Daily Bits and Bobs

The start of something good?

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Norwich and Arsenal have one thing in common, neither have a point registered on the League table. Ouch, that hurts! Norwich have been thumped twice, first by Man City and then Liverpool. Unlike Arsenal though, they have managed a goal. From the penalty spot against Leicester City.

Norwich City also made a number of signings in the summer, a similar number to our club but what they haven’t had to deal with is Covid and injuries to key players. It sounds like I’m making excuses for Mikel Arteta but I’m not, it’s reality.

However, only Mo Elneny (hamstring) and Granit Xhaka (suspended) are unavailable for today’s fixture according to the official website which is great for the team and manager. Norwich too have a couple of absentees today, Kabak is suspended whilst Bushiri is injured. The similarities are uncanny.

Much has been written in the newspapers and said on Sky Sports about Arsenal’s woes. So much, one might think the season is coming to end rather than being just three games in. There’s no escaping it though, Arsenal have been shocking in those matches. The performances were awful enough but the players attitude on the pitch was worse. Arsenal offered nothing. No threat and no fight, especially against Man City.

Two weeks have gone by since that City mauling. The reset button should have been hit hard during that time. I’ve no idea what’s gone on during this international break, if anything of course, but I really hope we see a very different attitude on the pitch from now on.

As said, Mikel Arteta has a fully fit squad bar two. He needs to start delivering on his promises. Today should be the beginning of fielding a settled team which can get this season up and running. Fans need to see a big performance, Mikel Arteta needs his players to deliver a big performance too.

I’m looking forward to seeing Partey and Lokonga in midfield together, Aubameyang enthusiastically getting some part of his body on the end of a Ødegaard, ESR or Saka defence splitting pass. Pepe bursting down the wing, cutting inside the defence and finishing in style. The pairing of White and Gabriel in the centre of defence and our two full-backs, one old, one new if Takehiro starts.

Honestly, our first 11/15 players are pretty darn good!

Anyway, let’s hope Arsenal can get the job done later and send The Emirates crowd home a lot happier than they probably were when they arrived.

See you in the comments.

 

 

rico

62 thoughts on “The start of something good?”

  1. Devilgunner says:

    Good morning Rico and all

    Well done for ‘mustering a few words for today’s post’ Rico. Thanks for the post.

    I dont think ESR will make it today. He might be a sub but it will be Pepe and Saka flanking Odegaard I feel.

    Otherwise the team will be as we have been wishing for all week

    Fingers crossed Ramsdale begins.

  2. Aussie Geoff says:

    Let’s hope we score first or Norwich will only build on their confidence, we have no excuse if we loose unless VAR get it wrong

  3. andrewh1313 says:

    Morning rico, House, good preview giving optimism of how our players ought to play. Really looking forward to it after the stupid timing of the first break. Until I see the team sheet with Kolasinac starting! Never mind, with same ref as Brentford game, we are fully entitled the impede and hold down their goalie at corners and free kicks, he approves of that, so does VAR. Which incidentally has Mike Dean in charge of, so all’s well….

  4. potter says:

    Yeah , bet we don’t get away with it if we did . However full in the knowledge that they can do it too , expect Norwich to crowd whoever starts for us and expect a booking for the keeper if he tries to protect himself.
    Never like this game living in Norfolk, it’s comparable to most London derbies except one.
    A day for living on our nerves isn’t it Cicero.?

  5. Marinello says:

    Not too long ago, playing Norwich at home, there would be no worries. How things have changed. Today, the team have to go out and play with confidence, pride and a not giving in attitude. One could say, we are the strongest team in the league, as in holding everybody else up…

  7. Cicero says:

    Potter I could always wind up my neighbours, my work colleagues and my fellow Ex Servicemen’s club members with the phrase “guaranteed six points”. Not any more though.

    Anything less than three points this afternoon and the volume of the Arteta Out clamour will increase exponentially.

    Thanks for the post Rico, as the old saying goes “keep the home fires burning”.

    ‘

  9. Wavy says:

    Morning all.

    I presume you were referring to Norwich’s 6 points, guaranteed??

    If the Arsenal lose today then I believe relegation will be staring us in the face come May ’22. I’ve not witnessed two poorer opening games in my lifetime. I have not seen an Arsenal eleven play so poorly, so cluelessly! Hopeless and hapless. Didn’t watch man citeh, I dismissed it as never having happened! I can be very self delusionary!

