It is quite unbelievable that Arsenal’s fifth game is the third hard-away game of the new season. Villa and Spuds were put to the sword, but the today’s challenge against the alleged money-dopers is of course the biggest challenge of them all. Arteta has been brilliant in front of the camera regarding this tough sequence of games, which was made even harder with an opening away game against Atalanta for the CL. These three away games in a row after the first International break is as hard as it gets.
The good news is that we have a strong and highly motivated squad and these recent hard games will have the boys in the right frame of mind and form to deal with the Blue Oilers of Manchester. Martin Odegaard, our captain and talisman, will be missed in the coming weeks (hopefully not months), but against City less so. Whether we like it or not, we will have to sit deep and play on the counter, and this would also have been the case with the Norwegian Mozart in the team today.
The line-ups for today’s game:
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard.
Subs: Neto, White, Lewis-Skelly, Kiwior, Kacurri, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Sterling, Jesus.
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Bernardo, Savinho, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Ortega, Carson, Stones, Kovacic, Grealish, Nunes, Foden, Lewis, McAtee
So Calafiori will play and I reckon we will see a far stronger left side than we have had recently. The main reason for this the Italian is likely to push and play next to Partey AND that Rice is back. Declan will now be able to push up and support our attack on the left side much more than previously has been the case, and I am very excited about it. The one who will benefit most of this all is young Martinelli, as he will now get much more support, similar to what he had during Granit Xhaka’s last season (and boy was he more effective back then).
Havertz and Trossard will support midfield constantly whilst also both able to produce a through-ball when possible. I think this formation will suit us very well against the Blue Mancs today, and let’s see how it will all unfold.
Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners!
By TotalArsenal.
Bergkampesque 
Hi Eris
In response to your previous comment, yes really surprise to see White on the bench. Not sure whether that is a good idea but it is a nice surprise to confuse the Blue Oilers. I think Timber will offer extra forward-thrust and maybe a bit more attacking support for Bukayo, who is probably suffering the most from the Ode’s absence. We will know soon. 🙂
I’m also surprised to see Ben on the bench, but only because I didn’t expect Mikel having the balls to make that change.
You know that I am not the epitome of enthusiastic optimism, but I am taking a leap of faith here.
I’m aware, that
– we are playing against the best team on the road, so
– there is a good chance of this comment will not age well
– a partnership needs time and practice beyond the skills of the players
but if you gave me a billion (!) of pounds to improve the back 4 – and I can only buy players younger than 29 so Grimaldo is out – I could not spend a single penny. The Calafiori-Gabriel-Saliba-Timber quartette is simply the 4 best players in their respective positions. (And I’m starting to open up to consider Raya and hence upgrade my statement on the back 5, but let’s not rush getting there.)
With White and Kiwior on the bench (I can imagine improvement on the latter, but let’s not be greedy) we have quality subs for all 4 positions if necessary, even though Zini, Tomi and Tierney are all injured.
Nevertheless I think Calafiori and Timber are best suited to oppose the dribbling prowesses of Savinho and Doku, so it depends on Trossard and Lady Luck to leave the Etihad with 3 points. However I’ll be satisfied with 1.
Taking Gündogan’s limited defensive skills into account I can imagine we dominate midfield, and head to 0:0. A fortunate goal can/will decide the game, and it can go either way. We’ll see which attackers can provide proper defensive contribution.
Great game in Brighton. Good managers allowing their teams to play good football.
PB, that is a big statement re our defenders, but I know you will have done your homework on this. I like your thought that both Timber and Calafiiori are best suited to deal with the dribbling qualities of the City wingers.
I think there will be three goals in this, hopefully at least two for the might of the red and white.
Only just realised we have a “New post”. All agreed, re the changes at full back. It will certainly surprise the opposition.
Where I feel we need to improve is our offensive play and composure in front of goal. Still early in the season for the result here to have significant consequences but, it is tense for me, all the same. Cannot imagine what the players are feeling.
COYG!!
We dont want to lose that is for sure. But the bigger picture is that we got seven points from Villa and Spuds away and Brighton at home, and these games will provide big challenges for Citeh too. A draw would be great but I think we will pinch three points today.
Stu, I now reckon Martinelli AND Bukayo will score today. 🙂
Well that is a bad start by our defence. But better early on then at the end of the game. Now we will have to fight like lions.
Glory, glory Calafiori
Gabbyyyyy! 1-2!!
Hope we can hold this till half time.
Great battling 45+ minutes. A real shame Trossard had to commit that foul. 😕
What a threat the Bukayo-Gab corner combo is.
Oliver, petro-dollared to the gills … May he choke on them, the sneaky toad
Never mind: after 21 years of waiting, this is the day we have morphed into a monster of a team again
Mark my words, our ten red warriors will prevail; they’ll even shove another down their cheating, corrupt and corrupting throats
3-1 it’ll be
So proud of you, COYG!!!!
Michael Oliver had to come and ruin the game. Not sure whether it was for the running into the city player or for kicking out the ball, but Trossard didn’t deserve that second yellow. The collision was soft while the kick out was a defensive one, which came fractions of seconds after the whistle in a reflex defensive action.
