Arsenal all out for the win, prove Merson wrong and challenge for the title

 By Danong and 1970s Gooner

Arsenal will face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening in the London derby. The Gunners go to this game following two consecutive defeats (1-0 to Newcastle and 1-0 to Inter Milan). They've also gone winless in their last three league games.

What's so obviously been missing in recent games has been a lack of creativity in the final third which has  resulted in a struggle to create and convert chances. 

Against Inter Milan, in that 1-0 Champions League loss, Arsenal had 20 shots and 46 crosses but still couldn't get a goal, failing to score twice in a row.

Certainly in the absence of creativity a team reverts to relying solely on crosses which is of course not a viable strategy.

Since his injury on international duty in September, Martin Odegaard has not played in the league. Arsenal's engine room has sorely missed his contributions.

In recent weeks, Arsenal's pressing has been subpar. Who leads the press from the font? Odegaard.

They were unable to break down defenses and there is a lack of creativity: who creates most of the chances? Odegaard.

Who orchestrates Arsenal's buildup? with Odegaard the Gunners have the capacity to build from the back when he drops in to help carry the ball.

In his six meetings with the Blues, he has two goals and three assists. He certainly looks forward to playing against Chelsea.

Remember when Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted, "The impact Martin has in everything that we do, it was too big to try to replicate it with one player"

Clearly, Arteta acknowledged that his game plan revolves around Odegaard, which makes it understandable why Arsenal has missed him so much. His possible return will be a huge boost.

As Arsenal hope Odegaard can help their attack click Chelsea too will hope Cole Palmer can do the same. Palmer has been nursing an injury he sustained against Manchester United last weekend and is also a doubt for the encounter.

As per Paul Merson, if Palmer misses the game, Arsenal will win, as he feels Chelsea just can't function so well without the Englishman.

Now surely, Chelsea versus Arsenal cannot after all be a Palmer versus Odegaard matchup. There are the rest of the players who will have to function at their best to win the game.

What the Gooners must hope is that Mikel Arteta is brave enough to start Odegaard, who in a few minutes against Inter Milan showed us what we've been missing.

Against Inter, it was clear that whenever the Norwegian playmaker received the ball, everyone immediately moved and simply trusted that it would arrive.

Arsenal will play as their lives depend on this game and will get back on track to challenge for the title.

Paul Merson has predicted a 2-2 draw. We think he will be wrong.

These two PL wingers are the perfect additions that will provide significant strength in depth and make the title Arsenal's to loose

 By Danong and 1970s Gooner

This could be the fiercest Premier League title battle ever. So far, Manchester City leads the title charge with 23 points, followed by Liverpool with 22 points and Arsenal with 18 points.

Arsenal will need to be at their peak performance to turn things round and secure a strategic position in the title fight.

Aside from pulling off a winning run, the Gunners will need to be bold in the winter transfer window and weaponize their team with quality signings to gain all the "strength" and depth they need to sustain the Premier League title race.

Arsenal's attack is one area where they need to make significant improvements. It is no secret that the aim last summer was to improve the offence with high-quality players, such as a dynamic winger and a top striker.

However, that didn't go through. Arsenal were unable to sign any of their attacking targets and had to make a last-minute panic buy, bringing in Raheem Sterling on loan.

Sterling's experience and versatility should have revolutionised Arsenal's attack, but it hasnt materialised yet. Despite Areta giving him game time, the Englishman has failed to capitalise on it, raising the question: What will happen when Gabriel Martinelli and/or Bukayo Saka become unavailable?

Sterling's ability to replace them is uncertain and Gabriel Jesus, despite his technical skill, seems to be out of form with strong doubts if he can reclaim that form.

Leandro Trossard may be the best option for the wing, but his lack of intensity when filling in for Martinelli makes him less effective, suggesting he would be more dangerous in the inside channels. That's where he has been most successful and should be deployed.

