When others pray (Positives Needs & Hopes) [ARS 1-0 CRY]

‘When others pray’

An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective

Before the Palace game, I’d had a handful of conversations with fellow Arsenal fans. Everyone seemed nervous, but for some reason I didn’t. I can’t pretend that the nerves didn’t have me pacing the last 15 minutes but pre-game I was fairly lucid. I think that my mental state is helped by looking at Arsenal’s bench and knowing that if it’s not going right, it will get fixed by a player who is the equal of the player coming off. At least in potential, anyway. Having said that, I’m aware that all Arsenal fans are noticing this. So, what else is it? I remembered back to a discussion I had with someone online. A friend who agreed that preparing and playing Arsenal is a nightmare.

We all know this but often forget because we are programmed to worry about our team, our problems and our weaknesses. Our list is short. It consists of wishing we’d score a bucket load rather than just one and who we are going to shout at after the game because they are still taunting us for being Set Piece F.C.

Imagine being Crystal Palace though.

You could tell what they’d been working on in preparation and it wasn’t how to utilize Pino and Sarr as offensive threats. To their credit, they were the hardest team to break down that we’ve played so far this season in any competition. The gaps were rarely available. Beyond having a very compact shape and executing that preparation, the list of players and possibilities that they had to consider is longer than the problems at the PGMOL.

You can’t play Arsenal and not have a plan for Saka. Palace shaped their bodies to encourage us to go left. Then they had to also consider denying central space to their former best player. Arsenal’s striker might only be at 60% of where he will end up but he has this nasty habit of working so hard and fighting so consistently that he can’t be ignored. He forces himself to be a factor. Trossard and Martinelli are both in form and can’t be ignored. Zubimendi will dictate the entire game unless you get close to him. Rice can do anything and everything if you let him and Calafiori is the hardest to handle as he wonders through portals and appears in another new space. Then you have to consider that Arsenal have a right back who plays as a ’10’ when he sees the space and is getting as many attacking moments as the other attackers and considering he is currently our most in-form player, you’d be a fool to cross your fingers and hope for the best. You’d think that in such a dominant team, you could spend minimal time talking and prepping for Saliba and Gabriel, but Arsenal’s keeper breaks lines as often as they do.

Then you have the main threat. Just as you get to Thursday and walk off the field having got through four days of preparing for the above, you realize that you could work on your own team on Friday or try to prepare for Arsenal’s set plays. You do the latter because you fear being sacked for ‘gross negligence’ if you don’t. Your preparation brings the players back out on the field for Saturday when they normally stretch and rest.

You may think this is excessive, but Arsenal are not only the best team in the league but very unique in their style. Exceedingly more patient than others. So, you can’t just tell your players to ‘remember how we prepared for Liverpool,’ because Arsenal cause a far greater list of problems and do it differently.

Then the game starts and Arsenal keep switching their strategy. Where other teams just keep trying to knock the door down with their shoulder, Arsenal have a toolbox that B&Q only dream of.

Arsenal are a massive headache for our opponents and probably look at our fans who are ‘worried’ pre-game and dismissively scoff at our emotions.

Sometimes it’s worth looking at Arsenal from the viewpoint of other fans. When you do you will get a clearer understanding of why they can’t ….

a) get in our penalty area

b) can’t get any shots on target

c) can’t score

Do you remember conceding 96 shots in 4 games under Emery?

It’s not just that we are great defensively, which we are. It’s because they are all far more concerned about us than they are about themselves. So when games finish and you wonder if the lightning quick Sarr was even playing or why Atletico Madrid played their monster tall Sorloth instead of their regular 4-4-2 with Griezmann and Alvarez, then you will know why.

The best tweets are the short ones.

POSITIVES:

Mosquera:

Is he the best value for money signing this season? Without researching, I’d say he must be. Incredible recruiting and persuasion by Arsenal. Not many would trust themselves to compete with arguably the best two CB’s in the world. When it got tense on Sunday, he was calmer than the other defenders. I’m starting to believe that having a laid back/calm personality is actually perfectly suited to playing centre back. The knee jerk reaction is to want aggression as the primary trait, but I’m doubting that now.

Gabby:

I’ve noticed this season that he seems so much happier. He must know that he is one of the best, feel comfortable in his spot and he is now getting the love from everywhere. I think much of that is accidental because the media are obsessed with Arsenal are the negative talk about our set plays puts him in the spotlight even more. Learning English must be a contributing factor to his comfort on the team as well as being part of the 5 man leadership group.

Timber:

There is now talk of Gabriel being the strongest candidate so far for Player of the Year in the PL. I think Arsenal fans would put Timber’s name forward, also. He has to be the best defensive right back in the world right now. I’ve studied his one on one defending and I’ve noticed that his posture is perfect. Not too low, not too high. His one on one positioning is also perfect. As is his physical size for his position. Arsenal should be getting a long list of plaudits and recruitment should be near the top.

