Five PL goals and no assists, yet this player is vital to Arsenal’s attack

TotalArsenal

Arsenal have the second highest number of goals in the PL, and yet nobody features in the top of either the PL goal or assist tables. Leandro Trossard is ‘top’ with five goals and four assists, followed by Gyokeres with five goals and no assists. Saka and Rice have four goals and three assists each, and the rest of the goals and assists are split among the remaining Arsenal players. I find these stats remarkable, and the question is whether this is a coincidence or all part of a plan.

It is also a question of what matters most: the means or the outcome? There has been a lot of focus on Gyokeres lack of goals (and assists!), but does it really matter if the rest of the team are scoring the majority of the goals instead? Now, I am sure that Mikel brought in Viktor with the hope that he was getting a CF who would bang in loads of goals. The handsome Swede is certainly not banging them in as much anymore, but he never seizes to try and do so. He is a handful, a constant threat to any defence. Leave him space and he will punish you, and this is vital to our attack. With the parked busses Arsenal meet almost constantly, we need a CF who rams and cajoles, who creates pressure and chaos. I think Viktor is doing a great job at this, and he is getting better and better.

Having Kai back is a bonus, and Jesus has been a veritable shot in the arm to our attack, but I don’t think either will replace the never-give-up Swede anytime soon. Jesus has great qualities but is a different type. Kai is quality and can certainly stand in for Viktor, but we may see the lanky German more as a second striker or even playing in the nr10 position; a position which is up for grabs at the moment.

Viktor clearly needed to adjust to the physicality and lack of space of the PL. Arsenal play a different sort of football than he was used to, and the expectations on his shoulders weigh a ton. But I like to judge a man on his values and his efforts, on his character and self-belief, and I have seen enough to know that this guy will, by hook or by crook, get there. That will be good for him and also good for the team…. as long as we don’t lose the ability to keep spreading the goals and form a threat from all areas and by all players. This is our real strength, and Viktor is already a major player in our ‘plan of attack’.

By TotalArsenal.

110 thoughts on “Five PL goals and no assists, yet this player is vital to Arsenal’s attack”

  • Some goal, Total. What a fab debut.

    Thanks for the post. But for injury, I think Big Gabby would have been up there with our top scorers this season. He’s missed a couple of presentable headers in the past two games but will soon get his eye back in. Still has a way to go to match Steve Bruce’s 19 goals from Centre Back in the ’90-’91 season. I can’t remember if he took their penalties but that is some total for a defender.
    Despite his efforts we still pipped them for the title that season. Let’s do the same tomorrow morning. See ya’all at 6.30am NZT. COYG.

  • I watched the Ladies’ game on YouTube and while the home side had some dominant spells, our ladies rallied to go ahead and once they got the 2nd, you just knew Chelsea weren’t coming back.

    Great debut by Ethan. Buzzing for him.

  • LINE-UPS
    Arsenal:
    Raya, Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, Hincapie, Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Saka, Trossard, Jesus.

    Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Eze, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyokeres.

    Manchester United:
    Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Dorgu, Mainoo, Casemiro, Fernandes, Amad, Mbeumo.

    Subs: Bayindir, Heaven, Malacia, Mazraoui, Yoro, Ugarte, Mount, Cunha, Sesko.

  • Strong line up; it must spell it out to MLS now since he should have been in with a shout, after doing well at Inter Milan. However, I really don’t fancy the prospects of Amad Dialo against Lewis-Skelly, until he is back to his best.

    I hope Hincapie can play the full 90 mins, seeing as he has only just returned from injury. Risky move too, but if it works out….
    I feel Arteta should have continued with Gyokeres and bring Gabby Jesus on late. Let’s see if Gyo can do better with a tiring defence then.

  • I feel for Eze but he will get his time soon enough, but maybe not this season (except we suffer injuries). The fact is he needs to improve on his defensive contributions and be ready to track back hard, after losi G the ball.

    The way we play currently, with the midfielders playing closer to the defence in a build-up, it exposes the team when there’s a counter-attack should our No. 10 cause a turnover as further up the pitch as Eze prefers to play/stay. With time, he will understand why the team moves as a unit, defending or attacking.

