The Arsenal FC - Related News and Development for 2018/2019

[oloye]

My Son, still being roasted like roadside maize in downtown Nairobi. It seems everyone’s doing the Leroy Sane, Hudson-Odeku, large by the looks of it, latest leftie to leave him in a right mess. Perhaps the Swiss hardnut might run him a little closer for a starting berth.

Odoi is either so good or Belerin even got worse than he has been the last 2 seasons.... Either way Arsenal need to save Belerin by either playing as backup or sell and recoup whatever they could. Play some kid from the youth team in his stead if you have to.

His performance yesterday was just beyond embarrassing. Even the speed to recover that covered most his ineptitude in defending seem to have deserted him.

Omo that Oddoi boy was fast as lightening..every time he grabs the ball , he moves like wind You have to see what you are chasing first, all i can say is that..Bellerin could not see Oddoi the spirit.

[anikulapo]

My Son, still being roasted like roadside maize in downtown Nairobi. It seems everyone’s doing the Leroy Sane, Hudson-Odeku, large by the looks of it, latest leftie to leave him in a right mess. Perhaps the Swiss hardnut might run him a little closer for a starting berth.

Odoi is either so good or Belerin even got worse than he has been the last 2 seasons.... Either way Arsenal need to save Belerin by either playing as backup or sell and recoup whatever they could. Play some kid from the youth team in his stead if you have to.

His performance yesterday was just beyond embarrassing. Even the speed to recover that covered most his ineptitude in defending seem to have deserted him.

Only thing embarrassing is your analysis. It’s a preseason run out and I bet there was no scouting so no one expected that kind of pace and trickery from the kid. After that early onslaught what else did he do? You guys just like talking OPAKS sha smh

[jdizzy]

Arsenal is not ready for the title challenge.

Belerin need to be benched until he is ready to work on his game. Play Lichsteiner ahead of him.

We need one more midfielder and one more central defender.



Loan:
Smith Rowe
Guendouzi
Joe Willock
Jordan Osei Tutu




Sell
Welbeck 15 MP
Ospina 6 MP
Lucas Perez 6 MP
Akpom 1 MP
Mustafi 25 MP
Joel Campbell 8 MP
El Neny 10 MP


Swap deal
Ramsey for Dembele


Buy
Steven Nzonzi 25 MP
Caglar 30 MP
Joel Lopez


Depth
GK- Cech, Leno, Martinez
RB- Lichseiner, Belerin
LB- Monreal, Kolisinac
CB- Sokratis, Caglar, Holden, Chambers, Mavrapanos
MF- Ozil, Iwobi, Nzonzi, Torreria, Xhaka, Elneny, Niles
FW- Aubamenyang, Lacazette,Dembele, Mikhitaryan,Nkettiah, Nelson


Starting 11

Leno
---Lichsteiner, Sokratis, Caglar, Monreal
----------Torreria----Nzonzi------------

--Dembele------Ozil-------------Aubameyang-

-----------------Lacazette--------------------


We have a chance with that lineup


2nd team
--------------------------Cech-----------------------
--Belerin---------Holden------Chambers/Mavrapanos----Kolisinac--

-------------------Niiles-------------Xhaka----------------------

-------Nelson---------------Iwobi-----------------Mikhityaran------


-----------------------------Nketiah----------------------------------

Lawd have mercy.

Clearly a drug user smh

I have given up on the guy. I just try not to engage anymore

[Cito]

My Son, still being roasted like roadside maize in downtown Nairobi. It seems everyone’s doing the Leroy Sane, Hudson-Odeku, large by the looks of it, latest leftie to leave him in a right mess. Perhaps the Swiss hardnut might run him a little closer for a starting berth.

Odoi is either so good or Belerin even got worse than he has been the last 2 seasons.... Either way Arsenal need to save Belerin by either playing as backup or sell and recoup whatever they could. Play some kid from the youth team in his stead if you have to.

His performance yesterday was just beyond embarrassing. Even the speed to recover that covered most his ineptitude in defending seem to have deserted him.

Only thing embarrassing is your analysis. It’s a preseason run out and I bet there was no scouting so no one expected that kind of pace and trickery from the kid. After that early onslaught what else did he do? You guys just like talking OPAKS sha smh

The most shameful part of your opaks is you refused to look in the mirror. Your hatered for Ozil blinded you to your opak about preseason. No scouting? He has played for the team this preseason and he ripped the youth team a new one in the FA finals. Shameful bro. Try again.
Belerin has been pants for going on 3 seasons now. I guess you didn’t see that.

[Waffiman]

My Son, still being roasted like roadside maize in downtown Nairobi. It seems everyone’s doing the Leroy Sane, Hudson-Odeku, large by the looks of it, latest leftie to leave him in a right mess. Perhaps the Swiss hardnut might run him a little closer for a starting berth.

Odoi is either so good or Belerin even got worse than he has been the last 2 seasons.... Either way Arsenal need to save Belerin by either playing as backup or sell and recoup whatever they could. Play some kid from the youth team in his stead if you have to.

His performance yesterday was just beyond embarrassing. Even the speed to recover that covered most his ineptitude in defending seem to have deserted him.

Omo that Oddoi boy was fast as lightening..every time he grabs the ball , he moves like wind You have to see what you are chasing first, all i can say is that..Bellerin could not see Oddoi the spirit.

Bellerin is also fast as lightening but he has to work out how to position himself to negate Odoi's pace. A proper defender does not need pace to deal with opponents, you know this only too well. This thing na sense.

