Eberechi Bergkamp to Dennis Martinelli: a Goal that Honoured the Master

TotalArsenal

Arsenal 1 – 1 Man City

Eight Observations:

  1. Six games played, 10 points, two goals conceded, 10 scored, highest goal difference in the league. Yet Arsenal are 5 points behind Liverpool, and in two games from now we play the Magpies away. This is such a tough start to the season that salvaging a draw against the best team in the league over the last ten years or so still makes us experience a sense of loss. Yes we needed to win today to keep the pressure on Pool, but we need to keep things in perspective. The red Scousers will start dropping points and then Arsenal will start the chase. We have the team and spirit for it, and the latter was confirmed yesterday – that’s the most important thing to take away from the game.
  2. Arsenal conceded a typical Haaland goal which is very annoying. The Norwegian is a beast in the box but he also loves storming onto goal in acers of space, just like his Berserker forefathers used to do on English beaches over a thousand years ago or so. William was caught in two minds but I think he should have gone with Haaland rather than try and stop the pass, but also Timber was a bit at fault for not confronting Reijnders in time. But ultimately it was a well taken goal and one MC will have trained for prior to the game. It is the sort of goal Arsenal will concede now again because of our desire to push up high if and when we can. Big Gab was high up when the turnover developed and had no chance of catching the pony-tailed attacker.
  3. It was then game on but Arsenal/Arteta struggled initially to enter plan B. Attacking with (even) more risk would leave us vulnerable to more counter-attacks, so I respect Mikel’s cautious approach and allow the team to settle into the game during the remainder of the first half. Then he spoke to the team and made a couple of changes, and the second half showed us all how good Arsenal can be. The blue oilers defended stoutly but Arsenal kept probing the walls in front of them. It looked like a matter of time before we would get our just reward, even though MC had a couple of decent chances themselves from counter-attacks and turnovers. The boys attacked with ferocity and invention, and even more attacking talent was added during the second half. Somehow Man City kept us out until a Bergkampesque pass was met with a Bergkampesque touch and a chip of the highest DB10 standard finally broke the Mancs’ staunch resistance. Donnarumma knew he was beaten and he appeared to make a small bow of respect for such a formidable, audacious chip from Martinelli.
  4. Talking about Gabriel Martinelli, I must say here that I have been critical of him many a time, but he has been brilliant this week. Two very important goals, both helping us over difficult mountains. Is he supersub material? Should we play him more through the middle, especially later on in the game when space opens up?
  5. It was criminal by Man City to push up high so, so late in the game. But Eze’s intelligence to spot Martinelli’s run made all the difference. Yet there was a lot to do and Gabriel took his opportunity extremely well. And here is the thing with Eze: he works hard and may go under the radar during a game, yet he has two assists in the last PL games. Like Bukayo he has that great ability to be efficient, calm, calculated, and make a difference for a team. I love that about both of them. I will say it again and again, Eze reminds me of Pires; the Frenchman had a similar ability to be efficient and calculated.
  6. The most critical question remains regarding the balance and personnel in midfield. Do we get the best out of Declan, Zubi and Merino by playing them together in midfield? I don’t think we do. If we play two of Zubi/Rice/Merino in the base of midfield then surely we could play a nr10 in front of them?! For football’s sake, I hope Arteta will get this balance right soon.
  7. The great news is that both Saliba and Saka are back in the team, and they both did well during the game (Bukayo as sub). Much has been said about Liverpool’s attacking options, but Arsenal have nothing to complain about, especially if and when Havertz and Jesus return as well. I loved the way Arteta bamboozled Man City with adding attackers at half time and during the game. Arsenal are just so much more unpredictable in attack this season compared to the last few ones.
  8. On the basis of what I have seen of Man City against us and against MU last weekend, I think we need to count them in for the title race. Last season, I and many others – but not JNYC I seem to remember – made the mistake of counting Liverpool out and believing it was going to be between MC and us for the title. Oh how wrong we were. I think Guardiola is desperate to compete for the title again and has adapted his philosophy significantly to do so. If he continues to be prepared to do so then I think he has the players to go a long way, despite their poor start to the season. I certainly will not count them out.

