Bergkampesque

Man United 1 – 1 Arsenal: A great away point or two precious ones dropped?!

We may get player ratings from Pb later this week, so let me do the usual eight observations. A draw is of course not a bad result away at Old Toilet but we cannot help but feel we could have had our first PL win in 13 years and 13 days there today.

Eight initial observations:

1. Saka and Pepe: one plays with no weight on his shoulders and the other carries bags with £72m pound coins on them, and it shows. Saka was a joy to watch and crowned his fine performance with that bit of quality that was missing in much of the game: a quick and well placed ball for Auba to finish. I love his physical strength and his cool head with and without the ball: a star is born!! Pepe on the other hand is living in a nightmare; poor passes, poor shooting, poor set-pieces. Still we lost something when he was substituted.
2. Auba is just quality and has to be our MOTM for taking his one big chance so well. His in-game football is not the best in the world, and that is why he is not at one of the top-top European clubs, but his effort was great and when that chance comes he will take it more often than not. Auba is a Gunner! Love him.
3. Guendouzi, Torreira and Xhaka had the midfield covered. The only thing that was missing is the link up with the attackers; even though Torreira and Guendouzi worked their socks off to make that connection, it was clear we missed Mesut who could have easily played instead of Pepe tonight.
4. And then Emery did something that was just so infuriating: he broke up the nicely purring midfield by taking Torreira (out of favour?) off and putting Ceballos (part of Emery’s ‘signature’?) on. Yes we needed an Ozil/Ceballos, but not instead of Torreira. Soon afterwards he took off both the wingers, so why not do that a bit earlier and keep Torreira on? I reckon it was Unai punishing Torreira for missing a big chance just before the substitution, because that is the sort of guy he is… But Torreira is a not an attacking midfielder and at least he was in the box to take on the opportunity! See also observation 7…
5. Leno was absolute class and what a safe at the end from that late free-kick!! I also thought that Luiz and Big Sok had a great game, combining both a never-say-die attitude with full concentration for 90 minutes. The Central Defence did us proud today – much, much better than in previous games.
6. I thought the full backs had a good game, also working their socks off and really adding attitude to their performances. Having said that, I reckon with a bit more quality in the final ball into the box we could have won it; and if there is one reason why Tierney and Bellerin will soon become our nr1s there, it’s for that reason (especially without a natural nr.10 in our formation).
7. Emery’s subs… what can I say other than what I already said above? Even though we scored soon after the first substitution, this really had nothing to do with it. What exactly did Ceballos and Nelson add to our game? Virtually nothing. Ceballos or Martinelli for Pepe was on the cards, but imho Emery gave the win away with his subs in the second half.
8. But even though we did not win, and we may not get a better chance to win there for a while, this is still an important draw for Arsenal. We are fourth and have played Pool (away), Mancs (away) and Spuds (home of football) already in just seven PL games. This hard-fought draw condemns the Mancs to their worst League start in 30 years and provides Arsenal with a platform to push on now. Whether Emery has the ability to get the best out of this team continues to be THE question but at least they gave their all for the shirt and that is something to be proud of.

By TotalArsenal.

 

Arsenal v Manchester United Away – September 30, 2019

Manchester United was formed in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club by the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR) depot at Newton Heath. The team initially played games against other departments and railway companies, but on 20 November 1880 they competed in their first recorded match; wearing the colours of the railway company – green and gold – they were defeated 6–0 by Bolton Wanderers’ reserve team. By 1888, the club had become a founding member of The Combination, a regional football league. Following the league’s dissolution after only one season, Newton Heath joined the newly formed Football Alliance, which ran for three seasons before being merged with The Football League. This resulted in the club starting the 1892–93 season in the First Division, by which time it had become independent of the railway company and dropped the “LYR” from its name. After two seasons, the club was relegated to the Second Division.

In January 1902, with debts of £2,670 – equivalent to £280,000 in 2019 – the club was served with a winding-up order. Captain Harry Stafford found four local businessmen, including John Henry Davies (who became club president), each willing to invest £500 in return for a direct interest in running the club and who subsequently changed the name; on 24 April 1902, Manchester United was officially born. Under Ernest Mangnall, who assumed managerial duties in 1903, the team finished as Second Division runners-up in 1906 and secured promotion to the First Division, which they won in 1908 – the club’s first league title. The following season began with victory in the first ever Charity Shield and ended with the club’s first FA Cup title. Manchester United won the First Division for the second time in 1911, but at the end of the following season, Mangnall left the club to join Manchester City.

In 1922, three years after the resumption of football following the First World War, the club was relegated to the Second Division, where it remained until regaining promotion in 1925. Relegated again in 1931, Manchester United became a yo-yo club, achieving its all-time lowest position of 20th place in the Second Division in 1934. Following the death of principal benefactor John Henry Davies in October 1927, the club’s finances deteriorated to the extent that Manchester United would likely have gone bankrupt had it not been for James W. Gibson, who, in December 1931, invested £2,000 and assumed control of the club. In the 1938–39 season, the last year of football before the Second World War, the club finished 14th in the First Division.………………………………………………………………………………………………

Arsenal v Manchester United

The first game between the two world famous clubs took place away at North Road, Manchester. It was played on Saturday October 13th 1894 and the game ended in a 3-3 draw. Both teams were in League Division 2 and at the time – United were known as Newton Heath and Arsenal as Woolwich Arsenal.

Here’s a look back at some memorable games between the two clubs.

