Morning all.
Another weekend, another Arsenal league fixture. We face Brentford this evening, Porto on Tuesday and then that’s it for nearly three weeks as the international game takes over.
The key points from Mikel Arteta’s post match press conference:
Team news:
Not much, we got some players back last Monday, and then we had Martinelli and Bukayo with little issues but we are pretty positive that hopefully they can be part of that but we’ll have to wait and see how they are tomorrow.
On Aaron Ramsdale’s game time this season ahead of Brentford:
It is what it is, he is fully prepared, he trains really well every day. He is desperate to play like the rest of the boys who haven’t had that many opportunities and Saturday is a great day for him. He’s been brilliant, he’s been really good, really supportive, really pushing everything in training like I expected and it’s a joy to have two top goalkeepers in the team.
If our goalscoring form changes his thinking about whether we need a forward in the summer:
No, the plans that we have for the summer are very clear and were done almost at the start of the season, understanding what we can have, the contract situations that we have with some players and how we want to improve and maintain the level of the team. This certainly has not changed anything.
Goodness, an Arsenal manager and board who knew at the beginning of this current season what they want to do the following summer. Who’d have thought eh. I jest somewhat but it’s so refreshing after witnessing many a deadline day when all we could do was hope yet were invariably left feeling disappointed. More important than who arrives in the summer is who we have now and what they can do today against Brentford. Anything other than a home win will be disappointing.
Brentford’s last away game was on the 28th February against West Ham. David Moyes team, who’d been on a poor run of results, started well, scored a couple of early goals and when the ghastly Maupay pulled one back, scored again. They ran out 4-2 winners in the end so in theory, if the Hammers can beat Brentford, then Arsenal should too. If only life was like that eh….
What can we expect from Thomas Frank’s team? Arsenal’s tactical man Adrian Clarke has explained in the official matchday programme:
Defensive concerns have forced Frank to have a rethink, switching from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2. He is rarely expansive when facing leading sides, so we can expect the Bees to be compact down the spine of the pitch, putting 10 or 11 players behind the ball. They are always tactically well-organised and excellent at limiting space for their opponents. While they do not press high, they are terrific at disrupting play inside the middle third, and their 273 interceptions are the division’s second-highest tally.
Since Toney’s return, goalkeeper Mark Flekken looks to hit long aerial passes towards the striker, who habitually pulls onto one of the full-backs to receive them. Everton are the only top-flight side to attempt more long passes than Brentford, who are notoriously strong in the air. From flick-ons and second balls, they always present a threat. However, at the other end, Sheffield United are the only outfit to have conceded more goals from open play this term than Frank’s men (41). Just four clean sheets from 27 matches tells a story, as does the fact they have conceded three times or more in a game eight times so far.
There’s a bit of extra spice to this game as it was in this fixture last season when the officials, especially VAR, let football and Arsenal down. A clear and bleedin’ obvious offside was missed in the build up to Brentford’s equaliser which deprived us of two massive points. There was a foul on Saka in their box too which on another day with a different set of officials, might have seen Arsenal awarded a penalty. That’s all history now of course but I doubt Mikel Arteta or his players have forgotten it, just as I bet doubt Ivan Toney’s tweet: “Nice kick about with the boys” back in August 2021 has been forgotten either.
Injuries:
Mikel Arteta is hoping Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will be available for selection but Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jurrien Timber remain out.
Thomas Frank is without Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee, Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Josh DaSilva and Kevin Schade.
The starting eleven for that match..
We’ll see a very different starting eleven today as it’s unlikely Nketiah, Partey or Zinchenko will start and of course, Granit Xhaka is long gone. We’re better from front to back now than we were a year ago. Havertz has become the thorn in the side for any opposition, Kiwior has been solid at left back and Rice is our midfield rock. I’ll be surprised if Toney gets the better of our two central defenders these days.
Earlier this season, Arsenal defeated Brentford 1-0 in what was a one sided affair as far as the stats read. We bossed possession and chances created but it wasn’t until the 89th that substitute Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game. I don’t think it’ll be 0-0 on 89 minutes today, not the way Arsenal have been playing for the last couple of months, and not at home in front of the home fans. As Clarke said, Brentford are vulnerable in defence but, they will be direct and given half the chance, they’ll be dangerous in attack too.
If we let them that is….
Catch up in the comments.
Morning all!
Porto played yesterday and won 3-0 in Portimão. He is going through the best moment of the season. They are already “studying” Arsenal.
Good morning Rico. Bom dia JM.
Play our own game, press them high up the pitch and remain alert for counter attacks. Ramsdale will know what to expect.
Avoid Var checks at all costs, Tierney is in the chair.
The more Porto study Arsenal, the more they will find to worry about.
Morning Jm, Cicero, all.
Did Porto practice their fouling routine yesterday? Lol
Interesting that Brentford have a ‘makeshift’ defence which is only better than Sheffield Utd. I agree, out of the blocks fast and get at them.. Don’t let them settle into any kind of rhythm. In other words, carry on carrying on…
The Porto coach said yesterday that he was going to take advantage of the trip to watch a video of Arsenal…
Morning Rico/all
This fixture last season saw us stitched up by VAR. Having said that Ivan Toney gave our defenders a torrid time – he was given the freedom of the Emirates to foul with no fear,which does help a player like that.