By TotalArsenal.

73 thoughts on “Eberechi Bergkamp to Dennis Martinelli: a Goal that Honoured the Master”

  • Yes, Total, it was a moment that conjured memories of the eponymous hero of this blog, the vision, the pass, the first touch and the finish, all so very Berghampian. (There’s an adjective that should find its way into the English language. Alongside “Bergkampesque”, of course). And, yes, Eze has Piresian moments in his locker, and a great work ethic to boot. I admired the way he got back to snuff out the City counter attack late in the game.
    Worrying reports about Noni’s knee. Anyone heard any updates?

    Despite Kerikeri ladies losing 0-1 on Sunday, a draw in our final game will see us crowned Northland Premier Women’s Champions.

  • Brilliant heading there, TA. I thought I should share a 22 minute video of Adrian Clarke’s analysis of the game, which provided great balance of what transpired.

  • Thanks Eris. I’ve enjoyed Clarkies tactical breakdowns on The Athletic for the past years but it is lovely to see him with his big smile. He’s often on the Handbrake off podcast, well worth the listen.

  • While the 10 points from the first 5 games are indeed don’t qualify for depression, you perfectly summarized in point #6 the underlying issue here. It is balance, team selection and tactics.

    You know I don’t believe in OGAAT, but when you host Manchester City you really have to go full power, because those games can go 3 ways. And acknowledging the absence of Havertz and Odegaard (as well as the lack of match fitness of Saka), I’m honestly not sure that Merino and Trossard belong to the strongest Arsenal XI. Especially as you pointed out we indeed have attacking options matching or even superior to Liverpool’s and City’s.

    To quote Pedro:
    Arteta needs to trust his attacking players. What was the point in anointing Ethan as the backup to Odegaard if he’s not going to play him there for the second season running? What was the point in shelling out £68m for Eze, who always plays centrally, if he’s not an option and gets nudged out for Merino? Liverpool were there to be rattled and we chose not to… City were there to be harassed, and Arteta chose not to. The result? A loss and a draw.

    And to further quote Oli:
    ‘Three defensive midfielders’ has been Arteta doubters’ favourite saying about the midfield trio of Mikel Merino, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi this season. I think everyone can agree it’s a trio that lacks a bit of balance and excitement, but, in Martin Odegaard’s injury absence, it’s a trio Arteta has leaned into in the context of challenging fixtures.
    But it doesn’t really work. Yes, we won in Bilbao, but that was a dull game, won off the bench by our attacking subs. The same happened against Manchester City.
    Notably, Declan Rice has dropped deeper to support the introduction of Martin Zubimendi at the base of midfield. Rice is yet to register a shot on target in the Premier League this season, something that was commonplace last campaign. He’s dropping really deep in the build-up, shuttling alongside the Spaniard. However, what that leaves is a chasm of creativity and presence between the midfield and attack, especially with Viktor Gyokeres as the striker, a player who prefers to play on the last line rather than dropping too far into midfield.
    This is why I think whoever plays as that ‘third’ midfielder needs to play more as a number 10. A pure pocket-finding, last action king. Arsenal are blessed with options in Odegaard, Ethan Nwaneri and Ebere Eze. It should always be one of those three.
    Merino is a useful player and I think playing in Rice’s role he can do well, also as an emergency striker, or to close out games higher in midfield. But he can’t start games as the third midfielder, the ‘number 10’ in Arsenal’s new midfield make-up.

    Stu, I hope that the Kerikeri ladies will win the well-deserved silverware, and break the dam for trophies at Arsenal, too.

