It’s North London derby day with Arsenal making the short trip up Seven Sisters to play Tottenham Hotspur; both sides will hope to boost their chances of a top-six finish in the Premier League standings.
When these teams met in the reverse fixture back in September, the Gunners came from two goals down to draw 2-2. Then Unai Emery and Mauricio Pochettino were in opposing dugouts, now both clubs are in a transition period under Mikel Arteta and José Mourinho respectively.
Good day one and all.
For all intents and purpose, the midweek result against Leicester City took us out of the running for Champions League football. But also, to be fair to Mikel it wasn’t really that result, nor the one at Brighton, our problems go a lot further back than that. He came in mid-season, with the team directionless, to do a repair job and emboss a playing style ahead of the new season.
From the table below (updated to just before this game week) it can be seen that under Mikel we are doing as well as expected and disappointment at our current league position shouldn’t pause the feel-good factor that has returned to the Emirates Stadium.
Be that as it may, the season is not lost yet. We can still salvage it by qualifying for next season’s Europa League.
After losing the initial two games following the restart, the Gunners show signs that they have found their rhythm since, winning three league games on the bounce without conceding, before the 1-1 draw against the Foxes having played with 10 men. Across all competitions we are currently on an unbeaten run of 5 games and will be keen to extend the current upturn in form.
Conversely, Spurs come into this game on the back of a 0-0 draw at relegation-threatened Bournemouth, without registering a single a shot on target.
They do have recent home wins against West Ham United and Everton, but also those are their only two victories in 11 matches stretching back to mid-February. It is this that has led to José Mourinho facing criticism for his approach to games.
That said, Mikel wouldn’t make the mistake to underestimate our bitter rivals. They got three clean sheets in their last four games, and if Mourinho can just find a way to get the most out of his attacking talent they can still recover their season.
Team news
Notable absentees for Spurs will be Eric Dier, who has been hit with a four-match ban for confronting a spectator. Also Dele Alli is reported to be ruled-out, having already missed the last two games.
For Arsenal there’s no new injuries from our last game, however, Eddie Nkeitah is suspended for three matches following a red card midweek.
Otherwise, Mikel is likely to go with a very similar starting XI from our previous game, with Nicolas Pépé having to wait a bit longer as Bukayo Saka impressed once again.
Prediction
Look, these two teams may have revised their aims regarding their expectations for this season but this is still the North London derby, so the usual flames that come with such a storied-rivalry shouldn’t be dampened.
Given the comments by the Gunners’ social media team following Spurs’ defeat at Sheffield United, this has the makings of being an intense, entertaining and very combative affair.
— @LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
Tottenham are unbeaten in their last five home league games against Arsenal (Won 3, Drew 2).
Jose Mourinho has never lost a home game against Arsenal in his career (Won 5, Drew 4)
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Spurs have been dropping like a stone and the Arse have been getting harder and harder to beat following the restart. I fully expect us to wave at the Spuds as we go further apart but regardless of today’s result, the outlook for both sides for NEXT season could not be more different.
And THAT is worth celebrating, whatever happens.
In the meantime, some derby bingo almost certainly in order:
Kane penalty box dive ✅
Spurs’ penalty ✅
8 yellow cards for AFC ✅
A friendly ref chat for the murderous Son✅
Daily VAR meltdown ✅
A draw that feels like defeat for AFC ✅
Mourinho claims a win anyway ✅
We all know how it could go …
Enjoy the game!
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MA has improved everything. That there’s so much more clarity of purpose within the entire camp is testament to our gaffer. And it can only get better.
Hope to see Pepe start today. Saka has been good but to me he looks better playing on the left. NP19 still has a bit to show for that price tag and I for sure am waiting.
The true value of Dani Ceballos is now so obvious to the eye that I just hope we can retain his services for next season. Laca now has a guaranteed run of games to remind us of why he was so highly coveted at OL. Cedric has upped Hector’s game as expected. LT11 is fit and spry….I could go on.
Can’t see how the Totts are not going to fall today with the special worm undermining team spirit with his tactical depression c/o Levy.