Manchester United 2-0 Arsenal
2011 FA Cup – Quarter-Final

Neither side came into this clash high on confidence with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United having lost their previous two matches against Chelsea and Liverpool, while Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal had recently lost a League Cup final to Birmingham and been dumped out of the Champions League by Barcelona. Despite Ferguson naming an extraordinarily defensive side on paper, with seven defenders and Darron Gibson accompanying Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez, it was United who ran out 2-0 winners. Fabio da Silva opened the scoring and Rooney sealed it with a second soon after the break. The joy was short-lived however as United were beaten by rivals Manchester City in their Wembley semi-final.

Arsenal 0-0 (5-4 pens) Manchester United
2005 FA Cup – Final

History was made in Cardiff when the FA Cup final was decided on penalties for the first time with Arsenal beating Manchester United 5-4 on spot-kicks after a goalless draw. United had enjoyed by far the better of the game itself with Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy each hitting the woodwork and when Jose Antonio Reyes was sent off in the final moments of extra-time their dominance was confirmed in numbers as well as chances. But the Gunners showed extraordinary resilience and were blemish-free from 12 yards, while Paul Scholes saw his penalty saved by Jens Lehmann. The winning kick was taken by Captain Patrick Vieira in what was to prove his final game for the club.

Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
2004 FA Cup – Semi-Final

Arsenal had won the FA Cup in each of the previous two seasons and the Invincibles were en route to going unbeaten throughout an entire Premier League season when the sides met at Villa Park in April 2004. However, it was Manchester United who progressed to the final against lower-league Millwall thanks to a 1-0 win. Edu and Patrick Vieira both hit the woodwork for the Gunners but with Thierry Henry omitted from the starting line-up and Ruud van Nistelrooy injured for the Red Devils, it was left to Paul Scholes to provide the incision, firing home from close range just after the half-hour mark. United held on to end Arsenal’s 18-game unbeaten run in the competition and claimed the trophy when they defeated Millwall 3-0 the following month.

Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal
1999 FA Cup – Semi Final

This famous FA Cup meeting between the two clubs had enough drama for five classics. David Beckham opened the scoring by curling into the far corner – the first goal Arsenal had conceded in over seven hours. But Dennis Bergkamp equalised midway through the second half with a great turn and shot and the Gunners could’ve gone ahead when Nicolas Anelka had a goal disallowed for offside. When Roy Keane was sent off shortly afterwards, Arsenal were in the ascendancy and looked set to win it when Phil Neville conceded a last-minute penalty by bringing down Ray Parlour. But Peter Schmeichel saved brilliantly from Bergkamp and when Patrick Vieira surrendered possession to substitute Ryan Giggs, the Welshman scored one of the great solo goals. “The luckiest team won” said Arsene Wenger.

Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal
1983 FA Cup – Semi Final

The 1983 FA Cup semi-final was the second domestic cup competition in which the two teams had faced off that season, with Ron Atkinson’s United already 6-3 aggregate winners over two legs of the League Cup. England international Tony Woodcock gave the Gunners the lead at Villa Park but Bryan Robson came up with an equaliser just before half-time. A 17-year-old Norman Whiteside was the hero for United when he thumped in the winner. “It was a great moment,” Robson told the official Manchester United website recently. “To have won the semi-final and be on the way to Wembley was fantastic.” It was to get better for Atkinson’s team when they beat Brighton at the second attempt to lift the trophy with both Robson and Whiteside among the scorers.

Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United
1979 FA Cup – Final

The old cliché about never being more vulnerable than when you’ve scored a goal ought to have been written for this game as Alan Sunderland ensured United’s comeback counted for nothing. The Gunners had gone ahead through Brian Talbot before Frank Stapleton doubled the lead just before half-time with Liam Brady once again the architect. But Gordon McQueen pulled one back from a set-piece with just five minutes remaining and a late equaliser by Sammy McIlroy, wriggling free from his markers, seemed to complete the comeback. However, just as the momentum seemed to be with Dave Sexton’s side, Sunderland popped up at the far post to turn in Graham Rix’s cross and win it for Arsenal. No wonder it was dubbed the ‘Five Minute Final’.

Overall away game record

Arsenal v Man U All Away Games
GP	League	W	D	L	GF	GA
10	Division 2	1	3	6	8	24
63	Division 1	12	17	34	61	120
27	Premier	3	8	16	18	45
100	Totals	16	28	56	87	189

Premier League away game record

Arsenal v Man U EPL Away Games
GP	Date	W	D	L	GF	GA
1	March 24, 1993		1		0	0
2	September 19, 1993			1	0	1
3	March 22, 1995			1	0	3
4	March 20, 1996			1	0	1
5	November 16, 1996			1	0	1
6	March 14, 1998	1			1	0
7	February 17, 1999		1		1	1
8	January 24, 2000		1		1	1
9	February 25, 2001			1	1	6
10	May 8, 2002	1			1	0
11	December 7, 2002			1	0	2
12	September 21, 2003		1		0	0
13	October 24, 2004			1	0	2
14	April 9, 2006			1	0	2
15	September 17, 2006	1			1	0
16	April 13, 2008			1	1	2
17	May 16, 2009		1		0	0
18	August 29, 2009			1	1	2
19	December 13, 2010			1	0	1
20	August 28, 2011			1	2	8
21	November 3, 2012			1	1	2
22	November 10, 2013			1	0	1
23	May 17, 2015		1		1	1
24	February 28, 2016			1	2	3
25	November 19, 2016		1		1	1
26	April 28, 2018			1	1	2
27	December 5, 2018		1		2	2
Totals		3	8	16	18	45

I acknowledge that stats don’t count for anything on game day but they show that it takes a brave person to be confident of a win at Old Trafford – the writer is one of the brave but I once read that a coward dies a thousand deaths while a brave man only dies once, oh boy – am I prepared to die for the cause……………??

