Morning all.
Pre Christmas, Arsenal were serious relegation candidates. Then on Boxing Day, Arsenal produced an excellent performance to stun Chelsea. The media too.
Remove the glaringly obvious errors made by officials pre and post Christmas and I’m convinced we’d have finished the season in one of the two main European Football spots. The loss at Wolves was down to two things I think. Arsenal’s inability to kill the game off in the first half followed by strange choices. Luiz for giving the ref a decision to make, the ref for making himself the post match talking point. I don’t know anyone who truly believed Luiz deserved to be sent off or should have been.
Fans have one of two options going into the new campaign. Dwell on the rubbish we saw pre Christmas or use the post Christmas stats as a reason for optimism. Our defensive record after Boxing Day was much better, third best in the PL I read. The results improved and if there was such a thing as a half season League table, we’d have been second. I know, there isn’t one so it’s irrelevant but it does show we got better as the season went on. Results wise that is and sometimes, after Arsenal have huffed and puffed their way through a game, it’s easy to forget that football is a game driven by results.
I’d like to think that as Mikel Arteta continues to add better, or different, and I think different is important, kind of players to the squad, the style of football will make better viewing. Personally, I find watching Man City boring but thoroughly enjoy watching a Leeds or Leicester City game. Invariably their games are fast and furious, end to end football. Watching a keeper release the ball early and with it creating the opportunity to attack the opposition at speed is what makes football great I think. Isn’t that the very same kind of football which brought Arsene Wenger so much success?
I don’t think Arsenal are that far off having a squad similar to the ones which Arsene won trophies with. Certainly like for like style of players. Before anyone slaps me down for my opinion, I did say in style, not quality. There’ll never be another back five, six including Cole, similar to the one Arsene inherited and then added to with Lauren, Sol Campbell and Toure. There’ll never be another Petit or Vieira but in Partey we have an excellent midfielder who just needs a settled partner who’ll allow him the freedom to attack in a way Petit did for Vieira. There’ll never be another Gilberto, Henry, Wrighty or Bergkamp but we do have ESR, Saka and Pepe. Balogun too who might just take to PL football like a duck to water.
Rob Holding seems to be the first choice central defender now with one Mari or Gabriel being his partner. Will Saliba come back to the club, or will he be sold? If rumours on NN about Arsenal being in talks for Edmond Tapsoba are true, perhaps he’ll be sold.
That’s the thing with Arsenal right now, barring a ‘handful’ of players, I’d imagine the club would be open to selling anyone if the right offer is made. As a friend once said to me, it’s not always about who leaves the club, it’s about who joins the club and I think that’s often true.
Certainly would be in the case of Willian if he really does want a return to Chelsea.
See you in the comments.
Saliba has been raised high but no one has seen him perform in the EPL yet they speak as if the teenager can get into the team immediately he comes.
Is his attitude ok. The last time he was trashing Arteta
Fantastic post, Rico.
We really do need to look forward, and hope the transfer window brings in what we need, and sees us let go what we don’t.
I agree we aren’t far away and now the defence is pretty solid, let’s hope Mikel finds the balance so we can tear teams apart, as we definitely have the talent to do so.
Morning all.
True Havyn, Arteta won’t have forgotten Saliba’s parting words.
Havyn, he’s a kid who had a really tough year in his personal life.
Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and see what he can do.
Thanks Scott.
I’m still not convinced by Arteta but that doesn’t mean I don’t want him to succeed and I think that gets lost sometimes.
Rico, we all want what’s best for the club, no doubt about that and yes, we all forget that at times, I reckon.
32 years ago today-that was pretty much what’s best for the club.
Not sure it’ll ever get any better than that, but we live in hope 🙂
The question is though Scott, will he get the chance? If Arsenal are after another central defender, surely someone will leave. Either that or Ballard, Mcaguinness will not get their opportunity and Ballard is I think the same age as Saliba.
Who knows what the club are planning really, I just hope there is a plan.
Anfield Scott?
A team of home growns, agree, it’ll never get as good or satisfying as that night.
Anfield-yep 🙂
On Saliba-I really don’t know if Arteta will give him a go or not.
I hope he does as even if he doesn’t set the world on fire, he’s still young enough to attract a decent fee.
I reckon they’ll know what we need, and what we need to let go.
I think our need for fresh blood is a little less fire than 4-5 months ago when it looked like we only wanted a few of our current squad lol
Several have really improved and settled into their work so just a few tweaks, I reckon.
I think the opposite Scott, I think we’ll see a lot of changes.
Maybe, Rico, but maybe more out than in and we could see a few of the kids get a chance.
Bring some quality in.
Bissouma was massively impressive for Brighton on the weekend.
Id never heard of the guy, but saw a few rumours linking us to him during the week so had a look.
