Isak and eze instead of gyokeres, Madueke, eze
Isak and eze instead of gyokeres, Madueke, eze
How does xG work with something like Calafiori’s goal at OT? I may be wrong but looked like it was going in anyway but he makes sure by heading it on the line. Do we get the original attempt xG plus another (presumably) 0.99 or something?
Yeah sorry that was just a statement of agreement, not a new point altogether. Wonder why Ethan doesn’t seem to be considered an option there at all now, seems a bit strange
Thought Dowman over Nwaneri was a strange one too, and how Ethan now seems disregarded as an option at RW despite being excellent there last year
Says it all imo. Open ourselves up for a gut punch and got one, need to try create more. Could almost play another 90 like that before deserving to score
Ah amazing, what was our xG today out of interest?
The argument is don’t wait until 70th min to bring them on, go for it from the start and try to take the margins out of it
And a quick one - is Raya too short? @gunnerblog.bsky.social #arsecastextra
Arteta loves to talk about how small the margins are in the big games, but does he make them too small? (I know how well we have done in most of the ‘big games’ but thinking city away, Liverpool away, psg home/away - this biggest of the big) @gunnerblog.bsky.social #arsecastextra
Your original post made it out as if outshooting the opposition (regardless of if it actually means any decent chances were created) is reason enough to absolve the approach from criticism. I’m arguing against that point. If I’m mistaken or have the wrong end of the stick I apologise
And still waiting for you to list the chances we made when by outshooting them
Yeah but at the least it means they don’t deserve the level of respect we gave them. Played them as if they were Mourinho’s 04/05 chelsea side
Only team that could do it is one who is better than them, and I think we are. Would much rather we try it and it doesn’t work than we done. Worst case it’s the same result
Yes but it’s meaningless, can’t dress it up how you like but we didn’t create anything of note
“Outshoot”? Come off it. Name the even half decent chances we made?
Yes but we did it like 2/3 times, and long ball means it’s was a quick move from the back. What were we doing for the rest of the time? Why not try dominate the midfield and pop it about quickly, lots of 1-2s and sharp movement like top teams do
They’ve conceded 4 goals in 2 games to teams with worse attackers, and we are much better defensively. Just give it a go for once
It was a fine midfield 3 if you want to get to 75 mins in the game and try nick it. Problem is they can nick it too
We did it 2 or 3 times all game from long balls, hardly like we were pounding them or trying to play them off the park
Come on how many times are we going to say sometimes a team will do this in a close game and x,y,z. Time for Arteta to start acting like we have the squad we do and set the team up accordingly
That’s all well and good, Arteta played for a 0.x v 0.x and we got that. Problem is it opens us up for freak goals like that and we get stung
The invincibles always talk about how they went out feeling/knowing they were going to play the opposition off the park, not try nick a 1-0. Doesn’t feel like we have that at the moment in these games
Yep it’s very frustrating. Happy to try nick a 1-0 and it leaves us open to this sort of
Play a midfield 3 of Zubi, rice, merino and we leave ourselves open to this sort of result. Very frustrating
He’s right I’m afraid, we go into these games trying to nick 1-0. Leaves us open to this
Do we make the margins too small though?
Fair to say at this point that it’s just what he is now. No form dip or potential, just not good enough
Fingers crossed! Can just picture us sitting back and trying to nick one on the counter. Having said that if it works I won’t be complaining
Could be a tough watch. Basically 4-4-2 with Gyokeres and Merino up top, try hit them on the counter with Martinelli and Madueke?
Anticipating a tough watch, never like the idea of inviting pressure from top sides and hoping to beat them in the physical battle/on the counter
Surely Zubimendi is “the guy” at dm
@jonollington.bsky.social great read. One thing, and this really doesnt matter but think it makes his inclusion atm even more amazing - you have Dowman down as a scholar - he’s not even that yet, still a school boy who should be with the u16s still at Hale End. Won’t be a scholar until next year
Why do you think it appears that our academy is better at developing left footed players than right footed ones? Can’t be coincidence that the 4 featuring for the first team are all lefties? @gunnerblog.bsky.social #arsecastextra
Cleat now that we have indeed signed our new LW in Noni. No way we paid that or he signed just to play 10 mins each week when Saka’s tired. Also interesting how Eze interest so tied to Ethan signing - if true Arteta needs to get him on the field with Odegaard, not just as his rarely seen back up
Are we actually a team whose MO is winning ugly? We often write these performances off as “what champions do” and assume we’ll play better next week, but looking back at last years games it feels like free flowing wins are really the exception. @gunnerblog.bsky.social #arsecastectra
How do we improve in midfield to start controlling games, popping the ball about, create chances centrally? Feels hard when our 3 are our 60m signing, our 100m signing, and our captain. Was a big problem last season and seems to still be, something has to give if it’s to change?
