From Corner FC to Title Contenders: Arsenal's Win Over Man United and Liverpool's Slip Turns the Tide in the Title Race

By Danong

On Wednesday night, Manchester United aimed to disrupt Arsenal's pursuit of the title. 

They set up intelligently to block our passing in the final third and managed to keep the ball away much better than one would have anticipated.

Following a closely contested first half, the Gunners turned up the tempo and the determination and secured the victory with expertly executed goals from converted corners by Jurrien Timber and William Saliba. The Red Devils departed North London empty handed with a 2-0 loss.

After a tricky November, where they were winless (2 draws and 2 losses) Arsenal, with that victory over the Red Devils, have hinted that their desire to go on a prolonged winning run is now proving very achievable, this being their third victory on the trot.

Liverpool are now just 7 points clear after dropping 2 points in their 3-3 draw with Newcastle Wednesday night.

Arsenal has been surprisingly successful this season, despite Arteta and the boys now being known as Corner FC (or Stoke City) by jealous opponents.

But really without some controversial red cards this season, they would have:

- Picked up 3 points against Brighton, instead of drawing 1-1.

- Picked up 3 points against Man City, instead of drawing 2-2.

- They could have managed to win against Bournemouth instead of losing 2-0.

If you add up these points lost we would now be on equal points with Liverpool and everyone's favourite for the title.

Additionally if there were no injuries or suspensions, we would have also picked:

- 3 points against Liverpool instead of a 2-2 draw (Calafiori, Saliba, and Odegaard missed the game)

- 3 points against Newcastle instead of a 1-0 loss (Calafiori and Odegaard missed the game)

- 3 points against Chelsea instead of a 1-1 draw (Calafiori missed the game, Odegaard lacked match fitness, and Rice played with an injury)

Again if things had gone Arsenal's way, no other team would have remained unbeaten except for our boys in red and white.

Still we carry on our march to the title regardless.

Up next for our Gunners, in the league, are clashes against

Fulham away (8th December)
Everton home (14th December)
Crystal Palace away (21st December)
Ipswich home (27th December)

And at the moment Arsenal are very capable of winning all of them.

These Arsenal Line-Ups vs Man United Expected to Keep Gunners' Winning Streak Going strong

 By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

Arsenal will host Manchester United tonight at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners enter this match on a three-game winning streak, having defeated Nottingham Forest (3-0), Sporting CP (1-5) and West Ham (2-5).

The Red Devils enter this game on a 5-game unbeaten streak, with four victories and one draw.

It's unnecessary to worry about United's form as a Gooner. The Red Devils have not won at the Emirates since 2017 and the head-to-head record in the last 5 games for this fixture favours Arsenal.

Arsenal: 4 wins
Man Utd: 1 win
Draws: 0

Arsenal, who are aiming to win the league, will be hoping to keep their decent record against Manchester United going. Notably, only a win is enough for Arsenal's title hopes; a draw is equivalent to a loss.

In the title race, Liverpool leads the Gunners by 9 points; coach Mikel Arteta and the boys need to close that gap. Yes, the Reds must drop points to lose control of the title race, but Arsenal must also continue to win in order to capitalise on any Liverpool slips.

Before we go into the starting lineup, can we talk about the injury updates? 

Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White as we know will miss the game. We anticipate Gabriel Magalhaes, who was unable to complete the West Ham match, to be fit and the same goes for Calafiori.

But will Mikel Merino (knee injury) and Thomas Partey (muscle injury) play in that game? When asked if the two midfielders were available, Arteta hinted they may be saying they all wanted to play.

On injury updates, the Arsenal boss said, “We are going to have a meeting this afternoon. “We had to monitor and keep a few away from some activities. I know they all want to play."

I believe that Partey is more likely to play than Merino. It appears that Partey's problem is likely to clear up and he will be available to play.

If Partey is fit, I'd start him; he'll be in Arsenal's strongest lineup for this game. 