If that’s what he does every week, I’d love to see him join us.
Bloody hell – a positive arsenal post and someone who can see past the chaff and realise that there is a a relatively half decent squad base to build on and with the right incomings, we can easily make up the difference to the top 4 spots.
I like Bissouma too Scott, he and Partey in midfield would be a dream I reckon.
Hi Rico and all
I recon Saliba and Guendouzi will both be sold as I don’t think Arteta forgives any one who say’s something bad about him, and then hopefully Arteta and the goal keeping coach can sort out who is our second keeper as I can’t see Maty Ryan staying if he doesn’t get match time. other that I would like to see Willian and Bellerin both get sold.
G’day Rico and all.
Should we sell Saliba? Before answering the question, we need to look at the options available.
We have Holding, Gabriel and Mari with Chambers and Tierney as possible back-ups. We have lost Luiz so, to my mind, we need a replacement for him. We haven’t seen anything of our home-grown young defenders so cannot really expect one of them to step up. Equally we’ve seen nothing of Saliba so he too is a bit of a dark horse.
There may well be some useful options in The Championship, but they would not come cheaply. Would we may well have to spend more on a new player than we can get for Saliba. On balance I think we should keep Saliba but make clear to him that he will have to fight for a place in the starting eleven, he is not going to walk straight into the team, barring injuries/suspensions that is.
I think two things cost us last season, first the reluctance to score a second goal after taking the lead, second mistakes by the usual suspects – Xahka, Luis and Ceballos. It looks like Smith-Rowe and Pepe can take care of the first in the future, the second can be cured by removing the source of the mistakes.
There was also a few games where we ‘didn’t turn up’, hopefully this is on Arteta’s list of things to learn from.
I’m optimistic.
Brian
Thanks for the post Rico and yes, our results since Boxing Day have been a vast improvement on how we performed in the first half of the season. Only Liverpool and Man City have dominated us totally in games and given their squads that’s not a surprise. Competing with that duo on a regular basis is the next step but I can’t say that I’ve enjoyed our football this season, at times it been tedious and boring and that I’m afraid is the Guardiola influence. Barcelona were boring to watch under him and so were Spain when dominated by Barca players.
It has occurred to me that Leno is getting an unfair amount of stick for the slowness of his ball release. At times we have played Aubameyang, Lacazette and Willian as a front three, none of them have the pace to out run defenders if Leno plays the ball long. Nor are they particularly good at the hold up play necessary to allow others to get into position to profit from a long ball. Pepe is excellent with the ball at his feet but, again, not as hold up player. The same applies to Saka.
At times last season we did well with diagonal passes particularly from Luiz, after playing out from the back and taking the ball forward while our front players got into position. Two things cause delay. One, our starting position is too deep, often the two centre backs are virtually on the goal line, they should be at least in line with the forward edge of the penalty box. Two, Leno’s kicking, both from goal kicks and from hand, is erratic too often going straight into touch.
I try my best Martin. Lol
I’d like to think that despite the clash of personalities with Ozil and his gang and Guendouzi, which will not end well for any of them, that Arteta will be the bigger man in his dealings with Saliba. William has had a very mixed couple of years where he could have been dealt with a damn sight more thoughtfully than he has been and a lot of that is on the clumsy way our club has operated in recent times. This cannot be put down to Arteta alone because others have not done their jobs properly and that needs to be sorted out.
Personally I don’t see a centre half as a priority but then maybe Arteta thinks differently and is looking for a centre back who can progress the ball better than those who we presently have?
That’s fine, as long as they can defend properly as well, which given the position I’d say is quite an important factor.
I quite like our defence, it’s resolute, doesn’t get bullied anymore and can handle a physical battle, you need that in England. Communication is also vitally important and with a German who speaks excellent English, two Englishmen, a Scotsman and a Brazilian whose really coming on I don’t see too many problems.
Hi Geoff, I suppose it depends on what has been really said rather than what’s been printed by the press.
Hi Cicero, if Ballard is good enough for his country, surely he’s in with a shout for a chance in the Arsenal first team. Depending on pre season performances etc etc.
Plus, without European football, we won’t need as big a squad imo.
To me the major problem for this team is and has been all season our finishing, we simply do not kill teams off when we’ve got it them on ropes. Aubameyang has been bloody awful but he’s not the only issue, we don’t get enough goals from midfield and Nketiah has been a major disappointment and has probably sealed his Arsenal fate?
Willian has offered us nothing this season, Saka and Smith Rowe are still developing that side to their game, Lacazette is a warrior but he is and always will be a 12 to 15 goals a season player, Pepe has come to the party late (thanks to being sidelined by Willian) and that’s a positive for next season. Martinelli has been in and out, Balogun saw his development stalled by the contract scenario and Odegaard/Ceballos were poor in that regard.
