Morning guys.
The day is finally here. Reigning Premier League Champions, The Arsenal, are kicking off the 2026/27 season with a home fixture against newly promoted Coventry City at 8pm.
Coventry manager Frank Lampard is no stranger to the Premier League having won many a trophy during his playing days but management has been a bit tougher. He and Mikel Arteta have gone head to head six times with the Spaniard coming out on top with 4 wins to 1. Yes, the other match was a draw.
We know both William Saliba and Jurrien Timber aren’t available for this match but Bruno Guimaraes is a doubt too after picking up a knock last weekend. Other than that, everyone else should be available for selection. Not that I anticipate seeing Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira or Reiss Nelson in the squad.
Mikel Arteta touched on player sales during his press conference yesterday.
On the possibility of players leaving who have been here a long time:
It’s a really, really tough moment, you need to face that reality. But you need to face it with real honesty and transparency because when you are on the other side, that’s exactly what you need. You might not like what you’ve been told, but if it’s truthful, if it’s the reality, if it’s honest and it’s going to help you to make better decisions and have more clarity for the next steps in your career, you have to do that. These are always very difficult conversations, but they need to be done. It’s like when a player doesn’t feel that he belongs or he’s important, he wants to have a different chapter, I think that communication has to exist and it has to be both ways. We all know, everything has a start and has an end. When it comes to the end, I think our duty, our responsibility is to do it in the best possible way, maintaining the respect and admiration for the player and the relationship, but understanding that at the end, we need to make football decisions.
On giving minutes for players in the squad:
Without talking about any specifics, that’s something that we are working on with every individual to understand. Because I would like to have the squad as big as possible because we know what we are fighting for, how long this is and will learn again from the past, especially last year, when we got in some difficult situations and we had two or three injuries in the same area of the pitch. So the deeper the squad that we have, the better. We have to manage that. But the players have to feel important and valued and in order to do that, they need to play minutes.
On Myles Lewis-Skelly being an Arsenal player at the end of the window:
100%.
That’s the best news, shame someone didn’t ask Mikel about Ethan Nwaneri too with the same answer coming forth. Thankfully the transfer window slams shut in just ten days time and all this speculation will shut down too.
As for the game today, I’ve no idea how Coventry play home or away but I’m pretty sure there will be some kind of defensive setup in place despite them cantering to a Championship winning season, apparently playing free flowing and entertaining football along the way.
Lampard will have watched our defeat of Man City last weekend I’m sure and would have made note of our danger men which these days is any Arsenal player. Or should that read every Arsenal player.
My guess is the starting eleven will be very similar to last Sunday unless Martin Zubimendi comes in for Bruno Guimaraes. I can’t see Declan Rice or Bukayo Saka starting this one but Arteta might opt for Viktor Gyokeres up front instead of Kai Havertz. Who knows?
As reigning champions and the constant “Arsenal haven’t won the title for 100 years”…. banished for good, this group of players should be able to be play with more freedom and a lot less nerves. They know what it takes to win, they’ve felt it themselves and as a group. They’ve experienced the joy it brings to everyone who loves the club.
Everyone at the club and we the fans want more success. Not because it’s expected or that we’re entitled to but because this group of players are good enough to achieve more. A long ten months ahead guys and at times it might be rocky but as we saw last season, even when the chips are down, this group of Arsenal players come back fighting.
Catch up in the comments..
New post up.
I don’t want Martinelli to be sold either. I just don’t see how he’s not considered to be better than Madueke.
I hope so Cicero otherwise I think it’s an awful way to treat a player. I get it, the club might be looking to sell him but at least put him in the squad.
Isn’t Martinelli on his honeymoon?
I would have gave MOT to Tzolis,
Gabriel needs to stop holding jumpers or he will get a few red cards this season
Guys, we can name only 9 substitutes on the bench. With such a strong squad full of quality players, some will miss out. I wouldn’t read too much on Martinelli not making it and do notice only one defender, Hincapie, was on the bench.
Martinelli is vital, the only LW alternative to Tzolis.
Eze is not a LW plus he is poor in tracking back and a defensive bone in his body.
Trust Arteta to rotate his bench sensibly, say “horse for the course”.