GunnerN5

TotalArsenal’s Favourite Line-Up to Slay the Mancs:

This is unlikely to be Emery’s line-up, but one can only hope.

COYRRGs!

With the Europa League and the Carabao Cup already started we had the privilege to see a glimpse of almost the entire senior squad, and even some academy players in training (apart from Macey and Mavropanos, but if you follow the Academy, they also have played in a few U23 games and a Leasing.com Trophy match).

So, the good news is that we have a great squad, where “back-up players” are more than capable to play football on a high quality. But there is bad news as well: as yet the first team keeps struggling in the Premiere League.

While I have no doubt that it would be way unfair to disregard the major difference between playing against a PL opponent and challenges against Nottingham Forest or Vitoria Guimaraes, I cannot ignore the (seemingly) lack of concept in terms of starting line-up and main tactics or style of play. But before we submerge in criticizing Emery, let’s take a look at the aspects of team selection.

Especially since in and under TotalArsenal’s previous post on squad preference we had almost as many opinions and recommendations as answers. In agreement with most comments – especially with PE and TA – I think there are at least 5 factors in play when Unai Emery (and practically every other manager) determines the starting line-up for the next game:

1) Who are the best players available?

It might not be clear for Emery, or he simply knows better than us. Or even has insider information on the players’ form, fitness and mental state – which he is absolutely supposed to have. And there could be power plays amongdt players, coach, club and agent that could either influence the concentration of the player, or perhaps the coach wants to control the situation with his team selection decision…

2) What strategy would be best suited for our players?

Many coaches have their preferred style of play, but good managers decide the strategy based on the strengths of the squad and might even tailor it to individual players. The other option is – if the club’s executives perfectly know the team’s strength – signing a coach that might not have a broad strategy portfolio but has a signature style and experience appropriate to the squad. (This argument itself disqualifies Mourinho from taking over Arsenal, even if I’m starting to like the guy for the first time.)

3) What are the best tactics against the opposition?

Unless you are Barcelona, the manager must adapt more to the circumstances than expect the circumstances to adapt to him. Factors such as the stadium, weather, referee, the other team’s form and core tactics can – and maybe should – be taken into consideration. I wish I knew what famous unforeseeable results were just pure luck, or the effect of an inferior team using superior strategy.

4) How to rotate the squad optimally?

Rotation serves mainly 2 purposes: to let key players take a well-deserved rest (preventing fatigue or injury), and to allow fringe/youth players to gain valuable first team experience. Some teams have deep traditions in squad rotation, others prefer to field their star players 50+ games every season. And if a team doesn’t send a starlet out on loan then they need more than just training with the team: a few hundreds of minutes could significantly accelerate their development. And on the other hand, lack of minutes hinder the player’s and even the team morale, so contrary to popular misbeliefs (as long as most players are fit) a small squad is way better than a large one.

5) How to be unpredictable? How to exploit the surprise element?

If the opponent’s formation, line-up and tactics are anticipated, there is a good chance to prepare to neutralize or counter it. Therefore, a modern manager should be both far-seer and mysterious – as long as you are not Barcelona or Liverpool whose tactics are near impossible to neutralize. A surprise change is usually about coming up with an unexpected formation, but could also have tactic elements like long balls vs. short passes, man marking vs. zone defence, high crosses vs. dribbling inside the box from the flanks, etc.

+1) How to make changes in the game?

Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you. Even the best managers are outsmarted from time to time (especially if you are a mediocre coach managing a great team like Valverde), and if the initial strategy doesn’t work out, the coach should hack the game by changing the formation and/or the tactics. Sometimes replacing a tired or underperforming player could turn the tide, but an adept manager must be a lot more creative than simply that – without risking the engine to buck.

I like Emery. I am positive that he is largely responsible for the improvement of the squad – both signing exciting new players and getting rid of (some of) the deadwood – and he had many good moments last season, including but not limited to beating Spurs, Chelsea and Man United, drawing with Liverpool at home, reaching the EL final after back-to-back wins against Napoli and Valencia, playing beautiful against Leicester City and Fulham, scoring some wonderful team goals, etc. There were some lows as well, but (almost) every team has them. Hence, I believe we should be more patient with him and give him more time to find his equilibrium.

However, I still really want to criticize him, but preferably without being biased. 😊 Therefore, I want to do it based on the team selection principles above, even attempting to bring Papa Arséne into the comparison:

Wenger was great in 1) and 2). He knew his players in and out, improved them to serve their role in the squad, and developed his signature possession-based Wengerball with pleasing fluidity in attack, smart passes and total team football. Yet he was not a great tactician (3), and he probably thought that trying to be unpredictable (5) was beneath him. He drove his team into battle with their heads high looking for a straight and fair fight, and as long as Arsenal was the better team, he emerged victorious.

But as the Russian and Gulf billions changed the game, he often had to play against equal or superior teams, and the reluctance to customize the tactics as well as his inability to change the game from the inside – sorry to say that, but as far as +1) is concerned Arséne was a Championship level coach – inevitably let to his downfall. But for his contribution to English football, for the invention of Wengerball, for the undefeated 49 games, and his uncompromised youth development (4) his status of club legend is perfectly justified. And he was a genuine gentleman, a type that is almost extinct from modern football.

