Preseason moved into game two yesterday against Rangers. Mikel Arteta went back to the club that gave him his first British experience, even though it was against the backdrop of the smallest crowd he’s probably ever played there.
The game was so, so.
The players looked fitter and sharper. We controlled the 90 much better. We also created a lot of chances. 19 attempts with 9 shots on target is far closer to what most of us were hoping for against teams in a weaker league.
The highlight was seeing Tavares score a great goal with his weaker foot. He has power, he moves at speed, and he clearly has all the raw ingredients to be a good player… he’s certainly plenty raw though.
The two areas for big improvement.
Obviously, we can’t keep conceding goals from set plays. We did a pretty decent job last season rectifying the issues of the season prior… we cannot slip back to corners feeling like penalties. Good job we have pinched the coach from City to help out.
The other area is in the final third. Auba missed some really easy chances, as did the rest of the team. Arteta had this to say.
‘Overall I’m really pleased with the performance. I think we dominated the game, we created so many chances – I counted about eight or 10 clear chances to score – but this game is decided in both boxes. We weren’t clinical in the opponent’s box’
Goals will come, I’ve no doubt. The key point I’m excited about is that we’re finding ways to move the ball into the final third. Last season, we could barely create.
We still have plenty of good players coming back, transfers will kick up a gear over the next two weeks, and we’ll start to see more sharpness with the play.
Arteta trains a cognitive style of football. He teaches patterns of play that take time to bed into players. He picked Arsenal up from a very low point, his ideas will hopefully start to impact the style of football this season and we’ll not only see a lift in quality, we’ll see a lift in how exciting the football is.
Ben White joining Arsenal is one part of solving the lack of speed we moved the ball through the lines. If you complained about our football being slow last season and can’t see how a ball-playing centre back helps move us on in that department, I can’t help you.
We really need to address the partner for Thomas Partey in the midfield. That will again help speed up the football and make us more unpredictable and give us more options.
The key move we’re all waiting for is who the attacking midfielder is because without that, we’re going to have another frustrating year. I don’t care if it’s Maddison or Aouar, we need someone to help us bind it all together. Resting a season on the shoulders of ESR and Saka is not the path to top 4.
Also worth noting that we haven’t had a viable right back for 2 seasons. Even yesterday, it was absolutely clear that there needs to be a big upgrade on Bellerin and Soares. We’ve spent the last 18 months building from the left. Imagine Pepe having a right-back that could offer him Tierney levels of service? Would be incredible.
There’s not a lot bubbling in the ether today… but Arteta said he was looking forward to some new players joining the party next week.
‘We’re going to have some new faces arriving probably, so very positive.’
Let’s see how we’re looking this time next Sunday.
See you in the comments.
I’m guessing Brighton have asked for the full £50 million fee to be paid regardless of bonuses and or appearances. As was Brighton’s aim from day one. I’ve always wondered the point in having negotiations go on and on just for the final fee to be the exact asking price initially laid out by the selling team. Did we not get a sense of this earlier on? Is this further confirmation of Edu being a soft touch in negotiations? But I’m happy with the signing as he is an improvement on what we have. Now that its done and dusted… Read more »
Andy,
Perry Groves is just saying what everybody with eyes and not lost in the cult of Arteta can see. Ødegaard is not the kind of player who will dominate games. He won’t forcefully drag Arsenal to the top 4 promise land.
On the other hand, ESR like Martinelli has that infectious buzz that pushes his teammates to do more. Press more, run more off the ball.
Arteta couldn’t suss out Mustafi in one season yet he figured out Saliba in 2.5 games . The same Mustafi that was regretting not “doing more for” for Ozil.
I’ll stick to my convictions about the manager until proven otherwise.
Odegaard is a poor man’s Ozil, without the footballing gravitas.
That Areta is besotted with him is understandable.
DigitalBob, Arsenal had the same issue with the Saliba deal. The ASSE chairman said that the only stipulation on which he would not budge was Saliba spending one year on loan at his club. We kept offering more money to remove that clause. In the end we offered more than what he was willing to accept and we had to accept their loan demand. It is like the Arsenal negotiation team can’t read a room and spot when somebody is not bluffing. Arrogance, hubris and ignorance merge into one. It remind me of the joke about the air craft carrier… Read more »
Dissenter he even offered him a new contract which should be default get you chased out of town by an agent pitchfork waving mob haha
Can you imagine mustafi being offered a new contract last summer????
