Inhaaaaaaale… breath out… inhaaaaaale… CuuuuuuuKAAAAAAW… CuuuuuuKAAAAAW… channel that inner eagle you powerful beast. 🦅
Quite simply put, if you are not preparing mentally for this game to the sweet shrieks of eagles, can you call yourself elite?
Categorically, no.
Here is a video so you can prep.
Barclays Premier League Day is here. In a few hours, Arsenal will roll out for a season opener against Crystal Palace.
Patrick Vieira is no mug when it comes to coaching. He’s aged down the Palace squad, he’s brought some Wengerball to the Selhurst Park Turf, and he wants to kick on this season after making some shrewd summer signings. Paddy signs street footballers that entertain, he moves on those fancy Youtube comps we all like, Palace are going to be trouble this season.
… that said, word has it their preseason was a bit of a disaster because they went to Aus and loads of their players were anti-vaxxers. They only took TEN senior players there. So who knows, maybe we’ll be more fit, you can hide anti-vaxxers in the US no problem.
Last time we went to Palace, it was after an international break that Partey and Tierney went to, they promptly picked up injuries during the break and during the game and we were beaten quite badly in the first half. I’m not sure we deserved to lose over the 90, but we did, so there we are.
What is different this time?
Well, we’re still missing both our first-team fullbacks, but this time, we have much more capable back-ups. Ben White will slip in for Tomiyasu, he’s been really impressive there so far, but Zaha is a different ball game. At left back, we’ve got ELITE cover in Zinchenko. A player that knows the league, can play the system better than Tierney, and is more than ready to stake a claim.
Midfield will be Xhaka and Partey, same as last time, except one didn’t go out partey-ing after a World Cup qualification. Cut it however you like, those two together have a great connection, and they’ve been very impressive this preseason. They are extremely brave and I do think the more advanced Xhaka is starting to pay dividends. He’s contributing to the assist tally, he won’t be there all season, but he’s less exposed in more advanced positions, and he’s adding a bit of boldness to his passing. I think we all forget that you are never too old to improve at your craft.
Odegaard will captain and drop in as a #10.
The frontline we’re going with tonight will be very different. Saka will occupy the right, Martinelli will take up the left, and Gabriel Jesus will be playing through the middle.
I cannot tell you how different life is going to be this season. Even if we have a bad game tonight, what you won’t see is a freeze in the frontline. Finally, we have the specificity in every position we need.
We have 5 defenders who can play through a press and pick out Hollywood passes. We mostly had that last season, but if you don’t have runners, what’s the point in having longball specialists.
There’s more chaos in our forward line this season. Gabriel Jesus is a nightmare, he comes deep and he’s problematic, he goes wide and he’s a nightmare, he’s standing still and he can create something, in the box he’s ahead of everyone, this guy has changed the game. Last time we played Palace, we had Lacazette who lacked power, speed, and ability in front of goal.
The biggest shift we have tonight is winnertivity. Two players can make a huge difference on nights like tonight. Zinchenko and Jesus have done it consistently at the highest level. They understand patience, they know how to dig deep, and their experience will inspire the young kids around them.
Johnny made a great point on the Before the Whistle. I’d much rather Palace in the heat of August than on December 27th in the freezing rain.
Ideally, we don’t go a goal down this evening, I’d rather not test our abysmal record of clawing back, but I am less worried about that part of our make-up than I was last season.
Last season was the worst start imaginable, COVID and late business nearly killed this project before it started, this August is the chance to put some points on the board and make amends.
11 points from the next 5 games would be very, very good. 7 points from the next 3 would put us top 4 before the international break. That is where we need to be. I believe we can do it.
Before I leave.
I’m very excited about this season, as fans, we’ve been through a lot. Finally, it feels like there’s a bit of structure at Arsenal, a boatload of ambition, and we seem to have the right people driving the vision.
This season, we have to learn a few lessons from what happened last year:
There will be downs and they will feel very painful.
There will be long runs that will feel like we’re title contenders.
Key is not to get too carried away with the bad or the good times. We’ll be up there at the end of the season, then it’s a roll of the dice who has enough to kick it over the line.
Also… just remember that every team will have down moments.
It is easy to be there for the good times, but as you’ve seen from that documentary, our fanbase is most important to the players when we’re there for the bad times.
The journey is always better than the destination. Enjoy the feeling of being underdogs. Eat up those predictions tables that have us behind Spurs this season. Take names and numbers of the people that doubted The Arsenal.