A lot of Arsenal fans are getting frustrated with Bellerin because he seems to forget the basics once he gets on the pitch. Arsenal supporters know what a proper Full Back is. Recent supporters know a pup like Odoi would have been subbed off in 15 minutes if he faced Lauren. Yes Bellerin did improve when he finally adjusted and sorted out a few things about Odoi but the game could have been over by then.

I watched Arsenal FBs from the time of Viv Anderson and Kenny Sansom. I know what a proper FB when I see one. Bellerin has not developed his defensive side as much as his other parts of his game. This is a worry, hopefully playing and training with a player with Lichsteiner's experience will make him better on the defensive side on the pitch. Bellerin works with some of the best defensive coaches, maybe he just needs to study an old pro like Lichsteiner for it to finally click.

[Waffiman]

This Chelsea teenager on the left is destroying Arsenal..: Cech again to the rescue

That Callum Hudson-Odoi boy beat us in the FA Youth Cup final. An extremely gifted boy whose father played for Accra Hearts of Oaks.

I do like the adjustments to him from late in the first half to most of the second half . He mesmerized HB early but they kept him quiet after that ... good adjustment

That’s where a player like welbeck remains useful. Put him over there to provide support to the fullback and you can contain a threat

Spot on.

[ohenhen1]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

[kajifu]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

Dude stop it,allow the coach to decide,there are many 19 years old starting in their club and are star players.
Lets stop this loan nonsense, if he is ready give him game time like 25 games a season is better than loan him to some championship team or some bottom EPL team.
The coach should tell him I am keeping you because I trust you and I want you fight for first team spot.

[Thunder]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

Dude stop it,allow the coach to decide,there are many 19 years old starting in their club and are star players.
Lets stop this loan nonsense, if he is ready give him game time like 25 games a season is better than loan him to some championship team or some bottom EPL team.
The coach should tell him I am keeping you because I trust you and I want you fight for first team spot.

Kajifu, good talk. But heed your own counsel.

[ohenhen1]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

Dude stop it,allow the coach to decide,there are many 19 years old starting in their club and are star players.
Lets stop this loan nonsense, if he is ready give him game time like 25 games a season is better than loan him to some championship team or some bottom EPL team.
The coach should tell him I am keeping you because I trust you and I want you fight for first team spot.

I just don't see it. He is good at what he does best. Will thrive in a league like La Liga. But in the EPL. He will be exposed defensively unless he works on his defensive game. He can be loaned out to a Ligue one side. A loan is not a bad thing. Better than seating on the bench. The same Arsenal fans that are praising him, will turn on him in a few months.

[Obiagu]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

Dude stop it,allow the coach to decide,there are many 19 years old starting in their club and are star players.
Lets stop this loan nonsense, if he is ready give him game time like 25 games a season is better than loan him to some championship team or some bottom EPL team.
The coach should tell him I am keeping you because I trust you and I want you fight for first team spot.

Matteo Guendouzi is good enough for the arsenal first team. He may not be a starter for now, but the kid has got skills, talent and more importantly, he's not afraid to play. Will be a big mistake to loan him out. As for Bellerin, I hope he learns from a seasoned pro like Lictseiner. The defender that needs to get the he'll out of arsenal is mustafi. Dude is a bona fide rubbish; can't defend, no recovery pace and no signs of improvement over 2 seasons now. I hate to see Emery's hardwork go to waste by playing this waste pipe. And whatever happened to the young Greek defender....shouldn't this be the time for him to hone his skills and maybe forge a new partnership if he's as good as advertised.

[Siddonlook11]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

Dude stop it,allow the coach to decide,there are many 19 years old starting in their club and are star players.
Lets stop this loan nonsense, if he is ready give him game time like 25 games a season is better than loan him to some championship team or some bottom EPL team.
The coach should tell him I am keeping you because I trust you and I want you fight for first team spot.

I just don't see it. He is good at what he does best. Will thrive in a league like La Liga. But in the EPL. He will be exposed defensively unless he works on his defensive game. He can be loaned out to a Ligue one side. A loan is not a bad thing. Better than seating on the bench. The same Arsenal fans that are praising him, will turn on him in a few months.

Abeg when will you apply to be coach or even scout for Arsenal ? Even if they dont hire you I just want to know what stage you get to in the interview process..no vex o na question I just dey ask.

[Siddonlook11]

Hmmm...maybe someone actually thought this same way ..hoping Pops Lichsteiner would have sharpen Bellerin. I have said my own that bellerin does not see pops as competition. and thus will not be "incentified" to improve nada.

I watched Arsenal FBs from the time of Viv Anderson and Kenny Sansom. I know what a proper FB when I see one. Bellerin has not developed his defensive side as much as his other parts of his game. This is a worry, hopefully playing and training with a player with Lichsteiner's experience will make him better on the defensive side on the pitch. Bellerin works with some of the best defensive coaches, maybe he just needs to study an old pro like Lichsteiner for it to finally click.[/quote]

[kajifu]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

Dude stop it,allow the coach to decide,there are many 19 years old starting in their club and are star players.
Lets stop this loan nonsense, if he is ready give him game time like 25 games a season is better than loan him to some championship team or some bottom EPL team.
The coach should tell him I am keeping you because I trust you and I want you fight for first team spot.