    With a huge prize ahead, Arteta is not taking any chances with the sentiments.

  • All agreed, Eris.

    Eze’s time will come again. Hincapie is a class act and MLS gets plenty of playing time given his age.

    Three home PL losses today; let’s hope we can reverse the trend.

    CoyrrGs

  • Not sure why we are nervous around this Manchester team. Starting from Saliba, Odegaard, and then Zubimendi, we seem to worry about their press too much. Even Gabby Jesus can’t control passes, which is a strength of his.

    Hopefully, Arteta gees them up and we do much better. I fully expected a good win here. If Trossard is going to keep holding onto the ball and looking to play Holywood passes against opponents, while ignoring runners, maybe Madueke needs to come on some time soon.

  • Back to the routine of our very professional, slightly boring PL performances …
    Were it not for that howler/reminder of the Mustafi-Sokratis years, they’re such a sorry bunch that we’d be snug as bugs inn the warm rug of our 1-goal lead, though.
    We should be very wary in the second half though, because Carrick has the Cunha-Mount-Sesko (?) solutions on the bench, which might give his setup a sexier, more dangerous look.
    As for us, well … I beg to differ with you completely, gentlemen. I think Ødegaard is a chunk of ice freezing our moves in the bud, whereas Eberechi is the flame igniting bonfires from the very same position (actually, not exactly – Ebz occupies the pocket of space, 10-15 yards further up the pitch, where we need our creator to be, and which Martin Ø constantly shies away from).
    Now Eris, my dear friend, I really do hope we didn’t buy Ebz to blame him for not defending well enough – if this is the case, the money we spent on him would have put to much better use, should we have gifted it to whatever charities inspired our generosity.
    I think we do know the “best version of us” – Ebz for Martin, and Mikel M CF, but I don’t expect to see it picked any time soon. Having said that, we still have in store enough to beat that lot, and soundly too.
    COYG

  • Looks like fatigue has finally caught up with many lads (Zubi a case in point …).
    The week rest that’s comin’ up is all they need. Massively disappointing result, but still all to play for, let’s get over this quick and move on …

  • Four points clear, boys. Two handball calls that could/should have gone our way. Who understands that rule anymore???

  • A kick in the guts, but it just was not our day. An uncharacteristic mistake by Zubi and two superb finishes killed us. Var was a farce, and we just have to move on. Yet I wish we start to show some more belief in these sorts of games. The leadership role(s) needs attention.

  • The big difference between the Prem and CL is that in the CL we get a penalty and United’s 2nd goal is chalked off…

    Tierney was VAR, born in Manchester and apparently a Wigan fan…

    Of course he is!

  • TA, on the key points of the article, the fact Arsenal have the second highest number of goals in the PL, yet with none of our boys featured in the top of the PL goals/assists table is a direct consequence of having played three previous seasons without a known top striker. We have learnt to rely on every player and spreading the goal scoring responsibilities, culminating in latching onto the weapon that is set-piece goals efficiency. Now, even that has suppressed our offensive creativity, as we do appear to seek out set pieces (nothing wrong with that) which appears to have forced a bit of laziness in our front players; you know, like it’s okay if we don’t take risks to score since we can always try from the next set piece.

    By bringing in Gyokeres, Arteta apparently wanted to have an arrow head to bang in goals aplenty, but that isn’t working because he didn’t get a full pre-season and the team had not been weaned of the team structure that relies on spreading the goals. It is a huge tactical shift which can’t just happen overnight. We need to play more to Gyo’s strengths as we adapt to the change of having a top striker. It was only When he came on that Martinez and Maguire broke sweat and got bumped; Gabby Jesus did his thing but he’s just come back and really looks like he still needs to be eased back carefully. Arteta has listened to the clamour on social media and brought him in a pressure cooker game last night and must regret that now.

    So, just saying the spread of our goal scorers, even when we now play with a top striker, is not the result of some grand plan but simply the continuation of the way we’ve learnt to play over three seasons where we came a creditable 2nd in the league. And yes, I also believe Viktor Gyokeres will come good, the more the team trusts him.

