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.
Not to mention that when Chelsea was knocked out of Europe what did they do?
They made the most of it by hiring Conte and won the EPL.
Can we really think we could do that under Arteta? Be honest!
*knocked out of Europe for a whole season…
Leeds, how did it work out for Spurs when they sacked Jose to hire Conte?
“Unlike Pepe who couldn’t be gifted back to France for a third of his transfer fee, Ben White could be very average and still depart for 25-30 mil aged 26. From that POV it’s value.“ CC , Ben White will have exactly the same amount of suitors as Pepe did if he has a distinctly average couple of seasons with Arsenal. Top four clubs won’t want him at any discount price and others won’t be able to afford his Arsenal wages, which is exactly the reason Pepe going back to France would’ve been a none starter whether for a third… Read more »
any word on Bissouma? Is this going to be a hush hush thingy?
Seems like there is not much noise with folks wanting him?
Hmmmm
Seems like a good time to pounce
Pedro if our CB offering is so weak how did we have those great defensive records last year that you kept highlighting? It was all David luiz carrying us?
Right.
CC: “Ben White could be very average and still depart for 25-30 mil aged 26. From that POV it’s value.”
Never in doubt when you think about the likes of Welbeck and Chambers I guess.
China, have a think about what makes the best of individuals at a football club.
Also it’s Rob Balding now
At least get his name right
Ok so if the manager can elevate in your opinion substandard defenders to be an excellent defensive unit then one would presume you don’t need to spend 50m replacing a very error prone player like luiz
Should be able to get a more reasonably priced player and coach the unit to success, right?
China, not sure that follows a straight path to any logic
Pedro is on fire tonight doing the shameful. He’s just all over the place to prove that he’s right and that Arteta must be worshipped. Arsenal only played Rangers and what stood out for pedro was our ability to move ball around in the final third against Rangers, smh
You tell me Pedro! Let’s be clear that Luis was not an elite CB last season. He had great games and shit ones – as per his standard in every other season. But the unit as you said was sufficiently good and the alternatives also sufficiently good that we still had a decent record. Replacing an inconsistent and error prone player who is sometimes great and sometimes awful shouldn’t need to cost 50m. Tho don’t get me wrong, if white comes in and is soon one of the best defenders in the world, we got ourselves a good deal there.… Read more »
Tom
No he won’t, he’s already shown himself a capable PL player. In 3 years he remains a valuable commodity to English teams because of his pedigree and profile, whereas Pepe only has suitors in France who are all paupers by comparison.
John Stones was ‘available’ last summer for 20-30 mil depending your source but refused to move. Ben White can underwhelm and still retain more value than our recent foreign imports that’ve done just that.
Ratora
You nailed it there, identical profile of player. Perma crock and a guy that hasn’t cracked the first team.
China1
Why are you fixating on Luiz’s errors or erratic defending when the void that’s being filled is based technically, and in terms of our ability to build from the back?
None of our defenders are excellent footballers, whereas Luiz absolutely was, and Ben White is praised from all corners as being just that.
Pedro,
Ben White:Scouted, backed by data, young, doesn’t make many errors, sell on value, so super agent.,
Sell on value? Where do you think the market is going? Arsenal only get value for him if he’s a linchpin for a decade, which he could be, but I don’t sell on value unless the Manchester Clubs or Chelsea come for him in the next 5 years. His value is inflated by the homegrown surtax and big clubs on the continent aren’t going to pay that surtax.
China, if you can accept a manager has a talent for creating a unit out of sub-par talent, it’s odd to not move to the next level of: ‘maybe better players would do better things in said system’
VickingZ… real dangerous to analyse the game. 🥱
NVM, market won’t be broke forever.
Wider point, if he’s good, we win
Charlie I’m not fixating on his errors I’m talking about the complete package, the good the bad and the ugly. Some of our best periods of the season didn’t have him consistently in the lineup. Mari and holding were doing well together just after Christmas for example. I think we’re overstating the impact of the bonus that luiz brought in footballing terms. His best games last season were the ones when he defended great, more so than him doing some awesome transitions – and on his bad games any footballing quality he does have was negated by the errors. So… Read more »
As far as I’m concerned it’s a very simple arrangement – if he is top class then we got value for the fee. If he is anything less than that we’ve overpaid
Same applies equally to mustafi, Pepe, xhaka, ozil, laca etc etc etc who were all overpriced and under delivered
Over to Ben to show he was worth it now. I hope he does
I’m not sure Arteta claiming he will win the CL in three years is proof of anything, Pedro.
