Morning all.
One game, one quality performance and one victory over the Toots doesn’t mean Mikel Arteta has cracked it. Nor does is suddenly mean Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is back, or Granit Xhaka is some kind of Saint. Yes, the victory against that lot was special, the fans were fantastic and there’s a reason to be optimistic but ten months define a season, not 95 minutes.
I’m not trying to be a killjoy and I’m all for milking a victory over our neighbours but all the good will be undone if Arsenal go to Brighton and put in a lacklustre performance. Raising the tempo for a NLD is easy, or at least it should be. A cold winters night up north is a different ball game.
Boxing Day 2020 springs to my mind, just after After has beaten Chelsea. The performance had been good and Arsenal had turned a corner. No they hadn’t, no unless that corner was going backwards.
Better teams will press us higher up the pitch, they will challenge harder for the ball and they will defend a lot lot better than Nuno’s lot did. Personally, I’d rather see how Arsenal performance consistently against stronger opposition before getting too carried away. After all, a week ago Arsenal were huffing and puffing a way past Burnley and before that, Norwich. But I think Arsenal needed those kind of performances. To struggle yet come through, to build confidence and the belief that if they keep giving and keep going, they can win. A tough win does more good than a easy one in my opinion.
But if Mikel Arteta’s teams want to prove they have what it takes to return to the top four, beating clubs like Leicester, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Wolves, Everton, Leeds, Aston Villa etc is key. Even if we can’t match City, Chelsea and Liverpool this season, our squad should be capable of beating the others. Certainly at The Emirates. Arsenal didn’t do that last season, not always anyway. What’s clear now though is that a full stadium of fans can make a huge difference and if The Arsenal team turn up, their twelfth man will be right behind them.
Arsenal need Aubameyang interested in every game and not just a NLD. Xhaka needs to stay disciplined regardless of how a game is going and Pepe, if and when he comes back into the team, needs to realise that an early ball into the box can be more beneficial than trying to dribble his way around one or two defenders unsuccessfully. Arsenal battered Toots so easily in the first half because the passing was quick and players were running off the ball. Toots couldn’t live with it and neither will a lot of teams if we continue to play that way.
Inevitably, certain managers will set their team up to try and stop Arsenal from playing the kind of football they did on Sunday but if the likes of City, Chelsea and Liverpool can find a way past a defensive setup then Arsenal should be able to too.
Defensively, I don’t think we’re as vulnerable to a counterattack now, not all the time Partey, Gabriel, White, Tierney, Tomiyasu, Lokokonga and even Xhaka and Tavares are fit. Ramsdale too. However, the fact that Son was allowed to score so easily should be a concern for Mikel Arteta.
As already said, I’m not trying to take anything away from Sunday’s performance but there’s a long way to go yet for Mikel Arteta and this group of players. But I sure as heck hope they can ‘get there’ together.
See you in the comments.
Good morning Rico and all
A good post which is straight to the point Rico. Thanks.
I hope Arteta drums it into his players’ heads that three games won on the trot means we turned the corner and expect that all we need to do is turn up for games. We need to work bloody hard and think only of the next game. We have a good amount of time to recover between matches now as no European games.
Going through the motions during games is a no no. Even if we are 3-0 up at half time. I dont think we can manage to play for 90 minutes in the same way we did during the first half. But we need to be streetwise and smart
Quite right Rico as the euphoria disperses it’s time to come right down to earth .Brighton , Palace , Villa , Leicester ,Watford are up next in the league with leeds in the Carabou stuck in the middle.
That’s 15 points up for grabs and I don’t expect to get all of them but 3 wins and 2 draws would be nice and would see us stuck firmly just outside the top places in the table.
Softly sofly catchee monkey so they say but 3 points against Tottenham means little if we don’t take those points in the games coming up.
Arteta has been all too aware of the scrutiny upon him and I believe that the compliments that have come since Sunday will have made him think about the settled defence and midfield and it’s benefits
.
His hand may be somewhat forced now as no announcement has been made on Xhaka’s injury but it did look to be a serious one .
AMN or Lokonga ? and keep the rest together as much as possible .
Morning Rico et al,
Thanks for yesterday’s and today’s reports make great reading, and a pretty honest celebration and a back to reality pep talk.
What Arteta must do is provide enough integration of the rest of the squad into his way of playing. Lokonda came on AMN and Tavares and they added some fresh energy but it was a defensive approach rather than the attacking first half and I think the right approach to protect our lead. But those players and the others must be allowed time to play in the attacking style as well, the 11 on Sunday were excellent but as you rightly said can Pepe replace Saka and provide those balls and yes maybe the odd run at defence he can score as can Saka. And Martinelli the same for ESR they are both quick and scare defences but Martinelli needs some game time. If one of those were injured we need the others to step in and provide the same attacking and defence running that Saka and ESR provide, can’t forget the ESM goal-line tackle when he put the ball out for a corner.
