Well, I sure haven’t missed this feeling of dejection too much. Didn’t really expect to win, foolishly allowed my hopes up after 10 minutes when chances began to come our way, naively thought that the addition of Ceballos and Luiz made for a better choice of first team and then got slapped round the face — missing only someone sarcastically saying: welcome back to supporting Arsenal.
We started by playing directly out from the back and my heart sang that we might have ditched the messing around in our 18 yard box, the best chances came from this directness but then we reverted to tippy tappy out from the back and my heart sank back.
In fairness there a few occasions when Tierney received the ball that we looked as though it was going to be productive, this was made all the better with Ceballos’ initial impetus but the problem we had as I saw it was that as we moved up the pitch Willock was unable to control the ball and play it through to Aubamayang etc.
Willock probably was the right choice to start as his running and recovering in that role is the best we have. Willock or Ozil? One gives you lots of energy but lacks composure and the other is, on his day, capable of cutting the opposition open with a slide rule pass but has the ball recovery skills of a blind dog. Who knows?
The writing was on the wall as we moved towards half time and we saw how important it is to have a natural left footed player in central defence when David Luiz made a hash of (whatever he did that allowed Sterling to score)
The initial positive flow had all but gone made all the worse by Luiz being turned on his left side again. Benfica? See ya later….. From this point I started watching the game in the back ground and changed from having crowd noise being piped throughto silence, it somehow seemed more solemn and therefore appropriate.
Leno MOTM
Tierney 2nd MOTM
Guendouzi 3rd placed MOTM
Can’t think of anyone else to mention
LB.
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
😦 😦 😦
Thank you LB for your thoughts (that I pinched for a post) it’s going to be a very difficult few weeks methinks 😦
I knew as soon as I turned on Sky Sports NewS this morning that I would see MC scoring, we need someone else to lose badly before they stop showing it!
Although through seeing the highlights, I can tell that it was all going to go wrong as soon as I saw the Arsenal end empty seats start booing when Luiz came on as the Arsenal empty seats are knowledgeable and know their stuff!.
It made me ask some searching questions though…………….
1) Has Ozil been furloughed?
2) Will Hector the Vector ever get to plant 3000 trees?
3) Will Mikel get help from his Mysterons?
4) How many lightbulbs does it take to change David Luiz?
5) Who put the smile on my cardboard cut out wifes face?
Nice one, LB…
If you’d told me back in 2004 we’d be this bang average now, I’d have said on yer bike and laughed in your face!! But here we are… a million miles away from the top teams… not even a shot on target, the same mistakes from the usual suspects… it’s unbelievable! We desperately need a spine!! Look at KDB, pure class and singlehandedly runs their midfield a is a game changer!! Quality doesn’t come cheap and we’re in desperate need of some! No more over the hill, end of career players…
I honestly now have an insight into how my West Ham supporting family have felt all these years.. all they look forward to is avoiding relegation, getting beyond the 3rd round of the FA cup if they’relucky, but never lifting a trophy… I don’t want that to be us, we’re so much better than that, jeez we are the Arsenal!
I really feel for Mikel, what else could he do? He has to work with what he has, which right now is just an average squad, bar one or two… Leno was superb and saved us even more embarrassment! Where do we go from here? No money.. can we attract any decent players? Will our best players leave?
I’m sorry to be such a doom merchant this morning.. I didn’t for one minute think we’d win, I just thought we’d put in a decent performance. One thing though, were they that good or were we that bad?! 🤪 I didn’t see all of it, had had enough!!
At least the Evertonians are happy 👍
I’d all but forgotton the feeling of waking up in the morning and then remembering we’d lost. Arteta surprised me with his team and tactics, but I suppose until he has his own team we can’t judge him fairly. I’d warmed up for the game by watching Ozil’s greatest play, which made it all worse.
Honest question does Arteta not fancy Ozil, or is it better to leave him out of games so he isn’t the scapegoat?
I can’t comment on the game I didn’t watch, the lockdown was a blessed relief and I hoped that they’d just write off the season give Liverpool the title with an asterisk and be done with it.
Of course it wasn’t going to be easy against City but it is shocking to almost accept the BBC updated as inevitable.
