Morning all.
Well if that isn’t Unai Emery sending a big fat message to Mesut Ozil, I don’t know what would be. To me that says, wake up, catch up and get with it. Based on talent alone, Mesut has to be one of our most gifted players but he needs to do more, work harder and have more of an impact on our performances. I’m sure some of you out there will totally disagree but we’re talking about a player who’s earning in excess of £300k a week and he’s being out performed by others who aren’t even pocketing half of what he is.
Granit Xhaka is another player who finds himself on the end of much criticism yet I think he’s played every match this season so far. What is it that Unai Emery sees which many of us don’t? I’d love to know.
Anyway, criticism aside, we’re doing alright. We’re on a good run right now but there’s still much room for improvement. Leicester City are probably the toughest opposition we’ll have faced since the opening two weeks of the season, close to Everton I reckon. They sit eleventh in the table having enjoyed the best start to a season since they went on to win the league. We were the only side that season to beat them both home and away and we’ve never lost a home match against them ever. But that’s in the past. We need to be in the present, looking forward to the future. Getting stronger, more compact and becoming real challengers for the league.
Leicester’s league position means little as I don’t think the table always tells the whole story. Crystal Palace could so easily have beaten Everton yesterday afternoon and had they converted their penalty, they possibly would have but two goals right at the end of the match sent them back to London with nothing. I lost chances of the goal scoring opportunities they created. That’s the name of the game though as we of all clubs know. It’s all about taking opportunities and scoring the goals which is just what we’ve been doing.
A number of our players have had two weeks of putting their feet up. Well, kind of. They’ve not been clocking up their air miles that’s for sure and other than training, the rest of the time has been theirs to enjoy. So no excuses tonight as they should be well rested and raring to go. The others though, most have played in two international fixtures. For Sokratis, the first came at a cost and as a result, he might have to sit this one out. A late test for him which I hope he passes with flying colours. If not, it’ll be Holding and Mustafi. Considering we have no other fit centre-backs, Emery has no alternative option.
Wes Morgan is suspended for Leicester and they have a couple of injuries too. James Maddison is their key man as most of their creative play goes through him apparently but I suspect Emery knows that.
The Spaniard said in his press conference that we have to improve and as said before, he’s right. The defence and midfield need to work together a lot better than they have been because if they give Jamie Vardy a sniff at goal, there’s a good chance he’ll score. Harry Maguire on set pieces will cause us a problem if we’re not focussed. Ghezzal and Maddison are their other main goal scorers.
For us it’s all about tightening up at the back, bossing the midfield and creativity. Lacazette is on a great run. Eight goals so far isn’t a bad return and his work around the box for others just gets better and better. Welbeck, Aubameyang and Ozil are our main scorers but other players are chipping in as well which is why we’ve notched up twenty seven goals during our nine match winning run. Don’t bother with maths, it’s an average of three a match.
Should be a good game, one with goals that’s for sure.
Enjoy it..
Morning Gooners.
Morning Rico, good post.
Xhaka is one of the best passers in our squad, I think that’s why he plays, fortunately having Torrieira alongside him frees him up from the defensive duties that don’t suit his game, but I’m confident about tonight.
3 games in 7 days with a trip to Lisbon thrown in will be tough, but if we want to compete it’s what you have to deal with and Emery doesn’t make too much of it he just focuses on winning the next game. Luckily we have the league games in London, but it’s going to be a big test of our new fitness regime and powers of recovery, personally I’m looking forward to this week, we want Arsenal to be competitive so let’s enjoy it…
Morning Kev, thanks as always.
I read Xhaka stats, a shock I know it he’s one of the best performers in the league I believe. 😳
Morning all.
Seems my net problem is over.
Every time I logged in here recently, it’s switch me to some bloody Amazon shopping site while I was reading comments and posts.
Anyway, Ozil needs to respond the right way to the challenge our down by Emery, and there’s no reason why he won’t.
That’s not good Scott. A problem your end or with ahh do you reckon?
Morning all from Solarwall and thanks Rico.
About fcuking time, it seems an age since we last played and it`s against our first ever opponents at Highbury…………Woolwich Arsenal Vs Leicester Fosse in 1913 !……………..Wavy, Cicero and VCC were there in attendance ! 🙂
Tough game and hope we continue our incredible home record against them, anything other than a win will be a disappointment. Any win and we go 4th………………4-0 and we go 3rd !…………………draw or lose and we can have a nice moan ! 😆
Rico, asking me about technology problems won’t get you anywhere hahahaha
I’ve got no idea 🙂
It was bloody annoying, though.
Good morning Rico and others, good evening Scott. Nice post Rico, thanks.
Three games in seven days shouldn’t be a problem Kev, the trip to Lisbon is quite short, and is in the same time zone, so no jet lag involved
It’s hard to deny that Ozil “owes” Arsenal some decent performances but he doesn’t look like a sleeves rolled up and socks rolled down Peter Storey type of character. That said with his undoubted talent he should be a much more “involved” member of the team. C’mon Mesut, you know you can do it!
I have a similar problem with my Amazon Fire Scott, an annoying advert appears after a minute or two when I reach the comments section. The only way to get rid of it is to shut down the web page and start again, although that ad, or another will quickly appear. Infuriating! It doesn’t happen on my PC, thankfully.