That said, the idea of Arsenal buying a dynamic winger in the summer made sense. And most Arsenal fans wouldn't mind if the club resurrected their pursuit of a top winger this winter. But who do they go after?

Two candidates stand out : Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford and Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.

The two PL stars are currently the most exciting wingers the Premier League has to offer and here's why they might be the ideal competition for Saka and Martinelli:

Mbeumo (age 25)

Some believed that replacing Ivan Toney would be challenging but Mbeumo has significantly stepped up to fill the void the Englishman left at the GTech Stadium. Indeed, Mbeumo consistently garnered attention with his performances;

Watching him, has always been evident that he is a skilled, explosive player with a keen eye for goal and he has the potential to improve further. This season, he has risen to new heights, and his stats have justified the hype surrounding him, as he has scored 8 goals in 9 PL games.

His versatility allows him to play in all areas of the attack and his Premier League experience should convince Arsenal to pay the £50 million valuation that is suggested as the asking price (Suprisingly Transfermarkt value him at £33.5m).

Semenyo (age 24)

The Bournemouth man is one player who exemplifies progression in his development; each time you watch him, he's getting better.

His great technical ability and ambipedal nature make him a nuisance to Premier League defenders.

With the ball at his feet he is unplayable because he can move in any direction using body movements to confuse defenders before he deploys significant acceleration to move away from them.

Despite scoring 3 goals and providing an assist in 9 games, his influence is evident in Bournemouth's games and will be significantly magnified in an Arsenal team.

As brilliant as Semenyo is, he's flexible and can interchange between different styles; he can play either wing of a front three but also either side as a wingback.

He is also 1.85m and could easily play basketball with the rest of the Arsenal players!

Football Insider not long ago claimed he was available for between £40 and 50 million (Transfermarkt currently value him at £16.7m).

No doubt either Semenyo or Mbeumo has the potential to propel Arsenal to new heights. Despite this, the North Londoners possess the capacity to make a double move for the two Premier League wingers, who could also act as Kai Havertz's backups due to their versatility.

You may well ask how can the potential cost for these two players be financed?

Well, according to Transfermarkt this is what these Arsenal players could potentianly fetch in the market and according to Spotrac.com what they are currently earning:

Zinchenko   £30m     £7.8m  p.a
Jesus              £46m     £13.8m p.a
Tierney         £8.4m    £5.7m   p.a

Total:             £84.4m  £27.3m p.a

Given how overlooked a player like Oleksander Zinchenko is these days, Arteta implied in the last two games (before the Preston one) that he trusted Myles Lewis Skelly instead of him, implying that he has become irrelevant at the Emirates stadium and could therefore be sold.

So in the end, selling Kieran Tierney Zinchenko, as well as struggling Gabriel Jesus, might help Arsenal  significantly boost its transfer budget this winter and well afford the salaries of these two exciting additions to its roster.

If this materialises the PL title race could well be Arsenal's to lose.

Imagine a scenario where we start Martinelli and Saka and in the 60th minute, Semenyo and Mbuemo come on to replace them.

That would be scary.

Arteta needs to be brave in his team selection vs Liverpool

 By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

Arsenal and Liverpool face off at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening in a clash of two of the 2024–25 Premier League title favorites.

There has been a lot of discussion about this game but one thing is certain: Arsenal cannot afford to lose, as a loss would leave them 6 points behind Manchester City and 7 points behind the Reds.

Mikel Arteta and his technical bench should be able to field a solid team that will challenge the Reds. There are certainly late fitness checks on Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber but we are hopeful they'll both make it.

In central defence Arteta should look to start with Gabriel and Ben White, who already have chemistry from their time as central defence partners in 2021/22.

Timber has made such an impression at right-back and if he is fit he should start. The Dutchman clearly unlocks our right-handed attacking potential.

Arteta also needs to show bravery by giving youth a chance and starting the Hale End stars, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis Skelly.