Other than Partey, Gabriel Martinelli, who hasn't been playing much lately, deserves to start against United; his pace could be a bother for fullback Diogo Dalot, exposing United's left wing.

So Arsenal's predicted lineup for the Manchester United clash:

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

However if Gabriel is not fit then Kiwior will come in his place as he did well when he came on at West Ham.

If Calafiori is out then this poses a more tricky problem. Arteta will have three viable options.

Play Partey at right back and move Timber  at left back. This will have the knock on effect of having to bring in Jorginho in midfield. Can he play twice in four days? Can Nwaneri be given his first start instead?

However there are two other obvious replacements at left back if Calafiori is not available. 

Zinchenko and the forgotten man Tierney. Choosing one of these two instead of Partey will allow for the minimum disruption in the back line and in midfield.

We believe that Tierney should start. He is a better defender and he is likely to sit back in order to allow Timber to go forward and create havoc on the right hand side along with Odegaard and Saka.

So the line up if both Gabriel and Calafiori are out should be:

Raya
Timber Saliba Kiwior Tierney
Partey Odegaard Rice
Saka Havertz Martinelli

If you have other ideas we will be pleased for you to suggest them. 

Arsenal Line-Up and Score Prediction for Cup Final-Like Clash with Nottingham Forest

 By Danong

Arsenal will take on Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League's return this weekend. 

The Gunners have not secured a victory in their last 4 Premier League matches, placing them 9 points behind league leaders Liverpool and 5 points behind the defending champions, Manchester City.

If coach Mikel Arteta and the team aim to maintain their title aspirations, they cannot further widen the gap between them and the other two Premier League title favorites. 

On paper, a clash with Forest would seem like just another 3 points secured, but given the current form of the Nottingham-based PL side, that may not be the case.

Forest are experiencing a notable resurgence; a glance at the Premier League table reveals that their statistics are strikingly similar to those of Arsenal. 

Arsenal has played 11 games, securing 5 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses, with a goal difference of +6. Like them, Nottingham Forest has played 11 matches, with 5 victories, 4 draws, 2 defeats, and a goal difference of +5.

Forest has been impressive; they are undoubtedly a challenging team to face, having conceded only 10 goals. Only Liverpool in the league has allowed fewer goals (6). 

The North Londoners must be at their best to secure a victory this Saturday afternoon. For that to happen, Arteta needs to assemble a formidable winning lineup, and I can't think of a better starting 11 than this:

On goal, David Raya starts. With Ben White out and Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu back, I anticipate Jurrien Timber at RB, William Saliba and Gabriel at central defense, with Calafiori returning to LB.

With his recent performance, Thomas Partey has become an indispensable asset in Arsenal's engine room. 

Martin Odegaard, the skipper, who injects creativity into Arteta's engine room, like Partey, must just start. 

There's to be a battle for LCM between Declan Rice and Mikel Merino. I'd start with Merino. Rice was nursing an injury versus Chelsea and even if he's recovered, extra rest could do him good. 

Remember the impact Merino made when he entered the game against Chelsea in the 1-1 stalemate prior to the interval, he can't be overlooked.

Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Bukayo Saka lead the team in the forward line.

Arsenal line-up versus Forest:

Raya
Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori
Partey, Merino, Odegaard
Saka, Havertz, Martinelli

With this line-up, I expect Arsenal to win. I expect this to be the turn-around of Arsenal's league campaign, as Paul Merson suggests in his Sportskeeda column, "This is a cup final for Arsenal, a must-win game. 

Mikel Arteta and company have some lovely fixtures coming up and will be hopeful of putting on a solid run. I back them to win their next six or seven games and it starts with this one."

That said, Merson predicts that Arsenal will secure a 3-1 win on Saturday. I think a 2-0 win is more probable.

What are your thoughts on that? Share your predictions below and let us know what adjustments you would suggest for the starting lineup.

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).