  • Yesterday’s loss was a chastening one and just simply tested the resolve of the players and fan base and has served to have the club question itself. A loss like that has the effect of doubt creeping in about getting over the line.

    The players were unusually nervous, showing they have been paying attention to all the noise outside, so played the occasion rather than the game. Forget about a Throw-in coach, we need an expert Psychologist to build back confidence while Arteta has to remind the boys just how good they are and how well they have done, so far. We have to re-focus the boys on the prize and how important this is for the club (players and fans), as a whole. Hopefully, they get it and pursue it with pride. I don’t listen much to Roy Keane but I agree with him when he said our boys have to embrace the pressure rather than fear it. We looked afraid at times, yesterday, after dominating the first 30 minutes!

    On individual players, I thought all came short of the usual standards except Saka, Rice, and Gyokeres. Why Trossard lasted up to 75 minutes, I’ll never know as he just wasn’t beating his man, yet held on to the ball cutting back, then passing backwards, when a cross may pose a greater threat. Don’t get me started on his knack for just carrying the ball across the field, in our defensive areas. When he did try to thread a pass, it aways seemed to get blocked because he chooses the intricate when a simpler pass was available. He absolutely had zero threat all game. For me, he should have come off at half time. Zubimendi was put under pressure by the pace of Saliba’s pass. His choice (penchant, even) of going backwards proved costly as he miscued his pass to Raya. That goal was the turning point.

    Arteta must also address our recent habit of going defensive the moment we score against other top teams. We let ManU in so soon after going ahead; something that is out of character with this team. So, the question is can we handle the pressure? The gaffer has work to do and I am glad he knows it.

  • Interesting points Eris, I’d imagine that the club already has psychologists who routinely work with players as all big clubs do. Our game management was poor following our opening goal and our equaliser, we needed calm heads and instead got over-excited, 2-2 would have been fine all things considered. We’ve conceded late goals too often this season and that comes from a lack of composure in stressful situations that only experience can rectify, hopefully it won’t cost us again this season?

  • Kev, I know we do, so whoever it is, they have their work cut out for them.

    It is even more pertinent because we have been on a poor run in the league, the past 3 games; 2 points from 9 says so. We could easily drift and that’s got to be looked into.

  • On Saturday, all the home sides won, except Burnley who played out a draw.
    On Under, all the Away sides won the games.
    On Monday, the home side had to improve in the second half to graft for a draw. This league is hard and will throw up a few more twists and turns yet.

  • All good observations, Eris.

    I will stick with the bad day at the office approach for Sunday’s game. 9 games in January and to lose one is not a shame. But Leeds need to be takwn down, next weekend.

  • Fortunately Eris both Aston Villa and Man City have stumbled at the same time as us so the damage to us isn’t terminal, title winning seasons tend to have their ups and downs and we are coming out of ours, we’ll be fine.

    Keep calm and carry on. ✌️

  • Food for thought indeed, Eris …
    You’re very likely to have a point about Gyö’s far-from-being-ideal pre-season in particular imo. Whether they will fire on all cylinders, or not, is often based on how well/hard they’ve worked during these few weeks, for big units like him.
    As for the rest … we do have to score from open play more; I think we can all agree on this. Set Piece FC, Own Goal FC, Thrown-In FC (??), all of this is/was very funny, but our first goal at San Siro is the kind of team goal we have to produce (much) more often …
    Declan and Mikel M are suspended for tomorrow’s game … I’m looking forward to it, though, if only because there’s an outside chance Myles might be given his first start in midfield:
    Havertz
    Jesus-Eze-Madueke
    LewisSkelly-Nørgaard
    Calafiori-Hincapié-Mosquera-White
    Kepa
    ????
    Yes, I’d love to see GJ9 be given a shot at “LW”. He can thrive there, or so I think anyway.
    Btw, Eris, I think you’re spot-on about Leandro’s performance last sunday, too. Adrian Clarke kind of confirmed it when he showed a big blank where there should have been incoming key passes from the left …
    COYG !!

  • I think it’s a misconception that Arsenal play to get set pieces. Set pieces happen and then it is criminal not to maximise on them. That is the big difference with early Arteta and late Wenger teams: they were so ineffective with set-pieces.

