Mikel Arteta is building a fantastic Arsenal team that is hungry for trophies and glory. So far, the Gunners have performed admirably under the Spaniard, and they have the potential to become a powerhouse once more, like in Arsene Wenger’s days. Last season, they were excellent in the Premier League and could have beaten Pep Guardiola to the PL title, but unfortunately failed.
Arsenal have continued to improve and get better since the arrival of Arteta in 2019. This is due to a superb recruitment technique. Already this summer, huge names like Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, and Declan Rice have signed deals that will no doubt make the next season’s Arsenal team buzz with quality.
If the Gunners’ recent acquisitions have taught us anything, it’s that they now boast one of Europe’s elite midfields. Mohammed Elneny, Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Declan Rice, Fabio Vieira, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe, and Abert Lokonga Sambi (if he stays) are among the options for Arteta’s engine room. The Spaniard can fine-tune his midfield as much as he likes, but the end result will be that his midfield is unrivalled, as evidenced by the three distinct ways he can set it up:
Rice-Odegaard-Havertz
Partey-Rice-Odegaard
Jorginho-Havertz-Odegaard
The midfield setup Arteta chooses as his first choice among these midfielders has the potential to become a formidable trio, dominating not just the Premier League but also the Champions League. If Mikel Arteta gets his engine room perfect, it might lay the groundwork for him to enjoy his team’s unrivalled supremacy.
Sam P
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Partey-Rice-Odegaard
Yes first choice. Second choice will be Rice, Ødegaard Harvey. Honestly I have no confident with Jorginho.
Ødegaard, Rice and Partey the best combination we have. Øde, Kai and Rice is a disaster waiting to happen. Arteta said Ode Kai and Rice will click when they play “55 times together”. 55 what? Hope he isn’t bent on proving he was right about Harvertz if things don’t go well. They mustn’t play 55 times to click, that’s a season and a half Arteta. We have no time to experiment again, this season is to compete and win something worthy.
55 time could also include practice sessions !
Arteta said they have played “only 55 minutes together so far!” … AND the more they play together, the better they’ll play together.
Stop beating the club and the manager over the head with nonsense! They’re all doing a fantastic job right now.
Beating the club and manager over the head with nonsense? You sound like a child. What I said is correct. He did refer to the fact that they will click when they play 55 times together. Go and watch it dude.
Every one with a footballing sense knows that a midfield combo of Kai Ode and Rice is too attacking minded especially against the big teams. What I said was very correct. Next time learn to dispute statements in a cool and mature way not sounding like a little kid
Most existing players and new recruits improved under Arteta in those 3 full seasons Arteta was in charge. A lot of us are still judging Kai Havertz as a player from Chelsea. Arteta turned Xhaka from a liability into a monster. Gabriel from undependable into reliable. Martinelli from headless chicken into mercurial winger. And our captain Odegaard from overrated into future Arsenal legend. Those achievements must count for something and deserve a chance for further developments. With 6 quality recruits since last December, every player will raise their game quality. Only time will tell.
I just selected the newcomers because they recently joined us and they probably have some minimum playing time clauses on their contracts:
…….………….……. Ramsdale
………. White .… Saliba …. Magalhaes
…………….. Timber ……..… Rice
Saka . Odegaard . Havertz . Martinelli
…………………………. Jesus
Zinchenko, Jorginho, Partey and Trossard are on similar levels or maybe they’re better in some aspects, but there are only four central midfield positions available when we have the ball
This Linup is perfect but incase if it’s not working just remove havert and put trosaad it will work
Trossard is the only left AM who can turn 180 degrees frequently at Arsenal, whereas Havertz and Smith-Rowe aren’t as gifted technically. Havertz is taller and Smith-Rowe is pacier, but Trossard has more experience and lower center of gravity
If thats the truth can we agree the whole fighting for your place is just the biggest bunch of BS when newcomers have minimum game time in contracts?
Im sure this will illicit a long winded response but the fact is that it does make the “fight for your place” total rubbish 🙂
“minimum game time in contracts” @PJ-SA and @GAI
Where do you get your outlandish theories?
Not my theory, read my comment again! Sentence starts with IF mate, I don’t know if it exists in EPL.