Nwaneri's impressive cameo against Bournemouth left many wondering why he never started that 2-0 loss. He will add trickery and a creative approach that was so obviously missing when Rice, Partey and Merino started in midfield against Bournemouth.

On the other hand, when presented with the opportunity to introduce Oleksander Zinchenko against Shakhtar Donetsk, the Arsenal boss chose Lewis Skelly (surely that was a sign of how much he trusts him).

Featuring for Arteta's team, both Nwaneri and Lewis Skelly have demonstrated confidence, authority, and maturity, remaining unfazed by playing on the biggest stage. 

The notion is that by trusting them, Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori could be capably replaced in the lineup.

In light of this, Arsenal should field the following lineup to outwit Liverpool on Sunday evening:

David Raya
Timber, White, Gabriel, Lewis Skelly
Partey, Rice, Nwaneri
Saka, Havertz, Martinelli 

If Saka and Timber are not avaliable then Partey should drop at right back and Jorginho should come in midfield. Trossard will also come in the starting 11.

Raya

Partey White Gabriel Lewis Skelly
Nwaneri  Jorghino Rice
Trossard Havertz Martinelli

Whichever team is selected Arsenal will have the right frame of mind and confidence to come out victorious.

This Player Silenced Critics with Stellar Performance Against Shakhtar—Liverpool Awaits!

 By Danong

As a Gunner, it is criminal to even consider how Arsenal would have fared without Thomas Partey this season. The Ghana international has been on another level; after each game, it seems unfair not to extol his exceptional ability.

Interestingly, it has been claimed that Arsenal were willing to let Partey go in the summer and that he did not depart simply because his many pursuers were too afraid to make a formal offer to the Gunners.

At the time the narrative was that Partey's "legs were gone," implying that he was done; some claimed he was a liability in transition and a shadow of himself.

But 12 games into the season, the 31-year-old has proven his doubters wrong. He had never started more than four straight games for Arsenal before, but he has done so this season.

In fact, it's mind-boggling that a guy who was considered injury prone has played 11 of the 12 games Arsenal have played this season while other, less injury-prone players have missed games.

He stood out against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night, just like he has done in previous games. Call me biased, but I believe he outsmarted everyone on the pitch, particularly in the first half.

He was a formidable presence in midfield and right back on Tuesday night, demonstrating his unwavering commitment.

Thomas Partey vs. Shahtar Donetsk

-90 minutes played
-91 touches
-89% accurate passes (65/73)
-13 passes into the final third
- 62% ground duels won ( 5/8)
-50% tackles won (2/4)
 -3 recoveries
 -2 clearances
-1 interception
-1 chance created

After the Shakhtar game, one thing should be clear: he needs to play as DM. I'm weary of Arteta moving him to right back. It almost cost us the game on Tuesday in the Champions League.

On Sunday night as Arsenal take on Liverpool, surely the Ghana international should continue his resurgence as he continues to convince the Arsenal decision makers to tie him to a new deal, given he's heading for free agency next summer.

Arteta advised to drop players for the match at Bournemouth otherwise points will be dropped

By Danong

Arsenal's first match following the October international break will be against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. Given Arsenal's league schedule for the upcoming weeks, one might assume this is the Gunners' easiest game.

Arsenal's next 5 PL fixtures:

▪️Bournemouth vs Arsenal
▪️Arsenal vs Liverpool
▪️Newcastle vs Arsenal
▪️Chelsea vs Arsenal
▪️Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest

On paper, it is an easy game, but Paul Merson has a warning for coach Mikel Arteta and his side. 

On Sportskeeda the Arsenal legend predicts a 3-1 victory for the Gunners, but he believes that Arsenal should make changes to the lineup that defeated Southampton 3-1 before the break in order to pull off such a win.

Merson stated, "I think Arsenal's quality will come through in the end here though, I expect them to win. But they will have to make changes to the line-up that played against Southampton. If they play that same team, they won't beat Bournemouth."

Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling made unusual starts against Southampton and their performances raised concerns. So I imagine Merson would want the two benched. 

