Month: August 2024

What a team, what a result, What a goalie.

First of all, thank you Mr. Watkins. Without you, we could easily have – unjustly – lost this game. A very technical game between two really good, well coached teams. As the saying goes, it’s a game of fine margins. When we were here last season we squandered our chances and this time, it was Villa that did. Of course, that was in no small part due to the performance of Raya.

I think I’m finally at the point where I’ll accept him now as our GK. Which, of course, means I’ve just jinxed him going forward. But that save in the second half from Watkins was the game-changer. The reflex save was even better than the one last week against Wolves. Both these reflex saves could have been made by Ramsdale (though he’d need very long arms form the bench) but Raya has proven himself now. All that’s needed is for us to have a dedicated song in his name. But I leave that to others.

With all the focus and pressure on us chasing City last season it’s easy to forget what a good team we have. Watching us today, it struck me during that first half how evolved this team is. How much we controlled the game and how we imposed our rhythm and style on a really well coached Villa team. The accountant was a disaster for us – the club was just too big for him. But Villa fits him nicely and you can see how improved they are. Depending on how their European venture develops will govern whether they make the top 4 again. But they will be a constant threat.

So, for this victory we could thank the player we did not sign – Watkins – the goalkeeper we did transfer – Martinez – and the one we did sign – Raya. Instead, we had the little Belgium to thank for snatching the victory. In the early years of Arteta it felt like his substitutions were often ill-timed. Todays were perfect. With Trossards first touch he scored. What a game-changer he has turned out to be for us. Martinelli was pretty good today but there is just something different about Trossard. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

In the first half it felt like, too often, when playing it out from Saliba and Gabriel, we ignored our right; Saka was starved of the ball. He produced one excellent save from Martinez but was subdued beyond that. And of course, that first goal came from the usual triangle of White, Odegaard and Saka – with some help from Partey. And that’s not to ignore the workrate of Have-that that helped pressure the ball to Trossard.

Odegaard was majestic today. Working hard to close them down but so imaginative when on the ball. Tielemans tried to shadow him across the pitch but that’s a fools errand. Odegaard pulled the strings today. It’s just a shame he passed up the chance for the third when he skyed the ball after yet more impressive work from Trossard. In the 20 minutes that Trossard was on he created more opportunities and more of a threat then Martinelli – and he also managed to chase back to help out Calafiori.

I’ve been quick to complain and worry about Partey. With our new signing, it surely reduces his playing time. Today though he was on fire. His passing was more precise and his involvement more central to everything we did. He was more available to receive the ball and more constructive in his passing. He had his handful though with Rogers who did turn him a few times. This version of Partey is the one I recognize from 3 years ago. It’s just not clear if his performance is reproducible. Today though was more than good enough.

Rice was a little subdued. It’s not clear how this left midfield role suits him. I’m sure his still a little bit behind in his fitness. And with new addition maybe he’ll revert to his holding midfield position. But today he was our third best midfield player. And that’s OK when the bar is so high.

This defense though is pretty impressive ; yet another clean sheet. Todays result would have been unimaginable if Zinny had played instead of Timber. That instance in the first half where Bailey chased a ball over the top and Timber matched him stride for stride would never have happened with Zinny. Timber adds robustness and strength. I mean, he can actually defend. Imagine that. And he can easily played the inverted role when we’re in possession. You could see him, from the kick off, move inside alongside Partey. Then as the half progressed he pushed out wider. He has a flexibility and adaptability that, once he gets more minutes and playing time, will elevate his game and elevate this team. How reassuring is that! Another way in which we’ll be further improved from last year.

As relieved as I was to see Timber in the starting lineup it’s a little worrying that Jesus could not even make the bench. Ironically, he would have come on for Martinelli rather than Trossard. We need more depth though if this is going to be the Jesus of last year. Surely if Eddie does go off to Sherwood Forest, we’ll being in an additional attacker. Have-that seems like our designated center-forward now. He had one very difficult chance in the first half but no other obvious chances. But his work-rate and defending is crucial to this team. And, again, he’s much improved from last year. Another way in which we’re better.

