European and Domestic Cups Discussion 2018/2019

Interesting team tonight:

Leno; Holding, Sokratis, Monreal; Lichtsteiner, Elneny, Guendouzi, Kolasinac; Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Welbeck

Subs: Martinez, Mustafi, Bellerin, Torreira, XHAKA, Ozil, Lacazette

Wonder if this is a practice run for Sunday.

Nketiah needs a loan man, he's getting no where while Welbeck is still around under Emery.

3421 or Kola LW?
That bench,why so serious?

Would it really hurt to start Nketiah over Monreal (who needs a rest above all) against freaking Qarabag?

Strange decision to go so defensive against a poor side.

Yikes standard 1st half performance from us, quite disjointed and all over the place.

How was Smith-Rowe?

Ozil should never come for games like this. Looks so distinterested and is just wasting minutes that someone like Nketiah would have made use of.

RealGunner wrote:How was Smith-Rowe?

Good, considering we were typically weird and disjointed with the ball. Carried the ball well through midfield and took up good positions in the box.

The back three experiment was a big failure. Apart from the interplay between Kolasinac and Iwobi on the left, we lacked control and were caught out with the switch of play so many times. While we didn't give up a "clean" chance, I think that was down to Qarabag's lack of quality rather than our defending.

Emery changed it at half-time (again) and we started making better chances. Deserved the win in the end, but still waiting for us to get it right from the first whistle.

Anyway, delighted for Smith Rowe and Guendouzi for their first career goals. Sokratis getting his first for us is a bonus, too.

All first time scorers for us tonight

Emile Smith Rowe has become the first player born in 2000 or later to score a competitive goal for Arsenal. Congratulations, @emilesmithrowe_! #afc pic.twitter.com/sIrQnOBLmB

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) October 4, 2018

WATTBA
I feel old

Also Torreira-Guendouzi-Elneny midfeld at some point
Emery is disgrace

Full strength squad. Also, the return of Jenkinson.

XHAKA left back.

XHAKA going to become our non-c*ntish version of Marcos Alonso

It looks like Nani will be up against XHAKA. I'm suddenly having flashbacks to Armand Traore a decade ago.

Interesting to see XHAKA as a left fullback. I guess its good opportunity to try XHAKA at LB and see how he does.
Iets hope it dont end badly.

Meh opening 30 mins here.

Sokratis just got away with one big time. Was beaten to the ball by Montero, then pulled his shirt to stop him. No foul, somehow.

Frontline is non-existent.

Acuna, their left back, is bossing Mkhitaryan and Lichtsteiner by himself.

0-0 half-time. Pretty boring stuff tbh.

Auba taking pot shots from distance about sums up our attacking threat.

should have made something from one those free kicks
cant have any proper passing sequences in final 3rd really

Acuna making fun of Sokratis-Lich there lol

XHAKA at LB turning out to be the least of our problems

I would like to see Mkhitaryan in Ramsey‘s position, he can carry the ball forward better and Ramsey could concentrate more on his goals/assists without having to worry about build up play.

Also playing out from the back once could have got us into big trouble
another occasion with 2-3 passes we surpassed many players but eventually ball went wide
hopeful crosses/cut backs seems our best hope

lets see if there will be another 2nd half improvement

Not a fan of this midfield trio tbh. Nobody there to carry the ball and not enough penetration between the three of them.

We'll probably see Torreira or Ozil come on.

Also doesn't help that Lichtsteiner isn't good on the ball and XHAKA is reluctant to cross the halfway line because he know he won't be able to recover.

outside of our main midfield - attack combination that has been working in the PL for the last two matches (plus against Chelsea)
All the other combinations leave much to be desired. Or Emery is finding it hard to get the chemistry going with them.
A draw wouldn't be bad, but let's hope we can snatch something of a set piece or counter. Let's not forget we tend to turn it up a bit more in second halves.

We're applying good pressure in this half. Made a couple of decent chances. Feel like we could have taken at least one of them.

The difference between Torreira and Elneny is striking. His passing is so good.

Goal Wele. Emphatic finish.

Big mistake from Coates let Welbeck in. Took it with a confidence we're not use to seeing from him.

Grind and clinical Arsenal

First team to win away at Sporting Lisbon since Barcelona

Hate early matches. But i don't think i missed much.

Just saw the goal and that must be the cleanest Wele has hit in a long time.

3 wins in 3 now. Emery really takes EL seriously. I mean a kid would have sufficed at Left back today.

11 wins in a row