Cicero, it’s just the recovery time and fatigue related injuries, but we have a new improved medical team so it shouldn’t be a problem. I’m sure that Emery has faced these issues before and will deal with them.
Fatigue !!!………….haven`t played for weeks, you probably get more fatigued counting your tips, Kev !
😆
I know the feeling Scott..
Morning Cicero, thanks.
These athletes were born to play every other few days, should be no excuses imo
I think it was Sokratis who said that during pre season and onwards, Emery and his coaches trained the players in such a way they don’t get affected by jet lag or fatigue..
I reckon that much of the “fatigue” under the previous regime, was due to Wenger’s laissez-faire attitude rubbing of on his players. A swift kick up the a**e was the answer and I suspect that Unai Emery has deployed just that training initiative.
Me too Cicero.
You guys seen the comments from Jack Wilshere? He sums up what life was like under Wenger
Morning each and all. Thanks Rico for another original take on things Arsenal.
Inevitable really. Le Boss has left the building and the cupboards are slowly being emptied. It seems they contain more than a few fleshless skeletons. Jack is just the latest to have his say. He, like Walcott and Sanchez etc etc spoke out about Wenger and his regime because he was being fed false promises and I suspect not a lot of positive coaching, the net result was no progress accompanied by an injury c.v. As long as both of his heavily tattooed arms. For the home developed players they didn’t have much to compare their situations with as they’d only received a diet of Arsene’s offerings day after day. as soon as they left they entered the real world of team preparation and personal coaching!
I’m still waiting for Wenger’s tell all autobiography. I suspect he will never quite get round to writing it!
Sunny but cool here. Nice day though.
Jack saying he’d have stayed if Wenger had Wavy shows just how much players didn’t have to work for their place in the team.
Thank goodness Emery is changing that.
We should be good enough to win this one, but hopefully the players will not be as complacent as me!
I think it’s been ridiculous the media and pundit criticism of Emery and the players. Arsenal have changed so much after 22 years, not just a manager but the whole structure and hierarchy. For everything to just fall into place after a couple of months is so unrealistic.
Personally I think this season is a write off. If Emery can get top 4 or even a cup, then that’s a massive bonus. The new man needs time, patience and support.
Reading some of the (agenda driven) shite from the hacks and pundits shows how much they want Arsenal to fail. Just compare with the favourable treatment of certain other teams!
UTA!
What`s happened to Callum Chambers ?……………………he`s getting slated by Fulham fans !……………….basically saying he`s worse than anyone you can think off……………….Blockley……Steponovs etc etc 🙂
Couldn’t agree more Dexter.
That won’t do Chambers confidence any good.
Arsenal team: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Mustafi, Lichtsteiner, Torreira, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Iwobi, Lacazette.
Subs: Martinez, Medley, Guendouzi, Smith Rowe, Ramsey, Welbeck, Aubameyang.
Who is Medley? Have I missed something. Where is Kolasinac or M Niles?
Medley is a centre half who we took from Chelsea, he’s very big but very raw.
It seems to be taking us awhile to adapt to Leicester playing 3 at the back.
We are riding our luck again..
Taking us a while to play full stop. Holding lucky not to be Hand ball and a pen. Just after being booked. Iwobi now lost ball six times.
Fantastic save Leno
I thought Holding would have been unlucky had a pen been given as his bounced back of the Leicester players arm before it hit the ball.
I hope Emery makes changes at halftime. We need some pace on the pitch. Ozil might have a fancy left foot but he’s slow and so are we because of it imo.
Yes, I agree Rico, Holding has his arm knocked onto the ball.
I thought two Leicester players were offside when Leno made that save.
Last time we went behind was vs Chelsea.
And Mikki, he’s having an off day..
They looked it to me too Kev.
Is it just me or are we not getting our fai4 share from the ref?
Ok, let’s have a quality free kick, it’s about time.
Still waiting
Captain Ozil!!!!
As I was saying about Ozil….. 😜😜😜
Great left foot..
Interesting game.
Maybe we should go 4 4 2 in the second half?
Superb finish by Ozil.
I knew you would be enjoying it Adam
What a ball from Ozil… followed by a super goal.
🙂
We’re turning it on now. Super stuff.
Well this is easy, 3-1!
The Arsenal men are beginning to look almost as good as Arsenal Ladies! Two no three absolutely cracking Arsenal goals.
easy?!
A penalty in the 1st half, a ball hits the bar and last year was 4-3…
25 minutes to the end|
But it wasn’t a penalty Jm.
really?
‘Easy’ was obviously a joke Joaquin 🙂
Who comes to Lisbon next Thursday?
Again, the first 15-20 minutes to forget
Great second half performance.
Another 3 points, 10 wins on the trot, we must be amazingly lucky… 😉
Night Gooners.
Night Rico.
Night Kev, all.
Lucky Arsenal 3 points lets go home
That was a very good win. I wanted a bit more from Ozil and I got it. What a goal! Did someone say he lacked pace? just watch the goal again, he went from one end of the pitch to the other in a matter of seconds.
If sitting out sixty minutes on the bench produces a couple of goals when he comes on put Aubameyang there every game. Terrific substitution by Unai Emery.
Oh, what a finish by Ozil!
Good night all.
What a pass by Ozi for Aubangymang’s first!
Just hope we see more from Capt Ozil’s 75 minutes masterclass every game.
Thank goodness Wenger decided to retire😊
New post up guys..