Let’s focus on whether we feel we are closer to winning it now or further away then when his tenure began.
We won’t win it this year, for sure.
All these stratospheric spending just to attain pruned objectives
China I don’t think Luiz’s football influence is overstated, I think the opposite in truth. It’s a part of the game that often goes unnoticed in regular viewing because there’s little immediate returns like a goal/assist from a 50 yard pass. But creating an angle for a pass and breaking lines consistently from CB is massive. In reality a lot of what Luiz brought was hurt some by Xhaka being the recipient in midfield. He never had the light footedness to receive on the half turn and continue the progressions that way. Instead he’d drop deeper and him and Luiz… Read more »
China, I think it’s pretty clear we’ve overpaid. From where we are, maybe we needed to. Edu has to thin out our CD ranks anyway. Let’s see the quantum of our activity this summer and look at where we are as a squad then.
Charlie respect for the Xhaka slight 😁
Charlie, Luiz was horrible for us.
Regular defensive errors and quarterback passes which resulted in us having fewer attempts on goal than I can ever remember.
If we have pace and skill in our midfield, do we really need a CB who can bomb forward and dribble past people? That would be my question. I also don’t think we need a goalkeeper who can take a good penalty.
Moray, suspect Pep asked himself if having a good midfield was all that’s needed to be successful.
Moray
Luiz wasn’t horrible for us at all, that’s a sham.
You can have the best midfield in football, but you’ve got to get them the ball. How do you do that in an era of high-press football without defenders that can create a yard and pass through traffic well?
Don’t we have any intermediaries that can convince Locatelli about the Arsenal project?
We can easily get Locatelli and Aouar for about 60 million
If only we had our priorities right
I ‘ve forgotten that we will have Torriera on our books
Can’t we offer him as part swap in the Locatelli deal?
PedroJuly 18, 2021 22:55:28 “NVM, he played 46 games in one season for Bielsa… the most intense manager in the league. Pretty sure he can muster the levels we need” Is this a response to my throw away line at the end of what was initially a sarcastic post about Luiz. It’s the only time I mentioned White in this thread. That said, the data unquestionably shows that Luiz’ combined progressive carries and passes last season exceeded Whites progressive carries and passes by about 150 meters per 90 minutes. (FBref) It’s a fact that White has yet to demonstrate the… Read more »
Dissenter we probably could offer torreira and he might be tempted but Loca still seems too hesitant. At the end of the day he’s a Juve fan and has them interested. He will also know if he doesn’t join now there’s no guarantees they won’t just move on to another target and never come back in for him again. Football can be a cruel mistress Imagine if it were you playing for Wolves and Arsenal were trying to get you and just struggling with the finances – meanwhile you have Roma banging the door down to get you. Sure it’s… Read more »
I think Luiz’s ball playing ability was more important in artetas first season when he kept banging those balls over the top to auba to run in and score
Since that tactic got sussed I think luiz’s influence on our build up and attack has been dramatically less important
Pedro
I don’t know what you’re on about but the fact that he told Daniel Levy where to do makes him (Conte, that is) eminently suitable to be Arsenal manager. 😜😂😉
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.
Leeds, the reason he didn’t take the job would be the same for Arsenal.
*go not do…
Pedro
What do you mean? That Conte is a cheque book manager?
Errr, what’s Arteta then? Is he buying his targets with Costco coupons? Or does £50m for White not count? 😂😂😂
Face it, he might be younger and yes YOU love him as we all know and have been told ad nauseum but Arteta is just as a cheque book manager.
After all as we all know, he learnt how to be one from the best!
*cheque book manager as Conte is…
Leeds, don’t shift the argument. Arteta took the job. Conte wouldn’t.
Charlie, I appreciate the value of a centre back who can develop the ball through the midfield.
My point was that, whatever Luiz was doing, it helped us deteriorate as a team each year he played for us.
Pedro
Don’t dodge the facts.
Arteta, like Pep, is a cheque book manager… but fair play to him that’s NOT ALL he is. I think I’m more than fair in saying this.
Arteta has been open minded enough to take the challenge on at a club where money wasn’t on tap.
Pep, for all his plaudits, only went to clubs where money wasn’t a problem. Where’s the challenge in that?!