Luiz mistake gifts City lead. (Expected)
Arsenal down to 10 men ( bet it’s Luiz…confirmed).
It’s sad times but I do trust in a Arteta to get us back to somewhere near where we belong.
Thanks LB, you summed up my feelings perfectly. I agree with GiE, far better if they’d just cancelled the season and let’s start afresh with the first stage of a team which will reflect Arteta’s ambitions.
As it is, I hope we get to see Chambers or Holding start alongside our currently best CB … Mustafi – who’d have thought!
Please help me.
You say guendouzi was 3rd man of the match.
I watched until the penalty when I switched off as I could not bear to see any more. Until then guendouzi had done nothing but lose the ball. As I have asked many times before on many blogs and no one has yet given me an answer, what is it that he does other than run around a lot and lose the ball?
I can see more prospect in a paper bag, so I fail to understand why so many people think that he is the best prospect the world has ever seen.
Could there be a good reason why he was playing in the French 3rd division before he was ‘snapped up’?
George Johnston, anyone?
(Anyone less than 50-60 years old won’t remember that great ‘midfield prospect’)
In my view Arteta must accept a lot of the blame.
He starts a game against man$ity of all teams with 4 youngsters out of the 6 attacking players.
That he lost xhaka was unfortunate but the team was so lightweight it needed an anchor to keep it on the ground.
There was no substance to the team only little boys running around losing the ball.
Experience and nous means a lot in this game.
That team was devoid of it.
Add to that Luiz, it was simply a matter of hari kari.
No shots on target. Worse than embarrassing.
Is Arteta becoming Emery lite?
Well that was a harsh reminder of why we’re mid-table. I didn’t expect a result at City but the manner of the defeat was worrying.
What more can be said about Luiz. I didn’t buy the ‘new’ Luiz talk of 2020. He’s not a good defender, never has been. That should solve the issue of his contract extension.
Ozil? Has he got an away game opt out?
Willock looked out of his depth. Maybe he’s not a 10? And I’m still not convinced by Nketiah.
Leno was MoM by a mile. He makes great reaction saves. Also good to see Tierney & Bellerin in tandem at last.
Arteta has a big job on his hands and might have to do a George Graham job from 1986 and concentrate on youth. The seasoned pros are either not good enough or have little interest.
@jijsol George Johnston? Not one I have heard of. Enlighten us?
Good question jjgsol
Reflecting on what I wrote I find myself realising that I must have been clutching at straws by the time I got to Guendouzi.
Probably more accurately I started watching the game with a greater concentration and I remember that Guendouzi was looking effective at collecting the ball and moving us forward, however, as the game moved on my concentration started to drift leading me to, I suspect, only remember Guendouzi’s contribution for the first 15 minutes.
Hi Pete
“Ozil has an away game opt out” That brought a smile to my face, it made me think further and wonder if he has an opt out if it rains.
Slightly more seriously, I doubt that anything would have changed if he had played last night, perhaps the only difference would have been that most people would have been asking why didn’t Willock play, although I am still asking that question: why didn’t Willock play…….
Slightly harsh to single him out, I just really hoped he would rise to the occasion as opposed to Mustafi for example from whom I didn’t expect anything.
Jigsol, we need to write off this season, the only way those youngsters get nous is on the pitch learning from their mistakes.
For fear of repeating myself youth every game from now until seasons end, cut wage bill by releasing those who can’t or won’t play Arteta’s way. Keep only those who are positive role models to the youth players both on and off pitch.
Have been listening to a lot of podcasts during lockdown, footballers talking about others, and it is clear those that get to the top work hard those that become greats work harder. Just listen to players talk about Bergkamp, Beckham, Ronaldo, they never stopped Trying to improve, and others around them have to respond.
How many of our current players do you think honestly stay out once the boss calls it a day?
Nice one LB.
Your comments reflect the way I feel about it (including your approval for Guendouzi who, contra Jigsol, was our best player in the first 20 to 30 minutes).
After that? Ugh.
GiE is 100% right. We have nothing realistically to play for in the league now, so let’s play a mostly young team in every game to the end of the season. (Obviously we’re limited at CB because of the long term injury to Chambers):
Leno
Bellerin-Holding-Mustafi-Tierney
Nelson-Willock-Guendouzi
Saka-Auba-Martinelli
Ignore the results and let the players grow together.
