A guest post from Seebs
Well the new season is only a few days away and the real stuff is truly upon us. Arsene has really gone and the new breed are bedding in. I’m not totally sure there are more differences than matches in the way things are set up now, of course apart from the set up which has evolved over the last couple of seasons and is now totally different if you know what I mean.
The preseason has ended, and the season starts with us, as are most other clubs, still looking like we are in preseason, its all very strange. We certainly look like we need another four games to gel the starting eleven as these half a half games really don’t give you a good idea of how the team will perform over ninety minutes and against sides that will perform over ninety minutes, the whole thing is one big anomaly.
Would anyone have said Unai’s reign would start with Ainsley as the only sure-fire starter in the whole squad? I know there are other players probably with their name already on the first team sheet, however, the strength of the squad that has been build up over the last few seasons is such we really have different players for every position and again those players could interchange depending on the system we decide to adopt.
We know Cech is approaching his twilight years, but Leno is a top-quality keeper? Although I think the more experienced man will get the nod the decision will be close. As time goes on Leno’s distribution above anything else will make him the clear winner as we play the ball out from the back more and more and just as happened at city the necessity to have a footballing keeper will determine the pick.
At right back its close again but Stephan’s lack of game time with us will see Hector get the nod. As for the CB’s I am a massive fan of the Rob and Callum partnership and I believe they are the best footballing pair we have however, I again think the more experienced duo of Shkodran and Sokratis will start the first game.
The Midfield becomes difficult to call as systems, fitness and cohesiveness all come into play here. I’m guessing that as were at home and judging by the friendlies the midfield three will be Aaron, if fit, Guendouzi and Granit although Elneny could cover anyone of these three if needed.
Up front It would be Pierre, Henrikh and Mesut in quite an attacking line up and Laca unfairly missing out but that’s the quality we have at present.
That would leave the bench looking like Leno, Stephan, Callum, Lucas, Elneny, Alex and Lacazette. So, most of the new lads starting their ARSENAL careers from the bench and most the youngsters missing out for the first game. I do think Eddie is very close and will get game time soon as will they all in Europe.
So, in conclusion, we’re not ready, but maybe readier than some of the unready we are playing early. There are things to be worked on and ironed out but in the main the preseason has gone well, and the integration of players has gelled quite nicely. Of course, I’m massively excited for next Sunday and will very nervous coming up to kick off.
Enjoy it everyone here we go again.
Positively Arsenal 
Thanks Ian.
Predictably after such a short pre-season both teams in the supercup struggling to play at the pace they want to in the opening phases of the match. But City with their silly squad look ominous and unsurprisingly have an early lead.
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Aubamayang Özil & Cech will be in the team to start against City! Bellerin & Niles at FB unless Monreal is fit by next Sunday. The rest?
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don’t forget Dembele, Vida and N’Zonzi all likely to start, no.
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fins it is likely that Aubameyang starts v City, but will it be wide left or up front.
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This is the poorest Chelsea performance I have seen in many a year. Are City so good that they are making them look so poor? I think all is not right in the Chelsea camp.
Arsenal will give City a much better game next week…..
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Seem to have summed up the situation well there, Ian.
Next Sunday can’t come soon enough.
Here’s to a jolly good season.
UTA.
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Good to see the community shield classified as genuine silverware now Pep won it
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thought CFC were looking good in recent preseason games, so its a worry that city could dismiss them so easily today
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Shame that you can’t find a place for Iwobi in your starting eleven next Sunday. I hope to see him there TBH. For me he’s a match winner.
Is it that City are so really, really good or that Chelsea are so very dreadfully crap?
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I wonder with Kolasinac out for 10 to 12 weeks, will Arsenal list Bramall in the 25 man squad, as he is over 21 we can not play him unless he is in the 25 man squad.
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Since it’s been brought up again; I find the Charity Shield no more than another pre season friendly, and embarrassing that the club include a ‘trophy’ that’s been won thirteen & a half times on their role of honours.
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SR, I too see the CS as nothing more than a big name friendly, but all clubs that have won it, include it on their list, the FA claim its a competitive game, and the same trophy in the other big leagues is always listed as a major trophy for any club or manager or player who wins it, but for some reason fans in England will give the German, Spanish, Italian or French “Super Cup” credence, but the “Charity Shield” don’t count.
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Ed
It usually makes for a good match, I’ll give you that, but as for prestige…no way!
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same here, but its the double standards I don’t like, it counts for certain clubs, and it certainly counts when its the foreign version of it.
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Yeah, I guess so. I said thirteen & a half times (won by Arsenal) forgetting the draw last season which will have given us another half win, making fourteen (probably).