Right, that’s me done.
We will be ON THE WHISTLE at 10pm BRITISH time this evening.
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Remember they beat us last season…and you can see why
Good win against very good team
Scoreline absolutely flatters us.
Nketiah on Saka getting chances, Chemistry.
Fantastic own goal header. Game set!
Bit fortunate but take that
Come on Eddie stick another one in.. wind out of their sails now.
We’ve got super super mik Arteta!!!!!
Poor performances: Ødegaard, Saka and Arteta (why wait so long you’ve got 5 subs).
Super performances: GM6 and Saliba (should have been captain)
I’ll take a flukey deflected goal but lets be real with our full team that was fucking shit second half, low energy, low confidence wheres the fucking improvement.
`Boom – we are only going to get better!
Saliba – awesome
COYG!
Away fans killing it! Loud as hell.
I wonder if we had Vieira and ESR available would Odegaard finish this game.
He was atrocious in the second half. Can’t believe the amount of balls he gave away in addition to being a non-entity in the defensive part of the game.
Vieira chant..
Our away fans are the best in the UK
Some right pussies in here tonight, you know who you are, soft as fuck, embarrassing performance from some of you lot
And they are about as far away from you Samuel, as is possible to get
Ideal start to the season, clean sheet as well. We’re only gonna get better. Foxes next.
Saliba debut MoM
3 pts.. Top top top of the table.
When it’s all said and done, Ben White had a good game, considering he was matched against Zaha who’s tormented Arsenal for the past 6 seasons.
Some things to work on but overall, can’t ask for much more. Cheers boys
Saliba MotM for me too.
Who got the armband from Ode?
Calling out a shit 6o mins when its clear as day and a captain playing like maguire..ok dickhead, stick to NFL’.
Palace is a well drilled side and we got 3 points. Clean sheet, Saliba like peak adams, fuck zaha. First game done, onto the next one. We will get better and it looks positive. COYG!!!!
We defended ok. clean sheet.
Saliba was fantastic.
“Right pussies”
I love it. Well said
Saliba was on point.. Love a win in the opener.
MoTM – The away fans Saliba on the pitch. Our midfield a little light. Palace not an easy team at home. We are top of the league….
Palace are rubbish. Spanishdave trying to tell us different.(LOL) They may have our invincible as manager but that don’t mean shit when his midfield and attack are full of an average bunch. Gallagher carried them last season. Eze is basically Iwobi and i don’t get all the weird affection. Zaha is a waster would never fit in at any top 6. Ayew is past his sell by date and should have followed his brother to play in the lower leagues. Edourds was championed on here for while. No thanks. Bullet dodged.
Fantastic start to the season. Some very dodgy football but we’ll chalk that off to rustiness. Top of the league fam!!!
Disjointed performance but 3pts on the board.
Saliba was immense
Jesus didn’t stop
Zinchenko and xakha were secure on the ball
Solid first game and 3 points nicked agaisnt a bogey team at their ground
Why would anyone moan after that?
Better we drop points?
Raptora, xhaka lol
Saliba was excellent wasn’t he!
Well well well… Saliba man of the match. Quelle surprise as the French would say.
Love that Marti and Saka got the goals… and I had the scoreline… 2-0… I’m one for one season predictions.
Game balls to Saliba and Ramsdale.
Arteta still doesn’t have a clue and is holding us back.
WTF is his issue with not making subs of players who are dead on their feet
Saliba MoTM hands down
Palace is a tough place to go…lot of top teams will drop points here ..great result and a very resilient performance…Saliba bloody hell..what a player…Ramsdale fantastic too.
Salina is monstrous. Ben White did well too.
Izzo
You don’t know what you’re talking about
Palace are a tough team full of pace power and skill but now with a clever tactical manager/coach.
They will be knocking on the door of europe this season or next.
Izzo. Palace are not rubbish
Saliba is Van Dijk REGEN. Take that to the bank. What a player he literally cleans up that defence. ICE FUCKIN COLD!!!
But please don’t let Odegard follow the pattern of English cricket captains. Think 20% of his brain wad filled with the captaincy and don’t mess it up. Hopefully nows he’s had this he’ll push through
“WTF is his issue with not making subs of players who are dead on their feet”
Maybe he realizes that some players need to attain fitness for 90 minutes
The managers have access to volumes of data we don’t see.