Leeds, if your facts are ‘Arteta needs money to succeed’… I’m not sure that is the insult you think it is. It’s a desperate take
Pedro
I think you just can’t stomach any criticism of your hero. Bless.
I wish the Arsenal well.
Arteta has nowhere to hide.
Top 4 is the target for me, especially when he’s willing to spend £50m on a defender.
CC, you know who else showed himself as a proven PL player and England international?
Drinkwater…………. before he went to Chelsea in a big money move.
Guess where he’s playing now on loan?
Pedro
Why not bring Mike Mcdonald to showcase how we gonna play with the expected transfers coming in as opposed to last season ?
Leeds, if you have good criticism… but ‘he’s a chequebook manager’ is painfully average.
Divine, great idea!
All I’m saying is Arteta should be held to account…
Man Utd trying to sell Lingard, their version of Torreira for £30m, I wonder if they’ll get it?
If they do, we need to find out why we are so bad at selling our fringe players.
*and why other clubs are so much better than us in this…
I’m a big Odegaard fan but not at the expense of ESR being pushed out wide left.
If as Pedro said earlier that Madison wants to join us then he should put in a transfer request as our players do.
If he doesn’t, then that would suggest Madison isn’t serious about wanting to join us.
Rob needs to add a few scars (can draw them in pen if he doesn’t want to hurt himself) to make himself look scarier
His face is too friendly for his size and haircut
Valentin Going to disagree with your Odegaard observations. When Ode first arrived he had some very good games for us where most here wanted to make his move permanent. He was unlucky to get an injury from international duty I believe that he never really came back from. Whether this was was a mental thing or just not getting up to speed he didn’t regain his pre injury form. I always said that Ode should replace Xhaka with Thomas with ESR centrally in front in the 10 position. I don’t believe Ode was the problem post injury; Arteta and his… Read more »
Btw where is Gabriel at? He went to the cops America? When’s he back?
Tony I like Ode, tho I just feel he’s a little passive. The talent is there, he works hard as well. No major flaws and lots of strengths – but he would do better to take games by the scruff of the neck more. If his team mates don’t make runs for him to feed he typically likes to go safe sideways and back even tho he’s perfectly capable of dropping a shoulder and beating his man to force a change and create room for himself and others – he needs to do that more often imo
Divine
Mike may well have well thought out player positioning and in game transitions and selections, but the stumbling block will be Arteta having a settled first 11.
Hasn’t happened in 18 months, so odds are it won’t happen this season.
Always happy to be wrong but Arteta being as rigid as he is doesn’t make me think he’ll change.
Yeah Tony I will be surprised if we have a settled core of 13-14 players who play every week. It will likely be chopping and changing again as he likes that
please God no Ode
China 1
Totally agree with you but as I said it’s down to how Arteta directed Ode to play with Arteta’s style of handbrake football. Arteta seems to stifle players rather than let them express themselves.
Thus far Arteta hasn’t got the most out of his players – not one. Xhaka playing better was because he was protected and deep. It was a positional improvement, not an Arteta improving Xhaka and now Xhaka want to leave.
Arteta’s blue eyed boy wants to leave in his prime, says a lot about Arteta.
Guns
Try please god no Arteta first and see what an elite manager would do with Ode/ESR and our front 3.
Did you not think Ode was good before his injury?
Yeah for Ode to do his best he needs to be told to play more aggressively but also the wingers and CF need to be told to make more direct off the ball runs Ode’s ability to play a killer through ball is absolutely class so his team mates also need to facilitate that by giving him runs to aim for It should be when he picks up the ball anywhere near the final third that Saka, Pepe and Auba should all be desperately fishing for space to burst into so he can find them Our offense in general is… Read more »
Ode is a light weight. Almost exclusively left footed. He does not move well with the ball. Not sure what you all are watching at all… He does lose the ball a fair bit, and presses but with no end product… So, he has some energy but to last an entire season… nope ESR is robust, stronger, and better able to use both legs. Ode does not want to be back- unlike Dani who said in the press over and over he likes it at Arsenal etc, you dont hear a peep from Ode. He wants to make it at… Read more »
Ode is not a needle mover to me at all…. we need those… and for an attacker, please mother of Jesus, make them 2 footed!
Maddison yes!
