Daily Bits and Bobs

Villarreal will be tough, very tough.

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Arsenal are in Spain getting ready to face Villarreal in the Estadio de la Cerámica stadium. No doubt the press will be licking their lips as Mikel Arteta goes head to head with the man he replaced, Unai Emery. I think much of Emery’s problems in England related to his struggles with the English language. Now of course he’s back in his home country and by all accounts, his team are playing well. Not that long ago, Villarreal were sitting 2nd in La Liga. Now though they’re down to 7th. The best they can realistically finish is probably 5th.

Like Arsenal, winning this competition would be massive. Unai Emery has several Europa Cups in his pocket but they were a few years ago now. For Mikel Arteta, this is his second attempt at taking Arsenal into a Europa final.

Arsenal and Villarreal last met in 2006 for a Champions League semifinal which over the two legs, Arsenal came out on top but that means nothing today. Mikel Arteta and his players are going into this game in poor form but I do think we’ve played a little better away from home than at The Emirates, certainly in this competition. Not only has our form been off, our injury situation hasn’t helped matters in recent weeks. However:

They are all in contention. All of them. Including Aubameyang, Laca and Kieran. They are all in contention for the game. Yes [it is good news].

If Tierney isn’t quite ready and Mikel Arteta has said he won’t risk anyone, I think Cedric will come back in for this one at left back because Samuel Chukwueze would have a field day against Granit Xhaka. Having Lacazette back will make a difference. Surround him with energy and movement and he seems to be at his best. Aubameyang is the conundrum as no team would want to be without a fully fit and performing Aubameyang but this season, he’s looked neither.

I think we are up against one of the best strike partnerships in Spain perhaps. I think they are both in great form at the moment so it will be tough. – Pablo Mari.

Mari is referring to Gerard Moreno and Paco Alcacer but there’s also Samuel Chukwueze to be aware of. Of course it’ll be tough game, this is the semifinal of the Europa Cup so no team left it the competition will be easy.

Barcelona cut Villarreal open with ease at the weekend which to be fair, one would expect but Emery’s defence got caught out by a route one ball through to Griezmann. Barca’s second came as a result of some awful defending. Arsenal need to put their defence under pressure because they’ll cockup. Get at them, behind them and bring a couple of crucial away goals back to The Emirates.

For all the good players Villarreal have, we have our own. Newly crowned young player of the year Bukayo Saka, one of the runners up in Emile Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding, Pablo Mari, Pepe…. but please, no Willian, not tonight, not when he neither attack’s or defends with any real purpose. Trouble is, he’s experienced and he’s helped Chelsea win in Europe before so you could kind of understand why Mikel Arteta might opt for him.

I think we’re likely to see a similar team to the one which did so well in Prague.

If Tierney is fully fit, he’ll be straight in at left back which I guess would mean Xhaka returning to midfield with Ceballos dropping to the bench. If Lacazette isn’t quite ready to return, Mikel Arteta has Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah and Flo Balogun waiting in the wings. The good thing about Europa is having five substitutes available so if something is not working or someone is not working hard enough for the team, change it.

Come on Arsenal, get to work!

See you in the comments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

rico

68 thoughts on “Villarreal will be tough, very tough.”

  1. allezkev says:

    Ceramica is a Spanish word that means ceramics or pottery, so are we visiting the Spanish Stoke on Trent?

  3. allezkev says:

    Good post Rico, interesting that after a strong start to the season that Villarreal have faded when it mattered, reminds me of the first season under Emery, when we blew top four following poor results at the end of the season vs Brighton and Palace and then we collapsed in Baku after being 0-0 at half time. Classic Unai…

    I think this Semi Final is wide open, both sides can hit the heights and both can stink the place out, but ultimately I think it’ll be decided on the quality of the Arsenal finishing as nobody can quite waste goal scoring situations with the aplomb of this Arsenal team.

  4. rico says:

    Thanks Kev. Must admit, I thought similar re Villarreal. I wonder if European competitions have an impact because neither they or ourselves have a strong and deep squad.