We all go on and on about needing to improve technically, especially in midfield to control games. But how do we actually do that? Feels to me Rice’s position is the only one that makes sense. Or we just have to admit/accept with him there this is how we will always play
Morning gents how about a few quick fire over/unders for the new season (PL only) Havertz starts: 18.5 Gyokeres goals: 14.5 Odegaard and Nwaneri starts together as dual 8s: 1.5 Dowman apps: 7.5 Kepa picked ahead of Raya 0.5 Titles: 0.5 @gunnerblog.bsky.social #arsecastextra
Other than Ipswich away can you remember us playing well and looking a coherent team with Merino in midfield? Still major concerns over how slow/clunky he is, seems to be caught on the ball multiple times a game. What do you think the plan for him in 25/26 is? @gunnerblog.bsky.social #arsecastextra
Coach doesn’t rate Nwaneri
I feel like this happens every game. We have 8s who don’t have that individual magic in them, so often end up turning down options near the box for soemthing safer rather than making something happen
Yes good point
He should try bringing on players who take a shot instead of right backs and DMs
We’ve got one and he gets 1 minute at the end of games
Haha I don’t!
I think a less risk averse approach (rice at 8 instead of a true creator, slow build up, centre backs exchanging endless passes) particularly when at home against weaker opposition could have got us more points yes
Great, when’s the parade?
Yep no doubting that. His set up is excellent against the top teams no question, hence CL and big game success this season. But time and time again his set up can’t create enough to beat average teams. Both can be true
Ask Arteta why his team can’t create enough to put average teams to bed
Arteta shouldn’t be happy but it’s surely down to him. He’s created a team severely lacking creativity in midfield and we yet again can’t put teams to bed as can’t create enough
Yet again we don’t create enough to kill the game against a team definitely worse than us. Need a good striker yet, but crying out for more creativity in midfield
We don’t create enough to kill games regularly, end of. Been that way for a while and won’t change consistently with this set up
Absolutely. Funnily enough don’t think many complain about either against the best teams. The current set up is pretty much perfect. Concerns over how MA uses Rice (and what that means for how the the team is set up) against low blocks is fair imo and probably the final thing he needs to sort out
Another game we can’t create, score 1 or 0, and drop points. Left 8 has been done to death and think most fans rather one with more creativity. Q is more do you think Arteta will actually change this? What is it he sees in his midfield set up that we don’t? #arsecastextra @gunnerblog.bsky.social
Cheers Clive!
