For the second season in a row, we will begin our quest for the league title with a game at Emirates Stadium when the side from Molineux visit on August 17, which will be a traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off as it has not been selected for live TV coverage.
We will face three of last season’s top five away from home in our first three away trips, which all look to be mouthwatering affairs .....
Three of our final five games are at home, starting with clashes against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth before a huge fixture against Liverpool at Anfield. Our final game at Emirates Stadium comes against Newcastle United, before the campaign concludes at Southampton on Sunday, May 25
Our start to the season is hilarious. Who actually arranges these fixture lists?
Wolves at home, Villa away, Brighton at home, Spurs away and Man City away in the first Five. And there is a UCL game in between City and Spurs.
Our harder fixtures always seem to be grouped together in the middle of UCL games. I am no conspiracy theory nut but I actually want to know who arranges these fixtures?
I like that some of our hardest away matches are at the start of the season before teams start to find their form and we have fairly easy end to season as well.
It isn't our fixtures that are annoying me by themselves as well. City's harder fixtures, for the 2nd year running are more spread out than ours. That is what is infuriating.
Even in January we will have Villa, Spurs and City at home in consecutive games.
The only part of the season where City have to worry about harder games fixtures congestion is once in February when they face us, Newcastle, Liverpool and Spurs. Otherwise it is a decent opening and a smooth end run of fixtures.
We really should be aiming for higher really from an EPL club. He is a CF and EPL proven. CFs are in short demand. We really should be trying to make this count and not back down. Whoever buys him will have their money's worth.
He is not a crap player. He simply doesn't fit our system.
We really should be aiming for higher really from an EPL club. He is a CF and EPL proven. CFs are in short demand. We really should be trying to make this count and not back down. Whoever buys him will have their money's worth.
He is not a crap player. He simply doesn't fit our system.
This wasn't his best to be honest. He made two or three mistakes. He looks so uncomfortable in that left sided CB role. It is understandable though. He has been playing RCB nonstop for 3 years, 2 at Arsenal and 1 at Marsille. It will take time for him to adapt to it.
I’ve never subscribed to the idea that a player in any central role (CB, CM, CF) should be meaningfully impacted by playing either in the left or right equivalent roles due to which foot they prefer
90% of the best CB partnerships ever have consisted of two right footed CBs.
Same true for vast majority of the best midfield combinations.
Central roles are not dominant foot dependent.
There is no difference for a right footed CB defending against an attack coming down the left hand side than there is defending against a player who comes down the right but cuts inside.
Saliba has no issues whatever defending against left wingers cutting inside onto his left side and so should have no issues defending against right wingers coming down his left hand side
If he looked uncomfortable there may be many reasons for it (nerves, pressure, just a bad day etc). But being right footed isn’t a relevant excuse for a left CB.
If you have played football you will know playing LCB and RCB isn't the same. The passing angles aren't the same when you try to play out from the back. And your body shape when players are coming at you is also different.
I am not saying he can't do it though. Quality players find a way. But it takes getting used to before you can make a complete adjustment.
Those differences are minimal in the grand scheme of things. It’s a 10% difference in the game max for a central player swapping sides
I’ve spent my 34 years as a left footer playing pretty much across the park and never once in a central position found myself regularly given issues due to preferring my left
Simple passes or passes not taken under intense pressure (which applies to minimum 80% of all CB passes) should not be impacted. Simple passes are also easy enough on a weaker foot
If you’re trying to make a really difficult pass or one under intense pressure there’s something to be said, but 90% of the best LCBs ever are right footed and nobody ever bats an eyelid about them.
That it’s a potential problem to have a right footed at LCB was basically unheard of until a few years ago when managers like arteta started investing much more significance to it. But since the birth of football, CB partnerships were usually just two right footers and were fine
Carvalho and terry (best CB pairing in English football history)
Vidic and Rio
Toure and Campbell
Adam’s and Bould (i think?)