    Of course Arteta wants to score more from open play, but it is only getting harder to do so with space at a minimum and teams getting more and more tactically astute whilst sitting deeper and deeper. Creating that space is becoming harder and harder. Ask Odegaard end Eze..

  • Interesting to listen to Adrian’s thoughts about the Man U game and to consider his encouragement for Mikel to forsake an element of control for a bit more adventure by considering 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 using Bukuyu on the left and Noni on the right, Eb’z as a 10 and Mikel Merino or Kai up top, leaving Declan and Zubi to hold the midfield. It would likely bring the best out of Eze, and if Jurien played more defensively would allow Cala to interchange/support Declan on the left. Be great to see, maybe in the next round of the FA Cup, tho’ that likely is going to be a rare opportunity to rest some first X1 lads.

    I like LG’s team for Kairat, maybe with young Salmon coming off the bench early.

    Big morning tomorrow, ladies semi final from 7am then Kairat at 9am. COYG.

  • Stu, your comments always bring Nolan’s “Tenet” to mind …
    “You have a future in the past. Years ago for me, years from now for you.”, etc.

  • I’m afraid the maths in that film almost fried my mind, LG. I kinda like a line from the simpler ‘About Time’: “We’re all traveling through time together, every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.” “Remarkable” being something of an understatement, as you undoubtedly and evidently well appreciate, Duc.

  • Arsenal starting XI: Arrizabalaga, White, Mosquera, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Eze, Havertz, Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres

    Subs: Setford, Porter, Gabriel, Salmon, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Ibrahim, Odegaard, Bailey-Joseph, Saka, Trossard, Jesus.

  • Multi-screening …
    PSG 1 Joe Willock 1 (right before HT); Joe hadn’t scored in ages, very happy for the lad – a clever header it was, too.
    Flo Balogun had a goal denied against Juve – very dubious decision (and yes, I AM biased!).

  • I’ve only eyes for The Arsenal, but do envy your split screen capacity, LG. Eze showing some nice touches and Kai is def back in town.
    Our ladies looked pretty slick too. See if the boys can match their six.

  • Happy to see Arteta give two more youngsters their debuts yesterday evening, I think that’s five debuts for this season, so far.

    But of course he doesn’t like youth players!

    Havertz was a breath of fresh air, always looking to progress the ball and was consistently aware of Gyokeres’ runs. A potentially very productive partnership in the making…

  • According to “L’Équipe” (usually very reliable about such things), the Ro16 should put either Dortmund, or Olympiacos, Atalanta, or again Leverkusen in our way …
    Don’t think too many conclusions should be drawn from yesterday’s game – I, for one, was too distracted by the multi-screen, to pretend drawing any – but Kai’s goal sure was a reminder of what he’s capable of; pure class wasn’t it?

  • “Pure class” indeed, LG. And, yes Kev, the makings of a good partnership, tho’ my preference would be Kai up top. I’m hoping he was hooked at half time so we might see him start against The Peacocks. Playing him in midfield would likely see both Eze and MO8 on the bench.
    What an achievement for the club… eight from eight, top of the European pile, probably the strongest club squad in world football… O be still my beating heart.

  • Stuart, you may be on to something with that suggested formation gleaned from Adrian Clarke’s analysis of Sunday’s loss. It looked like an adaptation of it was test run on Wednesday, seeing as Havertz and Gyokeres seemed to link up well; I know it’s only Kairat, but still. …..

    The pundits are quick to downplay the achievement by our boys last night. 8 wins out of 8, (with all 24 points) is no mean feat and will take a while to match, I feel. The level of focus required to achieve this must not be underestimated especially since we beat some good teams along the way too: Atletico Madrid, Bayern, Inter, Athletic club and even Club Brugge (some team will soon find out just how good that team is).

    LG L’Équipe are correct. I did see a full layout of possibilities for us after the play offs and it was just as stated. No easy games but, surely, we should make light work of any of those teams, no?

  • Each team’s position in the league will determine which teams they will face in the play-off round. As the teams who finished ninth and 10th, Real Madrid and Inter Milan will be paired, and will play the teams who finished in the last two qualifying spots – Bodo/Glimt in 23rd and Benfica in 24th. That process is repeated for the other seven ties.