Would you sign him for arsenal
And should have considerable pride attached, not just handed out willy nilly. It should mean more and will actually encourage those who are good enough (Ethan, myles) to stay with us. I remember late wenger handing debuts out for fun to people never good enough for afc and maybe diluting the meaning
Possibly discussion for arsecast on Arteta use of academy. Many think it’s overly cautious and a problem as it could put players off staying, but is it actually a much better way to operate? Getting mins for arsenal now feels like a real show of faith and something that really needs to be earned…
Would love to see MLS in midfield but think he’ll be at left back with Zinchenko midfield. I wonder why the sudden change to fancy Zinchenko there but not MLS when they’re on the pitch together
Not sure I’ve even been impressed enough to see him as a decent squad player. Feels like a negative on the team when he’s on the pitch, at least squad players you just might not notice them, not notice how bad they are
Yeah not Rice specifically but really that profile. Feel like until we have a player in that area who can open up a defence with a pass like Odegaard v Porto last year (Odegaard!?) we will always have these games 5/6 times a year as we do
Great read. In my mind I just can’t see us making the leap from 2nd to 1st until Arteta changes his midfield set up. It’s great against the big teams, but can’t help but think we will always have these problems against the low block/5 at the back sides with Rice at 8
Horrible player to watch, can’t believe how clunky he is, how bobbly is touch is. Takes 3-5 business days to turn. Awful signing. Love arteta but so concerning this was the guy he wanted all summer
Does this factor in the quality of the shot created? Feels like he often tries that scooped pass which you have to wait for/delay the shot making it quite hard to get a decent effort away from
I’m no tactico or stats guy but can’t shift the idea that Saka at 9 could be unbelievable. Could increase his goal threat and reduce his defence work, at least in terms of tracking back
Serious questions needed about how we use rice going forward. Hopefully one day he receives on the half turn and fizzes one between the lines
Please press arteta on why he insists on playing rice in the pockets like he’s Musiala or wirtz and if he sees how bad it makes us play
Ethan’s got this don’t worry
Could Saka become an option at 9? Think he has all the attributes to be good there and would reduce his defensive responsibilities. Ethan will be ‘must play’ at some point soon and need a way of playing both + Odegaard. #arsecastextra @gunnerblog.bsky.social
Do you think there’s also a lack of crisp vertical passing and quick combinations on the edge of the box (give and goes around the corner, third man runs etc). Maybe this is a combo of speed and killer balls. Everything is slow and towards wide areas follow by crosses to the box
left 8 or box crasher whatever people want to call him, central midfielder at the arsenal its horrific. Look at his key passes around the edge of the box. I assume they’re key passes just cos someone else managed a shot from them? Hardly defence splitting. Tbf more on recruitment than him
They’ve had the measure of us for years it feels, we always look useless up there
Yeah saka too of course, was thinking more of the people we saw last night
Yep I agree he’s probably our best technically, forgot about him
Is it an exaggeration to say that other than Odegaard none of our players are even close to Nwaneri’s technical level. He seems to be so much more comfortable on the ball (and dangerous) than everyone else
Do you think Saka could ever become a cf? Would remove most of his defensive responsibilities, is our biggest goal threat and actually really good at holding up the ball/bringing others into play. Could end up scoring even more, and possible if Nwaneri continues to develop as a serious option at RW
Painful to watch Rice drive forward (which he does well tbf), end up at the edge of the box and all he can do is play that 10 yard diagonal to the left wing. Maybe a better 1v1 left winger could do something but for me lack of creativity at left 8 is a huge issue and just doesn’t scare teams at all
Can only think of the Martinelli one coming from incisive play. Even the havertz sitter was a big deflected cross that caught the defence out
If we could regularly score more than one goal the risk of the ref having an influence on the result is much lower. Think that should be the main focus. Need more individual quality at the top end and also think MA midfield set up is way too cautious generally
Scoring a goal and creating one additional big chance all game isn’t enough, you miss the big chance and risk exactly what happened today
When are the parades for setting stronger precedent in the market
By definition that means they’ve won the league, which is what matters most, especially to the fans. What’s the point of giving up the league this year so they’re in a better position to win it in the future. Just win it this year
I’m an arsenal fan but this is nonsense. Footballs obsession with long term is bizarre. This season was the long term once so Liverpool are 100% better off losing him for free to probably win the league
Why do you think Havertz for example never seems to play a defence splitting pass or Martinelli never jinks around a defender? Surely can’t be instruction from the coach? They don’t have the confidence in pulling it off? Or simply not capable? All down to personnel for me
Could it just be that he is getting the potential out of our attackers and this is what that is? I like Havertz and he has some qualities, but never does anything with any conviction or oomph, never takes a risk. Maybe this is all you can get out of him? Same with Martinelli and Trossard etc
I think in your Arseblog piece you said Merino could be clunky, has he been even clunkier than you expected? Never seen a Spanish cm have such heavy touches with the ball bobbling everywhere, under hit passes, and turns like he’s got concrete in his boots
Do we get enough from Rice as an 8? Feels like he only offers anything offensively from free kicks and corners and is so awkward in tight spaces around the box. Can’t picture him ever splitting a defence open. Can you see Arteta ever going with two attacking 8s to help the left side? #arsecastextra