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Hi Steve hope to see soon in the new season as I do all PA’s attending the games
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reports that Calum Chambers is joining Fulham on a season long loan, due to have medical on Monday
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if the Chambers deal gets done it will leave us with two senior CB’s, Mustafi and Sokratis, and two inexperienced CB’s, Holding and Mavropanos, is that enough for a season, I know Koscielny is due back in the new year, but after such a big injury, we can’t be sure how he will be.
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now we are being linked with Jerome Boateng by Kicker, a £50M fee is being mentioned for the so to be 30 year old CB
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Arsenal being linked with AC Milan’s Swiss Left Back Ricardo Rodriguez, in a £30M deal
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Chambers-bloody hell. We talking credible reports here?
That would have me completely stumped, unless we’re bringing someone in, and it would have to be an impressive someone at that, as Chambers is looking good and his chance to make it here can’t be postponed too long.
50 mill for Boating would be bananas. First rate player at his best, but 30 and with a ropey injury record. Surely not. That’s a luxury for City,PSG, Utd and maybe a couple of others if they feel like it.
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*Boating= Boateng
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Arsenal Fixture News
@AFCFixtureNews
21m21 minutes ago
Checkatrade Trophy Fixtures:
Coventry City
Wednesday September 12th
KO: 7:45pm
Cheltenham Town
Tuesday October 9th
KO: To be confirmed
Forest Green Rovers
Wednesday November 21st
KO: 7:45pm
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Good job Ian. May I remind you all of a blog I did recently highlighting the lack of defensive solidity at Center Back for the past two seasons, after Per suffered his season-ender at the start of 16/17 as well as Koscielny’s chronic Achilles condition this past year and the resulting above average and ever worsening Goals Against data. Do we have a clue since preseason of the new CB partnership? Obviously Emery doesn’t think Chambers is ready, if the rumors of his loan are to be believed. So we are left with Mustafi and. Is the experienced but clearly slow-footed Sokratis the chosen one or will the club pick from the talented but clearly inexperienced Mavropanos and Holding?
Add to the conundrum, Emery has changed the defensive system on corners from zonal to man-marking. Given the learning curve the squad has had to overcome in a truncated preseason, I am not ready to jump on the happy gooner bandwagon. I hope against all reason that Emery and the squad make a mockery of my concerns.
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was told yesterday that we can’t blame the new guys for Ramsey contract situation, its all the old regime’s fault, odd that, as Fahmy our contract expert is here a year, Gazidis our CEO is here 10 years, and Raul Sanllehi our Director of Football Relations is here six months, and contract renewals are their direct responsibility, but maybe it is all David Dein and Dick Laws fault.
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No Eddy.
The one who got it all wrong, who forced the club to spend less the amazing trophy hauling Liverpool, the evil senile Scrooge, it was Vengarrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhh
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And similetanteously whilst barring Ivan’s access to the safe and hoarding all the coppers in his back pocket the big bad Veng was overpaying for Perez and now watch as they billy big bloggers lay that smear on Arsene’s doorstep (they already are – when you’ve made yourself look so ‘classy’ in the past why stop now?) nevermind their avoidance of Rooneh still getting paid by Utd (thought we had expert celebrity fans podcast in the past calling for Rooney’s agent, Moyes, to be made AFC manager).
Perez didn’t impress my mates against Nott. Forest (not last season) friends who I don’t agree with on every topic but it was hard to do so on this occasion. One suspects as the player was never/rarely seen again thereafter that the old gaffer had the same impression.
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< simultaneously
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City were a bit worrying yesterday. Only half-watched it for majority of game, but they looked very comfortable.
Think I have some serious dissonance going on about how good they might be. In large part because of resentment at how-£££$$$$$- they’ve got there.
Still don’t really understand how they aren’t more vulnerable with just the one defensive midfielder- and he an exceptional footballer- maybe that’s again a result of the resentment and how it leaves me with no appetite for engaging with them as a team.
One obvious key is that they could go out and spend whatever they pleased searching for defenders with the precise qualities to play in the manner they want to. And then another if they still aren’t satisfied. And another. Etc.
Fuckers.
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Was hoping to see Chambers earn a first team berth, as he did towards the end of last season (Injured in the first half of the season).
Thought that Chambers’ passing out the back in pre-season had been positively Mertesacker-ish, something the new gaffer would’ve taken note of (Mustafi can be good but not as consistent with his passing).
Are more of the “Bling Bling Gang” going to escape to the PL/Arsenal? Unlikely but an amusing momentary consideration.
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< Chambers did well at 'boro. Only injuries deprived him of more minutes.
If he does move on loan I'd expect him to get a fair few games.
