Here we are, back together, ready to indulge in some peak-Barclays viewing today.
So what can we expect away at Manchester City?
A tough game. Sorry to be very obvious here, but Manchester City are hurting at the moment and they really need to impose themselves back on the league.
First game back can go either way. It’s an advantage in one sense, because teams have only had a couple of training sessions to crack the code. The fact that they don’t have KDB and a striker of note is also a big win for us.
Arteta has his side on better paper form, but really, we haven’t blown a game out the park so far this season. This would be a nice one to execute a sound plan really well.
Again, I wouldn’t be expecting us to express ourselves. We’re going to take our chances on the break, we’ll test their centre backs, and we’ll try and play very patiently.
The key is always defence. If David Luiz starts, you’ll know within 6 minutes which one showed up. We can’t have it be the Luiz who came on last time and had one of the worst performances of the season. We need the towering leader of a defender that took us to an FA Cup final win.
It’ll also be interesting to see how tempted the manager is to use Thomas Partey. Suspicion says it’s too early and he’ll go with Xhaka and Ceballos. Hopefully, he’ll see some minutes off the bench.
Nicolas Pepe, on form, could be interesting today. He lit up the last game with his energy and quick passing. Question is, does the manager really trust him? If we’re to have any sort of free-flowing football this year, it’ll likely have to include him. We know he has it in him to be world-class, we just don’t see it often enough.
I don’t have lot to offer today, but we’ll be back with a podcast and a match report tomorrow.
ENJOY THE GAME HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW! x
Imagine saying that this goal is on Leno. Like are you even Arsenal fans??? Go support Villa!
Bellerin is a defensive liability in just about every match I’ve seen him play this season.
Saka had a chance.
The original shot from foden wasn’t even that strong. Martinez catches that.
Soft again from our friend Leno.
I cannot remember ever seeing Leno hold on to a save.
I’m pretty sure Martinez would have held on to that shot.
That’s what parrying the ball in the middle does for you….
How is Willian any better than ozil?
Leno often punches to opposing team
Same against Liverpool
So far not seeing the point Willian in the center.
Also you try catching a shot from 8 yds out, ffs.
@Andy1886. Yep, he’s always doing that. Would rather have kept Martinez
@Andy1886. Yep, he’s always doing that. Would rather have kept Martinez
“Martinez catches that.”
Oh lord almighty…
Again Leno parries straight back to mahrez
Fucking keeper with his parries
We kept the wrong one
We will loose our play is poor.
Chasing shadows
Luteo
Me too, I really want to see Auba through the middle.
I just don’t get it.
City just waltzed through our defense there. Not good enough at all.
Raptora – what a fuckwit comment
Also positionally Xhaka is everywhere and by that I mean all over the place
Take William off
He really is dog poo
Fuming!!! We’re too ultra defensive! City are wank at the back and we’re not driving at them. Put Partey in second half and tell him to drive into their box watch the goals come. I’m sick of that dull slow meek midfield and playing so deep.
I saw a graphic today showing today is exactly 5 years from Jürgen Klop’s first Liverpool game. And not one of the 11 players he fielded today was in that lineup! Only 2 from that first lineup were even on the bench. That’s how much he’s had to change the team to fit his playing style. This is far from Arteta’s team yet
Still haven’t worked out what Willian brings to the team
So what kind of GK is this who punches the always to opponents to score
Martinez all day
Willian as a false nine is another case of over-thinking on the part of MA. It’s not working, need Laca on sooner rather than later.
90% keepers parry that type of shot but Martinez caught everything.
Partey is checking flights to Madrid !
Lol
tets obviously think Pepe has the legs on Walker. Many long balls going that way from the back.
There’s been a couple runs with the ball where the City player could have had a glass of water perched on their heads and not spilled any.
We look more shaky than Stevens
Leno started catching.
Surprise !
Willian is not a false 9. Why experiment against a weak City? Arteta has made a strange selection and tactics are off.
Playing Willian uptop is the equivalent of Emery playing Torr as a #10,
No Auba up top, no Partey starting and Xhaka still starting 11.
Fml.
This was a game where you put the double pivot of Partey and El Neny
Hand on heart I don’t think leno was worth the gamble
Leno looks shaky, spills too many shots for my liking when tested. I thought he was supposed to be a good shot stopper!?!
Words I’m looking for
Shit cunt kraut
Trying to get rid of one over the hill 32 year old then sign another one and give him 250k a week. Willian is a million miles past his best. Thank fuck we got rid of that shit agent and his cast offs.
Play Willian as a 10 with Pepe and Saka on either side its not fucking hard to work out.
If you’re not playing Willian behind the striker then don’t play him at all. He’s not good anywhere else.
I can’t even be bothered to mention Leno. We all know it was a mistake.
