Friday, March 29, 2024

Spurs 1-0 Arsenal: On the whistle observations

Son Heung-Min’s second half strike was enough for Sp*rs to secure a 1-0 win over Arsenal in this afternoon’s pre-season friendly at White Hart Lane. Here are a few thoughts from the press box.

Sambi you’re a star

The signs are very promising that Arsenal have secured a player who is more than capable of holding his own in a Premier League midfield. Disciplined in his positioning, tidy on the ball and unfazed by the physicality and pace of a feisty first half, Lokonga was very polished alongside Granit Xhaka. 

He rarely gave away the ball, showed a canny knack for getting out of tight spaces and sprayed a couple of eye-catching balls to Tierney that allowed the left-back to charge forward. That he constantly showed for his teammates was very encouraging. 

Out of possession, Sambi, like Thomas Partey, seems to have an impressive ability to stick out a telescopic leg to nick the ball from his opponents. Moura and Alli both had the ball stolen off them in the early stages helping us turn defence into attack. Aside from one long-range effort on the hour-mark, he wasn’t overly inclined to push forward. Instead, he kept a close watch of Bellerin’s runs up the flank and hung back to cover the space alongside Ben White. 

Whether he can do 90 minutes week in, week out remains to be seen. He looked pretty shattered when he came off with 18 minutes remaining but I’d definitely be giving him a start on Friday night. 

__

Tidy Whitey

A wand of a right foot, a Koscielny-like ability to steal the ball early from opponents, a canny knack for spotting danger and a willingness to carry the ball out of defence; Ben White’s full repertoire was on show at White Hart Lane. It’s early days but on this showing the £50 million price tag doesn’t appear to be weighing heavy around his neck. 

One of the (many) criticisms aimed at Arsenal in recent seasons has been how slow and laboured we’ve been on the ball at the back. White should go some way to solving the issue. He has the same range of passing as David Luiz – crisply struck, raking balls that fly like arrows – but also the confidence to take on players around him when such options aren’t available. Midway through the first half, he waltzed past a couple of Spurs players to carry the ball 50 yards before being hauled down. More of that please. 

We know that Kieran Tierney is an incredibly important outlet for us, so it’s positive the Scot is already on White’s radar. A couple of times in the early stages, the left-back bolted forward to collect passes. It was defence into attack in the blink of an eye. Not all White’s passes made their intended destination but he seemed unfazed by that. 

Defensively, he didn’t put a foot wrong. He won the headers you’d expect, covered when long balls were lofted over Pablo Mari and left the pitch on 63 minutes with the scores level. As he reached the bench, his teammates were quick to fist bump him. They were obviously impressed by the new boy. 

__

This was no friendly

Quite why Arsenal decided a match against Sp*rs on the eve of a new season was wise, I’ll never know. While White Hart Lane was far from full capacity, the tension in the terraces was palpable and players from both sides felt compelled to put on a show. It was full-blooded, it was fast and Mikel Arteta definitely didn’t want to lose. On the touchline, the Spaniard paced around waving his arms in disgust every time the referee failed to award us a foul. At one point, he screamed at the fourth official who looked slightly dumbfounded. You can’t fault the passion but given the circumstances, it was a bit over the top. 

Dele Alli went in the book for a nasty challenge on Pepe in the first half and Kieran Tierney and Granit Xhaka followed after the break in a period when things threatened to get out of hand. Having lost Thomas Partey to injury last weekend it was a relief that we got out relatively unscathed. I’d be more than happy to see Arsenal return to the days of playing 4th division Austrian sides in the Alps. My heart can’t take matches like this.

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Badaab

we’ve completed the pre season and i still have no idea what our formation will be, what lineup we will be using, and where we are going to create chances from.
edu and company need to get busy.

gooner

With all the money we are rumoured to be having if we could use half of it to pay Pepe and ESR to stop delivering the set pieces we could improve 40%

And I absolutely love them to be clear but not those deliveries

Once a gunner

Where we needed reinforcement we didn’t buy we are buying where we have been stable last season stats says we the fourth best in our defensive play but we keep on buying defenders when we need creative midfielders

Joy

We needed reinforcement at the back and in central midfield and we did that. Now we need a creative midfielder. I’d guess Odegard is first choice and they’re working on it. But I expect a creative midfielder will arrive before the window shuts

Heavenly Chapecoense

Give ESR a bit of time. Ask Auba, Laca or Pepe to create.