On the other hand, Emery doesn’t seem to be at the top of his 1) game, which is really a shame, because this is the only aspect Arsenal supporters really know and genuinely care about. He is not preoccupied with 2) either, but obviously because he is so much the undisputed friggin master of 3), that he probably subsumes reinventing the club DNA to customizing the tactics to the opponent.

I expect development in this department, because when Pepe, Auba and Laca get fully accustomed to each other, plus our best midfield gets tested and proven, we will have a potent team again, to which the opponents should be pressured to adapt if they know what’s good for them. 😊

So far I am really satisfied with his rotation and youth development (4) as well (I think the inclusion of Guendouzi, Nelson, Willock, Saka, Martinelli, Smith-Rowe and Mavropanos – as well as loaning Saliba and Nketiah – are more than enough for this season; I honestly don’t need Burton, Olayinka, Medley or Coyle further thrown in the mix… maybe John-Jules.)

Regarding Unai’s obsession to be unpredictable makes me tear my hair out (which is already in serious shortage), because even he manages to outsmart every Arsenal blogger, correspondent and supposedly all opponents as well, it doesn’t seem to bear fruit, and rather confuses the team. It seems that he is so good at 5) that is already counter-productive. But I have to give him that when it comes to change the game (+1) – often because he messed up the starting line-up in the first place – Emery is the real deal. He doesn’t mind experiencing, changing tactics midgame, admitting mistakes and making up for them.

All in all, Unai and Arséne have vastly different management styles and personalities, but were/are both capable of coaching the team properly. Both have strengths and weaknesses, but as Emery is a lot younger, I hope he can improve on his shortcomings without compromising his obvious talent and advantages.

By Pbarany

So Emery has announced that, after consulting with players, whatever that means, Xhaka will be our permanent captain. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49850242

This makes sense for those who look beyond just what a player does with the ball and whether they make mistakes or not. Not that Xhaka is rubbish with the ball – far from it: the Swiss Conductor is Arsenal’s shared top tackler, second for blocks, first for long balls and third for key passes – but leading the team is about much more than that. And yes Granit does make the occasional mistake, sometimes costly ones, but Emery is willing to accept this. And so he should.

I know many fellow British Gooners (and many non-Brits too) will not agree with this, but what the English national needs badly is a conductor like Xhaka. Football is so much more than speed, aggression and athleticism, but it proves really hard to get this into the average football supporter. If you think about the unbelievable passion for the game here and the size of the nation, it is almost beyond comprehension that the England national team has not won anything other than the 1966 World Cup, 53 years ago. You have to ask yourself what could be the cause of this…

Xhaka’s lack of initial speed – we should note that, as PE pointed out a few times, once Granit starts running he gets gradually faster – makes him not the traditional, and much loved, total DM. His tackling is also not world class, I give you that too. But he is our fulcrum in the midfield, makes by a distance the most passes in the team (with high accuracy despite his focus on making progressive/attacking passes as much as possible), and he gives our play composure and structure constantly. Nobody else in the team has that ability. Nobody. And without this we are simply lost.

Torreira is a better midfield-defender, and the Uruguayan pit-bull should play close to Xhaka so they can get the best out of each other, but he has not got the overview and that ability to set the tempo and keep the team’s composure as yet. This is vital in the modern game.

Guendouzi has potential, but his defensive reading of the game and ability to sense where the danger will be next needs much development. I prefer him in front of the ‘DM-pivot’.

Shouts for Chambers and Luiz in midfield are appealing, but only next to Xhaka, not instead of him imo. And why should we move fine defenders into midfield when we have Torreira who seldom or never has a bad game?

Making Xhaka our captain and fulcrum of our team is a good move by Emery – or conformation of how things are already done at Arsenal – and the Spaniard’s next step should be to make Torreira the Swiss meastro’s permanent ‘DM-Pivot’ partner in either a 4-2-1-3 (ideally) or 3-4-3 formation.

Only then will we get the very best out of Granit Xhaka and establish the foundation for a successful team.

By TotalArsenal.

 

 

So the last few cup games have given us a good opportunity to assess the whole squad, and only one conclusion can be pulled: Emery has a full and comprehensive toolkit at his disposal.

A few pertinent questions to my fine fellow Bloggers (and new readers today) on BK:

In defence we have double cover in all areas now that Holding, Bellerin and Tierney are available. You have got to ask yourself, who will be playing in the first team in the games that really matter? Luiz is our leader but we know he is prone to a mistake or two in a game. Big Sok and Kola don’t seem the men to cover for this as there has been little cohesion between the three of them this season. But imagine Luiz with Holding, Bellerin/Chambers and Tierney and we could be entering a more stable arrangement at the back.

Question to you: who would you play against Manchester United assuming all are fit to start?

In midfield we have the emergence of both Willock and Guendouzi and Torreira has had a number of very strong performances. Xhaka divides opinion and everybody on BK knows what I think of our midfield conductor: combine him with the right players and play him deep and he (and Arsenal) will shine; get this wrong and he (and Arsenal) will suffer. Emery knows he cannot do without him (highest number of passes in the team with high accuracy levels) but he doesn’t offer him the right levels of support in midfield. As many have said on BK, Xhaka and Guendouzi are not to be combined, at least not in the ‘DM-pivot’. For me it is a no-brainer that Xhaka-Torreira in front of the back four is our best option. In the hole I would mostly play the king of the key pass, Ozil, but Guendouzi, Ceballos and Willock have also something to offer: a big engine and more support to defensive midfielders. There are options now, and some argue that either Chambers or Luiz should be played in midfield rather than at the back….

