Morning all.
Leeds United have Kalvin Phillips back in the squad. I type that as if I know who he is but I don’t. Nor Rodrigo who could return after getting over Covid-19. Pablo Hernandez, Jamie Shackleton and Diego Llorente are all injured.
Arsenal are without Sead Kolasinac and Mohamed Elneny after their positive coronavirus tests on international duty and Thomas Partey hasn’t recovered after suffering a thigh injury against Villa.
100mph are Leeds according to Mikel Arteta so this could be interesting. Should be ideal for Arsenal if we can regain our defensive composure. Leeds have been thumped in their last two fixtures. Away at Crystal Palace 4-1, at home against Leicester City, the same, 4-1. Earlier in the season though, they held Man City to a 1-1 draw.
Leeds are clearly as unpredictable as this current Arsenal team but as was clear against Liverpool on the opening day of the season, on their day, they can score goals. However, they concede too so Arsenal really need to take advantage of a potentially leaky defence. As Leicester City proved in their match against Leeds, a high press can force errors so our front three need to put their back line and keeper under pressure.
But as said, Leeds are quick, they are busy and they don’t give up. Their front men will be all over Leno like a bad rash when we try and play out from the back.
I think this is a massive game for Arsenal. Enormous for Mikel Arteta. By his own admission, the defeat against Villa was his fault. His players didn’t turn up and perform. He wants more, much more and it’s his job to drag the best football out of those he has at his disposal. If he’s not getting enough from certain individuals then drop them. Play someone else who’ll give more for the team.
We know there’s no Partey or Elneny and I doubt Willian will even make the squad today so if Pepe starts and struggles, don’t be afraid to replace him before the clock ticks past 60 minutes. Personally, I think the way that Leeds are likely to play should see Pepe have more of an impact on the game. The same for Aubameyang if he plays wide. Lacazette or Nketiah in the middle need to start scoring goals but to do so, they need much better service. They need to create their own chances too by being in the right place for the service to come.
Will Arteta be brave and bring Willock into the mix. With his energy, pace and enthusiasm, he might just be perfect against a side like Leeds. We know he’ll give everything from start to finish. With Saka having played a lot of football over the last few weeks, probably too much for his young body, swapping him for Willock makes sense to me. No doubt Xhaka will return for this one or perhaps Arteta will fancy Luiz in midfield. A bonkers suggestion perhaps but if he remains disciplined, it could work. The back five pretty much picks itself as long as they’re all fit enough after the hefty workload of international fixtures.
Arsenal need a big performance, a solid performance topped off with a big three points. Anything else and the pressure cooker which is already simmering in certain corners of the fans world will start boiling.
Mikel Arteta has done a lot of talking, he simply has to start delivering. His team has to play quicker, be more creative and more clinical. Leeds will attack us hard and fast if we let them so don’t let them. Our players have to be busier than theirs, more determined too. Mikel Arteta has said this week that he’s followed the Leeds manager’s career for a long time so there are no excuses, he knows what to expect.
Premier League football is back. We need The Arsenal back too.
See you in the comments.
Afternoon campers, afternoon Rico.
Holding should be in his element going up against Patrick Bamford, I just wonder if we’ll go with a back four or three?
I just wonder what Arsenal will turn up post the Interlull?
Afternoon Kev.
I’m hoping for a big response. If they don’t perform today, we’re in trouble I think.
Hello everyone…..I am afraid Arsenal will loose this one too…with the way they have been playing I doubt if they can get a win anytime soon…you need to create chances to score and when most of the chances you have been creating all season are half chances…I fear for the team
Agree, rico.
A great challenge for today.
Not only for the results so far for everyone (and there are still games in arrears), but also to find out what we really intend to do for the season.
I’m no so much interested in the result, but I want to see our strikers score a few goals. Aubameyang in particular.
Afternoon rico, all. Not sure I’ll be overjoyed with a 2-3 or 3-4 defeat Cicero! Time for players to be counted. Don’t want to be hearing we were surprised by their fast start and intensity. And no messing at the back.
I think the result matters most today. A confidence boost and something to build on, especially when we’re missing Partey and Elneny.
Deco, the result is crucial, we can’t afford to lose or the noise will be deafening but I’d like to see us put on a performance because we all need a bit of a lift.
Could be one of his most important team selections since the Cup Final and pre-match preps.
Yeah, Deco was a good player, I wouldn’t have minded him at Arsenal, but I meant defo. 🙄
Afternoon all,
totally agree with the above – Leeds will come at as fast from the start. We’ve got to be ready. I’d like to see us play with energy, and score a few goals.
I reckon the result is important, for morale as well as the obvious – especially with the Spurs game in a couple of weeks.
COYG
Afternoon Andrew, ditto. All that’s been talked about is Leeds hi-energy. If we’re not ready, there is no excuse.