Matteo Guendouzi is good enough for the arsenal first team. He may not be a starter for now, but the kid has got skills, talent and more importantly, he's not afraid to play. Will be a big mistake to loan him out. As for Bellerin, I hope he learns from a seasoned pro like Lictseiner. The defender that needs to get the he'll out of arsenal is mustafi. Dude is a bona fide rubbish; can't defend, no recovery pace and no signs of improvement over 2 seasons now. I hate to see Emery's hardwork go to waste by playing this waste pipe. And whatever happened to the young Greek defender....shouldn't this be the time for him to hone his skills and maybe forge a new partnership if he's as good as advertised.

Emery should bench anyone that plays badly not playing crab.If he do play someone that is poor then he has himself to blame if his hardwork goes to waste.

[ohenhen1]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

Dude stop it,allow the coach to decide,there are many 19 years old starting in their club and are star players.
Lets stop this loan nonsense, if he is ready give him game time like 25 games a season is better than loan him to some championship team or some bottom EPL team.
The coach should tell him I am keeping you because I trust you and I want you fight for first team spot.

I just don't see it. He is good at what he does best. Will thrive in a league like La Liga. But in the EPL. He will be exposed defensively unless he works on his defensive game. He can be loaned out to a Ligue one side. A loan is not a bad thing. Better than seating on the bench. The same Arsenal fans that are praising him, will turn on him in a few months.

Abeg when will you apply to be coach or even scout for Arsenal ? Even if they dont hire you I just want to know what stage you get to in the interview process..no vex o na question I just dey ask.

I don't have to be a coach to call a spade a spade. Been loaned out is better than seating on the bench.

[kajifu]

I can't believe Arsenal fans really think Guendouzi is actually ready. He is 19, with a handful of games in ligue 2. You expect him to show up against the likes of Man city, Liverpool, and Chelsea when the season starts. He is a good young attacking player, confident player. But he is not defensively ready. He will be destroyed in the EPL when the season starts. He needs to go out loan, get more games, get stronger, work on his defensive game. I am going to tell you I told you so once he is exposed.

Dude stop it,allow the coach to decide,there are many 19 years old starting in their club and are star players.
Lets stop this loan nonsense, if he is ready give him game time like 25 games a season is better than loan him to some championship team or some bottom EPL team.
The coach should tell him I am keeping you because I trust you and I want you fight for first team spot.

I just don't see it. He is good at what he does best. Will thrive in a league like La Liga. But in the EPL. He will be exposed defensively unless he works on his defensive game. He can be loaned out to a Ligue one side. A loan is not a bad thing. Better than seating on the bench. The same Arsenal fans that are praising him, will turn on him in a few months.

Ok coach Ohenhen,am not saying he should stay or start just the coach to decide.i read your other post players you put in the market for sell and players we should buy plus price tag .ooh dear lets just allow the coach to do the job.One thing the coach need to know is that Wenger is a legend and the fans accept a lot of rubbish from him.If he does not hit the ground running he might stay just 2 season like in his last job.I told you this team if small balance can compete for the EPL but you refused.

[anikulapo]

My Son, still being roasted like roadside maize in downtown Nairobi. It seems everyone’s doing the Leroy Sane, Hudson-Odeku, large by the looks of it, latest leftie to leave him in a right mess. Perhaps the Swiss hardnut might run him a little closer for a starting berth.

Odoi is either so good or Belerin even got worse than he has been the last 2 seasons.... Either way Arsenal need to save Belerin by either playing as backup or sell and recoup whatever they could. Play some kid from the youth team in his stead if you have to.

His performance yesterday was just beyond embarrassing. Even the speed to recover that covered most his ineptitude in defending seem to have deserted him.

Only thing embarrassing is your analysis. It’s a preseason run out and I bet there was no scouting so no one expected that kind of pace and trickery from the kid. After that early onslaught what else did he do? You guys just like talking OPAKS sha smh

The most shameful part of your opaks is you refused to look in the mirror. Your hatered for Ozil blinded you to your opak about preseason. No scouting? He has played for the team this preseason and he ripped the youth team a new one in the FA finals. Shameful bro. Try again.
Belerin has been pants for going on 3 seasons now. I guess you didn’t see that.

Chineke see cluelessness of the highest order. Your god was booted out of the World Cup like a two dollar hooker and cried racism to hide his hopelessness .... you are talking about 20 minutes of a young kid surprising Bellerin?

What did he do after that ? Who is defending HBs defense again? I know you’re dense but I have said repeatedly that he is a poor Defender who gets out of jail because of his pace. ... so what’s your excuse for Ozil, a sorry excuse for a human being and soccer player?

Go ask Enes Kanter and others who are striving for freedom from erdogan what they think of your sorry excuse of a footballer .... ode




"

If both of them [Ozil and Gundogan] or all of the players performed great at the World Cup we wouldn't stand here and talk about this," he said.

You were one of the Ozilites touting his fake resume for Germany against the likes of Scotland and Faroe Islands but Neuer just summed it up perfectly. If he had played half way decently his stupidity for posing with an imbecile would be an after thought

[anikulapo]

Dembele in London with the Arsenal boys .... ok ohhh

[ohenhen1]

Welcome to the club Ousmane lol.

