The 2021/22 Season

Xhaka is in a bad mood lmao

1-1. Xhaka header from a corner.

Yes, we scored off a set-piece.

2-1 Chelsea.

Bellerin gives the ball away to Abraham who scores a 1v1 vs Leno.

Auba's finishing has been very poor in pre-season. Really hope that's not a sign of thing to come.

Leno demonstrating why we probably do need a new keeper soon. Continually makes poor decisions with his passing by trying to pass to teammates who are marked or under pressure.

Jay29 wrote:Leno demonstrating why we probably do need a new keeper soon. Continually makes poor decisions with his passing by trying to pass to teammates who are marked or under pressure.

Germany Almunia honestly

Maybe you can buy the guy from Aston Villa, he's been excellent

Lol there is no hope of a good season with Auba as our main striker.

Full time. Fun game, all things considered. Had an edge to it you don't typically get in friendlies. Willock even had a goal that should have been given but wasn't. Good to see the refs picking up where they left off.

Arsenal were chaotic without much pay-off. Plenty of effort, but too many poor decisions that are fatal when creating good chances was so difficult.

Auba looked so poor in front of goal and it's a real worry. You know Arsenal aren't going to be making a lot of chances and taking a lot of shots, so our forwards really need to be on it.

I guess we're seeing how Arsenal might line-up for the Brentford game and what the plan will be for the season and tbh, it's not super encouraging. But also unsurprising since the majority of the team is the same as last season, and additional time to work on stuff in training isn't gonna do much for players who continue to make errors.

Leno was shocking today and Bellerin is done, no team would even consider him on loan.

We have to buy out Kolasinac contract he is not a footballer anymore.

Martinelli has the chance at GOLD with his team Brazil at the Olympics after he helped them get to the finals by smash-finessing in the second penalty in a 4-1 shootout win over Mexico

It's our final friendly today vs Spurs. Kicking off 14:00 BST.

Team:

Leno; Bellerin, White, Mari, Tierney; Lokonga, Xhaka; Pepe, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang; Lacazette

Martinelli got his GOLD btw

Jay29 wrote:It's our final friendly today vs Spurs. Kicking off 14:00 BST.

Team:

Leno; Bellerin, White, Mari, Tierney; Lokonga, Xhaka; Pepe, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang; Lacazette

worryingly this is very close to being our first team

0-0 HT.

Decent performance so far. We've controlled most of the game in Spurs' half, helped by good marking and pressing. White especially has been very good getting ahead of his man and nicking the ball early.

Forwards have been naff though.

White is the 2nd coming of koscielny

Balogun and Elneny coming on. Elneny had to change jerseys -- I think he was wearing Nelson's initially!

— James Benge (@jamesbenge) August 8, 2021

Not for the first time (or last I'm sure), Arsenal lose by a narrow scoreline after failing to create meaningful chances in 90 minutes.

If only we had spent the 50m on a creative player instead... Not that there is anything wrong with Ben White.

Sounds like ground hog day from every game last year.
Artetta and Arsenal trying not to loose more than trying to actually win games. Bring in more defensive minded players when what we have lacked was creativity to move the ball from midfield forward. Tactically slow the ball down as much as possible so that when we do go forward we give the opponent enough time to park the bus behind us and since we have no creativity in the midfield to cut the lines blame it on the forwards.

Although this just pre season but the lack of improvement is depressing and disappointing. We lacked creativity last season. We have bought just defensive players uptil now. So any player we buy during this window will need this full F**** season to adapt to the league and to the forward players and we will blame it on *no preseason*.
We bought partey who (from what I saw) was almost world class in sitting in front of the defence and intercepting everything. We are asking him to become a b2b and he is suffering (Torriera suffered the same transition and failed).
The number of times we have a counter attack is alarmingly low as all players drop down as soon as we lose possesion so even if we get the ball back all we can do is pass it back to the keeper.

If thats what I have to see again for 38 games I will either kill myself or someone else.

Knowing we need three points tomorrow ahead of the games vs Chelsea and City makes it all the more daunting. Away to a newly promoted team on day one is far from easy.

In pre-season, I saw an intention to play a higher defensive line and engage the opposition higher. There was more counter-pressing and chances resulting from counter-pressing. These are good things.

However, the attacking patterns haven't changed. The plan is to make use of the striker dropping off for a wall-pass to the flank, to then set-up cut-backs and low crosses to the opposite flank. Failing that, using the left back to overlap and cross to three targets in the box. Two problems with this: 1) the first plan requires a ball into feet through a congested space and 2) the second plan relies on accurate crosses finding players often physically disadvantaged in the penalty area.

