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

Let's silence the critics who doubt the strength of the Arsenal squad

 By Danong

Tottenham vs. Arsenal is the highlight of Premier League match day 4. The two North London sides will face off this afternoon at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Coming into this game, the Gunners will be trying to rebound from their disappointing 1-1 draw against Brighton the last time out.

However, they'll face Tottenham Hotspur, who are also coming off a disappointing 2-1 loss to Leicester; they dominated the Foxes but couldn't capitalise on it.

Us gooners usually expect to win this North London derby but not going into it with our strongest team has given the critics room to question our squad strength.

Declan Rice will serve a one-game ban for the red card he received against Brighton and Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard will be out due to injuries. On paper, the trio represents the ideal midfield for Arsenal.

Is it advantage Spurs?

Spurs are also looking to bounce back from their defeat to Leicester and they could be with Mickey Van de Ven and new signing Dominic Solanke who look like returning. Ange Postecoglou could still field a formidable team, unlike Arteta.

However, the red and white team's focus is on winning the Premier League, and they must adopt a winning mindset.

Regardless of the circumstances, they can fight for the win, demonstrate progress and silence the critics who believe the injury crisis will expose a weak squad.

That said, most Gooners have tried to come up with their strongest Arsenal team to face Spurs (maybe you could share yours in the comments area); well, here's mine:

The Arsenal defence has once again been excellent, conceding only one goal in three games; I believe we can trust it as is it is.

Jurrien Timber has provided steadiness at left-back and considering Riccardo Calafiori's injury scare on international duty, it is not worth risking the Italian and losing him to injury.

So with Raya in goal, Arsenal's back four of White, Saliba, Gabriel, and Timber should remain unchanged.

In midfield, where there is an injury crisis I would look to leverage experience to build an efficient engine room.

In an injury crisis, you stick with your most experienced players, so Partey with Jorginho in a midfield pivot might just get the job done. The two must act wisely in order to neutralise any threat that Spurs' midfield poses.

Kai Havertz shone on international duty last week in a new role; at the European Championships in the summer, German manager Julians Nagelsman used him as a striker.

In the two Nations League games during the September international break, he played as a 10.

I believe Havertz will play as a 10 against Spurs, with Trossard as a false 9, Martinelli returning to the left wing, and Saka maintaining his excellent form on the right wing.

There is a case to start Jesus or Sterling up front expecially when taking into consideration Spurs high line and these two Arsenal players' pace.

But Trossard has played this role before for Arsenal and he should be trusted to start and do something he is good at: score. Jesus and Sterling could come off the bench if required.

Raya
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber
Jorginho, Partey, Havertz
Saka, Trossard, Martinelli

With this lineup I don't see any reason why Arsenal shouldn't outwit Spurs, secure NLD bragging rights and go 5 games unbeaten against Tottenham.

The perfect Arsenal game plan and an interesting twist in the formation to go 5 unbeaten in the NLD

 By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

The Gunners' next match is against their  local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Arsenal, who have gone unbeaten in four of the last five North London derbies, will look to make it five on Sunday.

This game will not be easy, but we are convinced that they will return to winning ways after drawing their last game before the international break versus Brighton.

Here is what they have to do:

1. Start quickly and take early chances

After the international break, games often start slowly with less momentum and no rhythm. Players can be sluggish. Yes, the momentum builds as the game progresses, but Arsenal should try not to be like that against Tottenham. 

They need a bright, quick start that will catch Spurs off guard and derail their game plan before they find their groove. 

We accused the Gunners of complacency in the first half against Brighton. That shouldn't be the case this Sunday.

2. Play Jorginho

We expect Mikel Merino (injury), Declan Rice (red card) and Martin Odegaard (injury) to miss the game. Even with these absentees, Mikel Arteta needs to find a way for his midfield to gel. 

There are various ways he may line up his midfield, but if you ask, we'd say he should start Jorginho in any formation he chooses (see below).

The Italian midfielder brings control and composure to Arsenal's midfield and his eye for a pass and ability to distribute the ball could be a secret weapon against Spurs. 

Having not gone on international duty, Jorginho would bring freshness into Arteta's midfield and might just produce one of those 5-star performances he pulled off last season.

3. Adopt the 4 2 2 2 formation

This sounds outlandish but was used by Arteta before (against Liverpool). It involves playing a pivot of two central midfielders (partey and Jorginho), two false number 9s or 10s ( Havertz and Trossard) and the two wide players (Saka and Martinelli). 

