Morning all.
The rubbish news after the match came from Mikel Arteta:
I just had a talk with the doctor. He’s going to have a scan tomorrow and at the moment it’s not looking good because he was in pain and he could not continue which, for Thomas, is pretty unusual.
Thomas Partey has been excellent during pre season. Now it looks like we might have lost him for a few weeks which is grim news. However, he was spotted walking around in Paddington after the game according to someone on Twitter so perhaps he’s not too bad.
What did the fixture against Chelsea tell us?
- All three summer signings look very good.
- Bernd Leno is terrible at playing the ball out from the back, so why does he?
- Our football in and around the box remains toothless.
- Aubameyang and Lacazette aren’t going to fire us back into the top four unless they suddenly find some form.
- Arsenal’s most dangerous striker on the day was Eddie.
- Where was Folarin Balogun?
- The standard of officiating hasn’t improved.
Sambi Lokonga, Ben White and Nuno Tavares were excellent and boy can the last on that short list deliver a cross? The one he landed on Auba’s head was as good as you’ll see. Unlike the attempted finish.
Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah caused Chelsea more problems than any other player in our attack. Both look more grown up, more determined and certainly more composed on the ball this season. If I were Arteta, I’d be reluctant to let either go, in fact I wouldn’t let them go.
Mo Elneny, a lovely bloke I’m sure but I think it’s time for Joe Willock to take his place in the squad. Thomas Partey and Sambi Lokonga are the probable first choice pairing eventually, but surely Joe Willock’s name should be next on the list. The Englishman has energy, pace and likes to move the ball forwards. His long legs can take him up and down the pitch all day long and he’ll pop up in the right place to score a few goals I’m sure. He scored a great goal yesterday but the linesman failed to spot the ball had crossed the line after it smashed the underside of the bar.
Granit Xhaka scored our only goal with his bonce. His passing range is so good but his lack of pace remains a big problem. He’s staying though if Mikel Arteta’s words after the game were truthful. If Arsenal and Roma were squabbling over a few pounds and Xhaka now signs a new improved contract at Arsenal, I think it’ll be a huge mistake made by the club. For what it’s worth, I still think he’ll leave. Bigging up a player before selling him is the oldest trick in the book.
Anyway, we lost which is no big deal in a preseason friendly but the fashion in which we lost remains worrying. Too many mistakes were made by players who were making similar mistakes last season. We’ve now played five preseason fixtures and there’s still a lot of work to be done on the training ground, although not all old dogs can be taught new tricks.
There’s still some work to be done in the transfer window too but just how much of that Arsenal can afford to do this summer no one really knows. We don’t know who is leaving either but if yesterday’s showing from Eddie and Joe Willock is a sign of what’s to come from them, selling them for peanuts could prove costly. In more ways than one.
See you in the comments.
New post up guys.
Yes it is Lee Mason who has quit active refereeing, Sue it was very early this morning that I read it and that’s my excuse. 😉
Morning Adam. The officials and VAR was very good at the Euros which goes to prove that the system/rules can work well with the right people enforcing them. The Riley and his staff problems will continue until he has gone I think and I welcome that day.
Marriner has to be up there with some of the worst referees in the business. He allowed a friendly game to be a ‘let’s kick Arsenal’ affair. Appalling.
Morning Rico. Regarding the referees. After the Euros and the way the officials handled the games I think that the Chelsea game and the truly shocking Marriner performance, we got a real glimpse of the kind of nonsense we might reasonably expect this season.
The gap in quality has become so obvious. Kick Riley and his yes-men out and overhaul the entire thing I say. I sense that we are going to be back here talking about these unfit, wheezing incompetents many times over the coming months.
Morning Devil, Sue, Cicero and all.
Maybe that’s why Xhaka is staying put. Thomas did suffer a few injuries last season.
Any English referee retiring is good news imo and it’s about time the penalty laws and offside were sorted out.
One door opens and another one slams in your face. Throughout pre season Partey has been playing further forward and adding a drive to our attack . With him missing we musn’t fall back to last seasons defauklt and have Xhaka and Elneny as a double act to keep that momentum it requires time for Lokonga and Willock not neccessarily together to stake a claim.
Brentford , Chelsea and Man City to come straight up before Partey returns , we can’t afford a gap to build straight away or else Arteta’s position will come under immediate pressure from both those that already want him gone but the media who willsmell blood.
