Author: TotalArsenal

For many reasons 2020 will be remembered as a year of lows and a few highs. We Gunners have experienced the football lows but we are also one of the few sets of lucky supporters who actually had something to celebrate. Arteta gave us an unforgettable summer, but after that it has been a real roller-coaster. Are Arsenal a team in decline and doomed, or are we slowly witnessing the start of a new beginning?

It is still early days but it looks like Arteta is going to play the 4-2-3-1 formation more regularly from now on. I would welcome that. Reducing the number of out and out attackers i.e. pure finishers to just one would suit me fine. I, like Wenger in the previous decade, like lots of skillful midfielders who know how to defend, pass the ball well and are able to hold on to it, or dribble with it, on a constant basis. Playing Auba, Laca and Pepe up-front really has not paid off and I doubt it ever will. It was time for change.

We have a lot of good midfielders and if Arteta were to opt for the 2 + 3 midfielders formation from now on then the likes of Martinelli, Willian, ESR, Saka, Willock, Nelson and AMN should have plenty of opportunity to play first team football in all competitions. The question is whether we would need to add real quality in the ‘2’ or ‘3’ this January, or that we should better spend our money in another area. Do we have a more urgent need to add a more all-round CF than we currently have (one who is strong in the air and does hold up play really well)? Or should we add another defender to strengthen our defence?

Now let’s imagine, just for a bit of winter-fun, the club manage to let a few players go who are no longer required and are able to free up funds to buy one just quality player for around £40m this January: who would you like us to get? You can spend less, or more if you have to, but it can only be one player. Furthermore, what would be your strongest eleven to beat the vast majority of teams in the PL? So I am not talking about the one off occasions of playing Pool or Man City but how we can beat the sort of teams who got the better of us in recent months on a regular basis.

I am wary to put forward my team as I am more interested in the views of our bloggers (and new bloggers are very welcome too) and I don’t want to influence this too much. But just to kick-start the discussion, here is my strongest 11 + 1 newly purchased player:

I am certain about all positions except CF, Nr10, and RB. I love Hector and would not want to lose him, but this is the position I reckon we have the strongest need to buy an upgrade. With a more mobile style of football with strong runs into the box by midfielders, we may not need the strong-in-the-air CF as much as we did when we were playing the 3-4-3 formation. I am also less convinced that we most urgently need a new nr10, but I know that many disagree with this. So if it was up to me, I would go for a quality right back and I have been very impressed by Ajax’s Mazraoui, lately. I think he would offer on the right what Tierney offers on the left.

So there you go, that’s my choice…. What is yours?

By TotalArsenal.

After an under par first-half performance, the boys stepped it up in the second half and earned themselves a hard-fought win on the south coast. This was all about fitness levels for ninety minutes and patience; and it seemed to me that Arteta had instructed the boys to start compact and not to use too much energy initially. In the second half, the brakes were loosened and the boys started to combine some fine passes which led to a few more than half-decent chances. Unfortunately, Auba lacked once again his ‘normal’ cool and precision and Martinelli was also not decisive if and when a half-chance came to him.

But Arteta was on it; he brought on Laca and within 21 seconds – the expected time for most mammals larger than a rat to pee – he struck gold. A glorious run from our own half by Saka, shrugging off players like they were made of fluff in the process, made all the difference. Saka’s run was impressive enough, but he still had the composure to look up, spot Laca, and place the ball perfectly in front of him – the ball was never off the ground. Laca had time to take the all important first touch and then he found the net like a seasoned sharpshooter. It really was the only and decisive highlight of the game. It was not vintage Arsenal, but the salt and dirt from this game will have tasted extra nice when the boys took their showers after the game. It was a victory of cup game proportions. Arsenal just had to win it, and win they did.

Player Ratings – all boys get an extra half point for commitment.

Leno: 8 – this was a very assured performance by our German goalkeeper. I loved the way he got down quickly and decisively twice, holding on to the ball in the process. Assured in the air, as he once again enjoyed the protection of two classical, ‘English’ CBs. Distribution was not bad, especially with so few options for him for the long balls.

Tierney: 7.5 – did his job in defence well and tried hard to make things happen in attack, with a few peaches of crosses.

Mari and Holding: 7.5 – strong in the air and calm on the ground. Brighton were disappointing and they were only going to score from a high ball into the box today. Both Mari and Holding were not having it and bossed the castle all game long. Passing out from the back and long balls are for both a work in progress, but these boys will fight for us all the way.