  5. potter says:

    If we should get the first goal we cannot afford to rest there , the away goals rule favours the team away in the second leg if it goes to extra time ( shades of Benfica 1991) .
    We just have to go and put in a good performance and hope that it’s enough .
    One eye on Roma , hopeful;ly they can put United under pressure because I would not fancy them in a potential final.

  7. allezkev says:

    That’s the thing Potter, regardless of how we do against Villarreal I don’t reckon our chances in the final if it’s Man United, it’s just the way it is.

    I can’t see Balogun making the match day squad, in fact I can’t see Nketiah either because if Aubameyang and Lacazette are involved there just won’t be enough spaces in the 20 spots available and if Arteta goes with Tierney then that’s one less, even Bellerin could miss out.

  8. Limey says:

    Afternoon Rico/everyone
    I too have a feeling we will win. Great injury news, unexpected too.
    I did think Ryan might replace Leno, but that would be a big call, thinking about it we will probably stick with Leno.
    I’m hoping playing both games behind closed doors favours Arsenal(might be clutching at straws)
    COYG

  9. Aussie Geoff says:

    Hi Rico and all good news about Laca last I read he was out for the rest of the season, hoping for a 2 nil victory but can see a 1 nil lost hope I am wrong

  11. Cicero says:

    Aubameyang, Lacazette, Tierney all fit, sounds like disinformation to me. Arteta’s way to confuse Emery.

  12. Limey says:

    I just clicked on a story on Newsnow(always dodgy) It said out of our returning players the most likely to start is Luiz;and I was feeling positive.Hopefully he has one of his good games.

  13. Cicero says:

    I read that to Limey, But I can’t see him playing, he can’t be match fit and as there has been no talk from either side about a contract extension I think his playing days for Arsenal are very close to the end.

  14. rico says:

    Afternoon Limey, Geoff, all.

    I reckon we’ll win tonight but lose the home game so yep, we need a few goals later… 😜

  15. Devilgunner says:

    Good Afternoon Rico and all

    If Laca plays tonight we will win.

    If he doesnt play Villareal will lose.

  18. andrewh1313 says:

    Afternoon house, good post rico. Big game coming up, need two away goals. I still for the life of me can’t understand how in the 2nd leg, away goals counts at the end of full time AND extra time. Why does one team have two bites of the cherry?

  23. Rick says:

    Evening Rico and the House.
    As the headlines say its going to be very tough
    even more so with the team Mikel has selected.

  26. rico says:

    Evening Rick, agree. Xhaka at left back against a strong attack is a recipe for disaster I think. I’d love to be proved wrong though…

  29. Wavy says:

    Poor poor defending 2-0.

    Is Thomas Partey John Jensen in disguise? Open a barn door and he’d shoot over the top of the barn ffs

  30. Devilgunner says:

    2-0 down. I bet Emery is feeling ecstatic.

    Penalty not given….VAR has decided that the ball is deemed to have struck Nicolas Pepe’s arm

  34. Joaquim Moreira says:

    We have a team that neither defends nor attacks. We don’t shoot. And many more things that I don’t feel like writing now.

  42. Devilgunner says:

    Pepe has been involved in more Europa League goals than any other player this season (six goals, four assists). And that is a pretty good return from a player many consider to be a weak link

  46. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Why didn’t we make replacements?
    Ceballos, with 1 yellow and having made several fouls, in addition to being tired, should have been replaced. There was no penalty, in my opinion. (It already looks like M. United …).

  47. andrewh1313 says:

    Keown ‘first half alarming, bad things will happen within the club if we don’t get through’.
    Llungberg ‘Saka clever to get penalty given’

  50. Cicero says:

    Would we have conceded those two goals if we had a left back on the field?

    Pepe’s threat down the left was ineffective due to him needing to get back to reinforce Xhaka at fullback.

    We had no presence in Villarreal’s penalty box, even when Martinelli came on he had to provide cover for Xhaka.

    Thanks to Pepe’s penalty the tie is still there to be won. All will depend on Arteta’s selection.

  52. rico says:

    And his subs Cicero which tonight, I thought were poor, certainly the timing. The red card for Ceballos was coming, I text a friend with a ‘he needs to come off’ – why on earth didn’t Arteta see it. What was the point in Willian and Elneny and why wait so long to bring on Martinelli. In fact why didn’t Martinelli start up front.