Thomas Partey played right back in that game and he was decent there. However with Ben White reportedly back fit after missing the last few Arsenal games, he should return to play right back.

I believe Arteta will play Raya in goal, with White, Saliba, Gabriel and Calafiori in the back four.

In midfield, Partey would be the #6, Mikel Merino the LCM (to get him ready for the Liverpool game) and Declan Rice the RCM (a position he's excelled at while with England).

With Gabriel Martinelli arriving late and being an injury doubt, we'd expect in-form Leandro Trossard to play left wing, Kai Havertz to strike and Bukayo Saka to play right wing.

On paper, this looks like a strong lineup to give Bournemouth a battle they'll never forget at the Vitality Stadium.

But who would you start?

100% Aerial Duels Won, 100% Tackles won: Gunners Justified in Hyping Up Star Set to Take Emirates by Storm

By Danong

Going to the October international break, many Arsenal fans were undoubtedly eager to watch Mikel Merino play on the international stage.

The Gunner has not played much since helping Spain win the European Championship in Germany. He took an extended rest following the Euros, and when he was ready to begin his preparations for the new season, there was a lengthy transfer saga between Arsenal and Real Sociedad before the Spanish side eventually agreed to sell.

He joined Arsenal in a move worth up to £32.67 million near the end of the summer transfer window. Unfortunately, just after completing his move, he picked up an injury in his first Arsenal training session. Sidelined for a month, he returned to action just days before the October international break.

Merino made his debut against PSG, making a 27-minute cameo in the 2-0 Champions League victory over the French giants. A few days later, he made his second Arsenal appearance in the 3-1 Premier League victory over Southampton, playing 30 minutes.

Despite displaying moments of brilliance in those games, it was evident that he had not yet regained his rhythm after a prolonged absence. With a national team call-up for the October international break, the Gunner had the opportunity to build on his momentum rather than simply watching another two weeks pass by.

Fortunately, Spanish head coach Luis de la Fuente gave him game time in Spain's two-nation league fixture. He played 29 minutes in Spain's 1-0 victory over Denmark and performed admirably.

Days after the triumph over Denmark, the Spain technical bench decided to start him against Serbia, and he did not disappoint. He played 65 minutes against Serbia, and statistics suggest he contributed significantly to his team's 3-0 victory.

Merino versus Serbia:

• 2/2 successful aerial duels (100%)
• 2/2 accurate tackles (100%)
• 3/6 duels won (50%)
• 26/31 accurate passes (84%)
• 1 chance created
• 1 hit the post
• 2/4 successful long balls (50%)
• 1 blocked shot

In that game, the Arsenal summer recruit demonstrated all of his remarkable qualities, including being everywhere on the pitch, dominating aerial duels, and playing accurate through balls.

Despite his potential to play the entire 90 minutes, his lack of playing time necessitated his substitution. Arsenal needs him to be at his best as soon as possible, especially since Martin Odegaard may be sidelined for an extended period of time.

It is evident that sooner or later he will be a tremendous hit at the Emirates Stadium.

Play Saka here: Simple Tactical Shift to Supercharge Arsenal’s Attack and Surprise Opponents

By Danong

Arsenal has started well this season albeit a point behind league leaders Liverpool. For their impressive start to the season, one can't help but be confident that they can finally win the title.

After seven games, the Gunners are unbeaten, with five wins and two draws for 17 points. Getting results hasn't been easy though; they've had to fight for them, sometimes without their main players like Martin Odegaard and sometimes after picking up dubious red cards, but they've succeeded.

That being said, two Gunners, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, have really stepped up and made it their mission to see our North Londoners succeed.

Havertz has done everything to justify the club's choice not to buy a quality scorer this summer. The German striker has not only scored four goals in seven league games (6 goals in ten games this season) but he has also led the assault.

In Odegaard's absence, he has significantly stepped up and has been all action, going for every duel desperate to win and keeping the opposition on their toes.