Bellerin: 7.5 – it looks like Hector is starting to find his groove again, and he really likes working with Saka both in attack and in defence.

Elneny: 7 – looked tired at times and made a few mistakes, but he also made one or two vital interceptions and always reads the game well when we are defending.

Xhaka: 7.5 – nothing fancy today, just hard work, concentration and reading the game well for ninety minutes. It’s sad to think that just one mistake will make many Gooners jump on him again. Arteta simply loves him.

Martinelli: 7 – BHA knew that the danger would come from Marti and Saka, and they were on them constantly in the first half. They also were very disciplined in blocking off the sides and kept us at bay for quite a while. Marti was less influential than in the Chelsea game, but his hard work was nevertheless important for us.

ESR: 8 – Emile really impressed me with his positioning and discipline; he gave hardly anything away and avoided making fouls for ninety minutes. He may be regarded as a nr10 by many but today he showed he is on his way to becoming a complete midfielder.

Saka: 8.5 – MOTM – worked hard and played so maturely. And then that run, dribble and quality ball into the box for Laca that made all the difference. A very, very fine assist. He is so good Arteta just does not dare to take him off… yet he has to be careful not to overplay Bukayo.

Auba: 6 – Pierre is struggling to regain his phenomenal form of last seasons, and once again he was not sharp when it mattered. But I did like his work rate in defence and so a six seems appropriate.

Subs:

Laca: 8 – to come off the bench like that and take your chance with such calm and calculated execution is very special. This was not a tap in but a fine goal that earned us three points (or two if you are pedantic about it 😉 ). This is were experience pays off; a masterstroke by Arteta.

Ceballos and AMN were not long enough on the pitch to pass judgement.

By TotalArsenal.

Arsenal v Brighton Hove Albion – December 29^th, 2020

Founded in 1901, and nicknamed the “Seagulls” or “Albion”, Brighton played their early professional football in the Southern League, before being elected to the Football League in 1920. The club enjoyed greatest prominence between 1979 and 1983 when they played in the First Division and reached the 1983 FA Cup Final, losing to Manchester United after a replay.They were relegated from the First Division in the same season.

By the late 1990s, Brighton was in the fourth tier of English football and were having financial difficulties. After narrowly avoiding relegation from the Football League to the Conference in 1997, a boardroom takeover saved the club from liquidation. Successive promotions in 2001 and 2002 brought Brighton back to the second tier, and in 2011, the club moved into the Falmer Stadium after 14 years without a permanent home ground. In the 2016–17 season, Brighton finished second in the EFL Championship and were thus promoted to the Premier League, ending a 34-year absence from the top flight.

The building of Falmer Stadium started in December 2008. On 31 May 2011 the club officially completed the handover and was given the keys to the stadium with an initial capacity of 22,374 seats, signifying the end of 12 years without a home. During January 2012, the club submitted an application to Brighton and Hove City council to increase the stadium capacity by a further 8,000 seats as well as to add additional corporate boxes, new television facilities and a luxury suite. This was granted unanimously by Brighton & Hove City Council’s planning committee on 25 April 2012. The stadium was then expanded to 27,250 for the start of the  2012–13 season and then further to 27,750 during December 2012 before reaching 30,750 during May 2013.

Brighton’s first season back in the Premier League was largely successful, with the club rising into the top half several times in the season. Despite falling to one point above the relegation zone in January, victories over Arsenal and Manchester United in the final months of the campaign helped secure a finish of 15th.

Brighton’s second season in the Premier League was inconsistent. Despite a promising start, the team endured a poor second half of the season, achieving just 3 wins in their last 18 games. In the FA Cup, Brighton reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1983, losing 1–0 to Manchester City. Albion ultimately survived relegation with a 17th-place finish, but Hughton was sacked following the end of the season due to the poor run of results.

Following Hughton’s sacking, Swansea manager Graham Potter was appointed as the new manager on a four-year contract. The contract was extended by a further 2 years in November 2019. From March to June 2020, the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following a 0–0 draw with Newcastle in July 2020, Brighton secured a fourth season in the Premier League, eventually finishing the season in 15th.

