In their #UncensoredArsenal review of Arsenal vs Burnley Blackburn George and Shotta express mixed emotions over the manner the Gunners went about securing their victory. It was good to gain the points needed to stay second in the tables but, with the far superior squad, Arsenal resorted to the negative, retrograde tactics reminiscent of Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis; maintain a strong defense and rely on set plays to win the game. Will this be sufficient to win the title?
121 comments on “Functional Arsenal Is The Norm Now.”
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Positively Arsenal 
It’s kind of fun seeing this season’s Arsenal coming into focus at last.
After the burnout last season, out tactics could be a kind of correction—seeking safety in the percentages. We may open up a little later.
For now, we win a ridiculous amount of corners (much more than any other team in Europe), and are the best team around at forcing opponents into places they don’t want to be.
Interested to see of this continues. The obvious comparison, purely from a style perspective, is Vicente del Bosque’s Spain. It’s that absolute, consuming obsession with control.
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It would be difficult to say we were reminiscent of Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis they produced thugs and even fat Sam’s Bolton, who had some decent players in it, never played football.
Using set pieces in addition to football to break down sides is a million miles away from what they produced.
I don’t think that tactics squashed our quality on the floor but instead it was execution and decision making.
Again our breakaways, even when we turned the ball over in their half, was poor.
I actually think Burnley are a decent footballing side who will get better as the season goes on, although I think they might need to replace their 12 year old keeper.
With four forward players missing, the wingers getting predictable and Kai well being Kai, the performance wasn’t bad.
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Gee
6m ago
Personally I think we are missing Xhaka as none of the other players can play that 8 role like he did last season creatively but defensively Rice and Jorginiho are better pairing (in my opinion) than Xhaka and Partey.
I agree Arteta has both traits of the managers you mentioned but he has picked up a few things from Wenger also.
The football this season is not as pleasing on the eye but in recent weeks the defensive side of the game has looked pretty good
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Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson are playing for Arsenal U21s against Reading tonight in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy
Arsenal U21 team v Reading: Ejeheri, Walters, Foran, Monlouis, Heaven, Ibrahim, Henry-Francis, Vieira, Nelson, Edwards, Sagoe Jr.
Subs: Hillson, Nichols, Kacurri, Azeez, Gower, I. Oulad M’Hand, Ferdinand.
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For those lording Declan’s performances, rightly so, need to remember he struggled at the start in the eight role and has only really shined since moving back to a more familiar role further back.
With Kai under performing or also being used elsewhere we haven’t filled with Xhaka role at all. The injury to Timber, the one new signing who hit the ground running, has also impacted our overloading midfield.
To mitigate these problems we have probably had to become more practical going forward and make sure we are tight in defence knowing the likelihood of goals scored is less.
There is no denying we have played some lovely football at times however we do seem more predictable, we will need to cure this in the more difficult parts of the season especially the dreaded run in where once again it looks like a nightmare ten games to finish the season.
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So we are now in a position where referee decisions cannot be questioned without sanctions being applied.
To me this smacks of the actions of people that have something to hide.
At the very least they should agree to microphones, rugby style so that we can all hear how inept they are.
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In other words a dictat
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In a world where premier league clubs are more and more corrupt Everton have got away with it.
Had they been deducted points in the season of their cheating they would of been relegated.
Even that would have been a small punishment, surely clubs who are found guilty of cheating (chelski, city, Everton and probably manure) should be put League two, like Rangers and Juventus and have to work their way back up.
Trophies gained on the back of discrepancies, should also be retrieved.
Obviously cheating in England will never be properly punished.
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Strange line up, but very attacking.
Tommy on the right, Zinchenko on the left both will have to help Rice in midfield otherwise we’ll get overrun.
Trossard and Odegaard also need to drop in when we haven’t got the ball.
The bench looks strong as well, which is good because we will probably need it COYG.
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trossardddddddddddddddddddddddddd 1-0 to the Arsenal
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still 0-0 the goal ruled out for offside
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FT: Brentford 0-1 Arsenal
Kai Harvertz with the winning goal that at the 1/3 point of the season puts us top of the league, hopefully a big winning goal will see Kai go on and really get his game going
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Of all the midfield players we signed touted as the new Viera, Declan Rice to me is the one who might come closest. Obviously miles away from the great man but sometimes I see glimpses and that’s good enough for me.
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Another attritional display.
The line up and shape was probably wrong from the start.
Knowing that Brentford like to bog teams down using the Brazilians from the start, when they were the last back and furthest travelled, looked wrong even before the game.
This was compounded by the injury to Ben White and Tommy (also long on the plane) coming in at right back.
Two inverted full backs and two inverted forwards meant we were lacking width and packed in the middle where Brentford had there most numbers.
Jesus toiled but never really created anything or brought other players into the game. I don’t understand how he gets in over Eddie who instantly started winning balls both in the air and on the ground when he came on.
The clean sheets are welcome but if we continue to struggle up front will we be able to keep obtaining shut outs away at upcoming villa and liverpool.
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Good to laugh at Newcastle getting their comeuppance last night. Watching Howe complaining about the officials the latest in along line of managers who once said you should never criticise the officials.
The irony from him Ange and the like is most amusing.
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Tonight we need a professional performance rather than anything gung ho. Just topping the group to eliminate the last game, which is due right in the middle of a hard run of PL games, is the goal tonight COYG.
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Sevilla now two nil up straight from the 2nd half kick off.
If it stays like that a draw would be enough to finish top COYG.
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Raya, Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Subs: Ramsdale, Hein, White, Nketiah, Kiwior, Cedric, Trossard, Jorginho, Nelson, Elneny, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri.
