FOUR STANDOUT PERFORMERS AGAINST WATFORD

by .

Arsenal smashed Watford 4-1 in a fairly simple outing.

The intensity of the game certainly wasn’t at Premier League level and Watford really looked a bit sad at times… but you can only play what is put in front of you and as afternoon’s go, it was pretty decent.

I won’t deep-dive the game too hard, but there were some standouts.

Sambi Lokonga: The 21-year-old looks very sharp. He picked up where he left off in the last game and took control in midfield. He seems like quite a big personality, loads of swagger on the pitch, he looks like he belongs. He also answers a very clear problem, namely, we are very slow at transitioning the ball forward. He brings all the control of Xhaka, but he does everything a little faster and with more ambition. I really like how he sits outside the edge of the opposition box and connects with runners. The one-touch passing is a delight as well. Very promising, he’ll be an important player quicker than we thought.

Eddie Nkeitiah: I’ve been quite critical of Eddie. He’s been a great finisher, but outside that, he can be anonymous in games in terms of contribution to the overall play. Out on the left, he showed that he has a lot of really positive attributes. He ran at the Watford backline, he pressed when needed, and he showed up with a great goal, cutting in and curling a shot into the far corner. I suspect he’ll be sold, I just wish he’d gone out on loan last season. That’s up to the player though, he chose to stay like Reiss and wasted a year of development.

Thomas Partey: He’s the boss in that midfield now. He showed off his range of passing and vision. He looked fit. He looked like the big boy in the playground who has decided based off zero evidence he’s peak-Juninho with long-range shooting and freekicks. This season, he’ll know the league, he’ll be acclimated, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to bang hard.

Nicolas Pepe: You know what goes nicely with a cup of Nico? A splash of ESR. The two look fantastic together. The backend of last season seems to have given Nico a lot of confidence. He had a lot of sauce to his game today. His movement was good, he used his power and pace well, and he showed that he’ll be a force in the G/A hunt this season. This is the big year for him, he needs to impose himself and make it happen.

Concerns? 

I really struggle with the idea that we’re going to roll another year with Mo Elneny. He seems like a beautiful human, but the football really isn’t up to much. Azeez, who scored a screamer, looks much more the part, and he seems to have built out athletically as well. We are an injury away from a stagnant midfield again next season and that is frightening.

I’m also a little worried about our strikers. Lacazette, right now, is our best option by a margin. Auba looks happier, but he’s not quite there on the pitch. It could be a bit of self-preservation, but the lack of sharpness is concerning. We’re creating a look of good movement and energy upfront, but it’s not converting with our strikers. That needs to be addressed this coming season.

Things to feel good about?

The squad is starting to play a bit more like an Arsenal team. The passing was accurate and fast, the combinations in the final third are much more interesting, we look far more fluid all over the pitch. We’re moving out of that overly choreographed feel into something more silky and cognitive. Part of that is the coaching settling in, the other part is just having a squad that feels more fit for purpose. Having two centre midfielders that can break the lines at speed gets the ball to our attackers fast. Having ESR and Pepe connecting with each other because their comms has improved whets the appetite. There’s still plenty to go, but things are going to be better next season.

I keep reading people say that our starting 11 is the same as last season. Sure, I get that, but it’s not the same starting 11 it was at the start of last season. The squad that’ll start this season will be the group of players that racked up top 4 form for 60% of the season. That alone is not enough, but we’re infinitely better off now than we were last summer, which is great news.

We’ll be announcing Ben White before this weekend… so you’ll have the Lokonga effect in defence, which again gives us more options.

We’ll have to make a move on Odegaard or Maddison pretty sharpish, that’ll add more sharpness and end product to our attack.

We might move on Tammy Abraham or… Lautaro Martinez (lol), which would give us more energy and aggression in a frontline that’s a touch soft.

I suspect there will be a replacement for Xhaka who has to be moving.

This summer could be a really good one. Next season is going to be different, that much I’m sure of.

