Morning all.
Cesc Fabregas returns to Arsenal tonight for the first time since becoming a manager. He’s been receiving a lot of praise for what he’s been doing at Como 1907 in a relatively short time. Having played for the club for a season, Fabregas was appointed caretaker manager, then assistant manager before finally taking the managers job permanently in July 2024.
Owners, the Indonesian tobacco company Dajarum Group, took the club from bankruptcy and Serie D football in 2019 to Serie A football in 2024. Last season, Como finished in a Champions League spot.
Fabregas was a great player for Arsenal during his time with the club but I’m not sure I’ll ever wholeheartedly forgive him for the way he left. I don’t think Arsene Wenger did either because when the opportunity arose to re-sign him from Barcelona, he declined.
Arsenal have been linked with one of Como’s players this summer, 21 year old and 6’ 5” defender Jacobo Ramon. Mind you, I’ve lost count of the defenders we’ve been linked to in the last few weeks and until we actually sign one I’m sure the list will continue to grow.
Anyway, it’s our last pre-season friendly tonight but despite our Spanish and English players returning to training this week, I hope we don’t see any of them in the starting eleven. I’d rather they weren’t in the squad full stop. I’d quite like to see Ife Ibrahim start alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly. I know he’s only 18 years old but he’s a strong looking lad who looks as if he’d cope well. Assuming Lewis-Skelly starts of course but having already played three fixtures in what’s been a very hot short period of time, he could probably do with sitting this one out. Ben White too. Illan Meslier could do with a start though, I’ve seen enough of Kepa to last a lifetime.
I hope tonight sees more minutes given to Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Martinelli and two or three of the youngsters. Como are unlikely to be interested in a kicking match so why not do as much as possible to keep players who Mikel Arteta thinks will start on Sunday, as fresh as possible. However, as much as I, maybe you too, would rather see youngsters out there tonight, I’m quietly confident it won’t happen, not from the start anyway.
What would be a good thing and certainly a vast improvement on the last two fixtures would be to not concede as many, if any goals. We’ve leaked a few of late which is uncharacteristic of today’s Arsenal but bearing in mind who has been on the pitch, or rather, who hasn’t, it’s kind of understandable. Our midfield has been weak without Rice or Zubimendi alongside Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel hasn’t been back in training for that long. He and Mosquera should get a better understanding of each other’s play as time goes on. Neither have played in a back four over a period of time together for a while, nor has Ben White had an extended run in the team.
I know it sounds like I’m making excuses but I’m not, I’m being realistic. Plus, let’s not forget how many minutes of football these guys have played over the last twelve months. Pre-season is only about getting match fit and little else.
Of course I’d rather we won every game but I’d also rather mistakes are made in pre-season if it means we don’t see so many during the season proper. Sunday is when the season starts for Arsenal.
But it’s not just the defence which needs to show improvement because our forward players need to up their game too. Tzolis has looked good I think, very good as was Nwaneri in the last game. Havertz and Gyokeres need to start taking their chances when they arrive just as they do throughout the coming ten months. The second season should in theory be better for Gyokeres and Havertz is back to full fitness so there’s no excuses really.
I’m desperately hoping that Guimeraes hits the ground running and makes an immediate impact on the way we play. He pings balls around for fun and isn’t afraid to shoot and I hope that doesn’t change. Let’s get rid of the tippy tappy stuff, the backwards and sideways negative passing and let’s go and back our Premier League winning season with some cracking football coupled with convincing results.
Catch up in the comments.
With my Catalan background I was thrilled when Cesc came to join us .and was a great supporter of him when he played . However I was disappointed that he left and in the background I believe that he fell out with Wenger and that’s why he was not accepted back.
Therefore I find it strange that the same people that were vocal about wanting Wenger to go are the same ones likely to boo Cesc tonight.
We have always been a club that has treated ex players well, some have been re-signed { Keown } and many have come back to train with us after their careers have taken a turn for the worst .which is why I thought that a hand should have been extended when he clearly wanted to rejoin.
In that season only Santi played more than half the games that we played 37 out of 56 . I still believe that Wenger’s arrogance cut off his nose , so to speak.
Nice one Rico.
Como may not be up for a kicking match but the will go all out to get a win for their manager against his old club.
I have absolutely no idea what our line-up will be, I just hope we can be a little more secure in defence and a little less profligate in front of gaol. Like you I’ve seen enough of Kepa and of Vieria too.