After our win at home against PSV, we are now traveling away to Lens in Northern France. If anything, Lens is a city of football with a wonderful stadium (Bollaert) and supportive fans. The atmosphere will be fantastic in the stadium but unfortunately, recently, Lens has had an issue with very rowdy fans as well so if you are going to Lens tonight, keep safe. Lens did amazingly well last year and are coached by Haise – I am sure we will see him in the EPL soon in a team like Brighton, Southampton, Leicester before eventually making it to a bigger team. He is a really good coach and the Lens team will be prepared to face us tactically. They did lose their talsmanic player in Fofana and their break-out star in Openda but they did recruit some interesting players like Wahi, Diouf and Fulgini. So they are not as good as last year yet but they have been able to soften the blow of some key departures. They will play with heart and they will stay disciplined too. Their key playeres are:
- Samba (GK), a good shot stopper, he has improved his aerial ability and distribution
- Danso (CB), the Austrian international was touted to leave this summer but Lens managed to keep him. Reminds me a bit of Saliba.
- Frankowski/Machado (WB), former midfielders with great engines turned into industrious wingback with great delivery and passing ability.
- Sotoca (AM), a clever player that sees the pass, loves one-two (pass-return pass) plays and has a decent shot in him. Very good at playing in between the DM and CB and reads the game well.
- Wahi (CF), an up and coming striker. Strong with already a good game with his back to the goal, he has a fierce shot and can press well. He will be a handful.
Gradit is also mostly reliable at the back and Thomasson can have good games up front. Medina, Samed and Mendy can sometimes be more erratic in their performances. Lens will play in a 3-4-2-1 most likely:
Lens : Samba – Gradit, Danso, Medina – Frankowski, Abdul Samed, Mendy, Machado – Sotoca, Thomasson – Wahi.
I expect Arteta to line up in a 433 tonight and this is a game where we will need physicality in the middle (GK-CB-DM-CF) and pace on the wings (RB, RW, LB, LW). The Lens block is not easy to move around and the game will ultimately be unlocked by a clever pass from the middle of the pitch (Odegaard?). If I were Arteta, I would play the following line up:
Ramsdale – Tomy, Kiwior, Gabriel, Zinchenko – Odegaard, Rice, ESR – Nketiah, Havertz, RN
but I expect Arteta to play the following line-up
Arsenal : Raya – White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko – Odegaard, Rice, Havertz – Saka, Jesus, Trossard (if available).
It will be a hard game but we should manage a win. 1-2, goals from Havertz and Nketiah.
COYG!
Arsenal News 24/7
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Excellent insight into Lens, I had no idea what they were about or what they have been up to. Great stuff.
They had an outstanding season last year and finished 2nd behind PSG but were very close to win the league…As for Medina, he is very good with the ball at his feet so that’s why I had suggested playing Nketiah as LFW to press Medina down as much as possible…
With Saka out, this game needs Nketiah and RN. I d take Vieira and Trossard Out. COYG! Still time to snatch the 3 points.
Anyone who needs to come out is havertz
True Fred, I even forgot he is playing…lol
Given the match, he d have been more useful up front to be honest
Yep
Maybe get Nelson on and put viera in havertz position
Shook he choose viera over Nelson especially cause of pace
Life without Saka is a very scary place
It is indeed scary…
Raya – 3, seemed complacent and did not produce any save nor reassure on crosses or shots. A poor night.
Tomy – 4, often caught behind his back…
Saliba – 3, mostly cold…not good enough on 2nd goal and could have maybe been better on the 1st one as well.
Gabs – 4, nothing exciting.
Zinc – 4, tried but often failed.
Rice – 6, our rock and best performer.
Ode – 4, an off-night for our maestro.
Havertz – 4, another night to forget…
Saka – 5, good until was taken. Hope to have him on Sunday but hopes are slim.
Jesus – 5.5, a goal and nothing much. Tried in vain, seemed isolated.
Trossard – 4, not his usual self.
Subs: ESR (5), RN (4), Vieira (4), Nketiah (N/A)
Arteta – 3. Did not do his homework on Lens it seems. We knew their strength and weaknesses but still played to their strengths and did not capitalize on their weaknesses.
A poor night in a wonderful stadium…Let us recover and have a good game vs City.
Lens 4 points
AFC 3 Points
Sevilla 2 points
PSV 1 point
We must win at home vs Lens and away at PSV, not lose to Sevilla and we re through. 8 points needed.
Wahi confimed his EPL readiness tonight and so did Samba and Danso…
At the start of the game commentary was saying arsenal plane from Luton was delayed for 5 hours and dey only reach France 11 pm
So not sure if it was tiredness
Nah…Our players just missed big chances (Tomy, Trossard…) and defended poorly, starting with Raya…
No doubt Raya is a very good GK but I do have a soft spot for Ramsdale…
Today my home team is playing and am expecting another loss but Allez Paris anyways!
Currently watching Newcastle playing with heart
Yea raya made two blonders recently wonder who he starts against city
I am not sure what the coaches are not seeing at PSG…The squad at it is requires a 3412 or 343 set-up…and we need to put Donnarumma on the bench and bring back Navas in goal.
Navas – Marquinhos, Skriniar, Hernandez – Hakimi, Pereira, Ugarte, Barcola (while Mendes is still out) – Emery – Kolo, Mbappe
Donnarumma – Mukiele, Pereira (again), Kimpembe, Kurzawa – Ndour, Ruiz, Vitinha – Dembele, Ramos, Asensio
I don’t think Enrique will manage the team grow. He is very stubborn and arrogant. We need a coach like Howe and it is now very clear that we are missing both Verratti and Neymar…
Well verrati and neymar has been there for years and hasn’t taken alluh any were
Newcastle just played with passion don’t think no one could have stopped them
Clearly we haven’t been seeking the same thing
I will put a post up after the game…Hope we don’t lose today, otherwise our title chances are already over and we will need to fight it off with Spurs for a Top 4 finish…
Man City / Liverpool / Arsenal / Spurs /
Newcastle / Villa / Brighton / Utd / Chelsea / West Ham
Would that be the end of the year ranking?
How Kovacic did not get sent off is a mystery…What is the ref thinking?
Let us see if Arteta will actually change Raya at half-time. Raya has not been even average – he has been poor and a risk. Best players this half for us: Gabriel, Rice and Saliba. Odegaard slowly making a difference too…
Was thinking the same thing but he did settle down so hopefully he pushes on
And a good win for us…Can you believe we are top of the league but with Spurs? Man City only 2 points behind though and Liverpool 3 points behind…
Momentum with AFC, next 5 fixtures are:
Chelsea – Away
Sevilla – Away
Sheffield – Home
West Ham – Away
Newxastle – Away
We need to get 10 points in the EPL (3 wins, 1 draw) out of 4 games and at least 1 point vs Sevilla.
COYG! Match report coming soon:
Raya – 4
White – 7
Saliba – 8
Gabs – 8.5
Zinc – 6
Jorgi – 6
Rice – 8.5
Ode – 7
Jesus – 6
Eddie – 6
Trossard – 5
Subs: Martinelli – 8, Tomy – 7, Havertz – 7
What a fantastic win…….
Glad to see partey is back
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