And even weirder was him turning it down LOL
Wtf was going on
Asking price of Auoar is so low yet so many clubs supposedly after him are not wrapping up the deal to sign him. Is there more to the story than meets the eye ? Bad attitude or inconsistency or both ?
China1
Mustafi was in camp Ozil, so it’s no wonder why he declined to sign an extension.
That Arteta missed the massive dissent in his camp says a lot about him, Mustafi who was no longer invested in the club was picked ahead of a budding talent whop reported to Arsenal weeks before he was due.
The club knew he hadn’t played for a while due to Ligue un’s covid shut down, yet they didn’t factor that in before assessing him after 2.5 games.
Dissenter everyone knows 2.5 games is more than enough for the kids but you gotta times that by at least 10 if you wanna judge senior players
It’s weird that Pierre is against us signing Ozil Jr. Thought he’d be pushing hard for his reincarnated Messiah. As it stands, however, we are on the same opinion. He rates ESR more than he rates Odegaard as this is where it always goes to – do you rate a player’s potential above the potential of his teammate’s fighting for the same position. As this is a very close one as it stands, why toss 60m big ones? It’s also the EPL where pace and power are often king unless you are DB10 who also had plenty of power. In… Read more »
TR7
I think the player is disenchanted with Aulas for how he was managed last summer. Aulas overplayed his hand and cost the player a move.
Auoar is cheap because everyone knows he’s trying to force a move, same way Xhaka’s valuation is low because he too is trying to leave.
TR7 Aouar has stamina issues, he never completes 90 mins. Questions about his attitude as well
Imo there are a lot of red flags but at 17m and on reasonable wages I say fuck it. He can rotate with lokonga next to partey. If he doesn’t work out then it was only 17m, no tears will be shed at that price
Aouar, with his disciplinary problems and all still offers better value than Odegaard and Maddison.
Aouar at 17m is exactly the kind of deal wenger would’ve done in his hey day
Quality player with some issues and a crazy low price just in need of a bit of rehabilitation. Wenger would’ve been alllll over that
Arteta can use Aouar to actually learn man-management
Wenger loved players like Aouar; rejectees with high potential.
Dissenter
I know why Auoar is cheap but I am wondering why are the interested clubs not simply paying paltry 17M and getting done with it.
China
Yeah despite the issues you listed he is dirt cheap. Arsenal are playing a low ball, Spurs are dragging their feet too. Surprising really.
If we are going for Aouar, it’s the type of deal where you don’t rub salt in the face of the selling club.
They ask for 18 million, no ifs…ands…or buts
Pay it and get out of Dodge before they change their mind.
Don’t start squabbling over the odd 1 million.
It’s not prime Wenger at the helm now is it. Instead we have this egocentric manager who has managed to fight with half his squad in the space of a year and a half.
Even the people he gave a lifeline when he started managing – Xhaka, Mustafi and Leno, can’t wait see the back of him.
China – Aouar is an AM so why would we buy another?
We need a CM more than anything. An AM s a bonus but as we have ESR I’m still not convinced this is a priority and certainly not for Maddison money. So Aouar for 17m would make som sense but not at the expense of a CM
TR7
He’s a temperamental one, which I think you’re alluding to.
He needs delicate man-management but is undoubtedly super talented. He will eventually reach a stage of calmness just like Rabiot
”TR7 Aouar has stamina issues, he never completes 90 mins. ”
He completed 3069 mins in Ligue 1 in 2018/19 which averages out to 34 full ninety minute apps on top of 7 full CL apps and domestic cup games [3].
So stamina didn’t seem to be an issue before. I would lean towards it being attitude/training related and a likelihood that he didn’t crack on with the gaffer as the reason for the reduced mins.
