Up the Arse! Goons Thread

[glenferry23]

Lovely stuff from Mikel here. Another debutant, 18 year old Ibrahim.

 

[glenferry23]

Poor goal to concede late but job done. 8 from 8. Top of the table secured.

 

[TY24]

For all the doom and gloom we become the first team to go flawlessly through the League phase. 8 played, 8 wins, 23 scored, 4 conceded.

Dominant, although it doesn't mean much if we don't go on to win it.

 

[tigs2010]

Very nice win

 

[glenferry23]

Potential opponents for the r16: Atalanta, Dortmund, Olympiakos or Leverkusen.

 

[andana]

 

[Planet14]

Olympiakos

Of course.

 

[glenferry23]

Of course.

It’s CL heritage

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Unlucky not to have flogged them, but we take the win with the rotations and gametime that Calafiori, White, Havert and Hincapie got. That's really important.

He's already won 2?

We have scored 4 goals in the last 180 minutes actually.

Jeez, where to start with this...

Cmon mate, you're not counting the Community Cup?

FA Cup was nice, but that was also with Emery's squad and was several years ago now. It's now, or maybe never for Arteta. A less forgiving club like Real would have already binned him. Luckily the club, owners, Berta and co all seem to be on the same page because we are so close.

 

[TY24]

FA Cup was nice, but that was also with Emery's squad and was several years ago now. It's now, or maybe never for Arteta. A less forgiving club like Real would have already binned him. Luckily the club, owners, Berta and co all seem to be on the same page because we are so close.

Agree 100%

 

[Crow-eater]

Yeah, look, anyone but Olympiakos please.

The PTSD is real.

 

[glenferry23]

Without wanting to look too far ahead, the QFs are scheduled for April 7/8 and then April 14/15.

Should Arsenal advance from the r16, it’s possible there’s a QF date with either Inter or City. The next PL match after the QF second leg? Away to City on the 18th April.

One step at a time etc etc, however that’s exciting stuff.

 

[Shoei]

It will be interesting to see how Havertz comes back into the team now that we have himself, Jesus and Gyokeres all fit for the first time.

Given Arteta's comments, I hope we'll start to see a little more attacking edge to the starting 11 for certain games.

Against Leeds I'd be looking for something like:

Eze, Goykeres, Saka
Havertz, Odegaard,
Rice
Califiori Saliba Gabriel Timber


I think Havertz being back is really important for the back end of the season. Yes, he doesn't score a bucket load of goals but he adds another different element to the team, with his size + genuine passing skill. His best position is easily the #8 role, so hopefully now with Goykeres/Jesus being the full time fowards, Havertz can be put in his best position.

Which we did see vs Kairat.

 

[glenferry23]

It will be interesting to see how Havertz comes back into the team now that we have himself, Jesus and Gyokeres all fit for the first time.

Given Arteta's comments, I hope we'll start to see a little more attacking edge to the starting 11 for certain games.

Against Leeds I'd be looking for something like:

Eze, Goykeres, Saka
Havertz, Odegaard,
Rice
Califiori Saliba Gabriel Timber


I think Havertz being back is really important for the back end of the season. Yes, he doesn't score a bucket load of goals but he adds another different element to the team, with his size + genuine passing skill. His best position is easily the #8 role, so hopefully now with Goykeres/Jesus being the full time fowards, Havertz can be put in his best position.

Which we did see vs Kairat.

He played very high up against Kairat, almost the second striker in a 4-4-2 set up. It was great to see something different because I do feel the PL set up has become too easy to negate in recent weeks. The Kairat game was a perfect opportunity to mix things up and give different combinations.

Havertz has enjoyed a lot of success in his time at Leverkusen in a similar role, playing off the striker. I would really like to see more of it, he’s so heavily involved in build up play. Without doing the whole “like a new signing” thing, Havertz being back in the squad could be huge in the run in for Arsenal.

Whether he can do 2 starts in 3 days remains to be seen, maybe he comes off the bench against Leeds? Either way, I do think it’s time to rejuvenate that area of the pitch. Eze on the left to start with (surely he’s paid his dues now since the Villa error) or Havertz or Merino in the Odegaard position perhaps, I think it’s prime time to do it against Leeds.

 

[Shoei]

He played very high up against Kairat, almost the second striker in a 4-4-2 set up. It was great to see something different because I do feel the PL set up has become too easy to negate in recent weeks.

Havertz excels at those late runs into the box from deep. Given our cut-backs are often going to no one, hopefully its sometime he'll be able to make the most of.

My only fear with him playing very high up in the PL is that he's going to be sitting on top of Gyokeres and given that we are most likely to face very low blocks, that means he's going to be surrounded by the centrebacks and midfielders sitting deep. Playing the ball in to both of them is going to be virtually impossible.

Against Kairat we were able to exploit their very high line......i doubt any PL team is going to afford Arsenal that kind of space in the back in the remaining games.

 

[glenferry23]

Havertz excels at those late runs into the box from deep. Given our cut-backs are often going to no one, hopefully its sometime he'll be able to make the most of.

My only fear with him playing very high up in the PL is that he's going to be sitting on top of Gyokeres and given that we are most likely to face very low blocks, that means he's going to be surrounded by the centrebacks and midfielders sitting deep. Playing the ball in to both of them is going to be virtually impossible.

Against Kairat we were able to exploit their very high line......i doubt any PL team is going to afford Arsenal that kind of space in the back in the remaining games.

Very true. As much as I enjoyed simplicity of the Gyokeres opening goal against Kairat (2 passes straight through the middle from Eze and Havertz), you just don’t get that gaping hole in the league to work with.

 

[Cruyff14]

I couldn't see much of the game due to work being absolutely bonkers, but from what I have heard, Havertz must absolitely start against Leeds.

Odegaard sits deep far too often, we need to be driving at teams, not inviting them in.

 

[bok_party]

I couldn't see much of the game due to work being absolutely bonkers, but from what I have heard, Havertz must absolitely start against Leeds.

Odegaard sits deep far too often, we need to be driving at teams, not inviting them in.

We don’t want to overwork him so soon though. Need to manage him carefully.
Might be better for 45 or less, whether that’s in the first half, or as a sub later on.

 

[andana]

Max Dowman is set to take a significant step in his football career after signing a pre-contract agreement with Arsenal. This contract will enable him to join the professional ranks once he turns 17 in December.

 

[beside the seaside]

This Leeds game is huge. We just have to win.

 

[glenferry23]

Very important to earn those 3 points tonight with City’s game to come on Monday morning.

 

[andana]

Arsenal's flight to Leeds on Friday ahead of their Premier League clash at Elland Road was called off due to dense fog
Having elected to take the bus, Arsenal will embark on a 200-mile trip to reach their destination.

 

[Clark G]

Arsenal's flight to Leeds on Friday ahead of their Premier League clash at Elland Road was called off due to dense fog
Having elected to take the bus, Arsenal will embark on a 200-mile trip to reach their destination.

I’m not familiar with the usual travel arrangements for EPL teams, is it rare to travel by bus for games? In any case, hopefully it doesn’t affect the game.

 

[TY24]

Own goal from a set piece again

 

[Shoei]

Average first half, nice to be 2-0 up.

Timber playing very well and working hard with Noni but not really much else going on. Rice and Zubimendi getting invloved in the middle a little.

Havertz playing in the #10 role but not really involved at all at the moment, i still think he's too close to Gyokeres, almost playing as a second out and out striker.

Same with Trossard, trying to work with Hincapié but there's just no sync. Hincapié doesn't offer the same attacking threat as Timber on the other side which does lead to a very one dimensional path to goal.