The Champions League is over, the big show is tonight, Arsenal vs the MIGHTY Slavia Prague.
What did we learn from last night?
That teenagers can do it at the highest level.
Jude Bellingham, 17 years old, dropping a big performance against a top 3 side in the world.
Phil Foden, haircut of a god, not quite a teenager, but young enough to be worth mentioning because he decided the game.
Mikel Arteta falls back on his safety blanked of senior players like they’re the Milan side from the 90s. I’m sorry, I can’t have it. There’s no Inzaghi, Seedorf, or Pirlo to fall back on in this group. We have seen that movie enough times.
‘One last job for the boys’ usually ends up with the robbery vehicle stalled with everyone going to jail.
Tonight is about the kids showing the world how good they are.
We need their energy. Their hunger. The decisive nature of their football offering.
Auba wasn’t at training yesterday. Maybe he really does have flu? Who cares. What I care about is knowing whoever is on that plane is ready to deliver in a game that is absolutely vital to our season.
ESR is fit. Martinelli is fit. Saka is fit. Those three, playing at their peak, is enough to take the tie.
Lacazette will likely start again, I like the role he takes on, creating openings for the pace technicians.
Thomas Partey should be the pivot in supporting two banks of 3, or even a 6 man forward line.
I’m a little concerned about Xhaka at left-back again, only because the Slavia forwards have more confidence and they seemed quite fast on the break.
This Arsenal team has enough to win tomorrow. We just need to show up with the same urgency and aggression we saw at the weekend.
Unai Emery in the next round will no doubt be tougher, but at least the game will have some zest about it. Last time we played Villareal in the semi-finals, we made the Champions League final. It’d be pretty sexy to do it again.
This is a big moment for Arteta.
The worry is that he is often more concerned about proving his ‘manager’ decisions in the summer were the correct ones. We need the Arteta that knew his job was on the line at Christmas.
Pick the best team. It’s that simple. Don’t select on reputation, salary, or the memory you had of said player from 6 years ago. It’s time to move this project on, accept what hasn’t worked, and go for the starting 11 most likely to execute the game plan.
Liverpool was a disaster. Slavia at home, regardless of the chances, was a disaster. Time to make amends, and as a 7 famous sounds artists once said…
‘Reach for the stars’
‘And when that rainbow’s shining over you’
‘That’s when your dreams will all come true’
Big night. Let’s see what the players have! Make our dreams come true.
ONWARD, EUROPA!
Redtru, Darian0, or supreme leader who will have the last laugh
What is infuriating about Leno is his poor decision making when he distributes the ball. Yesterday there was one occasion when he made a short pass to one of the centre backs who was directly in front of the Czech forwards. If our player had made a mistake the Czech would have had a direct free shot at goal. I have no complaint when Leno distributes the ball to players who are in “open space”, but too often he makes high risk decisions when the best option is to kick ball out of danger. The problem with Leno is that… Read more »
If last night proved anything, it proved this. The heart of our team is Saka and ESR. Keep those two healthy happy and in form our team begins to fire on all cylinders. I know that mathematically we haven’t lost the hope of qualifying for the Champions’ League via the EPL. Pragmatically, we have. Against all my instincts, we have to think strategically and pace and protect our best players so that they are injury free and in form for the Europa League. Use the EPL as a testing ground for our best youngsters and fringe players so that next… Read more »
*ready to go and play for the first team…
@Uzeroz
Not a bad analyzes but Guendouzi is a no go. I think he has fully burnt his bridges with Arteta and by all accounts is immature and disruptive. Good footballer but why bring him back in the club to sell for few million more when he will not behave?
As for Azeez I’m looking forward to seeing more of him. Like what I have seen so far in the lower levels.
Charlie “Lol China doesn’t even watch the game but wants to use it as an opportunity to undermine Xhaka as per. Some just unable to be objective about anything”. Yep, it just proves that for some this isn’t about discussing Arsenal sensibly, it’s about peddling an agenda and forcing an opinion. Some people don’t seem able to understand that you can criticise and praise, there is no rule in place that says you can’t do both. For me, I expect to see someone wearing the shirt respecting the fans by giving everything during games, Xhaka does that; he has put… Read more »
*from certain contributors (although my auto-correct may be more insightful than I realised!)