    Rick, agree on Leno, for once he might just have saved us. Although I wish he’d release the ball a lot quicker so we could get an attack going.

  53. rico says:

    Why start Xhaka at left back when Cedric could have played there? My hope is Tierney is fit next Thursday and Xhaka goes back in midfield with Partey.

  55. allezkev says:

    A terrible first half, but maybe it’s best I sleep on it.
    We’re still in this tie but tbh we don’t deserve to be…

  58. Aussie Geoff says:

    didn’t see the match but to loose 2-1 away was not a bad result, it still gives us a chance.

  59. Cicero says:

    At least the suspension of Ceballos for the second leg will force Arteta to play Xhaka in midfield and a FULLBACK AT LEFT BACK!!!!

  60. Devilgunner says:

    Morning everyone

    I still can’t fathom out why doesn’t Arteta play Gabriel at LB in the absence of KT. He is agile, quick and also left footed. And I feel he can do like Chambers and go up and down the flank. Why not consider to play him there? Surely he cant be worse than Xhaka. I am not criticizing Xhaka…….because he is accepting to play in a position which he is not suited to due to his lack of speed. His professionalism allows him to accept the job. And for that alone he should be commended. However, he is needed in midfield. Much better than Ceballos and he allows Partey to go forward and play more.

    I felt Pepe led the line well and he was our best player throughout the whole match. But it still buggers me that Martinelli was not played there and Pepe wasn’t put on the left.

    I still think that its not the quality of the players which has got us into this mess. Its just the mentality and attitude. Or is it that the team does not want to play the Arteta way and this has created confusion? Maybe its Arteta’s way to force the board into selling certain players so that he would bring his own choices?? Maybe if we win the board will tell Arteta to continue working with the players he has. If we fail the board/KROENKE will be forced to dip in the market so playing staff would be changed.

    I simply HATE the idea that he is setting the team up to fail so that he would get his own way. We already have an owner who considers us his plaything…..we dont need another person considering the team as his own plaything as well

  61. Devilgunner says:

    The only thing which is calming me atm is that playing so bad as we did yesterday we still have an away goal and just lost by 1-2. So if, and its a big IF, we score and stop them from scoring (not holding my breath) we will pass to the final.

  62. potter says:

    Doesn’t calm me , it just increasing the dread of another Baku experience this time at the hands of United. As much as I appreciate that it’s a one off match , the way that they score and we don’t only promotes the fear.
    The table doesn’t lie , They are 2nd we are 10th and dropping , they have scored 64 , we have scored 44 , their goal difference is plus 29 ours is plus 9 .
    Something nags at me that if we truly believe in Arteta’s future we are better off going for a valiant narrow defeat because if we get there and he gets a heavy stuffing similar to the one against Chelsea his fate will be similar to Emery’s.

  63. Aussie Geoff says:

    So according to the Daily mail Martin Keown claims Arteta does does not like Martinelli hope that’s not true

  65. rico says:

    Doesn’t calm me either Devil.

    Utd, if we are fortunate to go through, are likely to give us a good hiding unless we have a fully fit squad and Arteta plays to their strengths.

  66. Cicero says:

    Emery must have been rubbing his hands with glee when he read Arteta’s team sheet, Xhaka at left back, Ceballos left midfield. Neither had the pace or nous to cope with Villareal’s flying winger Chukwueze and Emery took full advantage of the situation.

    What is a “false nine”? The position the unfortunate ESR was asked to play. He had never taken that role before and it showed. His best efforts in midfield were sorely missed and his effectiveness higher up field was non-existent.

    The nearest Pepe got to “leading the line” Was when he stood on the spot after Saka “won” his penalty.

    Arteta needs to cut out the clever dickery and get back to basics, square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round ones.

  67. Rick says:

    Evening Rico and the House.
    Thanks for a good post Rico.
    The moment I saw the team Mikal had selected I thought
    that we would not see a good game.
    In 1 hours time our 18 team will be kicking off against Liverpool
    in the youth cup . I think we are the under dogs and we have a hard game on our hands, but saying that I am hoping we play better the that lot last night.
    See you later.

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