Oh what a win. Three precious points to take away from Villa whilst the boys are getting sharper and sharper by every game. We rode our luck at times, it has to be said, but their best chances were the result of defensive lapses and a lucky deflection.
It started as a chess game stifled by well thought through tactics on both sides. Time on the ball and space were hard to obtain and it was not easy on the eye. Enter the Tross and it all changed; we finally found our mojo and after that there was only one winner.
Eight Observations
- David the octopus. Ollie Watkins is a fine CF who has the knack to be in the right place at the right time regularly. To do this against Arsenal’s defence is special. But his poor finishing last night let us off the hook. I reckon David Raya’s reputation is making attackers nervous, and boy did he make another fine safe last night! Attackers must feel that David has eight arms rather than two. I say it again: what a signing.
- Should Ramsdale go before the TW shuts? No, give it one more season Aaron; you deserve to be part of this team and reap the rewards. A winning team needs two good goalkeepers.
- Saka was not selected for the 2023-24 PL team of the season: what a disgrace! By far our most efficient and lethal attacker, whilst also working as hard as anybody else. Effectively, he produced two assists today, whilst also getting close to scoring a goal twice. My player of the match.
- White’s rage when his mate Saliba got ball-battered, was awesome. Look after each other lads and you will go far. And well done to Oliver for treating it lightly.
- The sublime and ridiculous by Gabriel. Big Gab knows he got away with one when he got overturned in the first half. He needs to work this out of his game. But then there was also that beautiful ball over the Villa defence that reached grumpy Tross and led to the second goal. More of those, please!
- Trossard the SuperSub. He is our special agent; what a weapon to have on the bench. He clearly studies the game when on the bench, and when he comes on he has a plan. Very few are capable of this, and once again he found the breakthrough by being at the right place at the right time. Top man.
- Partry our Tank Engine – Rice and Odegaard still struggling a bit. Villa were strong in midfield, especially with Onana the giant. For once, I thought Partry looked a bit small but he is still as strong as an ox. We really needed his physical strength and defensive nous yesterday. Our other two midfielders are still a bit rusty but were clearly working very hard. Hopefully they are soon at their best again.
- Added physicality and speed of Timber. I think Timber made a significant difference on the left. Attacking wise this side was still below par until the Belgian insomniac joined the team, but defensively we were solid on the left. I guess Zinchenko will be disappointed not to have featured, but this was a game for the big boys and JT filled in wonderfully.
By TotalArsenal.
Bergkampesque 
Cant argue with your views in the post, TA; well articulated too.
For a not-so-big man, Raya does seem to know how to make himself look big, such that a top striker as Ollie Watkins felt the need to place that ball away from the reach of the keeper, inevitably passing it wide. It would be nice if Ramsdale can stay to reap the potential benefits of years of hard work with this team, but he is under pressure from the England manager to play games. Maybe, the new manager handles things differently.
A shame about Saka being left out of the EPL team of the season when he was our highest goal scorer last season. I suspect an effort to restrict the number (5) we already commanded in the 11. Made no sense.
How tthe Ref did not flash a yellow card at any Villa player surprised me, given the number of times Saka was kicked and the way McGinn went after Saliba twice in succession, culminating in him being struck hard with the ball. That hit may have struck him anywhere with various levels of severity.
I thought Gabriel was fouled on that first chance for Watkins, even if the ref has not given it. His size makes it hard for him to be given some calls, methinks. Another instance was that push on our goal line, at Newcastle, last season, which VAR checked a number of times before giving the hosts a dubious goal. Still infuriated by that incident.
What a super-sub Trossard has become for us. He, quite obviously, will prefer to start. His lack of celebration was not lost on the fans and pundits and only gave ammunition to some.. I feel there are games where he should start just as there are certain opposition I’d rather have Martinelli starting against.
Need I say anymore about Partey?
Good comment, Eris, and all agreed. Yes Thomas is playing fabulously, if only we can keep him fit for most of the season. The goal was great. Yes Martinez should have done better, but the ball had spin on it which did the damage, I think.
I tthink so too, TA. It was all about the spin (and a bit of the keeper’s blocked line of sight, which Partey was banking on). If he can keep his shots low, he will score a few more seeing as he gets these opportunities each game.
While Trossard’s instant impact might sign that Martinelli is the weak link in the starting line-up I really enjoyed Gabbi’s playing intelligence. He hasn’t been caught offside either games (just yesterday Saka 4 times, Havertz and Odegaard 1-1 each), and his crosses are precise, even though the Villa defense managed to neuter the follow-ups. However I’m not saying that Trossard is this good only because he is the sub and faces tired opponents, but his final products are not only better as he is in form, but Leo is a goal-scoring winger wile Martinelli is more of an assister. Not just now, in the past 2-3 years.
I think Saliba showed a defensive masterclass. Not just the at the end of the game tackling Ramsey, but all match long. He made the most tackles on the pitch (tied with Tielemans) and the second most clearances (only 1 behind Digne). He was second in interceptions, which is not a classic CB skill.
Good shout on Timber. His first start in more than a year and WhoScored ranked him the best full back of the game even though he did not play the whole 90 minutes. In fact if we manage to win the PL this season I think it would be more of his doing than Calafiori, Merino or whoever else we might sign this week.
While I’m really happy for the important away win there are 2 things I still complain about. Firstly, we have no tactical repertoire whatsoever. We managed to play the same formation, the same players and the same tactics in the first 2 rounds, while we played at home against a really weak opponent and on the road against a tactical genius who managed to beat us back to back last season. Still no changes. I won’t mind as long as we keep winning, but the second half would be much harder if we stay that predictable. Secondly, Arteta is going back to his 2019 self with regards to substitutions. We made only 6 substitutions from the theoretical 10 and only 1 of them happened before the 80th minute.
