Morning all.
It’s great to see Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney and Dinos Mavropanos back training. Not much football going on but they’re all out in the fresh air and back running. Pushing hard to reach peak fitness. Pushing hard for what will be a much welcomed return to the first team. Rob Holding is more advanced in his recovery and having played a couple of times for the under 23’s, his return can’t be far away. Same goes for ESR who’s been looking good for the U23’s too.
With the Europa Cup fixtures looming, the League Cup too, our squad we’ll need everyone fit and healthy. Even so, it’s likely to be October before we see either of our two fullbacks.
Like one bus often follows another after you’ve been waiting hours, more good news comes in the shape of Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac. I can’t begin to imagine how they feel after what they and families went through, and are still going through but it seems both are in a good place mentally.
When asked if they were mentally fit to play, Unai Emery said:
“100 per cent. We think their mentality is good and their focus is with us. My focus is to be positive and I want to help them to live with normality. “They came back to train with us on Tuesday. We had it off but they came back to start training. Mesut didn’t train yesterday with illness but he trained today. They are both good options, I will take the decision if they can be with us on Saturday, we will wait for tomorrow.
“I am pleased they are back, of course. For us, for me first they are a person, then a player. We continued in our way with all the players. When they are training consistently, it is good news for us because they can help us. It is positive that they are with us now.
Unai Emery is right. Is doesn’t matter what our opinion of either is as far as football goes because first and foremost, they are both people, human beings who were doing no harm to anybody else. Then in a flash, they became victims of a nasty and violent crime. Their welfare and that of their families comes before anything else. Including playing for Arsenal.
Unai Emery:
It will be a very physical match. We need to adapt and be strong physically, We need to impose our game plan with structure and tactical positioning. We need to do well in the individual duels, they are very strong on the duels.
They are very strong in their structure with two strikers, they will demand a lot from us defensively. With long balls and second actions they are one of the best teams.”They are very, very clear and very efficient with that structure.
They also have players who, if you let them, they can build up with Tarkowski, Mee, Wood, Cork and some good wingers. I respect a lot that team and that coach.”
Considering Burnley are a strong and physical side, if Kolasinac really is in the right frame of mind, I can see Emery selecting him. Perhaps not Ozil though because of his illness and because he’s not the strongest player in the squad. If Mike Dean is the official so I can’t see him worrying too much about a few hefty tackles on our players. But we’re not softies these days. Xhaka doesn’t take much winding up, neither do Sokratis or Luiz. Lacazette can take care of himself too and I wouldn’t bet against AMN and Guendouzi being spiky characters either if pushed far enough.
Being at home though, our first of the season of course, Emery might go with pace, width and style. ‘Impose our game plan’ as he put it. Perhaps Pepe will get his first start, Lacazette too with Aubameyang and then Ozil teasing the Burnley defence with his magical left foot. Who knows, I know I certainly don’t.
We need to do better at home this season though. We did well against the clubs in the top seven or eight last campaign but we dropped points against a few of the rest. Ultimately, it cost us a top four place. I know our away record was dreadful but even so, had we beaten Wolves, Palace and Brighton, we’d have secured third place with ease.
This same fixture last year came just before Christmas. We’d hit a poor patch after going on a run of good results so beating Burnley 3-1 was much needed. Aubameyang scored two that day and Iwobi wrapped things up late in the game and after the opposition had pulled a goal back.
Another three goals at lunchtime would be most welcome but preferably with a clean sheet. Everybody loves a clean sheet..
Team news from the club’s website. Other than the four musketeers Bellerin, Holding, Tierney and Mavropanos, Granit Xhaka is the only player on the injury list. He’s suffering with lower back and leg bruising apparently and will be assessed today.
Enjoy the game guys, catch up in the comments.
Oh how I chuckled. I thought it was only my school where people grouped in the corner of the playground for a cigarette. No cane though, our lot never got caught…
It’s a long story of sport and jealousy , I always played football and cricket a year ahead and some of the players that I displaced in the school team were older and not happy. I was grassed up by one of them I don’t know who because the headmaster would not say who it was . I had my suspicions but could not prove it. Suffice it to say that I have never smoked a cigarette in my life but it taught me the lesson of rough justice which is sadly missing from society today.
That’s all the past so on to today :-
I reckon he will go with what he considers to be his best team for the second half . Emery seems to be cautious by nature and tends to try not giving anything away too early. The hour mark substitutions will be where the game comes alive after Burnley have spent a long time chasing shadows as we move the ball around . Imo that’s when we will strike.
Leno, AMN, Luiz Sokratis, Monreal, Guendouzi, Ceballos, Nelson, Willock, Aubameyang, Lacazette.