You see what damage sterling does when he gets on the ball. He constantly goes forwards and asks questions of his man, most of the time it comes off. Sanchez was the same Don’t be so safe. Wingers and AMs are allowed to lose the ball sometimes provided they’re getting good payoff for taking risks frequently. Save the safety for the deeper players and CBs ffs. Like with Pepe. Our CMs need to beat their man and he needs to be drifting forwards between the lines, the CMs then need to put it just ahead of him to run onto… Read more »
Ode in CM would spend more time in the sanatorium than Gundogan
Ode never really looked all the comfortable with Mike ball.
its shocking that someone so one footed is not seen as a liablity with a team that lacks offensive nous from their mids.
Any CAM needs to be 2 footed. Sorry but being one footed means you move in a certain way to keep and recieve the ball on the left foot. Its mind numbing how said players cannot use their weaker foot to keep moving forward but instead my twist their body to keep the ball on their left. This is Pepe part 2 no way…. ever
Guns/China
Not disagreeing with either of you, but your comments are on the plays and movement Arteta demands and the players have fear of upsetting the tyrant Arteta.
Our off the ball movement is very poor under Arteta that makes it hard for playmakers; I’d bet it would be the same if we had Madison – he would have to play to Arteta’s tactics that are slowed down by the safety handbrake.
Ok Guns we’ll have to agree to disagree and hope we get what we need whoever that maybe.
Poor development- and how these players made it this far is a good testatment to them but as a youth coach, that had to have been corrected to some degree …. I mean even now, youth players here are practicing all the time with their weaker foot. Its something that most coaches I speak with encourage all the time. Sucks for the kids but in order to really be good you must learn both feet.
Look at Maddison video please!!!! scores with both feet and uses them well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd-ACkQkWj8
Odegaard has a dominant left foot but also is better with his right peg than people think.
Guns
If we bought Madison how long before you think the spicy Madison upsets Arteta’s non-negotiables?
I get what you’re saying but we have to remember the dogmatic elephant in the room.
Interesting what Tavares said Tony… he said Mike told him to play Free and not be scared
Has Mike had a change of heart????
id rather take Coutinho on loan than a sale for Ode….
I wonder how zlatan feels that giroud, his new partner, has won a CL and a World Cup whilst he has won neither
Sweden winning a world cup? nah
Guns
I sincerely hope so.
#banthehandbrake
Apparently Brighton is planning to use some of the money we give them for Ben White to bud for Odsonne Edouard.
Why don’t we see if they will take Eddie Nketiah from us? £15m with a generous add on clauses should do the trick.
Plus Yves Bissouma swap for AMN and Reiss Nelson? They have been interested in both players previously.
Maddison or Odegaard..no contest. Maddison all day long , he has more energy in his game, is unpredictable, has a hunger to make things happen, and will score and create more than Odegaard. Maddison sees himself more as a number 8 than a no.10, so maybe there would be room for both he and Smith rowe, though personally I would rather see at least one quality centre mid come in above all else.. Odegaard is predictable but reliable , so I assume Arteta will prefer him, similar to himself who was about as predictable as they come but a player… Read more »
Guns
Are you a ‘sleep when I’m dead’ kind of Bon Jovi guy?
or like my daughter who works better at night?
No players should be in the mold of Mike A.
No thanks
Slow, boring, over run all the time, defensively suspect, only good at long passes
( sounds like Ode)
Mike A got most of his goals from the spot too
“Odegaard is predictable but reliable , so I assume Arteta will prefer him, similar to himself who was about as predictable as they come but a player you could rely on” You could bet right Pierre with the comparison currently, but Ode has a better temperament and played more like Maddison at Ajax if my memory is right. Ajax have never been predictable when I’ve watched them play. More like the fast flowing ‘total football’ style of play. Arteta and Ten Hag are different managers in most aspects. Do you see this differently Pierre? Pretty sure you watch far more… Read more »
Tony
My eyes are about to close…
TV is still on… but going to call it a day soon. Like about now…
Tony
I actually am not interested in criticizing Arteta anymore , I’d rather see what he is gonna do this season with the players he is bringing in .
Considering that Luiz was our “best defender” , I can’t remember too many Arsenal fans being disappointed when he decided to leave….the opposite in fact.
To me, that says it all really.
I think your memory is playing tricks on you Tony.
Is it possible that you are mixing Odegaard up with Bergkamp.