AFC Forever You see this is where you are wrong. People can see that Xhaka has versatility in the deep positions and shows some consistency in his play. Remember Xhaka’s consistency has to be related to players in other positions. Is it more difficult to show consistency in other positions such as attackers who have to make things happen i.e. take on players or play deep not venturing forward much and playing those continuity passes? You can see that Xhaka shows consistency it what he is actually asked to do for the team but at the same time that doesn’t… Read more »
Last two games we played against Sheffield.and salvia prague. Not really the best teams to use as an example to big up xhaka at LB.
Ishola
Agree 100%
TT “Not a bad analyzes but Guendouzi is a no go. I think he has fully burnt his bridges with Arteta and by all accounts is immature and disruptive. Good footballer but why bring him back in the club to sell for few million more when he will not behave?” Spot on. Team spirit and harmony are so important. I like Guendouzi as a player, lots of ability there but he is too disruptive and not someone you want messing around the place. Hir former Manager at L’Orient, Casoni, said: “Guendouzi’s problem is not physical and is not technical. It’s… Read more »
Ishola
“You see this is where you are wrong”.
No. it’s where you think I am wrong. I am correct in stating that he doesn’t deserve the bullying he gets. I personally don’t think he should be in our midfield but that wasn’t what the discussion was about, it was about the unfair scapegoating he receives.
@Cazorla –
“No Jim. I’ve read your negative posts and that’s just you I’m afraid.”
Lol… not to be confrontational, but are you either a young supporter or a recent one?
Well that’s a different matter then.
Feeling sorry for him and thinking he has been hard done by rather than definitely wanting him to continue as the pivotal midfielder in the side.
But there has been quite a few posters like that.
Don at it again, bringing you the deepest analysis on the french educational crisis.
Gonsterous “Last two games we played against Sheffield.and salvia prague” Salvia Prague sounds like a porn star. You do know this team haven’t lost at home in almost two years and didn’t concede against Leicester when they knocked them out? Prior to the game, everyone was saying how good Slavia are and how difficult it was for Arsenal to get a result. In fca, pundit after pundit was claiming they were a ‘proper team that would go through. Yet when we win and win well, we get the usual discrediting that has become a far too familiar theme on here.… Read more »
I wouldn’t use Xhaka as LB against Manure or the Wolves.
“That was some performance last night and shows how the team is developing. Nobody gave us a chance but that was a masterclass. Going to shut up a few people.“ AFC “Arsenal will beat Sheffield and then Slavia, and the Arteta project will be back on track” is what I posted after the first leg and put money on. A very enjoyable performance against a much weaker team that does the basics very well. Even when Arteta got his starting line up wrong and then sat on his hands for 80 minutes to change things up, Arsenal still should’ve won… Read more »
Ishola Yes. There are a lot of immature posters who have pretty limited ability to describe a players attributes or otherwise. These people refer to players as ‘Shit’ or similar. Xhaka is a very good player, with almost 100 caps for Switzerland. Hitzfield and Thorsten Fink give him high praise and successive coaches talk about how hard he trains, how he helps young players and his desire. Whenever he plays he gives his best, works hard for the team and therefore the ridiculous treatment he gets from certain bully’s is undeserved and unfair. As I mentioned previously, Unai Emery did… Read more »
what one has to remember with centre backs is that like Goalies they usually need time both to physically develop and gain the needed experience. Attackers can be good younger because their play is more instinctive. Martin Keown lest we forget was sold by Arsenal when he was 20 and only re-joined and gained his cult status when nearly 27. Gabriel has great potential just needs a season or two to mature
AFCForever
What you have said just there is what myself and others have been saying about Xhaka, but on one side where you have unmeasured views on him aka worst player ever, you have the other side who go in to bat for him come what may and feel that no upgrade is needed on him at all.
I’ve noticed that one of the main things Arteta has succeeded at is to lower the expectation bar amongst fans, whether by results or his comments ( needing six new players for example).
We mustn’t get brainwashed there, we’ve got enough talent to compete.
@Cazorla – If either is the case, here is a rundown of Arsenal’s big European nights since I have been supporting the club. 2000 – UEFA Cup Final: We lose on penalties to Galatasaray.with Suker and Vieira missing their penalties. 2003/04 – Champions League QF: The most egregious of all from my point of view. Losing by a last-minute Wayne Bridge goal at home to Chelsea. If we don’t concede that goal we win it that year, no doubt. 2006 – Champions League Final: I think we all know what occurred that night. 2009 – Champions League SF: We lose… Read more »
Cazorla
How exactly was Ajax the best team in competition?
