Is the 50 million pound Madueke really better than Nwaneri? Seems disingenuous behavior passes through the club from the manager and trickles down to the blogosphere
The funny thing is, the notion was how Gyokeres opens space for our wingers by being a massive threat (LOL), then Martinelli gets a 1v1 about 20x in one game yesterday.
It would have been cinema if Gyok was playing last night. The mental gymnastics would have been for the ages.
"Martinelli with acres of space. Impossible to happen with any other striker we have"
"Witness what occupying defenders looks like, not the dropping deep bs Jesus and Havertz do"
"The master space creator at his best. God bless Berta!"
Little did the fanboys know, Martinelli's best games in an Arsenal shirt were with Jesus (and Trossard) in the middle. Truly gifted players.
Martinelli was so good though. Genuinely reminded of the player I thought he'd become back when. He used a variety of tricks and was unstoppable. If he could come back to this level, he'd become a massive player for us again.
Yesterday's game looked like one of those classic days where everything works except the one thing that actually wins matches - we are not scoring. Relentless pressure, plenty of running, lots of nice combinations (that was nice to see...been a while tbf) — but no killer.
And that’s the nagging issue. We keep having “good” performances with no reliable goal output.
That’s fine for a one-off. But when it becomes a theme, it stops being variance and starts being identity. Right now our attacking plan consistently produces dominance without damage, then the margin for error disappears — and football, as you rightly say, is far too stupid and chaotic to reward that kind of purity over a season.
Good performance (somties)...not as good as 2023/24 mind. Encouraging signs, sure. But if this style keeps producing effort without edge, it risks defining the season rather than rescuing it.
Football always finds a way — and right now, it keeps finding ours a bit too blunt.
...I think you/we, the positive ones amongst us (in spite of my Wenger bias), are somewhat clutching at straws. The truth be told, we are not playing well enough. Or like 'Champions-elect'. Or at least we are not soring enough goals. We are not being adventurous, we do not currently have the killer instinct...where has it gone. In fact, it increasingly looks like we have been sussed out. What's worse is the possibility, that our own players are beginning to think the same.
We must get better. We need to get better. We can get better.
Change is needed. Doesn't need to be dramatic, but we do need to make some changes. Arteta needs to grow some.
Equally worrying, where is Ethan? What's going on there, I/we wonder?
People putting their hopes in Jesus again tells me they have no foresight. We can't depend on him. Gyokeres need to bang. We need to play him to form and use Jesus as we have been using him. We can't rely on him and then have him break down when Gyokeres will be needed then and will be on low confidence. Fool me once.
Nwaneri needs a loan in Jan. Palace would be perfect for him imo. They need players for Europe. And Glasner's system fits him. I wouldn't have given this level of chances to Trossard and Martinelli after the season they had. Eze should have been playing on the left.
But they have played and have been decent. Dowman and Kai will be back. And I don't expect Jesus to leave in Jan. So let the kid play for 6 months. But I will be very critical of Arteta if his future doesn't lie with us. He could genuinely be our Foden. And I even think he has more to his game.
The Gehui shouts are annoying. We don't need another defender ffs. We just signed Hincapie for 40m+. And Mosquera looks a £60m CB. We just need to keep them fit.
He is fine. It is just a precaution. He will play vs Brighton. And even if that was the case, we don't need Gehui. We need a kid. As the 8th choice defender.
To the people lauding Norgaard's performance. I felt like I was watching a CB being played out of position cause of necessity.
I honestly think if we played White, Timber, Calafiori, Saliba, Gabriel or pretty much any decent defender we have at DM, they'd show more quality on the ball than him. Forget about the drop of the shoulder and passing between the lines of Partey, the long passes and through balls of Jorginho, all of the above to a lower quality in Zubimendi. Opponents will target and press him and we'll be done for. He won't be able to evade the pressure.
Lol. This is why no one can take you seriously. When you have it out for a player, you can be annoying.