[F360]

Good analysis of what Emery might do tactically with Arsenal this season

https://theathletic.com/446857/2018/07/ ... nai-emery/

Breaking down Arsenal’s tactical set-up under Unai Emery
By Joseph Lowery Jul 26, 2018 23

Last season​ was a disappointment​ for​ Arsenal​ Football Club. At​ its best, the Gunners’​ attack​ was​ high tempo,​​ free flowing, and full of creativity. At its worst, it was sluggish, stagnant, and totally lacking cohesion. Unfortunately for fans, the bad Arsenal was more likely to show up when it mattered, and the club finished sixth in the Premier League and was beaten in the Europa League semifinal. Blame for Arsenal’s poor season must be shared by the players—they’re the ones responsible for putting in consistent, quality performances—and former manager Arsene Wenger.

Most of the players will get a chance at redemption this season. Wenger will not. In his place will be former Paris Saint-Germain manager Unai Emery. Wenger’s longevity makes a coaching change at Arsenal much more momentous than it would be at almost any other club, and so the question about how the new manager might change the club takes on even more importance.

But before we get to how Emery will put his stamp on Arsenal, we need to start by reviewing what went wrong for Wenger and Arsenal last year.

At the start of last season, Arsene Wenger did something unusual—at least for him. Arsenal started the 2017-18 Premier League season in a 3-4-2-1 shape, consistently playing three center backs for the first time since 1998. Occasionally, the 3-4-2-1 fostered the sort of attacking play for which Arsenal has become famous, allowing Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez to dominate stretches by finding space underneath a single striker. Unfortunately, more often, the 3-4-2-1 lulled Arsenal into static attacking patterns. Even with numbers forward in the attack, Arsenal would look stagnant, stationary, and lacking ideas when confronted by a compact and well-organized defense:

An occasionally unconvincing attack was not Arsenal’s only problem. The squad lacked a true defensive midfielder, which too often left a large amount of space in front of the back three and made Arsenal vulnerable to all sorts of transitional attacks. Another issue was Arsenal’s ineffective response to pressing. Early on in the year against Liverpool, Arsenal’s backline attempted to bypass Jurgen Klopp’s press by playing aerial passes high up the field. But the relative height, strength, and aerial skill of Wenger’s chosen attackers for that match—Danny Welbeck, Mesut Özil, and Alexis Sanchez—limited the effectiveness of this strategy.

As the season progressed, Wenger’s 3-4-2-1 morphed into a couple of different shapes, but none of his personnel and formational shifts really solved the problems he needed to address.

Enter Unai Emery. How can we expect the new manager to change Arsenal’s style and resolve the issues that plagued the club last season?

First, there is going to be a shift from three to four defenders on the backline. Arsenal played with four defenders late in the season last year, but Unai Emery will have an entire offseason and preseason to better adjust his team to four defenders, putting him well ahead of where Arsenal were at the end of last season. Emery has used both a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1 in his career, but a “4-3-3ish” shape will make better use of the majority of Arsenal’s squad than the 4-2-3-1 did.

While the basic tenets of a 4-3-3 shape remain consistent from manager to manager, there are specific things that each coach does uniquely. Emery’s scheme is designed to maximize his front three. At PSG, he had probably the most talented attacking trio in the world with Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani, and Neymar. Those three players dominated Ligue 1 and terrified every opposing defense they faced. Now, in England, Emery has another supremely talented attacking three to work with in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Aubameyang and Lacazette are both traditional strikers, but Aubameyang will play on the left wing to allow Lacazette to remain central. Still, these front-line positions are not totally rigid in Emery’s set-up; with versatile and skilled attackers, positions in his front three are more of a formality. In Paris, Mbappe would often interchange with Cavani, enabling the Frenchman to act temporarily as the center forward. In London, Aubameyang will spend plenty of time up front while Lacazette drifts deeper or out to the wing.

This interchanging does more than just satisfy the egos of two goalscorers; it also makes life extremely difficult for opposing defenses. When a center back is instructed to tail a center forward and suddenly finds his mark way out wide, it can cause significant confusion. The same goes for a fullback when instructed to mark a quick winger who has moved centrally. Look for the interchanges between Aubameyang and Lacazette because they will be key moments in Arsenal’s attack under the new manager.

Another emphasis of Unai Emery’s 4-3-3 is his midfield alignment. Emery’s midfield three employs one deep-lying midfielder directly in front of his two center backs and two other central midfielders in less restrictive roles higher up the field.

At PSG, Emery placed Thiago Motta in front of his back line. At Arsenal, it will be new signing Lucas Torreira. While Motta and Torreira have different skill sets, Torreira will be tasked with much the same thing as his Italian counterpart: protecting the back four and starting attacks. And as he proved with Uruguay at the World Cup, Torreira is perfectly suited for this role.

With Torreira at the base of his midfield three, Emery will have several central midfielders to rotate in at the other two spots. Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey seem like the two best fits as natural center midfielders, especially with a dedicated defensive midfielder behind them, though we could also see Mohamed Elneny or Ainsley Maitland-Niles make appearances.

The biggest question surrounding Emery’s midfield shape is that it does not, at least on paper, have an obvious spot for Mesut Özil. Emery could choose to sacrifice defense for creativity and insert Özil into the starting lineup fulltime. It is also possible that Emery could shift Özil a little wider and have him play to one side of Lacazette. This would allow Arsenal to maintain a solid midfield while also giving Özil a spot in the starting XI. Where and how Unai Emery uses Mesut Özil will be one of the biggest storylines of this Premier League season.

Taking over a squad with a talented midfield and attacking core will likely see Emery transfer another piece of his 4-3-3 tactics over to England: possession in the opposing half. At PSG, where the talent gap between his club and the rest of the league was large, Emery consistently pushed his team into the opposing half to maximize his attacking chances.