I don’t really expect a lot from Xhaka, Elneny and Partey as that’s not really their jobs.
It’s an aspect that needs serious attention this summer, not centre back, hopefully with some thoughtful coaching we’ll get Auba back next season. Otherwise he’s on the A train out.
Hi Kev, agree re the style of football, it’s painful to watch.
I’m hoping Arteta moves away from it next season. I can’t imagine a full stadium enjoying what we’ve seen this last season.
Agree again re the finishing, it’s been woeful. Every Arsenal transfer story on the back pages suggests we need a creative midfielder, like Odegaard etc but we create enough chances to win games. Maybe not against Liverpool and City, perhaps Chelsea even but the rest, yes, I think if we’d have had an in form Aubameyang or a different player who knew where the goal is, we’d be in Europe next season.
I don’t think Aubameyang will be at the club next season.
It’s not only this year that we have not been able to kill off a match it goes back to the Wenger days, for some reason we don’t have that killer instinct maybe we need to send our strikers to a boxing gym to learn how to get that killer instinct in them and show no mercy to our opponents.
I wouldn’t have thought signing a central defender is a necessity at all. As said previously, we have Ballard and McGinnuess coming through so why waste money we allegedly don’t have on yet another central defender. We need a full back or two and midfielder imo. Plus, replace Auba/Lacazette if one or both leave.
If Ryan doesn’t stay put, we need another keeper unless the under 23 guy, whose name escapes me, is deemed ready.
Not so sure Geoff, I remember us thrashing Everton 7-0 under Wenger.
Good afternoon Rico and everyone
If I recall correctly I remember that RM wanted Saliba and we just got in ahead of them. Seeing that Arteta wants Odegaard (although for me I would prefer ESR and Willock to chug it out) should Arsenal offer Saliba in exchange player for player? Zidane wanted Saliba and since he is same nationality and he doesn’t seem to fancy Odegaard (forget that RM said that they want to build their team around him….all they want is the money he can fetch….so they can raise the price higher) then its a simple one imo. If Arteta and Edu fancy Tapsoba (what a surname) and he is fast and strong then with Holding, Mari, Gabriel (and also Chambers if needed) that means that Salba will be a bit of surplus unless he convinces Arteta that he is a better option.
two birds with one stone.
I am still wondering how on earth Southgate has not chosen Pope (is it because he has some injury issues or an operation?)
back in the situation where we have too many dc.The ones we have are good quality and Holding has properly stepped up to the mark so Saliba can only be good in the squad , with the kidsgetting some bench appearances before judging on keep or flog.
What panicks me most is when Leno plays that central 12 yard pass straight over the penalty spot to a player with his back to the rest of the pitch , .What the heck is the player supposed to do when he invariably gets jumped on?
If we get Buendia and he is half as productive in goals/ assists as he was in the championship he will be 3 times more productive than any mid we have now. A non original thought , dump Willian !
Season ticket details arriving , it seems the club have reduced the number of games due to not being in Europe . It now just covers all 19 league games and just two home F.A Cup matches. I have not worked out the final cost but I suspect that the claims of no increase are rather blurred by the reduction in games and how they are being catagorised.
Afternoon Devil, didn’t you say the other day Pope has undergone surgery? I think he’s on the standby list.
You’d think with the lack of European fixtures, all the domestic cup home fixtures would be included.
My sons season ticket, is £811, the cheapest adult price, so if Potter is right that’s 21 vouchers, that works out just over £38 per game. I think he got a bit of a discount from unused cup vouchers and league games from 2019/20.
Tonight I am mostly supporting Villarreal…
£38 per game isn’t bad these days..
I’ll be cheering Emery’s team on later..
Spooky. 😆
It is spooky Rico, who would have believed it… 😳
The game is being shown live on You Tube if anyone is interested…
Georgie Graham’s Magic..he wears a magic hat
A day to toast the greatest if them all
Just watched the first half on BT Sport Kev. So far so good for Unai. 🤞🤞
So far so good for Unai.
Spooky 😆
No Rico. I did not say that Pope was to undergo surgery. But now I recall someone (dont remember who) who said that he was to undergo surgery.
Villareal are winning 1-0. I am rooting for Villareal….not because I hate the mancs….but because of Emery who I believe was stitched up by the players and hamstrung by those above him.
With regards ticket prices…..it appears that Tottenham have the highest prices per match…over £60 per game I think. A few years ago Arsenal were splashed all over the pages because their prices were higher….but now nothing. no mention that they are near the bottom of the price list.
Gerald Moreno looks a useful centre forward.
Frighteningly so Kev.. lol
Amen to that Sleeping…
I knew someone did Devil.