VVD and Gomez
All right footed pairings
City have often lined up with two right footers at CB together
Don’t get me wrong if Saliba has literally never played LCB before in training and he’s doing it for the first time here then sure it could take a match or two to adapt (max) but i think if he looks less than 100% the probability is way higher that it’s because he’s playing in a different team with different players and different tactics under a different manager, with the pressure of the bright lights (he was nervous against Bayern in the CL as well). These are all very big extenuating circumstances that could very easily impact his performance. Him finding it difficult to play a 40 yard inch perfect pass off his left when under pressure is for me not likely to have made much difference
That is what I am saying though. That 10% difference is a lot.
Forexample when you are underpressure from a RCB position as a right footer, you can either open up your body to pass to your right, which isn't different if you are playing LCB or you can pass to your left. If you are playing RCB, the angle is flat and you just pass it sideways. But if you are a LCB, you pass it at an acute angle to your left back. And if you don't get it right, there isn't room for an adjustment, you either get it right or you give away a throw in or give it away all together.
When you are defending as a RCB and a Winger/attacker coming at you from hour right, you show him the outside and your body is angled perfectly. But when you are playing a LCB as a right footer, your strongest foot is on your right when trying to show him outside when attacker comes from the left.
You are right in saying 90% of LCBs have been right footers. But football has moved a bit from that because it helps CBs play at their most comfortable with left footed LCB and right footed RCBs. That is why Pep, Arteta, Emery, and a lot of other managers prefer that.
But you can still be great at it as Right footed LCB. But you have to be very familiar with the passing angles, and your body shape inorder to be at your best. That was my original point in the fact that Saliba hasn't played a LCB role in 3 years. And he looked a bit uncomfortable in beating Austria's high press and had difficulty in managing his body angle for the two mistakes he made. But when you are familiar it does matter a lot less. That was my point in a nutshell.
I can’t get upset over 16yo leaving no matter what his numbers look like. His family will push him to chase the dollar and the academy structure in this country is slanted to fuck us over vs EU teams. That said, I’m sure there are ‘incentives’ that can be made available. Dowman at 14 looks the real deal but let’s be realistic. Another 5years of physical and technical development before he’s ready to take over from Rice.
Such a good game this. Austria's pressing has been incredible. Ragnick has done a great job here. France are a threat though when they manage to break that press.
Saliba doesn't look his best in that LCB role. He looks like he is yet to be familiar enough with it.
Belgium were in control of the game from beginning to the end. Scored two goals, one offside and the other a very good goal ruled out for handball. That has to be one of the worst decision in this tournament. A ball that bounced off a player then had the faintest touch off the hand of a player that was being held by another player. The hand didn't change the direction of the ball forward or backwards.
I'll want to see how the mighty England will trash this useless Belgium team should they meet at this tournament.
As a non European, I find myself rooting for any team that has an Arsenal player in it. I did yesterday with England for Saka and Rice. Even did the same for Poland because somehow Kiwior is in there. And I want Saliba to win tonight too.
I used to support France exclusively because of Henry. I guess a player that excites me that much has to come for me to have an allegiance to one nation for a while. Saka is closest of all of our players now though.
There are 2 transfer windows now. The first one ends on 30June and is one where most teams are desperate to sell to comply with PSR. If anyone has capacity to buy they will pick up bargains as we go to the wire
The second is the more normal one where the PSR can is kicked down the road. Even that will be a poker match. We will probably shift most of our exiting players in the second window
Nice to see City have their customary ‘ten games against Mid table teams with their flip flops already on’ again for their run in
From Arsenal site
----------
For the second season in a row, we will begin our quest for the league title with a game at Emirates Stadium when the side from Molineux visit on August 17, which will be a traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off as it has not been selected for live TV coverage.
We will face three of last season’s top five away from home in our first three away trips, which all look to be mouthwatering affairs .....
Three of our final five games are at home, starting with clashes against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth before a huge fixture against Liverpool at Anfield. Our final game at Emirates Stadium comes against Newcastle United, before the campaign concludes at Southampton on Sunday, May 25
https://www.arsenal.com/news/arsenals-202425-premier-league-fixture-list
Our start to the season is hilarious. Who actually arranges these fixture lists?
Wolves at home, Villa away, Brighton at home, Spurs away and Man City away in the first Five. And there is a UCL game in between City and Spurs.