Arsenal v Brighton Away Games (Div 1)
	W	D	L	GF	GA
18-Aug-79	1			4	0
04-Apr-81	1			1	0
10-Apr-82			1	1	2
07-Sep-82			1	0	1
Total :	2	0	2	6	3

Arsenal’s away record in the Premier League at Brighton is less than stellar, in the three games we have played we are yet to win and we have only gained one point out of nine. All of the games have been low scoring affairs with Arsenal only managing one goal per game.

Arsenal v Brighton EPL – Away Games
	W	D	L	GF	GA
4-Mar-18			1	1	2
26-Dec-18		1		1	1
20-Jun-20			1	1	2
29-Dec-20
Total :	0	1	2	3	5

Arsenal v Brighton – ALL Away Games
	W	D	L	GF	GA
Division 1:	2	0	2	6	3
EPL	0	1	2	3	5
Total :	2	1	4	9	8

Despite our sad away record I believe that we will build on our impressive victory over Chelsea and come away from Falmer Stadium with all three points.

GunnerN5

TA’s Preferred Lineup:

The boys had a few days rest but most if not all will be ready to shine again. Mikel will want to keep momentum going and at least for the first 60 minutes or so he can play the same, or a similar, team. I am more worried about the last 20 minutes or so as fatigue will start to show then. With just three subs available this is a concern. Saka, Martinelli, ESR, Tierminator and Mari are especially vulnerable to fatigue and injury, I would imagine. With Mari the only natural left CB – Luiz and Gab are still out – Arteta will have to play him I reckon, but it will come at a risk. Arteta may have to opt for Mustafi late on or even move Xhaka in to the LCB position.

I feel it would be sensible to start with AMN rather than Tierney, as he could well be in the ‘red zone’. Just for confidence it would be good to start with Marti, Emile and Saka behind the CF again, but this is where Arteta will have to make a few subs again. I expect Auba to start and Laca to either start in the ‘Three’ behind him or to come on later on. Saka may also be in the red zone, so a start for Nelson may be on the cards.

BHA are a good team that will play football rather than just sit back. I have enjoyed watching their games this season. They have some fine technical players in Trossard, Lallana, March and Maupay, and of course our friend tut tut tut tut, Danny Welbeck, will be keen to show us what he is still capable of. This will not be easy and we will have to treat this game as an FA Cup game if we want to bring home all the bacon.

Anyway, here is my preferred lineup which probably is not too far removed from the actual one (if two players are mentioned the one on the left is most likely to play imo):

A win v Chelsea was an incredible Boxing Day gift, and this makes it easier to write this post. But I would have written it anyway, as I believe there are good reasons to keep believing in Mikel to bring glory and beautiful football to the club eventually.

Five reasons to believe in Mikel Arteta:

1. A football paradigm-shift takes time. Why was Mikel appointed by Arsenal? Inexperienced and young, he only offered enthusiasm, a vision for the game and having been taught by one of the best managers in the game; the sort of manager we should have appointed after Wenger left. So Arteta was given the job because he had a vision that fitted the club and the team – and it was not without risk. There will have been no illusion that not an evolution but a revolution was required to make Mikel’s vision – a paradigm shift in terms of system and style of football – a reality. Revolutions in football are hard as the players have the power and the unwanted players are hard to shift during these C19 days. Arteta needs much more time to create the right setting in terms of cultural changes, tactical adjustments and putting together the right group of players.
2. His victories over the top teams are impressive. Other than JM – who does not currently manage a top team but has been successful enough to call him a top manager – Mikel has beaten them all this calendar year. This is a big sign that we have a manager who can prepare a team and give them confidence in the big games all the way to victory. For a young manager in his first season this is very impressive and promising.
3. The signings of new players since he arrived are very promising too. Mari and Soares are good back-ups to first team players, Partey and Gabriel are top quality, and Willian, although yet to deliver on his investment, was a shrewd move imo. The only dubious one was Runarsson, and let’s not judge him too soon. He needs two more transfer windows to get the balance right in terms of his player group. This does not necessary mean spending loads of money, but half a dozen players will have to leave to make space for youngsters and two or three quality purchases. A new right FB, another quality central midfielder (as Allezkev has been telling us), and a CF who is strong in the air would do miracles I reckon – oh and a nr2 goalkeeper would be nice.
4. Young players develop well under Mikel. He may not use them yet as much as many would prefer, but he is giving them chances and those who do well will keep playing. Arteta has to find the right balance between using both young and experienced players continuously, and it cannot be easy to keep all happy and motivated. If things do not go well we understandably cry out for change, any change, but Arteta will have to balance many needs and expectations, and I think he is doing a great job. Saka is getting better and better; Martinelli is getting chances straightaway from being fit again; ESR got his first start; Holding, although not that young anymore, is growing into a first choice for RCB, and; AMN and Eddie are getting chances to play themselves into the first team. Which other top-team manager is using so many young players this season?
5. Arsenal are going through a difficult phase as Arteta’s vision and instructions are not baring fruit on the pitch as yet. The win against Chelsea is promising but we need to stay grounded and not just believe that all is fine now. We will see more ups and downs and the next two games, v Brighton and WBA, will be stern tests for him and the team. Yet I felt we were never played off the pitch, but did most of the damage ourselves. Arsenal were playing way below their levels and that is hard for the players: a mixture of nervousness and frustration set in and made things only worse. But sooner or later this will change again when the hard work on and off the pitch starts paying off; and for this we need a calm, humble and hard-working manager who just keeps believing in the course he has set out for the team. I have been very impressed by Mikel’s resolve and humanity during these very testing last few months. He does not blame, he does not hide, he suffers right in front of us, but he keeps believing and working hard to make the breakthroughs, and that is what I love about him.