Hi Devil.. Yes I’m all for Lokonga playing – he’s looked really good so far. I’m just disappointed we’re discussing injuries already!!
TP has also looked really good preseason, the beast I was hoping for when we signed him. Missed 6 games in 5 years for Atletico, comes to us and suddenly he’s made of glass!!
So assuming this is correct, TP will miss Brentford and Chelsea – not ideal, although 2 games is far better than 6 weeks!
Sue, with regards Thomas take it from this perspective….it means that Sambi Lokonga will play in his place. When thomas comes back it means a midfield of Sambi and Thomas. Can we ask for anything more??
Yes I am gutted about thomas as well…..but if it means that Sambi gets to cement his place than I am all for it.
Hi Cicero…Are you sure it isn’t Lee Mason? Your comment had me all excited – Moss, can’t stand him – so had a butchers online and couldn’t find anything regarding roly poly Moss, just Mason.
Initial prognosis on Thomas Partey’s injury is that he’s expected to miss the first couple of games of the season (Chris Wheatley)
🥺 Gutted!
Good Morning Rico and all
Cicero, you preceded me by a whisker…….as I was going to post this article.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/aug/02/var-set-to-end-premier-league-players-buying-a-penalty-next-season
I do not think that VAR should be scrapped. I think that the people operating it should be scrapped and replaced.
However, the penalty decision in itself is flawed. And I tell you why.
When I used to referee friendly games which we coaches arranged between us for various reasons, I knew, and still do, the laws of the game by heart. And in no way whatsoever do the laws say that for a penalty to occur there needs to be contact. The laws state that if a player has been fouled. End of.
So whenever I reffed the game and I saw a player falling to the ground my brains worked overtime in the split of a second…..my first question….was he fouled? if the answer is yes then penalty. if the touch or contact instigated a foul or impeded a player from the course of his action then yes its a penalty.
But if there was just slight contact and the player went over I merely gave an indirect freekick to the defenders and a yellow card.
I dont recall Collina ever gave a penalty whenever there was just contact. And he made his feelings clear on it when he gave yellow cards to the diver.
As you said Cicero…..its the refs and law makers who are faffing around.
Take the David Luiz situation against Wolves. Had I been referee it would have meant a yellow card for the striker and an indirect freekick. And its not because I am an Arsenal supporter. It could have been my own son for all I care. Rules are rules. The thing is that the refs have hidden agendas. Mike Dean loves the scum…..he celebrates when they score. TV picked that up. So does one honestly expect him to refrain from giving a penalty when Kane feels a sniff from Holding’s nose??? Or when Holding sneezes behind him and he gets knocked over by the blast of explosion coming out of Rob’s nostrils?? He will gleefully give it.
Meanwhile, if Chiellini played for Tottenham or united and did what he did to Saka I doubt he would have given a foul.
First the good news Fatty Moss has retired from “active” refereeing. 😀
Then the bad, he has become the first dedicated Premiership VAR. 😠
Reilly is tinkering with the the way off-sides and penalty awards are decided. He has admitted that twenty goals were disallowed last season after using “quite forensic” scrutiny, he said noses and toenails will be disregarded in future off-side decisions.
On penalties Reilly says where there is contact it must have an effect, meaning that players going down at the merest touch will not necessarily win a penalty.
After two seasons of VAR the authorities are still faffing about and according to Reilly it could take up to three more seasons to get it right.
Meanwhile VAR errors are adversely affecting games by awarding penalties which are not now deemed to be penalties and disallowing goals for off-side which were not off-side.
Is VAR working? Or should it be scrapped?
I think he will have pressure like Pepe coming in on a huge price tag. Let’s hope he has the character to make it count.
I think that’s why we’ve signed Ben White Brad, he’s know for bringing the ball out of defence and not across it. It’s pretty simple I think but Arsenal do like to over complicate things.
Hi all,
I think we invite the pressure onto us. We tap tap around our own box and then last resort to the keeper. So now he has our players around him and inviting the press on us.
The players need to take more responsibility on the ball and not lazily take it off themselves with a short square passes.
Kicking it up field doesn’t work for us, 90% of the time we don’t win it and it gets run straight back at us. If he goes deep the attackers are not there and it’s an easy collect for their defenders.