  • Well … Reading your post was a relief because, at last, it didn’t make me feel like Little Big Man’s Younger Bear, the Cheyenne “Contrary”, which most of what I’ve read about the game since Sunday night turned me into.
    1. I don’t think MA’s team selection was “conservative”, or whatever else you might call it. We all know his favorite front-four is (will be) Saka-Ødegaard-Eze behind Havertz … Two of them were unavailable, one wasn’t fit, and the last one, Ebz, had been far from convincing-reassuring in Bilbao. So he picked Madueke – MotM against Forest -; Merino (much more about him in a sec); Trossard – Mr. Reliable, as far as scoring goals is concerned -; and Gyö, a goalscoring machine. Where’s the “conservative approach“ in that, I just don’t know.
    The Arsenal fandom is a strange universe indeed, where the never-ending quest for a scapegoat seems to be of the essence – and now all the radars of the sorry Percevals are focused on MikelM. I absolutely disagree with people labeling him a “DM“ – unless they specify “Spanish“ DM, a category in which you find guys like Pep’s Barça’s Xavi Hernandez and Iniesta, PSG’s Ruiz, Flick’s Barça’s Gavi and Pedri etc. (I’m not saying MM is at the LEVEL of all these Barça’s players – this is a different point). How can people be that forgetful of what he brought us in the CF position? When? 6 months back? Of the number of crucial goals he scored for us from then on … and of the quality of his vision, his passing. As far as so-called “creativity“ is concerned, I’m very sorry to be made to acknowledge that his unselfishness pays him great disservice. We’re so used to Martin Ø behaving like a whirling dervish (yes, that sets my teeth on edge, I often find myself mumbling will you just release that ball ffs! or go buy yourself one …) with the ball at his feet, that we lose sight of what a player like Mikel brings us. With players like him in midfield the ball lives on, and on, and I love it. Unfortunately for him, his way of being just a “conduit“ for the ball, for it to gain speed and travel fast to zones of dangers for the opponents seems to go completely under the above-mentioned radars; what a shame. Actually – last but not least – those who label him “DM“ would be hard put to quote just one moment of defensive brilliance from him. On the other hand, if you’re just an honest Arsenal game-watcher fan, all the images that pop up in our minds about him are moments of brilliance … in attack.
    So much so that, even in hindsight, I stick to the positive appreciation I had about MA’s line up … Of course, after Bilbao, it’d have made sense to pick Marti, but then, it’s Gyö who’d have deserved to be benched imo, not Leo who should’ve played central instead. Look, our Swede is the new guy, I know it’s not easy for him, I’m sure he’ll score loads of goals, his commitment is faultless etc. There’s everything to like about his spirit … but honestly, guys he doesn’t fit in right now, and it’s not the fault of the boys around him – just take a look at his touches before they scored their goal, when we were trying to grab the game by the neck.
    2. I swear to you guys I haven’t drunk, smoked, ingested anything that’d make me feel like Dumbo seeing “pink elephants on parade“, but so far all I can see are the silver linings. We’ve been tested harshly twice, once in Anfield and the second time last sunday. Considering MA is still in his moments of finding out about one third of his squad – 8 top-level players, who have what it takes to claim a spot in our best starting XI, I think we’ve done really well on both occasions. Just listen to me, trust me, close your eyes and focus on our defensive performance in our first half at Anfield, then on our offensive performance in our second against Cheaty. Doesn’t that take you far away from the 5-point-gap-behind-lucky-Pool doom-and-gloom? Btw, haven’t these two games shown us that MA is getting the hang of managing such a talented squad as well, in the first season when he doesn’t have a starting XI that picks itself? Both in Bilbao and against the Skyblues, haven’t his changes been spot-on? Would Gabi have been the reborn goalscorer we’ve been treated to, had he started against Bilbao and City? Would Eberechi have been that focused, that ready, that hungry, had he started last sunday after what he knew to be an underwhelming performance in Basque country? … I, for one, don’t think so.
    Everything will fall into place soon, and this’ll be a season to remember; COYG

  • Stu, that is a good observation re Eze and helping out in defence when it really mattered.

    Fingers crossed for your women’s team this weekend.

    Madueke out for 6-8 weeks. Such a shame. I really liked his directness and energy – never gave the Blue Mancs any rest in defence.

  • Who is Pedro, PB?