So I see plenty of reasons to support Arteta, but then I do support our team as an amateur Stoic, and I can see this is not for everyone.

I will finish with a fine quote by Marcus Aurelius, probably the most qualified of all Stoics to give advise:

“When forced as it seems, by circumstances into utter confusion, get a hold of yourself quickly. Don’t be locked out by the rhythm any longer than necessary. You’ll be able to keep the beat if you are constantly returning to it.”

By TotalArsenal.

Arsenal 3 – 1 Chelsea

Well that was a refreshing game and a great result for the boys. I felt strongly that Arsenal would have a good game, but to see us actually taking the bull by its horns and converting our chances was just bliss. We will do a bit of analysis of the game in the next few days but, for now, here are my player ratings:

Leno: 8 – Close contender for MOTM with that superb penalty safe at a crucial moment in the game. We did much less of the playing out from the back torture and that seems to suit Leno well. Really enjoyed the protection of the tall, no-nonsense CBs in front of him.

Bellerin: 7.5 – some good interceptions and clearances and a constant support for the attack. His final ball in an attacking move remains below par, and had this been better we would have had one or two more goals (just ask Martinelli! 🙂 ). Captained the team well.

Mari: 8 – solid in the air and good positioning – seemed to work well with his fellow team mates and offered presence on the pitch. Extra half point for his discipline to stay on the pitch after being awarded a yellow card early on.

Holding: 8 – played with that real determination not to concede a goal and to give it to the Chavskis. Offered real presence on the pitch and this was one of his best games. Just let him be a classic CB and Rob will be okay.

Tierney: 8.5 – awesome performance from start to finish. We have not had such a good FB on the left since Ashley Cole strutted his stuff for us. Just such a determination about him and nothing of his energy is wasted; Kieran is Mr Efficiency in all that he does, almost menacingly robotic – The Terminator.

Elneny: 7.5 – Elneny was in his element. He is the nr.2 central midfielder. Don’t ask him to make play, just ask him to be tidy and let others shine. Such a player is of course key in midfield and today Mohammed had an understated good game.

Xhaka: 8.5 – Extra point for the goal. Quietly directed the game and helped us to maintain shape throughout.

Saka: 8.5 – Brilliant game with an extra point for his bullseye dart. This boy is so good.

Martinelli: 8.5 MOTM – he had no goal or assist but he could have had with better service, especially from Bellerin. But his performance was special in as much as he gave Arsenal its soul back. I believe we would not have won this game without him. Like Tierney, the Brazilian just does not give up and is very determined and efficient in his efforts. A joy to watch, our heartbeat.

ESR: 7.5 – really helped with connecting the lines of midfield and attack, and defence and midfield. Industrious and at times too keen perhaps, but he added energy to our game as long as he was on the pitch. Just don’t forget to breathe, Emile.

Laca: 8 – with an extra point for converting the pen – there was a lot of weight on Alex’s shoulder at that moment. Industrious and really enjoyed the free attacking role surrounded by the eager puppies. Should have added the fourth goal when gifted a golden chance.

The Subs:

Willock: 6 – struggled to settle in and take over adequately from ESR.

Pepe: 5 – struggled to settle in and help the team to see out the game.

