Well, the first game in a while I haven’t been able to properly review because I didn’t see it. I can’t even get it on ESPN after the game. Really weird to not have any coverage.
Still, at least the stadium saw 50,000 home fans for a game against a very small side. That’s fantastic. The fatalist view that the stadium would be empty this season seems to be as far off the mark as the idea the fans would make their feelings known in the stands.
Arteta didn’t give us the League Cup side we wanted. Patino didn’t make the bench and there wasn’t much in the way of youthful surprises, but he has a first-team to take care of and winning momentum is obviously high on the agenda.
A lot of people struggled with the idea that Thomas Partey started, concerned that he should be rested. I’m not sure that’s ever going to be a goer when the player is struggling for match fitness after a slow start to the season. He needs minutes. Bodies need to be stretched early in the season. It was the right decision to play him for 60 minutes.
According to pals sending me voice note match reports, the first half was a bit average bar the decent penalty, then Saka and ESR changed the game and ‘were the men that showed the boys where the level was’ (Alfred & Sam from the GC). We exited the game with 19 attempts at goal, and a pretty average 5 shots on target… but Wimbledon didn’t hit the target and were reduced to just 4 attempts at Leno’s goal.
Bukayo looked good when he came on at right midfield. It’s his best position and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him deployed there against Spurs.
Martinelli won the penalty, but still looks a little bit out of sorts. This is the problem we’ll have all season with our young players, they’ll bounce in and out of form as they learn the game. He has too many of the raw ingredients needed not to be a roaring success.
Lots of fans praising Sambi, the kid is a star in the making, it’s going to be a huge shout for Arteta to drop him with Granit coming back into the side for the NLD
Is there something worth moaning about? Of course. It’s a bit sad to see Balogun not landing minutes. He signed a new deal with Arsenal to play games, he’s not getting them, and Eddie who is leaving, is getting them. Eddie is clearly further ahead, but it seems odd to give that game time to the 3rd choice striker who is out. Based on the Brentford game, Balogun should have taken a loan, he’s quite a way off where he needs to be, but hopefully, there’s some time for him against Leeds.
My other major concern is that we’re absolutely bland as algebra if we don’t have our creators on the pitch. We take up the right positions but don’t know how to bang. We need a Patino like kid to make the break, because a midfield of Mo, AMN, and Partey ain’t cutting it.
Over the other side of North London, Spurs rolled with a strongish team to beat Wolves away from him. Harry Kane got the Thomas Partey treatment and obviously scored. They still couldn’t win in open play though. The longer game should leave them feeling a little leggier than Arsenal. The shit nights sleep will certainly benefit us as well.
3 wins on the bounce for Arsenal. Things are getting better, very slowly. This weekend is really all that matters. Huge for both managers, both clubs, and both sets of fans. Let’s see what we have!
Recording a new podcast a little later today.
good to see the anti brigade bringing up some hard hitting points before the NLD.
Hilarious
Zach, do please regale us realists (or anti brigade, you massive, superior all-seeing Arteta-loving alpha-Gooner) with some of your own ‘hard hitting’ points before the NLD. No? Thought not.
Gladly phobe
lets fuck up those spuds BAD. won’t be a better time w their new coach and their garbage club.
also something about fluffing, wanking and that arteta and those who don’t want to kill him with their bare hands are all gay
I don’t think that’s very enlightened to assume gay gooners wouldn’t want to kill Arteta with their bare hands…
Chris
Haven’t been for a while, although my son gets across to the Amex 3 or 4 times a season, mainly because he has two friends who have season tickets.
You’re right though, Brighton will be no pushover for anyone this season.
I honestly see them finishing top half.
Difficult to predict Sunday’s game, so I won’t.
What a sorry bunch the doomsters are. The extent they go to discredit Arteta is truly mind-numbing. Everything that goes right is a lucky accident , everything they think goes wrong is blamed on him. Unless what they think is wrong turns out to be right. I could fill pages with examples – but that might encourage them They should turn their attention to the state of the nation. Their pessimism might be closer to valid there.
Pedro certainly does not need me to defend him, but it’s disheartening to see him made a target simply because he doesn’t follow their line. It’s a kind of totalitarian propaganda exercise.
Me? I prefer to stay on the sunny side of the street.
Can you hear the bouncing ball
And that happy call is Ar-sen-all
Dear MOBs englandsbest is englandsworst, please resist the urge to feed the troll.
MD-Gunner
Yours is a classic example of totalitarian propaganda methds
Graham
“Pierre
Any predictions for the Ryder Cup?”.
