A Strong well argued case made for Odegaard over Maddison
To be or not to be, that’s the question ….. Sorry this is not Shakespeare reincarnated. But it wouldn’t be too far off to allude to the question of which central attacking midfielder Arsenal should go for, to the dilemma of Hamlet in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy –Hamlet. It is clear, at least going by rumors […]
Laca or Auba are not working the Rectangular Shaped Box but Tammy or Vlahovic would
A rectangular shaped problem POSITIVES, NEEDS and HOPES One of the joys of my coaching career was having the blessing of meeting and coaching a boy called Mark Sherrod. (Above) Mark drove 45 minutes four times a week to play on our team and did so for many years. Mark was not only a fabulous […]
Internal Solutions versus External Additions: how Arteta and Edu can still turn this transfer window around
A few weeks ago, before the Euros had started and before the dust had settled on Arteta’s first full season in charge, I called for ruthlessness in this summer’s transfer window. A shout that while having the best intentions, was likely a naïve take on a transfer window that is truly unlike any other in […]
From Hero to Zero to Hero – Granit Xhaka?
It’s three months but it feels like a hundreds years ago. It was June, 11th when I posted a blog bidding farewell to Granit Xhaka, a player that divided opinions since the very beginning and seemed certain to leave after five years.Today, the same Granit Xhaka is about to pen a new 4-years deal that […]
A full tactical breakdown of Arsenal 1-Chelsea 2 with lessons learned
This was the Arsenal lineup for the match. ARSENAL BUILD-UP PLAY: Arsenal looked to build-up in a 3-2-5 as we’ve seen a lot this preseason and the end of last season. With Chambers dropping deep to form a back 3 with Elneny and Partey forming a double pivot. Aubameyang and Smith Rowe would drop deep […]
#FreeWilliamSaliba – 3 Years in Captivity!
And the vitriol commences. We sign Ben White, he gets handed the number 4 shirt and the fan boys are kicking off. The odd thing about this group is that they are fanboys for an unproven 20 year old, with very little experience, as opposed to a 30 something who has proven himself in the […]
Will the Gunners be firing with another opening day trip to a promoted side?
To commence his first full season as the Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta defeated Liverpool on penalties to add the Community Shield to the FA Cup, and then got the Premier League campaign off to a flyer. Up against the newly-promoted Fulham, the Spaniard sent out an attack-minded 3-4-3 to win 3-0 at Craven Cottage. With […]
What would Lautaro Martinez bring to Arsenal? (An in-depth player analysis)
Sometimes in football, clubs can plan strenuously ahead of the transfer window, but until it’s actually underway nobody knows what opportunities may arise. Especially during the pandemic, the financial situation for certain clubs is changing at a quicker rate than ever, meaning some of football’s giants are having to sell their best players in order […]
Preparing for the absent: how Arteta prioritized strategy over personnel [ARS 1-2 CHE]
Preparing for the absent POSITIVES, NEEDS and HOPES I’m normally not in the camp of folk who say pre-season is just for fitness and rhythm. I’m still not. As a coach it is pivotal, not just for players to get in the groove but to try out the most important tactics/strategies that you want to […]
Should we be worried if Sambi Lokonga starts Arsenal’s Premier League campaign?
As the speculation continues about when and if Xhaka departs for Rome, and consequently whether Arsenal will sign a senior partner for Thomas Partey, the central midfielder we have signed, is quietly impressing. Albert ‘Sambi’ Lokonga, was and perhaps is, thought to be a squad addition, to give us strength in depth and certainly a […]