Now, we may just have to defend for our lives…..and that’s not an easy prospect to consider. A huge 45 minutes to come.
Love the talk, Legall. 3-1 would be bliss.
It is all via our left from Citeh. Until now we are coping valiantly. This reprieve very welcome. CoyrrGs
What a tension!
Gutted, of course
but let’s make no mistake, the way they lost it in the end shows THEY know who’s the alpha now …
To be fair, most would take a draw away to City and even more impressively, that’s 7 points from three away games that threatened to distract us away from the objective this season (Villa, Spurs and Man City. Not sure how we got more than 5 minutes added on time, either.
It’s all good. We move on to the next game.
Our beautiful boys.
For me this draw is a win given the circumstances. I know we were close to a priceless win, but getting through these five games with 11 points is just a great basis to push on from.
https://x.com/HandofOzil/status/1837893524525621603?t=castgvYs29UM0TTcP2qa1Q&s=19
And there goes another post and the reason why I don’t posf so often anymore.
Just caught up with the comments on the previous thread. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, boys. Mum is still with us. My sister arrives from Australia today and will take over the vigil. I’m off home for a shower and sleep.
LG, I’m singing, “Won’t you stay just a little bit longer” to my mum. Thanks mate. I love Jackson’s stuff. “In the shape of a heart” is my fave of his. A great story teller.
Strength and grace to you as you continue your recovery. This mornings game would have tested your heart, as it must have all of ours, too.
Total, that is a sublime piece of music. Mum sends her thanks to you and all on BK.
Stick with it, Kev. I always look forward to reading your thoughts.
My comments are in inconsequential Stu in comparison to your situation, blogging in general is fairly irrelevant mate, say a little prayer for me for your Mum.
Very proud of the team, felt we deserved the 3 points, Michael Oliver again makes it about him, these narcissistic referees cannot help themselves.
Considering the criticism meted out to Arteta regarding his perceived reluctance to use youngsters it’s interesting to see that those critics with the loudest noise are fairly silent about Myles’ debut in a game of this magnitude, interesting but not surprising.
EXCERPT OF AN OCT. 2023 ARTICLE I SAW IN THE ATHLETIC.
So, why on earth, in an era when two of the Premier League’s pre-eminent clubs are owned by the vice president of the United Arab Emirates and the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia respectively, would the PGMOL allow its leading match officials to take lucrative assignments in the UAE Pro League and the Saudi Pro League?
In that context, allowing a group of PGMOL officials to fly to the UAE last week to take charge of a match between Sharjah and Al-Ain — Oliver as referee, Stuart Burt and Cook as assistants, England as VAR — looks inadvisable in the extreme. Not because of doubts about integrity among the officials or the authorities in the UAE, but because having referees on the payroll of another league, with close links to the ownership of Premier League clubs, inevitably brings an extra level of scrutiny that match officials really could do without.
Yes, Eris. Blackadder said something pertinent to Baldrick which could equally apply to those PGMOL fellows…
“Your brain is so minute Baldrick, that if a hungry cannibal cracked your head open, there wouldn’t be enough to cover a small water biscuit.”
Kev, I did as you asked, but I felt The Lord say to me that he has already heard the prayer because He has seen your heart. God bless you, mate.
Kev commented accidentally in the previous post…..
“Ben White lacked his usual zip in Italy so maybe Arteta took him out of the firing line to give him a breather, not least given that Ben hardly ever has a day off.
As it is, Arteta now has a squad he totally trusts, even Lewis Skelly (how his use must disappoint some) so Mikel is now utilising them all.
Nothing conspiratorial about that but if your of that nature then go ahead.
With City leading 1-0 I feared the worst, but our equaliser just flipped the game and from then on and the Gabriel goal ( he should have had two) I thought we could win.
I hate the new rule and I also hate the fact that it seems to only apply to Arsenal players but we know the score and what you shouldn’t do is give referees the opportunity to flash a red card because they’ll always do it to us, less so to any of our protagonists.
And so Trossard was dumb and what should have been a satisfying victory was instead a battle for survival.
Even so we almost pulled off the great escape, City’s celebrations at the end showed me how the tectonic plates have shifted, our players looked devastated, but they were magnificent and I felt a warm glow of pride, it’s something that most positive football fans feel because we enjoy the game.
I feel from here that Arsenal can take so much more from this result than City who look like a team that relies entirely on a flat track bully.
We simply have to make the most of our next two home league games vs Leicester and Southampton to really turn up the heat on a Man City team who are on the cusp of a sudden decline. Yep, I think their best days are behind them and as soon as Pep leaves, or even sooner, the wheels will come off.”
Hi Stu, I am glad you both liked it. Hildegaard’s 900 years old music is so spiritual and therefore calming and reassuring, I think.
Good to hear your sister is joining you. In times like these, family is a fortress.
I’ve read somewhere that according to Pep Guardiola their enemies want Manchester City wiped from the face of the Earth. That could be a terrible feeling.
The silver lining is that the referees are not among them.
Have some rest, Stu. You need and deserve it. Best wishes to your Mum.
Thanks PB. Love your Magyar humour, mate.
Thanks Total, you are as usual free from agitation whilst I am not.
New Post 🙂