Oh hello Buzzfeed headline 2014. Here’s a quick run down of what I’d like to see this evening.
1.A lite version of what our future attacking structure could look like
It’s dangerously close to the end of the transfer window. There’s no Aouar yet. There might not be. We are absolutely toothless, still.
What I can’t have is that there is no way to play attacking football this year without that one player. If we are really going into the season with the least creative midfield in the league, that is pure negligence. I would LOVE to see a lite version of where this process is heading. Is there a young player that can play in the pockets, like ESR? Will we give Saka a role at #10? Is there a system the younger players will be put in that can at least guide the way this evening? I hope so. We can’t pin out hopes on Auba all season. Leeds are out signing Cusiance from Bayern. If they can shower teams in shots on their budget, we should be able to do something.
2. The future of our CB spine
Tonight, one would assume, we’ll get to see Willy Saliba and Gabriel in the centre of defence together in their first competitive match. This is exciting on many levels. The two of them are very capable with the ball at their feet, they have the requisite height to make us hard to attack from setpieces… the question is, do they have the power and wherewithal to deal with an explosive Premier League team this early? We shall see. We’re mostly here to see where Saliba is in his development, hopefully he surprises everyone with an elite performance.
3. The future of the #13
I can’t remember the last time we had a #13 back-up keeper. Manninger? It almost feels a bit quaint. I like it, but will I like the keeper wearing the jersey? He’s handsome, no doubt. But good? Who knows. Arteta and his coaching staff took a big gamble binning off Emi Martinez. Tonight, we’ll get a glimpse at whether Iñaki Caña, the keeping coach, has good taste in students. Runar had some pretty grim stats from his time in Ligue 1 last season. Are we rescuing a diamond in the rough, or are we making the mistake City did at the beginning i.e. signing a keeper who can play passes like Pirlo, but couldn’t catch the ‘rona in an emergency ward sneeze box? This game will be a huge baptism of fire, longballs, and shots… will it be Massimo Taibi? Or Alex Manninger? We’ll soon find out.
4. What is a Willock?
Arsene liked him. Emery liked him. Freddie LOVED him. Arteta likes him.
What is it about Joe Willock they all love? Because I’d really like to see some of it on the box tonight.
We know he makes excellent runs off the ball. We know he can dribble. We know he can move at speed. We know he is capable of goals and assists… can we see it happen at some point? If he splutters again this season, he’ll be out in the summer. This is make or break.
Time to shine, Joe. We believe in you.
5. How quickly can we adapt to being found out?
I pontificated before the last Liverpool game over whether teams in the top 6 would suss us this season. We are very well drilled now. We defend better, our off the ball movement is great, our pressing is very good. However, we’re a bit robotic. Klopp knew how we’d try and attack down the left in the last game and he tried to deal with it (we still scored from the left). We need some new party tricks, we can’t get by on the same one all season. Now Liverpool knows where to double up and over-commit in the press, what is the plan? Could we do something mad like play down the right? Are we going pure long ball? Would we dare play through the middle? We were sussed the other night. There needs to be some innovation in how we play or the same will happen tonight.
Oh, how about a 6th point… WIN 4-0. Amirite? Of course I am.
Enjoy the game, I’ll see you in the comments. Come at me with your bullet points!
P.S. Congrats to Saka on his England call up. To commit to the three lions on Nigerian Independence Day. Man is going to the very top. Cold as ice. A natural killer. What a talent!
1st
And
Now
Tr4phy
K
so who are we up against?
Would love to see pepe have a stormer tonight,he needs a big performance after his abysmal showing on Monday night
Flop 4
Tallest
It’s dead silent mate but Aulas himself said things would accelerate on Friday.
Fingers crossed for our new GK tonight.
I’ll tell within 30 minutes if he can be a possible replacement for Leno.
‘Aou-aaaa-ar’
‘I wanna be with you everywhere’
2 things need to happen :
1) we need to get this deal over the line
2) this needs to be sung up and down the country by the Gooner faithful (as soon as we’re allowed back in the stands, of course)
* credit to Tim Stillman
I’m sure Klopps tactics the other night centred around Leno being back in goal.
He knew where our Achilles heel was and they honed in on it.
I’m also curious to see how Runar/Alex? fares tonight…
Graham
Fuck that’s what we’ve been doing wrong all these years – if only we’d thought of kicking the ball at the goal.
Who know’s what we might have achieved?
Karim
Typical Arsenal. But I seem to have developed a thick skin through the Late Wenger years.
Unai practically made the skin impermeable. 😁
One of the casualties of playing people in a wrong position is Bukayo Saka. He’s a winger who was forced to deputize in the full back position when we had an injury crises with Kola and Tierney.
