Morning all.
Kieran Tierney remains unavailable for tonight’s fixture after suffering an injury just before the West Ham game kicked off. I doubt he’d have featured anyway as Mikel Arteta is likely to ring the changes for this Carabao Cup fixture against Leicester City. According to the official website, our Scotsman should be back training this week. In time for Liverpool I hope.
Will Mesut Ozil make his 2020/21 debut?
I’d imagine this competition sits bottom on the list of priorities for this season. That isn’t to say winning it wouldn’t be a great achievement, especially for the fringe and younger players as I very much doubt Mikel Arteta will play many of the players he has in mind for the trip to Anfield. Brendan Rogers is in a similar position as Arteta really as both clubs will be aiming for a top four finish.
Other than the first team regulars, Mikel Arteta has plenty options ahead of tonight’s game. A debut for Saliba perhaps, Luiz, Nelson, AMN, Macey, Rúnarsson or Dejan Iliev, Eddie, Willock, Elneny, Ozil, Guendouzi, Torreira – and of course, players from the under 23’s who are ready for the step up. A mix and match I’d imagine with key players staying at home.
Regardless of what you or I might think about this competition, winning tonight is important. Winning can become a habit, builds confidence and self belief. The performance against West Ham was bitty and disorganised for long periods with Lady Luck on our side at times. We’ll need to play better tonight and that’s regardless of who comes into the team. The enthusiasm levels should be high because if these guys want a place in first team, it’s on nights like tonight when they get their chance to prove themselves. It’s easy to train hard and do all the right things but match day is what counts. If Ozil starts, he needs to put into action what he’s said with words and give his all for the team. Guendouzi the same, and show he’s not a petulant child who thinks he’s better than the rest just because he’s paid well.
If Vardy starts, don’t give him a opportunity to go over in the box, because he’ll take it in a flash. If the internet is right, 2015 is the last time we defeated Leicester City away from home. The season they won the League.
Enjoy the game guys, see you in the comments.
Rico I read, this morning, that Arteta said he would play the strongest available side tonight. I wonder if that’s mind games or a genuine statement of intent.
I see no reason not to play a strong side, we have only got cannon fodder to play on Monday next, Liverpool will be quaking in their boots.
I don’t believe him either Cicero.
Imagine losing Auba to injury before the Liverpool game…
Morning all, morning Rico, I’m with Cicero, yes really, I reckon we’ll go with strong team and so will Leicester. I’m sure that our players could cope with two games in five days and Arteta wants to win as do I, it’s a nice habit to have.
I agree with you Rico about not wanting to risk Aubameyang, he could be on the bench, it also follows that we don’t want to risk any player who we’re close to selling, so that rules out Torrieira.
Morning Kev, I’m always wrong. 😆
I guess if the likes of Nelson and Willock don’t feature, they could be gonners any time soon.
Only 13 days to go for Arsenal to move on the players they’d like to, rumours linking Mustafi, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Chambers and Sokratis to transfers have gone cold with only Torrieira seeming to be bubbling away on a medium heat. I don’t see any value in loaning out anyone, not unless there’s an obligation to buy at the end of it, the exception to me would be Chambers as he can get a good year in and come back. Hodgson likes him so we could maybe do some business with them?
A final week of scrabbling around for clubs I reckon Kev. How exciting. Lol
I’m only wrong for a few hours Kev as come 7pm, I’ll be right. 😆
It’s just a matter of opinion Rico and don’t worry about thinking that you’re wrong, you see, when it comes to woman and me I’ve actually spent my entire life being wrong, even when I’m not. 😆
Yeah, I see what you say about Willock and Nelson and they do need to play for sure, the thing is we know we’ll have injuries so I can see them both getting plenty of minutes.
But if we sign two midfield players Kev, Willock goes further down the order and Nelson is fighting with Pepe and Willian for a place. I think the younger players will wonder about their future at Arsenal.
News
French website Le10Sport suggests that Arsenal are going to come back in for 22-year-old playmaker Houssem Aouar.
The playmaker has reportedly attracted interest from Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as Mikel Arteta’s side.
Arsenal hope to find a compromise position between their original offer of £31.4 million and £54 million.
Afternoon Rico/everyone
I also think we will put out a very strong team tonight.Maybe either Macey or Runarsson in goal,and some youngsters/even Ozil on the bench. It’s a good point about Nelson/Willock,I just think given the strong opposition,and it being 5 days until our next game,Arteta will go strong.
I could be totally wrong.
No sign of any of our players moving on, maybe there will be a last minute rush,ha ha.
COYG
Wolves have signed Barcelona’s right back Nelson Samedo for £37 million. They are also in the process of selling Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid, but only for a nominal sum of around £4 million plus add-ons.
