Considering that this is the last game before the season proper starts in Earnest, I can certainly expect Arteta to pick his strongest available side to start the game, but obviously I could be completely wrong!
Saka will need at least a half to ease him back in after his break, and I’m expecting Martinelli and Havertz to be the front line as usual. Hopefully we we would love to see Rice, Partey and Odegaard as our midfield rocks, and I have a feeling that it will be Rice, Saliba, Gabriel and Zinchenko yet again ready to start the game, as I’m not sure that the Boss is convinced of Timber’s readiness just yet.
I don’t think Arteta will be giving any clues to his tactical surprises to our rivals just yet, but obviously the second half could be a completely different team and tactics.
Well, all we are doing now is waiting for Arteta to announce his confirmed team, and here it is…..
https://x.com/Arsenal/status/1822609409648058819?t=nHbZInrrnIlB0u80QT-Y0w&s=19
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If we win of course it will be nice but what is more important is that none of our players get injured, it helps Arteta get a better understanding of our players and how to best position them and players get some practice playing with each other before 1st match
The team sheet didn’t appear Ad Pat but I looked it up on the club website
This time Martinelli starts over Trossard who played most of the match on Wednesday and it appears that Vieira has a slight injury 🙄 and Timber as well with a foot problem
Sorry Sue I’m sitting by the pool with a g and t. So naturally I forgot.
Big apologies!×××
Naturally! Its always Gin o’clock somewhere in the world Pat but not always by the swimming pool. Lucky blighter
It’s beer 🍻 o’clock here in Japan for me Sue,,, plus savoury snacks on hand
But early just now but later…..🥂
Lively start to the game pjennings
Yep Sue. Early days. Hoping both Zinchenko and Martinelli have good matches. Tell what, it’s just after 10pm here and it’s 32 degrees with no rain in sight and no breeze whatsoever
Summer has arrived today too. 2-0 and two defenders scoring. The cross from Rice was a cracker and Lyon are under the cosh
Hopefully the knock to Martinelli isn’t serious
COYG
Made our pressure count
Great corner and a powerful header. COYG
Nketiah is still on the bench despite going to Marseille? And Maitland-Niles is back!
Arteta playing hard ball again I see. Good on him and Edu! 😉
AMN is back baby
Has the Emirates Cup been reduced to two teams from now on?
Looks like it. It has had only two teams on several occasions now, I think.
As we all remember, in the good old days when it was thought up by Arsene it was a small, but nevertheless proper, knock out tournament. I guess that other commitments prevented three other clubs being able to agree to come to London. Unfortunately, I don’t think Arsenal was really that big a draw anymore and it wasn’t played every year anyway.
Yeah, I remember it used to be three teams. I hoped that format would return. At least is we beat Lyon today it will be pay back for them beating us in the EC a few years ago..😁
We could have easily been up by 5. Our front three has been very poor, particularly Martinelli and Saka on both wings, unable to beat their markers and put in any decent cross or finishing. Odegaard should be at the top of assists only if we have a good striker with a killer instinct. Arteta needs to stop being stubborn and bring in a top quality striker and another winger to provide competition for Saka. Partey when fit is incredible, but with his injury record, we can’t rely on him. Get Merino as soon as possible. Get rid of all those dead woods: Nelson, Viera, Nketiah, and promote the likes of Nwanieri, Salah, Lewis-Skelly, etc. If we fail to strengthen in those areas, l am afraid that we will once again be that almost Club.
Who wants Partey sold?
Man is crisp, tidy and timely with passes and interceptions.
Just always has that spell on the sidelines
Shame as a decent player
I very very very much doubt Arteta is going for the “kill” in a friendly. He will be using it for final fitness preparation. Thats it.
Didn’t seem to be the case against BL. Of course, the German side hadn’t played any friendlies prior to the Arsenal match, I think.
It is all about fitness as you say (and staying injury-free) so we can look forward to the game against Wolves on 17 August and see what Arsenal can do when the definitely will be “going for the kill”.
Exactly,that was the game.Calafiory shows same nice part of his cualities,but the attack was very poor.Needs reinforcements.
Here we go again its plainly obvious we need a goal scoring striker as Jesus and Havertz poor again.
Well, the options are shrinking somewhat. It seems Toney may be re-emerging as a potential target along with (the long-time usual suspect of) Gyokeres.
A problem here is that a club will only sell a key striker if they either have another alternative already within the club or they can get one in the transfer market.
With the clock ticking down it means not only Arsenal needs to complete the transfer, but the other club will need to ensure it can do so (and even the club they buy from etc.).
All this takes time and if anyone in the chain, whether it’s just two clubs or more, hits a problem it could scupper the whole thing.
In my opinion, Arsenal/Edu needs to get a move on if they’re going to sign a striker in this window.
‘here we go again’, well you got that bit right but little else
so predictable, every game Arsenal’s centre forward doesn’t score in a game it is evidence we need a new striker for our goal scoring problem (even though Arsenal won the game comfortably 2 nil)
no striker on the planet is guaranteed to score every single game, not even Haaland (who is a freak of nature best striker of all time in the making), Arsenal held Haaland to zero goals from 3 games last season, hardly had a kick
strange that just 4 days ago when Jesus scored as centre forward in the first half against BL, and Havertz assisted two goals then scored one himself in the second half that no comments made
strange anywhere else, but JA entirely expected
Haaland against Man United was absolutely useless. At least, any match Havertz doesn’t score, he actually takes part in the game and help others. City were basically playing with 10 man for 90 minutes.
“Havertz or Jesus are not natural strikers. Yes, they are more productive football players than Haaland apart from his goal scoring. The fact is, we do not have a goal scoring striker in our squad. We are going to become even easier to defend against as the season progresses.
I will probably gets criticised for saying this as it was only a friendly but this game showed that we are just not ruthless enough. Yes, it was a friendly which I suppose primarily is used for fitness etc but to go 2-0 up early on and then not push on shows it is still a weakness of ours. While we are coasting at 2-0 it just needs the opposition to score and then it is a panic job.
Yes, it was a friendly and doesn’t deserve tactical or result analysis. You only have one more week, until it really counts.
That’s true Reggie
However, it was interesting to see the 2 different starting 11’s over the 2 matches and from today’s game a better picture began to emerge of how Arteta is planning for the season