So much work to do in this summer window I was looking at our squad sheet on the back of yesterday’s match programme and started to tot up how many players we’d have for next season and it adds up to Arsenal having to do as much as they did in the last summer window […]
Don’t be nervous POSITIVES, NEEDS and HOPES Me: We need another one Max: Yeah, we definitely need another one Me: Has Leno made a save? Max: No, but we need another one Me: Do we need another one? Max: They don’t look like scoring so… Me: I’ve seen this before though. One isn’t enough. Max: […]
Time to visit the shoeshine boy POSITIVES, NEEDS and HOPES I’ve never been to a shoeshine boy. It’s on the bucket list. The ‘little bucket list’ which is different to the one where I plan on eating paella at Ikea with Santi Cazorla and Anders Limpar. I’m still nervous. You can probably tell. A home […]
Little Lucky Winks Back POSITIVES, NEEDS AND HOPES Amongst the wash of badness that Arsenal have been this season, Arsenal have also been unlucky. Perhaps all teams are as unlucky as us? I don’t pay close enough attention to all of them to know. I can say however, that I can’t remember a season being […]
Like a Panther POSITIVES, NEEDS and HOPES That was one incredibly well coached game. Slavia insisted on playing out from the back and were fine in the first phase. Second phase their midfield couldn’t connect. I watched, paused, re-wound the TV and saw what was happening. Arteta had set us up to tempt them. To […]
There are two statements that appeared on my feed recently that sum up a depressingly, growing number of our fan base at the moment. Anonymous (supposed Arsenal fan) on Twitter: ‘When you play well you get zero abuse. They deserve everything they get and more” Granit Xhaka: “I’m the guy on the pitch, not my […]
A line-breaking pass from deep, positional rotations and a smart finish; elements that were on display in Arsenal’s first goal against Leeds (described below). In this piece, I provide a review of the game. Formations in and out of possession Arsenal continued to persist with the 4-2-3-1 that has brought greater levels of consistency in […]
When it’s the Coach POSITIVES, NEEDS and HOPES Every game can be won or lost by a coach. Something they do or don’t do. Often it’s plural. Yesterday, Mikel Arteta and Ralph Hassenhuttl got to show themselves. Two games, same opponents, back to back. A real coaches game. Just played each other so we were […]
It’s been a catastrophic season so far. But perhaps yesterdays performance may just be a catalyst for change. In this piece, I provide an in-depth match review, discussing the formations/tactics deployed by Mikel Arteta, a general review of the game followed by highlighting individual performances. Initially, it seemed that the hybrid 3-4-3 would be retained […]
Attacking solution enclosed POSITIVES, NEEDS and HOPES “Do Rapid Vienna have a goalkeeper? I haven’t seen him yet and this is the 55th minute” “This looks like a massive game of keep away. Again.” “If we are going to score, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be from open play.” “Eddie looks lost. Why […]