    However, the top eight qualifiers have also been placed into the bracket at the last 16 stage, and as the team who finished first in the table, we know we will face one of the sides that finished between 15th and 18th spot.

    Those clubs are Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and Olympiacos.

    AS COPIED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE**

  • Your welcome Eris, I often post under an assumed name… 😁

    I think the English CL record is 10 successive wins, by Man City, so if we win our next two CL games we’ll probably have to break City’s record at Eastlands…

  • I often wondered if PB was your alter ego, Kev…

    Three things clouded the blue skies of my adolescent years; my parents divorce, Alison Broom’s rejection of my proffered bouquet, and the ’72 Cup Final loss to Leeds.
    Thankfully we have scored hatful’s against them since; Wrighty’s chip and Sylvinho’s jinky run setting up Kanu’s finish are two which rise most readily to the surface of my memory.
    Despite Alan Clarke’s diving header and their deserved reputation for nastiness back then, I have a soft spot for The Peacocks. My Dad named one of his yachts “Prospect of Ponsonby” after the legendary off shore racer, “Prospect of Whitby”. My Step Dad was a dyed in the wool Yorkshireman from Scarborough. I find it easy to have some sympathy for Richard the 3rds cause in the War of the Roses, and are not Fountains abbey and that Yorkshire coastline two of Britain’s finest features.
    Even so, I hope we stuff ’em with another four goal thumping on Sunday morning. Or even a 1-0 “Porterfield” will suffice to further heal that ancient adolescent wound.

  • No Stu, perish the thought…

    I spent a few days in Scarborough in 2022 and found to my surprise that northerners aren’t the friendly bunch that they’re portrayed as. Give me East Anglia and the West Country any day…

  • Can be a bit bleak up there, and, yes the West is the best, from the Cotswolds down to Lands End, a veritable postcard. My Sarah is a Taunton girl.

    I do miss our PB. If you are still reading, mate, take a moment to drop your old cobbers a wee line.

  • lol, Kev. Nice one.

    We won’t be “stuffing” that Leeds side I saw outplay Everton on their turf. They are usually up for the big games at home. The 3 points is what we need to go for till we achieve the reset we need.

    COYG!!

  • My earliest memories of Leeds date back to the 1970 FA Cup final and the 1974 European Cup final in Paris, against Bayern.
    WWII wasn’t that far back, then; to say there was little sympathy for Germans would be an understatement. All boys my age rooted for “The Whites”, so that when Lorimer’s goal was denied by the French ref – after Beckenbauer positively gave him the order to – we might as well have been running riot in the stands, along with their fans.
    I admired Lorimer a lot; in my youth football years I played in the same position as him – forward, on the right wing, but not exactly a winger, not supposed to be the goalscorer of the team, but relied upon by all to score on a regular basis -, and I was in awe of the venom in his shots/volleys …
    Anyway, awful lot of water under the bridges … For all clubs the dimension of Arsenal, this week-end’s games are the first of a series that will determine how successful/unsuccessful their season will have been. For the first time in months, Mick has his whole squad at his disposal, and however well-organized, physically impressive, talented too they might be, it has to be a statement win. And a statement win it’ll be.
    The XI I’d love MA to pick (I know he won’t, because it would mean leaving 4-2-3-1 behind …)
    Havertz
    Eze-Saka
    Rice-Zubimendi-Merino (Ødegaard)
    Hincapié-Gabriel-Saliba-Timber
    Raya
    Hincapié because of The Whites’ physicality, and because our Roman legionary looked like he could do with quite a few more training sessions before being back to his flamboyant best …
    Kai won’t last 95 minutes; Gyö may be our “coup de grâce” man – and they’re so different players that there’s no way Leeds CBs will adjust to his style straight away.
    COYG

  • LINE-UPs:
    Arsenal:
    Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres.

    Subs: Arrizabalaga, White, Calafiori, Mosquera, Odegaard, Eze, Madueke, Martinelli, Jesus.

    Leeds:
    Darlow, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson, Bogle, Gruev, Ampadu, Justin, Stach, Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin.