Hi Rocky, thanks for reminding me, I had forgotten about Chambers’ injury.
I had to look it up Rasp. Think my Arsenal brain went to mush during the lay-off.
I’d even be tempted to put Auba on the bench and start with:
Pepe-Martinelli-Saka
Or:
Saka-Nketieh-Martinelli
George Johnston was an alleged midfield player who played for us in the 70s, maybe 80s.
He was so bad that he makes Guendousi look like Pele.
I have never been able to go to too many games, but I do remember being at one when he actually scored a good goal.
Apart from that, he was dreadful, in what was, in truth, a dreadful team, but he took “dreadful” to another level.
I started watching just as they were taking Xhaka off.
I must say that I saw nothing of Guendouzi that could change my view of him in that all he does is run around a lot and lose the ball.
I am all for giving youth a chance, but last night was suicidal, especially once Xhaka was taken off.
I do not know whether, having enjoyed the stressless last 3 months, I can subject myself to the stress of watching the remaining games.
I am lucky, therefore, that a few of them are on a Saturday when I cant watch.them.
Unfortunately, all the hype and optimism, (even I, who could be a pessimist for Britain, was infected by it) of the last couple of weeks has dissipated in that one moment when Luiz presented Sterling with the first goal. The rest is downhill all the way.
I think Douzi had the usual game, which involves a lot of running and some odd passes. He still needs polishing but I am a lot more aggrieved and concerned by Willock, Ceba and of course Luiz. I also felt that Auba wasn’t so committed. I don’t think Auba wants to play on the wings anymore so I think that this will add to his series of demands…
Willock is definitely not delivering this year and he has had a lot of opportunities. There is a question mark on his ability to transform his obvious potential into concrete day-in day-out high performances in the EPL especially. I was also annoyed by Ceba’s performance to be honest, he had a good first 30 mins and then he just went missing and I felt he was hiding, unlike Douzi…
In order of promising talent solely based on what we have seen so far, my order would be:
– Martinelli, Saka as top of the class;
– Douzi, Nketiah, Tierney in the second tier;
– Willock, Nelson, ESR in the third tier.
In any case, I think that Raul and Edu will:
1. Keep Luiz until the end of the EPL but not beyond;
2. Allow Auba to leave but only out of the EPL;
3. Be open to selling Ozil and AMN;
4. Look to offload Sokratis, Mavropanos and maybe Chambs or Holding.
I think Edu will want to bring players with bigger engines that can cope with the demands of Arteta’s playing style, which is basically based also on high press and passing in spaces left empty by the opposition.
He seems keen to play in 42121 system, which means that his “1” in the middle need to be able to get the ball back and create (his KDB) while the “1” in front needs to be able to run behind defenders and hold up the play to involve his wingers and midfielders (A player like Lewandowski(.
His 2 in the middle in front of the back 4 needs to be able to break opposition play and quickly pass the ball around too so you need a dirty “Busquets” plus a tricky “Xavi OR Viera” type of players.
CB – Koulibaly, De Vrij, Verthongen?
DM – Busquets type – Witsel, Gueye, D. Rice?
CM1 – Vieira type – Partey, Zielinski, Vecino?
CM2 – KDB type – Milinko-Savic, Ruiz, Saul, Grealish?
ST – Lewandowski type – Milik, Cavani, Slimani?
Leno – Bello, Mustafi, Verthongen, Tierney – Partey, Rice – Milinko-Savic – Pepe, Saka – Cavani
Martinez – Soares, Mari, Saliba, Kolasinac – Torreira, Xhaka – Douzi – Nelsson, Martinelli – Nketiah
Verthongen = 0
Partey = 40 Mln
Rice = 40 Mln
SMS = 60 Mln
Cavani = 0
———————— 140 Mln, doable?
Anyways, ttyl
I have no doubt that even if we sell Auba we will not have the money to buy unless the bottom of the market falls through both in respect of salaries and fees.
Have a look at the article today on Untold Arsenal about the success or otherwise of buying big.