This aggressive offensive positioning paid huge dividends in terms of goalscoring: PSG scored 75 goals from open play (this does not include counter attacks, set pieces, or penalties), putting them second among teams in Europe’s top five leagues. Arsenal is already comfortable stationing heavy numbers in the opposing half, but Emery places a special emphasis on dynamic movement and interchanging. Expect to see Arsenal’s goals from open play increase this season.

As entertaining as this positionally-advanced attacking set-up can be, it can also put a huge strain on the defensive unit. Historically, when Emery’s attacking unit loses the ball, it tries immediately to win it back. If that effort is unsuccessful, Emery’s squads are naturally susceptible to quick counter attacks. Last season, this was one of the only ways to score on Emery’s PSG; with so many numbers pushed forward, opposing teams could send a runner to expose the space in PSG’s own half. Team’s tended to focus on attacking the space left behind by right back Dani Alves, who often ventured forward as an extra right-sided player in attack. Look at how wide center back Marquinhos is forced to go, leaving space open in the center of the field:

Defensive vulnerability in wide areas could be a theme that follows Unai Emery to Arsenal. With Hector Bellerin frequently encouraged to get forward, there will be space that opens on the right side of Arsenal’s defense. Thiago Silva and Marquinhos, two excellent center backs, did an admirable job of covering ground for Emery last season as Paris Saint-Germain gave up only 29 goals. It is going to be a huge test for Arsenal’s center backs to see if they can replicate similar defensive results for Emery this year.

In Paris, when Emery’s squad dropped to absorb pressure, they often defended with only seven men. Usually, a 4-3-3 will turn into a 4-5-1 or lopsided 4-4-2 in defense, but at PSG, Unai Emery often set up his team to defend with only his back four and midfield three—and not just against smaller teams in Ligue 1 but against the best of the best in the Champions League.

Why did Emery purposefully sacrifice numbers in defense? Instead of forcing his dynamic front three to help defend, Emery allowed them to find space and attack in transition. These transitional moments are often when Emery’s teams are at their best. Dating back to his days at Sevilla, where he was more apt to defend with eight or nine men, Emery employed tactics that provided his team dangerous transitional moments. Known for his flexibility, Emery could employ a mix of the defensive set-ups he used at Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla at his new club. With a fantastic front three and a capable midfield, we could see Arsenal defend with seven men in safer moments to create additional attacking chances. In other moments, perhaps when up against a more talented attack, we could see Arsenal defend with eight or nine men in an attempt to stifle the opposition.

In Arsenal’s first post-Wenger season, we can still expect to see the dynamic attack that characterized the Frenchman’s best sides. Arsenal’s front three will play an outsize role in the offense. Arsenal is one of the few teams in the world that can rival PSG’s attacking trio from a year ago, and I expect Emery to attempt to recreate a version of that dominant Paris attack in London. Many, many chances will come from quick transitional moments, but he will also send numbers forward—possibly too many players at times—that could make those transitional moments a threat when Arsenal suddenly finds itself defending.

One thing is certain: there is going to be plenty of exciting play at Emirates Stadium this season.

[anikulapo]

Good analysis of what Emery might do tactically with Arsenal this season

https://theathletic.com/446857/2018/07/ ... nai-emery/

Breaking down Arsenal’s tactical set-up under Unai Emery
By Joseph Lowery Jul 26, 2018 23

Last season​ was a disappointment​ for​ Arsenal​ Football Club. At​ its best, the Gunners’​ attack​ was​ high tempo,​​ free flowing, and full of creativity. At its worst, it was sluggish, stagnant, and totally lacking cohesion. Unfortunately for fans, the bad Arsenal was more likely to show up when it mattered, and the club finished sixth in the Premier League and was beaten in the Europa League semifinal. Blame for Arsenal’s poor season must be shared by the players—they’re the ones responsible for putting in consistent, quality performances—and former manager Arsene Wenger.

Most of the players will get a chance at redemption this season. Wenger will not. In his place will be former Paris Saint-Germain manager Unai Emery. Wenger’s longevity makes a coaching change at Arsenal much more momentous than it would be at almost any other club, and so the question about how the new manager might change the club takes on even more importance.

But before we get to how Emery will put his stamp on Arsenal, we need to start by reviewing what went wrong for Wenger and Arsenal last year.

At the start of last season, Arsene Wenger did something unusual—at least for him. Arsenal started the 2017-18 Premier League season in a 3-4-2-1 shape, consistently playing three center backs for the first time since 1998. Occasionally, the 3-4-2-1 fostered the sort of attacking play for which Arsenal has become famous, allowing Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez to dominate stretches by finding space underneath a single striker. Unfortunately, more often, the 3-4-2-1 lulled Arsenal into static attacking patterns. Even with numbers forward in the attack, Arsenal would look stagnant, stationary, and lacking ideas when confronted by a compact and well-organized defense:

An occasionally unconvincing attack was not Arsenal’s only problem. The squad lacked a true defensive midfielder, which too often left a large amount of space in front of the back three and made Arsenal vulnerable to all sorts of transitional attacks. Another issue was Arsenal’s ineffective response to pressing. Early on in the year against Liverpool, Arsenal’s backline attempted to bypass Jurgen Klopp’s press by playing aerial passes high up the field. But the relative height, strength, and aerial skill of Wenger’s chosen attackers for that match—Danny Welbeck, Mesut Özil, and Alexis Sanchez—limited the effectiveness of this strategy.