3-1 to the Arse.
COYG!!!
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Thanks Labo. Jose is going to be up for this one.
Unfortunately, I am going with Arsenal Andrew, analysis of how many dodgy penalties they have had in this fixture recently is telling, Oliver will be under pressure to right the perceived wrong against Spurs at Bournemouth.
I fear that if Arsenal are doing well, things will start tilting, but we shall see.
Just hoping , probably against hope for fairer and better officiating next season, with mike Riley wilting away at the embarrassment of FIFA having to take over and sort out the mess he has created, but probably an over optimistic view.
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The changes FIFA will bring in (ie forcing Riley to follow the VAR protocols to the letter) will hopefully right the worst of this seasons dreadful wrongs. Never underestimate Riley’s ability to wriggle round things though; he’s survived this long merely by expediting the PL’s wishes to the letter, always has done.
The interesting thing to follow will be the FIFA trial of Wenger’s proposed changes to the offside rules – does anyone know where these may be trialled? Genuinely believe they will prove transformative to the game.
Not the first time the words ‘Wenger’ and ‘transformative‘ have appeared together in the same sentence …
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The changes FIFA will bring in (ie forcing Riley to follow the VAR protocols to the letter) will hopefully right the worst of this seasons dreadful wrongs. Never underestimate Riley’s ability to wriggle round things though; he’s survived this long merely by expediting the PL’s wishes to the letter, always has done.
The interesting thing to follow will be the FIFA trial of Wenger’s proposed changes to the offside rules – does anyone know where these may be trialled? Genuinely believe they will prove transformative to the game.
Not the first time the words ‘Wenger’ and ‘transformative‘ have appeared together in the same sentence.
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Agree AA, Riley was put in place by “ Utd the brand” Scudamore, and kept there by powerful clubs who he looks after. He also will know where a lot of bodies are buried, guaranteeing him a decent payoff at the very least, like his old boss.
From what I have read about Riley, like many weak, inept people, give them a bit of power, they can become the bully, he apparently runs his organisation through silence and fear, which cannot help the refs that just want to do a good job. I suspect some Thoroughly decent refs have been corrupted through ambition or just wanting to make the grade.
Not sure when Wengers proposals will come to light, but just glad he is involved with this initiative from FIFA, of all people, though I suspect at the moment, it may be to Arsenals deferment if the powers that be in this country believe he is taking on Riley and Co and our unaccountable ruling bodies, and I for one believe he probably is, in his own way and in his own time.
Just hope today we can get a decent cushion to render the PGMOL irrelevant, as Wenger used to with his multi quick fire goal blitz tactics, suspect we might need it, but that will be difficult against a motivated opponent
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TheAFCnewsroom
@TheAFCnewsroom
·
Jul 9
Memo
EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal to wear 2020/21 home kit against Watford on the final day of the league season.
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I sense Mustafi needs to be careful today . Such an important player for us
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The Arsenal
Martinez, Mustafi, Luiz, Kolasinac, Bellerin, Ceballos, Xhaka, Tierney, Pepe, Lacazette, Aubameyang.
Subs: Macey, Sokratis, Torreira, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Soares, Nelson, Willock, Saka.
spurs
Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Sissoko, Winks, Lo Celso, Son, Kane, Moura.
Subs: Gazzaniga, Vertonghen, Lamela, Sessegnon, Bergwijn, Ndombele, Skipp, Fernandes, Tanganga
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oh my God what a goal,
Lacazetteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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ah for fucks sake what a shite goal to hand to spurs, 1-1
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Andre Santos was a better footballer then Sven’s dud Kolasinac but unlike Raul’s record signing at least he didn’t cost a transfer fee but for sure I won’t be confused if he’s not at the club next season.
He was awful during AWs final six months, and he hasn’t improved since.
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Still, when you compare Sven’s freebee with Raul’s splurge and bargains…*laughs manically*
sell Ramsey for free replace with Guendouzi, bargain for the ages with Pepe, etc. etc. etc.