I’m a bit more optimistic about Guendouzi than you @jjgsol. He has real ability it’s about channelling it in the right way.
At the moment he is holding on to the ball a bit too long and trying to take on too many players. This leads to him losing the ball in dangerous areas. I’d like to see him play in a more advanced role where he can beat players without the danger of presenting a chance to the opposition.
There was a game last season against Villa (I think) when we went down to 10 men he dragged the team up a level. He played more advanced that day.
I thought he did quite well for the first 15 minutes yesterday. The loss of Xhaka meant he had to play deeper.
And just like that, Mari goes pop, done for the season.
Better start recruiting this summer for 2 cb’s!
Still don’t understand where BR is, I mean, what’s going on in Copenhagen that’s so good, he should be suffering here with the rest of us 🙂
Meant next season too, achilles injuries are one of the worst to try and come back from-many don’t!
Mikel Arteta will select Mesut Ozil again for Arsenal when he believes the player can “give his best” on the pitch following the German’s omission against Manchester City.
Ozil was surprisingly left out of the Gunners’ squad for Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to the reigning Premier League champions as the top-flight season resumed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The former Real Madrid playmaker was not even on an extended bench despite teams being able to name nine substitutes for the rest of the 2019-20 campaign.
Arteta had previously picked the 31-year-old on a regular basis since taking charge and will have no problem recalling him for duty, once he believes Ozil is primed for action again.
“I have been very open with Mesut from day one. Since I joined, I thought that he was fit and he was willing and he wanted to perform at the level he can do,” Arteta told the media on Thursday.
“He has played every game with me, I think. So that it is. The moment I see that he is ready again to do that, I will treat him like anybody else.
“I think I have been more than fair with him, and I think he has responded in many games the way I want. That’s it.”
Asked during the conference call to elaborate on why Ozil was not ready for the City game, the Arsenal boss replied: “There’s a lot that’s happened to him in the last few weeks and I have to respect the time for every player. Sometimes they need a little bit of time.
“It’s been difficult preparation the last two months to get players ready and again. I’m the first one who wants Mesut at the best. I’m going to put him on the pitch when I think he can give his best.”
Mesut Özil
✔
@MesutOzil1088
No matter what … #M1Ö @Arsenal
View image on Twitter
73.3K
7:43 AM – Jun 18, 2020
Twitter Ads info and privacy
11.3K people are talking about this
Ozil himself tweeted earlier in the day, appearing to reaffirm his commitment to the club by posting a photo of him holding the Arsenal badge on his shirt, along with the words: “No matter what…”.
Whether Ozil is involved when Arsenal travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday remains unclear.
Arteta has other issues to deal with – Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari were both forced off at the Etihad Stadium due to injuries, while David Luiz was shown a red card after coming on as a substitute – but is pleased to have the chance to play again so soon after the setback against City.
“Every time you lose a football game you want revenge straight away,” Arteta said. “That’s what we want, myself, the staff and the players.
“We need to see how many players we have fit for the game because it was a big hit losing three players in key areas which, at the moment, we are very short in. But we have to adapt.
“We’re going to have a lot of games. We’re going to be playing every three days with the schedule the Premier League has given us today so it’s going to be a challenge.”
Mikel Arteta admits David Luiz may not play again for Arsenal, with the club’s financial situation set to have an impact on whether the centre-back remains at Emirates Stadium.
The Brazil international endured a rough return to Premier League action on Wednesday following the coronavirus pandemic, despite initially being named on the bench for the clash with Manchester City.
An injury to Pablo Mari led to David Luiz coming on during the first half, which ended with his error allowing Raheem Sterling in for the opening goal. He did not last too much longer after the interval, a foul on Riyad Mahrez leading to a red card.
The former Chelsea defender was apologetic when speaking to both his team-mates and the media after the 3-0 defeat, though his contract situation may mean he has appeared for the final time in his Arsenal career.
Asked if the 33-year-old – whose current deal is set to expire at the end of June – will feature again for the Gunners, Arteta said: “I don’t know.
“He’s very open, he’s a man, he’s a leader and I was sure he was going to speak in front of everybody. You hear what he said, he was very direct with us too.
“That’s what I value from him, that’s what I like from him, but a least we need to be fair on him.