Charles

Were you even watching? All of our chances will come from crosses.

Bleeding gums murphy

Poor second half. Still struggling to see improvement under Arteta. It says it all for that we try to rid of Xhaka as he clearly is seen as not good enough and part of change needed and then when we can’t get extra few million we decide to offer him new contract and talk him up. We are a shambles at the moment. Big change is needed.

Badaab

regardless of what you think of him and his performances, attitude, or lack of apology to the fans, xhaka is not athletic enough to be the player we need in midfield.

Bleeding gums murphy

Absolutely 👍 bottom line.

Paul

I thought Xhaka played well today.

Bleeding gums murphy

I think you have missed the point Paul. It’s the bigger picture.

Paul

Bigger picture is we can’t afford anyone better than him and successive managers have played him. Do they know more than us? Maybe? He had another good game today.

Diaby's Left Peg

Two of the three successive managers who relied on Xhaka have been sacked and the third might not be far away…

If we couldn’t find a cm available for 60m or less who was better than Xhaka we need different people looking.

Mpls

Those same managers relied on Aubamayang. Maybe he’s the reason they got the sack.

Diaby's Left Peg

I love Auba.

That said, I don’t think spending 55m on him (cup tied) a window after spending 50m on Laca and losing Giroud was wise squad building.

IamaGoober

I’d go as far as to say, giving Xhaka an extension to his current deal is one of the worst bits of business we have potentially done (since giving Willian a 3 year contract). Xhaka has been at Arsenal for 5 years and done absolutely nothing. He is statistically one of the worst players in his position in the league. Since he has been here no other midfielder has made more mistakes that have consequently contributed to their team conceding a goal. I think last season he single-handedly caused us to concede 6 goals from his sloppy mistakes. 6 goals… Read more »

Heavenly Chapecoense

We’ve seen Xhaka in the Euro. He was also praised by many fans after the previous game. Arsenal fans enjoy having a scapegoat.

UzesGooner

Yep, me too. It’s Elneny that needs a taxi ASAP

Teta's cult of personality

UG, you are aware Uber Pool is a thing, right? I am pretty sure we can fit Elneny and Xhaka in the same taxicab.

Your boy Xhaka was too busy doing his warm-up squats in the penalty box to pick up Dele Alli before his shot hit the post.

Martin R

It doesn’t matter how well he plays and I agree he did play well today, there is such a bias again by certain fans who will refuse to see it. Also to take a meaningless friendly so seriously is a joke.

Awimb

No, it was not a meaningless friendly! It was our final friendly before the season starts against our hated rivals the spuds, our boys should have been fired up and ready to show not only us the fans but also their competition we are rejuvenated after last season and intend on doing better this season, I’m pretty sure the only impression we gave anybody today is that they can expect more of the same from us.

Hurensohn

He played well all of last season. He’s not the problem, that we have nobody better is the problem and that’s not his fault.

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

Why the hell has no one at Arsenal, manager or otherwise realised that?!

Fabulous

I agree but as well it’s how we approach games. Danny Drinkwater was a mainstay for that Leicester side which won the league, and he’s a poor man’s Xhaka. Xhaka would thrive in counter attacking teams, or somewhere where the league is slower like Serie A. In Gladbach Xhaka was actually good, as much as his performances are for Switzerland. But tiki taka like you’re supposed to be the next City or Barcelona? That’s definitely not his skill set. Which for me is a shame. We don’t have the caliber players of City or Chelsea yet we approach games like… Read more »

Badaab

xhaka is too slow and ponderous in possession; he is tailor made for serie a

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

But Xhaka just had a really really really good season, and he was man of the match v France. He’s the new and improved Fabregas.

Bleeding gums murphy

😜

ArsenesLongSufferingZipper

Seems your (intended) sarcasm is lost on (almost) everyone. It happens.

Brady’s bunch

Like a new signing 😂

Henning Primdahl

Xhaka gets too much hate. It’s good news we didn’t ship him off for 10£ and are stuck with Elneny.
Hopefully Lokonga can gradually slide into the team and become the next Partey partner.

Takeshita

True that, I can’t see any progress under Arteta. Also let’s not forget that we still don’t know what our formation is!

A Different George

The story that we are trying to get rid of Xhaka (and Bellerin) is pretty clearly wrong. According to the reporters who are usually reliable and never sensationalist (Ornstein and James, among others), the initiative has come from the players. Arsenal would let them go, if there is a reasonable offer–but that’s not at all the same as trying to offload them.