Norgaard made 3 or 4 line breaking passes yesterday. He won almost all his duels. He even covered for our CBs two or three times. I would have been impressed by any CM that played like that yesterday. You described him as if he is Ugarte.
He isn't ultra press resistant like Jorginho. But for a 4th choice he is a very good pro. He can play it clean and break up play. It was the same in preseason.
He is 4th choice. That is the reality. He won't play ahead of Merino. We have rested Rice a few times and Merino came in for him. Norgaard played with Rice against Slavia Prague, because Merino was needed upfront. Otherwise it would have been a Merino Rice midfield. Only you can see it as Rice can't play 6.
Merino isn't a DM. Merino's last games at DM are 4 emergency games 4 years ago.
I see your logic is bringing back Dec then Merino slotting in his position but that's the issue.
If Norgaard was a good option, then Dec shouldn't need to be considered for the DM position at all.
It should be:
Zubimendi/Norgaard
Rice/Merino
Rice is a box-to-box CM now, probably the best in the world, and your logic of bringing him back is exactly because you're aware Norgaard ain't it. It's actually a proof of it.
We have a very big man city problem it’s not just haaland the best striker in the world it’s not just foden in peak form whenever he has those peak seasons city win the league. It’s insanely talented rejinders it’s cherki whose creative stats are actually better than debruyne and silva thus far in his career for city.
City are only two points behind us and they going in for semenyo.. this season I’m praying it doesn’t end in disappointment again but history has shown it that city have the minerals to cross that finish line unlike us.
Also Nwaneri needs a loan. It's ridiculous what's going on with him and if we're not going to play him then you might as well loan otherwise you risk souring relations with him
I'm not usually a doom and gloom, but I thought Martinelli was the only bright spark in the first half. He must have been getting wound up by putting peachy balls into the box only to have people fluff their lines....however... being the guy in the box expected to head goals surrounded by defenders six inches taller than him ...that ain't Jesus game. I thought he looked rusty, but its to be expected.
I was actually wishing theyd have brought VC on, as he'd have pulled those defenders around more and provided more of a target for the crosses. Also Eze was running into dead ends, but not swiftly passing or advancing the ball that way. Really made a big difference when Rice and Ode came on later.
However, I cannot fault the penalties. Pretty much all perfect like a vintage West Germany team. Will hopefully let the league and Europe know that pushing for a draw and penalties against this team is not an easy option.
Worrying signs of bottling trying to creep in recently. Gotta be vigilant against it as the only thing that's stopping us from being successful this season is ourselves. Also what's going on with Nwaneri? And can we still look at selling Jesus like we should have before his injury.
I would consider a loan to Brazil hope that he does well enough that someone buys him after working his way into the Brazil squad before his next injury. He's basically an expensive body to keep around when others are injured and that's it. He's not truly pushing to be a starter not really
Can’t help feeling Julián Alvarez would be an ideal fit for us and is the player we should go big for in the summer. He’s prem proven, entering his peak years, and does a lot of what Jesus does, only with better finishing. A minimum of 20 goals a season from him in all comps for us would surely be very realistic, and given everything else he brings in terms of pressing and contributing to the build up, he’d be a significant ceiling raiser. Him and Havertz as our primary striker options would be fine by me.
I don't think we should go for him. We are at a point now that we need to be careful about spending stupidly. If we have good sales in that CF position (selling Jesus + one of Kai or Gyokeres) by all means go for it. If not we need to find the next Julian Alvarez. Under £30m and someone who can be as good. City for him for £15m.
We need two own goals to beat bottom of the league wolves and an own goal to beat Everton.
We then need penalties to beat a team which conceded 4 against Leeds.
Remember when Pedro used to give flak to Emery when he was going through sth of a winning streak, correctly pointing out that we are not what the results are telling us based on the eye test……
Here, it’s not identical - our defensive structure is miles better, but tempo is slow, circulation is sterile, final third ideas are repetitive.
Well the eye test is failing abjectly right now. The football is damn turgid. We dominate territory without actually threatening enough.
