That is a very young team.

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

Xhaka is captain.

We have reached full circle here

Xhaka is like that mosquito at night in your room that you just can't find and get rid of

XHAKA*

let's eat!
young blood energy in the team
Ship Auba and Laca to Inter in exchange for Lautaro

I think that you can ship whomever you want in or out and as long as the same tactics are employed we will have the same results. We still have nobody in the team that can take the ball through the middle of the pitch and from what I have seem will continue to rely on the slowest build up in the EPL. Slow everything down until the defense gets set then slowly build up play getting the ball to one side or the other and then a blind cross to nobody. None of the forwards we have are really know for their aerial ability so maybe we should have gone and gotten Giroud again.

Wow Chambers.

The good thing is we get a new coach in 3 games time.

Can't see how we're scoring one, nevermind two. Half-fit Saka is the only option off the bench.

Maybe one of Tierney's crosses will bounce in if we're lucky.

need to get Pepe and Gabi involved more, but i bet Arteta doesn't even have an inkling of a clue how to.
Balogun needs to do better holding up the ball.

Jay29 wrote:Can't see how we're scoring one, nevermind two. Half-fit Saka is the only option off the bench.

Maybe one of Tierney's crosses will bounce in if we're lucky.

Or half fit Saka releases his man and allows him to score.

silver wrote:The good thing is we get a new coach in 3 games time.

Not sure it will matter now. Needed to replace him and Edu last year so they did not build a team that lacks quality.

If we cannot get a single run through on goal against a team that is pressing and attacking like this then just think what would happen against the teams that park the bus against us.

Give Arteta Messi, Neymar and Mbappe and he would still struggle to find goals with his current tactics.

The good bit: Lokonga is a great addition.

Can't see anything special in Balogun. But he has no PL experience so maybe a bit harsh? Front 3 looked like they never played together (which is true i suppose).

Best attack always involved the usual ESR, Tierney and Pepe. ESR looks even better than last season.

Midfield a bit flat again. Lokonga is a tidy player but he isn't the dynamic type. He likes to be behind the play. We need need need need someone like Ramsey desperately.

Massively missed Lacazette. Felt like Martinelli n Pepe would have fared better with a proper Striker.

Lastly and very concerning, Ben White has absolutely no presence. I mean for a CB he looks the least imposing player on the pitch.

I hope I am wrong about him but he lost nearly every header and got bullied time n time again.

RealGunner wrote:Lastly and very concerning, Ben White has absolutely no presence. I mean for a CB he looks the least imposing player on the pitch.

I hope I am wrong about him but he lost nearly every header and got bullied time n time again.

Not only he is weak but its not like he is rapid or great in one vs ones either

I don't know what game people were watching. Lokonga had a couple of nice turns but all he really did was pass it to Xhaka (who then passed it to Tierney who crossed it to no-one).

Ben White is just a slightly younger Holding / Chambers. Hope I'm proven wrong.

Holding is elite in the air at least and has good positioning.

Also find it a bit funny how Chambers is now our first choice RB after spending 8 years being a fringe player lol?

Actually agree with Silver about Lokonga. But it was his first match in the PL so let's give him time to develop. But i don't think he is a good fit next to Xhaka.

more like Xhaka isn't a good fit beside him

Theories on what happened with Lacazette and Auba?

Corona? being sold? (hopefully)

Leading a resistance against Arteta methinks

What is Arteta's issue against playing in the middle? How come no journalist has asked him this?

I cant be the only one who finds it confusing to see the team put crosses to players who literally aren't suited for the air. The build up is so slow and so predictable that managers are definitely looking forward to playing us. Not fearing us.

We're so fucked.

I had a more in-depth post planned but the more I thought about it, the more hopeless the situation looked.

Increasingly looks like Arteta actually does want to sell both Aubameyang and Lacazette but no one wants to buy them.

Going to be a long season. Again.