Morning all.
A 2pm kick-off today and no television coverage, how annoying. Sky Sports, for reasons I can’t fathom, think that Aston Villa v Chelsea is the better 2pm fixture to show and then Liverpool v Man City later in the day. If they were playing anyone else, I’d be hoping City drop at least two points, only because it’d help us, but I hope they pile more misery on Klopp’s team.
Leeds Utd haven’t experienced defeat at Elland Road this season. They start fixtures at a fast and furious pace apparently, but as the game goes on, their energy levels drop. Mikel Arteta’s team also start games on the front foot so it could be a highly entertaining game.
The last fixture Leeds played at Elland Road was against Aston Villa and by all accounts it was pretty bad-tempered. Winger Luis Sinisterra was sent off, leaving Leeds playing with ten men for 45 minutes. He’s back today though having served his one match ban. I’ve not seen him play but apparently he’s one of Leeds more dangerous players.
Both manager’s were asked about the other during their pre match press conference.
Marsch on us:
He’s [Arteta] the most underrated manager in the league. What an incredible job. The team is complex, stable, exciting to watch… amazing job. It’s taken time obviously and he took some heat at the start. But they’re seeing the fruits of their labour now. We are confident at Elland Road that we can play how we want but Arsenal are very good. We know we have to be at our best against such an opponent.
Arteta on Leeds:
With Jesse and the teams that they have already played, it is very clear what he wants to do – be a really intense team, a really dynamic team and a really good team when there are spaces to attack. There’s some similarities [to Bielsa’s team] but every coach has his own book, but what Jesse has done over the time he has been there is really impressive.
As if they’d say anything other than kind words about each other.
When a club is going through tough times on the pitch, which let’s face it, Leeds, are and have been ever since they thrashed Chelsea, they can be a dangerous opponent and I think this fixture has the potential to be another ‘Man Utd’ game if we’re not careful.
The annoying part of the match against Bodo/Glimt is that Mikel Arteta felt the need to bring on a few players who many of us hoped didn’t need to play. Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Martinelli and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Also, William Saliba played the entire fixture and Ben White, 70 minutes. I hope their legs are strong enough to take another match today against a physical opponent. Thankfully, Partey wasn’t on the pitch for long but ten minutes on an artificial pitch was too longer. But that’s just my opinion because if I had my way, he wouldn’t play in any other fixtures bar the Premier League.
There are doubts over Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko for this match but other than Mo Elneny and ESR, everyone else is fit. Jesus would be a huge miss if he’s ruled out but an opportunity for Eddie Nketiah to start a league game if he is.
See you in the comments.
Good morning Rico, all games have the potential to be a banana skin but a team such as Arsenal, brimming in confidence, should be well able to avoid slipping up.
If Jesus is unavailable, and I sincerely hope that isn’t the case, with Saka and Martinelli either side of him Nketiah should have enough chances to win the game for us.
As I can’t watch the game live, I’ll probably go for a stroll over Marsham Heath and enjoy the sunshine. Later Arsenal’s WSL match against Reading will be either the icing on the cake or a consolation. 😉
Morning Cicero.
I suppose the Utd game sticks in my mind…
That was a learning exercise. Rico 😉
I hope you’re right Cicero..
During my recent downtime i spent the build up to last weekend thinking about our current situation and the pressure of being top is exerting on our young manager and his squad.
Last year we were the youngest squad in the league and then one year on we are still the second , currently we are riding the wave but what happens when we fall off ?
Every game we play , the question of whether this is the one raises it’s head and how will we react when it is.?
At the outset I am sure that Arteta and Edu set a target and I doubt that it was to win the league , Was it a top four finish ? and if it was , then looking at the league table and the points advantage we have over the other contenders it becomes a different picture.
Today Liverpool are playing City, one or both has to take a step backwards , our friends and neighbours got their points yesterday after a helpful hand with Kane getting his 5th penalty in 10 games ,( I wonder if Conte counts that into his match plans), so they are still on our coat tails but should they overtake us would that heap the pressure on them and how Spursy would they become ?
The rank stupidity of the world cup is getting closer , where did we plan to be when the break comes ? and where would we be satisfied to actually be ?
We have a record of finishing league campaigns fairly well as the pitches harden and passing football comes back to the fore. Would it be a disaster to be second or third as we go into the second half of the season ? How many times have we seen an Olympic 10,000 metres race where the front runner gets caught on the final lap , Do we want to be that runner , we can at the moment bank our winnings and be in a good position for that final push.
These are just random thoughts , a series of questions , imponderables . whatever , but we are on course to whatever target was set by the management team and Champions league next year is available ,we just need to keep our cool when the inevitable defeat occurs.
..
Potter, we have already suffered a defeat, against Man U, but the team learnt from that and, in my view, came back stronger and more together than before. Of course there are going to be setbacks but the steadily growing maturity within the squad should see us ride out the storm that will inevitably blow in from the media when they occur.
I’ll trust Arteta to keep the ship on an even keel.
Very good question Potter but I think, or at least hope, this group of players are stronger than we’ve seen for a long time, both mentally and physically barring a few. I think they’re playing well because of last season’s disappointment. We’re bound to be defeated but I can’t see this group throwing the towel in as they’re made of sterner stuff.
