Finally, some AFC Football again! Since there are no cup games at the moment or European football for us this season, it seems we are having AFC Footie withdrawal symptoms…
So today’s game is so welcome! We are playing at Burnley who is also struggling. They are not a great team by any means but they work hard – direct football, long balls, set-pieces pressure… It will be important to be present in the duels, air and on second-balls (knock downs). Ultimately, we should have enough quality and fire power to see them off but we need to start on the front foot with a lot of…Intensity (Mikel’s favourite word). Holding, El Neny probably out and Xhaka is still suspended.
I would play a 343 today with the following line-up:
Ramsdale – Tomy, White, Gabriel – Saka, Lokonga, AMN, Tierney – ESR, Laca, Auba
I still can’t fit Ode in my team so not sure how Arteta does it…lol
Now Arteta would pbbly play:
Ramsdale – Tomy, White, Gabriel, Tierney – Lokonga, AMN – Saka, Ode, ESR – Auba
It is going to come down today to (i) Ramsdale aerial capacity/commanding his box, (ii) Lokonga and AMN to protect our box on knockdown ballsm (iii) on White and Gabriel to neutralize long/direct balls and then (iv) on Tierney, Saka to stretch the defense and Auba’s ability to finish chances. If Laca were starting, then I think ESR will score but I doubt Laca will start but he will come in and be a game changer.
I can see Laca and Auba score today but I am not sure we will win…especially if we play Ode and ESR together so I can see a draw at 2-2 or a hard fought 2-1 win for us.
COYG! Let us climb the EPL table, 3 points at a time
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If ESR is not fit enough to start, then Pepe will start…
I do think that Partey will be part of the game but not as a starter.
In respect especially to RA….and all the positive AAers.
Ramsdale
Tomy White Gabriel
Saka Sami Partey Tierney
BOdeguard ESR
Laca.
Dont give the Lancashire Stoke any conventional centre forward to mark, but press their long balls from the back. And stop the crosses from wide and collect the second balls. Simples! 2-1 to the mighty reds. COYG.
I expect Arteta to stick with the 4-2-3-1, and keep the previous line-up apart from a AMN-Partey swap. Not just for the win, but everybody played quite well against (a poor) Norwich.
I understand people preferring Saka over Pepe, but the latter is better at the moment…
WHHOOO — the blog is back – football is back – and LBG is back!!!! 😁
3 points at a time and a 3:0 to the Arsenal
COYG!
A good Post, RC, as usual.
Burnley are Burnley – obviously – and they naturally play to their own strengths. Unfortunately that usually means strong-arm stuff, which for some years, many other teams use to ruffle our feathers and the phrase they use against us is “they don’t like it up ’em” – but this time we might surprise them !!
Hope so. 🤞
If Partey were fit to start, then Arteta would be able to play almost all his major signings:
GK: Ramsdale
DF: Tomy, White, Gabs
MF: Partey and Ode.
Knowing that Tierney, Saka and ESR are undropabble if fit and that he made Auba his captain, the only slot left is in MF either as a winger and that could go to Pepe or next to Partey, this could go to Xhaka, El Neny or Sambi…but Arteta may just play all his major signings from the on-set when fit…
Arteta’s favoured team as a 4231?
Rams – Tomy, White, Gabs, Tierney – Partey, Ode – Saka, ESR, Pepe – Auba
or
Rams – Tomy, White, Gabs, Tierney – Partey, Xhaka – Saka, Ode, ESR – Auba
RC,
I think Pepe will get a game this afternoon. He is looking far better now than he did last year.
It is wonderful (on Paper) to see the possible team selections, especially with a number of the youth team players having had the opportunity to play in first team training.
I cannot wait to see Charlie Patino play, for instance — although that is not likely to be today.
I d be happy to see Pepe play…I have more faith in his utility to the team than in Ode’s…
Teams:
Arsenal: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu. White, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Pépé, Ødegaard, Smith Rowe, Saka, Aubameyang
Subs: Leno, Lacazette, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Cédric Soares, Varela Tavares, Marí, Sambi Lokonga, Martinelli
To win 0:1 doesn’t sound too great but …. it is.
After the unfortunate start to the season any win is OK with me, and Ode’s free kick winner was ace and worth the win in its own right.
Cant believe Ode made me eat my words…lol
Just saw the second half and thought that there were a lot of poor choices in the final third but that we dealt decently with long balls…Ramsdale had a good game apparently, good for him and for us.
For the second half, here are my ratings:
Rams – 7
Tomy – 6
White – 5.5
Gabs – 7
Tierney – 6
Partey – 5.5
Lokonga – 6
Ode – 6
Pepe – 5.5
Auba – 5
Saka – 5.5
AMN: 6
A win is a win. 2 goals scored, none conceded in the last two games. If we can win the rest of the games 1-0 until the end of the year, I will sign up for it.
The most encouraging thing today was the way the defence played.
A keeper who catches crosses; CBs who fight for everything. Really good to see.
I thought we were a bit sloppy in attack – loose with the final balls etc.
But as Redders says, two wins after that poor start to the season is just what the doctor ordered.
Ramsdale had a good game and so did Gabriel.
I thought ESR and Auba struggled and that Partey was not great either. Saka and Pepe could also do better. I like the attitude of our back 4 and was pleased with AMN’s entrance.
I am still very unsure about playing a 41221 with ESR and Ode right in front of Partey. I don’t think it will ever work or at least not this season. One of them needs to play closer to the striker, this is where they are dangerous.
I think that Pepe and Auba could be benched for a midfielder and Laca.
Ramsdale – Tomy, White, Gabs, Tierney – Partey, AMN – Saka, Ode, ESR – Laca
I think that could work out better in terms of solidity and fluidity.
Disbelieving of your assessment of Partey. 7.5.
Tomi ( going to be a star) 7.5, Gabriel excellent 8 MOM.
Ball given away by attacking midfield and forwards in second half.
My ratings:
Ramsdale – 8
Tomiyasu – 7
White – 7.5
Gabriel – 8.5 (MoTM)
Tierney – 6.5
Partey – 7.5
Odegaard – 7.5
Saka – 6.5
Smith Rowe – 6.5
Pepe – 6
Auba – 6
Sambi – 7
AMN – 7
Tavares – N/A
The stats show we had 13 shots, three of them on target. But apart from Ode’s brilliant goal, our best chances don’t appear on any of the stats sheets: these were the occasions where we carved open Burnley only for the final pass to go awry, or the final touch to be too clumsy.
Pepe, Saka, ESR, Auba and Ode were all guilty at times.
However, I did read a story that Burnley had deliberately not cut the grass, so it was longer than is typical in the EPL, making it harder for a ‘ball on the ground’ team like us (but not really affecting a ‘long balls into the box’ team like Burnley).
This might explain why our forwards struggled so much.
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