I agree with Rico though,I’d back Gabriel and Saliba today.
I do rate Brentford but as mentioned they have defensive injuries,we have been brilliant recently,so looking forward to the game.
We might need to use all the substitutions,hopefully rest big players with Porto coming up.
COYG
Afternoon Rico and Co
I wonder how Porto are doing with practicing their holding, blocking, shirt-tugging, diving, simulating and general shithousery. If there was an award for that then Porto would be strong favourites to sweep the board.
Is the Arsenal vs Porto game going to be an advert for football or an advert for the worst kind of cheating and play acting?
You decide?
Afternoon Rico and all.
Should be a good match today, Brentford can be a bit tricky at times, however I think we should still take all 3 points.
Tuesday night is going to depend, on a large part, by how strong the officials are and how good the VAR is going to be because the cheating of Porto will be off of the scale, it’s going to be all about breaking up play, stop/start, time wasting, play acting, you know, classic Mourinho style.
The Arsenal crowd will play a large part because they can influence officials, they can get opponents cautioned and if Arsenal get on a roll you just know that Porto will lose their heads and their discipline.
But first…. Let’s smash Brentford.
Afternoon Limey, Kev, Geoff.
I too rate Brentford Limey, but I’m not overly keen on them.
My guess is cheating, play acting and all round cynical football Kev. Portuguese football at its best. Or worst. Sorry Jm.
What a load of rubbish from the England cricket team,one of the commentators said England have now lost 7 out the last 12.
Bazball has been great,but at some point surely pride should kick in.
This has been a second string India team.
At least Jimmy hit the record books though…
England aren’t very good in India, never have been I think.
Rumour has it that Martinelli is out for tonight’s match.
Trossard to play ?
Ramsdale regular back four, Rice,Odegaard, Jorginho, Saka, Havertz,Trossard,
Martinelli not on the bench
I’m recording the game while watching the England v Ireland match.
Catch you all later.
Glutton for punishment Cicero. 😂
Scrappy start..
What a throw from Ramsdale…
That’s the way to respond after a penalty shout turned down…
Rice rice baby….
What a stupid stupid thing for Ramsdale to do.
Arteta wont forgive that . Its Raya all the way now .
Maybe Cana should have been working on it as its not the first time hes been close to getting caught
I’m gutted for him, he’d been good before then. Agree though, Arteta won’t forget that. Or forgive..
Arteta needs to get at them at half-time, it’s all a bit tame…
get nothing from var tierney
Surprise surprise….
Here comes the ghastly, cheating Maupay….
White, Havertz 💪💪
Massive result. I thought a few players were off today, certainly in the first half. Ramsdale made a crazy mistake but boy, he put things right in the second half with a few outstanding saves, especially the one from Toney.
Imo, there’s zero chance of us signing Toney.
A first part with the head and a second part with the heart.
Great result,perhaps we should have expected a tough game,with the Porto game coming up.
In truth we lacked a little spark,but we have been sensational recently,that can’t happen every week. Is there anything sweeter than a late winner?
10 games to go,5 home,5 away bring it on.
Very true, we can’t win every game 5/6-0.
Now we can look to Porto..
Just listened to Kai Havertz, he comes across as a really nice guy.
What a game and I felt sorry for Ramsdale as he had a good game otherwise. Rice was my man of the match,a bargain at £100 million. Didn’t understand the subs and Martinellli was a miss down the left side.
More like a rugby some of the time and the last person who I thought would score,did.I just heard him as well and agree.
England won though Rico. 😉
They did Cicero. A good day all round..
The only person to blame for Ramsdale’s blooper is Arteta. He really can’t expect a perfect performance from someone who hasn’t played a game this year. Raya has been good, but a bit of ‘keeper rotation would not go amiss.
Two goals scored, one conceded, a massive three points and top of the league. 🔔🔔
Bit of a shame that the Brentford manager should spend so much of his post-match interview claiming that Kai Havertz should have been sent off for simulation. Of course the No marks on Sky started to run with that narrative and that’s when I switched off.
No mention of the penalty not given for tugging back Trossard in the box and Gabriel getting his shirt pulled in the box, nope that doesn’t get clicks.
Sky wankers!
so it always has been . dig up any reason to do us down .
Sounds a very intersting match, I missed it due to 4:30 am start in oz but in the end another win to keep the pressure on Man c and Liverpool.
You wait and see how quick the referee whips out his yellow card the next time Havertz goes down, whether he’s fouled or not – thanks to Sky and the BBC. When Kai was struggling early in the season nobody in the media cared about anything he did, but now he’s scoring every week ‘they’ve gotta get him’…
Brentford conned a gullible referee throughout the game. Protesting wildly at every decision that went against them and dropping to the ground and demanding treatment at the slightest contact in order to disrupt Arsenal’s flow.
Ivan Toney? I wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole!
Just watched highlights, Ramsdale may not have played much this season but his simple mistake that lead to them scoring was his fault, he should have kicked the ball straight away then he nearly let in a second one by being too far off his line, Arteta will make up some excuse for the media but deep down Ramsdale didn’t help his cores to make Arteta think about bringing him back too soon.
I don’t think Arsenal will either Cicero.
I’ve gone right off Brentford and hope their bad run continues through to the end of May and Luton go on a fantastic run which keeps them up instead of Frank’s lot..
New post up.