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Xhaka, Partey, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Jesus.
Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Jesus
Subs: Turner, Tierney, Cedric, Holding, Lokonga, Vieira, Nelson, Marquinhos, Nketiah
COYG
Afternoon Rico and all
A top 4 finish is my hope for this season, so I’m enjoying the start we have had. Today could be a hard match if we let them score too early,
Not so quick off the mark this time Kev. 😉
Zinchenko not on the bench, perhaps he’s just being given extra recovery time.
Hi Geoff.
Portugal: eleven 3 – match Leeds-Arsenal
Players sent back to change rooms due to power cut, officials waiting for power to be fixed before restarting match
Ladies first Cicero, you know the rules… 😉
Have the Russians hacked into Stockely Park?
Match restarted at last now VAR have there power back
We’re looking good up front but our back line looking a bit shaky, Leeds players keep holding or tripping Jesus and getting away with it,
Yes Saka scores 35 minutes in we lead 1 nil
Half time we lead 1 nil, I hope Arteta talks to our defender’s to many short passes nearly cost us a goal
Just back from a pleasant walk, never seen so many acorns and sweet chestnuts, also picked about half a pound of blackberries, small but very sweet and tasty. Apple and blackberry crumble on tonight’s menu.
Good news too, Arsenal one nil up.
C’mon The Gunners!
Saliba gets yellow card gives away a penalty for handball, Leeds lifting were looking very shaky, yes Leeds missed penalty still 1 nil
Sounds like we’re struggling somewhat..
VAR just saved us from getting a straight red card and penalty’s in extra time
Crikey, I’m glad I didn’t watch that. Don’t think my heart would’ve taken it.
Second half has been all Leeds,
Yes we again very ugly and shaky second half. Stay on top
Ramsdale was our best player
One goal, clean sheet, three points, still top of the league. Just another day at the office.
a must watch motd tonight . talk about contentious incidents. kind of how things used to be against Dirty Leeds
Arsenal 1 Leeds nil now to let my old heart settle down,
We scraped that one. Forty odd minutes delay to the start. Enormous amounts of shithousery from Leeds in the second half. One penalty missed, one given along with a red, then reversed. Bamford acting like a knob.
Difficult game for us on the back of a hard week. I say we are carrying a few injuries too.
Everything considered a very hard 3 points won. Slightly fortuitously I reckon.
Potter I recon the VAR and the ref reversing the red card and penalty was correct as our player was pushed over in the goal square
Well worth watching the highlights.
Sounds like we need to be grateful for VAR..
Rico. It got the decisions right I’d say. This has been a character-building week that called for 3 very different performances. Perhaps it will be a valuable one.
Good Adam, I’m sure Marsch will disagree though. Lol
Who seemed injured?
It’s been a tough week and it’s not going to get any easier any time soon. It’s good to see Arsenal has more about them these days.
Jesus not at it, Saliba looks short to me and Partey only has one good half at the moment. The whole team looked weary really. Hardly surprising. 😀
Marvellous 😂
And Marsch is no Bielsa where football quality is concerned. 😀
I shall celebrate another hard won win with some Singapore spicy noodles. 😉
snake N pygmy pie wish mash tonight . Need it to keep my strength up . Double exhausted after that .
Better or worse?
Sounds like a plan Kev. I was double vaccinated yesterday so spicy noodles don’t appeal to me, in fact nothing does…
Salah puts the Dippers one nil up, against the run of play. City looking a bit ragged.
Rolled and stuffed roast breast of lamb and a bottle Cotes du Rhone.
Getting feisty at Anfield. Kloppe shown a red card.
Ref getting card happy, could be a red card soon. Great game for the neutrals.
The usual players who played at the line up in the 5th, didn’t have “legs” in the 2nd half and unbalanced the whole team and the lack of depth in the 2nd half. It was Arsenal’s worst performance. These teams are fresh (they play once a week), they have more energy and physical health- I think the coach has to manage the team better and use all the players he has available. There were 2 games in a row in which the performances in the 2nd half were clearly inferior to the 1st half, in my opinion, for physical reasons and fatigue.
All over City drop three points.
Gosh, that’s a surprise. Thought Haaland would have a field day today..
Rico, those noodles were a triumph, it’s like ‘whose coming to dinner’ on ‘ere today. I’m getting slightly paranoid about the officials/VAR as they’re all being awfully nice to Arsenal atm, as if they’re setting us up for a big fall post-World Cup.
Arteta is going to have to give it a lot of thought about his team selection this coming Thursday as a few of our lads sounded like they blowing through their arse this afternoon. Maybe he needs to trust a couple of the Kids this Thursday as Southampton away is never kind to us and they’re desperate for the points and we need a team down there with a bit of energy in its legs.
The home crowd should be able to carry the team across the finishing line against PSV hopefully…
Was it a pot noodle Kev? Lol
Maybe it’s just our turn to have a bit of honesty from VAR.
They’ll make up for it in some more important match sooner or later Rico. Swings and roundabouts.
Arsenal Women also won one nil away at Reading. They’re second on goal difference.
Good night all. 😴
Pot noddle Rico, no fear, my local Chinese is delicious.
Nice Kev, our most local is awful. Lol
New post up now