    Subs: Perri, Byram, Bournow, Tanaka, Longstaff, Bouananotte, Gnonto, Okafor, Piroe.

  • UPDATE:

    Saka replaced with Madueke, after feeling something during the warm-up.

    That’s just such bad luck.

  • Leaves us with fewer options on the bench for replacement, Saka was also designated captain for the day.

    Look, I still feel it is a bit too early for Havertz to start, replacing Odegaard in the 10 role. Arteta shouldn’t be getting carried away by the performance vs Kairat in the UCL game midweek. All the same, I’d be happy to see him do well today, in particular.

    COYG!!

  • So far, it’s gone well for us. After watching Leeds torment Everton at home, I had trepidations about this game, but we’ve been so mature and relatively dominant here.

    It’s 0-2. Madueke has scored direct from a corner kick after getting the assist for the first goal. No end product, they said. 🤓

  • Turns out it’s given as an own goal by the Keeper, Darlow.

    Cue the update to our top scorer list with “Own goal” in our top 3 goal scorers. 😝Well, they all count.

  • Half time now. Other than Trossard and maybe a rest for Havertz, do not see too many changes necessary for the second half………but, what do I know?

  • “Statement” win in the making … Well, not quite imo, but it’s been some time since we last made that kind of impression.
    We’re back to oozing athleticism, physicality, on top of refreshed focus and discipline; Raya might as well have enjoyed this half from up in a VIP seat. Our first goal in particular came up at the end of an impressive period of sustained pressure.
    Noni’s first assist rewarded his “hyper-activity” then, but the funniest moment was our 2nd, right out of BOTH SetPieceFC AND OwnGoal FC playbooks – I had wished we were beyond that, lately, but I couldn’t help but burst out laughing tbh.
    Øde, Eberechi, GJ9, Marti will bring a touch of technique when called upon, which might happen soon, should we not wait too long to score the 3rd.
    COYG

  • TA, not sure I saw that particular incident.

    Viktir Gyokeres gets the 3rd off a well lofted cross by Martinelli, from the right flank. 3-0.

  • Good on Ethan to have made such an impression as to get another start. Good luck to the young man.

    I would have liked to see Eze in this game but there’s always Chelsea to come in midweek.

  • What a superb finish by Gabriel Jesus. 4-0. We threaten another to add to the scoreline, but a tame finish by Martinelli held by Darlow.

  • Statement win it is.
    Great job, lads; bring on the Chavs.
    (not over yet, I’d have nothing against a 5th, of course …)

  • Ethan’s tradewark “blind” through-ball/pre-assist ends up with Auba’s goal (their 2nd) for OM, right before Jürrien (sorry … Quinten) joins in the celebrations.
    Watching Marse-nal is gonna be quite the test for my ageing synapses.

  • LG, that game ended 2-2, to my shock (I had to switch to see the Chelsea v WH game). I note that the goals by the hosts only came after Ethan and Auba were withdrawn about the 70th minute. 🤔

  • Do I prefer Chelsea in the top 4 over Man United? Absolutely!
    Much as I dislike the Chavs, the United fans have made so much noise after their win against us, you would have thought they toppled us off the top spot rather than being on a 2 game winning run.

    Chelsea, clearly have their heads in the game at the Emirates.

  • TA, I guess you were referring to the Calvert-Lewin assault on Gabby’s shin. I did see it and thought it deserved a yellow, at least. What was VAR doing not even stopping the game to take another look?

    I’ve seen them given.

  • I don’t think VAR can intervene for yellows, mate. It was a sore one for Big Gabs. Didn’t affect his game tho. He was magnificent. As were Noni and Zubi. The rest were just brutally efficiently absolutely gorgeous.
    14 to go, only three of them outside of London… Xhaka’s boys next up, with a little matter of a cup semi second leg midweek. These are the days of miracles and wonder.

  • The VAR intervention would indeed have been for a red. Thats what the commentators of Arsenal.com suggested, but they certainly believed it should have been a yellow card. They did mention to have little faith in either the ref or the VAR ref for yesterday’s game.