My question to you: what is your favourite combo of midfielders?

Whilst Pepe has yet to reach the high levels of expectations we have for him, the nicest surprise of the season is the emergence of a left winger from our own ranks: both Nelson and especially Saka have had strong performances for us and are making it hard to be left out. And then there was the braze-scoring performance by Martinelli on Tuesday.

My question to you: who of these three would you play against MU, given that Laca will still be out?

Finally, many have been remarking on the Happinez they get from Martinez…

My question to you: should he replace Leno?

So let’s be having you! 🙂

By TotalArsenal

Arsenal v Nottingham Forest – September 24, 2019

In 1865 a group of shinty players met at the Clinton Arms on Nottingham’s Shakespeare Street. J. S. Scrimshaw’s proposal to play association football instead was agreed and Nottingham Forest Football Club was formed. It was agreed at the same meeting that the club would purchase twelve tasselled caps coloured ‘Garibaldi Red’ (named after the leader of the Italian ‘Redshirts’ fighters). Thus the club’s official colours were established. Forest’s first ever official game was played against Notts County taking place on 22 March 1866.

In their early years Forest were a multi-sports club. As well as their roots in bandy and shinty, Forest’s baseball club were British champions in 1899. Forest’s charitable approach helped clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion to form.

In 1886, Forest suggested that the newly formed Arsenal team wear red shirts and they provided Arsenal with the best gift of all: a football.

They also donated shirts to Everton and helped secure a site for Brighton to play on.

In 1878–79 season Forest entered the FA Cup for the first time. They beat Notts County 3–1 in the first round at Beeston Cricket Ground before eventually losing 2–1 to Old Etonians in the semi-final.

Forest’s application was rejected to join the Football League at its formation in 1888; instead they joined the Football Alliance in 1889.

They won the competition in 1892 before then entering the Football League. That season they reached, and lost in. an FA Cup semi-final for the fourth time to date. This time it was to West Bromwich Albion after a replay.

Nottingham Forest Honours 

Domestic League

First Division

Champions (1): 1977–78

Second Division

Champions (3): 1906–07, 1921–22, 1997–98

Cups

FA Cup

Winners (2): 1897–98, 1958–59

Runners-up (1): 1990–91

Football League Cup

Winners (4): 1977–78, 1978–79, 1988–89, 1989–90

European

European Cup/UEFA Champions League

Winners (2): 1978–79, 1979–80 

UEFA Super Cup

Winners (1): 1979

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

We have played Forest three times in the League Cup and we have a perfect record of:- 

Arsenal v Nottingham Forest – All League Cup Games
		W	D	L	GF	GA
5	21-Jan-87	1			2	0
6	12-Jan-93	1			2	0
7	20-Sep-16	1			4	0
Total		3	0	0	8	0

Long may this continue……………….

I have decided to leave predicting our starting eleven to those of us who are more tactically inclined than GN5.

GunnerN5

TotalArsenal’s Preferred Line-up v Forest:

I want Ozil to play in every game but as Emery left him out of the last PL game it would be an insult to play him today, so I left him out. I would rather not play Kola again but am not sure who else could play there… Would be good to see starts for Martinez, Nelson and ESR, and Pepe needs to play as many games as possible.

Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners!

Arsenal 3 – 2 Aston Villa: Never Say Emery Doesn’t Entertain!

Bernd Leno – 6

It would be harsh to blame him for either of the goals. Yet, he might have prevented any of them (remember Martinez foregoing crosses in Frankfurt?) being more proactive. That would have been more spectacular than expected of him by any means, but a pre-requisite for a higher rating as he didn’t have critical saves or remarkable distribution to show for.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 2,5

Contrary to popular misbeliefs I don’t think his second bookable offense was intentionally malignant, ill-timed or reckless, but nevertheless he should have been more cautious being already booked (taking Jon Moss into the equation). He put the team in jeopardy, but his poor performance in the RB role is reflected in his low rating. He should have put El Ghazi under pressure before his assist.

Sokratis – 5

He seemed slow and rusty before Villa’s second goal, but it was far from a major individual mistake that characterized Arsenal’s defence in the past several PL games. He did his best to silence Wesley throughout the game, but unfortunately it was the Brazilian who had the last laugh. His no-nonsense approach while often a welcome feature clearly has its limitations.

David Luiz – 5,5

His distribution and attacking contribution should bump his ratings even more, but as he is a defender by trade, I had to take his shortcomings into more consideration. With 2 tackles and 6 clearances he was a quality defender for most of the game, but a 24-27-year old Luiz wouldn’t have allowed Wesley to beat him to the near post and convert Villa’s second that easily.

Sead Kolasinac – 6

Would you believe that he led Arsenal tackling statistics with 4 (being second only to McGinn’s 6), and while his final balls lacked conviction he put the right defence of Aston Villa under constant pressure. It was his most balanced performance in this season (to date), and if he starts delivering key passes and assists again, he could prove be a challenge for Tierney to overcome.

Granit Xhaka – 5,5

The Swiss captain had a quiet afternoon, failing to impact the game either defensively or offensively. Yet he was paired (again) with Guendouzi which on one hand is the dictionary example of the lack of synergy, and on the other hand limits him moving forward in the absence of a hardcore DM like Torreira. However, the fact that our midfield had significantly improved with substituting Granit for the Uruguayan only demonstrates the ineffectiveness of the Xhaka-Guendouzi partnership, not his personal shortcomings.