WiglafApril 16, 2021 12:42:21
If Guendouzi’s parents had a grip on him as a child he’d not behave the way he does
The irony! LMFAOOOO
@Cazorla –
“We get it you don’t like the manager.”
I don’t care about Arteta one way or another, I care about the team. Believe it or not, I support the club not individuals within the club.
“The best team in the competition went out last night in Ajax”
The best team is United, easily. As it stands we are the third best out of four.
“(see you hedged your bets and mentioned both)”
I am not hedging bets, I am being very real about our chances.
Bullying?
😂😂😂
A very solid performance. The main thing now is not to underrate the next opponent because of Emery. They should approach the game professionally.
We have to win the trophy this time around.
Jamie O’hara is a thick chav prick
Tom “Even when Arteta got his starting line up wrong and then sat on his hands for 80 minutes to change things up, Arsenal still should’ve won the first leg comfortably. That should’ve told you everything about our chances in Prague.” Really? The Leicester result was not a factor, nor their unbeaten home record or all the pundits that said we would struggle to turn it around? You knew we would easily beat Slavia Prague. Of course, you did. Yes, in the first leg, we would have won had the team taken the chances that had been created, that’s not… Read more »
@AFC Forever –
It was a good win and good to see us actually play some decent football and kill a team off in the first half, but… it was Slavia Prague.. Last night’s result should have been standard for a club like Arsenal. We use to beat teams like this regularly in the Champions League with our second string out.
Jim
“The best team is United, easily. As it stands we are the third best out of four.”
What is that based on? No doubt you are going to claim Villareal are the fourth best?
So predictable. No doubt if we were to beat the first or second-best team it will be because they were poor. We’ve taken four points from Manchester United this season, so I fancy our chances should they make it to the final.
“What is that based on? No doubt you are going to claim Villareal are the fourth best?”
No, they are the second-best.. They have a manager who has won this competition 3 times and brought us to the final. You think we are just going to walk by them?
“We’ve taken four points from Manchester United this season, so I fancy our chances should they make it to the final.”
Yeah, we have, and somehow they are still 21 points ahead of us and sitting in second.
Jim Football is not as predictable as some like to pretend. Sure, you can wave hindsight in the air but ultimately it is a game of small margins. When we drew Slavia after they had knocked Leicester out, everyone said we had a tough draw. Last week, we were told by every pundit that Slavia are no mugs at home, where they haven’t lost for nearly two years, and that we would do well to actually score. It’s funny then that when we not only beat them but hand them a serious thrashing, that all of a sudden out of… Read more »
So many perfect settings with personnel already at hand.
Now it remains to be seen if Fraudeta will condescend to pick these guys or , as usual revert to his power mind games. Perhaps vitamin B-complex might do good to his nerves, of course nothing for his hair
Is Pedro lying under a bush pissed? I expected one of his lengthy write-ups.
Not quite AFC. I’ve consistently described Slavia for what they are which is a tiny club I’d expect us to thump over two legs if we play well. But you can only beat what’s in front of you and in the second leg we did so very well.
@AFC – ” It’s funny then that when we not only beat them but hand them a serious thrashing, that all of a sudden out of the woodwork come all the “It’s only Slavia” bollocks. Well they wasn’t “only Slavia” when they beat Leicester,” You have just mentioned two teams that I wouldn’t consider anywhere near the level of Arsenal Football Club. So yeah, it’s only Slavia and, it’s only Leicester. These clubs are not the sum of our ambitions. We played well last night, we should be playing well most weeks, we are (were) a huge club. “As I… Read more »
Rangers vs Arsenal July pre-season game.
Love seeing these two face up, good relationship there. Would take Glenn Kamara off them tomorrow
Tom The lack of balance hurts us just as much as a lack of quality Next season we should aim to construct a balanced squad 4 centre half’s instead of 8 2 attacking midfielders instead of none 2 competent left backs, instead of loaning out our 2nd left back in January, then overplaying our only left back, inevitably breaking him. and then leaving us with no left back 2 right backs instead of 4 4 central midfielder instead of 6 4 wide forwards instead of 6 2 competent keepers, instead of leaving us 1 injury away from Armageddon A first… Read more »
AFC I didn’t say “easily “ so you don’t have to add to my original comment trying to discredit it. Yes, Slavia beat Leicester, and Zagreb beat Spurs , so the obvious conclusion must be Slavia and Zagreb are both quality. Except they aren’t , and Villareal, who are less talented than Spurs and coached by a bum apparently , won both legs against them comfortably. Stop the presses! ……… a small team beats a more talented side in a cup competition? Well, that’s surely never happened before. Doesn’t mean they’ll go on a cup win run does it. Maybe… Read more »
Rich you still need a bit more buffer than that a squad of 22, what happens when your first choice gets injured? Your second choice has to play every match? If there are several important games in a short period you need a bit more rotation options than that
That’s why beyond a core of 22 you need a good few versatile cheap and cheerful types (like chambers) who will make do in various positions as needed even if never first choice
Arsenal have had as easy a draw to make the final as one can ever wish for and I’m loving it.
