Morning all.
This is a suggestion, nothing more. The whole idea being to provoke discussion, not me trying to think I’m better at picking a team than Mikel Arteta which is why he’ll be in the dugout this afternoon and I’ll be sat in my armchair with a cup of tea, watching.
Much of Liverpool’s success is down to having quick players. In mind as well as in feet. Mane, Firmino and Salah can be there one minute, metres ahead the next. Oxlade-Chamberlain is no snail either. In fact I don’t recall many, if any of their players, dwelling on the ball or thinking too long about what to do next. Klopp has drilled his players in a similar fashion to the way Arsene Wenger did ours during his early days. It was great to watch then and despite my dislike for Liverpool, it’s great to watch now.
I think Mikel Arteta is trying to get Arsenal playing in a similar way. In my opinion Lacazette doesn’t fit. Neither does Ozil but I expect one, if not both will start. The odds at Sportspesa would probably support my hunch as Mikel Arteta does seem to have faith in both. Lacazette is strong and works hard but I don’t think he’s the quickest. Ozil is far too reliant on his left foot, slow and quite frankly, too ponderous.
Pepe, Martinelli and Aubameyang – all speedsters.
Ceballos – quicker than Ozil but still unclear as to what he can or can’t do in this Arsenal team. Guendouzi – great one day, poor the next and the latter usually ends up with him spending too much time either on the ground or looking for a safe pass. Willock – I think he’s an exciting player who looks forward and drives forward too. Mistakes are present in his game too but he and Guendouzi are relatively young both in age and experience so their best days are to come.
Behind Liverpool’s front three is Fabinho, exactly the kind of player we need in my opinion.
I’ve digressed as always.
Presuming Mikel Arteta plays four at the back with Xhaka and Torreira in midfield, there are four attacking positions to select for the Newcastle game later today.
Bearing in mind how speed is of the essence for Liverpool as they kill off teams with consummate ease, wouldn’t we be better off trying to play in a similar way? I think so, hence the question raised about dropping Lacazette and Ozil. It’s not like Mikel Arteta hasn’t given then both plenty of playing time and I don’t think they’d have cause for complaint should they be dropped either.
Arsenal need to kick off this final stage of the season with a home victory. A convincing one too I think. Get the ‘draw’ result run ended and begin a run of better results. From now until the 11th April, our PL fixtures are the kind that fifteen years ago, wouldn’t offer any cause for concern. I’m not for one minute suggesting we should win them all with ease, but really, we‘should’ win them all. By that I mean a club like Arsenal should be beating West Ham, Newcastle, Everton and Norwich City at The Emirates and yes, Brighton and Southampton on the road too.
Anyway, I’ve got there in the end. Four positions up for grabs, who would your choice be to face a much depleted Newcastle side?
Mine would be Pepe, Martinelli, Aubameyang. Willock or Ceballos.
See you in the comments guys.
RIP Caroline Flack. If only someone had listened.
#bekind…
Morning Limey. Souness heaped praise on Pepe, but otherwise, he’s a miserable old so and so.
Thoroughly enjoyed the second half if for no other reason than seeing how close knit this group seem to be.l
Morning Rico/all
Well that second half was enjoyable. What a player Saka is, in the first half he was the only one prepared to shoot. So we were a bit lucky to keep Newcastle out at times, we deserve a bit of luck. Anyway we were outstanding at times in the second half.
Moving forward and against better opposition, I’d swap Torreira for Nketiah – his time will come, and we would be more solid. Even Newcastle were able to walk through us, better teams will punish us.
I’d recorded the game and watched it yesterday night, it was funny to watch Souness after the game, he couldn’t say anything positive he must really hate Arsenal.
The games come thick and fast now.
Morning all
New post up now
Test
Watching the replay, and I’m struggling to see why people have been so critical of us in the first half.
Both sides played damn good football.
Newcastle were well drilled at the back so we had to patient and we were.
Big difference between that and passing sideways simply for the sake of it, imo.
We broke them down eventually and the goals came.
Loved the performance.
Potter, agreed, we need a string of wins now.
The majority of fans are sold on Arteta, but a good run now may just convince the rest that he’s the man for the job and a united fan base is a hell of a force.
Just had to watch it again on MOTD2…. 👍
After about 20 minutes the combination of Ceballos and Ozil started to gel and the ball moved through midfield a lot quicker and Newcastle were forced back .
Cebollas and Xhaka stayed back as Ozil Played in the hole and in the main it worked and could form a home formation. Eventually they played the legs out of the Geordies and Ceballos went off and two more confidence building goals finished things off .
Now we have to string a few more together.
Morning all.
This ain’t Arteta’s squad, and we shouldn’t forget that.
That aside, we’ve improved immensely and that’s plain to see.
We weren’t ever in any trouble during this game, scored 4 in a short period of time but that’s what building and maintaining pressure does.
Plenty of times this past few years we’d have become frustrated and conceded a goal on the break but we finished this off.
All positive, for mine.
