Good day all. It’s back to Premier League action for Arsenal with a trip to Carrow Road this afternoon for their clash against Norwich City; Freddie Ljungberg’s first game as interim coach following the sacking of Unai Emery. Whilst the Canaries come into this game on the back of an excellent 2-0 win at Everton; their first in eight league games.
Ensuing a run of two wins from 11 league games and none in our last seven (all competitions), Emery’s dismissal and provisional handing of the reins to Freddie didn’t came as too much of a surprise. As the club now starts the process to find the Spaniard’s potential long-term successor, the club legend has a shot to showcase what he can do with what still remains a very talented squad.
With our recent run leaving us eight points off 4th-placed Chelsea, Freddie’s immediate priority will be to get the Gunners returning to winning ways. For this he will need the buy-in from all players as well as his support staff to help the team moving onwards and upwards. Because a united response is crucial if we are to maintain any hopes of a top-four finish.
The next three games, today’s followed by Brighton and West Ham, are a decent looking run to build up a good bounce ahead of a very tricky festive schedule.
Norwich started their return to the topflight with two wins from their opening five games, including the prized scalp of Pep Guardiola’s star-studded Man City squad. Then it went downhill as they picked up a mere one point in seven matches; a miserable run that saw them concede 16 goals and scoring just two in reply. So Daniel Farke will be hoping for his sides clean sheet win at Goodison Park to be a step in the right direction to kickstart their bid for PL survival.
Team News
David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi picked up knocks midweek and will have their fitness assessed ahead of the game, with Hector Bellerìn also being monitored.
Prediction
Freddie had very little time with the players to get his ideas across, so for now it will just be about a return to basics with a focus on looking to address any ongoing issues. Being an unknown also brings an air of the unpredictable that can be used as an initial advantage in pursuit to ‘steady the ship’.
All things considered, both teams will be desperate for a win which could lead to a very open-game… so expect goals at both end. Here’s hoping for the “new manager bounce” to be on our side and maximum points to move within five points of top-four. COYG
— @LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
Glad Kola had a go at bloke at end claiming handball when clearly hit chest. Wish players did it more when the cheating is that blatant and poor. In time, could shame them a little.
Smith on commentary certainly not up to that task. Did his thing of feigning confusion , hesitantly saying on 3rd replay or so ‘maybe, he was unhappy about player claiming handball’. Y’ think, Al?
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I thought this performance , especially first half, was 100% better than anything we’ve seen Arsene left.
We moved the ball much quicker, we were brave and ambitious and although we struggled second half the signs of ARSENAL were there.
The difference between that 2-2 draw and the saints one was a million miles away.
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rich on that Kolasinace reaction, VAR actually checked to see him he should have got a red card.
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There were a few promising moves that were a toe away from connecting, which is promising. I liked the Guendouzi-Lacazette one-two especially. That was something like Arsenal football. We also had the ball in their area a lot, even for an away game.
Norwich’s first goal was unlucky, and especially tough for a team lacking confidence – perfect pass by Hernandez and then a deflection, when we were completely on top. The second was a structure problem, and the chance for the Leno save onto the post could be pinned on like three or four players. I know it’s not an original thought, but there’s probably a place for Torreira in this team. I wonder if he could have nipped a couple of those breaks in the bud.
I’m interested to know what sort of timetable Ljungberg’s on and what can reasonably be expected in the matches he’s given.
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Man, should always re-read everything. Anyway, Norwich had a couple big chances but we had a lot more smaller ones – clearance off the line, Lacazette scuffed shot, the Ozil effort (think he tried to clip it into the ground) and the Lacazette(?) flick, off the top of my head. Even if it wasn’t Arsenal I’d be intrigued to see what happens in the next game.
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Fred speaks:
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man utd drew 2-2 at home to Aston Villa and are in 9th place
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Leicester giving LiVARpool a run for their money in terms of favours from technology this season, and that is no mean feat.
Prob correct decision this time , but they are almost getting the rub of the green they got a few seasons ago
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Like others have said, most interesting game I’ve watched in a good while. I thought most players did well, Guen was impressive in the first half, less so in the second and got a well deserved hook. Willock struggled a bit, other than that no complaints about the effort. It will take some time to get the Emery out and start playing more like an Arsenal side.