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Still, when you compare Sven’s freebee with Raul’s splurge and bargains…*laughs manically*
sell Ramsey for free replace with Guendouzi, bargain for the ages with Pepe, etc. etc. etc.
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Ref senses he can tilt this.
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saka on for pepe
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michael oliver being very michael oliver
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ah fuck it, after AFC miss several good chances spurs take the lead from a lecelso header at a corner, its so demoralizing watching the same faults happen over and over
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Willock, Nelson and Cedric on for Bellerin, Kolasinac, Tierney
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Mustafi’s legs gone in the last few mins and without him to carry the back line as he has been, well, the other two playing today don’t really know what they are doing at the best of times.
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Holding must’ve not been fit to start, Papa not even close to match fit.
Kola had to start to keep three at the back but I don’t know if that was worth the risk playing the WB who is now second choice LWB as a CB. Who’d be a manager.
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would agree that Mustafi looks out on his feet for last 15 or 20 minutes
this has not been a good performance, we have handed the win to spurs
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ft spurs 2-1 arsenal
a game we should have won easily with the chances we had and we end up with nothing due to poor defending and poor finishing,
the lack of pace right throughout our team is a major problem
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we’ve now lost 13 of 29 games with Michael oliver as Game Manager
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If there is an obnoxious manager out there, in a little trouble, and needing a boost, Or a physical English team near the bottom that needs a win, you can rely on Dr Arsenal to rush in and help them out, and it has been that way for too long now.
That performance was At times self harm combined with laurel and Hardy, Arteta must be livid.
This is a game of mistakes, but this team make more than most, especially away, when the PGMOL don’t do us, we find our own way to self destruct.
Barring an unlikely Cup win, and unless we can reverse recent performances against city, that isn’t going to happen, I’m afraid that is likely Europe next season, for a team paying ECL wages.
There are certainly mitigating factors, but if at seasons end, our owners see the likes of Sheff Utd, Wolves, and Mourinho Tottenham sitting above us, I hope they take a good forensic look at anyone who wanted to give emery a long new deal last summer, and even as it became clear the Spaniard would likely relegate us if he stayed, these people still couldn’t let emery go last autumn.
The sooner this season ends, and hopefully, Arteta is given backing to iron out some of this teams faults for next season, the better .
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Likely Europe gone next season
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Shiite result.
80+% of the posession and yet they had more attempts at goal in the 2nd half?
Mustafi was spent after 65minutes.
Earlier dubs might have helped.
Xhaka and Ceballos passed the ball sideways too much. Not enough forward movement.
A game that called for an Ozil.
The Totts were absolutely lucky to have won that. Moaninho’s such an insecure tactician.
Oh well.
The work continues…
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Arsenal now sit 9th, with just goal difference keeping us above Burnley, there are 3 games left, with our next game on Wednesday v Liverpool who need a win to keep their goal of setting a record points total. We than have a cup semi final v the very in form Man City, and our last two games are Aston Villa and Watford, both fighting relegation.
We very well might end up with no European football at all next season, with the pandemic having an effect on finances, this could well be the worst possible time to be missing out on European football and the money it brings in
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As I say if anyone was going to help out José, it would be us , that sort of thing really has to change. Learning to hold a lead might help as well
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We had 63% possession and we were the away side.
Free kicks16 to 11. Yellow cards 5 to 3 and Saka’s was not for a foul.
Little or no penetration and no final pass.
Can we have our ozil back please?
Without Martinez we would have been slaughtered.
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yes Aman there was far too much sideways and backways passing from Xhaka and Ceballos, and others today, but what the hell are they meant to do when there was so little movement from our attackers. I will say three things that I have said many times over the last few years
1. Aubameyang offers almost nothing to our team when he is not scoring, he does not link up play, he does not create, and he does not use that speed of his near enough to put opposing defenses on the backfoot.
