Up the Arse! Goons Thread

[bok_party]

Well we saw it this morning, was pretty uninspired

Though I think Ipswich played pretty well tbf

Think it’s hard playing against low blocks these days to be fair.

 

[glenferry23]

Yes I think Ipswich set up quite well, they had decent spells during the match. The longer it takes to score sometimes, the harder breaking down these deep blocks become. As they sense they’re getting closer and closer to the result as the clock ticks down. The first half goal was crucial in that respect.

Meanwhile, Saka in a hospital bed.

 

[Shoei]

I know the general dislike for it but I'd still consider Rashford for the right price.

We'll also probably lose Jorginho, Zinchenko (I'd still keep) Party and all the mids out on loan end of season, so the midfield needs some work.

I'd imagine Myles Lewis-Skelly will integrate back into the midfield once we get some defenders fit, and Nwaneri will need minutes but still way too light.

James Mcatee is a talent out of contract from City end of year. Can play both centrally and on the right wing. Very young but would potentially provide great cover for Odegaard/Saka.

Could be another Cole Palmer situation........

 

[dirty2]

I know the general dislike for it but I'd still consider Rashford for the right price.

We'll also probably lose Jorginho, Zinchenko (I'd still keep) Party and all the mids out on loan end of season, so the midfield needs some work.

I'd imagine Myles Lewis-Skelly will integrate back into the midfield once we get some defenders fit, and Nwaneri will need minutes but still way too light.

James Mcatee is a talent out of contract from City end of year. Can play both centrally and on the right wing. Very young but would potentially provide great cover for Odegaard/Saka.

Could be another Cole Palmer situation........

Rashford plays mainly out left? Quite happily to be corrected (don't really pay attention to man U other then enjoying that they suck ATM )

 

[glenferry23]

Rashford mostly on the left yes, can play centrally too. It’s a pass for me. There’s just too much noise around the off field stuff, obviously a lot of that would be private however bigger than that is the lack of defensive awareness and work he does. Cannot see that being tolerated in an Arteta system in addition to the wages.

We should be looking at a different profile and not take another speculative roll of the dice. There’s too much at stake now at this stage of Arsenal’s “project” to get a signing of that significance wrong.

 

[dirty2]

If glenferry23 says no... Then I say no.

 

[andana]

For the final time in 2024, Mikel Arteta held a pre-match press conference before we head to Brentford on New Year's Day to tackle the Bees.

on the squads New Year's resolution:
Keep everybody fit, that’s it.

on whether the team will need rotating:
I don’t know. We will watch the [Ipswich] game back and then I will watch the training session that we always do, and feel it and have a feeling of what is the best team to start and what is the best team to finish the game, in relation to what the position is as well and individual moment of each player.

PL Stories has an interesting video called Basque Managers.

 

[Shoei]

Rashford plays mainly out left? Quite happily to be corrected (don't really pay attention to man U other then enjoying that they suck ATM )

When he's played wing for United he's started on the left (cutting in on his right foot). His 22/23 season with 30 goals, he played 60% game time as a LW.

There's definitely issues there, but can they be addressed with a change of environment/professionalism?

 

[glenferry23]

Didn’t want to concede so early if at all. Especially with their home record. No Havertz here. He has an excellent record against Brentford.

Big turnaround needed here.

 

[Shoei]

I'd love to know what the stat is on teams scoring with their first shot against us is, must be close to 60-70%.

 

[Shoei]

Jesus Raya....

 

[glenferry23]

Jesus!

 

[Shoei]

Jesus Jesus!

keeping his form going.

 

[glenferry23]

Rare moment from Raya maybe that was part of the plan to create the counter haha. Holy shit that was close.

Could’ve been a penalty for Martinelli there but Jesus alert and capitalises. Needed that for sure.

 

[Shoei]

Brentford sitting low but giving up chances.

Need to be hungry to score this game and make them count.

 

[glenferry23]

Partey being allowed to take a number of shots. There’s more goals in this one.

 

[Shoei]

Also feel Arteta has also got it a bit wrong with the starting 11.

I know he likes to retain possession and make sure we are solid defensively, but having both Merino and Party gives us almost no creative outlet against a team that will sit in a low block 90% of the time when we have possession.

I'd like to see a more "creative" midfield, I'd have started Nwaneri alongside Odegaard, then have Martinelli on the right and Trossard on the left.

​

At least that would give some more options in the middle rather than having just Odegaard trying to make things happen.

Edit - also crazy to think our only two forwards on the bench are Trossard and Ismeal Kabia, 19yr old yet to makle his Premier League debut.

 

[glenferry23]

Yep. Merino. That’s the pressure the corners create. Without Saka and Rice those were two excellent deliveries.

 

[glenferry23]

Martinelli bang! This is glorious

First league start for Nwaneri by the way. Outstanding.

 

[Shoei]

lol - i finish typing and i've missed two goals.....one from Merino too.

Ignore me I know shit.

 

[glenferry23]

What a ball from Raya. They’re in the zone now.

 

[glenferry23]

Quadruple change. Wow.

Need to stay alert here.

 

[windyhill]

Four extra min !? Where did they come from ?!

 

[glenferry23]

Job done from Arsenal. That was an excellent response really from going behind early. Very professional and slick at times. The system excelled even though we’re missing Saka and Havertz.

A special mention to Nwaneri. He doesn’t look or play with the composure of a 17 year old. Along with MLS, we’ve basically got two first team players that I didn’t think we’d have coming into this season. It’s a brilliant reflection of them and the club in developing them from a young age to now contribute to the senior team like this.

3 points to kick off an enormous January. Outstanding result and thoroughly deserved.

 

[Gambit78]

Great win. Brentford at home is a tough challenge, and with a few missing, really happy with that game.

The really impressive thing for me is our intensity around the box. Brentford had no outlet and could only hoof out to our waiting centre backs, and then we'd go straight back at them.

Havertz is a key player for us, but not having him in the side meant we had to utilise players with incredible close control. Odegaard, Jesus, Merino, Nwaneri and Partey are so good with ball at their feet. And paired with our relentlessness, meant a great outcome.

Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly - shaking my head like I did in 2018/19 and the emergence of Saka.