I guess it depends on how we view the game overall Cicero. As said, the first half was poor but imo, it’s still very early days. I see the positives, the response, the four goals and the win. Better stuff from Ozil, Pepe etc.
My glass remains half full.
Rico, the first half was dire, the first two goals n the second half knocked the stuffing out of a very limited Newcastle side who rarely offered a serious threat. Against such poor opposition having control is not enough.
Can’t really agree there Cicero. A poor first half admittedly but the second I thought we were in control.
Three points, clean sheet and four goals, it all sounds hunky dory but the full story is very different.
Apart from two five minute spells we never quite looked like we were going to win. Too many slack passes, to many lateral passes.
Saka looks to be an excellent prospect as a left winger, at his best when he beats his fullback and gets past him. Not so sure about his defending though.
Ceballos seems to have something about him, good passing, good positional play and not afraid to get stuck in.
Four well taken goals put a gloss on an average performance, but it was good to see Lacazette find his shooting boots.
Funny that Adam..
Excellent win in the end…
Thought Mustafi had a good game, the whole team much better second half.
In my opinion, we make replaces too late.
If it were me, I would have replaced the 3rd for the 1st.
Bellerin is very slow.
For me, Pepe was the man of the match. Saka the 2nd.
We continue on 10th th.
Rico. I agree about that offside call. They never showed it again though.
Much better 2nd half. A welcome win despite Lee Mason.
Laca’s drought is over!! Can they go to Dubai every month?!! Haha!!! Well done boys…. that was beautiful!!
Ozil ya gunners ya 👍
8 assists for Saka…. and what a cheeky little nutmeg 👌 Well done young man!
When Smith says level, it means he’s a few yards onside,
That was a good passage of play and Ozil looked onside to me…
Nice to see Ozil pulling a few strings.
And in a flash it’s 2-0!! Ceballos and Ozil have been brilliant
Nice header.
Bloody woodwork
Disappointing first half that’s for sure. Has to improve in the second surely…
Does nobody try to get behind their fullback any more?
We’re just passing the ball around in front of Newcastle’s defence. No attempt to get either through it or behind it
The trip to Dubai looks like a wasted journey right now.
Jm, a bit like our win against Villa then..
Horrible
I reckon their alarm clocks have only just gone off. Lol
Missed first five minutes catching up on cricket. Hope Arsenal are as entertaining……not so far!
Strange 11, Arteta must know something we don’t why Martinelli and Torreira not in after recent performances. Xhaka, why does he keep doing it! So early in game to get a booking.
Looks like a large number of fans didn’t want to brave the weather. Don’t blame them either.
3 more points after 94 minutes …
Always defensive mistakes of opponents …
Always the same to decide the games
Great battle in the T20. Excellent batting from England after some poor bowling..
Jammy bloody spuds……
I still think this is about working towards the future. Assessment time for a few.
Surprise indeed , will NKetiah play up top or on the wing ? .would still prefer Torreira to Xhaka though but I suppose Arteta sees himself in him .
Strange starting eleven. Hope it works.
Grealish is having a good game, Scott 😁
and Ceballlos and Ozil too! (!!!!)
Didn’t expect that. Still, let’s see what happens…
ARSENAL TEAM NEWS
Starting XI: Leno, Bellerin, Mustafi, Luiz, Saka, Xhaka, Ceballos, Ozil, Pepe, Nketiah, Aubameyang.
Subs: Martinez, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, Willock, Martinelli, Lacazette.
Ceballos, Ozil and Nketiah!!
Eddie starts, that’s a surprise
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ian-wright-discusses-best-ever-21508193
Spoke too soon. 1-1
Know it well Sue, on the Robin Hood roundabout. I try and stay out of Reading though. Lol
Villa 1-0 up.
Small world hey Rico?! Like to pop to Newbury to Toby Carvery, for a plateful of veggies! And to Primark in Reading 🙂
Villa are without Mings, he has tonsillitis…☹
I have three on the verge Potter, thankfully though, not my responsibility to replace if they go. I did the decent thing though and tried to prop them up which so far, so good. Until later probably.
West Berkshire Sue, you’re up the road… lol
3 fence panels gone , work in the rain before the match
Where are you then, Rico?
Thanks Sue, you’re just down the road from me… 😂
I’d forgotten Rose is there now. Deep joy!
I can’t believe we’re level on points with them either…
The women’s game is postponed.
Super post, Rico. How wet and windy it is here in Oxfordshire…. so glad I opted for next week and not today!! Hope all who venture to the Emirates and back stay safe!
The women also play today.. good luck to them, if it isn’t postponed of course.
I hope Laca bought some scoring boots in Dubai…. he really needs to end his drought!
We need to start winning…. points are precious and we don’t have as many as we’d all like. Bruce said he can’t believe they’re level on points with us – neither can I!
Been ages since we saw Ceballos… so maybe today? I bet we see Danny Rose (boo!) at some point too.
