Khusanov is a little wrecking ball out there. Fascinating career path. Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan) academy -> a Belarusian team that reached the top flight for the first time in 2019 -> Lens
FT ARS 6-0 LENS Would they let us transfer some of this GD to our EPL account? That 14 minute period where we scored 4 of them... WOW! We were clearly very up for this one, right from the get go. Urgency and supreme clinicality. And thus anilhated a team which beat us just 8 weeks ago. And right at the death Big Gabby shows just how much an emphatic win and clean sheet meant tonight. Onward with a
He's really cleaned up his game this season - way fewer mental mistakes than before. I think having Rice in front of the defense is making their jobs a lot easier.
Today Mikel told the lads to put on a show for the home crowd. This is us when we really want to score a lot. Nice to see the clean sheet. Kai looked great today.
In the post-game show I noticed a few things I didn't in real-time: * On the Jesus goal, the work that Saka did, running through 3-4 opponents and then just barely getting his foot on the final assist pass, was really impressive. Long may his valuable goal creation continue! * Jorginho's PK run-up did not include any hop... hmm * The audience at Paramount's Miami stage was 80-90% Gooners. Gotta love to see that!
Having been absent from the Champions league for years, I'm really just now starting to watch this Paramount Champions League studio show with Henry, Carragher and Richards. Bloody hell, are these guys drinking on set?? It's complete madness listening to them. At times it's entertaining, but it often comes off as amateurish with all of the prodding and joking.
Don't get me started on these silly, vacuous, banter-filled shows. They seem to follow Kate Abdo from network to network. They were cringe-worthy during her Turner-B/R years but at CBS/Paramount they seem to have taken it to a new level. Micah Richards acts buffoonish. Even Jamie Carragher gets into the silly goofiness. Only Thierry seems to maintain a level of traditional professionalism/dignity. Abdo is pretty good as a footy moderator, so I find it disappointing that these hours-long shows have <50% discussion about actually footy. But these companies must believe/know that this is what the general public wants.
Havertz, Ødegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Jesus is probably Mikel Arteta's preferred front five.They hadn't played a minute together all season.They scored 5 goals in their first 45 minutes.— The Short Fuse (@TheShortFuse) November 29, 2023 We are a CM away from being unfukkwitable
That front 5, with Rice in behind, and then a back 4 that has Timber would be our best 11. That said Tomi has stepped up big time, so now I am not as sure that Timber is a guaranteed starter.
Tomi has been arguably, our best defender after the cb pair Zinny has stepped up the last couple of games but Tomi has been a rock apart from that dodgy pass a few games ago
With the caveat that we still have several issues to iron out, back in August if you had told me we'd be top of the table and already through in the CL as group leaders at the beginning of December, I'd have been ecstatic.
That was Champagne Football. That's the level it should be at when you spend that kind of money and you have 4 yrs on the job. I don't take too much away from these sort of games, Lens are abject let's be clear, they're 6th in Ligue 1. That loss to them was more a reflection of our ineptitude rather than their quality. Watching this team, I realize how far the standard had dropped around here. This should be the level if you say you're a big club. You spend money as you should, then the expectations are raised. Nothing except a major trophy will do for me. Arteta and Edu are still learning on the job and doing a great job, so far. Lift something big this year, and really show the levels. It's time. I still don't think Odegaard is as influential, we need something more. Tomiyasu was incredible. Gabriel very good as well. Again, the only thing that concerns me is the need for a 9 who can conjure something out of nothing. Jesus is a baller, he ought to get more play on the right and spell Saka. Maybe just play Havertz as some sort of hybrid 9or whatever. I'm still not really here for him, but apparently people love him. Funny how that goes, it's always interesting to see who fans have patience with and who they don't. I don't have patience for anyone, so I'll remain consistent. These are high stakes, everyone is getting well compensated. No excuses.