Right, catch our latest podcast. We talk about ‘B-list’ England players, Sambi Lokonga, and debate Madders vs Odegaard.

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grooveydaddy

1st

grooveydaddy

And

grooveydaddy

The

Karsa

4-1 the new 1-0.

grooveydaddy

Dammit

Sid

It was necessary to have Willian so that Xhakalson wasnt the worst player on the field and Diet Pep and his fanboys would be able to bleat how he had improved

Sid

Artet8

Karsa

Sorry Groovey.

Rich

8th slight underachievement

Chrispy

So depressing for some on here when something positive happens in a football game.

andy1886

This Ben White deal has to be the most drawn out transfer in years – unless Odegaard rocks up on the day the window closes. Thought it was all done and dusted long ago, how long does a medical take?

andy1886

Chrispy, it’s pre-season, the games don’t matter, win, draw or lose remember?

Chris

That Watford kit reminds me a little bit of a Dortmund one a few years back. I work with a Watford fan and he is somewhat pessimistic about their chances this season.

Much like Willian shouldn’t be receiving any minutes as he isn’t worth persevering with, should we be saying the same about Elneny? Especially seeing as Azeri right next to him had a good game? Friendly or not, I wouldn’t be worried about having Azeez take Elneny’s spot as a 3rd/4th choice option in the squad.

Chris

Andy1886

Sure the most drawn out transfer isn’t Xhaka?

andy1886

Good point Chris, it’s been so long that I can’t remember which came first, the Xhaka or the White.

Rich

Our priority is: 1. Genuine competition for Leno, every point is vital, and if Leno picks up a knock or suspension, then we’d be in big trouble, some internal competition to keep Leno on his toes, wouldn’t be a bad thing either 2. Attacking midfield technician, stylistically we’ve got nobody like Smith Rowe, who knits together our attack and central midfield, if we lose him, we’re screwed, expecting a 21yr old to carry the entire workload isn’t a healthy situation either Those are the two positions of urgency, and we need to get those signings 100% right, and we need… Read more »

Biggles

The last time we bought a creative midfielder from Real Madrid near the end of the window we regretted it for a long time. For what he would cost, Ode was underwhelming I thought.

Anyway we all know Xhaka isn’t going anywhere and he’ll be our brand new signing.

gunnernet

Elneny is average but last year he helped and was solid when others were terrible. He had good games that persuaded MA to keep him. A bit unfair criticizing him after an exhibition. The fact that Kolasinac still plays for us is outrageous though

Godfather

I’m not with the blaming of Mo.
He is what he is. But let’s address the keeper who
keeps making bone head decisions and passing players into
trouble. Leno is a clown.
With each passing moment he makes the decision to sell Martinez look worse and worse … joke of a keeper

Silentstan

Is there a reason Balogun didn’t get a run out after only getting a 1/4 last time and still scoring?
Being dumped on by Arteta

Pierre

If , as reported, Xhaka and possibly Bellerin/willian have made noises that they want to leave, then i presume they have breached the non negotiables and will be frozen out the way a number of others were last season..

The main difference between the players now and the frozen few last season is that the frozen few wanted to play for the club unlike xhaka et al…

Will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

Chris

Any1886

Actually it may be the Chamakh signing. Didn’t we sign him over a year before he actually turned up!? Worth the wait!?

Regarding Elneny, we all know he is largely reliable and a steady eddie, but we look to have a player with real promise in Azeez, and whilst not throwing him in at the deep end, why not give him some minutes as allowed to Elneny and perhaps find we have a diamond on our hands. At some point you have to give these guys a chance and he has been highly spoken of for a while now.

Godfather

According to Fabrizio Romano the Ben White deal has been completed and he was at London Cooney today and a medical has been scheduled with an announcement pending.
Can’t believe Arsenal is paying 50 mill for this guy.
This club hasn’t a clue.
Getting robbed and taken to the cleaners .:.. AGAIN!!

Colney Gooner

Ben White was at Colney today, filmed leaving the training ground earlier today.