2. we badly miss a Giroud type striker, a big guy who just battles for every ball, who can hold the ball and allow our other forwards and midfield to get up the field, and last but not least, give us an actual aerial threat, I would suggest without having the stats that the combined number of headed goals for Arsenal by PEA and Lacca could be counted on one hand
3, we lack midfielders who want to get in the box and score, Ramsey was the last guy who did it for us, and without goal scoring midfielders we are far too easy to defend against. I have some hope for Willock to become a scoring midfielder, but still not sure he will be good enough to be a first choice starter for us.
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Mandy watching us today, and in reality for a few years now, reminds me of something Wenger talked about a few times.
Players lacking the moral courage to play their game.
Now what did he mean by that.
Well he explained that when you seen his Arsenal teams play the ball backwards and sideways a lot, when you seen them go from possession on edge of opposing area to playing the ball all the way back to our own half, or even right back to the keeper, it was all down to players lacking the belief, or lacking the courage to play their own game, too afraid of fecking up, too afraid to try to create, to afraid of losing the ball, and so the ball goes to the safe option, the easy pass.
We seen it today for Spurs first goal, Kolasinac had the ball nearer the half way line than our area, but his first thought was turn back and go for the safe option, which of course it far too often turns out to be the opposite. Just another self inflicted wound for the Arsenal.
Wenger mentioned how he held Cesc, Ozil, Ramsey and Rosicky in such high regard cos they had the moral courage to try the difficult pass, try to make something happen.
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Sounds like everyone’s a bit more down than me. I’m gutted but not a mood wrecking job this time. Really surprised it was us who seemed to gas after a good first 15 or so second half. Pretty certain Mikel will rue not making changes after about ten minutes of that, though I don’t think there were any particularly obvious ones
Tough call to change centre mids who’ve done well, or centre backs, however they’re doing, in that sort of game, but Hector for new fellow seemed one to make, maybe Saka on a bit earlier, Tierney and Kola both candidates to come off as well.
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Gotta be honest I didn’t see it in terms of not taking things on with Xhaka and Dani. Thought they were two of our better players. Was noticeable that there were long periods of not much looking on in attacking sense but it didn’t feel like there were passes there for them which they neglected to try.
Tactical fouls a pretty big hindrance as well. Against a defensive team, 5-10 situations where you get on turn or past first man and are then cynically stopped is a real pain. By our standards ref wasn’t bad in dealing with it- penalised many times and 2 or 3 bookings I think- but still very unsatisfactory in sense fouling worked very well for them on the day.
Would Ozil have changed all that, unlocking things? Maybe, but we should also be honest and say there’ve been many times he’s played in those games away and it hasn’t happened that way
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Goals were cruel in that if Mari hadn’t got injured he’d likely have been man in position to play pass for 1st, and also think he was signed with intention of being main man for dealing with crosses and set-pieces.
Kola’s a lesson in the dangers of signing a guy excelling in a very specific role unless you intend to play him in pretty much the same role. He had his eye-catching Schalke year as a very high wing-back, tanking his way forward in opponent’s half. Think he was used quite a lot like that early on with us, and had some good games doing it, but in other areas can be very harshly exposed.
I thought instantly today of George’s recent words on his passing abilities.
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Very good point on wengers view of “ Moral Courage” Eduardo.
As for being down, still something to play for, but pretty down about this season tbh, and I blame those in suits, not those in red shirts, and of course Riley’s bunch.
Wengers transition was never going to be easy, but this lot, and I include at least one who has left, made a complete and utter pigs ear of it, compounding it by holding on to Emery for far too long.
If I were Stan, I would be grounding Josh as punishment, and sacking at least one exec , unless we beat city and go onto win the cup of course.
Next season will bring hope , Arteta looks the man to me, but he needs those above him to get their act together .
I am aware of the ways and bias of the media, but long for the day they can no longer say this team is defensively naive and a soft touch. Fair or not, we give those critics way to much ammunition , on a regular basis . The first goal we gave away was an act of monumental stupidity.
We should have put this poor team to the sword
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Sadly, I just have a horrible felling, unsure we will see Ozil in the shirt again, unless its a goodbye performance, really hope I am wrong on that. Think our forwards miss him
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Very disappointing
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yeah Mandy, that Arteta just bypasses the questions on Ozil leaves me feeling that for whatever reason he is no longer in Mikel’s plans.