Cali goonor had the score correct too … to be fair.. off to hear Peds talk about Eagles.. screeching or something…. hahaha
Caaaaaa Caw caaaaaaa Caw
WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Bang it is. This table better look like this after 38 games!
3 points, clean sheet and on we go. Good game overall, we should’ve killed the game earlier but I like the energy Nketiah brought into the game and this is a sign of things to come
Dissenter
Ben white won’t have much tougher games this season I’ll tell you. I can’t sand zaha but he’s a fucking nightmare at Selhurst
Izzo, any team we beat and u will say they shyt. Palace smashed us last season and did so to many other good teams. cmon mate, support the fucking boys.
well…. I’ll take it. it did feel very good to have zinchenko in that line up
Told Pedro tat Saliba was generational, three seasons ago
Said he was the best center back at Arsenal last season, Nigel will bear that out.
Hope we get him to sign that extension before the World Cup.
Great result., not many teams are going to go there and win 2-0.. . Poor performance , er I don’t think so,, Defended well and kept a clean sheet.. for those of you not happy.., tough
Strange performance. Very nervy at time’s. Saliba very good
Farmer’s league Saliba is the big story after this game.
Bergkamp
Ignore izzo
He doesn’t know what he’s looking at
Saliba absolutely fantastic who knew am I right. But honestly that was about as typical an Arteta performance as you’ll see lots of early possession a fluke goal and then absolutely backs to the wall stuff. You’ll take it first game of the season but it’s a familiar pattern imo
Agree Un, and Ben did well against him considering it’s not his favoured position. Some guys just don’t get it.
Palace are very physical. They basically pegged us in our half. Really hoping we get Gakpo. A dribbler who can also shoot from outside of the box. His height and physicality can also help against physical teams like Palace.
Most of us gulped when we saw the fixture list published. We’ve overcome a massive banana skin and all our new players did really well. Ramsdale back to human wall mode. Onwards we march gunners
Saliba T-1000..fucking cold!
Same player was left behind the likes of Mustafi, Sokratis, Kolasinac (at CB), Chambers (at CB) in the EL. Hopefully a lesson learned as he was fantastic today.
Diss
Yu did say that but considering how good Saliba is now after such first team exposure over the last 3 years, do you not feel Arteta did the right thing? We have a monster and he’s still only 21
It’s frightening. Levels above Gabriel beside him
Forgot to add Mari as well LOL
Ben White better hope he can nail down that right back spot because big Willy Saliba looked good there tonight, really strong and composed. GET HIM SIGNED UP
Guarantee Palace will finish mid table at best. I know what i’m talking about. They will find it hard to score goals. Zaha will get his customary pens and easy goals against the promoted sides. I like Viera but he should’ve kept Gallagher. He has no one to replicate him. Olise maybe but not really.
Dserved for Saliba
All those days in the U-23s wasting away
Great character lad
Hope we complete that signing very quickly
Un Agreed-no moaning allowed. This was always going to be a tough fixture and I would have reluctantly lived with a 1-1 draw. Saliba will justifiably get a lot of attention after his first competitive Premier League fixture but White should also get credit for at least partly containing Zaha. I’m guessing Saliba will extend his contract with us now he’s got a taste of the atmosphere in the Premier League and the quality around him. Make no doubt-the longer he remains unsigned, the more the likes of PSG will try to destabilize him. Regardless, I’ll happily take no more… Read more »
Boom! 3 points, 2 goals, clean sheet. Excellent start. Onwards and upwards
Saliba looks monstrous. He genuinely looked as good as any top CB I have seen in a while. He was the difference today.
We were very poor though, especially in the 2nd half. Odegaard needed to be subbed off much earlier. I am glad we got the points. Opening day is all about getting the points to start off in a right foot.
Saliba would have become as good if he had stayed at Arsenal and played all the games he did for OM but here. And we’d be 50m richer.
Well raptora, the loan did him well. Don’t think he would have been this good if he stayed.
A 2-0 EPL win away from home is always a nice win. And the good thing is we should expect to improve on that overall performance in the coming matches as that was first up and maybe some rustiness and the games look pretty favourable maybe Leicester could be a little tester who knows. With a more discerning eye though that overall performance tonight was no different really to so many other away matches we have had in the EPL for so many seasons now against teams like Crystal Palace. Followed the same sort of pattern and some games it… Read more »
Yea Marko. Typical Arteta. Goes to one of the toughest statiums in UK and wins 2 nil. Fucking awful.