Mustafi: not long enough on the pitch to make a judgement.

By TotalArsenal.

The Chavs are coming to the Home of Football and they will be smelling blood. The Arsenal are wounded, self-confidence is low and Arteta is struggling to get his vision and instructions to bare fruit on the pitch. The fans are livid, the Arsenal hating press are having a field day and the club’s management are hiding under the Christmas tree. Poor Mikel has to deal with it all on his own. But our own Paddington Bear is made of sterner stuff and he is giving his all for the cause, and I think today will be his lucky day. The turnaround.

Why do I think this? Because I believe that Arteta understands that this sort of adversity was to be expected, and he is using it to make breakthroughs. He set out on a different course and it was bound to lead to difficulties. He knew that and that’s why he is relatively calm. But he has also announced that this week of football is absolutely crucial for the club, and I like that. We are due a bit of luck, and I feel once it starts running the floodgates will open. I predict a 4-1 victory to the Good Guys today.

Team news is sketchy at the moment. Auba and Martinelli are being assessed but Partey is still out unfortunately. The good news is that Granit is back (and that he does not have to play in front of fans). Much maligned as he is, I believe he will bring much improvement to our midfield today. Xhaka has a good bond with Elneny and this is of course key in any midfield. Against the Chavs they will have a game on their hands, as always is the case.

Our best defence includes Luiz at the back but only in a trio of CBs. So I expect/hope we will play three at the back: Holdingho, Luiz, Gabrielho. They are solid in general. The full backs: Tierney of course and one of Hector or AMN. The former is rested, the latter looks more solid; they are both not perfect and I expect Mikel to go for experience rather than youth.

The real question is what to do with the three remaining positions… and will we play with three attackers or two, with then one extra midfielder. I so hope it is the latter. Four in midfield in a 3-4-3 is deceptive: the wingbacks just go everywhere and suddenly the midfield is just two bodies (and maybe a CB who comes stabbing forwards to help out when they see danger occasionally, with often bad consequences as we have seen recently). So I feel we need to have an extra midfielder in front of Xhaka-Elneny; somebody who can defend, pass and score in a game like this. For me that boy-man is Bukayo.

Finally, who should play in attack? Well it depends on fitness. If Auba and Martinelli are fit, and I expect that this is the case, they will play. They work well with Saka and offer both clinical finishing and energy. Auba is (still) to good to leave out and Martinelli has that bit of extra that we have been missing in attack. Eddie, Pepe and Willian have been under-par recently, but Laca may get a start for either Auba or Martinelli. I could live with that.

Anyway, my ideal lineup v the Chavs today is:

Of course a lineup is only a small part of the job, the rest is attitude, concentration and being decisive at the key moments. We can do it today.

C O M E O N Y O U R I P R O A R I N G G U N N E R S!

By TotalArsenal.

I’ve tried a player ratings; I’d give a:

3 to Mustafi-Soares-Kolasinac:
They’re supposed to be experienced players, serious professionals, but they keep doing things any decent youth coach would reproach a U13 with, like: taking a nap during the first minutes of the game (Soares, Mustafi), being obsessed with the ball and not checking the forwards’ moves and position (Mustafi), kicking the ball away in desperation, and in ridiculous fashion, under pressure (Mustafi, Soares), not wanting to f…..g learn the offside rule (Kolasinac), being unable to play with his head up and cross the ball to a teammate, not an opponent (Kolasinac), or simply not seeing the delightful move – that any grandma you took to a game for the first time would’ve seen – of one your young teammates (Balogun-Kolasinac). Is that even a 3? Jury’s out.

4 to Pépé:
I’d very much like him to make it, I really would, he’s obviously a very nice lad, but …the great Johan used to say: “You play football with your head, and your legs are there to help you.”, while Nicolas is all legs and no brain, like some kind of soccer Forrest Gump. I’m pretty sure when fans are allowed back into the Emirates, many of them will cheer him up this way: “Run, Nicolas, run”. But that’s his “one-trick pony” side that‘s irritating me most, maybe. In the final minutes of the game, Folarin had this darting run right into the center of the City block, he asked for a simple one-two, and Pépé just killed the whole thing in the egg, to try this curler of his that I can’t put up with any longer (has anyone ever told him that the first thing an attacker has to do, is f…..g be on target???)