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Havertz makes it 1-0 to the Arsenal
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Jesus makes it 2-0 to the Arsenal
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Saka makes it 3-0 to the Arsenal
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Martinelli makes it 4-0 to the Arsenal
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Odegaard makes it 5-0 to the Arsenal
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HT: Arsenal 5-0 Lens
total domination and heading for biggest win under Arteta
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would be an ideal game to bring on Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri for their CL debuts
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White and Kiwior on for Tomiyasu and Zinchenko
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Jorginho on for Rice
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Nketiah on for Jesus,
Nelson came on earlier for Saka
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Penalty to Arsenal given after VAR gets ref to check pitch side monitor
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Jorginho makes it 6-0 to Arsenal from the penalty
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topped the group with a game to spare, maybe Arteta will finally give some youth game time in our final group game
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FC Copenhagen play Galatasaray in their final group game and if either side win they go through and man utd would be out of CL, and regardless of result of this game if utd don’t beat Bayern Munich in their last game they are out anyway
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“would be an ideal game to bring on Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri for their CL debuts”
A million ARSENAL fans and a Million pundits and other fans all saying the same thing but as we know Mikel doesn’t like and doesn’t trust the academy.
Don’t bank on an Arsene type cup team being selected even if it is a dead rubber.
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just a heads up to any of you not following george on X, but sadly his mother passed away earlier in the week.
Deepest sympathy George on your sad loss.
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Yes Deepest sympathy George on your sad loss.
I have great empathy for anyone who has lost anyone recently as my Dad’s Funeral was two weeks ago.
I console myself with the fact he was 95 and try to remember the brilliant things he did and the great times we had.
I still cry at moments when I’m not expecting to but actually that’s good.
I’m totally with you George.
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sympathy to you too Ian on your loss, my dad is dead 13 years and I still have the odd moment when it still feels very recent, grief is painful
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a good win for Arsenal today, 2-1 at home to wolves, 2 very good goals early on from Saka and Odegaard, and then a nervy end when wolves scored late and had a VAR penalty check, but the win was well deserved by AFC, now 4pts clear at the top with a game extra played
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just seen on MOTD the jesus penalty claim and its a joke that VAR did not award it, defender clearly pulls him back by the hand
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we got liverpool at the emirates in the 3rd round of the FA Cup
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We started like a train against wolves. My biggest criticism of this team, as they have evolved, is they have become greedy but this was rammed down my throat as the one touch passing was magical.
Unfortunately the longer the game went on the old habits came back and that along with the malaise of thinking we were untouchable bit us in the arse.
The bench not recognising the complacency and reacting to late meant the last minutes were “don’t panic Mr Mannering” when they should have been a been a breeze.
Tonight is another ground, like Lens, where the ground and home fans make a huge difference.
We need to have learnt from that night and unlike Liverpool dominate the play and the crowd.
Luton normally keep it tight early on and then score most of their goals in the last twenty minutes.
We need to make the last twenty minutes irrelevant and there is no reason why we can’t achieve this if we play like a team and not like talented individuals.
First twenty minutes ARSENAL turning up anywhere can destroy anyone COYG.
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HT: Luton Town 1-2 Arsenal
Martinelli and Jesus with our goals, meaning that in the EPL Arsenal’s last 11 goals have been scored by 11 different players
Ref has allowed Luton to be overly physical
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FT: Luton Town 3-4 Arsenal
Martinelli, Jesus, Harvertz and a late winner from Rice with our goals, a real roller coaster of a game, and once more question is what does Arteta see in Raya that has cost Ramsdale his place, Raya poor on a couple of the goals tonight
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Don’t really feel for Luton and their dirty tactics. Scoreline flattered them ridiculously.
Raya howler for the third—thought the second was more of a collective mess but he wasn’t convincing.
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Ironically we scored two goals from headers in a game where we won nothing in the air in either box all night until the 97th minute.
Raya at fault for two goals and probably could have come for the first as well but as Birdkamp says their were other players at fault in the build up to all three goals.
Passing and tempo were poor and although we ended up winning Mikel looked like he was happy with the draw or once again just doesn’t trust his bench.
However after the inquest into a poor performance is finished we did get the three points.
The trouble is this followed on from a poor second half against wolves and is before two really difficult away games.
I know the players will be up for the bigger games and they will have to be if we are to get anything from them.
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our u21’s lost 3-0 away to peterborough in the efl trophy
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Would say 3rd goal was Raya’s fault solely but the 2nd Declan Rice lost his man to leave Raya exposed. Yes he could have done better but I wouldn’t say it was his fault. The team was collectively poor on set pieces yesterday but showed great character.
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The difference between a good keeper and a great keeper in the commanding of his area.
This was an area that led us to having to get rid of Leno.
Yes we certainly didn’t cover ourselves in glory when it come to attacking the ball from set pieces but a keeper has a whole arm advantage in height and anything around the six yard box should be his.
If you watch the goal back Raya mistimed his jump and never really got off the ground properly.
This has to go down as a mistake which led to a goal.
The shame is he is normally really good a collecting or punching these type of balls but on this occasion he got it wrong.
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aston villa beat city 1-0, arsenal face villa next, whose home record is outstanding, not sure but think they haven’t lost at home since we beat them last season
villa are now 3rd
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Yeah I do agree with you he missed timed his jump but that was Declans man and I cant imagine Declans would be happy with the way he easily allowed a man to arrive unchallenged to head at goal. Not saying Raya is blameless but is not entirely at fault for that goal.
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The 1st goal Martinelli allowed his man a clean header unchallenged at goal.
The whole team have to take responsibility on those set pieces.
I would blame Raya more for the 3rd goal cause he should have used his feet rather than his hands but then again still it could have gone straight between his legs
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