As the season progressed, Wenger’s 3-4-2-1 morphed into a couple of different shapes, but none of his personnel and formational shifts really solved the problems he needed to address.

Enter Unai Emery. How can we expect the new manager to change Arsenal’s style and resolve the issues that plagued the club last season?

First, there is going to be a shift from three to four defenders on the backline. Arsenal played with four defenders late in the season last year, but Unai Emery will have an entire offseason and preseason to better adjust his team to four defenders, putting him well ahead of where Arsenal were at the end of last season. Emery has used both a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1 in his career, but a “4-3-3ish” shape will make better use of the majority of Arsenal’s squad than the 4-2-3-1 did.

While the basic tenets of a 4-3-3 shape remain consistent from manager to manager, there are specific things that each coach does uniquely. Emery’s scheme is designed to maximize his front three. At PSG, he had probably the most talented attacking trio in the world with Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani, and Neymar. Those three players dominated Ligue 1 and terrified every opposing defense they faced. Now, in England, Emery has another supremely talented attacking three to work with in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Aubameyang and Lacazette are both traditional strikers, but Aubameyang will play on the left wing to allow Lacazette to remain central. Still, these front-line positions are not totally rigid in Emery’s set-up; with versatile and skilled attackers, positions in his front three are more of a formality. In Paris, Mbappe would often interchange with Cavani, enabling the Frenchman to act temporarily as the center forward. In London, Aubameyang will spend plenty of time up front while Lacazette drifts deeper or out to the wing.

This interchanging does more than just satisfy the egos of two goalscorers; it also makes life extremely difficult for opposing defenses. When a center back is instructed to tail a center forward and suddenly finds his mark way out wide, it can cause significant confusion. The same goes for a fullback when instructed to mark a quick winger who has moved centrally. Look for the interchanges between Aubameyang and Lacazette because they will be key moments in Arsenal’s attack under the new manager.

Another emphasis of Unai Emery’s 4-3-3 is his midfield alignment. Emery’s midfield three employs one deep-lying midfielder directly in front of his two center backs and two other central midfielders in less restrictive roles higher up the field.

At PSG, Emery placed Thiago Motta in front of his back line. At Arsenal, it will be new signing Lucas Torreira. While Motta and Torreira have different skill sets, Torreira will be tasked with much the same thing as his Italian counterpart: protecting the back four and starting attacks. And as he proved with Uruguay at the World Cup, Torreira is perfectly suited for this role.

With Torreira at the base of his midfield three, Emery will have several central midfielders to rotate in at the other two spots. Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey seem like the two best fits as natural center midfielders, especially with a dedicated defensive midfielder behind them, though we could also see Mohamed Elneny or Ainsley Maitland-Niles make appearances.

The biggest question surrounding Emery’s midfield shape is that it does not, at least on paper, have an obvious spot for Mesut Özil. Emery could choose to sacrifice defense for creativity and insert Özil into the starting lineup fulltime. It is also possible that Emery could shift Özil a little wider and have him play to one side of Lacazette. This would allow Arsenal to maintain a solid midfield while also giving Özil a spot in the starting XI. Where and how Unai Emery uses Mesut Özil will be one of the biggest storylines of this Premier League season.

Taking over a squad with a talented midfield and attacking core will likely see Emery transfer another piece of his 4-3-3 tactics over to England: possession in the opposing half. At PSG, where the talent gap between his club and the rest of the league was large, Emery consistently pushed his team into the opposing half to maximize his attacking chances.

This aggressive offensive positioning paid huge dividends in terms of goalscoring: PSG scored 75 goals from open play (this does not include counter attacks, set pieces, or penalties), putting them second among teams in Europe’s top five leagues. Arsenal is already comfortable stationing heavy numbers in the opposing half, but Emery places a special emphasis on dynamic movement and interchanging. Expect to see Arsenal’s goals from open play increase this season.

As entertaining as this positionally-advanced attacking set-up can be, it can also put a huge strain on the defensive unit. Historically, when Emery’s attacking unit loses the ball, it tries immediately to win it back. If that effort is unsuccessful, Emery’s squads are naturally susceptible to quick counter attacks. Last season, this was one of the only ways to score on Emery’s PSG; with so many numbers pushed forward, opposing teams could send a runner to expose the space in PSG’s own half. Team’s tended to focus on attacking the space left behind by right back Dani Alves, who often ventured forward as an extra right-sided player in attack. Look at how wide center back Marquinhos is forced to go, leaving space open in the center of the field:

Defensive vulnerability in wide areas could be a theme that follows Unai Emery to Arsenal. With Hector Bellerin frequently encouraged to get forward, there will be space that opens on the right side of Arsenal’s defense. Thiago Silva and Marquinhos, two excellent center backs, did an admirable job of covering ground for Emery last season as Paris Saint-Germain gave up only 29 goals. It is going to be a huge test for Arsenal’s center backs to see if they can replicate similar defensive results for Emery this year.

In Paris, when Emery’s squad dropped to absorb pressure, they often defended with only seven men. Usually, a 4-3-3 will turn into a 4-5-1 or lopsided 4-4-2 in defense, but at PSG, Unai Emery often set up his team to defend with only his back four and midfield three—and not just against smaller teams in Ligue 1 but against the best of the best in the Champions League.