My problem with him is his lack of command of his box and his defence.
Afternoon Rick and thanks.
Excellent news re KTH.
Agents Rick, agents
Yes At last
Kido Taylor Hart has signed his first pro contract and its a long one.
Why did it take so long for them to give him one
Dan Critchlow
@afcDW
·
19m
Taylor-Hart: “I support this club so obviously I want to play for the club and spend as much time here as possible and hopefully progress into the first team!”
Great news to get him tied down, along with Balogun, two of Arsenal’s top academy prospects.
First professional contract ✍
Congratulations,
@KidoTaylor10
👏
Great news, Rico!
Afternoon Rico and the Hopuse
Thanks for anopther good post Rico
Yo ask what did the game against Chelsea tell us.
simply not a lot what we already knew..
Leno will never change, he cannot think for himselfe and would be
more at home in the Yellow Brick Road
Of the newcomers I think Sambi will turn out the best he likes playing
yhe ball forward and with speed.
Scott I got to watch the last 5 minutes of the Aussie woman so close but they didn’t need that red card with only a minute or two to go.
Kev let’s hope we can move on some of these players I got this feeling that niles will go out on loan,
If can’t get a top keeper then maybe we should just keep the money and get Edu and co to Work hard during the first half of the season and try to lock in one for mid season transfer and hope Leno doesn’t make too many mistakes
It’s interesting how little involvement we’ve seen from Niles and Willian, both completely out of yesterday’s squad unless I missed something. I don’t think either are injured?
I know Geoff, but I think that Arteta does know all that, it’s why the club are prepared to pay a club record fee for Ramsdale, it’s just a case of trying to do everything they can this summer within an affordable budget. We’ve already spent £74m and earned virtually nothing in terms of sales except nominal fees for Medley, Coyle, McGuiness, Oyegoke and Sheaf with some loan fees for Mavropanos, Guendouzi, Saliba, Matt Smith, Iliev, Moller and John Jules with anyone’s guess what we’ve earned from that lot?
If Lacazette doesn’t leave then that’s probably ‘it’ as far as Lautaro Martinez is concerned, Arteta might be forced to stick with what he has in terms of attackers?
If Willock stays then that’s probably ‘it’ for Bruno and there’s still Niles, Torrieira, Nelson, Bellerin and Kolasinac to sort out. Our transfer guys are going to earn their wages this summer!
Kev I agree the back line and keeper have to work as one however my opinion is not just based on one match but it seems that Leno makes the same mistakes no matter how Arteta sets the team up, I don’t mind loosing practice matches as it’s a chance for the coach to try players in a different position or game play but Leno has to learn basics, if in dealt kick it long, or pick the ball up and let the players regroup.
True Adam.
Geoff, let’s be fair, we didn’t lose because of Leno, we lost because we was playing a high line at the back for the first goal and then a sloppy pass from Bellerin for the 2nd goal.
Just as Leno isn’t strong at playing out from the back both Holding and Mari aren’t exactly rock solid at playing a high line with both full backs bombing on. When the personnel change we might not look so vulnerable at the back? White and Gabriel are not Holding and Mari.
Very true Adam. Aubameyang never competes for long balls from the ‘keeper. Lacazette tries but more often or not is only looking to win a foul off of the defender, he is not as good at it as Kane.
Leno has failed to improve his all round game under three and a half (Wenger, Emery, Lundberg and now Arteta) managers. It’s time to realise that you can’t teach this particular old dog new tricks.
He does to a degree Geoff as he said mistakes costs us yesterday. I think he might have forgotten it’s his job to do do something about it. Lol
Rico. That would be a good idea if we had someone up front who could head a ball.😀
I give up lol
Everyone can see how bad Leno is, except for the one person who keeps selecting him and whether you like Arteta or not he seems to see something in Leno that nobody else does, therefore every time we loose because Of Leno Arteta has to take full blame.
Fingers crossed The club find a new keeper soon.
Why not change tact with Leno? If he can’t always play out from the back safely, just opt for the long ball. This is as much on the coaching as it is the player imo.
Aussies v Sweden in the Olympics right now.
If the lad can’t make it in England, I’ll advise him to head to Sweden.
Such an unattractive lot hahaha
Cicero, quite clearly you’ve ignored the context in which I made that comment, as well the fact I said If we continue to play that way he should be sold.