Mistake to sell Martinez that is.
We are all over the place.
Wake up Arteta.
WTF! Pepe wants to run through 4 defenders.
Good save from Leno there
Please put on Partey
Need to set ANM on Mahrez. He is their executioner of choice
AMN and partey on pls
Willian is worrying me here today
Damn. It is man against boy!
Good save from Foden..:
This game has shown leno weakness and strength.
Terrible at catching parries lead to goals.
But very quick of line and doesn’t go to ground to early
We’re struggling. I wonder what The manager has up his sleeves? We can’t just let them have the midfield – it’s killing us.
Arteta is like pep , over complicates things. One of best strikers in the premier league asked to play out wide. It’s fucking stupid
Is this the team that the spuds destroyed?
No clue what Arteta is trying to do with that foward line. Pointless the Auba on the wings thing especially when we have actual wingers. No reason again why our new man isnt playing, why does the manager seem to overthink and over complicate everything
Willian for every good game he had at Chelsea were followed by half a dozen-ten poor ones. Seems to have carried that over here.
City has a cumulative 86% possession.
Leno doing just fine, keeping us in the game really..it’s the midfield ,forward and Bellend that are not doing enough!
Good stop from Leno there. Overall not so good so far, a lack of energy as City players seem to be quicker on and off the ball.
Auba is a no show today completely so far
City have worked us out here big time. I hope I’m wrong but I fear this could get embarrassing
‘One of best strikers in the premier league asked to play out wide. It’s fucking stupid’
Agreed mate.
Pussy stuff
I was against the deal with Willian in financial ground but still thought from a football pov he was going to bring talent and hard work. However bar the game against Fulham he has been meh.
I don’t get why Arteta selected him to play in the middle.
No reason why we keep looking like amateurs against Pool and City when the likes if Everton and Leicester are giving them good games
AMN should always start. How is he not among our best 11?? Him and partey on. As we should have started.
I don’t like to see a keeper with neck tatts. Doesn’t seem right, for some reason.
They have 86% possession. Wemger’s team would play better than that.
Spanish
Leicester destroyed City; Spurs destroyed United.
I’m still for giving willian time but he has been very poor bar one game.
Pretty much an ozil like in that he is utterly anonymous. Hopefully its down to not being fully jelled in yet.
But tbh he has never been a great assist or even goal scoring mid. Get 3 to 5 assists/goals a season.
Not creative really more just a hard working with a decent engine
Arteta is Emery in Peps clothing
KT really trying to make something happen! we need more of that!
Well played Saka, one player having a decent game.
Saka didn’t even look where the goalie was
If that had been Leno he would of parried the ball to a city player to score
If that had been Leno he would of parried the ball to a city player to score
Willian through the middle is some banter Wenger type of move like playing Lord Bendtner down the wing. It’s embarrassingly stupid waste of Auba and Willian and throwing a game that we could have earned points away. Still time but fk me, it hasn’t worked at all so far. Like at all.
Did Saka really miss this???????????????????????????? Omg
Lucky save with the shoulder.
The way this season has been, we should be encouraging the team to attack and score.
Negative football doesn’t win you titles unless you have unlimited funds.
Poor tactics again, just like against Liverpool, just like against West Ham.
Only one man to blame here.
Two sitters in two minutes. Have to score one of those
Saka is a clever player. No doubt. I am still interested in the question of what position he’s best suited for. I guess wide attacking, but I don’t know.
On the other hand, Willian didn’t select himself to play through the middle when we have one of the most lethal strikers out on the left.
Ohhhh damn,,, that was a good chance.. Tierney and Saka both look most likely to get us an equalizer.
See what happens when Auba is in the middle. Great pass to Saka who took a great shot.
Saka has to be burying that. I’m sorry but you take those massive chances if you want anything out of big games.
I think saka would have been called offside if he had scored
Thanks Bam we won’t repeat those scores
That was not offside.
Is Aguero allowed to grab the lineswoman round the neck?
Slight offside imo.
Saka…! Love that attitude and attacking intent!
KT needs to help more when we are in their last third….
Bellerin is just shit, no attacking on the right side
Auba through the middle defenders will never catch him. Its that fucking simple.
Wenger eagle
I agree but two points
1. He was offside by his hand/left shoulder var cancels it
2. That’s exactly the type of goal young players miss. A younger sterling scuff hits that and even potentially completely misses the target
London
“[Willian] has been very poor bar one game”
Yep. Game seems to pass him by. He is moving at x; the game is moving at 3x. It’s like having an 11-year-old out there.
Way too conservative..could have easily taken the game to this city team..play ozil cam and auba in the centre..we lack so much creativity its worse than watching paint dry
Saka and Tierney are showing the other cnuts how it should be!
Well done boys!
Ozil???? really
We would get overrun in a milisecond