Bleeding gums murphy

I would say it’s clear we were trying to get rid of him partly because he wanted to go Rome and partly cos he’s slower than Denilson 😂

TommyGun

I think the line up today was a good indication of who will be starting next Friday. There is still business to be down in the transfer window clearly but we played well. Sp*rs goal would not have counted in the PL as they were offside in the build up and we had made loads of changes at that point. A good run out but clearly improvements need to be made via the transfer market.

Fabulous

Amongst our attacking third options, I really can’t see anyone breaking the 20 goal barrier for the league. And that pretty much means top 4 is a far reach still at this stage.

IamaGoober

Another really poor and turgid display from Arsenal — which has unfortunately been the industry standard to pretty much every single game under Arteta, so no surprises nothing has changed at all in preseason. When you factor in we have basically exactly the same squad as last year. It is nice to see that our offensive tactical approach to games is still heavily saturated in the purposeful creation of overloads in wide areas. Only to have our £350,000 a week striker, pump crosses into the box to absolutely nobody, or on the odd occasion, our lonesome striker. Who is too… Read more »

Perry

Wow this is so negative. Proper put me on a downer. I’m not naive enough to think it will be brilliant, but I do think we’ll do more business before end of window, and I also think we’ll be much better than 8th place. I have to have hope that it will be anyway…

IamaGoober

It wont make a difference who we sign.. Arteta is the guy coaching us to play a certain way. It is his tactical ideas that are ultimately driving the performances.

I also don’t put all the blame on him because he’s being let down by the executives.

Its a complete mess above him.

Naija Gooner

Nahh…I think we all know the lineup and formation what is confusing is the tactic cause we ain’t got one

Jack

I hope Arteta doesn’t keep shoehorning Auba and Laca into the side. Really it should be one or the other as the central striker.

Craig

I think saka will be starting in one of their places

Arslet

I really hope you’r right and Auba should be benched. Laca is one of very few players who has looked good in preseason.

If we can sell and replace Auba we should. I wouldn’t mind extending Lacas contract by a year or two.

Teta's cult of personality

Woah slow down. I hear you but playing for a contract is a real phenomenon in football.

You’re essentially saying we should repeat what the club did with Auba again with Lacazette.

I’d rather we get strikers who are at a stage in their career where they’re just focused on improving their football and not politicking

Arslet

I would say it would be good business as Laca is younger than Auba and a one year extension would be good if you can offload Auba.

Laca is not a fast player and he will probably be able to play at his current level for a lot longer than Auba and Laca would still be playing for a contract with a short extension.

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

We hope

Fezec

I hate losing to that bunch of argyrophobics so take the rest of this with a pinch of salt

Seeing Auba and Laca start so much of preseason together has really put the spectacles of doom over the eyes over blind optimism.

I’m sure people with better memories will correct me, but when have they ever played well together?

I couldn’t bear it if we persist with those two up top. Please. Enough.

Runcorn Gooner

Some very good performances and promising moves. Aubamayeng is getting more and more worrying what he brings to the team now.

Djouroureallylikeit

I know, how can he have gone from predatorial finisher to completley shite in a few months? (talking about last summer btw)

Bamzee

That is the Arteta effect. He is still a good striker, just that Arteta has him tracking opposing fullbacks. Diabolic football from the coward of a coach we have.

Djouroureallylikeit

Sorry man, but that’s nonsense.

Henning Primdahl

He doesn’t really do anything. It looks as if he has no clue what his role is. It’s really sad.

Tomaury Bischfeld

I can’t watch another season of trying to make Aubameyang and Lacazette work together while we pass in a horseshoe around the opposition box. It was a risk giving a 31 year old a massive 3 year contract and it hasn’t paid of, but just shoehorning him in when he clearly isn’t performing isn’t good for the team. We need a striker who can hold the ball up and someone to compete with ESR fast. We didn’t concede many goals in the premier league, and while it’s nice to have White and Tavares and Lokonga looks like a more creative… Read more »

kasgood

Sad but spurs have a better manager and if they get Martinez from Inter they will probably finish above us.

Bamzee

Arteta’s tactics should be examined. He isn’t playing to either striker’s strengths. Auba is still a world class finisher, he is just a victim of his own success. He had a blinder of a season playing from the left when Arteta arrived. Lego hair is still stuck in the loop of that season.

