job done, 4-1, could have been, SHOULD have been more but we clearly buttoned off in the second, which is not surprising given the run of 3 games over the coming days. Sunderland next in the cup then Norwich and Wolves.
Great result that. Actually enjoyable football to watch. I've seen a lot of clamouring to play Martinelli through the middle ahead of Laca but I don't think it'll work as well as the current system is. Laca's combative false 9 role helps create move for this young guns, as well as provide a focal point for 1-2s. I think asking Martinelli to do that would be limiting. It's a good problem to have ESR, Odegaard, Martinelli, and Saka fighting for 3 spots.
Did you lot catch the BS out of the Liverpool vs Spuds game? Harry Kane cannae buy a red card. Meanwhile a similar challenge to MacArthur on Saka is a red. The inconsistencies in refereeing were a lot more palatable without VAR. Now that they're in play it's bloody disappointing.
I dont like a player leaving in this manner, but I do think our system under Arteta is working so well with the young forwards that trying to shoehorn Aubameyang back in would be detrimental to the fluidity of play. I say bite the bullet and organise a sale or loan in January. Also agree re: Laca/Martinelli brumbys. Martinelli is looking great on the left, leave him there. Lacazette is very valuable right now, he's critical to how we're playing, sort of like Firmino for Liverpool the way he brings things together. Perhaps Martinelli in that role long term could be a nice fix to get him, Saka, Odegaard and Smith-Rowe all into the starting eleven, but for now I say leave it. Injuries will probably come at some point, plus it's not doing any harm when Smith-Rowe is absolutely killing it from the bench.
A goal and two assists. I know it was only League 1 Sunderland but does anyone else think that Pepe at least deserves to be given another chance off the bench for the first team in the Premier League?
Nope. All we can hope it’s that someone wants to have more than a half eat pie and a can of coke for him. Gooner 4 Life
A goal and two assists. I know it was only League 1 Sunderland but does anyone else think that Pepe at least deserves to be given another chance off the bench for the first team in the Premier League?
Pepe is good when he's good, but he's very ill-disciplined in possession in bad areas sometimes. And just not consistent enough. He's so exciting, so much dribbling ability and end product too, but we just don't see it week in week out. Shifting Saka to accommodate Pepe on the right is not going to happen, particularly with Martinelli and Smith-Rowe being better options on the left than Saka or Pepe.
And yes that is Nketiah's usual celebration, he's done it since his first senior goal. Call me for goals type thing. I guess it lends itself well as a come and get me transfer plea as well, coincidentally! That fourth goal, Nketiah's third, was a thing of beauty. From the first build-up pass to the finish.
The solution to Pepe is rotating him through the striker role. Gives us a totally different dimension and covers his weakness. Rather Laca/Auba miss minutes that the young lads out wide.
We’re going to lose a significant amount of money on him if we can’t get more from him. Ideally that’s goals and assists.
In other news our reward for beating Sunderland is Liverpool in the cup. West Ham, Brentford, and Leicester all just fell short of beating the big boys. If we make it through it’ll be a final against Chelsea or Spuds.
Given the fixture congestion and Klopps focus on other competitions we might have a shot here assuming it’s not their full strength 11 starting.
I was looking through our squad on Arsenal.com and I'm still amazed by the volume of churn still to come. Assuming no departures in January and contracts not being extended here's how our squad looks next summer, those in bold are further candidates for departure for various reasons.
ST- Auba, Balogun
AM - ESR, Odegaard,
Wide - Martinelli, Pepe, Nelson, Saka
CM/CDM - Partey, Xhaka, AMN, Lokonga,
FB: Chambers,Tavares, Cedric,Tomiyasu, Tierney
CB: Saliba, Mari, Holding, Gabriel, White,
GK: Ramsdale, Onkonkwo, Leno
Sold/Leaving on a free: Lacazette, Nketiah, Elneny, Torreira, Guendouzi, Mavropanos, Runarrson, Bellerin, Kolasinac.
This leaves me with the following questions;
1. What will happen with Auba? If that situation doesn't resolve itself, and we lose Laca + Nketiah we'll likely need to find 2 x strikers.
2. What will happen with Pepe? Will he be a potential 'internal solution' to question 1?
3. Who will be the Tavares to Tomiyasu? Can't see Cedric or Chambers sticking around. Could Osei-Tutu step up after his loan?
4. Given Partey's form and Xhaka's reputation will we look to drop some proper money on a CM/CDM?
5. What will happen with Saliba?
6. Does Leno actually want to leave? If so, is that another potential replacement?
7. How do I have this much time on my hands with a newborn?
Based on the above that could be up to 5 new signings; 2 x strikers, a back up RB, a CM, and a back up GK coming in, as well as up to a further 8 players being moved on.
I don't think we'll have this squad sorted until the 23/24 season by which point in time we'll hopefully be in a more sustainable 2-3 transfers in/out each season rather than the level of whole squad surgery we seem to be doing annually at the moment.
That’s the same thinking behind Auba & Ozil’s contracts at a similar age. Given he’s looking at a Bosman and we already pay him £250K a week I’m unsure he’s worth that let alone a pay bump.theprof
I'd really like to see Lacazette re-signed. He's been a key player since Auba's discipline issues.
Bugger, the wolves game is postponed. Next game Man City then, yikes.
I think this will work out for us. Our squad is in OK state given everything going on around us, and it means not playing again within 48 hours. Extra prep time for City. A draw would be a great statement of progress from where we were in August.
In other news I’m seeing AMN is off to Roma on loan with the possibility of a fee agreed to make it permanent. I just don’t get what’s gone on there. I think he’s done well in midfield when called upon, and with Mo & Partey out for January you’d think this would be his chance to stake a claim. Wish we’d taken the cash for him from Everton.
I hope Auba is the last time we drop crazy money on someone at the end of their career. After him and Ozil we need to do better. Look at how ruthless City were with Aguero, or even Chelsea not offering Willian 3 years.
Oh and happy New Years gents - hope you’re all keeping well and getting some sun and family time in.
yeah I think the change in direction with recruitment is pretty clear. Arteta has been looking at bringing in the youth and the club has obliged, the young guns have become the starting XI and they are getting the job done.
wooooooooo! 1-0 at the half, excluding possession we have dominated. Better control of the ball and disrupting city's attack. Saka - sublime, Tomiyasu too, Tierney just his usual tireless self, Martinelli brilliant.
and would you believe it, Xhaka puts us in the shark! 1-1 god damn it Xhaka always manages to fire up the opposition in a big game. and now gabriel is off for a silly foul!