North banker Aouar plays deeper than a 10. He’s creative but not a regular 10 and will do better from deeper. Also I wouldn’t bank on him joining the press if he plays 10 because he can’t even play 90 mins. Better to put him somewhere where he’s not out of puff after 12 mins Re why arteta hasn’t just say fuck it and put the cash on the table, I suspect if the asking price was 40m he’d be making offers left right and center but getting an established highly talented player for 1/3 of what he would’ve cost… Read more »
North
Auoar is a bit like Cazorla, can play both as a CM and a CAM. In fact he can play wide too.
Northbanker
“China – Aouar is an AM so why would we buy another?”
I’m not sure where you’re getting your info from but Aouar is primarily a central midfielder, a very good one at that.
Aouar will complement ESR very well, a lot better than playing ESR with Ode.
One day, I will know how to arrange all the vowels in that name of his .
Wenger on the other hand would’ve been walking around with a full on pitched tent on his pants at this price point
He’s get him for 17m. Extract 2-3 good years out of him then flog him to Barca for double (probably worth triple but old weng rarely got full value from his sales ☹️
Auoar has that bit of Alexis magic about him.
If he ticks he can take you to the CL or even beyond that but fist he has to find his mojo back.
TR7
He’s a superior vertical dribbler to prime Cazorla because of his extra burst of acceleration which Santi lacked but he has ways to go before he can be held up as an all-round midfielder as good as Santi was between passing ability/range, vision, finishing, ball retention, set-piece ability and off the ball application.
For a 23 year old though he has immense potential. He will explode in the right environment.
China1
“He’s get him for 17m. Extract 2-3 good years out of him then flog him to Barca for double (probably worth triple but old weng rarely got full value from his sales ☹️”
so true
Quick turn around, manage his attitude problem and sell him to Juve or Madrid in 2023.
There’s a maverick about Aouar .
The fact that he has attitude issues would’ve given prime weng an even bigger stiffy
He absolutely loved a good project player didn’t he
Arteta’s fetish for Ode will mess up our summer
The club’s deference to a manager still learning his trade will anchor us to midtable for a while.
Wenger was a brilliant restoration artist
Buy a dilapidated homes and flip it before anyone knows you covered up the mold with cheap paint.
I’m not sure Aouar is the type of player that will do well with a manager backing out micro-instructions on the sidelines. He needs some freedom to do his work; freedom and trust.
WE
Yes Auoar moves well vertically whereas Cazorla was a master at dribbling the ball out from a very congested area. All in all Auoar is talented enough for us to take a punt on him.
Wenger would’ve had Willock, Nelson, saka, esr, martinelli, guendouzi, and AMN all doing serious things if this was 2008
The only great youth player he’d have failed is saliba and that’s just because he didn’t have the foggiest about how to coach CBs. But at least he’d have been ‘like a father to him’ and not cunted him off in a cloud of embarrassment lol
Wenger would buy Aouar and make him be the one to collect the fines for lateness
I’ve been missing Wenger recently, someone help me.
If saliba was here in 2006 he’d have been an absolute mountain because keown was in charge
I wont be surprised if Aouar ends up at Atalanta
Gasperini will love managing him.
Memories of eboue senderos toure and flamini with a certain child prodigy in CM pocketing every midfield and attack in Europe en route to the CL final was the stuff dreams are made of.
Keown deserves a fucking statue for that. Toure was the only serviceable player in the entire defense and they had a fucking child at CM in front of them
That was magic, it really was
socios just announced by the club. Brilliant idea, promise to get fans more involved in the club, following the debacle of a super League, then go with the cryptocurrency nonsense anyone anywhere ( spurs fans for instance )can get their hands on to push a false narrative of fan support that will give the yank owners more cash, still no real representative from the terraces. Rich get richer, the class of the Arsenal I grew up with is a rapidly receding memory, I’ve got mates in London getting more and more into Barnet and the orient and you can really… Read more »
Tr7
“”Yes Auoar moves well vertically whereas Cazorla was a master at dribbling the ball out from a very congested area. All in all Auoar is talented enough for us to take a punt on him.”””””
All well and good
But he does understand Arteta’s Cognitive Theory?
Or does he have the “” specificity “” Manuel wants in his players?
(Specificity!!! and he has Steve Round as his no.2)
What a load of tripe, people come out with.
And some people actually believe this BS.