Lead:

This is really hard to believe. I think Liverpool actually have a serious issue. I get the feeling that the Championship winning players are ticked that so much has changed. A lack of trust in them. I also think that Slot is fed up of hearing that he won with ‘Klopp’s team.’ Long may it continue, though.

Eze:

Eze wasn’t great and I’m still somewhat frustrated at his laid back attitude to getting on the ball, but he might just be exactly what we need. For years we have needed two qualities…. more ‘X factor’ and players that can shoot accurately from distance. Eze has actually had more shots on target than any other player in the league. We haven’t noticed because most are blocked. Glasner told us after the game that he is deadly inside the box and that his team forgot that for a split second. Seems harsh to me as he had to kung-fu panda to even stand a chance of getting there first.

VG:

Another super general performance. It’s great for him to have such a strong supporting cast and that he can play so well but not HAVE to score each week. I think he would be/will be even more appreciated when he’s not playing. He is getting better and better at holding off defenders and waiting for help. I’m not sure of another player in the league that can do this so effectively. People don’t realize how hard it is. Just because he’s also big that doesn’t mean that he should be there equal in the challenge. If you had someone as big as you, sneak up behind you and try to jostle you for your last Extra Strong Mint as you walk down the High Street, you’d say that you lost the mint because you didn’t see which side he was coming. In fact, you didn’t even know he was coming at all.

Always eat you last Extra Strong Mint in private.

Zubimendi:

Watch him when opponents are crossing. always covering the cutback. I’ve wondered why other teams don’t protect this area like we do. It’s the most dangerous zone as the back four all tend to protect the six yard box. Another example of Arteta being ahead of the game.

Hincapie:

I love how serious he is. Born to play for this version of Arsenal. He gives me the impression that he is the kind of guy who you skip in the changing room as you go around trying to individually motivate.

NEEDS:

VG:

Just a thought….. is he looking a little less sharp inside the box because of how heavy his legs feel due to all the running and fighting he does outside the box?

Front three:

Is this fair? I think it’s fairer to say that the team is playing in 3rd gear offensively and perhaps the front three are playing collectively in second gear. Not through lack of effort but simply understanding and execution.

PGMOL:

If you don’t like my ‘ref rants’ then skip this. Before you skip it though, I will compliment the PGMOL. I saw two new refs in the PL this weekend. One was at the Emirates. They may have been in the league for years however, as Arsenal tend to only be refereed by those who come from Manchester or support Liverpool.

This rant is not against the referees so much as the rules. As I always say, a penalty is statistically an 80% chance to score. How is a Brentford player dribbling out of the box and his boot is tickled by a Liverpool toe. How is that deserving of an 80% chance of scoring? It doesn’t even register at XG headquarters as 0.anything, so what are we doing??

I’ve decided that ‘clear and obvious’ should be changed to ‘extremely vague and stand here for 2 minutes.’ We are being mocked, people.

HOPES:

Nwaneri:

There is a run of games upcoming where Ethan could make Arteta’s job much tougher. It’s the goal threat and running through the midfield that he holds as somewhat unique gifts in our squad.

Brighton:

Do I care about Wednesday? Yes 70%, No 30%. I always care about them more for our second string getting minutes than winning the League Cup, but know that our second string are more rotation options rather than inferior players. I also get excited to see players like Dowman and Salmon. When you play good teams like Brighton, the coach can get a better feel for how you can do in a PL game. Rip it up, Max!

Coach Max:

He’s stated that he is largely unemployed now that Arsenal don’t have any urgent needs. It doesn’t stop the wizzkid from finding gems, though. I introduce you to Ismael Saibari. A 24 yr old Moroccan CAM/winger at PSV. Saibari isa highly skillful, quick footed assist machine with 7 G/A in 10 games already. I’m always wary of Dutch players as they don’t seem to translate as well as others to the PL, but Saibari is probably going to end up at a team like Brighton.

Arsenal will be buying a winger sometime soon regardless of need as Trossard will likely be the next to leave and I think his extra year on his contract was to protect his value.

TWEETS and THOUGHTS:

Maybe we see this on Wednesday

My all time favourite player. I had the same change of direction as Anders Limpar when I played. At least in my mind.

I never liked his music but he is a great guy. He has a restaurant in NYC where the food is free.

As crazy as this sounds, I actually think that if he had better hair he would be appreciated more. He doesn’t have a celebration or a ‘look’ which shouldn’t matter, but it does. Super player who will end up at an AC Milan.

I zoomed in and saw my name on the cover which i still think is cool. If you haven’t ever read my ‘Coach Mike’s tactics’ column in The Gooner, give it a look.

Arsenal are keeping this quiet. I’m trying to figure out the advantage of having so many left footers. Any ideas?

Haaland is far too good to be a scuba instructor. City should re-sign him. He was good.

Kind of sums it all up, really.

FINAL THOUGHT:

Does Guehi look like Saka?

Thanks for reading!

Mike McDonald

Former Highbury regular. Moved to TN, USA in ’99. Married with 3 kids. Coached in UK and US for 27 years.
Mike McDonald Soccer Academy in Morristown TN, Olympic Development coach, Regional Premier League Champion.