Morning all.
Beating Lyon 2-0 was a pretty good way to end pre-season. Two Declan Rice corners, a header each for William Saliba and Gabriel and it was game over.
We should have scored a few more though as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard saw opportunities saved, go wide or hit the woodwork.
Changes came just after the hour with Riccardo Calafiori coming on for his debut at left back in place of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus replaced Declan Rice. Around 15 minutes later, Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Reiss Nelson and Leandro Trossard replaced Kai Havertz, Thomas Partey, William Saliba, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. Calafiori moved into the centre of defence and played like he’d been at Arsenal for a lot longer than a few weeks.
Mikel Arteta on the overall performance:
A really good test today, again. I think overall it’s been a really positive pre-season with the tour and the club and a lot of people put a lot of effort into making it work. I think it was a success again and then the two games that we have played here as well, really competitive and really good. I think the team was exceptional, especially in the first half. There were moments where we played at the highest level and then we sort of maintained it. We dropped a little bit in the second half. The conditions were tough, but it was a good match for us as well. So overall, very pleased.
I think the pre-season has been good. I know Liverpool highlighted a few issues but it’s only since we’ve returned to England that Mikel Arteta has had pretty much the entire squad to select from. Well, barring Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber, the latter of whom Arteta said is fine and should be back in training this week. Plus of course, a number of younger players have played their part, certainly in the USA so I don’t think we should read much into that performance against Liverpool.
I don’t think we should be overly concerned about the goal scoring opportunities players missed yesterday either because it’s next Saturday and the following ten months which matters. Scepticism is understandable though as missing goal scoring opportunities has often been our problem.
Another problem has been injuries and already, Tomiyasu has been ruled out for several weeks. Zinchenko, Jesus and Partey have all had their injury problems and in all likelihood, will again this season. The key one, certainly positionally, is Partey. Perhaps Arteta has an internal solution should Partey breakdown again or perhaps such a solution will arrive at the club before the transfer window closes. I for one hope it’s the latter.
There’s a really good article in The Athletic this morning about Arsenal can come back firing again after missing out on the league title last season by just two points. In it, Graeme Le Saux talks about his time at Blackburn when they missed finished runners up to Man Utd after being in a good position to win the league.
Was there ever a feeling that their chance may not come again?
No, because Kenny made a big effort to ensure that we left those final weeks on a positive note rather than disappointment, in the way he analysed the season with us and highlighted improvements we had made. He (Kenny Dalglish) could be tough and dig people out when needed, but there was no finger-pointing at all at the end of that season. He wasn’t one for sharing his emotions, but he was proud of us… It wasn’t, ‘Oh god, we’ve blown it. We’re not going to get that chance again’. None of that entered my mind.
When we got back (for pre-season) after the summer, there was a fire burning in all of us that we were determined to do the same again and put ourselves right up there.
If I’m in that Arsenal dressing room now, there is no way I am looking back. I’d be thinking, ‘We’ve learned again, I feel more comfortable with these guys and these tactics, let’s take all the good stuff and improve again’. Then you put City under ridiculous pressure to (try to) win five in a row.
Not for one minute do I believe the word ‘failure’ to win the league has been mentioned by anyone at Arsenal because there’s no such thing in my opinion. Coming second with just a two point gap is/was an improvement on the previous season. Now though, it’s time to improve even more with a more mature and more PL savvy group of players. Arteta too is more experienced, he’s mentioned before that he has to learn from last season and he should. Life is about learning each and every day and football, whatever the role, is no different.
Le Saux is right, looking back does no good. Looking forward does. Learn from the past to make the future better and if Arteta and his players do that, there’s no reason not to hope for a better season ahead than the last.
Catch up in the comments…
Hi Rico, great post, I think what Liverpool highlighted was that you can’t fiddle around with your defence to much, it needs to be a tough, organised quality group of 6 or 7 guys who can play across the back-four, no room for Cedric or Holding types. We have that now…
Morning Kev.
I’d add the midfield into that too. Rice and a +1 needs to be settled too, certainly in the PL and CL. If only Partey wasn’t so injury prone…
Yeah, good point Rico, I think that Liverpool are going to be a major threat this season, damn them. They actually looked sharper and in front in terms of preparation when we played, so Arnie is on a mission.