Villa Park is always a difficult venue for Arsenal teams to negotiate and Emery also adds his element of bitterness to the equation so it’s going to be tough. But I’m not sure what kind of Villa team we’ll be facing, no Konsa, probably no Ollie Watkins, no Tielemans, no Lucas Digna, no Morgan Rodgers, no Malan and no Sal Swinkels!!!
Villa have sold/released 11 players, most of them 1st team squad members. They’ve, so far bought in 5 and loaned in 2 but the turnover is astonishing. How can you get a balanced squad with that amount of change – and I hope we can take full advantage on Monday week?
That was a consummate performance by a title winning team without the weight of expectations weighing them down, it was almost serene the way we toyed with and beat a good Coventry team who I think will stay up – just…
Odegaard’s goal nicked the motm award from Lewis-Skelly
Nice miskick !
JM I don’t want to see it but I can’t see any other reason for not even on the bench.
Martinelli is on his way out… not agree.
Good win.
Something I liked: scored 1-0 up and not just defending the lead- quite the opposite.
It’s great to see Ben White back near his best. He looks much fitter..
I think Coventry are going to have a tough old season. Lots of new players which are yet to gel imo.
Thanks Devil.
Odegaard’s goal nicked the motm award from Lewis-Skelly.
comfortable run out, we will have harder games to come. Raya after more golden gloves.
MotM for Odegaard but it must have been close thing between him and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Great read Rico.
Great comment Cicero
Great game for Arsenal.
Victor must have really done something to annoy Arteta. He didnt get a single second.
The next 12 days will tell us a lot
We are top of the league… we are top of the league. Lovely jubbley.
Nice start to the season,
Clean sheet, three goals, three points, top of the League, just another day at the office.
That was a nice run out for the boys in the opening fixture..
Rice off Saka off Madueke on Zubimedi on
Odegaard, goal now 3-0
Odegaard and it’s 3 – 0
Tzolis, looks very good, looking forward to seeing him and Gyokeres playing together
I would replace Gabriel, can’t take the chance of a second yellow card. there number 18 almost scored a great goal,
Gabriel up to his old tricks of holding could be costly this season
Even our sideways and backwards passes are quicker this season. 😜
Saka makes it 2- 0
Evening Gooners.
Great ball White, great play Tzolis and Cali, and terrific finish, Havertz scores again.
Havertz, great start, 1-0
Up and running, Havertz, 1- 0
Good news Nwaneri on the bench,the strongest available team then,you could argue about Havertz/Gyokeres.
Let’s not start that Stuart 😜
Hi Geoff.
I don’t get starting a midfielder as a striker when we have a proper goal scorer in Gyokeres fit.
Still, what do I know eh..
Wow! Happy New Season!
Not on the bench is Martinelli on his way
Afternoon Rico and all.
Here we go buzzing with excitement,
Arteta knows, Rico…
I think I called the starting line-up exactly, not because I’m psychic, more because it’s probably our strongest side with who is ready and available.
Hincapie is unlucky, but Califiori offers more offensively, which in a home game against newly-promoted opponents we would expect.
Zubi could cover for Rice, but knowing Dec like we do, he will expect to start and lead the charge.
Again it could have been Havertz or Gyokeres, but Havertz is number one in the pecking order, so it makes sense.
Plenty of finishers to bring on if needed.
Evening Stuart, thank you.
I’m disappointed Havertz starts again..
Nwaneri on the bench though..
Morning Rico and all. Fine post, mate with some very interesting quotes. Mikel has fine and eloquent emotional intelligence.
I get that extra couple of hours in bed, Geoff. 7am kick off here.
Glad Kai is up top. Konza on a four year deal is brilliant. Bruno out means our Declan is back in the saddle a little earlier than expected.
Better change from my jim jams into my ’71 jersey and take my seat in front of the fire.
Enjoy the game. COYG…
There must be a deal for him in the pipeline then. ☹️
Martinelli is not in the squad.
If he isnt injured looks like Martinelli is being frozen out . Not even on the bench .
No it’s not, Saka starts too..
Rice starts alongside MLS, otherwise it’s the same as last Sunday..