    Where Liverpool there to be rattled? Away at Anfield? I dont think so and I am happy with Mikel’s match approach.

    And who is Oli??

    I do like the principle of playing a nr10 in most games as per the blog, but I understand why Mikel is not doing so yet. Let’s hope he will find the right balance yet. The game v Newcastle is becoming even bigger.

  • Cheers Legall,

    I think the essence is to not disconnect attack from midfield and allow one of the midfielders to focus mainly on servicing the attack, and the midfield trio that started v MC lacks this sort of player… although Zubimendi has surprised me a few times already..

    I think, like you, it is good that Arteta rotates and for me Leandro deserved his start. Yes Merino is not a typical DM at all; he can do almost anything and is very effective, no wonder Mikel A plays him a lot. Let’s not forget that Arteta was himself mainly defensive minded midfielder with ability to link up with a more attack-minded midfielder, and I think this is what he is expecting of all his midfielders. I really feel his is trying to hard to fit both Rice and Merino in at the moment.

    I love all the positive stuff in your second point.

    I saw a graph that showed that based on Xg, Arsenal would still be second but Pool would be sixth, with only Crystal Palace above us.

    I do think we need to win a top draw PL game soon, but the big picture is still very positive.

    COYRRGs

  • Hey, TA, are you trying to trick me into posting a comment with multiple links? 🙂

    Pedro is your peer (content creator, blog owner) at LE GROVE, a popular (pro-Arteta) substack channel with some free content and many stuff behind a pay wall.

    Oli is a BBC contributor and the host of The Fresh Arsenal podcast. His view would most often align with yours, but (obviously) I quoted the part where i t doesn’t.
    https://fresharsenal.substack.com/p/75-5-games-in-5-observations-of-arssenal

  • Without bringing up any bias towards Arteta I accept that you understand why Mikel is reluctant to sacrifice midfield creativity on the altar of perceived stability, however I find it alarming that him – without better word – failing to recongnize the cause-and-effect relationship between starting Merino alongside Rice and the corresponding woeful output (as well as display).

    Since I’m not sure whether the WordPress engine will show the link below or the picture behind it let me expand:
    Out of the last 13 occasions Rice and Merino both started (at midfield) we only won 3. And out of those 3 one was against Ipswich (no disrespect intended) and the other to opponents – Monaco and Athletic Bilbao – both have the same squad values as Wolverhampton (to put them into PL context). To make the statistics even worse the latest victory (last week against Bilbao in the CL) was far from convincing: we could turn the game around only with late substitutes and a fortunately deflected shot.

  • P. … I don’t know where they come from, but I find taking out of those stats the 2 “Real” games, just because Declan and Mikel did not start “alongside” each other, how shall I put it? … convenient, maybe.
    Now even if we do take these games out – as well as others, where Mikel started “upfront“ (he didn’t, actually, he was more of a “nine and a half“) and Declan in midfield – I think the reason why MA brushes these stats aside is that he may have heard of “correlation does not imply causation”, or of the “questionable cause logical fallacy” …
    A variation on those is “ignoring the common cause“, which in the particular case of this string of disappointing results is impossible to determine anyway (it is in any string of disappointing results in football, actually – such causes are always multiple, which is why top-level managers earn that much money, while we don’t), so that what the stats just prove is the agenda against the Rice-Merino pair in midfield (which is an opinion I respect btw, don’t be mistaken) of those who issued them, whom I thank, nevertheless, for giving me the pretext to submitting a cartoon I like, entitled (surprise, surprise) “ignoring the common cause“ but might have been called “The shepherd imposing his shearing agenda upon the sheep“:

    unshorn sheep: You’re cold, aren’t you?
    shorn sheep: Yes, I am.

    u. s.: Were you cold before?
    s. s.: No, I wasn’t.

    Shepherd: Hold on a second, before jumping to conclusions. Are you wearing a sweater?
    s.s.: No, I ‘m not.

    Shepherd: Here we are …

    Shepherd: That’s the reason why you’re cold, not because I’ve shorn you.
    s. s.: That does sound logical indeed.