I predict that it is very unpredictable, usually the putting sorts the men out from the boys
So who starts next to Partey?
I liked Ode there, seemed to suit his style.
There will definitely be more to deal with Sunday than we’ve faced the last two games, but he looked proper feisty.
I’d also love to see the relegator in goal. He’s looked impressive. Hope the trash about Leno being back was just that.
vitamin D is very important
Poulter, Mcllroy and Garcia will thrive in the hostile atmosphere.
As soon as Ian hears those chants of “USA! USA!” he’ll be in his element.
janky
would be so strange to see leno in goal. plenty of opportunities for arteta to overthink and blow this game. hopefully he’s got the nous to not start xhaka- i think that’s the big one we’re all looking at
Agreed.
Still not 100% confident we won’t see Leno. It’s like an illness.
Lokonga or Ode both excellent options.
So nice to finally have a reasonable expectation of no Mo or, possibly, Xhaka.
I think China said that the other day, there’s just less shit players on the books than this time last year. Makes all the difference.
That said, if you could settle on something like a first 11, let them get a few games together, seems like we have the building blocks of a decent team. Of course you have to avoid galaxy brain shit like Europa finals.
I know predictions aren’t worth the key strokes used to make them, but, just the same, I do like our odds.
lets fuck up those spuds BAD. won’t be a better time w their new coach and their garbage club.also something about fluffing, wanking and that arteta and those who don’t want to kill him with their bare hands are all gay
I wish I hadn’t read that Zach. Not only is it incoherent and possibly homophobic, it was so hard-hitting (and insightful) that it’s caused me to micturate all over my feather eiderdown and stripy winciette (sp?) sheets. Sob!
England’sbest – You’re now at level 6 self-parody. Take a bow Mr Gonnella
“He has walked into probably the toughest nine-month period this football club has had in its 134-year history. He’s on a long term contract and we’re really comfortable with what he’s doing.”
Unless I’m failing to grasp the context of this quote does anyone in their right mind really believe there haven’t been bigger challenges Arsenal faced in their illustrious history that included relegation and two world wars?
Reminds me of some leftie anti Trumpers concluding during the dipshit’s presidency that racism had never been worst at anytime before, even though blacks were still being hung from trees in the south in 1968.
What a sorry bunch the doomsters are. The extent they go to discredit Arteta is truly mind-numbing. Everything that goes right is a lucky accident , everything they think goes wrong is blamed on him. Unless what they think is wrong turns out to be right. I could fill pages with examples…
————
I’d read it. It would provide some comic relief on a slow football news related Friday.
Me too EB. I’d read it. In fact, I’d put down what I’m reading now to glean your examples. That said, I’m currently looking through a 1952 edition of British tax law.
Pedro must be swamped at work today or his delete button is broken.
englandsbest thinks he’s being positive.
It’s this delusional mindset that has put Arsenal where it is.
Oblivious to reality.
Read some of Nuno’s Q and A’s and he comes across lame as fuck.
Way more lame than Arteta’s answers.
Maybe after the bomb throwing Mourinho Levy needed someone with apparently zero charisma. Or there wasn’t any else willing.
anyone else
Interesting fact:
So far this season 32% of Chelsea’s action has taken place in their defensive third; only Norwich, Newcastle and Brentford have more.
Guardiola is a genius compared to Tuchel. At least City fans can enjoy every week whereas Chelsea’s only when they win a trophy.
Really hope Liverpool have a great season, and if not at least City cause Chelsea are the most boring title winners in a decade if they pull it off.
I do like the idea of Ode playing next to Partey with ESR at CAM.
GM or Pepe at LW, Saka on RW.
ESR is better from deep, with his passing.
I agree Northbanker
Morning guys
7:12am out here in Tianjin just woke up
Fuck I’ve wet the bed again
ARTETA!!
Besides Xhaka, Leno must not start
1) ramsdale has been excellent so far and has earned it
2) Leno has not
If Leno plays it’s not for any footballing reasons
Englandsbest
‘ Pedro certainly does not need me to defend him, but it’s disheartening to see him made a target simply because he doesn’t follow their line. It’s a kind of totalitarian propaganda exercise.’
😂😂 you might wanna use a dictionary before you throw such terms around
On ESPN-FC the talk about the NLB showed how far both teams have fallen, this game is of interest to no one except Arsenal and Sp*ds fans, because they have scored a total of 5 goals in 10 games. They added this used to be a game we spent a lot of time talking about like the City vs Chelsea game this weekend, but no longer because of the mediocrity of the two teams.
Nevertheless AFC is made favorites to win by the bookies 5-4 versus 5-2 for the Sp*ds.