Arsenal: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Luiz, Monreal, Guendouzi, Ceballos, Willock, Nelson, Aubameyang, Lacazette
Subs: Martinez, Chambers, Kolasinac, Torreira, Mkhitaryan, Martinelli, Pepe
Morning Cicero , I was about to do a rendition of “On my own ” kind of like it was on the North bank last time I went.
Subs Mkhitaryan, Chambers, Torreira, Pepe, Martinelli, Martinez, Kolasinac.
Morning Rico and all,
great post thanks. I’ve had the Grandchildren stay for 8 days, so I’ve not seen much football, but a good result for us last week.
The mentality is slowly changing, Burnley will be tough opposition. Bizarrely, we have a good recent record with Mike Dean, but that guy hates us, so who knows what will happen. Wenger had a 100% record against Burnley(10-0) so hopefully we will be top of the league by full time(joke) Seriously most of those 10 games were hard fought.
I haven’t looked forward to a first home game for ages, it feels like we’re on the right track.
Time will tell…
Old Quintinians are never alone. 😉
I like today’s team, Luiz for Chambers has got to be right, even if it’s rough on Chambers.
Willock and Nelson are good picks, no Mikki too!
Afternoon All, I used to think that it was a British thing, then I saw a short video of Vieira launching into some shuddering tackles, but that vid of Willock is just what I wanted to see, it shows the change in mentality from the nicey nicey style under the previous regime to a more resolute style and I love it…
Potter, what happened to you happened to a few of us too. Like you, I was too interested in sport to get involved but it didn’t stop others going about their nastiness, especially when sport wasn’t their thing but it was mine in a big way.
Morning Limey, thanks.
Spot on Kev. Fed up with seeing our players shirk a tackle etc. I like this new found strength.
It looks as though Arsenal have toughened up just a bit. Nice to see.
Fighting goal by Lacazette. I’m luvin it.
Ceballos is a great signing imo.
Had Lacazette not scored I’m pretty sure we’d have been given a penalty.
Strong and determined from our number 9 though.
Disappointing to concede so close to half-time. Nelson goal ruled out by offside.
Burnley are getting in and around our box far too much. They always looked like scoring.
Disappointing first half for me. Way too many chances for Burnley to launch the ball into our box.
Missing Xhaka Adam? 😉
Possibly Rico but we look lightweight in wide midfield and Aubameyang and Laca aren’t in the game enough.
Not surprised to see the Pepe/Nelson change.
I think we miss Torreira Adam
This game kind of supports my Mustafi theory, I think he’d have been stronger at right back
I agree Rico 😀
It wasn’t that the players were “soft”, but it was coached out of them by previous administration. Gabriel, Vemerlean, RVP and Coquelin just to name but a few.
Job done.
We had the better of the play and the better chances but didn’t convert enough.
Some bloody good performances, though.
Ceballos is superb, Pepe could be a superstar for us and Nacho has plenty left in his legs.
Uncomfortable – but 3 points.
We have to do something about playing out from the back , it’s too easily closed down and better teams than Burnley will exploit it.
3 points though , we have to satisfied with the performances of the newcomers.
Three points! That looks like a different Gunners team to me. Not prepared to be bullied any more.
When the new players get settled in I think we will have a very good squad, keep up the hard work and we will be able to challenge for the top.
Burnley won 3-0 last week, they’re nobodies pushover, best start to a season by an Arsenal team since 2009-10, 9 seasons!
Top top top top top-of-the-league…
For a few hours at least… 🙂
Potter, I just don’t get it.
Risk v reward-the reward for “playing out” isn’t there, for mine.
Smith off for a concussion check after ducking into an Archer bouncer. He’s got the Aussie batsmen worried with his pace and aggression.
Me neither Scott , if teams push so many forward to close it down , then play it long as we are not short of pace up front.
We usually take 3 to 5 passes to get the ball out of our box and each one is liable to interception.
The problem with getting the ball forward quickly is Leno’s long ball distribution, and we don’t have a “back to goal” striker like Giroud.
Smith out LBW to Woakes for 92. Plumb LBW and he still reviewed the decision and then walked off before the decision was given. A little bit confused?
What a relief — not having our high hopes bust 2 games in, unlike last year, altho that was against the eventual winners and runners up of the EPL and the winners of the CL.
Don’t care – we won, and not only that, we won against a team of prehistoric cro-magnon look-a-likes.
Potter, I totally agree with you that the dribbling in and just outside the penalty area is a cock-up waiting to happen. But we cannot blame the players. Soc kicked the ball upfield to clear in a moment of desperation and on the sidelines Emery went mad at him. It seems he wants the team to play the ball out from the back come what may.