Unlike last week, where he was getting rid of some cob-webs, Saliba was back to his Rolls-Royce best. There are many examples of the calmness and intelligence of his defending but the most obvious one was when there was a breakaway in the second half with White out of position. Saliba turned on the after-burners and made up twenty yards to close down and limit a shot that Raya was able to Parry. His speed of recovery was surprising but not his overall level of play. So much of the ball carrying goes through him. Alongside him Gabriel was very solid but you know he usually has one mistake a game in him. And today that lead to him disposed at the edge of our area. Somehow, Watkins managed to scuff the ball wide. That and his header that Raya miraculously saved were their game changers .

That Rogers is some fine player. I can see him vying for playing time with England soon. Though he faded as the game went on, he was mighty impressive – a real box-to-box player. And to think that he was playing for Middlesborough 9 months ago. And if were not for Watkins and Martinez, we’d have viewed his contribution in a different light. And with Lee Carsly watching, we might also see White recalled to the England team. He was thoroughly dominant again and surely the best right-back that England have.

That’s the first goal Partey has scored for us in a year or two. And this one, created via our love triangle on the right, was largely down to Martinez. I like it when he performs like this or when he scores an own goal for us. When you look at him and Raya you can see why we made the change even if the financial aspects might be imbalanced. I can do without his arrogance and lack of distribution skills, but 9 times out of 10 he would save that Partey shot. At 2-0 though we could finally relax. I was happy to see Saka protected and give Nelson some minutes. His defending has improved along with his work-rate. I can’t see how we can let him go in this transfer window now that Eddie is headed out.

We deserved to win today, we were the better team even though they could have gone ahead. This team is incrementally moving in the right direction. And to make a great performance and a great day even better we (and in particular me) might be able to finally say good night Vieira. I think it’s fair to say I’ve never taken to him. I don’t see where he fits for us. He’s too light-weight, does not work hard enough, is not physical, and has no clear end product. He’s a classic luxury player who will once in a blue moon do something really impressive. But, I hate watching him play. I don’t trust him and I don’t see what he brings to this team. I only wish we had sold him outright and retained ESR. But that ship has sailed but at least Vieira will be on the next boat (or plane) out. I will put him in the same category as Gervinho or Aliadiere, players who flattered to deceive. Hopefully he’ll feel at home in Porto and increase his final sale value for us.

Now we have a week to wallow in this wonderful performance, victory and three points.  Having vanquished one ghost from last year we have up next Brighton. Not a team to underestimate. Hopefully I’ll be able to find tickets for this game and get to experience it in person along with 60,000 other people.

-LB7

That’s how to start a season. Clean sheet and three points.

Though our main competitors also seemed to have won, this was always going to be a tricky fixture. The new phrase we’re destined to hear all season long now is “fine margins”. The pressure is on, we can’t make any mistakes, drop any points etc. The season is too long to worry about that. You have to pace your self and try to focus on enjoying the football.

There were periods today when we could but, to their credit, Wolves pushed us. They had a few chances that could have altered the course of the game. Fortunately we had Raya to save us. Who would have thought I’d have said that. And in our first game. Wonders never cease.

Team selection was fairly predictable. Zinny was always going to be left back but I’m not sure I expected Have-that to start up front. In addition to the vital first goal you could again see his all-round value to our team. Arteta will always have to find a way to get him on the team sheet.

It turns out this was the ideal first match for us. At home against a useful team but not too useful. Nice preparation for Villa. This built on our pre-season but added a competitive edge. And we needed this. While you could see the patterns and style of play from last year you could also see the rustiness as well. Players who are only just back still need time to find their feet. I mean, how often do you see Saliba misplace passes that expose our back line; three times today. And how often do you see Rice go down with cramp? And Saka being substituted? This should all help for next week.

I remember last season it took Saka up to 7 games to rediscover his top form. And this year he has had reduced recuperation time. At least today he was not kicked too much. I’ve always been a little impressed with Ait-Nouri. But here we are on the first day and he’s created the opening goal and then sealed the victory with the second.

Of course, Have-that demonstrated our dilemma upfront. As important as that first goal was we saw him squander a potentially critical chance in the second half. That was the chance to put the game away. Wolves come out more organized and more aggressive in the second half. There was a sustained period where we were on the back foot and looking likely to concede. That chance could have saved us. But thankfully Saka’s did.