Now that defined him incorrectly because England called him up, not in his best position but as a defender.
“I’ll tell within 30 minutes if he can be a possible replacement for Leno.”
Thank fuck we’re past all these knee jerk reactions to new players. I was all ready to write him off after 85 seconds usually that’s plenty of time to make a judgement on a new player.
I’m sorry but, as it stands, Willock doesn’t do it for me.
Have any of us actually watched him and thought yep, this kid is special?
His batteries always seem to be running on low power.
Seems to be a trait with so many of our academy players.
Why is this?
“Flop 4”
That’s funny.
Willock has just turned 21, at the start of next season he’ll still be 21. Why would we bin him? We need to give young players time to grow, Saka is the exception, not the rule. Give Willock another 2-3years, very few young players find real consistency before the age of 23/24, and even then they’re a few years away from peaking We’re building a team for 2-3 years time, that means being patient with our youngsters. Same with Nelson, who if we do loan him out, we need to tie down to a 5 year deal, he’s a huge… Read more »
Graham
Players tend to have a surge in physicality between the ages of 22-24.
Dis
I also suspect that Arteta screwed AMN up. AMN has finally settled in the LWB position and has developed good chemistry with Auba and Tierney. Suddenly, Arteta played him as RWB. He was confused and played a bad game. Last game Arteta put him back in the LWB position. He has to relearn his trick.
Marc
He’s a GK!
It’s not just about the fundamentals you know.
Shite, he’s 25 and has been probably playing in goal since he was six.
From a coaching perspective, it’s how he reacts and deals with the pressure. If he comes out and claims a ball within the first 30 mins, with confidence and purpose, he’ll be ticking a box in my book. If he points and gesticulates, that’s another box ticked.
We need something positive to cling onto after losing our #1 keeper.
I still feel Arteta isn’t the right guy for this job. He’s too defensive even against lower opposition. His FA cup win is just papering over the cracks. Arsenal have dropped the most points from winning position in the league since we appointed Arteta. Wigan beat mancity to win the FA cup but were still relegated so a good cup run doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things. Top 4 more important. His league record against the big 5 isn’t dissimilar from Emery’s record. In 7 league games against the big 5 Arteta has won 2, lost 4… Read more »
not gonna hold my breathe
Willock has fallen off for me too.
HE does bring energy against tired legs, but not sure his best position, as he has been played all over the place. Certainly not the best for his development.
Graham
It was just a bit of banter although I don’t think you can judge a player on 30 minutes away at the Champions, especially when he could be playing behind an inexperienced defence. The chances of him playing behind a competent midfield at Arsenal right now is not even possible.
You’re pissed off we sold Martinez – no problem but don’t take it out on the new guy to score points against Leno or Edu / Arteta.
Juan Carr
Jack Edup, Onbricks, Will Nuts, R Emoved,
St, Olen, Don Erunner, Mo Stache, M Ullet.
G Isajob, S Cran.
now that is one hell of a line up
(Good post.)
1. No David Luiz
2. No David Luiz
3. No David Luiz
4 .No David Luiz
5. No David Luiz
Willock needs to be crafted into a box to box and AMN needs to moved to holding mid.
Reiss and Saka need minutes on opposite flanks upfront.
Ideally we can play them together and let their chemistry really start to progress.
What I don’t want to see is Xhaka with Cebellos as the base in midfield for this game.
But that requires bravery not even Arteta is ready for.
Lol karima what about your personal insider ??
Arsenal: Leno, Cedric, Holding, Gabriel, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Willock, Xhaka, Pepe, Nketiah, Saka
Subs: Runarsson, David Luiz, Tierney, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Lacazette
No Saliba again?
At least, Pepe, Eddie and Saka start as the front three.
Leno-cedric-holding-gabriel-kola-willock-xakha-niles-saka-nketiah-pepe
Kolasinac starting means he’s going nowhere!
My bad nelsom
Arteta such a try hard
will be shameful if we play like shit and lost again
“Now that defined him incorrectly because England called him up, not in his best”
More like crying more than the bereaved. He isn’t complaining.
Interesting
First thoughts 433
Kolasinac featuring is bit of a worry considering he’s “suppose” to make a move, Runarsson needs in.
There must be something wrong with Saliba.
Not even on the bench?
Sal
4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1?
“not gonna hold my breathe”
Like you have been holding it?
It’s going to be a massacre.
Graham
“””Fingers crossed for our new GK tonight.
’ll tell within 30 minutes if he can be a possible replacement for Leno.””””