5 to: Elneny-Ceballos-Maitland-Niles
Average, what more can I say? After his brilliant performance at Old Trafford, Mo seems to just be going through the motions now. Ainsley obviously has had enough of being given the Mikel’s treatment (right, left, very occasionally DM – where he should have been blooming for some time now). As for Dani, he’s a skillful lad, but his lack of pace is painful to watch (you can do without pace when you’re Toni Kroos, but Dani’s not), and I don’t like this kind of misplaced aggression he displays much too often (at the wrong time, against the wrong guy), not to mention the way he behaves with refs: if he keeps doing this, we’re in for more one-man-down second halves.

6 to: Gabriel- Lacazette
Gabriel is an extraordinary buy, it’s really hard to believe he’s only 22, but at the moment he – understandably, though – wants to do too much, and I’m afraid the PGMO Arsenal-haters have more red cards in store for him too. Mikel has to talk to him about that, and the sooner the better. Never being allowed to play a full 90 minutes, benched, being made captain, having the penalties taken off him, being used as a never-seen-before-kind-of number-10, being cut off from one of the very best playmakers, assist-providers in the world (MÖ10), constantly abused on twitter by a swarm of so-called Arsenal fans (even though he’s still our second-best goal-scorer, and – yes!! – his stats are very, very close to Auba’s … I don’t think Laca will keep many warm memories of his London stay, but in such a context, his performance was more than decent. I, for one, was very happy with his delightful first touch, his hold-up play, his football brain, and … his goal, of course (very well-taken header, great positioning, great resolve). He has to get as far away from this madhouse as possible, and ASAP. I wish he could have fun in a Europa League team playing good, attacking, football, where he’ll be liked and forgiven, for the next 3 or 4 years.

7 to: Willock-SmithRowe-Balogun
They were a joy to watch; Joe has muscled up his game, eventually, he has to be first-choice, he must be picked against Chelsea Saturday, whether in the engine room, or on the right wing (in Aaron-under-Arsène-fashion). His through pass to Martinelli, when our Brazilian wonder was axed, was just delightful. Emil and Folarin are two extraordinary lads, everything they do oozes class; now that we don’t have anything to expect (or fear – this squad won’t go down) in the League, they have to be given playing time.

9 to: Martinelli
What can I say? He’s here for all to see, probably one of the most extraordinary buys this football club has ever made. The way he chases the ball, like a guided missile, and of course the way he wreaks havoc in the opponents’ 40 yards, every time he gets the ball. The risk the staff has taken with him when they kept him on the pitch, and even more so when he was made to come back after half-time, is un-professionalism of titanic proportions. Unforgivable, really.

Last, but not least. Please allow me to introduce to you: Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson
In days of yore, you had only two players on the bench, and none of them was a keeper, so that when the goalie was injured, one of the attackers/midfielders/defenders (for some reason, it often was the CF who did it) had to put the gloves on, and deputize. It was great fun, the whole crowd cheered him up all along; some of them put on truly miraculous performances, and then the crowd went berserk, but most of the time the ball kept slipping between the poor guy’s hands, legs, he dived too early, or too soon, on corners he would miss the ball and punch away the faces of his teammates, and the opponents ended up piling goals upon goals. A stand-up comedian couldn’t have made it up, the whole thing was priceless, and some of these games are among my very best fan’s memories. So yesterday, thanks to Rúnar Alex, I took a wonderful trip down memory lane. After 5 minutes I just kept laughing my head off, which is why, eventually, I’ll leave his rating to you, lads …

By LE GALL

Mikel’s master is coming to the home of football for a League Cup encounter in late December. Both have bigger concerns to deal with right now but they also have a chance to get closer to winning some silverware this season, so we may get a decent game. In a way, the lack of pressure may work for both teams tomorrow night.

Is Mikel going to play tons of youngsters? I doubt it very much, but if he does that is fine with me too. I expect a 3-4-3 formation with the solid three of Holding, Luiz and Gab at the back and the wing backs being covered by Bells and Tierney. The heart of midfield remains an issue as we are missing our first choice duo of Granit and Partey. Their likely replacements are once again Elneny and Ceballos. And once again I am hoping for AMN to play in midfield, and maybe Mikel will opt for him.

Up front, with Auba out and Pepe and Willian struggling at the moment, we may see some youngsters getting a start. Is Martinelli fit enough for a start? Will Saka get another start – he could do with a rest? Laca is likely to start but maybe we will see a bit of Balogun in this game, although a start is unlikely.