Oh and just FYI, that exists in sports 100%. Time percentage of games you are fit/available. Had it in 2 of my rugby contracts when I played at high level, in 2 different countries.
information that might help.😊
According to Premier League Players Contract 1, there is no specific clause about how much playing time a player can do. However, the contract does mention that the player must comply with the Club Rules and the Code of Practice which may affect their playing time1. The contract also states that the player must be available for all matches unless injured or suspended. No form of that clause exists with any players
@FIYS
Thank you
The newcomers could still get their game time in non-crucial cup games
Their teammates just need to fight for the starting lineup in EPL and important cup games. The losers could get relegated to play in the non-important ones
Anyone not picking Partey over Harvertz has lost his head. Partey, Rice, Odegaard will stand a very good chance of facing up with any team, even Man City
So, has Arteta lost his head for playing Havertz and Rice ahead of Partey in a pre-season game?
I think Havertz will play better with Zinchenko as inverted LB.
Easy….Partey, Rice and Ode
If Rice or Partey drops out then I’d put Timber in, the guy oozes class can play ball properly and is far more aware the slow Jorginho and way more athletic.
Timber. Saliba. Kiwior. Zinchenko
Partey, Rice,
Odegaad
Saka. Trosaad
Jesus or Balogun
I just want Gabriel to rest for at least two to three matches I want to see the Combination of Saliba and Kiwior, all the back like can take ball out of danger with confident & Trosaad is better than martinelli for now
And Balogun can make things happen too I want Balogun to move to Cr palace
This is a no brainer and fans are seeing it as clear as day
——————-Ramsdale
—-Timber–Saliba—Magalase—Tierny
—–Partey——-Odegaard—Rice
—–Saka——–Jesus——–Martinelli
Tierney has been solid in preseason, so he has to start.
Tossard has been brilliant and he too deserves to start.
The reliable Ben white game is always assured.
Havertz will rotate with Odegaard as he continues to build team chemistry.
The 4:3:3 formation can be easily switched to a 4:2:3;1 where Havertz plays behind the striker , this tactics could be used when we are in the lead and intends to kill the game
There is absolutely no way Arteta will play a flat back 4 and Partey and Rice together after the success of the inverted LB.
Yup, agree. Inverted fullback allows us to conquer and control games.
One of the most attacking formation is the 4:3:3, but am in agreement with you we have had great success with the inverted position to the point it has become an obsession.
Based upon the current roster, I would play
Partey, Odegaard and Rice.
I hope that Rice will develop into the new younger Xhaka.
No room for Havertz, unless we play easier teams (if there are any this season).
However, we will have the same problem that caught us out at the end of last season.
We have NO acceptable back-up for any of these three.
Elneny, Jorginho, Havertz, Viera, or ESR are not good enough to cover for them over an extended period.
We have strengthened our defence, but NOT the engine room. We have just replaced Xhaka with Rice.
But Atrteta knows best, so drink the Kool-Aid and believe in the process.
Whatever team is selected by Arteta against Notts Forest he will have a bench which should be as strong as any side in the EPL including that of Man City.As a consequence ,players who do not perform and defenders who drop clangers on a regular basis, should be replaced regardless of their status.
👍
I think expecting Arteta to change his approach would be foolish. We can probably assume that we will play with an inverted fullback again and that will be either Zinchenko or Timber depending on which is playing as I’m not sure they can or should play in the same team at the same time. Timber can play as part of the back 3 but Zinchenko absolutely not. So, Zinchenko or Timber will accompany Rice at DM with Havertz and Odegaard ahead of them. Any variation from this would surprise me.
‘Horses for Courses’ I can see Rice, Party and Odegaard for some games and Havertz instead of Partey for others. We have great midfield depth now with Partey, Rice, Jorginho, Odegaard, Havertz and ESR. Having to trim to 25 players, I don’t see how Elneny, Viera and Sambi can make the squad.