Guendouzi – 7

While it is usually Xhaka who delivers a mixed bag performance it was Matteo’s turn against Aston Villa. It is convenient and popular to blame the (old) central defenders for McGinn’s opener, but it was Guendouzi who lost him; and he similarly failed to track back before Villa’s second, letting Grealish cruise between the more static Arsenal defenders. Nevertheless he single-handedly defeated Villa before the equalizer – making the interception, dribbling into the box and inviting the foul – at a time we hardly had a shot on goal. And his pass in the build-up of Chambers’ goal challenged Ozil’s and Xhaka’s similar skills. While he was nominated as Man of the Match by many, I couldn’t let him get away with 2 mistakes that would have resulted in death threats if committed by Mustafi, but Guendouzi had a pretty good game on Sunday.

Dani Ceballos – 6

He struggled against Villa. Yet Dani always looked like he wanted to try and make something happen, but he couldn’t leave his mark on the game. He didn’t make many or critical mistakes, but he wasted his chance to make an impact. If he was trying to play No 10, he is far from being Özil’s heir, albeit it is not entirely his fault. He looked like Aaron Ramsey on his bad days, and it is no compliment.

Nicholas Pépé – 6,5

He was lively as always and ineffective as always. He worked hard, provided key passes, dribbled and created chances, but most of them went begging. I cannot evaluate his penalty – and make no mistake, nobody should. He took some risk, but it worked out just fine. He reminds me of Welbeck on his good days, but unfortunately that is no compliment either. Let’s hope that his increased confidence starts to bear fruit in upcoming games.

Bukayo Saka – 6

I admit he didn’t get much support, and he is not yet on a level that he can do it alone. Saka on his path to become this season’s Guendouzi: who after delivering mixed or average performances is being constantly praised, because taking his age into consideration he indeed was great. But he was our main man against Frankfurt because he was underestimated – a favour PL teams will not grant him frequently.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 7

His hold-up play doesn’t help his comparison to Lacazette, but he also works his socks off. His goal was equally smart and technically exquisite, and he demonstrated rare personal qualities by letting Pépé take the penalty, especially Auba being on his quest to defend his Golden Boot. I blame the Borussia Dortmund supporters’ English skills announcing him as a ‘toxic addition’ to the squad, because watching him play and smile (as well as reading his tweets) starts to become a ‘toxic addiction’.

Subs

Calum Chambers – 7,5 (MotM)

He similarly had a defensively and offensively balanced display, which he crowned with a quality goal. He was often – and unjustly – blamed for his contribution to Villa’s second, which I have to admit was an uncool ball control mistake, but it happened at the midfield and there were a dozen chances to prevent the ball getting into Leno’s net. Such handling mistakes happen with everybody 3 times a game, and the cause and effect relationship with Wesely’s goal is a lot thinner than his involvement in our all-important second equalizer. It’s nice to pull a makeshift RB of his quality out of the bag.

Lucas Torreira – 6,5

His energy was a welcome addition to our midfield. The Uruguayan has great eyes to disrupt opponents attack, but he was surprisingly effective in pressing. He had 23 minutes to work hard, and he managed to change the dynamics of the game. While he came on to replace Xhaka, I still believe that they represent our best midfield duo together.

Joe Willock – 6

Joe wasn’t bad either, but he didn’t do anything great either in his 23 minutes. I don’t expect the spectacular, but he reminded me of the ever-enthusiastic Iwobi, who often shoots where a pass could have been the smarter solution. If Özil wasn’t sitting on the bench, I would have liked Willock’s inclusion, but I cannot (and don’t) hold Emery’s decision against him.

Unai Emery – 5

It might seem harsh from me, as Arsenal delivered a (signature) 10-player comeback, but let’s not forget that the team had put in yet another horrible performance in the first half. Furthermore, I think he keeps failing putting our best midfield together, and he didn’t really find the best way to utilize Ceballos’ obvious talent. And while the crowd obviously enjoys a combative home display, I think 8 yellow cards a game are way too much: it shows unnecessary aggression and/or sub-par tackling skills (not to mention decision making). The risk of suspension is the smaller threat, but a booked CB/DM/CM must be too cautious for the rest of the game.

I wasn’t pleased with his substitutions either, but if he’ll start Nelson, Özil, Martinelli and Holding on Tuesday I might ask TotalArsenal to upgrade his rating to 6. 😊

By Pbarany

The Claret and Blue Army are coming to the Home of Football and, as per GN5s fine historical stats in yesterday’s post, this promises to become a goal-rich encounter. Add to this Emery’s tactics of gloves down defence and see who can punch hardest, there is even more chance of a goal-fest. Do I like it? Much more so if we win, but there certainly is also beauty in doing a bit of gloves-up defending.

Martin Keown nowadays works as a pundit and he pointed out the obvious during our dizzying boxing match with the Frankfurthers: Arsenal allow far too much space between defence and midfield and that is creating all those opportunities against us. Now I know some believe that we have rubbish defenders and midfielders, but it would be silly to think that our defenders and/or midfielders don’t know this. Of course they do, but they are either instructed to do so, as to lure our opponents forward (and we can go on the break as soon as we have the ball) or there is a lack of communication between defence and midfield: defence don’t dare to push up and midfield want to/ need to support the attack – in both cases lots of space is left between the lines for the opponents to strut their stuff.