Mr Serge

We have no chance of signing latuoro

Mr Serge

Godfather why so pessimistic about a signing ? Have you seen white play ? Give the guy a chance ffs

Emiratesstroller

Pedro Arsenal’s performance level in second half of last season was “adequate” apart from the two poor games against Aston Villa and Wolves. plus of course the usual errors from certain individuals. There are of course a number of holes in the squad/starting eleven which need to be filled. Odegaard, Ceballos and Ryan have left and both Xhaka and Bellerin will almost certainly have to leave as well. Runarsson has clearly been replaced by Okonkwo as third string goalkeeper. White has replaced Luiz in CB position and Tavares the second string left back to replace Kolasinac has also been recruited.… Read more »

Kroenkephobe

I thought that in the first half, both teams were equally shite. WTF-ord’s goal suggests that there is always a mistake in our team and that the collective urge to self-destructive remains ever present. It was noticeable that Arsenal started like a train in the second half. Even Willian looked like he wasn’t thinking about feijoada for a change. I thought Laca had a very good game. Auba was terrible. I know he’s changed his barnet but Azeez has turned from a callow youth into a big physical man. Amazing what a few months will do to lads at that… Read more »

SAGG

Pedro

“Colney, saw that, very exciting stuff, he’s going to offers us something very different in defence next season.”

Well for that he must surpass David Luiz forward attack contributions stats while keeping a lower goals.conceding mark than last season.

Kroenkephobe

The squad that’ll start this season will be the group of players that racked up top 4 form for 60% of the season

Hola Pedro,
You’re getting dangerously close to making a prediction for the coming season. So you agree with me that fourth or higher is both achievable and that it needs to be our target? Get your hipster arse off the fence and say it loud and proud mate! That’s what being a supporter is all about – going balls in.

Godfather

Serge,
I actually loved watching Brighton play and wanted to see this White lad that was hyped so much from Leeds … and UNDERWHELMING is the kindest word I can use for him.

No one was ready to pay that kinda money for him.
Rashford can’t wait to see him again

Pierre

Sid
“https://www.psypost.org/2021/07/large-study-finds-covid-19-is-linked-to-a-substantial-drop-in-intelligence-61577

Seems Pierre was right about Diet Peps judgement after he got covid19”

The findings from this study gives us some idea as to why Arteta started making stupid decisions after the first lockdown, to the detriment of the team.

Rich

Lautaro would be such a risky signing, you never know how long players from foreign league’s will take to settle, and that’s if they settle at all While you’d expect him to be better in his second and third season, than he was in his first We’d still need a combined 15-20 goals+ assists out of him straight away, and if he doesn’t settle on or off the pitch, we’d likely record another big loss This is no slight on the players quality who I know little about, but for every Alexis + Aguero, there’s been a Veron + Di… Read more »

Pierre

Pedro
“Godfather, Foden and Saka trained with him for a month and think you are talking nonsense. Think we’ll take their opinion over your 2 mins watching a comp of him on Youtube.”

To be fair, they are hardly going to say that White is shit when they are asked about him

SAGG

We will know how good is Ben White at the start of the season. City, Chelsea will be great sinodals for him.

Bob N16

Am excited by an attack of ESR, Pepe and Saka – shame PEA and Laca both feel underwhelming in comparison.

With a CM of Partey/ Lokonga (+ 1 other option) our starting 11 is beginning to look more than decent.

A starting RB is probably too much to hope for!

Willian presence feels like it’ll be an ongoing embarrassment!

Matt

I bet white can’t wait to start receiving those hospital balls from Leno on a weekly basis!!

Be prepared for regular feelings of deja vu next season.

Godfather

Pedro,

Charlie Austin says Wan Bissaka is a garbage defender and Kieran Trippier should be signed over him 😂😂

Again what’s your opinion or what does your eye ball test say about White instead of attacking someone based on opinions of others.

No one said Ben White is Mustafi horrible but 50 million pounds worth? Nah sorry … you’ve gotta be kidding me.

