Dubai trip paying off..

Morning all.

Having not seen the game or the much rumoured dodgy decisions from Jon Moss yet, I can’t comment on how Arsenal played. But I’ve seen the goals and both were brilliant. I suggested yesterday that we needed Emile Smith Rowe back in the team because he’s our main goal threat and he didn’t disappoint. Both his and Bukayo Saka’s strikes were precise. The part both Alex Lacazette and Thomas Partey played in them, smart.

Talking of Lacazette, he had the ball in the net early on but it was disallowed for offside.

I don’t think Brentford’s goal should have been allowed but I wasn’t surprised to see that it was. Just another really bad decision against us, probably in hope that Brentford would nick a point. They didn’t.

We had two penalties claims turned down during the first half. The first following Kristoffer Ajer’s challenge on Lacazette, the second after a Cedric Soares’ shot, struck Yoane Wissa’s arm. 

66% possession, 24 shots on goal with 8 on target.

Ok, we won yesterday but honestly, with that amount of opportunities, Arsenal should be scoring more. Rumours are that Gabriel Martinelli is set for a shift in position and instead of playing out on the left, he’ll be our central striker. We’ll see on Thursday evening when Wolves come to town.

All Arsenal can do in this chase for European football is to keep on winning and hope other clubs around us drop points along the way which is what West Ham did yesterday. The surprise was Totts beating Man City at the Etihad.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard or read anything from Cedric Soares before but yesterday he spoke to the Arsenal Media.

I think we started the game really, really well. Everyone was motivated, everyone wanted to score, everyone was helping each other and playing at home with these fantastic fans today was fantastic. It was the right mentality, they were all behind us and the team felt it.

Every game in the Premier League is important for us. The team knows about it, we are facing it like a final every game and our mentality is to just go again and win it. That’s what the team is focused on every game, and again to play at home right now is just incredible with the atmosphere we are getting here every game, and the players loved it.

He also spoke about the good the time spent in Dubai was, how it brought the group together. Training on the sand, team activities and a chance to change the mentality and atmosphere within the squad.

It was great, it felt good and I think the team is like a unit right now. We are super together and we will be like this until the end of the season, for sure.

Team building exercises go on all the time and in many places of work. Arsenal are no different and after the Aubameyang stuff, perhaps some time was needed to regroup, have some fun and prepare for the run in.

Six points out of six since returning is a sign that it might have done some good.

See you in the comments.

 

 

 

23 thoughts on “Dubai trip paying off..

  1. Aussie Geoff says:

    Morning Rico and all.
    It was a nice win and both teams had chances to score more goals, while Seeing Ramsdale looking for the quick pass out and kicking the ball in long some times I recon confused Brentford who were expecting him to always play the short pass from a goal kick.
    I am probably going to be on own again but I was quite happy with the refereeing job Jon Moss done. Bugger I stuck for a ref.

  2. allezkev says:

    Morning Rico, yes I have pop ups blocked on my device, but who knows if that really works as I get these ads on other blogs, here we go, up, down and up again and then down. Adios amigos

  3. KC says:

    Arsene always started the summer training with a trip to Austria, team building. Hopefully Arteta is picking off from the master.

  4. Adam says:

    Morning Rico. Moss was way out of his depth yesterday. The standards for a penalty tend to shift where Arsenal are concerned. Two proper shouts yesterday were ignored. The handball was pretty clear and obvious. Laca’s ‘offside’ goal looked close but I never saw the dreaded lines superimposed so who knows? Brentford’s goal surely couldn’t stand with a player in front of Ramsdale so far offside. Dragging players to the floor is apparently quite permissible these days. I don’t remember that rule change.
    It was a very good performance unfortunately not reflected in the score line. Goal scoring continues to be a concern.

  5. rico says:

    Afternoon Adam. I’ve no idea why Brentford’s goal was allowed, especially after Xhaka, miles away from the keeper, was deemed offside when Lacazette scored.

    I’d be embarrassed to be part of the refereeing group right now.

  6. rico says:

    There’s a difference between Austria and pre season, and Dubai in winter though Kc. As a club, we’re going further afield in pre season these days. America this summer I read.

  7. Aussie Geoff says:

    I glad Arteta cleared up why Xhaka refused the captain’s arm band by stating that Xhaka was not next in line.

  8. Adam says:

    Tierney’s performance at Leeds this afternoon is frighteningly bad how McTominay is still n the pitch is anyone’s guess.

  9. Aussie Geoff says:

    Rico is Jack going there to play as I read somewhere that he couldn’t go as he didn’t meet certain criteria, if it’s true that he is going then best of luck to him.

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