Morning all.
A break from the Premier League woes tonight as our Europa League campaign kicks off with a short trip to Germany where we’ll face Eintracht Frankfurt. No doubt there is temptation to think this match will be easy for Arsenal but let’s not forget that in this competition just a few months ago, they turned around a 4-2 first leg losing scoreline to beat Benfica in the semifinals. Only losing out on penalties after extra time prevented them from beating Chelsea in the semifinals too. If only we’d faced them instead of Sarri’s side. Not suggesting we’d have won though…
It’s certainly good to see Rob Holdings name in the squad, Calum Chambers and Emile Smith Rowe return too and it looks like we might actually get to see our young Brazilian in action. There’s likely to be a return for Mustafi this evening too and I hope he has a great game. He’s suffered a lot of criticism, much of it justified but it’s never pleasant to hear one of our own players booed as he was in pre-season. A solid performance tonight from our German could be enough to see him return to the first team for our Premier League campaign as it’s not like Sokratis or Luiz are doing particularly well.
AMN has spoken about his role in the team which is no surprise as the return of Hector Bellerin isn’t far away.
“I want to stay in the team, but if the manager chooses to pick him over me, that’s something I will have to live with. I’ll just have to keep training and working hard so that I get picked instead.
“I’m a midfielder by trade, either central or on the wing, it’s all the same to me. I’m not a defender so I do get a lot of stick about my defending being poor, but it’s something I’m learning and have been learning for a couple of years now.
“It’s not going to come overnight. If I was a defender as a kid, and my defending was poor, I would understand where the criticism is coming from, but I’m trying my best for the team and for the manager. “It’s not where I would choose to put myself in the team, as I’m an attacking player by trade. That’s all I can try to bring to the team. I’m still learning the defensive side, so when players are running at me, and they’re throwing skills at me, I’m still learning how to deal with that.
“It’s always nice to have one main position where you play, and everyone else gets to play in their main position, so hopefully it’s just a matter of time before I can do that too.”
This is exactly why I’m so reluctant to heap vast amounts of criticism on AMN, he’s not a natural defender and some of the time, it’s pretty evident. This is just another case of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and regardless of how much pushing and shoving, it doesn’t fit. All the time Unai Emery was tinkering with Mkhitaryan and playing him on the right, AMN would perhaps have been a better option, the right option and by now we’d have seem him flourish into a fine player. I’ve suggested it before and will do again, we as a club are paying Mustafi, he’s a defender by nature so surely it makes more sense to move him to right back? I know it’s not ideal but you wouldn’t expect to see Ozil at left back if we were short would you?
AMN has also been quoted as saying that the team shouldn’t have persisted with playing out from the back on Sunday after continually struggling with the system. He has a point…
Anyway, let’s hope we can kick off our European campaign with a big performance and a victory. Just hope poor old Mesut can stay awake long enough to watch the match at home with his pipe and slippers. Apparently he needs a rest after playing all of 70 odd minutes this season.. Bless him!
See you in the comments guys.
Morning Rico and all who are to follow.
Mesut has been left behind because he has not rehydrated from all his sweaty efforts on Sunday. To be fair he didn’t look to be scared of the opposition when playing. I thought he did quite well, in bits. His set up for the second goal in particular.
However, I think there may be a slightly darker reason to his omission from today’s squad. I don’t think he’s Mr Popularity in Germany any more. His realignment to the country of his parents birth and his association with people in high places, his best man for example will not have endeared him to the usually warm hearted and jolly Germans! Easier all round if he stays at home in sunny Southgate!(or wherever)
Tonight’s result is absolutely impossible to call. If we recreate our stunning form as exhibited on Sunday, we will get hammered. But if we can remember how to play one and two touch football we could win handsomely. Always providing we offer some kind of solid defence. Mmm, not very likely, but you never know!
Blue skies here. Lovely.
Morning Wavy, all.
