Up the Arse! Goons Thread

[glenferry23]

View attachment 2446980

Time flies when you're having fun.

That back 4 makes me feel unwell.

Amazing trip down memory lane.

Xhaka I was just thinking about anyway, continues to perform at a very high level. For his national team, in Germany and now back in the PL. He’s a completely different player to back then, has had a brilliant career since. What could’ve been for Arsenal had he stayed one more season in midfield.

Speaking of then and now team line ups, this one I was sent earlier today and what a change in a little over 6 months:

 

[Cruyff14]

3 goals conceded all season.

Wild.

 

[glenferry23]

 

[Shoei]

My cousin is a West Ham fan over in the UK, he's pretty indifferent to Arsenal (as most West Ham fans are) but he burns bright with anger that Rice joined Arsenal.

 

[Shoei]

Amazing trip down memory lane.

Xhaka I was just thinking about anyway, continues to perform at a very high level. For his national team, in Germany and now back in the PL. He’s a completely different player to back then, has had a brilliant career since. What could’ve been for Arsenal had he stayed one more season in midfield.

Yeah, Arteta seeing Xhaka as an "8" rather than the defensive midfielder role he was playing under Wenger/Emery was genuinely brilliant. He really does look like a completely different player.

But Xhaka i believe was the reason Arteta wanted Rice....he was the younger more rounded version of what Xhaka was becoming. If Xhaka stayed i'm not sure the Rice deal gets pushed as hard to ultimately make it happen.

That being said though; Xhaka, Rice, Odegaard, Zubimendi, Merino, Nordgaard would be a title winning midfield imho. What could have been....

Man, looking back it is seriously ridiculous how much squad turnover we've had since Arteta took over.

 

[glenferry23]

Yeah, Arteta seeing Xhaka as an "8" rather than the defensive midfielder role he was playing under Wenger/Emery was genuinely brilliant. He really does look like a completely different player.

But Xhaka i believe was the reason Arteta wanted Rice....he was the younger more rounded version of what Xhaka was becoming. If Xhaka stayed i'm not sure the Rice deal gets pushed as hard to ultimately make it happen.

That being said though; Xhaka, Rice, Odegaard, Zubimendi, Merino, Nordgaard would be a title winning midfield imho. What could have been....

Man, looking back it is seriously ridiculous how much squad turnover we've had since Arteta took over.

Agreed, absolutely. What a midfield line up that would be. Yes true, it’s not as easy as that though, one transaction affects the other so it’s questionable whether Arsenal would have purchased Rice had Xhaka continued.

Interestingly though whilst on the topic, I think Havertz was initially earmarked as the left 8 more so than Rice. There were (and probably still is) specific attributes that Arteta has been wanting in that position, which has seen the likes of Xhaka there; then Havertz, to Merino, and now Rice. These things evolve over time.

It’s also topical whilst discussing this, that for the first time in a while I can’t really nail down Arsenal’s formation as much as it has been in recent seasons. Arteta has added lots of variety and evolution to it depending on game state, the opponent, the combinations of players. So often we’ve gone with a double pivot this season, Rice and Zubimendi. With Odgegaard (when fit) given more freedom as a roaming 10 style role, but then later on he drops in as a deep lying playmaker.

Arsenal became too predictable last season, caused by injuries and other factors. This is completely different now which is brilliant. Just the bench strength alone is a game changer right there.

With Odegaard out now with a medial injury, it’s a massive blow no doubt, given the form he was in just prior. There’s no way to really dress that up as a positive given his importance. However, at least in the interim, Arsenal have the ability to manage this period post international break. Last season, it was totally different.

 

[bok_party]

I’m finding it hard to pick a favourite player at the moment. Any of the back four, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka… they are all elite.

Zubimendi is phenomenal though. Might be the signing of the year.

 

[Shoei]

Agreed, absolutely. What a midfield line up that would be. Yes true, it’s not as easy as that though, one transaction affects the other so it’s questionable whether Arsenal would have purchased Rice had Xhaka continued.

Interestingly though whilst on the topic, I think Havertz was initially earmarked as the left 8 more so than Rice. There were (and probably still is) specific attributes that Arteta has been wanting in that position, which has seen the likes of Xhaka there; then Havertz, to Merino, and now Rice. These things evolve over time.