Here’s a 7amkickoff analysis on what Locatelli is and how he’d contribute in our formation . More interesting is the stats based dissect of our mid field, deficits, and what’s still missing in terms of mid field signings
https://7amkickoff.com/index.php/2021/07/16/ben-white-manuel-locatelli-and/
Rodgers sets Maddison fee “…getting towards Maguire money”. Well, fat chance Arsenal would nor should pay £80m or thereabout for Maddison….
Shows how costly it’d become when you let a very paletteable alternative in Buendia got away
Tony “Our off the ball movement is very poor under Arteta that makes it hard for playmakers; I’d bet it would be the same if we had Madison – he would have to play to Arteta’s tactics that are slowed down by the safety handbrake.” This is true, our movement is poor and that is why Smith Rowe is a blessing as he is the one that flicks the switch and the game comes alive. Even when Smith Rowe plays a simple ball he will always be on the move looking for the return, i would imagine that he is… Read more »
Divine I posted yesterday I’m prepared to give Arteta a clean slate going forward. That said I only have the last 18 months to reflect on Arteta; therefore, quoting past behavior is a fact and not a criticism. If Arteta has changed, then I welcome that and us genuinely plying football that will get us into the CL. I’ll get firmly behind Arteta if that ism the case. Until then I’ll watch closely and not criticize regularly, but Arteta has a short time frame (10 games) same as I gave Emery. Do leopards change their spots? Let’s see, Divine, as… Read more »
Want to see a 3-4-2-1 formation employed by Arteta next season
Leno
White –Holding–Mari
Saka –Partey — Naves —Tiernney
———-ESR——-Maddison——
—————–Auba/Laca————-
The above formation allows Saka to combine with ESR and also ensures that creative responsibility is not only on one young kid ESR. Maddison can take some responsibility of creating chances. If he plays in an advanced position he can shoot and play through balls.
Partey and Neves are capable of helping both defense and attack. Tierney will have the license to bomb forward knowing there are 3 center backs manning the defense.
TR7 that’s a good lineup. I don’t like playing wing backs but it is a good lineup if we play with them. Tho I would prefer us not to have Neves
Amusing view on Auba’s performance, ,courtesy arseblog
Fair play to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He’s now in the September of his career and I applaud his steadfast refusal to use up any of the goals he has left in him on a pre-season kickabout against some Scotch lads. We need those goals during the season, so he’s not wasting them against Connor MacLeod and his ilk. His determination not to score was first class.
Pedro Diss, honestly not sure it matters how many times you watched Brighton. Chelsea, City, Liverpool, Spurs and England all like him. And yet Chelsea, City, Liverpool (CL ) clubs didn’t enter into the bidding process. Spurs ain’t got the money nor the attraction of CL football. As for England he got into the squad because they increased the squad numbers and didn’t get near the starting 11 in any competitive game . Arsenal are getting their pants pulled down on this one . White might , just might turn out to be a decent signing and most on here… Read more »
Strange that Pedro and Charlie are so convinced that David Luiz was so impressive last season.
Results and clean sheets certainly do not show this..
Did Luiz form a good defensive partnership with Gabriel , Holding or Mari …not really
Was Luiz faultless at the back …not really
Did he use his experience to avoid red cards …not really
Will the fans miss him….not really
Pierre, as I posted last night Pedro take last summer on Luiz was that he wasn’t important and his signing was a bad piece of business – see below from Le Grove dated 19/6/20: ““Nothing sums up our problems more succinctly than the David Luiz debacle. 1) Arteta had to drop a 33-year-old for a big game because Arsenal can’t afford his deal 2) Allowing him to derail a game because his head was gone 3) Having this problem after paying, according to The Athletic, £24m for his services. ONE YEAR. 4) Allowing a whole media cycle to be dedicated… Read more »
I do not think that Arsenal are by any definition a “cheque book club” when compared to the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City, PSG, Chelsea and Man Utd. What is more relevant is that Arsenal have spent their money in recent times poorly. If you are going to spend mega bucks on transfers and wages then it should be on the right players. Personally I am not concerned about spending £50 million on White if he is worth the money. Man Utd spent £70 million+ on Maguire who hardly impressed in the first season that he joined them.… Read more »
Pierre
The one thing that that doesn’t translate in terms of a player is their leadership skills
Luiz was , love him or hate him, a leader and his influence both on the pitch and off it shouldn’t be underestimated.