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Holding was the one who looked like he needed the loan last season.
Struggling at times to find any rhythm when coming into the team cold/every few weeks.
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Fins
Seen suggestion Holding staying over Chambers could be/ is result of Holding being left side centre back, where we’re short, Chambers right, where we aint.
Bit embarrassing to admit but I don’t pay huge amount of attention to that (but ‘think’ it’s correct). Kos had left side (i ‘think’, a bit more surely, but still not 100%) locked down for a long time now.
I’m assuming it’s been Mustafi right, Sokratis left in pre-season?
Still find it an odd one even if that’s the reasoning. Maybe the issue, from my point of view certainly, is that we have the five of them (all of whom I like and bring different things) and there’s not an awful lot between them and no absolutely outstanding candidates.
If Chambers is genuinely ok with it, then it’s less troubling for me. Perhaps a calculation to give the two older cb’s a chance together- in Sokratis case because he’s new (and 30); in Mustafi’s because it’s a new start (and if it doesn’t pan out, we’re in a better position for a sale if he has played a lot)
Chambers the one for me who looked most willing and able to try inject extra tempo with passing from deep or attempt a trickier pass when the situation is asking for it.
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One link that feels like it makes sense is to that young PSG left sided cb/ left back N’soki.
Don’t have a left-footed cb and could do with a young left back (though I’m ok with Maitland-Niles being third choice there)
PSG been doing the old ‘play youngster a lot who you want to sign new contract’ with him in pre-season, so maybe that will work for them.
Only 5 “10” though, and I do have a strong preference for one cb to be very dominant in air.
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with ll due respect, chambers is better than socratis.
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Certainly seems a little odd to me if we are losing Chambers, but remember thinking the same over Paulista.
Chambers has put in some good performances, seems to be improving, has always appears to have a spot on attitude.
Per has retired, Kos has a serious injury, Mustafi is a good experienced defender, Sokratis is new to the league so will need time, Mavropanos and Holding are less experienced than Chambers, ok take the point on the right sided thing
Perhaps if it does happen, things may occur to make this a little clearer, or maybe not?
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seems Lucas Perez is joining West Ham for £3M plus add ons,
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Letting Paulista go without a replacement was definitely an act of Sado-masochism (given that the BFG was already retired in all but name), and the GA column helpfully supports that easy understanding.
But I don’t think any of the billy big bloggers ever mentioned any concerns regarding the composition/situation/circumstance at CB till now when it will provide a good critique to have a go at the new gaffer who probably has about as much say as the old gaffer.
Which to be fair is an important edit if you want to convince your readers/listeners that the difference in having a 100 cap WC winning legend still up to speed in your squad or without is just a matter of defensive coaching (LOL?).
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Anyone have any idea why Paulista was let go?
Always rated him
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I know he had major problems learning English
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Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois failed to report for training on Monday in attempt to force through move to Real Madrid
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No idea what happened with GP5
–
Conversely as the rumour is a loan move for Chambers more starts over the season if it works out could see him come back next year in good shape, though I was hoping to see how he did in the EL and maybe for a spell in the PL for Arsenal this season.
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Press Association claims Perez fee is in the region of £10m
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Arsenal v Man City
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Stuart Burt
Fourth official: Andre Marriner
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reports that reiss nelson has signed a new 5 year contract with arsenal
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That’s regrettable if Paulista going was over language problems, no real excuse for that , although not sure how well I would cope learning Portuguese.
On another note, seems FFP,doesn’t reach Merseyside, or at least the blue half ( Liverpool sell well). Everton spent around 227m last summer and winter
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2018/2/7/16975432/cies-football-transfer-market-analysis-psg-barcelona-manchester-city-chelsea-milan-everton-united,
And now they are linked with Bernard after another summer of expenditure.
How are they getting away with this, or does the EPL ver of FFP just not really exist, or is it just North London clubs and a few others that stick to it for their own reasons?
Dread to think what Everton will get up to if Usmanov gets proper control of the club, though some say he has that already
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Maybe doing Everton a slight disservice guess they got good money for lukaku, but still
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Mandy,
It’s weird. Granted I look at way,way more Arsenal stuff than I do other clubs, but still…don’t think I’ve seen any stories whatsoever of other clubs wrestling with that 7m per year wage increase rule- nor, recently, any FFP measures- and yet once more today I heard it mentioned as an issue for us this summer.
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rumors that Welbeck is leaving AFC, with many clubs interested, including BPL sides, Everton, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Newcastle
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All for self sufficiency, but just hope we are not shooting ourselves in the foot over that wage increase FFP thing Rich, that will ultimately make it very difficult to compete with those who ignore it.
The virtuous don’t always get the spoils
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