Despite being Arsenal's No. 9, his performance almost gives the impression of a free role which helps to confuse the opposition.

On the other hand, Bukayo Saka has also been playing exceptionally well this season. Arsenal fans expected the #7 to step up his game and he has delivered.

He has also embraced the playmaker aspect of his game, utilizing his technical abilities and creativity.

He's now not only scoring goals but also creating assists and chances in abundance. 

Mohammed Salah generated the most big chances throughout the 2023-24 season, with 22. 

Saka has already produced 12 big chances this season. With 7 assists in just 7 games, aiming to match Thierry Henry's record 20 league assists.

In addition to opportunities and assists, Arsenal's star player leads the Premier League in shot creation chances (51) and it is impressive that he is doing so while playing on the wings.

But what if he had more space to exploit?

I'm not sure about you, but I believe Saka would be more vicious if given the opportunity to play in the inside channel, closer to the opposition's box.

The 23-year-old would outshine Cole Palmer as he'd surely produce more while playing as a RCM, making him "unplayable."

Havertz on the other hand tends to waste chances. Ben Foster stated on his Cycling GK YouTube channel: “For me, it’s four good chances to a goal for Kai Havertz”

So could the Gunners modify their system to move their top creator, Saka, closer to the opposition's box, where he has ample space to exploit without worrying about tracking back or being double-marked?

Saka could not only generate more assists closer to the opponent's box, but he could also easily score goals if he played a box-crashing role, allowing him to shoot more often.

Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka are demonstrating that they can complement one another. 

So why don't Arteta and his technical bench take advantage of this and occasionally play Saka in the inside channel, providing an element of surprise for opponents while also strengthening the Saka-Havertz bond on the pitch?

This alteration could even happen during games giving Arteta a confusion creating ploy especially in games where we are finding it difficult to score (say when the opponents adopt a low block).

This could lead to a reorganisation of the Arsenal midfield, with Saka once in a while assuming the role of RCM.

Declan Rice could shift to a #6 position while Martin Odegaard can assume the role of LCM where he could be more dangerous. 

While we would still prefer Saka to play at right wing in some games, Raheem Sterling or Ethan Nwaneri could undoubtedly fill in for him when he plays RCM.

 

How a Goal and Assist Hero Almost Never Started the Southampton Game: Arteta’s Insight

By Danong

Bukayo Saka performed incredibly against Southampton, helping Arsenal win 3-1 and move on to the October international break.

After a sluggish first half, Southampton broke the deadlock early in the second against the run of play to take a one-goal lead. But Arsenal answered with three goals to seal a huge win at the Emirates Stadium.

Saka assisted Havertz for Arsenal's equaliser, after which he also produced a wonderful assist for Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal's second goal.

These two assists bring Arsenal #7's total to seven league assists this season. Overall, he now has 42 Premier League assists, surpassing Arsenal legend Robert Pires.

In addition to the assists, he had his name scribbled on the scoresheet for Arsenal's third goal of the game, which sealed the victory.

Arteta made some changes to the starting eleven which may have accounted for Arsenal's lack of firepower before the substitutions were made. One may even question whether Arteta ever considered resting Saka too.

Well, he said he thought about it, admitting, "Yeah, there is. We have taken him off a few times this season. We have to manage his load, but at the moment he’s in a really good place." 

A player of Saka's calibre is difficult to replace; he's the one the Gunners look to for moments of brilliance. Yes, we should monitor his workload, but Arteta can't afford to let him sit on the bench given the "speed" he's started this campaign at.

That said Bukayo Saka's game by numbers vs. Southampton:

15 touches in opp. box
8x possessions won 
7 chances created 
7 shots 
3 duels won 
2 fouls won 
2 shots on target 
2 assists 
1 goal 

He was incredible.