Yep, I reckon he’s been left out to spare any potential abuse from the stands. I’m sure we can cope without him….
Agreed😎
I guess if Bellerin returns at right back, as I hope he does as soon as possible, and Emery continues to utilise the diamond midfield, that AMN will be perfect to play wide right of the diamond where he get cover the right flank, get forward to attack and not have to worry so much about defence, where he’s weak…
Afternoon Rico…
2-2 draw for me today…
It’s all about utilising what you have in the positions where your going to get the most from them.
We’ll never really know how good or not AMN is until he’s played a few times in his proper position.
As for Mustafi, he started out as a full back, so playing him there is a no brainer…
Emery is a no brainer
Greetings one and all.
Having read AMN’s “in my own words” column, illustrated thanks to Rico, I have to retract any criticism I made of him.
His run down the wing, providing the opportunity for Auba’s second confirmed what he said about his normal playing position.
And, what many of you consistently saying for some time – too many “square pegs in round holes”!
I can empathise with AMN.
What happened by the way with Laca’s ankle? Self inflicted training ground knock or incurred during the last match he played?
Due back?
Afternoon Kev.
AMN has to be rotated with Pepe imo. But what do I know… 😆
Andorra, we’ve seen so many of our players shunted around just to fill the gap. Ozil when he first arrived, Ramsey, Walcott lol, and even Xhaka to a degree because the bloke hasn’t a clue how to defend. 😆
Afternoon Rico and all in the House,
the most difficult game of the group stages,a draw would be a good result.
Ozil is likely to play against Villa, that one is right up his alley.Goodness knows there’s only a few games he is right for.I also thoughhe played alright against Watford,then faded predictably.It was a shock to see his name in the first place.
I read his parents were born in Germany too; it’s his grandparents who emigrated there from Turkey.
Good luck to Mustafi if he plays,it will help offload him anyway.I also think he may be better at Right Back
Lacazette injured his ankle in pre – season,we sure miss him.
Looking forward to tonight,3 games in 5days.
These days I’m less worried about the opposition than about the handicaps we put on ourselves.
I’m still waiting for a stable and balanced formation. Once we’ve achieved that then I’ll worry about the opposition.
Shouldn’t take too long. Flores managed it in a couple of days.
Afternoon Limey. Villa might be another Watford, I’ve not seen them play but they’re not bottom of the league.. 😜
Two days and a fifteen minute half time team talk Hobart, incredible really but I read he was brought back to them to toughen them up a bit…
I just have this belief that Emery has one style of playing. Unfortunately it doesn’t suit our players, or our ambitions. He seems to keep tinkering around and it’s obviously unsettling the players and the performance levels.
I hoped that he could have found an acceptable system within a month or two. Being generous I was giving him the summer window for any essential player changes. He still looks like he’s walking around blindly. Frankly if he doesn’t find balance soon we need to find some that can.
The team !………………………..Mustafi, Luiz and Xhaka !……………….The Devils Triangle, also known as the Bermuda Triangle……………………….I hoping they somehow internally combust and disappear into their own rectums never to be seen again !
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1174710059533815808
Well that was different, bit messy that’s for sure…
Eintracht 0-3 The Devils Triangle
Never in doubt…
AMN is the latest in a list of players played out of position and utilised the wrong way, but he’s either entitled to be protected or at least treated kindly, as those before him were not, or abused and criticised like the others.
I think he should be treated kindly, but then, I believed those before him should also have been.
He’s doing his best and for that reason, no abuse is acceptable, imo.
Good result.
Can it kick start us to better things?
Let’s hope so.
Thought that martinez Chambers Willock and saka did well , gives hope for the future.
Morning Rico. A welcome result in a game that could have finished 10-6.
A flattering result with some bright moments but the same problems just different personel . Who gets to play against Villa and Forest will be interesting.
Morning Adam, Potter, all.
Weird game, good result. Lol
New post up now