Disarmed Gunner

You’re being kind saying he has tactics. He hasn’t a scooby what to do or how to do it.

RedHotHornBlower

And what of chances? Did we create any and how did our razor sharp frontmen take them on?

Anders Limpar

I imagine we just played for the draw as this seems to be MA’s only clearly definable tactic. The key is the clean sheet, not chances, and then it’s just 38 nil nil’s and we’ll probably survive the drop this year. Phew!

Sheldon

Bellerin is not only poor, but he massively blunts Pepe’s productivity. A new right back is crucial. Glad Ainsley is back in contention for that spot.

Nainsley Aitland Miles

Shame Tavares is left footed, he looks better than all 4 of our right-backs.

Dunjay

Nuno plays with both feet and better than all our full backs from what I have seen so far. It can only take an adventurous manager to to play him at rb.

Ozilshere110

God help us.

spinner

Have we gone a pre-season before without winning a game?

H2k

Watford. Milwall.

spinner

Oh yeah, we did win a couple a games. Just feels like we are same mid table team as last season.

Martin R

Pre season friendlies are meaningless and don’t have any bearing on the coming season. Why do you take them so seriously? N

Qwaliteee

So Partey’s injury has no bearing on the coming season whatsoever.

Honestly, the things some of you will come out with to defend Arteta and the state of this club. Olympic levels of denial and delusion.

Neverodd

We won 4-1 twice during this pre-season?

Man Manny

The last time we won all our preseason games, can you recall how the season panned out?

Arslet

It’s looking the same as last season. Slow and booring topped of with horrendous defending.

I really hope Arteta has something up his sleeve in the transfer market and I hope I’m wrong now but with the way we are playing he will be sacked by christmas.

Crash Fistfight

Only 7 months later than it should have been then.

El Mintero

Horrendous defending? We were one of the top 3 defenses in the league last season. Absolutely no clue…lol.

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

Let me start by saying that I know it’s just a pre session friendly. That’s not the point. Let me also say that I know that it’s silent Stan that needs to go. But knowing that’s unlikely to happen: If Xhaka starts again, Arteta & Edu should go. If we fail to add a striker, keeper and CM: Arteta & Edu should go. In this league a slow start means not even finishing in the Europa league, forget the top 4! There is no chance on earth that a midfield of Xhaka and Mo will have any chance of getting… Read more »

Martin R

The fact that once again Xhaka continued his good form from last season and the Euros has obviously passed you by. He played very well today.

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

Haha! Yep, very well indeed. So we’ll there’s no chance he’d get in any midfield in the top 6 and do well did he play in the euros that he attracted interest from an average serie A team. Yep, so well he’s consistently helped us reach as average a level as he is.

Billy bob

Swap auba plus some cash for Martinez of inter Milan

El Mintero

Newsflash – teams generally don’t want to take underperforming stars on mega wages off of rivals etc. Mad, eh?!!

Craig

Striker is a big worry for me. I’m all for creative players coming in but we also need strikers running behind the defence rather than coming short for those players to work. Not confident going into this season right now

Teta's cult of personality

Our strikers dropping deeper is most certainly a tactical instruction rather than an instinctive thing. I think creative midfielders are considerably more needed in this team that a new striker (which can wait until next year). In theory, our strikers won’t need to drop into midfield if there are several creative players supporting them at once. Some creative players can progress the ball forward through dribbling, bypassing defensive lines and releasing the ball at the right time. Some can create enough passing sequences to concentrate play in one area of the field and then switch play to the most threatening… Read more »

ObiKing

There isn’t a striker who is going to thrive under Arteta’s tactics. Not even one. You can buy Martinez, or even better, Harland, and he will also struggle. The problem is the managers tactics. Our strikers have to create their own opportunities. Opposing teams just have to block the cross and we have no plan B. Look at all our strikers before games and you will notice their body language is very negative; those lads are not happy. Arteta’s tactics are sucking the life out of our players.

ArsenalOz

It’s bad enough being bang average/poor DURING the season, but we’re dogshit and it’s not even started yet! Looks the same old average, dull performance we had last season, like Arteta has learned nothing. ‘Trust the process’ LMFAO… how many chances does a man need? He clearly is just not qualified enough/out of his depth, so #ArtetaOut

Qwaliteee

Dele Alli is a cunt.

That is all.

Meinby

An ugly cunt even.

