so hard it completely sharts”
😂😂😂😂
City lost Silva and they do think highly of foden. So maybe won’t be a huge miss.
But more importantly they have la porte back who missed half the season
And signed ake who I really rate.
No way will they lose nine league games again.
If they can keep aguero fit they should be the team to beat.
Up4grabs
Completely agree and if we get Aouar and a DM then they will be our only rivals for the title (although they will win it)
Looking forward to Anfield and hoping we can get Aouar in place before then
We aren’t challenging for the bloody title, my god. We finished 8th last season, some humility please. This season is a fight for top 4, and if we get back amongst that it’s a job very well done.
Perhaps more importantly is a continuation of our improvement towards the ideal of being a free-flowing Arteta-style 4-3-3. Do that and the top 4 will be an after thought because we’ll be positioning ourselves to actually make a title bid in seasons to come.
I reckon Chelski could be a threat this season.
I know, awful just thinking about.
Also I duno how spuds everton is a huge top4 match hahaha.
Unless you’re hoping (which obviously we all are) that toffees win and that is 3 points we have on spuds to start the season.
Any way you look at it great post Pedders.
A few folk punch drunk after the first game of the season. Settle down lads!
Only Dissenter calls the league in September.
CC
Top 4 would be a great achievement.
Fingers crossed..