Why did Emery purposefully sacrifice numbers in defense? Instead of forcing his dynamic front three to help defend, Emery allowed them to find space and attack in transition. These transitional moments are often when Emery’s teams are at their best. Dating back to his days at Sevilla, where he was more apt to defend with eight or nine men, Emery employed tactics that provided his team dangerous transitional moments. Known for his flexibility, Emery could employ a mix of the defensive set-ups he used at Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla at his new club. With a fantastic front three and a capable midfield, we could see Arsenal defend with seven men in safer moments to create additional attacking chances. In other moments, perhaps when up against a more talented attack, we could see Arsenal defend with eight or nine men in an attempt to stifle the opposition.

In Arsenal’s first post-Wenger season, we can still expect to see the dynamic attack that characterized the Frenchman’s best sides. Arsenal’s front three will play an outsize role in the offense. Arsenal is one of the few teams in the world that can rival PSG’s attacking trio from a year ago, and I expect Emery to attempt to recreate a version of that dominant Paris attack in London. Many, many chances will come from quick transitional moments, but he will also send numbers forward—possibly too many players at times—that could make those transitional moments a threat when Arsenal suddenly finds itself defending.

One thing is certain: there is going to be plenty of exciting play at Emirates Stadium this season.

Funny I discussed this same thing here weeks ago .., this guy is suspicious sha

[Obiagu]

Good analysis of what Emery might do tactically with Arsenal this season

https://theathletic.com/446857/2018/07/ ... nai-emery/

I am so excited for arsenal this season. I know it's not always going to be smooth but I just can't wait to see arsenal play with a different kind of focus and enthusiasm


Breaking down Arsenal’s tactical set-up under Unai Emery
By Joseph Lowery Jul 26, 2018 23

Last season​ was a disappointment​ for​ Arsenal​ Football Club. At​ its best, the Gunners’​ attack​ was​ high tempo,​​ free flowing, and full of creativity. At its worst, it was sluggish, stagnant, and totally lacking cohesion. Unfortunately for fans, the bad Arsenal was more likely to show up when it mattered, and the club finished sixth in the Premier League and was beaten in the Europa League semifinal. Blame for Arsenal’s poor season must be shared by the players—they’re the ones responsible for putting in consistent, quality performances—and former manager Arsene Wenger.

Most of the players will get a chance at redemption this season. Wenger will not. In his place will be former Paris Saint-Germain manager Unai Emery. Wenger’s longevity makes a coaching change at Arsenal much more momentous than it would be at almost any other club, and so the question about how the new manager might change the club takes on even more importance.

But before we get to how Emery will put his stamp on Arsenal, we need to start by reviewing what went wrong for Wenger and Arsenal last year.

At the start of last season, Arsene Wenger did something unusual—at least for him. Arsenal started the 2017-18 Premier League season in a 3-4-2-1 shape, consistently playing three center backs for the first time since 1998. Occasionally, the 3-4-2-1 fostered the sort of attacking play for which Arsenal has become famous, allowing Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez to dominate stretches by finding space underneath a single striker. Unfortunately, more often, the 3-4-2-1 lulled Arsenal into static attacking patterns. Even with numbers forward in the attack, Arsenal would look stagnant, stationary, and lacking ideas when confronted by a compact and well-organized defense:

An occasionally unconvincing attack was not Arsenal’s only problem. The squad lacked a true defensive midfielder, which too often left a large amount of space in front of the back three and made Arsenal vulnerable to all sorts of transitional attacks. Another issue was Arsenal’s ineffective response to pressing. Early on in the year against Liverpool, Arsenal’s backline attempted to bypass Jurgen Klopp’s press by playing aerial passes high up the field. But the relative height, strength, and aerial skill of Wenger’s chosen attackers for that match—Danny Welbeck, Mesut Özil, and Alexis Sanchez—limited the effectiveness of this strategy.

As the season progressed, Wenger’s 3-4-2-1 morphed into a couple of different shapes, but none of his personnel and formational shifts really solved the problems he needed to address.

Enter Unai Emery. How can we expect the new manager to change Arsenal’s style and resolve the issues that plagued the club last season?

First, there is going to be a shift from three to four defenders on the backline. Arsenal played with four defenders late in the season last year, but Unai Emery will have an entire offseason and preseason to better adjust his team to four defenders, putting him well ahead of where Arsenal were at the end of last season. Emery has used both a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1 in his career, but a “4-3-3ish” shape will make better use of the majority of Arsenal’s squad than the 4-2-3-1 did.

While the basic tenets of a 4-3-3 shape remain consistent from manager to manager, there are specific things that each coach does uniquely. Emery’s scheme is designed to maximize his front three. At PSG, he had probably the most talented attacking trio in the world with Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani, and Neymar. Those three players dominated Ligue 1 and terrified every opposing defense they faced. Now, in England, Emery has another supremely talented attacking three to work with in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Aubameyang and Lacazette are both traditional strikers, but Aubameyang will play on the left wing to allow Lacazette to remain central. Still, these front-line positions are not totally rigid in Emery’s set-up; with versatile and skilled attackers, positions in his front three are more of a formality. In Paris, Mbappe would often interchange with Cavani, enabling the Frenchman to act temporarily as the center forward. In London, Aubameyang will spend plenty of time up front while Lacazette drifts deeper or out to the wing.