Happy days… 😂😂
YES YES YES ! United sunk by the YELLOW SUBMARINE. 🎶🎶🎶 🏆 🎶🎶🎶
Another one for Emery and they will be in the Champions League,
What was it Mesut Ozil said to Unai Emery in Baku “You can’t coach”…
Well Mesut, just goes to show what you know.
In all fairness, it’s the Europa League-a Consolation cup.
It’s obvious he targets it and his management profile is a little falsely inflated by it.
He cost us a top 4 finish by targeting it.
When he wins La Liga or the CL it’d be a proper achievement.
I could win the French League with PSG.
Though he gets a few extra credits for knocking off UTD 🙂
Well PSG didn’t win it this year, but didn’t Emery win it when he was manager?
Xhaka and Mustafi cost us top four in 2019 Scott, not Emery.
Isn’t it also a coincidence that during the first half of this season we were terrible and flirting with relegation and yet when Kolasinac, Sokratis, Ozil and Mustafi left our form improved and the damaging rumours seeping out of the club ended.
Just as certain players, tried and succeeded in undermining Emery in 19/20, they tried again and failed in 20/21 with Arteta, maybe because the club supported the manager properly.
Also Scott, if the Europa League is so easy to win, why didn’t Wenger win it?
Kev, how often was Wenger in the Europa League again????
I don’t remember saying it was easy to win, I said Emery focuses on it above all else.
Sorry, but Emery is clearly a one trick pony.
Yes, that group of players were a massive issue, but that’s got nothing to do with Emery and a career of chasing Europe League “glory”.
PSG-well, Poch is used to failure 🙂 🙂
I do recall Arteta putting his eggs in that same one trick basket and lost to Emery’s team.
Lille is the best success story, sold 100m players to us and spent 25m on a kid and a free transfer to win the league.
Bradley, and?
Has Arteta made a career of chasing one competition?
Irrelevant point, but as you raised him, Arteta did win an FA Cup.
Irrelevant as well 🙂
Agree Brad, Lille really caused an upset in France. As Leicester did over here.
I’m not sure Emery puts his eggs in one basket, it just depends where a club is sat in their respective leagues when the knockout phase begins.
I’m chuffed for Emery, just wish he’d have had a group of players who’d turned up in Baku. In the League fixtures too during the run in that season.
Morning all.
Scott, Arteta hasn’t had a managerial career yet but in the short time he has, he too has put one competition before another so yes it’s relevant.
Every manager puts one competition above another at some stage.
Good Morning everyone.
So happy for Mr Ebening. It turned out to be a VERY GOOD EBENING for him. It just showed that our players stitched him up in his time with us. What was it that Ozil told him??? That he doesnt know how to coach!!! Well it seems as if Ozil does not even know anything. half brained twit that he is.
Sorry Scott…I disagree with your opinion regarding Emery. He is a good coach. And he won with Seville, he won with PSG and now with Villareal. The truth is that he did not lose the dressing room. They just rebelled against his methods after being used to a life full of freedom under AW. Its more likely that they did not want him to succeed. Because mind you..if the players turned up in Baku they would have won I am sure. They just did not want to work their lazy asses off. And the board just let him alone. They did not back him up like they are doing with Arteta. I have been saying that for yonks and Kev pointed that out as well that when those players who fucked everything up were sold we began doing much better. And with the exception of Sokratis, the rest of the players were all AW buys…..maybe they stitched him up in his final years as well.
Emery is a good coach Scott. And he will win again I am sure. All he needs is a board who backs him up.
Emery us a good coach, and I haven’t said otherwise.
He’s very effective with mid table clubs and has shown that.
Can he truly handle a massive club?
That’s to be decided but I’m certainly very happy for the guy.
I’ll ask you all this, though.
Would you rather our country win the EL 4 times, or the CL once?
Lille-can we steal their scout?????
Damn, whoever is responsible for their recruitment is a genius!!!
Devil, Emery unfairly copped the brunt of that little posse of players, Arteta pissed them all off out of the club.
His recent comments made it quite clear what’s been happening and I’m glad the board backed him in that regard.
Our club, obviously, not our country.
The phone even tried to change it to country this time round lol
I agree Devil, wholeheartedly.
Not mastering English, having to deal with idiots didn’t help him. Clearly the Villarreal players think better of him than Arsenal did.
New post up now
https://highbury-house.com/2021/05/27/leicester-sneak-in-for-arsenal-target-happy-for-unai-emery/
Europa League 4 times for me.
I don’t think PSG is a mid table club.
Scott, this is perhaps the time to recognise the board, including the owner who would have had to support Arteta’s decision to move on certain players. Arteta couldn’t and wouldn’t have been permitted to do that on his own.
We can’t pick and choose when to blame the board imo.
Rico, yes we can-depending on their decisions, but clearly they didn’t back Emery so deserve to be criticised for that.