You can tell by the team selected , he is garbage- you wont need 30 minutes
Nelson
“””””At least, Pepe, Eddie and Saka start as the front three.””””””
they will cause Liverpool more problems than the old codgers that played the other night,
Tallest
‘There must be something wrong with Saliba.
Not even on the bench?”
Maybe he’s been saved for Sunday
This arteta is such a bad coach to have, imagine playing Cedric, holding and kolasinac in a match against liverpool. Saliba must be a very bad signing or is he guen make 11?
Just read up the Champions League group stage draw, I think Chelsea and MC could win the group. Maunre is in a difficult group woth PSG and Leipzig.
Sup ladies? What’s good… ?
Hahaha Marc is in positivity mode then.
Sal
“Kolasinac featuring is bit of a worry considering he’s “suppose” to make a move, Runarsson needs in.”
What if he gets injured?
Arteta needs to stop giving people on the way out a reason to stay
Azed
Either way, but its not the 343 we’ve been rocking.
Kola better not be playing as he should be half out the door.
So, suffice to say we have no back up goalkeeper?
So the new back up keeper isn’t even trusted for a Carabean cup fixture?
No way Leno doesn’t pick up the inevitable knock now through fatigue considering the amount of games he’ll be playing this season.
Good coach but a shocking manager.
“I’m sure Klopps tactics the other night centred around Leno being back in goal”
Here they come.
Please, tell us what changed in the way Liverpool played us the last time that makes it all about Leno.
All noise no substance
Midwest
Not fair – look at my earlier comment about people taking the match in our stride.
Of course when I said that I hadn’t seen the lineup!
The idea you can draw a definitive opinion about a player within 30 minutes is insane. The idea any of us know how a 21yr old will develop over the next couple of years is just as bonkers. If Arsene, Emery, Freddy and Arteta all love Willock, then I’m assuming it’s because they think he has the potential to have a career at the top level, not because they just think he’s a nice lad. How many players perform consistently under 24? There’s really not many. Sterling was consistently written off, Gnabry, Henry at Juve, Auba wasn’t a regular scorer… Read more »
Don’t you all get it, Arteta thinks he can change all these players for the better. Kolasinac should be sitting this one out.
Some of Arteta’s decisions are absolutely confusing. I mean Kolasinac and Holding start. Saliba not in the squad. I dunno man I really don’t
“No way Leno doesn’t pick up the inevitable knock now through fatigue considering the amount of games he’ll be playing this season”
How many matches has he played for you to come to this your knee jerk conclusion?
On paper it sure looks like a 4-3-3.. unless Joe Willy is gonna play as a wingback.. on the left.. which would be weird as hell.
And I’m taking it there, if Kola can figure why can’t Guendouzi?
Victorious
“””””Good coach but a shocking manager.”””””
Correct. Useless man management.
Luiz on the bench no Saliba,
Saliba is a man mountain- get him out there at one of the great stadiums.
Give him the chance to go against VVD at a corner- and crunch him!
This is my response to a comment earlier on the previous post.
““Are we preparing. for a loss tonight ‘And I told you so brigade”
Wouldn’t have thought so – most are expecting a combination of fringe and youth players.The only way I expect a full on meltdown is if we put out a full strength team get some injuries to key players and still lose to Liverpool’ s reserves”.
No I’m thinking it’ll be more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLEdpDpoTTA
Marc-
Hahaha Ok man… I was just fuckin with you anyhow. Life isnt’t fair though.. Other wise I would have been taller and quicker and better with my left foot.
Maybe he’s convinced Kolasinac to stay too… could you imagine
“Some of Arteta’s decisions are absolutely confusing. I mean Kolasinac and Holding start. Saliba not in the squad. I dunno man I really don’t”
What’s confusing here, if I may ask? Are you privy to in club activities?
Leno needs games. He’s coming back from a lengthy lay off.
Any other position on the pitch people would be giving a player time to get back to match sharpness.
“Give him the chance to go against VVD at a corner- and crunch him!”
Lol, the gift that keeps giving.
Ben Rahma with a scorcher for Stoke.. reverse pivot backhell nutmeg to beat his man and then a screamer shot into the bottom corner.
Maybe Arteta’s plan is to run Holding into the ground before he gives Saliba any mins. Though you wouldn’t put it past him to draft Chambers or Mustafi in before that ever happens
I think Arteta’s formation is flexible. My guess when defending, Xhaka will drop back to support the CB’s. He’ll be at the base of the midfield, playing behind Ceballos and Willock.
Sorry Brentford.. they just look like Stoke kits.. haha
Jokes aside, I don’t think we sold the best goalkeeper of the last 15 years Martinez for £20million to mighty Aston Villa to not reinvest in the squad.
