Short turnaround, and as has been the way we are going through match day thread starters as quickly as we are going through strikers. This game is to make up for the one that was originally meant to be played back on Feb 12th. Chelsea away. There have been times in this clubs history where our backs have been against the wall. Where we have been coming off poor results. And we have gone to Stamford Bridge, and we have gotten them when they least expect it. This needs to be another one of those occasions. We are a thin squad. We are in bad form. European football is slipping from our grasp. Time for the players who are still healthy to stand up, put the previous bad performances behind them, and take 3 points. Arsenal to win 2-0, goals to Saka and ESR. COYG!
Honestly, I'd play the B side for this one. Arsenal would be hard pressed to win with their A team, anyway, so rest them and be prepped for the matches that matter most: ManU, WHU, and S***s. Even playing well against Chelsea would feel good, but right now nothing else matters but the total points for the season. Do what gets the highest number there, and don't let this bit of schedule congestion turn 1 loss into 2. Says I, anyway.
That is downright excellent thinking. Except that since the 4 key injuries/illnesses, I struggle to say what is our B-team right now. Anyway there's probably a 5-10% chance that Mikel Arteta will do what you propose.
Only 2 little bits of team news from today: * Laca is back in training and being assessed, presumably Covid-negative again, but it sounds quite iffy he'd be involved * Tomi is also being assessed and is "very very close", but if I had to guess he won't be starting
I'm more excited for my afternoon meetings than I am for this. Naturally, that means we'll win by 11.
Elneny hasn't played a second for us since New Year's Day, so sure, ******** it, start him at Stamford Bridge.
Lokonga was ok against Southampton. He doesn’t provide what Partey does, but neither does Elneny. A strange one for me. I can’t decide whether this is a 4-2-3-1 or a 3-5-2 with Saka and Tavares as wing backs and Nketiah and Smith Rowe up top, I suspect it’s the former, but the latter might make more sense by matching up against Chelsea.
Arteta started Elneny at Old Trafford for his "experience," so I imagine he's thinking the same today.
IIRC Arseblog was suggesting Elneny might be useful today for his defensive mettle. The real interesting one for me is Soares out, White shifting out to RB and Holding in at CB. Perhaps also another move by the boss to shore up our defense, i.e. another big tall CB. Maybe Holding can remember what he did psychologically to a certain Chelsea forward a few years back in a cup final?
I can imagine it morphing between these 2 shapes during the game, depending on possession, game state, etc. p.s. NBC showed it as a 4-3-3 but I tend to see us playing 4-2-3-1 more. But there are subtle differences sometimes. p.p.s. But Dicko is in the ground and saying it looks like a back 3, with Saka & Tavares as WB's
True. That was my first reaction to hearing Arseblog's suggestion. But then there's the fact that he played every minute at AFCON, all the way to the final, if I'm not mistaken?
4' Hearts in mouth moment when Alonso has a shot through the trees and a lucky deflection took it just wide of the post. 5' Mount w/ the resulting corner is a foot from being an Olympico goal. Gabriel saved the day. Ramsdale found wanting on both plays? Oh boy...
Are we playing some kind of new total football? I think I've seen both Gabriel and White heading towards or into their box during open play.
Christiensen just gifted us that goal. BUT Eddie still had plenty to do and looked like a downright natural composed striker on a one-on-one with Mendy. To the Arsenal 1-nil !!!!!!
18' Fvck! Werner gets a lucky break/deflection. However it was our loose giveway that started it off. And I think it was maybe Eddie who was the culprit there. He giveth then he taketh away? 1-1