Again what Saka supposed to say? He is terrible or not worth the expense? Cmon men

Kroenkephobe

We’ve got to be aiming to get back in the Champions League,” he says. “With no Europe this season we’ve got no distractions or fixture congestion and can really focus on our Premier League games

Well done Rob Holding for being brave enough to make a prediction. That’s what players and fans ought to be saying.

Rich

Bob N16

I think we’ll see a big season from Pepe in terms of final product numbers

He’s looking much more confident, settled and more powerful, he’s the best finisher at the club, we need to get the ball into him as early as possibly into the final third

Pedro

Godfather, Saka could have named any other ‘who has impressed you’ name in the squad and he didn’t. Same for Foden. You haven’t watched him, just be honest.

TR7

White may be good who knows but for sure there are 50 ways to spend £50 M better.

Bob N16

Kroenke, ‘ aiming for top 4’ is not a prediction, it’s a target.

Champagne Charlie

You know a poster has no clue about White when they reference a clip of him being sent for a hot dog by Rashford like it’s the sum of his defending.

Oddly enough I haven’t seen any other clips do the rounds, just the same one circulated by United fans and latched upon by Arsenal fans desperate for a moan.

Really don’t know why it’s so hard for some to just admit they haven’t watched a player enough.

Godfather

Pedro,
Here you go again.
Last time you went down this road got so upset
and started acting like a country dictator and censoring my comments cu you couldn’t handle being wrong about Saliba

But now you’re telling me I haven’t watched Ben White play cuz I don’t believe he is worth 50 million lol … hell Sol Campbell agrees with me so there

TR7

Godfather

Pedro will back any decision Arteta makes, you are wasting your time trying to reason with him.

Kroenkephobe

Bob
Come on mate – don’t be disingenuous. We all know it adds up to the same thing. I’m heartened that one of our players (and presumably others too) thinks this way. We should take confidence from it instead of splitting hairs. What’s your prediction or target for the season then?

Bob N16

Godfather, end of your last post sounded a little playground.

Kroenkephobe

Charlie
I think the risk is that the club could be sent for 50 million hot dogs if the transfer doesn’t fulfill expectations. No amount of competitive eating will make that number of frankfurters disappear quietly.

WengerEagle

Pedro is as aggressive with his fringe game as he is in his defence of Tets! The potential barnet of the week has become an exciting guessing game on Le Grove.

Godfather

@Bob,
It’s one of those times I wish there was an edit button lol

Bob N16

Kroenke, I think our target has to be top 4, my prediction would be 5th or 6th.

Can you not see the difference?

BacaryisGod

I really hope fans don’t jump all over White if he makes a slow start. I remember fans mocking Jaap Stam when he got torched by an Anelka in the 1998 Charity Shield.

That’s basically what we’re getting with this Rashford nonsense. Yes, he got embarrassed but nearly all defenders have one of these moments.

Bob N16

Godfather, made me smile!

Godfather

@TR7,

Funny thing with Pedro is that he turns on Arteta as soon as things go wrong and then sanctions people for doing the same thing he did lol.

Anyways I’ll lay off of him.
Pedro will be a Great Republican spokesperson 😂

MidwestGun

I think it’s time for Pedro… to go full Xhaka… Bleach blonde…. Faux Hawk.

Break out the hair products, Peds.

Anyhow… The Xhaka transfer saga is mainly what is bringing me down. Complete his transfer out and the mood will lift considerably.

WengerEagle

Agree with Kroenkephobe, season expectations/predictions time.

Lay your gonads out on the table gentlemen.

What does a successful Arsenal season look like?

Dissenter

Pedro defends Arteta vigorously and is ready to deploy a scorched earth approach if need be.

When Godfather started channeling dissent, I set my timer and waited
tick-tock, tick-tock… how long for the response.

Didn’t have to wait long.
There are going to be more polite restraint and headshakes when the Ben White signing is announced. It is what it is.

It will turn to seething rage when we have to “wait to sell” before bring in the much needed midfielders.