The grind starts again , Many of the same teams will be there and no doubt one surprise team that will go off like a rocket but run out of steam when the post Christmas matches come thick and fast .
Last couple of years two or three teams have drawn clear but this time I reckon that we could be looking at four or five. Some of the second tier teams have spent and strengthened their squads and will get points from the top clubs and will turn narrow defeats into draws and occasional wins.
Hopefully it will make for a more exciting season ,
We are fighting for 4 trophies hopefully we manage to collect at least one of them.
Morning Rico and all.
looking forward to the starts of the season, so I can get to see how the new players go, not expecting much as the will need a few games to settle in.
Maybe Kev but pre season and the PL is a different ball game. The Slot effect might soon wear off. 🤞
We just need to avoid that November wobble and post Christmas fizzle out ourselves.
Hi Geoff.
Seems that Norton Cuffy is on the move to Italia and in particular Genoa, nice move for him. I wonder how many other clubs were in for him and who?
Charlie Patino can’t be far behind
Is that a loan or permanent Kev?
I hope we have two more quality signings but probably only one but there still remains a question mark over Ramsdale,Partey and Tierney (the latter has next to no value) and I will leave judgement on Jesus as he just has to score more then he has done . Zinchenko is another who only plays well when not at LB
Really like our new 3rd kit.
I reckon, given their fixtures, that Liverpool could be off to a flyer Rico and of course all the professional Scousers in the media will go mental – calm down calm down.
Once european games, euros hangover and two games a week kicks in well then see whose still standing in wobbly November?
Permanent is being reported Rico, €2m plus add-ons and re-sale.
Yes the 3rd kit is much better than the 2nd kit.
Kev, If Liverpool get Rabiot and Zubimendi, they’re going to be a tough to beat side.
Oh well, at least we raised a few pounds.. lol
Edu on transfers, According to Sky Sports reporter James Green, Edu was asked about potential arrivals and he gave an encouraging response: “Be patient, you won’t be disappointed at the end [of the window]!”
Stan and Josh any chance we can swap the 2nd and 3rd kit around please
That would be my choice too. Not keen on a dark kit.,
3rd kit ? Are we now trying to look like City too ?
The only reason we have a third kit is because the poor old supporters can be milked for another hundred quid or so.
Didn’t think of that re City… thank goodness it has a hint of purple in it…
The 3rd is in case both the first-choice and away colours are deemed too similar to those of an opponent..
30 degrees here at the moment with a light SE breeze that is doing nothing to reduce the heat. Too hot to sit in the garden even under the shade of the apple tree. Phew wot a scorcher!
Same here, 35 on the patio 🥵
I thought the 3rd kit was because Pizza Hut wanted there shirts back
Just finished the lawn now I have a bl**dy trip to Lathams . Bl**dy wimmin.
I take it you mean swimming. 😂
Just back from Lathams where you can buy everything you didn’t want and everything you never needed. For some reason packed with holiday people , mainly women. Pub next door much more civilised.
I see that Preston have sacked their manager,after one game.
Seems that Marseilles have found and finalised an alternative to Nketiah, maybe we can tempt Bournemouth, they’re loaded atm?
Ironically Marseilles paid €30m for some guy from some French mob, the fed we wanted for Eddie, I knew they were pleading poverty, no more favours for them…
Edu’s fault for a sake of a few million we lose out selling Nketiah
I thought they wanted players both Kev?
Ten Hag next Limey. 😂
Edu is not to blame imo, it’s a team who deals with transfers. Edu is just one cog in the wheel.
The fault lies squarely on the shoulders of the Marseille management. They ask how much Arsenal wanted and refused to meet the price.
Zubimendi has refused Liverpool’s offer. Could be there’s still a chance Arsenal will make an offer he can’t refuse.
I think Cicero that Zubimendi wants Barcelona.
Referring back to my 4.27pm Bournemouth are now said to be talking to Arsenal about Eddie.
Does that make me an ITK Rico?
No Kev, just a reader of gossip. 😝
New post up
I still believe we are too slow doing negotiation both buying and selling the only part we have improved on is getting contract extentions done early.
Man city charges to be heard next month, so if found guilty does that mean there penalty starts next season, after all it is going to be hard to demote a club once the season started.