This is a very fluid system which allows for a strong midfield when not in possession and very offensive when on the ball.

                 Raya
White Saliba Gabriel Timber
         Partey Jorginho
Saka                      Martinelli
       Havertz Trossard


4. Exploit Tottenham's high line

Tottenham, like Brighton, plays with a defensive high line. Arteta could instruct his attackers to time their runs to catch the Spurs defence on the break. 

Jorginho's and even Thomas Partey's line-breaking passes, along with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka's pace, should hurt Tottenham's high line.

5. Push back the opposing full backs

Against our rivals you should have your fullbacks in position as they rely heavily on their fullbacks to create overlaps and underlaps in their game plan. 

If you eliminate the two, you may have just disoriented Ange Postecoglou's game plan.

Newcastle defeated Spurs 2-1 before the international break despite the fact that the North Londoners appeared to be the better team. 

The Magpies silenced fullbacks Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro which meant that Spurs struggled to capitalise on their dominance. Ben White and Jurrien Timber should be alert to counter the Spurs' fullback overlaps.

But above all the players that are selected to play will have to be disciplined, carry out the game plan and put in a performance that gives them the right to claim another famous win over our North London rivals.

Which we are very confident they will.

Arteta has already hinted who he'd turn to in case of a midfield crisis

 By Danong

Arsenal sought to extend their winning streak and maintain their position near the top of the league heading into their match against Brighton. However as we know things didn't go as planned.

Due to an injury, Mikel Merino missed the match and will of course miss Arsenal's next match, the North London Derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as will Declan Rice because of the red card he picked up.

Without the two, Arteta's midfield choices are rather slim.

Jorginho and Partey could play together but in my opinion are not considered athletic enough so Arteta shouldn't risk starting them as a pair against Tottenham.

So, who fills the Merino/Rice midfield void?

The Arsenal boss recently spoke of how Jurrien Timber could also be a midfield option; at the time those were just comments which were made even before the Villa game, but we may now have to witness that first hand.

"Yeah, he is. He can play in various positions," Arteta admitted when asked if Timber is in contention to play midfield. "His versatility is one of his biggest strengths."

The Dutchman has been decent as an inverted fullback in the last two games, but there's a sense that he's done well given how long he was away due to injury.

Versus Spurs Arteta's best bet is to play Timber in midfield and give Riccardo Calafiori his first start at left-back.

With Timber and Partey as pivots and Martin Odegaard as a 10, Arsenal could have a powerful midfield to dominate the London Derby.



 

 

 

The three options to replace Rice for the NLD

 By 1970s Gooner 

So now the dust has settled after the pathetic red card dished out last Saturday let's look at what realistic options Arteta has for replacing Rice for the LND.

1. Jorginho adds his organisation and passing ability

If Jorginho comes in, it poses the issue as to where he will play. He is obviously at his best in the base of midfield but then Partey has to move to the number 8 on the left where he hasn't played before. He may however surprise us.

Their roles may be switched with Partey at the pivot and Jorginho on the left. And this looks the simplest option.

Another way of accommodating both is to play with a double pivot in central midfield and try and get the width from the left by allowing the left back to go forward. Calafiori maybe more suitable than Timber here but Arteta may be reluctant to start him in such a game.

2. Zinchenko adds his creativeness

An interesting option is to bring Zinchenko into his 'natural' position in midfield on the left and keep Partey as the pivot.

Zinchenko will definitely thrive in this position as he will be able to use his wonderful left foot to make those penetrative passes he is so capable of. Something which does not come as easily for Rice.

However he will have to be as active when the team is without the ball, something which Rice excels in!

Zinchenco will have cover ofcourse from the left back, probably Timber.

But you can never find the perfect midfielder can you? 

Merino perhaps?


3. Havertz moves into midfield

This option involves the most disruption as Havertz moves into the left midfield position which he has played before for Arsenal and Gabriel Jesus plays the number 9 role. If he is fit of course...

I would give this a low probality of happening as it means loosing your top player in that position, who is currently performing at his best and scoring goals.

Replacing him will be a player who is returning from injury and is not that prolific anyway.

Trossard on the other hand can play as a false 9 and it is conceivable the Arteta may go for this. 

Trossard has played there for Brighton and Arsenal before but again it involves disruption having to move your best number 9 away from his natural position.