Rich my point on Xhakka and Dani passing sideways and backways was that the forwards were not making the runs, where not showing for the ball, and in fact we don’t have a forward who can keep the ball, a la Giroud.
We’ve been linked to four or five big men Strikers in recent weeks, with it suggested that this is the type of striker we are looking to bring in, and I can fully see the reason why, but don’t expect the hissy fit brigade to treat that type of CF any different than they treated Giroud
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we sit 9th, and only 2 teams above us have scored less goals than us (51), and only 2 teams above us have conceded more than us (44), we have problems both ends of the pitch
Wengers last season with us 74 goals scored, 51 conceded
the season before 77 goals scored, 44 conceded
and the season before that 65 scored, 36 conceded
with 3 games to go we don’t look like we can get near the 65 goals scored, let alone the 77, and with 44 already conceded we can only match the 44 from two years ago if we keep 3 clean sheets.
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Mikel Arteta was encouraged by a lot of what he saw in Sunday’s north London derby – but was ultimately left disappointed as we were beaten.
Our head coach faced the media after the game and discussed the defeat, our progress, defensive errors and more.
This is the full transcript:
on coming away from the game with nothing…
I am disappointed and frustrated and really sorry for the boys first, because the way they played today and the personality they showed today, to come into this ground and show who we are, to nullify the opponents and press them high, forcing them to kick the ball long and defend in a low block. That’s exactly what we wanted to do. But obviously, if you give the two goals away that we have given against these players, it is very difficult to win a derby.
on his disappointment with the defending and needing to stop the mistakes…
It is mentally tough because in your mindset you are ahead, you are controlling the game and everything that we talked about is actually happening. Then you just give that moment away and mentally it affects the whole mood and the momentum and our energy. Still, we came back in the second half and we were even better, we were even more dominant still, with more control and we were really looking to score the second goal and just in one isolated action, we conceded the set-piece. We have to learn. In every game, something happens. A little margin here, a little margin there. I’m sure we will get there and I am proud because I have never seen them play like the way they have done today in this ground. That’s really positive but I’m sorry for the fans because I know how much it means to all of them. We were very willing to give them a big moment of happiness and unfortunately, I am sorry but we could not do it.
on how much of a setback this is for our European ambitions…
Points wise it’s a massive blow because we know the results this weekend. But we will keep trying while we have any hope. This is who we are at the moment and we will fight in two different ways – one is the league and the other is the FA Cup – to do our best to finish as strongly as possible.
on whether he still feels positive about the team’s development…
Yes. If we minimise the mistakes that we do and we keep playing like that, we’re going to win many, many, many football games. Because we’re going to make it really difficult for the opponent. I’m sure of that. But these two aspects, one has to be maintained and the other one has to be avoided and it’s on us. They believe in what we’re doing. You can see how they are trying and how they are going. It’s a shame because if you are able to win that well in such a big ground, on such a big stage as with today, it gives you big belief. I am gutted as well for them because they really tried.
on our attacking display…
We can do more, we can be incisive and we could exploit some spaces better than what we’ve done. Sometimes they read them and the urgency and the distances weren’t exactly there. In many times it was and the purpose was there, but to attack 10 players like this all the time is not an easy thing to do, and we tried and had enough chances to win the derby in the way we did today.
on Mourinho claiming that he’s made great progress…
Thank you, I can see what he’s trying to do as well and look, he wins again, you know. It’s two completely different styles and he manages really, really well. He has a really good team behind him and I said before in the press conference that I believe he always finds a way to win. When I give it to him I feel bad, but congratulations to them, they got the points today and we will move forwards.
on Tottenham scoring just two minutes after our opener…
The first goal in a big game, you know how important it is and the percentages of winning when you have that. Just giving it away like this after what it takes to break down a team like Spurs, it affects, but straight away we kept going, we kept trying and we started to dominate the last part of the first half, and in the second half we modified one or two things and started to attack them better, dominate them better and win the ball back really early. We had very few moments when we had to defend deep, but when we had more control and everything was looking like we were gaining more momentum and getting closer to winning the game, we conceded the goal.