    Shepherd: If you don’t put any sweater on, that’s on you.
    s. s.: That’s right, I’m sorry.

  • Ha ha! Brilliant exchange, you two.

    LG, how do you manage to get images onto the blog? I have tried in the past to no avail.

  • Were you cold before *you got shorn*?
    No, I wasn’t

    I just rightclick on the image and then choose “copy the link of the image”, Stu

  • When we saw the 2025/26 EPL fixture list was released and Arsenal fans saw the first 6 fixtures for us, it was like we were being stitched up to lose faith early as we were not expected to get a result in more than 3 of those fixtures. “Fixtures from hell”, some Arsenal fan blog headlines read, so it bothers me how we can’t take the positives from where we find ourselves after 5 games, knowing our rivals haven’t faced what we have, especially away from home. Of course, I’d like for us to get 5 (6) wins but I won’t scoff at where we are now.

    I think City scoring early threw Arteta’s plans out the window and forced City to defend so deep all game; typically, a game between the two sides will involve a battle for midfield superiority and some feisty contests between both teams’ attackers and defenders; reason Arteta prepared for it by adding steel in midfield. Not this one; because City scored early, respected our team and went into their shell, rightfully so.

    Suddenly, every pundit put out the narratives that suit them and many fans were quick to bite and jump on the bandwagon. Suddenly, every fan knew better than the Manager. It is just so entitled at times, honestly. We need to recall days when these teams used to allow us do the playing while they put 3, 4, 5 & 6 past our hapless keeper(s). For me, I prefer these days when we are a feared team, whether in open play, from throw-ins and set plays. Now, when managers like Pep give us respect, the feeling can (should ?) only be great for the fan base.

    I remain positive about this season, but pray we can keep a largely fitter squad than last season.

  • You make a few good points, Legal. On my part, I feel it is always best to trust that the manager does want to win games and put out what they deem the best option for the win. Arteta’s is a sincere preference for those with on-field relationships (Gab – Saliba; Zubi – Merino, etc). He is not shy to change it if it isn’t working too, so respect to Arteta.

    I am not sure Arteta thought Pep would play a low block and be so defensive. Once he realised the pattern, he made the changes at half time (has he ever done this before?). It is Mid-September; it is 5 games into the season and we got 1 point off one of the best teams/managers in the world. As fans, we need to stay grounded and believe

    Eze’s first use as a 10 was yesterday but Arteta prepped him for this all week, we are told. He didn’t do so well in Spain midweek so, usually, a manager sits you down to be used as an impact sub. Noni has done well and may not have been subbed off for Saka at half time but for the injury sustained. I had questioned why he was not placed on the left for Saka to come in on the right but did see Noni limping a bit in the first half.

    Mosquera is good and may have been trusted to start, but Saliba has a relationship with Gabriel that’s worked and knows Haaland well, so I understand that decision too. We can’t suddenly forget how much Saliba has done for the team. So, for me, Mosquera will remain a back up and get many games in the process, unless Saliba or Gabriel experiences a bad drop in form.

    Look forward to seeing the kids get a run out against Port Vale tomorrow (today, fir some).

  • Yeh, Eris, very much looking forward to visiting Vale Park tomorrow morning, albeit remotely while tucked up in bed. I fancy we may see young Max given a start, hopefully with Ethan and Myles in action too.

    That’s what I do, LG, fruitlessly. Must be in the wrist action.

  • PB, thanks for explaining who those chaps are. There is in fact little I disagree with in Oli’s statement.

    But for this game Arteta decided that MC would play on the counter and rebound. Docu especially was tasked to hold up play and then find Hahaland in space. Guardiola seems to have had enough from being out-countered himself and was happy to four points from MU and us by sitting back. This does justify Mikels decision to play three in deeper midfield.

    I rather he plays with a nr10 for the cheer joy of such a player but it is still a balancing act. Mikrl knows best of course.

  • A great, creative response, Legall. It’s good to have debate from different angles, and good stuff from all.

