Kickoff: 10 AM Eastern, 3 PM UK Venue: Emirates Stadium, London US TV: Peacock Arsenal returns from the international break to face a *ugh* bottom-of-the-table clash with 19th-place Norwich. Both teams have started the season very similarly - three league defeats combined with 6-0 League Cup wins against overmatched opposition. Both teams have a -9 goal differential in the league, but Norwich has 1 goal to Arsenal's 0, courtesy of a Teemu Puuki penalty against Leicester. It's early to be referring to matches as must-win, but this is about as close as you can get. COYG
I hope there's a picture of the team sheet showing Arteta putting Willian at RW then having to cross it out because he forgot he's gone.
This'll be a humdinger of a relegation 6-pointer! But sadly it won't be shown on NBCSN... because of some Portuguese dude moving back to England. [Edit: surprise surprise, to me anyway, NBC put United on USA and going with Soton-WestHam on NBCSN... go figure] I heard that the last time the Canaries beat us at our place was the very first day of the brand new FA Premier League 15 August 1992. Before it was Barclay's league, and while M. Wenger was still in Monaco trying to integrate his new toy Klinsman. Norwich beat us 4-2 that day. Here's a little time capsule for y'all...
Haven't listened to Arteta's presser yet, but I saw a team news headline which said... White, Gabriel & Thomas are available for this match, and... Tomiyasu maybe also, if they can get a quick work permit Hard to imagine we'd see all 4 instantly into the XI, but if he's in the mood to roll the dice, he could put out quite a different look. Edit: I also just saw the Smith-Rowe is probably out due to illness. Of course one's mind goes immediately to Covid, but the blurb I saw said it was not Covid. Crossing fingers for him & us.
I don’t think Tomiyasu will play even if the work permit comes in. He literally arrived at Colney for the first time today.
Tomiyasu work permit granted, he is available. Wonder if we have him on the bench. Would rather play him off no integration than play Chambers. Wonder if we go with a back 3 of Gabriel, Holdingho and White, Tierney down LWB and Cedric at RWB. Partey in MF, ESR/Ode/Saka in front of him and then Auba in ST.
Elneny is out 3 weeks with a hamstring. Starting Partey seems like a huge risk if he isn't 100% yet. But the only other options in midfield are Sambi and AMN.
Could see a scenario where we play 3-4-3 but I doubt Mikel would try 3-3-3-1. Most likely we we stick with the 4-2-3-1. Based on the current injuries/illnesses I would guess... -------------------- PEA ---------------------- Pepe ------------- MO -------------- Saka ---------- Partey ------- AMN -------------- Tierney - Gabriel - White - Chambers ------------------- Leno ---------------------- I'm sure Tomiyasu will be on the bench along with likely Patino. Wouldn't be surprised if both make it on the pitch sometime in the 2nd half.
Now seeing that Sambi & ESR trained today. Would be a bit surprised if either started with only one session before the game.
Amongst the many many things that cause Mikel to lose sleep at night (or should do anyway), there is one thing that I sure hope he put front and center during interlull practice sessions... our ability to put the ball in the net! Sure there are many other things that lead up to that end product, starting with shots on goal, passes into the box, etc. But if he can figure out a way to overcome our impotence near goal, then we should start to get some actual points in the table! At least in the next 2 games, before the NLD which is a whole nother kettle of fish.
Arsenal shouldn’t lose any games in September, which should be good for their confidence. This run of games is exactly what the team needs right now. 3-1 Arsenal.
You know guys there are gonna be two pretty powerful women in the UK entertainment industry watching this match, two hardened Norwich fans, former WWE Divas Champion, Paige (now retired), who hails from Norwich, and who also starred in the documentary on her rise to the WWE, "Fighting With My Family", and of course, Norwich owner and television domestic guru, Delia Smith. As for the match, yes, it is a must win for the Gunners, but I believe we get our first win tomorrow and yes I will be watching on Peacock at 7:00 am first thing, and wearing my new Arsenal home kit in which does not look bad at all, it's only that we're playing bad in it so far, but three points and a big win can change that complexion in a big-time hurry, also this just might be THE Day Of Reckoning as far as Mikel Arteta is concerned, this is our 4th League match of the season, let's all see what happens.
Ramsdale Tomiyasu White Gabriel Tierney Sambi Maitland-Niles Pepe Ødegaard Saka Aubameyang. Partey on the bench.
Really surprised to see Tomiyasu and Ramsdale starting. Assuming it's Sambi and AMN paired in the midfield. Holding out with a knee injury. Here's how we line up for #ARSNOR 👇— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 11, 2021
Spurs are cooked, they were looking rough before the red and now the weight of numbers has Palace pounding Spurs, and as I write that Edouard has his second and its 3-0/
Shit have lost!!! Crystal Palace 3, SHIT 0 Patrick Vieira has his first victory as manager of Palace, and how fitting it comes against Scums!!! He did it to them as a player with us and now he has come back to do it again this time as a manager
Need a good start and not to concede first. Feels a bit like the West Brom match. Early goal, gets the tails up, we knock in 3 or 4 and have a good win. I've seen Norwich their last two times and they were very poor at times. Sure, we were too, but while they offered nothing they weren't missing key players they had their best out there when City did them by 5 and Pool did them by 3. Leicester should have probably lost but thats how poor Norwich were, way more shots but conceded stupid goals. Norwich took a lot of shots outside the box as well. And the Norwich goal came from an insanely stupid penalty. Not like they scored from open play. But I worry if they get an early goal, our boys heads drop. We score the first, we will score 4.
This should be NO CONTEST we SHOULD et our first win this season in what winds up being a relegation 6-point swing match as well as it will send a message that WE ARE BACK!!! There will be NO EXCUSES if we lose (in which we won't) as we are NOT facing The Champions Of Europe nor are we facing The Champions Of England this time around but rather a side that is caught in the switches between being a top Championship squad and a bottom-feeder in the Premier League.