on dropping the most points from winning positions in the league…
There’s been various things since I’ve joined that cost us games. I cannot just single out one of them but a few of the ones you have mentioned obviously are involved. Some come from errors, some is game management, some come from a set-piece, some from individual errors but look at the margin that we have. Fifteen points is a lot and that means that we are fighting and competing in every game, we are very close but the margin to win, lose or draw is sometimes small and at the moment we have to improve on that.
on conceding late goals…
Sometimes errors are led by fatigue. We have made some errors and there have been some moments where it wasn’t about that, it was about paying attention at a short corner or not picking up your man from a corner, or just making an individual error or because the opponent does well in this league. It pushes you in the last 10 to 15 minutes and you have to suffer and sometimes you concede. We will look at that with more depth obviously but it is something where we have some margin to improve.
on Rob Holding not playing despite good performances…
Sometimes it’s the position, sometimes it’s the momentum of the players, when we don’t concede in three or four games in a row everything is really positive. Obviously when you concede two goals like today… Why are we not playing someone else? Rob has done really well when we’ve demanded him to play and he will be ready to play when we demand him to do so I’m sure.
on Mesut Ozil…
He is still in the same positions he was last week or two weeks ago and we said we will manage everything internally. I have nothing to say.
Copyright 2020 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
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Arteta on Mesut Ozil…
He is still in the same positions he was last week or two weeks ago and we said we will manage everything internally. I have nothing to say.
that does not sound like back soreness, it sounds like a disciplinary issue, has he downed tools, has there as was suggested at the time, been a fallout over the wage reduction thing.
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Ed, looks like I misunderstood you then. I find links with bigger different type of striker very plausible.
I think Laca’s hold up work very decent at times, especially with amount of whacks and kicks from behind which are inadequately punished, but lots of situations where he has little or no chance against big defenders.
Think it could be relevant to Kola’s decision not to hit it long in that brief window he had to do so. It’s literally a different decision when you have a target or targets who regularly make something of long balls up to them.
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Ozil situation mysterious and a flat out downer. I mean, he was training in lead up to resumption wasn’t he, and posted on social media as though was going to be involved for a couple of them…then club have said there’s a back injury; now Arteta talking as though it’s something other than an injury??
People in the club obviously know what’s going on, but I assume anyone outside it who claims to know is bullshitting.
I’ve no idea, so it’s a Schrodinger job for me at minute, with him both injured and not injured, and even some of the other theories- depression one of them- being things I can’t dismiss. It isn’t good whatever’s happening. I hope he’s actually alright, first of all, then I hope it gets resolved sooner rather than later.
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a question on Pepe
Did any of you watch him in the French league, if so, was he the same as he is with us, in regards to being very much an in and out of game sort of player, never truly dominates any game, but does some magic stuff, where you can clearly see the lad has massive talent, but way too little involvement in nearly all his games.
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if man utd score their penalty tomorrow and beat southampton they will go top 4, with LCFC dropping out, with only 3 games to go.
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now guys with even EL place very much in doubt through the league, and winning the FA Cup a way into EL, should we actually rest our entire starting 11 midweek v Liverpool so as to have them fresher for the Man City FA Cup Semi Final on Saturday.
Mustafi for the last 20 or 25 minutes today looked out on his feet, PEA did not look sharp at all today, Xhaka looks jaded too, we know Tierney keeps getting subbed off cos his stamina levels are still not at top spot due to return from injury. Nketiah is suspended for both games too, so really is it time to go full rotation and put all our eggs in one basket.
Macey
Sokratis, Holding, Medley
Cedric, Torreira, Smith, AMN, Swanson
Nelson, Coyle
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should have included willock in the above team, put him in midfield and move AMN to left wing back in place of swanson
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leicester city have Sheffield Utd at home, Spurs away and then penalty utd at home, they will struggle to get top 4 now, having seen certain of it not long before lock down
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