Fine margins, 16 away on duty.

https://twitter.com/lifegunnertev7/status/1698766001758670914?s=20

Morning all.

An excellent compilation of Reiss Nelson’s best bits. To be fair to him, every time he’s come off the bench for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta, he’s been brilliant. Better than Martinelli? There is no right or wrong answer in my opinion because it’s subjective. Also, Nelson doesn’t get the game time Martinelli enjoys. A run in the team might see the Englishman become even better, but it might not too. All I know is that when he’s called on, he does really well. He’s a threat with his pace and directness. He’ll score goals too. I just wish he could sometimes come off the bench earlier in a game.

I think he’s a player we’ll see start against Brentford in the EFL cup, Emile Smith Rowe and Leandro Trossard too. David Raya is quite likely to make his debut too.

Talking of debuts, Eddie Nketiah could make his first senior England appearance this weekend against Ukraine in Poland. I couldn’t be more pleased for him having been called up by Gareth Southgate. His goal stats for Arsenal don’t read well but when one considers how many times he’s actually started a match, they read better. Throughout his England career at youth level, finding the net has never been a problem. I doubt that’ll change for the senior team either, if he’s given support on the field. Who knows, if Nelson continues to impress, the two might become England teammates in future. I’ve read the back page writers say that Jesus is a level above Nketiah but I’m not sure the gap in quality is that great. Nketiah certainly seems able to stay on his feet a lot better than Jesus plus, the latter was as guilty as Havertz for gifting Utd possession during Sunday’s game with just a millimetre the difference between the two. Of course Jesus went on to score a lovely goal to blow any minute chance Utd had of sneaking a draw so the plaudits will fall his way but the Odegaard goal was just as important, perhaps even more so because of the timing. Nketiah helped make that as of course did Martinelli. Had Havertz converted his chance, he’d have had a better game than he did, especially as he’d stuck his body in the way of shot which might otherwise ended up testing Ramsdale.

Talking of Ramsdale, I thought he was very good against Utd albeit those same sports writers aren’t all saying the same. His double save was excellent, he got fingertips to the Rashford shot but couldn’t quite get enough on the ball to tip it around the post.

Fine margins eh…

Anyway, it’s the international break so fingers and toes crossed that all of our players on duty over the next two weeks return unscathed. Here’s when they will be in action:

Thursday, September 7
Norway (Odegaard) v Jordan
France (Saliba) v Republic of Ireland
Poland (Kiwior) v Faroe Islands

Friday, September 8
Georgia v Spain (Raya)

Saturday, September 9
Brazil (Gabriel, Martinelli, Jesus) v Bolivia
Azerbaijan v Belgium (Trossard)
Ukraine (Zinchenko) v England (Nketiah, Ramsdale, Rice, Saka)
Estonia (Hein) v Sweden
Germany (Havertz) v Japan (Tomiyasu)

Sunday, September 10
Albania v Poland (Kiwior)

Tuesday, September 12
Japan (Tomiyasu) v Turkey
Italy v Ukraine (Zinchenko)
Norway (Odegaard) v Georgia
Spain (Raya) v Cyprus
Belgium (Trossard) v Estonia (Hein)
Scotland v England (Nketiah, Ramsdale, Rice, Saka)
Germany (Havertz) v France (Saliba)

Wednesday, September 13
Peru v Brazil (Gabriel, Martinelli, Jesus)

Catch up in the comments.

 

 

17 thoughts on “Fine margins, 16 away on duty.

  1. potter says:

    Going to be a torrid time for watching the reports . This obsession with international football always leaves club football open to disaster. It would be much better if the season ended earlier and the internationals were played after.
    Still it is what it is , Trent , Grealish and Ferguson are already withdrawn so that’s Liverpool , City and Brighton mitigating the problem, however I bet that Saka will start both matches and depending on the scores will get withdrawn on the 80 th minute .
    Any of ours apart from Partey and Timber carrying a LEETLE NEEGLE . ? Although the national physios get to inspect the injuries I bet they make the usual remarkable recovery and rise like Lazarus and play in the next round of premier fixtures.
    Nothing new there though.!
    The clubs are going to have football coming thick and fast when they return and the depth of the squad will become all important , we can only hope that ours is up to it.

  2. rico says:

    I’m surprised Arsenal have never been smarter when it comes to international breaks. One of the two matches is a friendly but I bet ours all play. Stupidity.

  3. Andrewh1313 says:

    Evening rico, nice report. Something mostly missed, it was Nelson with a spurt of speed to get to the ball first, that started the move that led to our 3rd goal. Should glad he stayed.

  4. rico says:

    Evening Andrew, thanks. I think Nelson is a very underrated and perhaps underused player. He looks the best he’s ever looked right now.

  5. Andrewh1313 says:

    I remember that pre season tournament years ago, when Nelson looked our star of the future. It never happened for him, but that Bournemouth goal just maybe saved his Arsenal career.

  6. potter says:

    However , just when you thought his life was taking an upturn.

    Arsenal FC star Reiss Nelson has arrived at Harrow Crown Court after his dog allegedly attacked his massage therapist at his home in North London.

  7. Cicero says:

    Nelson attended court on Monday but the trial was adjourned as the prosecution was gathering more evidence. The trial will now take place in August next year.

  8. Andrewh1313 says:

    Surely another 11 months time, everyone’s memory is more clouded! Can’t understand such drawn out cases although good for wages of everyone ‘investigating’.

  9. Pete the Thirst says:

    Wasn’t Jesus fouled when he conceded possession? Tackle from behind seems to be another rule open to interpretation.

    Maybe it’s because those pesky foreigners ‘don’t like it up ’em!’ I believe the town of Walmington on Sea was filmed in Norfolk for realistic effect.

  10. potter says:

    Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire was transformed into Walmington-on-Sea – while other scenes were shot at Seaford in Sussex and at Shepperton Studios. The famous scene with the white horse on the raft heading down river was filmed at Chobham in Surrey.

    You can’t blame us for everything.

  11. Cicero says:

    A good win for Arsenal in the Champions League qualifiers, 3 – 0 against Linkoping. Beth Mead was an unused substitute.

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