China1
You buffer the squad with 2-3 talented under 23 players, and make sure some of your players are interchangeable
Leno, Ryan
Chambers, Soares
Tierney, Kolasinac
Holding, Saliba
Gabriel, Mari
Xhaka, Elneny
Partey, Willock
Odegaard, Smith-Rowe
Saka, Pepe
Martinelli, Willian
Lacazette, Aubameyang
I’m not talking about the quality of that squad, but numerically it’s fine, particularly if it’s backed up with Balogun, Azeez, Ballard, Cirjan
AFC
“Tom April 10,2021 21:27:40
We win tomorrow and then in Prague, and the process will be right back on”
I didn’t post my response to you to boost my ego or brag about a small bet I made lol.
Your “no one gave us a chance” comment made me respond to your post , which probably was a mistake and that’s the only hindsight here.
Nice effort at a psychoanalysis of my personal state of mind vis a vis supporting Arsenal.
Don’t give up your day job though.
China1
“That’s why beyond a core of 22 you need a good few versatile cheap and cheerful types”
———————————————————————————————————-
AMN would fit your bill. Whether he wants to do it is the question.
Tom, you really do go over the top when you try to frame your debate. You make no attempt whatsoever to be sensible because you have convinced yourself you are always right. As for the snide posts about lucky draws and whatnot, Jesus mate. Don’t make life all about you.
AFC
A sensible debate is kinda out the window after someone says no one gave Arsenal a chance against the Slavia fucking Prague.
“Tom’s an attention seeker.“
Says the guy who can’t live without posting on a blog from which he had been banned half a dozen times
Jim “So yeah, it’s only Slavia and, it’s only Leicester” It’s not about history, it’s about where you are at any given time. I have been going to Arsenal games for nigh on 40 plus years so I know how big we are. I remember the years when Man City and Chelsea were yo-yo-ing up and down the leagues, football started long before the Premier League and the money arrived. It’s not ‘Only Man City’ now and that’s the reality. Unfortunately, Arsenal, as huge as we are, have been through a problematic decade or so, for a number of reasons.… Read more »
Foythe the ex spurs defender plays for Villarreal and Coq is still there warming the bench.there.
davey
Yep, Etienne Capoue too.
Bloody hell I hate playing against ex-spud players they always seem to stick it over us
Cazorla
Yes, I thought Ajax would go through too. They were much the better team and would have given Man Utd a tougher game imo.
“Spoken the like the truly entitled modern fan”
I think that sums up some of the modern fans. They think every game is easy and losing is a disaster of monumental proportions. This is due to the clickbait media that create false narratives in an attempt to engage through ‘rage’. Football has definitely changed but is just a reflection of changes in society I guess. I stopped listening to the media channels a while back, they just insult everyone.
AFC Forever I agree, successful teams come and go in cycles When you’re young and your team is winning, you think it’ll last forever, as you age you learn to enjoy the good times much more, because you learn that life is full of ups and downs Even during what has been a lower ebb in the last 30+ years, we’ve still won 4 FA Cups, and reached a couple of finals as well in the last few years Plenty of massive clubs have slipped out of the top flight, and taken years to come back, we’re a team in… Read more »
Look at the table, no way we can finish anywhere higher than 7th. Liverpool sit in 6th with a 7 point lead which we can’t overcome.
Spurs are 4 points above us, and it’s a long shot but we can overtake them if we pick up 15 from the remaining 18 points. All on us to perform. Finish the season strong.
If we end up in 9th and don’t make the final of the EL, maybe safe to say, mikela may not be here next season.
I think that sums up some of the modern fans. They think every game is easy and losing is a disaster of monumental proportions.
This is very true.
People keep saying such and such are a side we should be beating comfortably, yet I could point to literally dozens of ‘shock’ results in this seasons premiership alone.