“Me personally, I’m going to defend him with everything I have because I believe in him. He has shown me a lot of things in this time and his career speaks for itself.”
OptaJoe
✔
@OptaJoe
2015 – David Luiz is the first player to be sent off, concede a penalty and commit an error leading to an opposition goal in a Premier League match since Carl Jenkinson for West Ham vs Bournemouth in August 2015. Hat-Trick. #MCIARS
View image on Twitter
6,782
4:31 PM – Jun 17, 2020
Twitter Ads info and privacy
2,805 people are talking about this
Defeat to City leaves Arsenal in danger of missing out on Champions League football once again. They sit ninth in the Premier League table, eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with nine games remaining.
Arteta acknowledges that while he is keen to keep hold of David Luiz, money may dictate whether he remains at Emirates Stadium beyond the remainder of the month.
“We cannot forget the financial situation. With COVID-19 and the economy in general, it’s going to have an impact,” the Spaniard said.
“What the club is doing at the moment is assess the situation and try to clarify a lot of uncertainties we have in the future and we have to make big decisions.
“But time-wise it’s difficult to fit them in our needs. We are trying our best, the club is trying their best and it’s difficult because it puts the player or our sporting necessities in a difficult situation but again, we have to adapt.
“It’s what it is and that’s why I wanted to protect David yesterday, that’s why I didn’t start him but it’s a funny game, after 20 minutes you need him and he’s a player who has been with a lot of uncertainty in the last few weeks.”
Jig,
I feel you have not been too fair to George Johnston, and some of your memory seems adrift in his case.
Arsenal.com have this to say about him,
Scottish striker George Johnston helped Arsenal to reach the League Cup final for the first time in 1968.
Initially with Maryhill Harp, he joined Cardiff City in May 1964 and was leading marksman as they were League Cup semi-finalists in 1965/66.
Bertie Mee paid £30,000 for him in March 1967 and he scored three goals in 21 First Division games for Arsenal before being sold to Birmingham City for £15,000 in May 1969.
He was a promotion winner with Fulham in 1970/71, then Hereford United in 1972/73 and later played for Newport County.
His short career at Arsenal doesn’t sound too bad to me, but as I had never heard of him, let alone seen him play, as he was before my time, I have to defer to your opinion.
There have been worse players at Arsenal, in my opinion.
Thanks for that Red, I kinda had recollections of Johnston playing in an Arsenal team with blue hooped socks, so that would be around the 1967/69 era I’d guess.
RA. Thanks for doing the research.
I daresay you will agree that Arsenal.com are likely to look at any player with rose-tinted glasses, so one can take any positive comments there with a pinch of salt.
Perhaps some other older supporters might be able to help here from their memories.
I do accept that my suggestion that he was in the 70s or 80s was a bit wayward, but that hardly makes much of a difference.
With regard to Guendouzi, I am still waiting for someone to tell me what he actually does that makes a difference to the team.
If anyone is using rose-tinted glasses it is those who view him in such a positive light.
He is no Kevin Keegan, so the fact that he was retrieved from the French third division means something to me.
Does he justify a place in front of, say AMN or Willock, I have my doubts?
He barely played for Arteta when he first came until the lockdown, so what is the difference now?
If Torrera was fit would he be dropped for Guendouzi?
I’m willing to give Dozy time @jjgsol. He’s young.
On the subject of Rose Tinted Specs the Ozil paradox has raised it’s head again and he didn’t even play on Wednesday. Reading fan’s views on the player you would think we had Bergkamp-like talent on our books. For me a closer comparison would be Charlie Nicholas.
Neither fit to lace Bergkamp’s boots.
It’s Friday already and we have another game tomorrow …….. anyone fancy writing the pre-match? Let me know.
Seeing as lique 1 finish can we get saliba for the rest of the season
442 I think mikel has been watching my FIFA ultimate side
😄 Nice one, Fred… wouldn’t mind the same score as on Fifa!!
Hi all
There’s a New Post ……………
Sue what you got kolasinac for his bid
Fred – you’re on the wrong post
Ok my bad WordPress not showing a new post
Oh really, I wonder why. Are you blogging on your phone or a pc?
Phone apparently had to refresh it