Are we cursed with bad strikers with terrible finishing, control, or some issue or the other. Or is the system failing the strikers. Or failing all our attackers ? Trossard, Merino and Saka as the only scorers in the last six games. Scoring 4 goals in 6 games (excluding own goals and handballs).
The system is letting us down. The player management is letting us down. I hope we drive the luck train we’re on right now, down to the last day of the league and I damn care if we end the league with the coveted title of most set piece, penalty and own goals. But on the basis of the eye test, it seems mighty unlikely that with the current style of play, we will the league.
May that which been giving Arsenal the victory in all these difficult games even when Arsenal hadn't impressed, continue to give victory to the Arsenal unto the end.
Is the 50 million pound Madueke really better than Nwaneri? Seems disingenuous behavior passes through the club from the manager and trickles down to the blogosphere
https://x.com/AFC_Adi06/status/1884852323417297224
The funny thing is, the notion was how Gyokeres opens space for our wingers by being a massive threat (LOL), then Martinelli gets a 1v1 about 20x in one game yesterday.
It would have been cinema if Gyok was playing last night. The mental gymnastics would have been for the ages.
"Martinelli with acres of space. Impossible to happen with any other striker we have"
"Witness what occupying defenders looks like, not the dropping deep bs Jesus and Havertz do"
"The master space creator at his best. God bless Berta!"
Little did the fanboys know, Martinelli's best games in an Arsenal shirt were with Jesus (and Trossard) in the middle. Truly gifted players.
Martinelli was so good though. Genuinely reminded of the player I thought he'd become back when. He used a variety of tricks and was unstoppable. If he could come back to this level, he'd become a massive player for us again.
Just making sure I am understanding the sentiment here correctly:
- We are in 1st place in the Premier League
- We are in 1st place in the Champions League (undefeated)
- We are in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup
- We have given up the fewest goals in the Premier League
- We have given up the fewest goals in the Champions League
- We have scored the second most goals in the Premier League
- We have scored the fourth most goals in the Champions League
- We won our three EFL Cup games by a 5-1 aggregate
- We cannot score
- The football is terrible
- The Manager should be fired
Hahaha…summarized well
- We are still in the FA Cup.
There, updated.
Yeah that's exactly it... that's what everyone is saying
Wrong. Not everybody.
Yesterday's game looked like one of those classic days where everything works except the one thing that actually wins matches - we are not scoring. Relentless pressure, plenty of running, lots of nice combinations (that was nice to see...been a while tbf) — but no killer.
And that’s the nagging issue. We keep having “good” performances with no reliable goal output.
That’s fine for a one-off. But when it becomes a theme, it stops being variance and starts being identity. Right now our attacking plan consistently produces dominance without damage, then the margin for error disappears — and football, as you rightly say, is far too stupid and chaotic to reward that kind of purity over a season.
Good performance (somties)...not as good as 2023/24 mind. Encouraging signs, sure. But if this style keeps producing effort without edge, it risks defining the season rather than rescuing it.
Football always finds a way — and right now, it keeps finding ours a bit too blunt.
...I think you/we, the positive ones amongst us (in spite of my Wenger bias), are somewhat clutching at straws. The truth be told, we are not playing well enough. Or like 'Champions-elect'. Or at least we are not soring enough goals. We are not being adventurous, we do not currently have the killer instinct...where has it gone. In fact, it increasingly looks like we have been sussed out. What's worse is the possibility, that our own players are beginning to think the same.
We must get better. We need to get better. We can get better.
Change is needed. Doesn't need to be dramatic, but we do need to make some changes. Arteta needs to grow some.
Equally worrying, where is Ethan? What's going on there, I/we wonder?
People putting their hopes in Jesus again tells me they have no foresight. We can't depend on him. Gyokeres need to bang. We need to play him to form and use Jesus as we have been using him. We can't rely on him and then have him break down when Gyokeres will be needed then and will be on low confidence. Fool me once.