  • I thought that Madueke and Trossard had huge games for us yesterday, Leo had his opponent all over him but not only held him off he retained control of the ball and still managed to create opportunities for others.
    Noni didn’t put a foot wrong, his control was excellent his passing was much improved and his corners were top class. He now has an opportunity to really affect our season with Bakayo potentially out for a few weeks, the best compliment I can give him is that we didn’t miss Saka!

  • Actually I almost reacted to your ‘kind accusation’, Stu, lamenting if it’s more insulting to Kev or myself, but I let it go. However, I’m glad that Kev agrees that’s a tie.

    I do pop in from time to time, to see how you’re doing, or just to check whether the boys made TA proud after the MU game.

  • Good to see your boat race in that wee circle again PB. As handsome as it is, it is your posts with their interesting angles and forensic attention to detail which I miss. I trust you are well and those things distracting your attention from us are all positive and fruitful.
    I’m presently reading Montefiore’s take on the ’56 Revolution in your country. Were your parents/grandparents caught up in those events?

    Kev, so right on Leandro. For a man of smaller stature his shielding of the ball is exceptional.
    Good to see Villa drop points but the Spuds are doing us no favours.

  • A blessed morning for us, Total.

    1-1 for our ladies after conceding a scrappy equaliser.

  • Nice touch from Zinnie…

    To the Gunners.
    I will never forget the way you welcomed me.
    Still remember the goosebumps I got at the first game after hearing your “Always beliiiiiieeeve”. I couldn’t even dream about it.
    From the deepest place in my heart I would like to say a massive thank you for everything that you have done for me and my family.
    To the coaching staff, thank you for the opportunity to be a small part of this amazing club.
    To the players, thank you for the priceless experience, fantastic memories and becoming friends for life.
    To all the staff, thank you for your help and for looking after me and my family.
    And of course to the fans, for love, support and criticism which we as a players need to accept and work even harder.
    I just want to wish you all the best and hope you achieve everything what ever you wish.
    Once a Gunner always a Gunner.
    Thank you.

  • That was class from Zinchenko, thanks Stu.

    There will always be a small part of Budapest with a dark cloud hanging over it when Arteta does well…

  • 83 mins in and our Ladies still leading 2-1. It will be a desirable trophy, to be World champions for the Women’s game. So, come on, ladies!

    Always had respect for Zinchenko. Godspeed, my favourite Ukrainian.

  • I see not all can see the video in the link I sent, but our U-21s beat Leeds U-21s 0-4, today.

  • Lovely to see Arsene on the victory podium, looking, justifiably very proud of the club which he, more than any other turned us into what we are today. (Kudos to David Dein, Mikel, the owners et al).

  • Oh, Shucks! Do we still have time in this window? That will mean deal to be done tomorrow (Monday); tough on the player and the club. A loan deal is what it has to be.

  • That’s very bad news indeed, as though we couldn’t be dealt but a few days of an empty sick bay. MM bailed us out big time last season – I’ve often wondered what would have become of us, hadn’t he adapted to his upfront selection the way he did … I didn’t believe he would, this was pure expression of the highest “soccer IQ” , as the Yanks would put it.
    24hrs to find a guy as good as the one who plays left DM for the best national team in the world – as of today – while being able to perform at top-level as N° 10, or 9 for … the best club team in the world (no restriction), looks like Mission Impossible imo.
    I love Eduardo, Stu, always have ever since I saw him play for Rennes youth teams. When you take a look at what he’s already won, it’s almost impossible to believe he’s still only 23. His versatility is often (a little) overlooked, and he’s joy personified too, which I love in a player as well.
    Now, do I believe the Kroenkes – along with MA-Berta will make his donning the red-and-white happen in the 12hrs or so left? I wish I had enough trees of green/red roses/skies of blue/and clouds of white left in me to say I do …

  • Does anyone know if there’s a “bring back” option attached to the terms of Ethan’s loan to OM?
    Might be time to consider giving Myles minutes in midfield, too (at last) …
    Just sayin’ 😉

  • Yes duc, MLS would relish to play Merino’s time on the pitch, and Norgaard also needs more time, so i dont see a need to seek a temporary replacement, especially with all our CFs available currently.

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