Kroenkephobe

Kin ell Bob. Thanks for the English lesson. And for demonstrating what’s it means to sound like a management consultant rather than a football supporter. 😅

Bertie Mee

I’ve been speaking to a Leeds supporter who is incandescent we have signed White . Those who don’t rate this deal will have to eat humble pie when he is an England regular next season . So many negative gobshites on here

Champagne Charlie

Kroenkephobe

I don’t disagree, but a 7 second clip isn’t a portfolio of White’s defending yet it’s been shared/referenced on here two dozen times. No issue with concern over a transfer, but a lot of what’s written reads as welcoming failure to validate a view.

Champagne Charlie

Predictions surely premature without all business done and dusted?

Bob N16

Wengereagle, nothing wrong with making a prediction now ( just did it in the last 20 mins! to illustrate the difference between a target and a prediction) but until we’ve finished our transfer business it’s just a 28th July prediction and we might well change our opinion by the end of the TW!

Godfather

I really don’t understand why anyone is taking issue with people having reservations about a 50 million pound outlay on an unproven player. I mean why all the angst?

It should be an expected and reasonable position by anyone with an ounce of sense.

We ain’t all on Animal Farm where we have to follow lock step with what the Great Napoleon dictates for goodness sakes. I personally want Big Ben to be a rousing success

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Nice post…

Still worried about the lack of exits tho..

Why not go gung ho and give azeez some starts.

Godfather

But it’s not wrong to have reservations about the move

WengerEagle

Charlie

Take it for read that the signings are White, Lokonga, Tavares, Ramsdale, Abraham with Laca out and one more CM (Neves, Aouar, etc).

MidwestGun

Getting back in Europe (not that ridiculous Euro Conference League either) with a chance at CL is a successful season for me and also ending the season with what looks like an optimistic chance next season of improving even more. So 4th through 6th range. And yes my expectations have come down some. Is what it is…. this transfer window so far hasn’t bolstered my optimism.

Getting off to a fast start wouldn’t hurt either. Otherwise the pressure just ramps up infinitely by the game.

Champagne Charlie

Power rankings have already changed 8 times somewhere out there…

Danny

Matt

I bet white can’t wait to start receiving those hospital balls from Leno on a weekly basis!!
—————————
Sad but so true.

Habesha Gooner

I rate white. But the fee is overpriced right now. He is a 35 mil player at best right now. But he can be a 50 mil bargain if he performs to the level we expect him to. It all will depend on the performances. The real head scratcher was over paying for him when we didn’t need him and our priorities were else where. Other than that I will support him. I really think he can be good for us. If Bielsa rated him enough to bid 25 mil after one season in the championship then the player must… Read more »

TR7

WE

Let’s wait until transfers are done and dusted. As things stand can’t see us finish above 6th position. 7th more likely unless we get in the likes of Bisoumma or Maddison.

MidwestGun

WE, it’s all about the bangs in this post-covid fashion world.
______
Hmmm ok… but I think you need to go more K-pop with it. as opposed to middle ages bowl cut.

Just sayin. 😀

Berg10kamp

Just sell Laca and let Pepe and Auba fight it out for up top this season. Bologun, saka, Eddie, gabi can play on the wings. I sometimes feel like pepe can be good for us up front and we wasting him on the wing

Bob N16

Kroenke, sorry if I come across as a pedant ( It’s a lifetime battle!) but the point you were making suggested that a prediction and a target is the same thing.

Holding did not predict that we were going to finish top 4 but that we’re targeting it.
Enough already.

Kroenkephobe

CC
Fair point. The entire deal is shrouded in mystery anyway (as all transfers are). We shall never fully know how the deal is structured nor what the bottom line is. The deal (for good reasons or bad) comes into sharper focus when he starts for us and his performance, price and wages are compared to others. At this stage it doesn’t augur that well given the eye watering numbers being discussed, but if he becomes our Bobby Moore/Franco Baresi it’ll all be forgotten.