This interchanging does more than just satisfy the egos of two goalscorers; it also makes life extremely difficult for opposing defenses. When a center back is instructed to tail a center forward and suddenly finds his mark way out wide, it can cause significant confusion. The same goes for a fullback when instructed to mark a quick winger who has moved centrally. Look for the interchanges between Aubameyang and Lacazette because they will be key moments in Arsenal’s attack under the new manager.

Another emphasis of Unai Emery’s 4-3-3 is his midfield alignment. Emery’s midfield three employs one deep-lying midfielder directly in front of his two center backs and two other central midfielders in less restrictive roles higher up the field.

At PSG, Emery placed Thiago Motta in front of his back line. At Arsenal, it will be new signing Lucas Torreira. While Motta and Torreira have different skill sets, Torreira will be tasked with much the same thing as his Italian counterpart: protecting the back four and starting attacks. And as he proved with Uruguay at the World Cup, Torreira is perfectly suited for this role.

With Torreira at the base of his midfield three, Emery will have several central midfielders to rotate in at the other two spots. Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey seem like the two best fits as natural center midfielders, especially with a dedicated defensive midfielder behind them, though we could also see Mohamed Elneny or Ainsley Maitland-Niles make appearances.

The biggest question surrounding Emery’s midfield shape is that it does not, at least on paper, have an obvious spot for Mesut Özil. Emery could choose to sacrifice defense for creativity and insert Özil into the starting lineup fulltime. It is also possible that Emery could shift Özil a little wider and have him play to one side of Lacazette. This would allow Arsenal to maintain a solid midfield while also giving Özil a spot in the starting XI. Where and how Unai Emery uses Mesut Özil will be one of the biggest storylines of this Premier League season.

Taking over a squad with a talented midfield and attacking core will likely see Emery transfer another piece of his 4-3-3 tactics over to England: possession in the opposing half. At PSG, where the talent gap between his club and the rest of the league was large, Emery consistently pushed his team into the opposing half to maximize his attacking chances.

This aggressive offensive positioning paid huge dividends in terms of goalscoring: PSG scored 75 goals from open play (this does not include counter attacks, set pieces, or penalties), putting them second among teams in Europe’s top five leagues. Arsenal is already comfortable stationing heavy numbers in the opposing half, but Emery places a special emphasis on dynamic movement and interchanging. Expect to see Arsenal’s goals from open play increase this season.

As entertaining as this positionally-advanced attacking set-up can be, it can also put a huge strain on the defensive unit. Historically, when Emery’s attacking unit loses the ball, it tries immediately to win it back. If that effort is unsuccessful, Emery’s squads are naturally susceptible to quick counter attacks. Last season, this was one of the only ways to score on Emery’s PSG; with so many numbers pushed forward, opposing teams could send a runner to expose the space in PSG’s own half. Team’s tended to focus on attacking the space left behind by right back Dani Alves, who often ventured forward as an extra right-sided player in attack. Look at how wide center back Marquinhos is forced to go, leaving space open in the center of the field:

Defensive vulnerability in wide areas could be a theme that follows Unai Emery to Arsenal. With Hector Bellerin frequently encouraged to get forward, there will be space that opens on the right side of Arsenal’s defense. Thiago Silva and Marquinhos, two excellent center backs, did an admirable job of covering ground for Emery last season as Paris Saint-Germain gave up only 29 goals. It is going to be a huge test for Arsenal’s center backs to see if they can replicate similar defensive results for Emery this year.

In Paris, when Emery’s squad dropped to absorb pressure, they often defended with only seven men. Usually, a 4-3-3 will turn into a 4-5-1 or lopsided 4-4-2 in defense, but at PSG, Unai Emery often set up his team to defend with only his back four and midfield three—and not just against smaller teams in Ligue 1 but against the best of the best in the Champions League.

Why did Emery purposefully sacrifice numbers in defense? Instead of forcing his dynamic front three to help defend, Emery allowed them to find space and attack in transition. These transitional moments are often when Emery’s teams are at their best. Dating back to his days at Sevilla, where he was more apt to defend with eight or nine men, Emery employed tactics that provided his team dangerous transitional moments. Known for his flexibility, Emery could employ a mix of the defensive set-ups he used at Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla at his new club. With a fantastic front three and a capable midfield, we could see Arsenal defend with seven men in safer moments to create additional attacking chances. In other moments, perhaps when up against a more talented attack, we could see Arsenal defend with eight or nine men in an attempt to stifle the opposition.

In Arsenal’s first post-Wenger season, we can still expect to see the dynamic attack that characterized the Frenchman’s best sides. Arsenal’s front three will play an outsize role in the offense. Arsenal is one of the few teams in the world that can rival PSG’s attacking trio from a year ago, and I expect Emery to attempt to recreate a version of that dominant Paris attack in London. Many, many chances will come from quick transitional moments, but he will also send numbers forward—possibly too many players at times—that could make those transitional moments a threat when Arsenal suddenly finds itself defending.

One thing is certain: there is going to be plenty of exciting play at Emirates Stadium this season.

[Waffiman]

Dembele in London with the Arsenal boys .... ok ohhh

We have to sell to buy. The money is not being released by the owner.

All sorts of rumours out there but it looks like Arsenal have a lot of power in this. Maybe there are truths to rumours of Dembele refusing to join others clubs. Also, maybe there are truths to the proposed loan deal to break the impasse.

Whatever the truths, it looks like we are back to Arsenal's Board insisting on a must sell to buy policy. It is looking like they are not going to release more cash. They did exactly the same thing last summer and many summers before.