For me, this is the single reason why we are so vulnerable when we need to defend. With a midfield of Torreira, Xhaka and Willock – our midfield in Frankfurt – we should be rock solid if Emery wanted us to be so. We weren’t, but as we won handsomely despite allowing a couple of dozens of shots, who is to complain? We are of course miles away from the Pool and Citeh approach of being mean at the back and deadly up top, so for me this approach will not get us to silverware, or indeed good football, but maybe it will be enough to get us into the top-four this season. I doubt it, but hey we are on this ride so we may as well fully experience it!

Despite the conceptional vulnerability of our game against the Frankfurters, there were many very good individual performances. This time nobody made a big mistake in defence and especially our goalkeeper, Martinez, was in splendid form. Our midfielders made fine runs into the box and produced many key passes and our main attackers – Saka and Auba – put their names on the scoresheet. So it will be interesting to see what Emery will do today in terms of his starting-11, especially if we take into account that we are playing Forest in just 50 hours after the game.

It is of course OGAAT (one game at a time) and a win today is badly needed. For this we need fresh legs and players who are in form, so on the basis of this I would go for:

I would rest Kola as we will need him to be at his best/ fit v Manchester United in a week’s time (Tierney is close to his first proper PL game but surely the Old Toilet encounter would come to soon). I also want to give Mustafi another game, but as RFB and not CB. Luiz is our leader and Big Sok returns, but if Chambers gets another game it would be fine with me too.

Xhaka is our organiser, our conductor, so he needs to play and I would love it if we once again played Torreira and Willock in midfield: XTW gives us everything you need from a midfield imo. However, I could also live with Guendo starting in this one, as long as Emery does not leave either Xhaka or Torreira out.

Up front it should be our big guns: Auba and Pepe, but it would also be great to give Saka another start after his phenomenal performance in Frankfurt. Auba is on a hot streak but we must be careful with him, given Laca’s injury and the Mancs encounter being around the corner. I am tempted to start with Pepe up top and Saka next to him/on the wing…

This should be an interesting game to watch but unfortunately it is not on TV. Here is hoping for a more mature performance and a very important win.

COYGs!!

TotalArsenal.

Historical Preview of Arsenal v Aston Villa September 22, 2019

Aston Villa Football Club was formed in March 1874, by members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth which is now part of Birmingham. The four founders of Aston Villa were Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood. Aston Villa’s first match was against the local Aston Brook St Mary’s Rugby team. As a condition of the match, the Villa side had to agree to play the first half under Rugby rules and the second half under Association rules After moving to the Wellington Road ground in 1876, Villa soon established themselves as one of the best teams in the Midlands, winning their first honour, the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1880, under the captaincy of Scotsman George Ramsay.

They have played at their home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa was one of the founder members of the Football League in 1888 and of the Premier League in 1992. Villa is one of only five English clubs to have won the European Cup, in 1981–82. They have also won the Football League First Division seven times, the FA Cup seven times, the League Cup five times, and the UEFA Super Cup once.

Villa has a fierce local rivalry with Birmingham City and the Second City derby between the teams has been played since 1879. The club’s traditional kit colours are claret shirts with sky blue sleeves, white shorts and sky blue socks. Their traditional club badge is of a rampant lion. The club is currently owned by the NSWE group, a company owned by the Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris and the American billionaire Wes Edens.

Wembley is considered to be the spiritual home of English football, but Villa Park is a close second. Aston Villa’s home since 1897, the ground sits in the shadow of the Jacobean stately home Aston Hall and has evolved over the years into a magnificent all-seated arena with a capacity of more than 42,000. Villa’s home ground is no stranger to major events, either, having hosted matches at both the 1966 World Cup and the European Championships in 1996. It is one of a select few that has staged international fixtures over three different centuries, the first senior international taking place in 1899. In addition, it was a regular venue for FA Cup semi-finals before they were moved to Wembley. Villa Park also hosted the last-ever European Cup Winners’ Cup Final between Italian side Lazio and Spanish club Real Mallorca in 1999, as well as the 2012 FA Community Shield match when Chelsea faced Manchester City.

Here is the Division 2 standings after our very first game against Aston Villa on October 8, 1904; Woolwich Arsenal won 1-0 and our goal was scored by Bill Gooing who during his career at Arsenal (1901-1905) scored 48 goals. 