Raya, White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, MLS, Rice, Odegaard, Tzolis, Havertz, Saka.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/igor-tyjon-arsenal-fc-striker-transfer-latest-ogunneye-scanlon-b1294198.html
Amen to the speedy pass and move football, that’s the way to go this season.
Let’s go for the win the title again!
I find it strange thar Hamburg didn’t want to sign Fábio Vieira permanently.
Jesus is going to be hard to sell…
Teams that have just been promotedare always a thoug nut to crack in the first game…
Hi all.
No matter how old I get, there’s always that new season buzz, even more so when you’re reigning champions.
I pray the club steers well clear of Alvarez, he doesn’t want us, and even if he were to reluctantly join, next summer he would get his dream move to Barca.
We shouldn’t be anywhere near it.
Godts, a left winger at Ajax has been spoke of highly, one to possibly explore.
Apologies about Konsa on the previous post, seems like he was a boyhood spud.
I feel we’ll probably concede one, so maybe a nervy first-half, strong second and a 3-1 win to ease into the season.
Bruno Guimaraes already hit by the injury curse and out for a couple of weeks, so we’ll see him back in September.
Happy new season Arsenal fans everywhere, let’s have a good one.
If Lampard does go for the low block then we will have to move forward with speed and too many ball playing players slows us down .
Defending against a passing side is easy if the ball keeps going sideways rather than forward and Odegaard , Saka and Havertz are prime examples of this. Holding the ball and going square is a recipe for slow advance and allows defences to drop back and leave no space for forwards to get in behind them.
One or two touch football is the answer with movement in and across the area , it drags defenders out of position and allows players to get in behind and there is nothing a defender hates more is a hard centre whilst he is turned and facing his own goal .
Morning all.
Prefer Havertz since Coventry will be daft not to deploy low block and then hit us on the counter with Route 101 Football to bypass our Midfield and Defence high line.
Rice and Saka should start to improve match sharpness in readiness for Villa game.
Must be Cicero. 😂
Thanks Limey, Gyokeres for me too.
Hi Geoff.
Nice preview Rico,
I’d go for Gyokeres up front anyway,but especially as a former Coventry player.
The defence will probably be the same,who replaces Bruno in midfield,and whether Saka plays are the big questions. I’m sure Arteta will want all the big players for Aston Villa away.
Three points against Coventry are just as important though so who knows. One thing is sure our rivals will celebrate wildly if Coventry even get a goal,never mind if they were to draw or even win.
After our performance last week I’m so relaxed about tonight,might not be come kick off time!
Whatever happens we still have 37 games left…
COYG
Morning Rico and all. nice write up Rico, I have set my alarm as kick off is 5am in oz and speaking of oz it was great to read the interview with Martin odegaard were he thanks and mentions the fans in Australia and around the world who get up very early in the morning to watch Arsenal play.
Hopefully we come out firing and put the match to bed early as the longer it takes to score the more confident, they will fee of snatching an unlikely win against us.
It’s all that cold rain that’s been falling in it, Rico.😉
Morning Kev, Cicero. Thank you.
My goodness, the sea was cold this morning…
Konsa signs for £51 million
Apparently both Everton and Ipswich Town are interested in Jesus, wait till they see his wages…
Assuming that Vieira goes and Nelson goes and if Jesus and Martinelli stay we still have room for one more signing in the 25 man squad. Myles, Ethan, Marli and Max are still U21 and don’t count, although I’m not sure about Setford?
Our biggest competitor this season? Fitness…
Morning Gunners, morning Rico, nice post, I wonder who Arteta was talking to with those ‘everything comes to an end’ comments, was it Jesus? Was it Martinelli? Was it Noni? 😉
The injury to Bruno might change Arteta’s plans regarding easing Rice back into the team, I guess it’s more likely that Declan starts as Zubimendi hasn’t played much at all, after this evening we have almost 9 days before we play again so they’ll all get plenty of rest. But other than Rice I can’t see many changes from Cardiff, I mean why would there be after that performance? I guess that Gyokeres could get a start?
No news on the Konsa front, maybe he will be presented prior to kick-off.
Good morning Rico, for me the panic is over, no broken windows, no electronic equipment scattered over the road. Sky Sports was switched on overnight so I can watch out opening match this evening. Phew!
Great post, by the way thank you.