But to be constructive – and to confute those claims that I can only criticize Arteta – I am really pleased for the squad size. Even if we sign a player or two before the deadline there is a good chance that we will still sell or loan Kiwior, Vieira and Nketiah, making the final headcount close to my dream of 21-22. And fully agreed with TA let’s keep Ramsdale and give him 1500 minutes.
Thanks PB, all good stuff and agreed re Saliba: he was at his normal best again.
I reckon Martinelli does not score or assist enough, and he is desperate to improve on this. He does, however, provide a threat from the left by offering something different and creating space for others to move into. It’s the connection with those other attackers that needs improving as well as his finishing and his ability to be in the right place at the right time. Trossard is clearly ahead here, but I also think that the Belgian would be less effective if he were to be played from the start.
Thanks for the change, Total. Nice to be off the bench.
Super.
Test…
Cheers! it works.
I’m in agreement, Ramsdale should stay if no strong offers arrive. Be the best 2nd keeper, and try to get us a double or treble in the cups. There’s much worse positions to be in.
I agree with those losing patience with Martinelli. Squandering too many attacks, seems to be out of ideas, unlike Trossard.
Timber looked very heavy legged in the 2nd half. We need to be careful with him.
Unlike most, I think Zinchenko has a role to play for us. Kiwior does not. He should have looked for an exit a few weeks ago with his agent. He will be miserable and won’t even make the bench most of the season.
Hey J, good to read your comments again.
Yes, I also believe in keeping Zinchenko, but play him in midfield and not as left back.
Pb,
Absolutely right about substitutes. Too few, much too late. He’s got to loosen up. Jorginho hasn’t played a minute yet, Partey is older and slower now, with injury history Rice and Saka played as deep into the summer as anybody.
Isn’t this always my only criticism of Mikel?
It is a good point made by PB re: Gabi’s game intelligence and avoidance of offside. He times his runs and is learning to lift his head when on the move which should see a better final ball. Against Villa his pace wore out Matty Cash and tired his Serbian replacement who subsequently couldn’t track Leandro’s clever movement for our opening goal. I am a great fan of our binoculared Belgian, have stated before that he is the clubs best finisher, but didn’t appreciate his somewhat sulky subdued response to his goal. Every goal stems from team effort and he should have been honouring all that went before in the build up with a joyous celebration.
On that note, I loved seeing our Emile (he’ll always have a place in our hearts) score on his home debut for the Cottagers and the outpouring of emotion in his celebration.
TEST.
Yes Martinelli has some good qualities, and yet he has so few career assists. For a winger that is worrying. He seems too often caught between taking a chance himself and finding the better option. This is Saka’s great skill.
Stu, agreed re Trossard’s lack of celebration.
Well said, Stu. I still consider ESR as our own, and celebrate his goals. Like I did with Willock, although it has passed. Also agreed that Leandro is Arsenal’s best finisher.
On the Martinelli vs. Trossard topic I read an interesting aspect. Gabby is a dribble machine and technically apt (hence the expression: Brazilian), so he prefers the ball to be passed at his feet. While Trossard is stronger and shorter (1.72m) and fast both with and without the ball he is more effective being constantly on the move and requesting the ball ahead of him. Therefore even though Martinelli was our quickest player last season (https://www.givemesport.com/every-premier-league-clubs-fastest-player/) the Belgian runs past the defender(s) more often than the skinny Martinelli.
What I really enjoy is that we have 2 quality left wingers with 2 vastly different profiles. So even if the opposing RB can defend efficiently against one, he will likely struggle against the other. Furthermore Arteta implemented a decent competition on the left side (applied currently only to the LW and LB positions). And while I would have laughed at anybody who had told me 4 years ago that I will celebrate rotation/competition on only 2 positions in 2024, let’s not underestimate the improvement.
TA, agreed on Martinelli having to improve his positioning and final product, and also good point on trying (keeping) Zinchenko at midfield, but that is another argument against signing a 28-year-old, effectively demoting the Ukrainian to the #7 midfielder.
By the way, Juventus is about to buy Koopmeiners for €50M, who was my preferred candidate to Merino, but did cost 60% more. Anyway let’s welcome the second Mikel.
T, that’s what I had in mind for Zinchenko. Midfield.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy54g520wndo
Szczesny retires after 18 years of football. Always liked him. Not absolute top level but always wore the shirt with pride.
J. We are aligned then.
PB,
Left midfield:
1. Rice
2. ZInch
Right midfield
1. MERINO
2. Partey/Jorginho
Attacking MF
1. Ode
2. Merino(?)
3. VIEIRA/Jorginho (?)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c89wqwdk5qeo
Merino is a Gunner.
Pb,
Agree in cheering for Emile of course, but I’ll also root for Eddie just as much (root in the American sense, not Australian meaning) ..,
For a while I had trouble doing that for Willock, because I was sick of hearing gooners say he was the midfield answer for us, and I knew that was wishful nonsense- BUT…
After seeing the class in how he speaks of Arsenal, and hearing the story of how he personally recommended, pushed our club pick up Nketiah when he was released by Chelsea, because he remembered Eddie’s scoring qualities… a really great story for such a young academy player- now I love to see him succeed.
Arsenal have confirmed that Merino, who played alongside Arsenal’s captain, Martin Ødegaard, at Real Sociedad, will wear the No 23 shirt. The midfielder Fábio Vieira has joined Porto on a season’s loan.
From the Guardian
New Post 🙂