With the fixtures coming so thick and fast you have to wonder why the hell this coaching change wasn’t done before the last international break, it would have been really helpful for the new coach….thank you Josh and Raul, do try to keep up FFS!
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Well no instant miracle, but by the sounds of it a more promising performance so a cautious well done to one and all, especially as Carrow Road has not always been a happy hunting ground for us. I am looking forward to Adrian Clarke’s take on it.
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we now face a Thursday, Monday, Thursday, Sunday run of fixtures. Before we face Man City.
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Freddie mentioned working on getting coaching staff sorted, so who might he bring in, I wonder is Kwame Ampadu still available or has he joined up with TH in MLS, Freddie worked with him in the Academy. Ryan Garry was assistant to FL with the U23’s last season, but do we want an inexperienced with an inexperienced head coach.
Might we see a role reversal from Freddies Wolfsburg days and him to bring in Andries Jonker as his assistant,
I’ve seen some mention that if for no other reason than to find out which view is true of his role in our CL clean sheet record in 2006, that Freddie should bring in Martin Keown as a defensive coach. If he is the genius defensive some would have us believe then he should be able to sort out our defense, but if he was merely the guy lucky enough to be doing his coaching badges at the time of our run, and he is not up to it, then we would finally know why he is a pundit and not working at any club.
Is there some former experienced manager that Freddie has links to that he could bring in as a sounding board, someone with the experience he lacks.
Is there any of his former Arsenal team mates, or former team mates at any of his lubs or Country that he could bring in.
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maybe Freddie will bring in two swedish guys who played for AFC, Kim Källström & Rami Shaaban
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You know what, Sebastian Larsson at RB, and Stefan Schwartz at CM don’t seem like terrible picks at the moment.
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just on the topic of backroom staff, the rumor persists that the main reason why Arteta did not get the job ahead of Emery was down to the fact Arteta did not have any backroom staff to bring with him, he was unable to even supply possible names.
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now now birdkamp, I’m not sure if you mean as coaching staff or as starters in the first team.
Its still a regret that Stefan Schwartz only stayed one season with us, for me he was great that season, but rumor has it that he left either cos of the sacking of George Graham, or cos promises broken about signings we would make, that did not happen, was even one rumor that he was upset that GG lied to him about what type of football we would play.
another super swede, Anders Limpar, the magic man.
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maybe Mikel Arteta should, if considered for the job now, look to have Freddie as his assistant. Now would that not be a good start.
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Yeah, was just messing, Ed. It’s like Schwartz arrived a couple of years too early. Paul Davis could also have played in a post-Ems Wenger team quite comfortably I think.
Limpar was also ahead of his time and would be very welcome today’s team, though i only caught the very end of his spell at Arsenal. He straight-up hated Graham too btw.
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well this could be interesting, Brendan Rodgers admitted in his after game presser than he does have a release clause in his Leicester City contract, is he touting for the Arsenal job, is he a target for our hiring committee
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Going to go – but this is Rocastle he’s talking about surely. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/jun/26/anders-limpar-george-graham-iraq
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Arsenal Women won 11-1 today to go top of the table on goal difference above Man City women, with 3rd placed Chelsea ladies 2pts back with a game in hand.
Miedema scored 6 of the goals today and had four assists, the 11th goal was scored by her replacement when she was subbed off.
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yeah birdkamp it certainly sounds like Rocastle, as Rocky did say that this was the way he was told about the transfer, basically fuck off you are not needed here any more. Any wonder players now basically tell clubs to fuck off when they want to leave.
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Miedema now has 10 goals and 7 assists in Arsenal Women’s 8 super league games this season.
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Although Anders was a fine player he would have had to change abit to have got into any successful sides. Line Sanchez he always tried to take on one player to many and lost the ball regularly.
I certainly wouldn’t have him near anywhere near my favourite fantasy ARSENAL sides.
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jeez was he not in a successful side when he was a regular in our title winning side of 91
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Leno on the performance: “At the end it was confusing because in the first half we played exactly how we wanted but conceded two goals in transition. In the second half we lost control of the game & we were lucky to draw”
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