Good morning Rico, talk about a wet blanket! No, no only joking..honest. 😉
Just like the rest of us, it’s important that the players keep both feet firmly on the ground. It’s fine if Arteta uses the NLD game to remind the team what they are capable of, but he must impress on them the need to take that attitude into every game.
Morning Devil, Mig, Potter, Cicero and all.
Agree Potter. All those fixtures are winnable and will be won if 5he same attitude in approach as Sunday continues. We all love a NLD but as said, ten months will define where Arsenal are heading.
Morning Rico and all
Well put Rico, A lot of players lift when it comes to a derby match but the fact that the players should they have it in them there is no excuse why they should not continue and hopefully Arteta can settle down a little bit and show more trust in the players he selects.
Also, Arteta won’t always have a fully fit squad to select from. How he rotates, rests players as well as dealing with injuries will be crucial.
Like on Sunday, could his changes have come sooner to spare ESR and Saka for example?
Sunday was smart Devil. All action first half but pragmatic in the second.
Thanks Mig. You make a good point re the rest of the squad. They have to be ready to come in and have the same impact as those they replace.
Morning Geoff. Agreed.
Ha ha Cicero, I thought I’d need my tin hat today.
Granit Xhaka has suffered a ruptured inner ligament in his right knee, according to @AndreasBoeni. ( whoever he may be )
Initial diagnosis suggests he’ll be out for at least 6 to 8 weeks. #AFC
That’s rotten news if true..
It looked bad at the time and possibly should have had the game stopped , His leg was planted and took the full force of the falling Moura . Totally accidental but could just as easily been a broken leg the ref must have seen it.
However it wasn’t a head injury but it did indirectly lead to their goal .
Standard Arsenal though , signs a new contract gets sent off misses 3 games then plays for 70 minutes gets injured and is out for the next 16 or so .
Doubt that he will be back before the next transfer window. , however players like Lokonga and Maitland Niles have the chance to show their worth.
It certainly looked nasty at the time and I was surprised he walked off. Good job AMN didn’t leave in the summer and as you suggest, it’s his time to prove he’s got what it take. Mentally more than physically. Gawd help us if Partey pucks up and injury.
With the African nations cup starting 9th january , he might be back but as Elneny will be off too it really just leaves Lokonga and AMN .
Anyone in the under 23’s looking for a leg up ? we might need them.
Arsene Wenger always thought Chambers would eventually morph into a defensive mid-fielder. He could be given a game or two as an overage player in the under 23s to see how he works out.
He was quite successful playing there for Fulham whilst on loan , so that’s a maybe.
Xhaka should be back by Christmas I’d have thought, as long as he has no complications. Kind of hoping Roma or another club will come back for him in Jan and we have someone else lined up.
A sideways hamster, very original Rico, I like it, I think… 🤔
Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
·
27 Sep
Harrison Parker, one of Arsenal’s best schoolboy prospects, has completed his move to Manchester United. He was at Arsenal for nine years.
Parker, a centre half, what do you know about this Rick?
A new kitchen and bathroom for Mrs Parker perhaps.
A new car for Mr Parker snr perhaps?
New car but no petrol !
It’s not a hamster Kev. Lol
I can’t seem to rotate it yet…
Maybe it’s an electric car…
It’s an electric guinea pig.
Evening Rico and the House.
Many thanks for your excellant posts during the last week Rico,they were
all worth a second read.
However I do think Mondays headline should have read What a Week End
Over the w/e we played 4 won 3 and drew 1.
On Sat the U18s beat Birmingham 1-0 which could have been much more
but for for a very good performanc by th Brum G/K.
In the 2nd Sat game the U23s were away to Man City and held them to a 2-2 draw
Man city are the league Champions and were16 points in front of 2nd place
chelsea last season They only lost twice last season and are undefeated this season They drew the first game 0-0 and won the next 4 games 4-2 (each one)
All the so called experts are saying that city are streets ahead of every other team in the league and will walk away with it again this year. They thought they would beat us like the hammers did (6-1) and holding them to a draw has taken the down a peg or two.
We are 3rd (on goal difference) 1pt behined them, We play Brighton on friday (Home) they are 2nd beat them we will go top for a short while.
As I say What a week end
Kev
Your 5.38 Harriso Parker
I will try to post a comment tomrrow.
Must be carefull how I say it.
Self propelled guinea pig…
Evening Rick, thank you. Means a lot.
Add in the women thumping Man City, it’s certainly been a good few days for the club. Long may it continue…
Did anyone see the Messi goal this evening, absolutely brilliant as was the assist from Mbappe.
Maybe it’s a years supply of petrol 🙂
Both PSG goals were good I thought, but yes, Messi was superb.
How KdB stayed on the pitch after his tackle I just don’t know.
Seems that Maupay is upping the ante again . Apparently going to make Thierry cry on the weekend .
Just a thought maybe the Guendouzi spat wasn’t just as one sided as was reported.
Morning all, cheers Rick, I look forward to that.
Handbags to the ready then… lol
New post up now
He wasn’t wearing an Arsenal shirt 🙂