Kroenkephobe

Bob
That’s cool mate. We can disagree on what those words mean. In essence, I was impressed that Holding was willing to articulate a vision for the season, not least because it’s upbeat and inspiring. And all Gooners need a slice of that.

MidwestGun

Hahaha Ok Peds… I’m assuming your boy band dance moves aren’t up to scratch, anyhow.

Champagne Charlie

Weagle So assume incomings of: Ramsdale, White, Tavares, Lakonga, Neves, Maddison, Abraham On that basis the goal has to be CL places. I’d predict 69-71 points and goals scored up to around 65-67. Think we narrowly pip United to 4th. City Chelsea Liverpool Arsenal United Everton United we’re the biggest overachievers last season according to xPTS, a full 8.36 points better than they “should’ve” earned. Chelsea massive underachievers with 10.4 points less than they “should’ve” earned (only side in the top 14 who underperformed their xPTS so looking for a correction this season). Definite drop of hope in those predictions,… Read more »

Pierre

It makes no real difference what white costs, if he improves the ream that’s all that matters. What i do find confusing is the lack of knowledge from the average fan about White’s game, it’s like we are signing a player from timbuktu and only have youtube clips to judge him on. Now, I i watched a fair bit of Brighton last season, I saw Dunk , I saw Lamptey , I saw Bissouma, I saw Tossard, I saw Maupay and welbeck and i remember a very tall full back but can’t remember his name, but for the life of… Read more »

Bob N16

I would say Elneny screwed up more than Leno today. It was only because Elneny messed up that people blame Leno. I suppose you could argue that Leno should know better than to expect Elneny to get out of a tightish spot though! Talked myself out of that first sentence!
Equal blame.

Kroenkephobe

Midwest

Kroenkephobe

Midwest

as opposed to middle ages bowl cut.

Careful mate. Pedro might get mediaeval on your ass!

Champagne Charlie

Bob

Elneny had plenty of time, he hesitated and then chose the wrong option plain and simple. A competent baller switches play with the outside of his right boot to Tavares or whoever was near side.

Keen to see who we bring in at CM, important one. Like Lakonga early doors though, got a bit of that Mousa Dembele swagger in his 180 turn. Big fan of that.

WengerEagle

Bob N16

Yeah mate and look it’s subject to change just like the famous power rankings on here!

Just interested to see where the more optimistic folk about our potential window are at with their expectations.

It’s very rare that a team that spends 150m+ in a window isn’t expected to finish in the top 4 or thereabouts.

Rich

As our squad stands, I think we’d finish somewhere between 6th and 9th, dependant on how lucky we got with injuries A few astute adjustments and I think the target should be a minimum 5th, with a decent chance of 3rd or 4th For all the focus on Arteta and his coaching, ultimately our season will depend of the quality of our recruitment, and our ability to clear the deck Right now our strongest 11 is this ……………….Leno ……..Holding Gabriel Chambers …….Tierney ………..Partey Xhaka Saka Smith Rowe Pepe ………..Lacazette That’s not bad, and could see us finish 6th, maybe even… Read more »

Pierre

Pedro
Did you notice him as i am sure you have never mentioned him previously.. .it’s surprising he has gone under everyone’s radar

3 times Biesla has bid for him has he ?…is that confirmation that he is top class

MidwestGun

Careful mate. Pedro might get mediaeval on your ass!
_________

Haha Nah.. KroenkePhobe.. Pedro knows I rock the Athleti-lesiurewear Adidas look and I’m bringing back the surfer dude mullet. So what do I know about fashion anyhow.

Kroenkephobe

We ain’t all on Animal Farm where we have to follow lock step with what the Great Napoleon dictates for goodness sakes

Godfather

If we only sign White from Brighton instead of him AND Bissouma, it could be a case of two legs bad, four legs good.

Kroenkephobe

Midwest
You’re on the right track there mate. Adidas gear is far superior to anything the competition can offer. I was a half-arsed casual in the 80s and never lost my admiration for the three stripes.

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