Well played.
Good morning all.
I’ve only watched the so called “highlights” on the club website and all I can say is our defending was totally shambolic.
If that’s an example of how we are going to play, top ten is out of reach.
Scott, unfortunately using your feet is a vital part of a goalkeeping, Leno is so bad at it that to call him a good ‘keeper is to be very wide of the mark.
Showing your age mate hahaha
Come all without , come on within , you ain’t seen nothing like fumbling Jim .
Blast from the past .
Didn’t quite come out how I meant lol
Just put aside the negative thoughts and concerns and just support them as hard as we can!!!
Yes, Tottenham with £100m plus to throw around could complicate the delicate business Arsenal are probably involved in, fortunately Levy does have an unequalled record of wasting millions on totally inappropriate players so don’t lose your sh*t just yet… 😉
The only time we looked secure playing it out from the back was when Martinez was in goal, he looked confident and the defenders looked relaxed and confident. You can see how edgy our players are with Leno and how nervous Leno looks, it’s a car crash with him at the back.
I don’t know if Aaron Ramsdale is really the answer, he’s English but that shouldn’t be the deciding factor – and SheffUtd probably upped their asking price after watching Leno, it’s an issue and the club should really push the boat out this week and get it sorted, because I can see us going into next season with a deeply unhappy goalkeeper and a deeply nervous fan base.
Kane has skipped training apparently. If they get mega money for him and reinvest, ouch!
I really do hope Arsenal fans, even on social media, just get behind the squad.
It hasn’t happened for years.
I realise that, Rico.
I don’t like it but it’s the way the game is going now.
That’s all it’s fit for Kev.
Things were similar last season imo. The younger players worked hard and fast whilst the likes of Auba etc, disappointed. Put Saka, ESR, Martinelli etc in with Pepe and I think he improves. He needs the game to be played at a higher tempo to be effective, or is it affective, imo.
Expecting Lokonga to hit the ground running is a big ask but I sure hope he does.
But that’s Arteta’s tactics Scott, he persists with playing out from the back with a keeper who can’t do it. It’s reminiscent of when Emery tried to get Cech to play the same way.
Morning Geoff. I’d have thought the problems from last season would have been worked on and improved on already but yes, we’ve two weeks before Brentford and a lot can happen.
😂 Adam, I thought he was already in the bargain bucket.
The Express is very absorbent Rico, I use it in my cat litter tray all the time, so it does have it’s uses but not as a serious newspaper.
I came away from that game wondering if Willock and Nketiah do have a future at Arsenal, as mentioned by others they look more bulked up and less like willowy youths? They could do a job for us for now and then if it’s doesn’t work out we could revise their situations in January.
They both brought an energy and an urgency that shamed Auba, Laca and Pepe.
He’s a very good keeper though.
Just terrible with his feet.
Tell backs not play to him and problem solved.
Or sell him, solved as well lol
That long Adam? Lol
Rico. If it is a shop window then Leno’s price just plummeted and he moved to the Clearance section.
Morning Rico and all
We should of started with all the new players to give them more match practice together before the main season starts. At the moment I would start with Laca and bring Auba on during the second half.
As for Xhaka maybe the solution could be if our opponents are slow to bring the ball back in from a goal kick then start Xhaka however if they are quick like man city/ Liverpool then Xhaka starts on the bench.
Let’s not panic just yet we still have a few weeks to iron out any problems and hopefully get a new keeper
Kev, I’m trying to convince myself that a number of players out there yesterday were simply in the shop window. 😜
The Express say seven players are up for sale and we know that outlet is very reliable. Lol
Rico. It won’t be 10 months. Three maybe.
Good post Rico, I know it’s no big deal given that this is a game for charity and it’s all about fitness – and maybe Arteta and Tuchel didn’t want to show their hands with an EPL game about two weeks away? Bringing on 6 subs in one go is going to be disruptive and the rustiness showed with the clumsy way Bellerin lost possession leading to the Chelsea winner.
It’s small margins isn’t it, for example, Bellerin doesn’t concede possession and the linesman does his job, we win 2-1 but it doesn’t really mean anything as we know there are areas that still need attention but to me there were positives.
Yes Adam is correct, Arsenal badly need to address the goalkeeper issue because old fingers Leno is becoming a glaring problem.
