The 2021/22 Season

think it's safe to say we're set in the left back department for the next few years with two good options

just hope we keep more focus going forward when we have decent leads... felt so bummed for the defense and Ramsdale for not getting the clean sheets vs Spurs and tonight

Needed sharper finishing and decisions in the final third, but overall a vastly improved performance from Monday night.

Tavares played aggressively, getting ahead of his man numerous times. Only thing I didn't like about his performance was his crap shot selection.

Same with Sambi. His best performance so far, was everywhere, but took poor shots.

Saka should have scored in the first half but had a good game still.

Laca was great. He's so useful when you need someone to press and work hard in defence. The 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 we used tonight looked pretty good with him and Auba in the middle, and ESR/Saka roaming from their flanks. It made us more dangerous in transition.

This team can be good, if it plays with the same intensity in more games AND learns how to slow the pace down. Late in games they're tiring and losing control. Happens with younger players but it's where Arteta has to be more savvy with his subs. AMN for Sambi for example adds more chaos to the game rather than control.

@RG

El Gunner wrote:@RG

https://twitter.com/AFCArchie14/status/1451185664624529419

lmao

A small matter of Arsenal Vs Leeds tonight in the Pep Carabao cup



18yo Salah-Eddine on the bench who has been incredibly impressive for the U23s.

Messy game. No shape from either team.

A reminder our 2nd XI is pretty poor.

Ben White has been great which says a lot about the attackers. Not sure what has happened to Martinelli but he is shadow of a player he was under Emery.

I like AMN's performance as a B2B though.

White injured. Fantastic.

not watching the game

@RG Arteta already ruined a crucial year of Martinelli's development.. he probably has lost a bit of confidence too at this point

@Jay how bad is the White injury

Don't know what he did exactly but he pulled up off the ball. Might by a muscle pull.

Holding's gone off injured now as well. Kolasinac at CB vs Leicester here we come.

Very good goal by Nketiah. Won't mention how he nearly missed that in the end lol.

Nketiah

pic.twitter.com/EOKTIcx8BG

— Arsenal FR (@Arsenal_FRA) October 26, 2021

Professional performance in the end i guess. Let's see who we face in the next round

Big game today vs Leicester. Teams:

Leicester (3-4-1-2): Schmeichel; Amartey, Evans, Soyuncu; Castagne, Tielemens, Soumare, Thomas; Maddison; Iheanacho, Vardy

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tavares; Partey, Lokonga; Saka, Lacazette, Smith Rowe; Aubameyang

Odegaard returns to the squad but Tierney is still out with a knock.

Not sure why people are so afraid to just write 4-4-2

because that's what it is

WOW we've got a GOALIE, Alhamdulillah

Hapless_Hans wrote:Not sure why people are so afraid to just write 4-4-2

because that's what it is

not really, no

Strong start, then retreated into a deep 4-4-2 so Leicester started applying pressure. It's not been compact enough as Maddison and Iheanacho have picked up the ball in dangerous pockets and have forced White and Gabriel to step-out to close them down. The free-kick at the end of the 1st half came from that.

Arsenal need to be careful playing this way. They've lost their threat in attack since everyone is do deep and Leicester are strong from long shots and set-pieces.

Leicester switching to a back four in the second half so we'll how we adapt.

Missed the first half so quite shocked at the scoreline. But i hear we are playing sufferball after going 2 up? Arteta is a bigger coward than Emery.

Ramsdale is so good

Ramsdale being MOTM kinda shows how the game went. What a performance. Can't believe anyone shit on him when we signed him.

A recurring issue with this team is it's tendency to drop too deep during periods of the game. Part of that may be Arteta's influence, but it's also a lot to do with the backline not playing high enough. When the back line refuses to play high, the midfield has to stay close and you end up with no press. This is how you end up with forwards pressing alone and being played around.

Leicester were all over us for the first 20 mins of the 2nd half. They won the ball high, got runners in behind and tested us with half-space crosses. Getting through that period with a clean sheet intact was part Ramsdale, part great last-ditch defending and part luck. After that, the team started playing higher up the pitch again and looked more comfortable.

The next step for this team is playing higher up the pitch for longer, trusting their technical quality to play around pressure more instead of immediately playing it safe by retreating. They did it against Villa. Now they have to do it against the good teams.

good win, but yes just wish we would trust our attacking play much more throughout the game and not drop deep.

it's not as if we've been constantly found out on the counter attack under Arteta

Yes, we dropped off after going 2-0 up but it's difficult to sustain that kind of intensity for 90 minutes. Games swing back and forth, we actually regained control in the later part of the 2nd half.

No doubt a Ramsdale masterclass kept us on top, but these are the breaks. Especially with a squad full of young players. Inconsistency is expected, not only in game to game form, but sustained pressure. We are improving. 17 of our last 21 points is a very good return, regardless of the competition.

We do have a serious question going forward of what this team does when Odegaard is back on the pitch. Laca and Auba up front have served us well, pinning CBs back and putting enough pressure for 50-60 minutes to give our midfield space to dominate. Odegaard's style is quite different to Laca's, more ball dependent. We'll need to replace what Laca brings ideally in a taller player who can play the full 90.

Enjoy the win, enjoy your weekends

The win's great, and the players were doing everything to protect the lead. No complaints about that.

Odegaard vs Lacazette should be horses for courses. Next week against Watford for example might suit Odegaard more because Watford will play a deep block. I like Lacazette in these tough away games because he's a good presser, scraps well and holds it up but his technique lets him down when he needs to be more creative.

Jay29 wrote:The win's great, and the players were doing everything to protect the lead. No complaints about that.

Odegaard vs Lacazette should be horses for courses. Next week against Watford for example might suit Odegaard more because Watford will play a deep block. I like Lacazette in these tough away games because he's a good presser, scraps well and holds it up but his technique lets him down when he needs to be more creative.

Yeah, I'm not worried about it. Form, system and opposition will decide the team, but it is an interesting longer term question.

We've seen other players, like Aubameyang, focus on areas outside of their expertise in order to fit in the starting lineup. I wonder if Odegaard is watching Lacazette bench him and thinking that he can bring the same intensity and grit.

Team to play Watford:

Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tavares; AMN, Sambi; Saka, Smith Rowe; Lacazette, Aubameyang

Arteta's 100th game in charge.

A win takes us above United into 5th and level on points with West Ham in 4th. West Ham play Liverpool later.

Lacazette and AMN should be ahead of Auba for penalties. What a shit pen