    Look forward to tonight’s game. I bet the lineup will be frighteningly strong. Be prepared for a gale Port Vale.

  • LG, I started to write a detailed response – including appreciating the comics, agreeing with your “correlation does not imply causation” observation through the impact of a Zubi-Rice-Merino midfield trio on the team’s creativity and chance creation capabilities up till the finale that while you may believe that excluding the 2 Real games from the data was the epitome of ‘convenient’ my conclusion was a bit different: accepting that correlation does not imply causation but instead of investingating/brainstorming the possible common causes (including but not limited to dismissing the intuitive: Odegaard’s obvious effect on the xG) and to jump to its futileness as ‘impossible to determine anyway’ thus arrive at the thesis/cliché that professional football coaches make more money a week than us combined in a year, therefore their decisions are ipso facto the right ones are my perception of convenient.

    However, I have lost the stat-supported, really long – and somewhat probably boring (so you’re all welcome) – comment as I was jumping between tabs of BK, TM, WS or Understat, and during a slight system lag I clicked on this very tab twice separately, but the stupid Chrome understood it as a double click and closed the tab along with my draft.

    So I’m devestated, and only able to write this much. Even though I still strongly believe that a result needs an explanation if and only if it is different than the expected outcome (e.g.: what a talented pundit, AI or supercomputer predicted), and the matter whether the team or the manager should take the credit/praise or responsibility is largely dependent on if the team was fielded in the strongest possible formation with the most reasonable tactics, I don’t have an other hour to argue for it again.

  • I didn’t get yout tab explanation, P., but make no mistake anyway: I’m not saying the Merino-Rice partnership – or MA for that matter – are beyond critic(s). Actually the truth is “I” am biased, and in two different ways maybe, in favour of the Merino-Zubimendi-Rice partnership, but it’d really be too long to explain right now if I want to do it right – an interlull might be the opportunity for it, if you’re interested, and if … you’re so kind as to remind me of it then!

    I agree with your strong starting XI tonight, T.; my bet would be:
    Kepa
    White-Mosquera-Calafiori-LewisSkelly
    Nørgaard-Merino
    Martinelli-Nwaneri-Trossard
    Gyökeres
    … with Dowman, Saka, Ødegaard entering the fray in the second half!

    Adrian’s videos are really great, Eris (and Kev, if you read this!) – he’s such a nice guy, and with a keen eye for details (I loved the analysis of Bill’s run backwards and the body language going along with it, showing how he was fooled by both Reinjders and Haaland. Watching this, I thought there was a lack of communication between him and Jurrien as well; they should have turned this into two 1v1 imo: Jurrien-Reinjders/Bill-Haaland).
    COYG – I guess we all expect Max to score his first professional goal tonight, don’t we?

  • Kepa
    White, Sal, Mosquero, MLS
    Norgaard, Merino
    ETHAN
    Saka, Martinelli, Eze

    Wow. When was the last time, if ever, Arsenal lined up this strong for a first League Cup game?

    Should be a joy to watch.

  • Arsenal XI: Kepa, White, Saliba, Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Eze

    Subs: Raya, Gabriel, Timber, Gyokeres, Trossard, Zubimendi, Calafiori, Rice, Dowman

    Good morning, gentlemen.

  • You both guessed right, TA and Legall. It is a strong line up (as most of our line ups will be this season, anyway😜). Saka, Martinelli, Eze, Ethan, Merino, Norgaard, MLS, White, William and Mosq, all start.

    Legall, I loved that analysis of Saliba’s body positioning too, because I noticed the same thing, albeit, viewing it as wrong risk assessment by Saliba. I would take my chances getting closer to Haaland than being concerned with Tijani running with the ball. No way Tijani scores from that distance and as he tries to get closer, seeing Haaland’s path blocked off, Timber gets a chance to catch up.

  • Eze does it.

    I had expected a more dominant performance but PV did themselves proud with high pressing and good cover on the wings, high tempo and not allowing Arsenal to pass it around easily.

    But many players had a good practice session and gained match fitness, so I am happy.

    Now let’s hope for a home draw.