Christopher Loum

Good game though we still luck person who can give a killer pass to the strikers and some one who can read the game. Martin Odegaard is the perfect match

ArsenalOz

Good game though’??! WTAF?

Naked Cygan

Toothless performance, toothless capitan, and a clueless manager. Pepe was the only real positive today.

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

How do we all know, even the three legged blind dog next door knows, that KT must be captain.

Paul

Ben White wow!

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

No chance. KT should be captain. No one has more passion in that team.

Do what?

Edzo

Pablo Mari is certainly not the answer. Our high line is going to cause us serious problems. And going forward. Urgh.

Paul

1st line agreed 2nd line not.

Paul

Auba wow! (Not in a good way)

UzesGooner

He is the weakest link up front and doesn’t deserve to start atm….

ObiKing

These players are suffering under a clueless tactician. A player doesn’t become bad overnight. Lets not turn on someone who has delivered in the past. The novice aka Arteta is the problem.

RedandWhite

We’re finishing 10th this season. Be prepared for another “it can’t get any worse than this” kinda season. We need three major signings (a 8, 10, and 9) to even have a chance of top 6. But at least the club will make us even bigger jokes on Amazon

Brady’s bunch

Probably not the best time for behind the scenes stuff

iGooner

Do or die for Arteta. Looking like it’ll probably be a ‘die’ unless a miracle happens.

Goonertic

Absolutely agree. If he doesn’t deliver quickly the fans will be on his back big time! It’s all on him now, no ifs no buts. And he will be gone by Christmas if he doesn’t sort this out.
I can’t see us dining out on caviar this season, so it’s more poxy sausage for us for another season.
I hope I am wrong, but unless we get a few more quality signings it will be the same old same old.

Jean Ralphio

Really happy with Lokonga and it eases my concerns with Partey out. I think the goals will come. An attacking mid or an Aouar type is a must. Big week ahead. A win against Brentford is a must.

Tomaury Bischfeld

He looks really good but it says something about the management of the transfer window that the only difference we have made to the central midfield area is a 21yr old who has only played in Belgium. If he is out, or has teething problems, it’s just the same boring combinations as last year. As you say, big week ahead!

Jack

Lokonga was one of the best players today but watch Arteta choose Elneny instead to start against Brentford

Bleeding gums murphy

Wouldn’t be a shock hey 😂 Xhaka and Elneny, probably the worst midfield in the world, could be an advert.

Djouroureallylikeit

Didn’t he start? I think the starting line up today will be pretty close to Brentford. Maybe with Saka, on form should be over Auba.

Laddy McLadstien

The postives have been well-covered above I’d say. I’d also mention Laca’s overall contribution and defensive willingness, which was good. Obvious negatives: Auba simply cannot play on the left, he’s totally ineffective and his dinked left-foot crosses are awful. Right now you’d probably pick Laca in the middle but can you leave the club captain out? Bellerin is functional but offers little attacking threat and gets caught out of position a lot, lacking the recovery pace to get back. The midfield is so flat and again, functional enough for a mid-table Prem. team. Compare with Leicester’s midfield yesterday which was… Read more »

Paul

Can’t compare with Leicester’s until we have Partey playing. Agreed on all the rest though.

leon

Partey the player who was the quintesential midfield general for Athletico Madrid or Partey the ineffective treatment table squater for Arsenal?

UzesGooner

Holding not in the squad….is he perhaps being offered as make weight for Maddison (who I thought looked excellent yesterday)?

Terrygc

If Holding goes then it will be a brilliant move for him. Arsenal bought Saliba Leics bought Fofana say no more.

Tomaury Bischfeld

It would take ruthlessness to drop Auba but if he weren’t the captain or on the wages he were on, there could be no reason for not dropping him. I often think personal relationships get in the way of what from the outside seem like clear no-brainer choices. Clearly Auba has been an ally of Arteta’s since the beginning and potentially starting a conflict with a key figure in the dressing room isn’t an easy choice, there are consequences. But it’s the test of a good manager to be able to acknowledge that performance and the good of the team… Read more »

Laddy McLadstien

I agree, I think the effect on the dressing is one of the reasons why dropping him might be tough. I think that rather than persevere with the current ineffective arrangement, during preseason Arteta should have tested out how the team would work with only one of them playing (e.g. Auba through the middle for the first half, replaced by Laca for the second).

stuart brown

mid table at best. our forwards are very poor.