Joe Willock starts. Excellent
Arsenal
Leno
Bellerin
Holding
Gabriel
Tierney
Ceballos
Xhaka
Willian
Willock
Pepe
Aubameyang
Substitutes
Saka
Lacazette
Rúnarsson
AMN
Mustafi
Nelson
Nketiah
Has anyone got a clue as to what Arteta’s tactical plan is?
A good thing that the Leeds player look even more inept in front of goal than ours.
Let’s not wait for the sixty minute mark, make a change now. Nketiah for Aubameyang and Nelson for Pepe.
Doesn’t look like it Cicero.
Has the match coach (motor) dropped the right players off. This lot look like a team of strangers.
Come on arsenal pull a rabbit or two out of the hat!
As if we weren’t playing bad enough, what is in the head of that 70 million player? And where was the remorse for his team mates? Unbelievable. Reckon best we can hope for is 0-0 if we hold on for 40 minutes.
Tierney fired up as he went off! Great display by him despite rough treatment and a couple of others, in an otherwise rubbish team performance. Woodwork saves us three times thankfully.
P**s poor shooting by Leeds,. Well done to the ten men for holding out.
Pepe just gets worse and worse, please can we unload him in January?
With hindsight, Arteta should have replaced Willock with AMN, not Saka.
Cicero, shame Arteta didn’t action your 5.24 post 🙂
Pepe is a prick!
Rico. Agreed. An epic waster.
rico, I wanted to sla# his gormless face as he wandered off. ooops, am I allowed to say that 🙂
And Leeds are dirty!
Overall, a good point in the end.
Total waste of money Adam. Willian too.
That’s tame Andrew, I better not say what I’d have done to him… 😆
Lots to mull over , we have to look at the squad and work out where we need to go from here
Dump some of them, play the younger guys and accept we’re on a rebuild.
Arsenal will fight to not relegated.
We have players (?), but we don’t have a team, we don’t have ambition, we are physically bad, we don’t have confidence, we don’t have joy to play,
I have seen and followed all the games of the English League this season. Conclusion: the worst games are Arsenal’s. You get to be 20 minutes (or more) waiting for a shot on goal. Arsenal or the opponent. After..
a) I already lost count of the number of throws in we give the ball to the opponent because Bellerin does not know how to throw.
b) In the corners, the “huddle” of players, close the placed goalkeeper, with a high probability of making a foul on the goalkeeper, reacted to the ball in reverse and with the entire team in the event of an opponent’s interception (90% chance), It’a a disaster.
c) We have no attacking force. Aubeymayang has no strength, is physically weak, is easily nullable. When does Matinelli return?
d) Pepe should be penalized at 50% of the salary. With VAR, any of these attitudes is immediately seen. Three games of suspension or more.
e) William pays little. I said early on that Ceballos and William playing at the same time don’t pay.
f) We continue to be harmless, not to shoot, to lose all games in midfield and to have no solutions for changes.
Conclusion: The players are supposed to be good, highly valued, but they are not productive and do not form a team.
Gemer, gemer, gemer….
Did I miss something or did a Leeds player go in two footed on Gabriel?
He looked as if he was carrying an injury at the end of the game.
It’s a shame nobody told the guys on VAR that it was actually ManU playing in the blue as we might have got that penalty that everyone in the media ignored.
As games go following international breaks it was pretty standard stuff, Leeds who had hardly nobody away playing for their countries looked well rested and motivated.
Tierney played well and especially considering all the minutes he played for Scotland, Gabriel and Holding stood up well to the onslaught and Leno had a good game. It was encouraging to see him distributing the ball quicker. Saka looked sharp and Nelson was a marked improvement on the hopeless Willian. Pepe was ok’ish but getting sent off was so dumb, he’s not a kid and he should be able to deal with this stuff. I wonder if other teams will see his reaction and try to wind him up in future.
Aubameyang just needs a bit of luck, that’s how you get out of a goal drought, I don’t think we missed Lacazette.
Watching Arsenal is tough at the moment.We played better after the red card but that’s not saying much.
We defended well,Leno made a great save.Pepe was an idiot but I think Arteta will go back to him after the ban,he does at least threaten end product,after all he came closest to scoring for Arsenal.To me the useless one is Willian,his contract is said to be around £30m, what a waste.
The annoying thing is how the refs hate us, the VAR is just used as an excuse to stitch us up.
Oh well on to the next one & the Spurs game is looming..
Morning all.
Didn’t catch the game and that’s probably a good thing, but I did see the highlights, not that there were many lol
Pepe hasn’t shown any improvement this season which is disappointing.
He deserved to be sent off and there is no defending his action, but seeing it, the Leeds player was definitely pushing forward a little as well so should’ve gone.
Another disappointing result, Arteta is a work in progress as much as the squad is.
You’re lucky Scott.
New post up now