  • Your observation is spot on, TA. The home side has played with pride and didn’t fold after conceding. I actually thought it could be any score from 5-0, when we scored early.

    Happy to see certain squad players and the returning wounded get playing time. It will be important as the season progresses.

  • They’ve been known to hurt us at home, though. If I recall well, they did eliminate us from some cup, in recent memory. Not this time, I guess and being two prem sides, very few will be rested for it.

  • That’s some very painful bit of news on Billy Vigar. My heart goes out to his family who must be devastated at this time.

    May his soul rest in perfect peace.

  • Sadness, like a bottomless pit.
    So absurd, so untimely a death it could turn you into a believer of Fates watching us, toying with us.

  • VAR gifted Liverpool that equaliser too because it was a Sallah handball before the goal.

  • An assist for the brilliant Swiss. From the training ground, clearly and who else to trust to deliver it on a six pence

  • My 65th birthday today boys, and Eddie and Welbz just gave me the best pressies. It’ll still be my bday in the UK tomorrow morning and I shall expect some icing on the cake up in Geordieland. COYG.

  • Happy birthday, Stuart. The Lord shall cause your pastures to be green and your trees to yield in full, all your days. As your days are, so shall your strength be.
    Do have a good one. 🥂🎂

    …and stay our lucky charm (for tomorrow).

  • And a Bledisloe the cherry on your birthday cake, Stu … couldn’t watch though, had a medicall appointment.
    Eddie … and Danny!! What a day for “once a gooner, always a gooner”
    Iraola … scouting, development, coaching, Basque country has turned into the Wakanda of football lately, hasn’t it?
    I watched Atletico-Real, which was great fun – “Grizou” scored, after drawing blanks for … 22 games!! I’ll write a few words about Atleti before our CL game against ’em …

  • Happy Birthday, Stuart. 65 used to be a big number in the Netherlands: retirement day.

    How will you celebrate it and did you get any nice presents?

  • Legall, I hope your medical procedure went well and you are in a good place to watch us take on the oily magpies.

    Yes Basque country is a birthplace for great characters and managers.

    Do you think they dye their hair or are they naturally this black when reaching into the forties?

  • My guess:
    Raya
    Timber-Saliba-Gabriel-Calafiori
    Zubi-Rice
    Saka-Eze-Martinelli
    Gyö
    (Kepa-White-Mosquera-LewisSkelly-Nørgaard-Merino-Nwaneri-Ødegaard-Trossard) … what a bench!!
    Yours?
    A bit nervous … Howe has been turning into Mick’s Professor Moriarty lately, hasn’t he?
    COYG

  • LINE-UPS

    Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres.
    Subs: Arrizabalaga, White, Lewis-Skelly, Saliba, Norgaard, Merino, Odegaard, Dowman, Martinelli.

    Newcastle: Pope, Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Murphy, Joelinton, Tonali, Guimaraes, Gordon, Woltemade.
    Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Krafth, Lascelles, Miley, Willock, Elanga, Barnes,

  • Perhaps, Mosquera preferred to counter the speedy forwards of the host, especially Gordon? We do have UCL in midweek which may also be a factor.

    Zubimendi will be pressed so he should be prepared to release the ball fast enough.

    Martinelli is becoming a good finisher off the bench, so that one is understandable.

  • Hard to take. We need to keep calm heads and believe. Maybe, Eze shifted left for Odegaard/Ethan and bring on Martinelli at some point.

    We have to win this!

  • Saliba on for Mosquera is a change I didn’t see coming. I hope it isn’t for an injury. Need to save our substitutions for offensive tweaks.

  • Yes, mate. As LG pointed out, the cake was in the oven when we beat the Aussies to claim the Bledisloe. The Big, fat gift wrapped Gabby header was the cherry on the cake which Mikel Merino iced with his effort. Sooooooooooooo deserved, and I trust this performance will shut up the naysayers about our Manager. Brilliant and timely substitutions, attacking intent from the off, three points at St James, what a weekend. The bluebird is singing on my shoulder…

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