If that’s the case they could well be shortly making an offer for Bellerin, £40 million plus should be about right I think.
I believe Barca are in negotiations for Max Arrons of Norwich, cost €40m. If true Héctor will be staying put, which is a good thing imo.
Afternoon Limey, I feel you boys are ganging up on me. Lol
I had forgotten it’s a Monday trip to Anfield so yep, time to rest and recover their weary legs. Lol
Wavy, glad to hear that. I don’t think we can afford to sell Hector, certainly not this late in the window and with clubs knowing we’re desperate.
NN headline suggests Atletico have agreed terms with Torreira.
TORREIRA ‘A GREAT FIT’ FOR ATLETICO
South American football expert Tim Vickery told Sky Sports News…
“A move for Lucas Torreira to Atletico Madrid to join Diego Simeone would be such a great fit. Atletico Madrid are a side with an almost Uruguayan ethic, and Torreira is a little Pac-Man in midfield, biting everything in front of him and dominating the space.
“With all due respect to Torino, you’d think he deserves a club that was a little bit more competitive. My surprise concerns why Arsenal are willing to let him go. He’s always looked a player who was very useful to the cause.”
Like tonight’s team,AMN was very unlucky to miss out against West Ham,no Reiss Nelson,a very strong looking bench.
Oops my mistake, Nelson in stating 11 !
Now then, who was saying what about the team selection? 😅😅
Dull as ditchwater so far
That good eh..
The radio reckons it’s a highly entertaining game, Saka should have had a penalty, Nelson should have scored,
Not watching or listening, just know it’s 0-0 😂
1nil Fuchs og
2 nill Eddy.
Excellent result. Loved the goals. Scrappy and hard fought. Not the typical kind of goal we’re used to scoring. Eddie’s was a real strikers goal.
Typical of the Graham days , Pepe hits the post it rebounds for an own goal and Eddie scrambles over a fallen player to get the touch . It would have been easy for both to let it go but they were hungry enough to force the issue.
Rick, great move for McGuinness for the season, he’ll get plenty of minutes for the Tractor Boys. Coyle and Medley both played for Gillingham tonight, lost 1-0 at Stoke.
Scrappy is the right word Rico.
Pleased for Eddy he didnt stop running.
How poor was Pepe
That sets up, probably, yet another match with the Bin Dippers. If they beat Lincoln City tomorrow evening.
A lot of goals tonight so I’ll stay up and watch the highlights
Kev his move did not surprise me.
When the U23 beat Ipswich 2_1 he was the best player on the pitch
and they said we should try to sign him.
Just hope he stays fit.
Have you seen the goal John Jules scored on the we end
one of his best.
MOTM ;- Elneny , quietly efficient and held it all together . Kind of Gilberto Silva like.
I think that’s what Arteta has brought with him, the never give up attitude.
Rick, I like scrappy goals, the sign of hard work and determination.
Elneny man of the match doesn’t surprise me one bit. Now I’m off to find some highlights..
Night guys.
Yes Rick, I record the EFL highlights and just fast forward to the games with Arsenal players in them, JJ got a cracker.
I don’t agree, I don’t think that Eddie’s goal was scrappy, a great run by Bellerin and then Nketiah has the calmness to tip toe through all those Leicester defenders and as he lost his balance among the flying boots he got a quality shot off and scored. That was a natural goalscorers goal, an Ian Wright goal…
The best player was Elhemy. He is in the right position n. 6 and not n. 8. Was the position he played for Basel.
I confirmed my impression of the last game: Ceballos and William simultaneously, it doesn’t work in terms of the team.
Cedric did not play because he was injured.
Ozil and Ghendouzi are discarded.
Willock failed to make the midfield – attack call.
I enjoyed that… excellent result.. some great performances – Saka, Nelson, Luiz and even my man Kolasinac!! Next up – Liverpool twice 😵
When I say scrappy Kev, I mean not an Auba kind of strike, but a proper number 9 strike, the kind Eduardo would score, a poacher goal which Eddie deserves. He’s often in the right place but not always does the ball find him.
By playing Leno shows me that Arteta doesn’t like Macey and they’re for I believe Macey should ask for a transfer
I think he already has Geoff , and with Mikel it’s not a good move. As for scrappy maybe opportunistic, it was not a great crafted strike but rather like the Eddie Kelly cup final goal it won the match . Have to say I watched the game on my phone and didn’t realise that the own goal came off the post , so two fortunate goals .
Makes a change.
Morning all.
Geoff, you could well be right but then after the break Leno had, Arteta just might want to give him as much game practice as possible.
I like Eddie.
He gets into great positions and any okayed doing that will be rewarded.
Good player on the rise.
Any PLAYER.
Okayed??
Damn phone lol
New post up now