Overall though you’d have to say that Wolves did pretty well blunting our creativity. But they failed to control Odegaard and most good things emanated from him. He is just too important to this team and I see no like for like replacement. And that’s worrying. In most other areas we have some cover but not for our captain.

Martinelli was pretty effective but then it was Doherty marking him. His speed and directness is critical to our counter attacking approach so let’s hope he can re-discover his scoring shoes this year. The advantage of playing Rice as a #8 is that it adds more potency to our left hand side; it provides a better balance to the team. And with Have-that dropping back to also help, we are defensively better as well.

Their main chances though did originate from our give-aways as we tried to play out. Have-that in the first half along with the misplaced Saliba passes and then Partey and the cameo by Timber. But Raya was on his game today. That’s the second time I’ve complemented him. And we’re only one game in. Maybe I’m just so relieved with our three points and the absence of Vieira.

That cameo by Timber was illuminating. We’ve not really seen much of him because of his ACL injury. And it seemed like he was determined to make up for all that lost time in the limited time he was on the pitch. Whether he was overlapping Saka or trying to dribble his way of our defense, he seemed so desperate to be involved that his excitement got the better of him. But, given time, you could see him being an upgrade on poor Zinny. As much as Zinny was able to help us create down the left and as much as he was able to invert and link up, his defensive limitations were, as ever, all to visible. I can’t imagine he’ll be starting against Baily versus Villa next week. Of course, we could always use our new pretty boy instead; Calafiori looked dashingly handsome on the bench again today. We’ve finally found our Pires replacement.

I know it’s merely one game but it seemed that VAR was slightly tamed today. Less intervention and quicker decisions. Not that there was too much controversy. Let’s hope that can continue. With each goal today there was no delayed celebration and then no delay while we had to hold our breath. Let’s hope it does not make up for lost time next week.

We saw the full range from Partey today. Sharp link up play with Odegaard, vertical passes that released Have-that and others. Yet, we also saw his sluggish and slow recovery. And getting caught on the ball because his decision making was too slow. At his worse he can remind me of how Xhaka, when playing in that position, would look like a slow horse, treading water as other rans past him. And yet, he is available to help work the ball through the lines to push us forward. I remain nervous of his reliability and concerned about his ability to consistently available. Can he stay fit this year? I doubt it.

Aside from Odegaard, the player who seemed most ready to play the full 90 minutes was Benny White. Of all our defenders he was the only one who was both careful and reliable with his distribution while not (like Gabriel) giving away fouls in dangerous areas. Now if only we could train him to speed up his throw-ins. Each one seems to take an eternity. On the the other side it is not much better. We certainly need a throw-in coach for this team. Just maybe, with White and Odegaard, we just saw the benefits of not playing summer International football. Both seemed fitter and raring to go. And, of course, unlike Rice, Saka and Saliba, these two have had the entire summer to rest, relax and then immerse themselves in a full pre-season.

While we have a tough schedule ahead of us, it’s going to take a little time for this team to fully rediscover its rhythm. Of course, this is true of all the other teams as well. With the window still open, let’s hope we can bring in a couple more players to bolster the depth of our squad. You could see today Arteta using his bench to good effect. We’ll need to rotate more than last year. That only happens if there are players there he trusts. With Calafiori, Timber and Jesus plus Trossard that’s a base of 15. Hopefully we can include Nwaneri as well. But a little more strengthening is needed.

So after a couple of stress free months we now enter that nine month cycle of pain, suffering with the hope that at the end we get the satisfaction and enjoyment we crave. Let’s just hope it’s a better outcome than I obtained after each of the nine month of anticipating for each of my children. Because, trust me, it was not worth the suffering.  So gear yourself up, strap yourself in. We will be in a pretty challenging title race against City, Liverpool, Villa, United and others. Sure we’ll be able to laugh and that lot down the road and also at the squandered money of Chelsea, but let not forget to enjoy the talent, style, rhythm and pleasure of watching how we play this game.

-LB7

Well, hello there dear reader. Welcome back. We’d not broken up; we we’re just on a break. But we’re back now. And just in time before kick-off tomorrow.

Before we get sucked into the vortex of another season I thought it would be wise to note down some recent pre-season developments before the fog of war causes the memory to fade.