Nwaneri needs a loan in Jan. Palace would be perfect for him imo. They need players for Europe. And Glasner's system fits him. I wouldn't have given this level of chances to Trossard and Martinelli after the season they had. Eze should have been playing on the left.
But they have played and have been decent. Dowman and Kai will be back. And I don't expect Jesus to leave in Jan. So let the kid play for 6 months. But I will be very critical of Arteta if his future doesn't lie with us. He could genuinely be our Foden. And I even think he has more to his game.
The Gehui shouts are annoying. We don't need another defender ffs. We just signed Hincapie for 40m+. And Mosquera looks a £60m CB. We just need to keep them fit.
We can't keep them fit though. Hincapie injured for last night. Down to our last 4 defenders. We will never have a fully fit squad.
He is fine. It is just a precaution. He will play vs Brighton. And even if that was the case, we don't need Gehui. We need a kid. As the 8th choice defender.
What are we throwing in the towel cause City might be buying another winger they don't need? Nah. The only thing that can stop us this season is us.
Spot on. No excuses this time. City are still a Gvardiol or a Haaland injury away from a crisis. We just need to platform our attackers better.
Whatever Semenyo’s Bournemouth output is , he won’t come close to duplicating it for City or another team from January to May.
It shouldn’t be the deciding factor at all.
To the people lauding Norgaard's performance. I felt like I was watching a CB being played out of position cause of necessity.
I honestly think if we played White, Timber, Calafiori, Saliba, Gabriel or pretty much any decent defender we have at DM, they'd show more quality on the ball than him. Forget about the drop of the shoulder and passing between the lines of Partey, the long passes and through balls of Jorginho, all of the above to a lower quality in Zubimendi. Opponents will target and press him and we'll be done for. He won't be able to evade the pressure.
Lol. This is why no one can take you seriously. When you have it out for a player, you can be annoying.
Norgaard made 3 or 4 line breaking passes yesterday. He won almost all his duels. He even covered for our CBs two or three times. I would have been impressed by any CM that played like that yesterday. You described him as if he is Ugarte.
He isn't ultra press resistant like Jorginho. But for a 4th choice he is a very good pro. He can play it clean and break up play. It was the same in preseason.
"This is why no one can take you seriously."
I don't care one bit.
"But for a 4th choice he is a very good pro."
He's not 4th choice.
He's supposed to be the 2nd choice DM.
He is 4th choice. That is the reality. He won't play ahead of Merino. We have rested Rice a few times and Merino came in for him. Norgaard played with Rice against Slavia Prague, because Merino was needed upfront. Otherwise it would have been a Merino Rice midfield. Only you can see it as Rice can't play 6.
Merino isn't a DM. Merino's last games at DM are 4 emergency games 4 years ago.
I see your logic is bringing back Dec then Merino slotting in his position but that's the issue.
If Norgaard was a good option, then Dec shouldn't need to be considered for the DM position at all.
It should be:
Zubimendi/Norgaard
Rice/Merino
Rice is a box-to-box CM now, probably the best in the world, and your logic of bringing him back is exactly because you're aware Norgaard ain't it. It's actually a proof of it.
We have a very big man city problem it’s not just haaland the best striker in the world it’s not just foden in peak form whenever he has those peak seasons city win the league. It’s insanely talented rejinders it’s cherki whose creative stats are actually better than debruyne and silva thus far in his career for city.
City are only two points behind us and they going in for semenyo.. this season I’m praying it doesn’t end in disappointment again but history has shown it that city have the minerals to cross that finish line unlike us.
Also Nwaneri needs a loan. It's ridiculous what's going on with him and if we're not going to play him then you might as well loan otherwise you risk souring relations with him
Pedro feeling the heat reminding everyone City can spend money and attract players.
Yes, we know.
If Semenyo went to Pool, we’d be talking how they spend 500m in one window and this is who we compete against.
The fact is Arsenal have the most expensive squad in the league, and Semenyo to City won’t change that.
And if he ends up the difference maker come May, then maybe our recruitment during Arteta’s six year tenure is to blame.