An area this attack really suffers is the lack of directness in the first phase of the build-up. Arsenal persistently try to build play through the centre backs and double pivot, aiming to move the ball out wide to an overlapping full-back or to the 10 who has drifted wide. The reluctance to play longer passes into channels to runners, especially when the opposition squeezes up the pitch, deprives Arsenal of an alternate way of progressing play. Whether this is down to instructions, or a lack of willing runners up front I'm not sure.

Another problem is Aubameyang playing on the left of the attack. His lack of 1v1 ability and ordinary passing/crossing means he's essentially playing as a decoy for Tierney or as a pure finisher. If he's playing there because he can't do what Arteta wants as a 9, then he's probably better off on the bench. If he's playing as the 9, then Arteta should consider letting him play more to his strengths instead of shoehorning him into an uncomfortable role. Otherwise, Pepe or Martinelli are surely better options out there.

The attack is very dependant on the more dynamic movements of Saka, Smith Rowe and Pepe. For me, that is our best attacking midfield trio with either Lacazette or Aubameyang as the 9. Those three show a willingness to make early movements behind opposition defenders, deviate from their original positions and look for 1-2s, so it's really up to the defence and midfield to get the ball them earlier than they have been.

Whether we'll see this or not... who knows?

Apart from that, we need to be much, much better attacking set-pieces. We were one of the worst sides at offensive set-pieces last season and it's an easy area to improve. It could be worth several more goals for a team struggling to make open play chances.

For me at least, Arteta has until November to get this team competing for the top six and looking much more convincing while doing so. If it's still poor by then, then it's very hard to justify him staying on as manager.

Lacazette and Aubameyang out of tonight's game due to illness (not Covid related). Balogun set to start.

Jay29 wrote:Knowing we need three points tomorrow ahead of the games vs Chelsea and City makes it all the more daunting. Away to a newly promoted team on day one is far from easy.

In pre-season, I saw an intention to play a higher defensive line and engage the opposition higher. There was more counter-pressing and chances resulting from counter-pressing. These are good things.

However, the attacking patterns haven't changed. The plan is to make use of the striker dropping off for a wall-pass to the flank, to then set-up cut-backs and low crosses to the opposite flank. Failing that, using the left back to overlap and cross to three targets in the box. Two problems with this: 1) the first plan requires a ball into feet through a congested space and 2) the second plan relies on accurate crosses finding players often physically disadvantaged in the penalty area.

An area this attack really suffers is the lack of directness in the first phase of the build-up. Arsenal persistently try to build play through the centre backs and double pivot, aiming to move the ball out wide to an overlapping full-back or to the 10 who has drifted wide. The reluctance to play longer passes into channels to runners, especially when the opposition squeezes up the pitch, deprives Arsenal of an alternate way of progressing play. Whether this is down to instructions, or a lack of willing runners up front I'm not sure.

Another problem is Aubameyang playing on the left of the attack. His lack of 1v1 ability and ordinary passing/crossing means he's essentially playing as a decoy for Tierney or as a pure finisher. If he's playing there because he can't do what Arteta wants as a 9, then he's probably better off on the bench. If he's playing as the 9, then Arteta should consider letting him play more to his strengths instead of shoehorning him into an uncomfortable role. Otherwise, Pepe or Martinelli are surely better options out there.

The attack is very dependant on the more dynamic movements of Saka, Smith Rowe and Pepe. For me, that is our best attacking midfield trio with either Lacazette or Aubameyang as the 9. Those three show a willingness to make early movements behind opposition defenders, deviate from their original positions and look for 1-2s, so it's really up to the defence and midfield to get the ball them earlier than they have been.

Whether we'll see this or not... who knows?

Apart from that, we need to be much, much better attacking set-pieces. We were one of the worst sides at offensive set-pieces last season and it's an easy area to improve. It could be worth several more goals for a team struggling to make open play chances.

For me at least, Arteta has until November to get this team competing for the top six and looking much more convincing while doing so. If it's still poor by then, then it's very hard to justify him staying on as manager.

I find it difficult to assess this team. It almost feels like it's 'more of the same'. A lot of our shortcomings were due to personnel and i am not sure we have fixed that issue. We are hoping Partey will have a stellar season but the problem remains his partner. Lokonga has looked impressive but it's a gamble to rely on him. Xhaka will probably our no 1 choice yet again for the pivot. We need to sign an 8 which we haven't yet and without a dynamic midfielder who can add goals from midfield we will probably continue playing the same brand of non-football as last season.

I think we should have sold Auba but i can understand no one will take him on those wages at his age. I really hope Balogun and Martinelli can be the consistent goal scorers we need upfront.

Here we are then:

Leno; Chambers, White, Mari, Tierney; Lokonga, Xhaka; Pepe, Smith Rowe, Martinelli; Balogun

Subs: Hein, Holding, Cedric, Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Tavares, Elneny, Nelson, Saka

9 subs allowed this year btw.

Despite everything, I'm curious how this young team will get on.

That is a very young team.

I love the attack. Hope we don't have to rely on the bench