Eboue had a torrid time of it towards the end being shunted out to a RW spot and became a real scapegoat but to be honest before Sagna was signed in 2007 he did a very serviceable job of replacing Lauren for a season and he played very well in our CL run to the Final the season before. He was made out to be a meme player when he really was a decent RB. He was just unlucky to have been sandwiched in between two better ones in Lauren and Sagna who were two of our greatest modern RBs.… Read more »
Aouar came back from a serious injury mid way through the season that is one of the reasons he has not completed 90 minutes. Hopefully with a proper pre season that should have no impact on his stamina.
Arteta viewed Guendouzi as a petulant, man child who need to be kicked out of the club, however he never refused to follow tactics or football related instructions. Aouar did. Multiple times under at least two managers. In term of character, I would seriously doubt that he will be Arteta compatible.
Eboue was awesome before Sagna came and went off a cliff after he arrived. I don’t really know why
Valentin – That is very worrying, because the initial Saliba transfer is now several years old and it seems we/Edu are not learning from past negotiations.
Once you get a reputation for being a soft touch its very hard to shake and impacts on multiple levels, it really looks like this might be happening here.
They’ve announced Sambi
https://www.arsenal.com/news/welcome-sambi-lokonga-joins-arsenal
China
He was a very good attacking RB but once he was ahead of the ball he was clueless which is why him at RW never panned out.
People had the reductive idea [fast, good crosser, defensively strong for a wideman= will work as a winger] that he would work higher up the pitch, same as those calling for Vermaelen to be our answer to the CDM crisis as he was athletic, combative and a strong tackler without factoring in everything else that goes into mastering the position.
So far we’ve sold four youngsters on permanent deals Ben Sheaf, Trae Coyle, Zech Medley and Mark MacGuinness… all fees undisclosed.
I hope we received at least £2m for the group… at the very least! Plus add on fees…
Arteta; “Albert is a very intelligent player who has shown great maturity in his performances during his development. He has been coached well by Vincent Kompany and his team at Anderlecht. I know Vincent very well and he talks so highly about Albert and the positive impact he had to Anderlecht in recent seasons. We’re confident Albert’s ready for the next stage in his development and we’re looking forward to welcoming a new member to our squad with his quality and presence.”
How tall is Lokonga:?
Because half of the sources say that he is 1.73m/5 foot 8 and the other half say that he is 1.83m/6 foot.
Lol, bit of a discrepancy there on one of their ends.
Considering how long that deal took to get finalised, I am not hopeful on significant business being done in the next few weeks.
Is Lokanga the Ceballos replacement and Lacatelli the Xhaka replacement? Does that mean Azeez is out on loan or with the U23s for another year?
Matt
Edu is going to travel with the team to Florida ,e he may be busy for a while.
However, I’m pretty sure most of the transfers are done on teleconferencing anyways. Arsenal negotiators didn’t travel to Belgium to sign Lokonga.
Is Lokonga 6 foot or another 5’8 midget anyone know? Lol.
Edu traveling with the team to Florida may actually serve a good purpose since we play Inter there.
He can use the face to face to thresh out the Bellerin move
It’s extremely weird that we’re not all over Aouar since the transfer window started. Same Aouar who was the centerpiece of Arteta’s wet dreams last Summer and because of whom we almost didn’t sign a marquee CM in Partey. The rumours at the time was that after months of negotiating with Lyon, we reached the point where the player had to say if he wanted to join us or not, and Aouar said no, because we had no UCL football. Well we had Europa League football at the time, and we don’t even have that at the moment. I see… Read more »
New post.
Andy, great comment 9:20!
Dissenter I posted earlier that Inter has pulled out of Florida due to Covid concerns in the state
Ridiculous decision to travel there right now. Florida leads the US in Covid cases
Pedro “NVM, Luiz player for Arsenal… White for Brighton. One is 34, the other is 23.Think we can see why White is appealing to Arsenal.” I was not advocating for Arsenal to keep Luiz. It was time for him to go. I was originally pointing out the irony of calling Luiz Arsenal’s best defender, which minus the mistakes he probably was, when his tackle and pressure number were almost identical to Saliba’s who you called passive, though I didn’t mention Saliba in the original post. Defensive numbers are largely contingent on style of play.. My response about White not matching… Read more »