Just imagine if we had gone with Zaha instead of Pepe. Saka and Zaha on opposite flanks-damn…
I’m unhappy with our game plan and lack of idea how to turn the game back to normality when they pushed us and we had no clue how to deal with the midfield, mainly because Odegaard was basically not playing.
I’m very happy with the first 25 mins though. We were flying!
Arteta though has some work to do. We never seem to maintain a good level of performance through out a game. It has been happening since he came in. Even games we won convincingly, there are 30 minutes where we are very poor. We need to start to maintain a high level if we are ever going to go anywhere.
Un
Do I think Arteta made the right decision?
It doesn’t matter so long as he signs an extension
Arteta was in his first year of coaching when Saliba first came and the club left him a harem of central defenders
Funny Saliba on fantasy football is a bottom 4.5.
Does Tomiyasu get his spot back?
Rap, step away from the keyboard. You’ve exhausted yours facts limit😂
Look guys, the players were knackered cos they gave their all and arteta wasn’t making subs. Things will get better and 2 nil away at Palace is a damn good result on the first day.
Izzo
Palace had no say in keeping Gallagher 😂
He’s Chelsea’s player.
Concerns tonight were White playing RB doesn’t look convincing there especially defensively giving the ball away in bad areas and Zinchenko having a few defensive lapses in the second half.
That’s about it.
Rest of the team were solid enough without being massive stand out.
Great to see Zinchenko being so heavily involved in that setpiece goal
Kegunner,
So is White but funny that also Lisandro Martinez lol. They paid 52m.
Saliba is what you call a RR central defender
That one was for Pedro
Now you see what generational talent looks like
Kudos to Raul Sanllehi,…you heard that right
That’s some 20/20 hindsight from raptora. A year ago he would have probably cost us a few goals, as players that age do, and people would have turned on him. That loan was the best thing that could have happened to him.
Massive result for the boys. 100% expected Palace to be in our faces and rough us, which they did. We knew the dynamic football was coming and we had an answer to it. Ben White was massive against a ret hot Zaha and Saliba take a bow son. Lastly, this Anderson chap, never heard of him but my word he’s a baller. Will be keeping an eye on him this season
I think if Viera or ESR were available, Odegaard would have been subbed off much earlier. He started slowly last season as well. And he underperforms in this type of games. He needs to get better and lead because the likes of ESR will take his place if he doesn’t.
White is in trouble too. Tomi is taking his spot. And Saliba based on today hasn’t come in to play around. He has come in to take his place. Unless he displaces Gabriel then the important matches will be Saliba at the back.
Fantastic game, happy to have won it in the end. Did Eze outperform Ordegard? We can’t sustain the tempo at which we start our matches and it’s understandable hence why Arteta must sub timely. Ordegard can’t perform against opponents who affords him no time on the ball, he also doesn’t pressurise his opponents with the aim of winning the ball but just to cover space. Zincheko and white won’t always play against Ayew and Zaha but they got exposed pretty bad tonight. Salibaaaaaaaaa though, very cool headed, superb player
Could’ve killed the game in the first 25 minutes but we let them back in. Jesus seems isolated upfront at times and our press is half-hearted as always letting Andersen going long easily.
Øde is unconvincing in his performance pretty much a passenger instead of the heartbeat of the team. Saliba vital to our defense calm and collected only let that one through ball to Eze which luckily not converted.
Diss
You’re right
It doesn’t
Not any more
What matters is we have the best young cb in the world in my eyes
We were defensively solid bar the odd scare from Gabriel and we lost our intensity in the final 3rd
Once ESR and vieira are fit that will change. We can be g those two on with Eddie and really turn the screw
“Concerns tonight were White playing RB doesn’t look convincing there especially defensively giving the ball away in bad areas and Zinchenko having a few defensive lapses in the second half.“
U need to consider that Zaha is one of the best wingers in the league no doubt, White did really well IMO. Prefer him there over Tomi, who is no slouch as well
Raps unhappy…… there’s a surprise
Zinchenko was sooo lively but holy fk in the last 20+ mins we got away with his errors. I love him but it didn’t look good to get done time and again by effin Jordan Ayew.
Odegaard poor. Captain material? Can’t cut it when the going is tough. Always hides in tough games. Tierney should’ve been Captain.
Habesha
I can see Saliba moving across and taking the lcb role of Gabriel doesn’t pick it up
He seems to actually move away from crosses
Habesha
No player is in trouble
Competition is good for the squad