Not a word on the 100% pen we weren't given last night... The bloke thought he's the GK.
The two games vs Chelsea will take a massive toll on our squad.
Chelsea will go balls out to win this competition while we have bigger things in play.
Didn’t watch it.
I told you , I don’t care about the league cup.
When are those 115 charges dropping,if ever.Obviously given carte Blanche to spend whatever it takes from the powers that be.Nothing to see here hey?
You won’t hear me arguing against your take there, PP.
Merry Xmas Tom.😉
I'm not usually a doom and gloom, but I thought Martinelli was the only bright spark in the first half. He must have been getting wound up by putting peachy balls into the box only to have people fluff their lines....however... being the guy in the box expected to head goals surrounded by defenders six inches taller than him ...that ain't Jesus game. I thought he looked rusty, but its to be expected.
I was actually wishing theyd have brought VC on, as he'd have pulled those defenders around more and provided more of a target for the crosses. Also Eze was running into dead ends, but not swiftly passing or advancing the ball that way. Really made a big difference when Rice and Ode came on later.
However, I cannot fault the penalties. Pretty much all perfect like a vintage West Germany team. Will hopefully let the league and Europe know that pushing for a draw and penalties against this team is not an easy option.
Worrying signs of bottling trying to creep in recently. Gotta be vigilant against it as the only thing that's stopping us from being successful this season is ourselves. Also what's going on with Nwaneri? And can we still look at selling Jesus like we should have before his injury.
Finally someone isn’t too sentimental about Jesus
We have to extract some rotation from him and hope he goes into another frenzied purple patch to help us get over the line
Then sell him in the summer.
I would consider a loan to Brazil hope that he does well enough that someone buys him after working his way into the Brazil squad before his next injury. He's basically an expensive body to keep around when others are injured and that's it. He's not truly pushing to be a starter not really
Finally? You should read the comments below lol. Why are you acting like it isn't a Jesus hate thread?
But striker deliberations can wait for a few days. Merry Christmas all - and see you for Brighton on the 27th.
Can’t help feeling Julián Alvarez would be an ideal fit for us and is the player we should go big for in the summer. He’s prem proven, entering his peak years, and does a lot of what Jesus does, only with better finishing. A minimum of 20 goals a season from him in all comps for us would surely be very realistic, and given everything else he brings in terms of pressing and contributing to the build up, he’d be a significant ceiling raiser. Him and Havertz as our primary striker options would be fine by me.
I don't think we should go for him. We are at a point now that we need to be careful about spending stupidly. If we have good sales in that CF position (selling Jesus + one of Kai or Gyokeres) by all means go for it. If not we need to find the next Julian Alvarez. Under £30m and someone who can be as good. City for him for £15m.
So we draw to Sunderland
We draw again Chelsea
We lose to Villa
We need two own goals to beat bottom of the league wolves and an own goal to beat Everton.
We then need penalties to beat a team which conceded 4 against Leeds.
Remember when Pedro used to give flak to Emery when he was going through sth of a winning streak, correctly pointing out that we are not what the results are telling us based on the eye test……
Here, it’s not identical - our defensive structure is miles better, but tempo is slow, circulation is sterile, final third ideas are repetitive.
Well the eye test is failing abjectly right now. The football is damn turgid. We dominate territory without actually threatening enough.
Are we cursed with bad strikers with terrible finishing, control, or some issue or the other. Or is the system failing the strikers. Or failing all our attackers ? Trossard, Merino and Saka as the only scorers in the last six games. Scoring 4 goals in 6 games (excluding own goals and handballs).
The system is letting us down. The player management is letting us down. I hope we drive the luck train we’re on right now, down to the last day of the league and I damn care if we end the league with the coveted title of most set piece, penalty and own goals. But on the basis of the eye test, it seems mighty unlikely that with the current style of play, we will the league.
May that which been giving Arsenal the victory in all these difficult games even when Arsenal hadn't impressed, continue to give victory to the Arsenal unto the end.
Merry Christmas and a glorious New Year ahead.