Me too Adam. I treated myself to a much oversized cushion this summer especially for the next ten months. 😂
Rico. I’m gearing up for it. Until December or perhaps Christmas anyway.
Anonymous-that says it all.
Morning guys.
The defence will be fine.
Leno either doesn’t touch the ball with his feet or gets sold.
Auba-wow.
Let him go on a free.
He’s lost it.
Morning Kev, Devil.
Ten days to go and I don’t think we’re ready for Brentford let alone the so called big teams.
Devil, if someone can’t leave their name, don’t bother.
Come back at seasons end and eat your piece of humble pie champ.
Good morning Rico and all
Good post Rico. I share 99.99999% of your thoughts and agree with them
Anonymous…..there is nothing more I would like than to ram your words down your throat after 6 games. You are entitles to your opinion but probably even if we win them all you would still complain. Probably even if you were the manager yourself you would come on in here telling us the Kroenke should fire the manager.
Morning Gooners just over 10 days to go for the big kick off.
Morning Rico, thanks for the post.
Wavy, dear old fingers Furnell, once seen, never forgotten.
Ok, off to catch up.
Adam, I too thought we’d see something a little different during this preseason but sadly, so far anyway, it’s just more of the same. Mistakes, missing goal scoring opportunities and silly stuff from Leno.
It could be a long old season…
Rico. We all want to see the team progressing I am sure. There must have been a thorough analysis of what went wrong and what was good about last season. I was hoping that these pre-season games would show some new thinking on tactics and an eradication of the nonsense that cost us Europe last season. It’s worrying to me that the overall picture seems relatively unchanged, even with the new guys on the pitch.
I know that it’s pre-season etc but it’s still very concerning to watch this stuff.
Morning Adam. I can see where you’re coming from re Xhaka and agree but he slows us down unless he’s pinging passes around. Totally agree re Leno, he’s an accident waiting to happen every game.
You’d have thought Arteta would have told him to boot the ball up the pitch when there’s no real pass on. Actually, you’d think he’d work that out for himself.
Leno and Aubameyang are a problem I think.
Morning Rico. I’m with you most of the way and it’s easy to say that we should move on from Granit. I get it. Lack of mobility, square passes etc. But, from what I see, we usually look more structured when he’s on the pitch.
Without wishing to read too much into yesterday’s game, the stand-out irritation for me is Leno. I mean, how many more times is he going to do this stuff? Passing to players when they’ve got opponents breathing down their necks, trying to be too clever with the ball when he doesn’t have that skill and of course his favourite of passing straight to the opposition. I don’t absolve`Mikel from this. He knows that Bernd can be flakey yet still it persists. When are we going to sort this once and for all and when are we going to sort this bloody defence so they don’t leave us two or three on one when we’re attacking? Every team in the PL and probably Europe can see that if you press Arsenal at the back, they will break and give you easy chances. We know this too. How come Mikel and his team seem completely bloody oblivious to the clear facts?
We absolutely have issues up front and Auba is getting picked on the basis of his contract and past glories now.
Surely we cannot afford another bad PL start this season. It’s looking very frustrating and dangerous for Arteta unless he sorts things out.
Arsenal just has fake owners who were exposed last season for experimenting with Arteta. They should have fired him by mid season you never know may be arsenal would be playing in Europe this season. The only reason arsenal is stuck with arteta is because they won’t invest in the team otherwise they would have done that already, you don’t wait for the season to begin and then start fixing the problems you should have fixed in preseason. I don’t even know if those guys have looked at the fixtures yet. The first six gamed we will be in the bottom 5 to be honest. Leno does deserve to be the number one, all the champions in the previous 5 years have good keepers who know how to read the game and make excellent decisions but Leno keeps making the same horrible passes from the back. You can’t keep Xhaka either the guy has wanted to leave for 2-3years but for some reason the pep intern still thinks he’s important to the team. Alexander is not the kind of striker to lean on because the midfield doesn’t have intelligent guys to make passes to him its just sideways and backward passing. The team still has so many players they can’t even sale you wonder who is in charge of selling and buying of players. I don’t know why Saliba hasn’t had his chance but sending him on loan won’t fix anything look at Forfana who was he’s under study in France he’s doing well under Rogers but Arteta thinks Saliba still needs time clearly Arteta won’t perform any miracle am looking at another bad season