Der32

Wasn’t gonna spend 7 pounds for a preseason friendly playing the same players who finished 8th last season. Same coach, same old tactics. Who knows Arteta can turn it all around on friday. It’s always the hope that kills.

Batistuita

Too much quantity, but no quality, again u ask when do we learn? So much poor signings, who signed Mari, cerdric, it’s going to be a long long season for us, I think the midfield is the problem, there was a reason arsene always played many creative midfielders, no creativity, no goals, how do you win matches, with urgency we need goals from midfield, why can’t we just take small money accept our mistakes and shift players? Too much issues with arsenal at the moment, maybe arsene placed a curse b4 leaving, we need huge huge investment at the moment… Read more »

Bleeding gums murphy

Think Mari Cedric were both on Arteta, go figure

Mentalista

Let’s play some Sambi at the midfield Partey! The boy is good.

Better not to comment on anything else.

Give youth a chance

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m feeling decidedly short of confidence after pre-season.

Obvious caveat that these are just friendly games.

We showed a few moments that could be cause for optimism, but i feel like we’re still a couple of players short, with less than a week till the season starts

Arse

We got a pundit, not a coach.

Appels&Pere

Saliba was smart to ask for the Marseille move.

Qwaliteee

Hopefully by the time he’s allowed to finally play for us, the little bloke with the clenched hair will be gone.

unruly

His team is under 2 at the moment

Teta's cult of personality

Luckily the game finished 2-3 to Marseille. Very strange for Sampaoli to start the game with no wing-backs or full-backs. The highlights overview suggested they dominated that game but the goals they conceded were quite freakish.

Javoroncov

Auba Laca Pepe front 3 simply wont work. If Arteta goes with this he will be gone before Xmas

ArsenalOz

Can I ask why, if given time, it won’t work?

ArsenalOz

Lots of down thumbs but no one has bothered/or can explain why? Odd.

Pea14

Two points was also not mentioned today
1) At White Hart Lane, like it out hate it, you got to give it to them for applauding Saka when he came on. Rivals or not, sometimes we need to show dignity and class above everything else

2) Nuno Tavares seems quite an exciting LB. Think its been a while since we have a decent LB to cover Tierney

carlton kgololana

Bit of fun
Prediction time.
Position at end of season?
Arteta to last the season?
Cup run?
Player of the season?
Player to watch?
Player to make a breakthrough?
Player you would like to see arrive before window closes?
Player you would happily drive to their new club (just one guys)?

Give youth a chance

League position: 6th
Arteta to just about stay on
Semis in both domestic cups
Saka player of the season
Azeez one to watch if given minutes
Balogun to make the breakthrough at the end of the season
Ramsey to make a surprise return if the deal can be done cheaply
Willian to leave (please!)

carlton kgololana

I like it, 6th probably as high as we can hope for with our current squad, the domestic cups are surely a priority for us this year.
I think there could be some surprise deals to be had late in the window with clubs struggling financially, I’m sure Rambo would like to return. It would have to be a question of finances especially with those massive wages. I hope to see Azeez and Balogun get some chances and let’s hope Martinelli stays injury free and cements his place in the starting 11.

Qwaliteee
  • 8th
  • I fucking hope not.
  • 4th Round
  • Saka
  • ESR
  • Balogun
  • Llorente (yeah right)
  • Willian
Teta's cult of personality

Position at end of season? 7th Arteta to last the season? No Cup run? Not expecting much from the FA Cup but I think we might be in for a pleasant surprise in the League Cup 🙂 . Dust off the cabinet boys 🧹 🧽 🏆 Player of the season? Emile Smith Rowe Player to watch? Albert Sambi Lokonga Player to make a breakthrough? Arthur Okonkwo Player you would like to see arrive before window closes? Houssem Aouar, especially if he is significantly cheaper than other midfield targets. Low fee = low pressure Player you would happily drive to their… Read more »

ArsenalOz

Bit of fun’???!!!!

carlton kgololana

Yes usually before the season starts pundits make predictions like this. I like Soccer Saturday with Jeff Stelling he often introduces predictions this way. I was looking forward to the new season and wondering what other fans were expecting and hoping for this season. I like to hear others opinions and have respect for all our loyal fans.
If you don’t want to offer an opinion please kindly don’t make fun of my words, I thought this is a platform to express opinions on our club not to be unkind to others.