It’s also topical whilst discussing this, that for the first time in a while I can’t really nail down Arsenal’s formation as much as it has been in recent seasons. Arteta has added lots of variety and evolution to it depending on game state, the opponent, the combinations of players. So often we’ve gone with a double pivot this season, Rice and Zubimendi. With Odgegaard (when fit) given more freedom as a roaming 10 style role, but then later on he drops in as a deep lying playmaker.

Arsenal became too predictable last season, caused by injuries and other factors. This is completely different now which is brilliant. Just the bench strength alone is a game changer right there.

With Odegaard out now with a medial injury, it’s a massive blow no doubt, given the form he was in just prior. There’s no way to really dress that up as a positive given his importance. However, at least in the interim, Arsenal have the ability to manage this period post international break. Last season, it was totally different.

Oh 100%. Havertz best football has always been as an attacking midfielder and I have no doubt that's the role he would have been given in the team if it wasn't for our complete lack of a striker requiring him to be a make-shift one. And yes, Arteta is to be blamed for that.

But i really would not be surprised to see Havertz take up his preferred false 9 role now that we have Gyökeres.

Saka, Gyökeres, Eze/Madueke as a front fowards.

With Havertz/Odegaard as the attacking midfielders

and Rice/Merino/Zubimendi as the central midfielders.

Tasty tactical options indeed.

 

[Cruyff14]

I’m finding it hard to pick a favourite player at the moment. Any of the back four, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka… they are all elite.

Zubimendi is phenomenal though. Might be the signing of the year.

I think at the moment mine is Timber.

Bloke is a ****ing bull and so underrated.

 

[glenferry23]

I get serious Lauren vibes from Timber.

Speaking of which, happy Invincibles Day to all

 

[andana]

I’m finding it hard to pick a favourite player at the moment. Any of the back four, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka… they are all elite.

Zubimendi is phenomenal though. Might be the signing of the year.

Liked Calafiori taking control when Odegaard went off. Seemed to be everywhere. Doesn't mind a shot

 

[bok_party]

I think at the moment mine is Timber.

Bloke is a ****ing bull and so underrated.

I think I usually tend to love a defender or a dm as that’s where I’ve played most of my footballing career. Watching a metronome like Zubimendi is like crack to me, but I love the tenaciousness and fight from Gabby and Timber and the grace of Saliba.

 

[windyhill]

Saliba for me. Re-Signing when I had given up all hope !
Tross as well, always be my boy.

 

[andana]

Arsenal may move to Wembley while the stadium is redeveloped. 70,000 capacity!

 

[andana]

Zubi beat out Martinelli

 

[glenferry23]

From memory that would be the last week of November.

 

[TY24]

Hopefully means we see Eze as a 10 for the foreseeable future which definitely isn't a bad thing.

 

[windyhill]

Fulham, tricky.
3-1 Arse.

 

[glenferry23]

2 more goals for Merino tonight. Eze also scored for England and Martinelli for Brazil.

 

[andana]

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Gyokores needs a goal, he's been going through a very poor patch. His belief must be taking a hit.

Hopefully a goal, even a lucky one, will open up the floodgates.

 

[TY24]

Gyokores needs a goal, he's been going through a very poor patch. His belief must be taking a hit.

Hopefully a goal, even a lucky one, will open up the floodgates.

I just traded him out in FPL so I'm certain he wins the Golden Boot now

 

[andana]

Gyokores needs a goal, he's been going through a very poor patch. His belief must be taking a hit.

Hopefully a goal, even a lucky one, will open up the floodgates.

Viktor Gyökeres is set to lead the line at Craven Cottage as he seeks to end a six-game goal drought after also failing to score in two games away on international duty with Sweden.

Arsenal spent €73.5 million ($86m) to sign Gyökeres from Sporting CP this summer and he has scored three goals in ten games to date.


"He brings so much to the team and watching the games back, I'm very pleased with what he's given to the team," Arteta said.
"I told him before the first meeting, I said, 'the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn't score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the pressure is on, the expectation is going to be there.

"So, if you put it on a nine shirt on for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, 'OK, six games, don't score. Am I'm a different player, I start to act in a different way?' I want much more of the same of what he's doing. Once we have those opportunities, I'm sure it's going to happen."

James Olley. espn.com

 

[windyhill]

Scored three, assisted a few, gave Saka the penalty due to it being his 200th appearance. He's fine.

 

[glenferry23]

He just needs one to go in and then hopefully that changes the momentum. I maintain it wouldn’t have been the plan for him to play as many minutes as he has, the Havertz injury is a huge blow in many ways.