Our harder fixtures always seem to be grouped together in the middle of UCL games. I am no conspiracy theory nut but I actually want to know who arranges these fixtures?
I like that some of our hardest away matches are at the start of the season before teams start to find their form and we have fairly easy end to season as well.
It isn't our fixtures that are annoying me by themselves as well. City's harder fixtures, for the 2nd year running are more spread out than ours. That is what is infuriating.
Even in January we will have Villa, Spurs and City at home in consecutive games.
The only part of the season where City have to worry about harder games fixtures congestion is once in February when they face us, Newcastle, Liverpool and Spurs. Otherwise it is a decent opening and a smooth end run of fixtures.
Let's hope we can make this count in our hunt for the EPL trophy.
Ryan Take your point.But the chavs have just paid the ‘ Chelsea premium’,curtesy of Fat Boehly.Villa knew their option a mile off!
They paid the EPL premium which we should be getting from other EPL clubs that want our players as well.
Chelsea just signed a striker I’ve never heard of who warmed the Villa bench last season (Duran) for 40m.
If we have learned how to make player sales, we should be getting 30+m for Eddie at least.
Over to you Edu!
We really should be aiming for higher really from an EPL club. He is a CF and EPL proven. CFs are in short demand. We really should be trying to make this count and not back down. Whoever buys him will have their money's worth.
He is not a crap player. He simply doesn't fit our system.
We really should be aiming for higher really from an EPL club. He is a CF and EPL proven. CFs are in short demand. We really should be trying to make this count and not back down. Whoever buys him will have their money's worth.
He is not a crap player. He simply doesn't fit our system.
EPL fixtures released! We seem to have a decent run-in
Belgium will not win anything with Carrasco at LB and Faes at CB.
Habesha jinxed Saliba, now he actually missed a last man challenge
😂😂😂 How? Because I wanted him to win?
You're right.
He was nervy during the game and needed his team mates to bail him out.
Saliba is having a fantastic game for anyone starting for the first time in a competitive match in the major championship.
He doesn't have to have a flawless game because no one on the French team is having that type of game.
This wasn't his best to be honest. He made two or three mistakes. He looks so uncomfortable in that left sided CB role. It is understandable though. He has been playing RCB nonstop for 3 years, 2 at Arsenal and 1 at Marsille. It will take time for him to adapt to it.
I’ve never subscribed to the idea that a player in any central role (CB, CM, CF) should be meaningfully impacted by playing either in the left or right equivalent roles due to which foot they prefer
90% of the best CB partnerships ever have consisted of two right footed CBs.
Same true for vast majority of the best midfield combinations.
Central roles are not dominant foot dependent.
There is no difference for a right footed CB defending against an attack coming down the left hand side than there is defending against a player who comes down the right but cuts inside.
Saliba has no issues whatever defending against left wingers cutting inside onto his left side and so should have no issues defending against right wingers coming down his left hand side
If he looked uncomfortable there may be many reasons for it (nerves, pressure, just a bad day etc). But being right footed isn’t a relevant excuse for a left CB.
If you have played football you will know playing LCB and RCB isn't the same. The passing angles aren't the same when you try to play out from the back. And your body shape when players are coming at you is also different.
I am not saying he can't do it though. Quality players find a way. But it takes getting used to before you can make a complete adjustment.
Those differences are minimal in the grand scheme of things. It’s a 10% difference in the game max for a central player swapping sides
I’ve spent my 34 years as a left footer playing pretty much across the park and never once in a central position found myself regularly given issues due to preferring my left
Simple passes or passes not taken under intense pressure (which applies to minimum 80% of all CB passes) should not be impacted. Simple passes are also easy enough on a weaker foot
If you’re trying to make a really difficult pass or one under intense pressure there’s something to be said, but 90% of the best LCBs ever are right footed and nobody ever bats an eyelid about them.
That it’s a potential problem to have a right footed at LCB was basically unheard of until a few years ago when managers like arteta started investing much more significance to it. But since the birth of football, CB partnerships were usually just two right footers and were fine
Case in point:
Carvalho and terry (best CB pairing in English football history)
Vidic and Rio
Toure and Campbell
Adam’s and Bould (i think?)