My heart broke. I know it was destined to happen. There had been just too much noise; too much smoke. Sure, we received a tidy sum. But we’ve lost ESR. I loved this boy. The quintessential Arsenal academy product. My Wilshire replacement. His style of play, his goals and his class. But somehow injuries and the wasted money on Vieira have conspired to force him out of the club. Though I could never wish well on Fulham, I pray he achieves the success there he deserves. He will be missed. We will not be able to witness his best years. We should have sold Vieira – or just left him by the side of the road. I also recognize that we have Nwaneri and he must receive playing time. He is another generational talent. So, I can see why this is a good move for ESR and for us (i.e. the money with a buy-back option I hope) but it still brings tears to my eyes. BTW, do you know who ESR came on for as a substitute in his first Arsenal appearance? Do you know who passed to ESR for his first Arsenal goal? Iwobi in both cases.

Can someone explain to me these weird transfers that we’ve seen over the summer between Villa, Newcastle and Chelsea. How is this not goosing the books to avoid PSR issues? Can’t blame them for gaming the system I suppose but if there actually was a real authority running this sport this would be stamped out. But then the same people can’t even figure out how to fix VAR nor can they handle the issue of the 115.

With all the debate and disagreements about who we have signed and who we should have signed. All the bleating about Toney and other forwards. The demand for us to have a backup to Saka etc. We genuinely need a true defensive midfield/holding player.

My next, and possibly most unnerving point; here’s the thing I’ve not heard discussed at all and it is the most clear and obvious risk that we run. Odegaard. What the hell would we do if he was injured? Who is the natural replacement? Sure, he is a uniquely gifted player. No-one could actually replace him. But it’s unreasonable to expect him to play the minutes he played last year. At some point (and I don’t mean to jinx this) he will pick up a knock or two. Then who would we use to link up with Saka and White to provide that creativity down our right? Please, oh please, don’t even think about Vieira.

What is going on at Chelsea. Really. Not that I care. They are a basket case. It’s gotten borderline embarrassing. Their American owners make you miss their Oligarch. How many players can one team play at once. Of course, this goes back to these weird transfers. And while I naturally only desire that that lot down the road implode and fail miserably this season (as they always do) it’s really hard not to despise Chelsea nearly as much and just hope they suffer an equivalent fate. They really are bringing the game into disrepute.

Back to us. I’ve been impressed with certain players in our pre-season. In particular Nelson has looked like a rejuvenated player. I can see him being a reasonable (and cheap) cover for Saka. It’s been torture to see Vieira in this position. Of course Nelson was deemed to be headed to Leicester. Why can’t we send Vieira there instead. Given that Eddie seems headed out for a tidy sum, we should retain Reece and use the money to get cover for Odegaard.

Partey is still with us. The Saudis’ lost interest. Unfortunately. We could have used that money. Instead, he’ll run down his contract (which is his right) and spend too much time injured. It’s hard to see how we can rely on him for the season ahead. With more fixtures and greater expectations, we must have a more balanced and deeper squad to support the added pressure. Partey, on his day, can help link up our play and dissect the opposition with his forward passing. But we just know his body will fail him. If we knew he would remain fit I’d be more than happy to keep him. But we just know, in the real world, that won’t happen.

Jesus looks rejuvenated. Martinelli looks fit again (not in that way dear boy). But I don’t know you’d want to really on either for the goals we’ll need. Have-that will only get better but I’d still like to see us add a striker. Once Eddie moves on, may, just maybe we’ll sneak off and grab Toney. He could be our last minute summer shopping.

This season will be tougher for us. More fixtures. And everyone is now saying we should be expecting to win the league. Mark me down as a skeptic. If we do have a back-up for Odegaard and we bring in a defensive midfielder along with a striker, then we might have a deep enough squad. But we saw last year you can’t get by with just 12 or 13 core players. We will progress. We will continue on our upward trajectory. But now we’ll have the media jumping all over us as soon as we lose a game. The margin for error is so small. All we need is for Rodri to move to Gibraltar.

Predictions for this season:

Top 4 – City, Arsenal, Liverpool, United

Bottom 3 – Sp*rs, Chelsea, Sp*rs Reserves

-LB7