 

Shining Bright: Arsenal’s Unsung Hero vs. Saints "Eyes" New Deal

By Danong 

Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka have dominated the headlines throughout Arsenal's promising start to this league season. However, while the duo garners all the attention, midfielder Thomas Partey's impact has been severely overlooked.

Gooners constantly grumble about Partey's availability. Well, it is worth noting he has now started Arsenal's first seven league games without suffering an injury or suspension for the first time since moving to the Emirates in 2020. 

Ironically, it is his midfield partners who have missed games due to injury or suspension; at one time this season, he was the last man standing in Arsenal's engine room.

As Arsenal's pivot in the centre of midfield Partey has done his duty, bringing a no-nonsense mentality to the Gunners' engine room and demonstrating his ability to intercept the ball. 

He has made it easier for Arsenal to regain and maintain possession of the ball as they seek to dominate opponents.

Arsenal's 2-0 victory against PSG was his best performance yet.

Following the masterclass in midfield versus the Parisians, he played a crucial defensive role in the Gunners' 3-1 victory over the Saints last Saturday. 

With no fit right backs, Arsenal needed someone to fill in and Partey made himself available. He assumed the right back position and displayed exceptional performance, ensuring that we did not miss either Ben White or Jurrien Timber.

Indeed, Saka contributed two assists and a goal; Havertz scored his seventh consecutive goal at the Emirates Stadium this season; Martinelli added another goal to make the win over Southampton possible; but Partey also made a significant contribution to the 3-1 victory over the Saints.

Partey versus Southampton:

• 100% duels won (5/5)
• 100% tackles won (4/4)
• 100% dribbles won (1/1)
• 92% passing accuracy (69/75)
• 95 touches
• 1 dangerous shot
• 1/2 successful aerial duels
• 10 passes into the opposition third
• 3/5 accurate crosses

Although it's too early to tell if Partey can keep up his fitness, if he does, he will lead Arsenal to league glory and the club might feel compelled to offer him the new contract that it is claimed could be in the works.

Arsenal’s Key Clash Against PSG. When can Nwaneri start?

By Danong

Tonight, Arsenal will face PSG in their trickiest Champions League phase fixture of the season. 

The new Champions League format saw Arsenal drawn against Atalanta, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Sporting CP, AS Monaco, GNK Dinamo Zagreb and Girona.

Arsenal's momentum going into this game includes beating Leicester 4-2 and returning to winning ways last weekend following two very creditable away draws against Atalanta and Manchester City; perhaps they can build on that.

Aside from returning to winning ways, the North Londoners will enter the match with a stronger squad. Yes, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard are still out but there is a positive update about Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White.

Reports indicated that Calafiori sustained an injury near the end of the match against Leicester. Ben White has also not started the last two Arsenal games due to injury. Even so, Arteta indicated that the two defenders are in the running to face PSG, which is a boost.

Notably, PSG will not be facing Arsenal at their strongest because they will be without their in-form star player, Ousmane Dembele. 

With 4 goals and 3 assists in 6 Ligue 1 games so far, the Frenchman is on top form. Even so he reportedly fell out with PSG manager Luis Enrique, leading to his suspension for the Emirates visit.

Aside from Dembele the Parisians will be missing Presnel Kimpembe, Lucas Hernandez, and Gonçalo Ramos. Gianlugi Donnaruma, Marco Asensio, Desire Doue, Vitinha, and Nuno Mendes are all part of the squad but they missed their last game due to injury, which makes them injury doubts.

So which line-up can Arsenal field to pick their first win of this Champions League campaign?

Despite the desire for Ethan Nwaneri to start, I would prefer not to put him under pressure. As tricky as that fixture is, maybe he should just be introduced late on, like last weekend.

For the starting lineup, I think it should be unchanged from the one that faced Leicester.

Rotation can then be introduced for the home game against Southampton where Nwaneri could make his Premier League debut and certain players can be rested, thus helping to keep the squad fresh.

Raya
Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori
Partey, Rice, Trossard
Saka, Havertz, Martinelli