ArsenalOz

I was ‘expressing an opinion on our club’!

carlton

Right- You mean you are not looking forward to the new season fair enough, I think most are apprehensive about our prospects. I thought you were mocking my words.

Chris

An optimistic 6th
Yes
FA cup semi final
Ben White
Gabriel Martinelli
Folarin Balogun
Lauturo Martinez
Willian

Andy

8th or worse
No chance
Semi
Esr
White
Balogan
Messi
Xhaka

carlton kgololana

Thanks everyone for your predictions!
Wherever you are watching the Arsenal from this season have a good one.
Let’s hope they exceed our expectations and hopefully we get an addition or two before the window closes who can make a difference.

Hank Scorpio

7-8th
Arteta to be kept on by KSE
Cup runs – qtr finals
Saka
ESR
Lokonga
Aouar or Odegaard
Willian

Brady’s bunch

We’ll be watching from behind the couch again this season if we don’t address our blatant midfield issues

Bleeding gums murphy

We are we are giving Xhaka new contract 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

Arshavins left foot

We need a back up goal keeper for sure but if we can only make 2 additional signings this transfer window, the 2nd has to be Bernardo Silva. A player deemed now surplus to requirements just put in the bid first thing Monday and on the training ground Tuesday. If we sign a player with his creativity and class, we don’t need to worry about a new striker as Auba and Laca will be having a goal feast with the creativity of Bernardo, Smith Rowe, Pepe and Saka. He is the missing ingredient just show us we have the ambition… Read more »

Brady’s bunch

It would be nice but I can’t see it 🙈

Gooner Stoner

White is good. Sambi also good. But still we are just bang average. Hate to say it but it is what it is. We are nowhere near the standard that we used to be. Fasten your seatbelt guys, get ready for another roller coaster season.

Chris

#feelsbadman

C’mon Arteta, I’m your biggest fan (maybe) but it seems like this is a one way relationship right now…

Lion

It’s really difficult to find any positives in our attacking line. We need two starters. A creative midfielder and a striker. ASAP

leon

I hope we can keep ESR, Tierney and Saka fit this season.
We are in serious trouble i.e. a relegation battle if we cannot.

Gooner Stoner

We are about to repeat the same approach and expecting a different result.

LoneVoice

It’s so refreshing to come down to the comments and see positivity for a change….. Some of the negativity clearly comes because of legitimate concerns but some people are just being absurd. Is it underwhelming that we’ve failed to move more players on? Yes, but does this mean that we should’ve sold them all on the cheap and cost ourselves about £20m in revenue? No, surely not. Could we have signed more players? Of course, but we’ve signed three players who look very much the part! I think it’s positive that he’s started Sambi for this game, and a midfield… Read more »

ObiKing

Arsenal fans turning against the players when the manager is the problem. Every fan, TV pundit and scribe have highlighted our lack of creativity, what does the manager do? He spends 50M on a defender. We have a novice at the wheel.

Disarmed Gunner

Arteta is a sucker for a bloke with a tan and nice hair.

assistantref

Has anyone ever really figured out just what happened to Bellerin? Maybe he was somewhat overrated back when he was 20 – he’s never had the best crossing, for example – but how has he gone from one of the fastest players in the league to looking like he’s Dani Ceballos’ somehow even slower and less fit cousin?

carlton kgololana

I think the cruciate knee ligament injury was the cause, he hasn’t been the same since.
When he burst into the first team he flew up that wing, he was lightning fast. So exciting. Let’s hope he regains that level.

Andy

The ACL snap killed his pace

The Arsenal

Im really worried.

Paulie

I choose to se the positives, and I wonder if all the negative shit that comes out here stems from not understanding what we are up against, we went up the hill to meet our nemesis neighbors, one of Englands best teams the last 4-5 years truth been told, now with a world class manager who seems to thrive in North London with a team selected from the overcrowded list of players AFC has to choose from and just as well could have won. When the shit hits the fan next week in PL I think our ducks are more… Read more »

karl

The new signings are great, but the team never seem to move away from dull performances. I think Arteta’s City style chess/football needs the best players available to make it work.

That system was a success at Bayern, Barcelona and City, but we don’t have that level of talent. The result is a lot of passing with little penetration and it could be a tedious season. Odegaard was already here, so I wonder if that would really even make a difference really.

Gunna do diss

Martineli and Balogun will be the surprise fab duo, with ESR, Buka and Pepe will be a force to springboard us back to the top Four.

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