There are other options like:

Trossard playing as the left sided midfielder (and Havertz staying where he is). But he has played there before for Arsenal without much success imo.

Or even Sterling coming in as a 9 but this is unlikely as he hasn't played much football yet and certainly not as a number 9 (although he has played in this position for Liverpool and Man City in the past).

The referees must handle games with common sense

 By 1970s Gooner

The debate on the red card given to Rice is on-going. All the journalists try to keep neutral by characterising it as harsh and of course blaming Rice for getting himself sent off.

But really they ignore the most obvious of facts:

1.The Brighton player deliberately kicked Rice pretending he was aiming for the ball.

2. The ball was obviously not in a stationary position as it was rolling quite nicely away from Rice. So Rice with his back to the kicker and seeing the ball rolling could not be trying to delay the kick because there was no kick to be taken in his mind.

3. The referee must be of a low standard, in terms of handling the game, if he could not understand what was going on. If he had he would have given both players a talking to and waived play on.

4. As he waved play on for Pedro's attempt to delay a throw in.

You only need to use your common sense.

Arsenal vs Brighton: Team to win, Players to watch, and Arteta's strongest line-up

By Danong

Arsenal and Brighton open this weekend's PL action in the early kickoff on Saturday. The Seagulls, like the North Londoners, still have a perfect record this new PL campaign, so when the two sides clash, something has to give.

 

 Under new tactician Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton have beaten Everton 3-0 and thrashed Manchester United 2-1. They will be hoping to outmanoeuvre Arsenal, who have already defeated Wolves and Aston Villa with identical 2-0 victories in their first 2 games of the season.

 

According to some prediction sites, Arsenal, who've won the last two meetings (against Brighton) 3-0 and 2-0, are the favourites going into that clash. However, this fixture has consistently been tight, with most wins occurring in the second half. Of the 14 goals scored when the two clashed in the league, 11 came in the second half.

 

Speaking of goals, Arsenal, ever since the start of last season, have only failed to score twice at home (versus West Ham and Aston Villa). Therefore, you can confidently predict that the Gunners will score; in fact, many believe that star player Kai Havertz, who strangely failed to score or assist last weekend, will resume his goal-scoring ways.

In his last 9 PL games of last season, the German scored 8 goals and 7 assists; he then assisted and scored in this season's match day 1, hinting he'd carried that form to this season.

Bukayo Saka, along with Havertz, is an exciting player to watch in the game. The Englishman with a goal and two assists already this season has been off to a stellar start; he's looked sharp despite the Euros disappointments, losing to Spain with England in the European Championship Finals.

On the other hand, Brighton's Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro are players to watch out for. Welbeck, who's scored two in two games, could just be finding his stride and may get his first league goal against his former employer, Arsenal. 

Joao Pedro, aiming to enhance his impressive performance of scoring 20 goals across all categories last season, anticipates posing a threat to the Arsenal defence in the free role he has taken this new season.

 

Arsenal will need to be defensively solid and sustain their form against Brighton, who haven't been able to score past them in the last 2 games.

 

I anticipate that Mikel Arteta will field his strongest team, which couldn't be stronger than

 

Raya

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber

Partey, Rice, Odegaard

Saka, Havertz, Trossard

 

Why those 11? Since he's still acclimatising to the team, Riccardo Calafiori is unlikely to start, but he could be a bench option. Trossard replaces Gabriel Martinelli, who needs the perfect reminder to step up his game.

That said, what would you change in Arsenal's predicted lineup above for the clash with Brighton?

Some Gunners need to improve but others excelled

By Danong and 1970s Gooner

In a show of strength and a chance to rewrite the wrongs of last season, Arsenal picked up a much-needed win against Aston Villa. Last season two points denied Arsenal league glory.

The Arsenal players, well-fired and hungry to send Villa back to where they belong, stepped up and picked up an important 2-0 win. 

Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey etched their names on the scoresheet. There were some Gunners who shone. On the other hand there were others that didn't.

David Raya (10): He continued to prove why Arteta trusted him, snubbing the legendary Rambo. He made an excellent reflex save to deny Ollie Watkins his first goal of the season; the Englishman dived to nod in the rebound from an Amadou Onana shot that hit the crossbar. He also made a couple of other saves.

Both chances created by Villa were not a result of curving us open or of superior play. But if Raya had not saved Watkins header the result may have been different.

