Afternoon guys.
An earlier than usual north London derby for the season kicks off in less than an hours time. The fixture also brings an end to Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia.
On a first north London derby abroad, Mikel Arteta said:
Well, a great idea. I think to bring football tradition, a rivalry, but at the same time to do it in a completely different country, I think it’s brilliant. I think it’s an opportunity for everybody to feel that and for us as well, because for our preparation, increases the competition level again and it brings a different challenge to the game and then we’re going to be so lucky to play in this incredible stadium with 50,000 people that I’m sure they’re going to be super loud and passionate.
Well, I’m not convinced playing a Premier League side is pre-season is a good idea because it gives our rivals a chance to stick a boot into our players a bit too enthusiastically.
I’m sure one of the big questions on every Arsenal fans mind right now is will we get to see new signing Viktor Gyokeres in action. Well, here’s the starting eleven:
Arsenal: Raya; White, Kiwior, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Norgaard, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
Subs: Setford, Rojas-Fedorushchenko, Mosquera, Gyokeres, Zinchenko, Trossard, Nwaneri, Merino, Nelson, Lokonga, Zubimendi, Copley, Kabia, Nichols, Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Salmon.
The big striker is on the bench. Not that it makes much of a difference in these friendly games because the substitution options are unlimited.
I know these fixtures mean little as far as results go but I want us to win this one. It’s Totts and the word friendly is irrelevant. It’s Frank v Arteta, Totts v Arsenal and it matters. A bit anyway…
Enjoy the game guys.
Good afternoon Rico and all
Good comments in the post Rico….I don’t agree playing EPL opposition in pre season or any where any time except in the EPL.
we are 0-1 down. We have had no shots on target and they have had one and scored.
did my eyes decieve me or was Mls tripped by Richarliason before their goal
tbh I dont like a preseason during which we are galivanting around the world. At least AW didnt use to venture more than Austria and/or Italy, Switzerland and France. Those days were blessed for pre season imo. No Far East, No USA, No Land of the Hobbits, No Fairyland. Just plain central Europe.
Paid for 5 games but logged out after half time and signin not work on app or site. Anyone else having probs?
Potter, that goal shouldnt have stood imo as well. In the EPL if there’s VAR (an honest one that is) it would have been ruled out. That was a blatant trip by Richarlison on MLS, and it’s a clear and obvious error by the referee.
Great finish by Sarr though. I guess its his first time ever scoring from the centre circle
Still no shots on target for us yet
I logged out at HT, and haven’t been able to log in again since the 2nd half got underway, Andrew. Looks like there’s too many os us for the server; Doesn’t look like we’ve missed much so far, though …
Seventy minutes and one nil down, do we have Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang on the bench?
I didn’t log out but closed App. Never had to login at beginning. Can’t even login now
Mosquera and Gyokeres on for their debuts.
This is what will happen if Kelly scores the equalizer Cicero…..
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rZSZmEAubpE
90+8 mins of play and only one fekking shot on target with 15 off target. Spuds had one shot on target from a total of 6 shots and win.
So dissappointing.
And before I hear ‘its only a friendly’ I say that I simply hate losing to that rabble even if it is a 1 v 1 training game. The first half was anything but a friendly.
Yes, me Andrew. 😟
Wish I hadn’t bothered to pay. The pre season fixtures have been pretty boring to watch really which I guess was always quite likely.
Mosquera looked ok, Dowman always looks to be positive, the rest was fairly limp and repetitive.
Yes it was a foul on MLS.
Disappointing but the result at Old Trafford is all that counts…
What was Arteta thinking of?!! Putting out the same x2 forwards – Martinelli and Havertz who couldn’t quite “cut the mustard” last season after spending all that money on a Striker, only to leave him on the bench!
It was a sloppy performance from Arsenal from the usual suspects and in all honesty Tottenham deserved the win. Franks is definitely turning that team around, unlike what we are currently seeing from Arsenal. I personally can’t see any improvement from last season.
Lets get our new players playing from the start not 10 minutes before the end. If Arteta doesn’t want to do that, then why did he insist on Arsenal spending all that money and time buying new players and still looking! If I was Berta, I wouldn’t be happy.
Stop using the dead wood and sell them on: Martinelli, Zinchenko, Havertz, Nelson, Trossard.
I find it hard to take as well Devil , it’s in the blood , but despite the new players I didnt see any real change in the system and even in the last 20 minutes with a striker in the box we didn’t create . If we play like this Gyokeres will get bored waiting for the build up to get the ball in the box.
The result at Old Trafford is more important than today of course but I was hoping the way we play would be different. More exciting to watch that’s for sure.
“If we play like this Gyokeres will get bored waiting for the build up to get the ball in the box.”
More like it’ll never get to him in the box…
Laura, don’t forget our two most recent new signings haven’t done much training yet, plus they’ve had a long haul flight.
Rico, I was also hoping for a more urgent and sharper build up but I guess when you’ve been playing to a certain tempo for three years it’s not easy to change overnight.
Havertz has certainly piled on the muscle but his touch seems to have disappeared, hopefully it’s just a blip?
Mind you we’ve played two of the most difficult opponents you’d ever face in a Premier League season, both in terms of physicality and motivation, our lads probably need a few days in London Colney to wind down. A couple of run outs at the Emirates against technical teams will hopefully help to iron out the wrinkles.
Madueke on the left linking up with Gyokeres might help to ease the frayed nerves of my fellow HH’rs.
I don’t know why people are getting so upset with the lose last night, practice matches are just that a practice match, were you try players in different positions and let new players adjust to new game plan’s and new team mates, plus remember a lot of clubs win their first 1 or 2 matches under a new coach / manager, let’s wait for the proper season to start before judgeing the players and Arteta.
As for taking practice matches overseas, well not all fans can fly to England to see their team play. and I personaly can’t see the difference between playing practice matches overseas or going overseas for a holiday traing camp for the warm weather.
Good Morning Rico and all
I just had to share this beautiful moment. Santi Cazorla sharing a moment with Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira — two midfield maestros from different eras. I just wonder what we would have seen if they played together. Not taking anything away from Petit and Gilberto (both of whom were my favourites) but Santi was technically superior to both plus he could dictate play from the deep.
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=793072389861576
Morning Kev, Devil, Geoff and all.
If there’s a time to make the mistakes, it’s on a pre season tour Kev. As you say, what matters most is OT. Had we not been subjected to a season or two of “boring” football, I doubt anyone would have too many concerns. But for me personally, I just fear another ten months of tedious football with us passing the ball to death before losing possession in and around the box and then being hit on the break.
Like you, I hope the next two fixtures which should be taken more seriously imo, will dispel my fears..
Oh to have both in the squad today Devil, 20 years younger of course. A nice moment though.
New post up.