    I really, really hope that by 16.55 we will have something to crow about. This is a game that in the past we would have breezed through 2 or 3 nil. Today? God knows!

    As has been pointed out several times in the last few days, we have nearly all our injured and ill players back and available. It should be a breeze! But…….???

    Thanks for the positive bog Rico, I’m away to ‘bottle it’ now😀

  12. Rick says:

    Afternoon Rico and the House.
    We are playing 3 Games today.
    In the first one the u18s drew 3-3 with Southampton
    we conceeded the 3rd goal in the 92nd min from the spot.
    C/F Edwards scored 2 thats 6 goals in 4 games

    In the 2nd game we are at home to Man u and close to half time we are
    winning 2-0
    C/F Balagone has scored both goals
    Eddie is also playing love to see him score
    Who ever plays C/F against Norwich has something to live up to.

  14. andrewh1313 says:

    7 changes, and that’s without Partey coming in!
    Think that shows what Arteta thought of last performance! Good for him.

  17. rico says:

    Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tierney, White, Gabriel, Saka, Odegaard, Aubameyang1, Maitland-Niles, Tomiyasu, Pepe, Lokonga

    Subs: Leno, Partey, Lacazette, Smith Rowe, Soares, Tavares, Chambers, Mari, Martinelli

  18. Joaquim Moreira says:

    2- 0 !!! édouard scored
    14:05
    TEAMS – Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Saka, Lokonga, Odegaard, Maitland-Niles, Pepe, Aubameyang.. subs: Leno, Partey, Lacazette, Smith Rowe, Soares, Tavares, Chambers, Mari, Martinelli

  37. Aussie Geoff says:

    Only a couple looked good we need more out of Auba and Saka on the plus side Odegarrd sorry for spelling and Pepe looking good so is the new Japanese player Tommy, We seem to look more balanced not missing Leno so far

  49. Aussie Geoff says:

    Overall we looked more balanced but missed some easy goals,

    Did anyone else feel the same that Saka got caught out all ways looking for Auba when there seemed to be a better option

  50. Cicero says:

    I haven’t seen anything of the game. But as far as I’m concerned there is always a better option than Aubameyang. Geoff 😉

  51. Cicero says:

    Having digested a clean sheet and three points, together with fifty percent of a quite strong gin and tonic, I’m inclined to view the coming season with a little more complacency than following the first three games.

    Our telly seems to have gone on the blink, the Chelsea v Villa game seems a bit fuzzy. Odd that!

  56. Devilgunner says:

    Good Evening Rico and all

    Watched the game with my old Pa at his residential home. And boy, was it nail biting. We should have hammered them. 28 shots and we were fearing the worst…they might nick a goal.

    Thankfully and finally, the stars aligned….even though Auba’s goal was a bit scrappy.

    But I was happy we got off the mark and also got our win.

    I was impressed by both Ramsdale and Tommy. Tommy got tired in the 2nd half, understandably so. The EPL is faster than anything he has ever played. But seeing how he fared and also Aarons in the Norwich team I must say I was more impressed with Tommy…..though I would not mind if Aarons was bought from Norwich and both of them shared the RB spot.

    Ramsdale is here to stay. I hope to he continues to build on from today. Another clean sheet speaks volumes.

    I also felt that AMN did quite well and he is offering Arteta a number of options in CDM. He broke up play on countless occasions and drove Arsenal forward towards the Norwich goal. He was subbed in the 2nd half but he did enough imo to warrant a more regular spot. Not only to rotate but also in his own right.

    White and Gabriel have a good partnership going. We looked more solid at the back and even though the threat was there I feel today was a good foundation for the next game.

    I still think that the problem with our team is the attack. We should have buried them today. Yet, even though a win is a win, 1-0 is not enough imo.

    The most important thing I saw today??? The change in attitude and the will to fight for each other and work as a team. Now that is something which makes me smile.

  57. Aussie Geoff says:

    Hi all the match will be worth watching, look out for the Japanese player Tommy shot at goal if that had gone in, it would be on his highlights reel.

  60. Aussie Geoff says:

    Devil as much as Norwich could have won we could have easily won 3 nil still a lot more improving to go but at least we should something and the best part was we never gave in Ienjoyed watching the game until the final whistle it could have gone either way.

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