VVD and Gomez
All right footed pairings
City have often lined up with two right footers at CB together
Don’t get me wrong if Saliba has literally never played LCB before in training and he’s doing it for the first time here then sure it could take a match or two to adapt (max) but i think if he looks less than 100% the probability is way higher that it’s because he’s playing in a different team with different players and different tactics under a different manager, with the pressure of the bright lights (he was nervous against Bayern in the CL as well). These are all very big extenuating circumstances that could very easily impact his performance. Him finding it difficult to play a 40 yard inch perfect pass off his left when under pressure is for me not likely to have made much difference
That is what I am saying though. That 10% difference is a lot.
Forexample when you are underpressure from a RCB position as a right footer, you can either open up your body to pass to your right, which isn't different if you are playing LCB or you can pass to your left. If you are playing RCB, the angle is flat and you just pass it sideways. But if you are a LCB, you pass it at an acute angle to your left back. And if you don't get it right, there isn't room for an adjustment, you either get it right or you give away a throw in or give it away all together.
When you are defending as a RCB and a Winger/attacker coming at you from hour right, you show him the outside and your body is angled perfectly. But when you are playing a LCB as a right footer, your strongest foot is on your right when trying to show him outside when attacker comes from the left.
You are right in saying 90% of LCBs have been right footers. But football has moved a bit from that because it helps CBs play at their most comfortable with left footed LCB and right footed RCBs. That is why Pep, Arteta, Emery, and a lot of other managers prefer that.
But you can still be great at it as Right footed LCB. But you have to be very familiar with the passing angles, and your body shape inorder to be at your best. That was my original point in the fact that Saliba hasn't played a LCB role in 3 years. And he looked a bit uncomfortable in beating Austria's high press and had difficulty in managing his body angle for the two mistakes he made. But when you are familiar it does matter a lot less. That was my point in a nutshell.
I should add especially for a player like Saliba who is an absolute baller and reads the game amazingly well
I can’t get upset over 16yo leaving no matter what his numbers look like. His family will push him to chase the dollar and the academy structure in this country is slanted to fuck us over vs EU teams. That said, I’m sure there are ‘incentives’ that can be made available. Dowman at 14 looks the real deal but let’s be realistic. Another 5years of physical and technical development before he’s ready to take over from Rice.
Such a good game this. Austria's pressing has been incredible. Ragnick has done a great job here. France are a threat though when they manage to break that press.
Saliba doesn't look his best in that LCB role. He looks like he is yet to be familiar enough with it.
Belgium were in control of the game from beginning to the end. Scored two goals, one offside and the other a very good goal ruled out for handball. That has to be one of the worst decision in this tournament. A ball that bounced off a player then had the faintest touch off the hand of a player that was being held by another player. The hand didn't change the direction of the ball forward or backwards.
I'll want to see how the mighty England will trash this useless Belgium team should they meet at this tournament.
I thought Slovakia outplayed them quite a lot from around minute 20-45. Slept through the second half tho.
Was really impressed with Slovakia in the first half. They played really well.
Lukaku did his usual lukaku things and missed about 12 one on ones tho which always left the door open for them
As a non European, I find myself rooting for any team that has an Arsenal player in it. I did yesterday with England for Saka and Rice. Even did the same for Poland because somehow Kiwior is in there. And I want Saliba to win tonight too.
I used to support France exclusively because of Henry. I guess a player that excites me that much has to come for me to have an allegiance to one nation for a while. Saka is closest of all of our players now though.
I have to say - same here.
Ethiopia, do I remember correctly?
Yep.
There are 2 transfer windows now. The first one ends on 30June and is one where most teams are desperate to sell to comply with PSR. If anyone has capacity to buy they will pick up bargains as we go to the wire
The second is the more normal one where the PSR can is kicked down the road. Even that will be a poker match. We will probably shift most of our exiting players in the second window
Du Du Du Saliiiiba!!!
Belgium disappoint again. They never seem to have the confidence to get the job done.