That’s ridiculous — there is a place and time for that — but occasionally, Row Z beckons.
For those interested — England cricket — 2nd Innings — 9 -2.
England rugby : beaten by Wales 10 : 6
Just as well Arsenal won, or it would be a gloomy Saturday. Still maybe the Spuds will lose?
Afternoon all.
I too now think we should ditch this playing out from the back, it’s really not working. Nice to see Luiz hoof it clear on the odd occasion.
Good win I thought, against a very organised Burnley defence. If only we could defend like them…
For advocates of paying out from the back, I ask how many goals any side has scored due to this tactic, and compare it to how many they score.
So many errors gift goals to the opposition, yet I don’t recall many teams going end to end and scoring.
What’s the point?
Pass it around when it’s safe, bang it long when it’s not.
The cricket is set up for a great finish again.
50/50 atm I reckon.
So far Smith has been the big difference in the Ashes, but I wonder if the arrival of Archer will negate that difference?
It’s going to be nip and tuck in the last three Tests.
Kev, he’s made a massive difference.
Smith failed to get a century bahahahahaha
Seriously, he’s very hyped but he’s no quicker, no better than Cummins so it’s more hope he offers you lot 🙂
Time will tell and it’s a hard, tough series so it’ll make him or break him imo
Seems to have a nice, relaxed attitude and plenty if ability so should have a damn good career in front of him.
I do hope the debate on Root v Smith has finally been put to bed lol
Smith coming in 4 with openers that hang about has the advantage over Root who at 3 finds himself facing a new ball as the openers tend to get out quickly. Perhaps he should drop to 4 and hope that shine is off the ball before he reaches the crease .
If Root wasn’t captain he would have been dropped in my opinion. He hasn’t made enough runs in this series or the last, I would rather sea Balance in the batting line-up. For one so inexperienced in test cricket Archer has an amazing range of deliveries, he is fast, can bowl pretty good bouncers, just ask Smith, and can bowl good line and length. He is no slouch with the bat either.
I reckon England will bat on until maybe three or three-thirty and then go flat out to for a win. As you say Scott 50/50. But I’ve a sneaking suspicion England have a slight edge as Smith will not be happy facing a barrage of bouncers and without him the rest of the Aussie batting is no better than ordinary.
Take Smith out of your team Scott and where would you be?
The classic one man team…
Potter, Alex Hales should be opening…
All he did was smoke a bit of pot.
Smith is the king of sandpaper and he’s back in pronto.
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot…
That Ceballos looks a baller…
Potter, Smith’s record at no.3 is better than at 4, though.
Cicero, you’re guilty of underestimating Smith.
I just saw Langer in the PC and he reckons Smith wanted back out there even before he’d had his medical check.
4-96 and you reckon 300-330?
I love your optimism.
I reckon If they get 250 they’ve done well and really, that’s going to be damn hard for our lads to chase down.
Kev, we’ve bowled your lot out 3 times already, so hardly a one man team.
One man batting team, maybe but our bowlers are better than yours 🙂
Great to see the Barmy Army showing their class and booing Smith when he came back on.
Low class drunks.
Scott, did you read Smith’s comment “that he wouldn’t get his name on the (Lords) Honours Board if he didn’t get back out there”. That’s not bravery or team play it’s self obsessed egotism.
As to the boos from “the low class drunks”, I take it you’ve never attended a test match at the SCG.
Cicero,
Tall poppy syndrome mate.
If he wasn’t smashing you, it’s be a non event 🙂 🙂
I’ve NEVER heard Aussies boo a batsman hit by a bouncer.
If you have encountered it, I’ll bet it wasn’t In Sydney or anywhere else in Oz.
For this one single entrance to the pitch, they should’ve left him be, imo.
I thought Smith was silly to go back out to bat. He looked all over the place to me, especially the way he kind of stumbled around for his LBW and then his review only to then walk off.
I loved seeing Archer warm up as soon as Smith returned, knowing full well he wasn’t coming back to bowl no doubt. Mind games eh.
Only one winner today imo. The weather as it’s meant to rain for much of the day. That’s assuming England can bat a bit in the periods between the downpours.
I agree Kev, Hales shouldn’t be left out just because of what he’s done away from the pitch. Unless he’s been convicted of criminal activities, let him play. English cricket does like to shoot itself in the foot as they’ve done many times before.
Bloody rain.
Honours shared then, Rico?
Seems Your guys have one task.
Get Smith out cheaply, we are gone.
Our guys have one task and that’s to help the guy out with the bat.
Great series unfolding.
New post up now by the way.