White Saliba Gab Zink
Partey – Trosaard
Odergaard
Saka Jesus Martinelli
Trosaard is too good to sit down
He’s also said he prefers playing from the midfield
We once had a Coquelin pair Cazorla to a good effect
This is our best line-up for now
So according to you we have wasted around 200m on Rice,Timber and Havertz.I suspect most subscribers to JA will be pleased you are not in the Managerial seat given the unbalanced side you have chosen
Last season
Once Partey was injured we become as open as …
Jorginho did well with forward duties but with blocking our defense — it became easy to expose us without Partey
…Hence the need for Rice
So to me, Rice is not solving a problem in the first 11 – He’s solving a problem that the first 11 has when someone is unavailable (Partey)
Same goes to Saliba
He went on injury and neither Holding nor Kiwior could meet up
Hence the signing of Timber
So to me Timber is not solving a problem in the first 11 but a problem that arises when a defender gets injured in the first 11
Kai replaces Xhaka
But he should be eased into the role
Trosaard played that role against Nurnberg and did great
If u think I unbalanced the team by putting Trosaard in Xhaka’s role, how don’t u then think a player that is usually deployed as a Striker/False9 is an unbalance in the role also
If Trosaard is an unbalance in that role then let’s just put Smith-Rowe there and ease Kai into the role
Starting Kai in that role immediately is we weakening our team
Rice will be okay there
But I feel the creativity from the midfield reduces a lil
I very much doubt we have paid over £100 mill for Rice and not play him in out strongest team.
I’m surprised Partey is still at the club tbh. When he’s fit he’s good but he’s not in the same class as Rice. Rice will play every minute he’s able to, as will Saka and Saliba. Everyone else can be swapped in and out.
Let there be no too nuch guessing of the midfield personnel be done for Arteta to start them for the Arsenal’s opening season Community Shield match at Wembley. And at home against Nottingham Forest in the Epl.
For, Arteta will come to know the midfielders who he should start for these two important Arsenal’s matches. After the Gunners’ friendly home match against Monaco. And after putting them through to more training paces at London Colney.
My problem is Arteta seem not to know how to keep a large team in form
He’s always working with just 13-14 players
He starts by making it competitive for everyone (WHICH IS GREAT)
But once he has his 11 then that’s it,
The best wins the spot – the rest ROT away(WHICH IS NOT GOOD)
But watch Guardiola; Foden will have his stint – then later it will be Mahrez – then later it will be Benardo
I remember when Rico Lewis was always the starter
Later it became Walker
We had Trosaard as a starter and the team playing well & for no reason Jesus came & Trosaard went to the bench…
Jesus has to fight Trosaard back to the bench, not the manager silently communicating to the team: “THIS IS ALWAYS MY STARTER, NO MATTER YOUR PERFORMANCE, IF HE’S AVAILABLE YOU’LL BE DROPPED”
2 matches later our form starts to drop continuously
Zinchenko doesn’t necessarily have to be the starter at LB all throughout the season
Encourage the other players that they can dismiss the starters (and actually fulfil it) then that competition will keep us bubbling all season
Arteta worked with just 13-14 players not because he is set to play only with such a small group, but because we only had 13-14 players he could trust. We had a massive gap in quality last season between the first and second 11s.
Partey, Rice, Odegaard all the way. Unfortunately, Arteta wants Havertz at he expense of Partey. Sad. Because without Rice, Partey and Odegaard together, Man City and United will dominate us all the way.
…………………………..Ramsdale
Timber (inv) Saliba Gabrielle Kiwior/Tierney
…………………………..Partey
……..Odegaard/Havertz Trossard
Saka Jesus Martinelli
I just feel Trossard should not be dropped for now. He is been the best performers in preseason
My preferred midfield trio will depend on the opposition and also affect who starts at the FB positions.
The midfield trio will always change throughout the season. Depending on opponents, type of game and player’s availability. We now have 8 quality players for those 3 positions. Since we are playing high intensity football, we will be able to keep everyone fresh for 4 competitions for the whole season. Based on my observations, all 3 winter and 3 summer recruits will solve all the problems we faced last season. With returning of the cool head of Elneny, the prodigal son in ESR, the ever improving Viera and the swim or sink attitude of Tierney, we should be better than last season. Score more goals, concede less will hit more points for us.
Odegaard-Rice-Havertz