Cazorla
No I haven’t watched them play ………hence the question.
Still think United , as beatable as they are , are the most talented side remaining.
Everton vs Spurs tonight
If they draw
Then Fridays game against Everton really has something on it
If City win the League Cup, and as long as Southampton don’t win the FA Cup
7th place I think gets into Europa League preliminaries?
We should be aiming for 60 points, 5 wins from 7
Fulham
Everton
Newcastle
West Brom
Chelsea
Palace
Brighton
It’s not the worst run in, and 60 points would be 4 more than last season, which at least gives us something to build on next season
Rich
Looking at the fixtures, 15 points seem realistic but this is arsenal after all. You can be sure, we will make it difficult for ourselves. I’d be surprised if we get more than 10 points.
Gonsterous
I’m not confident, but we showed after Xmas we’re capable of putting a run together
I don’t want our season to fizzle out, we’re second favourites for the Europa, and we need to give that a good go
And if there’s a chance to finish about Spurs, or get the last Europa spot, then we have to keep fighting to make that happen, it’s something to aim for
New post
Not
Rich 7th, assuming Southampton don’t win the FA Cup, will qualify you for the play-off preliminary stages of the new Europa Conference League (the new 3rd tier competition below the EL, starting next season). Now that will be a truly embarrassing competition for a club of our stature to be participating in (think Dundalk being an average level side in that). I can’t imagine who you’d be meeting in the preliminary play-offs in the middle of the summer. A literal pub team from Estonia? On one hand as a club we can’t really turn our noses up at European silverware,… Read more »
Where is Pedro? Hopefully not malaria !
Unusual for Pedro not to drop a new post after last night. Hope he’s alright
Rich Enjoyed your comments and agree. Life experience far out weighs ideology & fantasy, I always smile when a younger poster claims a team is ‘easy’ or ‘shit’, it’s such an ignorant mindset. I’ve played at a decent level, you turn up with that attitude & you’re in for big trouble! Football has always been cyclic, not quite as much now due to the Oil money elevating yo-yo teams to levels they would never achieve otherwise because it’s less organic. As you say, you have to enjoy the high points and try not to whine & blub your way through… Read more »
If Everton do the Spuds, the Mourinho out cries will be ringing along with the offers for Harry the diver Kane. This is a club that is once again proving that the constant changing of Manager is a failed philosophy followed by people who think football management is as simple as putting 11 names on a team sheet. The way Levy treated Pochetino was a disgrace & they deserve everything they get with Mourinho & his rotational fouling.
Yea but Chelsea constantly boot out failing managers and they’ve got the healthy trophy cabinet to show for it
Or you think Klopp gets another full season if they are as rubbish as they’ve been this season lol. It’s 2021 and not 2005 anymore, football is a results business and if a manager is failing at getting said results then serious football clubs show them the door..
All depending on what the ambitions of the club are anyway so if a club and its fans are okay with finishing double digits away from the top positions every season as long they get the odd win against a big tram here and there then that’s fine
AFC Forever
I liked a quote I seen from the queen
“Grief is the price we pay for love”
It’s like that with football, or anything in life, the biggest critics are usually the biggest optimists, they criticise because they believe so strongly that things can improve, not necessarily because they’re negative people
Ultimately all Arsenal fans want wants best for the team, we just occasionally disagree in how that’s achieved
“It’s like that with football, or anything in life, the biggest critics are usually the biggest optimists, they criticise because they believe so strongly that things can improve, not necessarily because they’re negative people“
Bingo
What’s the effing point of playing Elneny if Partey is going to have to come on anyway in an attempt to save the game..Surely its better to start him and then take him off later in the game.
We now also have another opportunity to witness Neketiah’s lack of suitability at first hand….I would be far happier seeing Balogun on the bench.
We might have seen two VAR decisions go against us but its disgraceful to see any Arsenal team struggling to draw with…let alone beat… a toothless piss-poor Fulham side.
Arteta really is clueless.
I would suggest that before posters on Le Grove shoot from the hip further they read what has now been published on the Arsenal Official Website and provides a proper explanation of what is being proposed. 1. The European Super League will be a “mid-week” competition. It is not designed to replace the Domestic Leagues. 2. In the short term there will be 15 clubs in the competition including the 12 who have signed up. An additional 5 clubs will be invited to join in due course. 3. The function of the new league is to replace the Champions League… Read more »