Anyway, with the likes of ESR, Joe Willock and one or two others on the bench Arteta should be able to make some changes in the second half if needed.

Looking forward to this one.

By TotalArsenal.

The games keep coming and there is little time for reflection and refocusing. The aim is clear: Arsenal need a win and this needs to be done from within each individual on the pitch. If everybody fights at their hardest then at some point our luck will return and the team will become a team again. Let there be rock!

AC/DC – Let There Be Rock (Live At River Plate, December 2009) – YouTube

The Toffees are of course not an easy sweet to crack. They are flying at the moment and have a shrewd and experienced manager in Ancelotti. But such is the form of Arsenal that it does not really matter who we play; we are our own worst enemy. This team is looking for its balance, for things to start clicking and for Arteta’s camino to start leading us in the right direction. Will it happen today? Probably not but hopefully we see some more progress.

Mikel Arteta: Why Arsenal have ‘no doubts’ despite worst start in decades – BBC Sport

Guillem Balague’s article for the BBC seems to give a clear indication that all is well inside the Arsenal camp: the management are behind Mikel and so are the players. He may be a little too regimented in his approach but they can all see that he is working hard and has a clear vision for our club. When things don’t go well we all start to see elephants and rhinoceroses on the road, issue conspiracy-theories and look for causes and solutions, but when you read the above article it all seems to be just a case of inevitable stumble-blocks on the path of (structural and cultural change. I think Mikel and the club would do well to explain their vision to the fans and ask for some patience this season.

So how will Arteta line-up today? I think it will be pretty similar to Wednesday’s formation with probably Luiz for Gabriel in the centre of defence. Maybe Laca will start ahead of Eddie and Willian ahead of Pepe, and Bells will start.

If it was up to me though, I would start with the following eleven:

I would like Willian to play in the nr10 position but help out in midfield too. Elneny can move next to AMN if and when Willy moves in the hole. Soares can sit back but now and again, as unexpected as possible, he can move forwards to spring an attack from our right hand side. I like to continue with the combo of Tierney, Saka and Auba on the left side, with AMN providing cover in all areas. Luiz can organise our defence in a three at the back – the only way to play him imo – and he can provide a few nice balls over the top for our-free-to-roam central attackers. Arteta can bring in the likes of Ceballos, ESR, Nelson, Eddie, Balogun (?)etc to freshen up things.

Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners – Let There Be Rock!!!

By TotalArsenal.

All our Center Forwards look the same. They are waiting to pounce on a quality ball all day long. Auba is average on the ball and with his passing; Eddie is not much better and the quintessential pouncing forward; Laca is again a bit better but nothing to write home about: they all are natural finishers but as footballers quite limited. Our wing play is really not bad at all but too often our attackers do not join in but wait in the box for that top quality pass. Most of our opponents are just too good at defending to make this approach work.

All are not strong in the air so defenders only have to worry about the low to the ground passes. Usually they outnumber our attackers and not enough runs are made from midfield to add an extra threat. As a result, our attacks are often one-dimensional and as sharp as cooked spaghetti; something has to change.

We discussed the need for a nr10 sort of player behind the attackers. There are a few who can play in that role. Under Arteta, and rightly so, this needs to be a hard working midfielder who will score regularly. The only player who fits that bill realistically is Willian. We have a few youngsters like Willock, ESR or Saka, but our real hope has to be Martinelli once he is fully fit again.

I still think that just playing a nr10 will not resolve all our issues. Our attackers in front of this position need to be able to receive the ball and keep it, pass clever balls, dribble and thus help to create openings and chances for each other. I just don’t see the likes of Auba, Eddie and Laca do that enough. It is also fair to say that Pepe remains a work in progress.

What we are crying our for is a CF who is strong in the air and can do the hold up play really well. Somebody who can pass and combine with others and who is a focal point for both our nr10 as well as the wing players. Arteta needs to mix things up a bit. I agree he cannot score the goals for his attackers and they have been missing form significantly, but just waiting for it to change by itself may just not work.

There are some big games coming up before the TW opens, so why not try something different? Who is strong in the air and likes to hustle with players, can receive the ball well and pass accurately (enough)? Other than a youngster like Moller, I cannot think about anyone. So why not try one of our unused defenders with an eye for a goal for a few weeks? Just to mix it up a bit. Shkodran this is your moment! 😉

By TotalArsenal.