Ben White (7): He was solid as always and ready to do anything to force that win. He powered forward much more in the second half which helped Saka and Odegaard create havoc in that part of the pitch. His 'unintended' kick of the ball against McGinn's midriff was also entertaining.

William Saliba (9): He is who he thinks he is—one of the best defenders currently in the league. He pocketed Ollie Watkins, who was a thorn in Arsenal's flesh last season. Had a great game and came out strong in the end.

Gabriel (5.5): He was at fault for the Watkins chance in the first half when he dithered on the ball which allowed Bailey the chance to overpower him. Overall Gabriel did not look confident enough especially in the first half misplacing some of his passes.

Jurrien Timber (7): He performed well in his first start in a competitive match for Arsenal since picking up an ACL injury at the start of last season. Bailey didn't have a free run against the Dutchman, like he did against Oleksandr Zinchenko last season. 

Timber was very good, justifying Arteta starting him and likely to continue starting in the first eleven (unless the physios decide that he needs resting). What a back five Arsenal have now...

Thomas Partey (6): He put up a decent performance but there were occasions where he lost the ball. The freedom Rodgers had to slalom through the middle on a few occasions casts a doubt if Partey can play the 6 role effectively. He came up with a goal though!

Declan Rice (5): Playing as an 8 wasn’t at his best. In fact he hasn't been at his best so far in the first two games of the season. He wasn't influential and he looked very tired. Maybe he is still tired from the Euros.

Martin Odegaard (6): He wasn't at his best and once again (like he does at Villa Park) missed a fantastic goal-scoring opportunity to make it 3-0. He was decent but could have done better.

Bukayo Saka (8): He had a fine first-half strike saved by Emi Martinez. Villa doubled up on him every chance they got, but he still found more space in the second half. In fact, he was responsible for creating both goals.

Kai Havertz (5): He wasn't as influential as we've known him to be. Hoever it was his action that got the ball onto Trossard's path. The defender tried to stop him and ended up directing the ball to Trossard, who scored.

Gabriel Martinelli (5): He was outstanding defensively and tracked back to help Timber. But he struggled offensively showing a lack of confidence to take his marker head on and drive past him. He was opting to cut back onside and pass the ball back or square. This is not our Martinelli and we hope he finds top form soon!

Leandro Trossard (7): He was introduced in the second half and breathed life into the left wing and the whole team by scoring with his first touch. He's on fire! He should definitely start the next game ahead of Martinelli. 


Ricardo Calafiori and Reiss Nelson (N/A): They looked quiet sharp but came on when the job was taken care of.

Villa vs Arsenal: four important team selection changes compared to last season's line ups

By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

Arsenal finished last season with five wins in a row and begun this campaign like they never left in a dominating home win against Wolves.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, eager to go for the kill, fielded his strongest line-up, which (especially in the first half) proved too much for Gary O'Neill's side.

The next game is against Aston Villa this weekend at Villa Park and one may wonder if it is wrong for Arteta to tinker with that victorious lineup.

But we would urge Arteta not to stick with the same team selection.

Zinchenko had an okay game against the Wolves but there were signs that he was again struggling defensively.

If the Ukrainian international were to start against Villa, he'd be up against the explosive Leon Bailey who "cooked" him twice last season. 

The Jamaican superstar would be salivating at the idea of once again going 1v1 with the Arsenal fullback.

After replacing the former Manchester City star, Timber excelled against the Wolves, showcasing his defensive confidence and ball progression skills.

His presence will make the team more defensively sound and help to nullify Bailey's pace and trickery.

So aside from Timber making his first start this season, we would urge Arteta not to make any alterations to the lineup that began against the Wanderers.

But what is equally important is that this would also mean that compared to last season's team selection, which was the same for both the home and away defeats, Arteta will make three more important changes in the line up:

Partey will come in for Havertz in midfield who will move to the number 9 position. He will replace Jesus who will be on the bench. Also Martinelli will replace Trossard.

These are important changes. Strengthening the midfield, adding more pace on the right wing and more importantly posing a significant goal threat may prove decisive. 

Raya

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber

Partey, Rice, Odegaard

Saka, Havertz, Martinelli

One thing Arsenal need to do this season is to finally squash Villa. 

A comfortable away victory over the Unai Emery-led team would undoubtedly signal Arsenal's considerable strength and impressive development over the last few years under Arteta.