Arsenal v Aston Villa Div 1 Home Games
		W	D	L	GF	GA
1	08-Oct-04	1			1	0
2	13-Apr-06	1			2	1
3	01-Apr-07	1			3	1
4	08-Feb-08			1	0	1
5	07-Nov-08			1	0	1
6	11-Apr-10	1			1	0
7	15-Mar-11		1		1	1
8	06-Jan-12		1		2	2
9	16-Sep-12			1	0	3
10	24-Jan-20			1	0	1
11	04-Sep-20			1	0	1
12	25-Mar-22	1			2	0
13	31-Mar-23	1			2	0
14	16-Feb-24			1	0	1
15	18-Oct-24		1		1	1
16	05-Apr-26	1			2	0
17	15-Apr-27	1			2	1
18	21-Jan-28			1	0	3
19	24-Nov-28			1	2	5
20	03-May-30			1	2	4
21	08-Nov-30	1			5	3
22	31-Oct-31		1		1	1
23	01-Apr-33	1			5	0
24	10-Mar-34	1			3	2
25	17-Nov-34			1	1	2
26	18-Apr-36	1			1	0
27	24-Sep-38		1		0	0
28	18-Jan-47			1	0	2
29	11-Oct-47	1			1	0
30	11-Sep-48	1			3	1
31	29-Mar-50			1	1	3
32	10-Mar-51	1			2	1
33	05-Jan-52	1			2	1
34	20-Dec-52	1			3	1
35	06-Apr-54		1		1	1
36	12-Mar-55	1			2	0
37	01-Oct-55	1			1	0
38	03-Nov-56	1			2	1
39	02-Oct-57	1			4	0
40	13-Dec-58			1	1	2
41	15-Oct-60	1			2	1
42	31-Mar-62			1	4	5
43	04-Sep-62			1	1	2
44	10-Sep-63	1			3	0
45	29-Aug-64	1			3	1
46	04-Dec-65		1		3	3
47	27-Aug-66	1			1	0
48	10-Jan-76		1		0	0
49	25-Apr-77	1			3	0
50	04-Feb-78			1	0	1
51	07-Oct-78		1		1	1
52	09-Feb-80	1			3	1
53	02-May-81	1			2	0
54	27-Mar-82	1			4	3
55	07-Dec-82	1			2	1
56	18-Feb-84		1		1	1
57	10-Nov-84		1		1	1
58	05-Oct-85	1			3	2
59	02-May-87	1			2	1
60	03-Sep-88			1	2	3
61	11-Apr-90			1	0	1
62	03-Apr-91	1			5	0
63	11-Jan-92		1		0	0
Total		33	12	18	108	76

Our home record against Villa in the Premier League is excellent:- 

Arsenal v Aston Villa EPL Home Games
		W	D	L	GF	GA
1	12-Apr-93			1	0	1
2	06-Nov-93			1	1	2
3	26-Dec-94		1		0	0
4	21-Oct-95			1	0	2
5	28-Dec-96		1		2	2
6	26-Oct-97		1		0	0
7	16-May-99	1			1	0
8	11-Sep-99	1			3	1
9	14-Oct-00	1			1	0
10	09-Dec-01	1			3	2
11	30-Nov-02	1			3	1
12	27-Aug-03	1			2	0
13	16-Oct-04	1			3	1
14	01-Apr-06	1			5	0
15	19-Aug-06		1		1	1
16	01-Mar-08		1		1	1
17	15-Nov-08			1	0	2
18	27-Dec-09	1			3	0
19	15-May-11			1	1	2
20	24-Mar-12	1			3	0
21	23-Feb-13	1			2	1
22	17-Aug-13			1	1	3
23	01-Feb-15	1			5	0
24	15-May-16	1			4	0
Total		13	5	6	45	22

Overall we have played eighty seven Home league games against Villa and we have won 53 % and tied 20% so statistically the odds are on our side.

Arsenal v Aston Villa Home Games
Division 1	33	12	18	108	76
Premier	13	5	6	45	22
Total	46	17	24	153	98

My suggested starting-11 would be:-

GunnerN5

SHEATH YOUR KNIVES, LETS HEAR EMERY OUT.

Emery is proving to be something of an enigma. Is he a genius or is he simply meh? Nobody seems to understand him.

All complain that no pattern can be discerned in his philosophy assuming there is even one. Or are people able to see only that which they want to see?

Last weekend against Watford his team conceded 31 shots as they were pegged back after a 2 goal lead. Knives were out. He was leading the PL in shots conceded. Then he went to Frankfurt and conceded 24 shots running away with a 3-0 victory. The knives were sheathed. Meanwhile it surfaced that in 2015/16 season, one of the three consecutive years he won the Europa League with Sevilla, his team conceded the highest number of shots in La Liga. Isn’t this a very discernible pattern?

17HT has been singing this song that Emery likes to suck the opposition in so as to open up their rear for quick transitions. Unfortunately for HT only the echoes of his voice come back to him. At Arsenal, we are not used to being dominated in territory so we do not want to accept that what we are seeing is being deliberately managed. Whether it is worth it or not, whether we like it or not is another matter. There is a pattern. What’s more, we can’t yet tell if this pattern is only a stage in an evolving process: a teething problem as it were.

So how should we as fans respond?

I suppose we should show more patience. It is not for us to pass the hasty judgement (never easy when it goes wrong). The fortunes of the team is going to do that for us.

It should be expected that the four new signings this summer were considered tailor made to fit into Emery’s project and the promoted academy players would have been similarly assessed. So his project should be all set to begin to bear its fruits. Our hope should be that they are not sour fruits.

We should expect to witness more of playing out of the back. That most basic of Emery’s  process has now been cooked in the Watford experience and am hopeful that we would be seeing a more intelligent mix of patterns there.

Emery is very passionate with his football. His philosophy is him. He can’t be another him and the little I know tells me that there is nothing as powerful as self belief in a cause. Who knows Emery might be rewriting football. That’s maybe why the football statisticians and pundits are finding it difficult to label him. Many want to write him off but are hunted by his track record. We, of the Arsenal world would do well to give him some space on the wheels by finding ways to manage our fears and hopes as he hurtles along. As I had said, the fortunes of the team would be the arbiter and bet that before the season is done we would know exactly were we stand with him.

Tierney plays his first match today with the under-23 team. He is a big part of the project. Holding is back with the first team and Bellerin is not far away. Saka and Willock dazzled last night. ESR is coming back from a long lay off. We know he has the potentials to be one of the best. We might just be on the cusp of seeing what Emery has for us. Sheath your knives please.

By PE.