It will all go down to the wire.
Transfer windows at AFC are horrific and boring.
Re: Saliba
I think Arteta is trying to ease him in, the same way Liverpool did with Fabinho.
Not to state the obvious but this space is hair trigger in the ember days of a transfer window. Its the League cup fffs, what did you expect?
Kola only concern with that XI, i’ve now convinced myself its a tactical move to get Shalke to shit or get off pot. Try it on.
That and I want to see the Ice man Commeth between sticks but, he just may not be ready. If we were trying to ease Saliba in this is the ideal match, not sure whats going on there.
AL
“””””Re: Saliba I think Arteta is trying to ease him in,””””
Give over, he is a footballer not a bloody virgin!
Wasn’t Kola supposed to be moving to Bayer Leverkuson or the deal is off ? Also if Guen is not going to be sold, will it be not a good idea to slow integrate him back again ?
“Maybe he’s convinced Kolasinac to stay too… could you imagine”
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Rich “We need to stop bashing our young players and support them through their development” Don’t waste your breath.. What tends to happen on Le Grove is they like their shiny new signings that they get over excited about, 18 months later they become the new dross.. Academy players coming through are never appreciated unless they hit the ground running like Saka. They find it very difficult to understand that some players develop quicker than others , and let’s be honest , the last couple of years haven’t been the greatest time for a young player trying to make his… Read more »
OK gents and CG we’re clearly not going to get any enjoyment from the football tonight so I suggest we liven things up. First one to make Pedro cry wins a prize.
Marko
‘Maybe Arteta’s plan is to run Holding into the ground before he gives Saliba any mins. Though you wouldn’t put it past him to draft Chambers or Mustafi in before that ever happens’
Hahaha
Beginning to worry Arteta doesn’t fancy Saliba at all,
Remember he didn’t sign him and now the poor guy can’t seem to get a start ahead of Holding who is absolute shit.
I think I remember somewhere reading Arteta said he doesn’t want to start Saliba for his first match against Liverpool no matter the competition. Or maybe that was what the writer of the article inferred.. I don’t know. Wenger started Sanogoals against Bayern and it wrecked him .. rest of his career maybe that’s the thinking. I like most everyone else want him to play though to see what we got.
“I believe that Saka, Nketiah, Nelson, Willock , Martinelli, Smith rowe, Guendouzi, saliba and Gabriel are a group that will do well in the cup comps and I am hoping that none are sent out on loan as the cup comps will give them possibly more game time than if they were loaned out.”
Well thank fuck for the EL and FA Cup because the Moose Cup will be over for us in about 120 minutes.
“Wenger started Sanogoals against Bayern and it wrecked him”
Don’t think that was what really wrecked him but yes! Those were the days of wine and roses.
Well Sal that and Sanogaols had the coordination of a giraffe but still not ideal situation for the confidence.
“Give over, he is a footballer not a bloody virgin!”
Nerve knew Soyuncu of Leicester City was a virgin.
Marko
You don’t think that Arteta is looking to develop a thing of “all the players I could have sold for X amount” to compete with Wenger’s “all the players I nearly signed”?
Saliba must be thinking what a horrible decision hes
made signing for the club, seeing Holding get a start ahead of him might do more damage to his head than throwing him into the line up against Dippers.
I feel for him
Damn Fulham are so shit these days. Scottie Parker… is getting that glazed over eyes look already.
Its the League cup fffs, what did you expect?
I think when you see some of the players Liverpool picked the notion of easing in Saliba becomes a bit diluted imo. The league games fair enough and even the Leicester game I thought okay maybe it’s a bit “too soon” but when you see him nowhere to be found while garbage players like Holding and Kolasinac start and Luiz is on the bench it makes little sense. But I dunno maybe he sees something in Holding that most people don’t and maybe he has convinced Kolasinac to stay
Stupid line up.
Wave goodbye to £10m as Kolasinac gets injured.
How shit must Saliba be? With this amount of easing in we’re going to need some lube!
If Pepe was given the Saliba treatment, he would have been a better player
“ What tends to happen on Le Grove is they like their shiny new signings that they get over excited about, 18 months later they become the new dross..”
I would say this is a minority of people on here, you are wording it as if everyone does when that simply isn’t true.
May be Saliba is still not fully fit or up to the speed.
Klopp has fucking Salah and VVD in the side, what a bastard.
I knew Parker will take Fulham back down the moment he took the team out against us dressing like James Bond
They’re a shocking team.
LT
“””””Stupid line up. Wave goodbye to £10m as Kolasinac gets injured.”””
send that in a question to Arteta.