Come on Arsenal…. and Come on Villa 👍
Hopefully he won’t need to now Arteta has put an end to defending deep. You watch, now I’ve suggested he should be on the bench, he’ll score a couple of goals.
Lacazette’s confidence is shot and I believe he drops deep to get the ball because he is frustrated by not getting passes when he wants them , and also he tackles back because he sees the gaps that are left by our non working midfielders .
Silky or Sulky? 😜
Thanks Vcc.
Interesting line up. Didn’t see that one coming.. lol
Potter, I get where you’re coming from re Lacazette but I think pace is important as the main striker when all around you is speed. We had a similar kind of problem with Giroud but his height was his strength. Not that we played to that.
Lacazette tends to drop deep too and then if one of our wide players go forward at speed, he’s caught out. I like Lacazette, always have done but something isn’t right with him imo. Maybe it’s just a confidence thing.
As for Ozil, I wouldn’t give him the time of day let alone a kit.
That’s a shame Andrew but seeing animals more than makes up for it. I’m not fussed which form of the game I watch, once I start I’m hooked. Especially the Ashes. Looking forward to today’s battle which thankfully is an early start.
Morning Cicero.
Ditto re Dubai. Something has been lacking in attack which I hope has been resolved, or a plan to resolve it is in place.
It’s a kind of chicken and egg situation and apportioning blame is always difficult and in this case can only be sorted with different combinations in training. On the pitch in games is not where to experiment. Is it one or the other or both ?
You say that Lacazette is not the quickest , but does he have to be , ? afterall it’s the ball that does the work , He runs but if the ball doesn’t come it makes him look bad.
Ozil looks silky on the ball and no doubt in training is the focal point for the younger contingent to lay the ball to and wait for his bit of magic . To me it rises the question of whether our number 9 is scoring in practice and who is providing the final ball .
Aubameyang is a poacher that picks up on rebounds and deflections , he is instictive which is why he misses almost as many as he scores. Lacazette though needs the ball in the right position timed to meet his runs , he also is the only one that can hold the ball , how many times have we seen him withdrawn after 70 minutes and then watched a seige on our goal and the concession of the late goal.?
In my mind leaving him out is not the way to go .I am going radical and would play Torriera as Busquets , Ceballos and Ozil as Xavi and Iniesta with lacazette , Martinelli and Aubameyang as a flexi front three as Neymar , Messi and Suarez interchanged.
Every man and his dog now know that with Ozil if you sit on him you cut our forwards out of the game , give them two options to close down and spaces will appear and put defences on the back foot,
It gives Torriera a lot of work as neither Xhaka or Guendouzi are disciplined enough to do the job that Barca shared between Busquets , Mascherano and Rakatic but depending on the situation subbing players after the hour is all part of the conundrum.
Nice post rico.
As I have two tickets for todays game i would like to see this line up.
……………………Leno
Bellerin……..Sokratis……..Luiz…….Saka
…………….Torreira…….Xhaka
………………….Martinelli
Pepe……..Lacazette……..Aubameyang
COYG
Not everything from Newcastle is bad, it’s where we got George Eastham. 😉
Unfortunately not rico, test series ended day we went to Heathrow, just watched final wicket before leaving home :). Then it was up at 6.30 for coach most days. Saw some lovely animals though! Malan for Denly please today, and hope we clinch 20-20. Otherwise it’s 1 series each and a draw. I’m a fan of keeping tests, 5 day tests, but have to admit 20 20 will be the future and the last two games have been nail biting on the last ball!
Good morning Rico.
Lacazette has produced next to nothing this season so he certainly wouldn’t be my choice to partner that other underperformer Aubameyang, we can’t afford two in the same side.
Ceballos would be my choice to take the place of Ozil, if only to give us a chance to see what he brings to the table, we need to know if he’s worth a permanent move.
I’m hoping that the break in Dubai has given Arteta the chance to encourage a bit of a more direct style of play. Less lateral passing, more pace and a greater appetite to score goals.
The Fifth Place Trophy is up for grabs, let’s go and win it.
Morning Andrew, thanks. Did you catch any cricket in SA?
Can’t say I’ve ever really warmed towards NU. The only time I wanted them to win a couple of matches was back in the days of Kevin Keegan. ‘I’d love it’…..
Morning rico, House, good post and comparison. It seems ages since last Arsenal matches, I’ve been South Africa and back, news about Corona continues, sadly a celebrity takes her life, Chancellor quits, cars still driving on wrong side of road outside US base, so much happened, yet I’m struggling to even remember last Arsenal win!
Not sure Ozil will like the wind and rain, far too wet for his slick passes (sure he used to make the odd slick one?) so let’s get down the channels, stretch them, pull back or cross and FINISH.
How I hate Newcastle, ever since Barton. Ever since fans were raging and spitting at Henry pitchside for daring to be good. Please, a win today.
Two players shouldn’t make too much difference. Ozil doesn’t do much whereas Ceballos will put a shift in and Auba through the middle is his best position imo.
Great idea buh we need to be careful not to discombobulate the whole thing..