September 25, 20232 yr On 9/24/2023 at 10:11 AM, Ted Lange said: Nobody is gonna beat Man City this year, unless half their starters miss 3 months. This season is all about finishing top 4 and having a champions league run. We're one point worse off than last year through six matches while playing worse football through the first six matches. Much worse football. What is slightly worrying is we haven't looked "in gear" since March. There is time to figure things out, but not much: City somehow look just as well-oiled and Terminator-like without KDB. Brighton look damn good, Liverpool seem back to being Liverpool, and sh*t are playing much better. Not to mention Saudi FC. Top 4 is going to be a hell of a battle. 22 hours ago, Buzzrock said: Two matches in the next six days and a very uncertain injury situation. A bit of good news here, at least. Edited September 25, 20232 yr by Dutch
September 25, 20232 yr Tweet cuts off, but Trossard and Gabby expected back for City, and Partey back “sooner than later.” If true, they’d miss A Brentford in the Booby Prize League Cup, A Bournemouth, and A Lens in the CL. Even if everyone were healthy, I’d want to see nothing but a B side against Brentford (and yes,Arteta, that especially means Saka. It would be absolutely inane to play him in that match). Bournemouth are 17th but gave us fits last year at home (thank you, Reiss). Lens are currently 16th in Ligue 1. So what should be a manageable few matches before City. Edited September 25, 20232 yr by Dutch
September 26, 20232 yr https://www.arsenal.com/news/arteta-injuries-rice-saka-and-trossard Saka, Rice, Trossard all out for Wednesday and from the sounds of it doubtful for the weekend. Partey wont be back either.
September 26, 20232 yr We shouldn't see anything less than a full B side tomorrow, and it looks like we're preparing a youth-heavy squad. Which I'm fine with. Bournemouth away will be vastly different than Bournemouth away last year... really can't afford to drop points. There is a chance all four will be ready for City next Sunday. We'll need them. Also, there's this stat. I'd like to see what ESR can do in the LW spot; can't be any worse than what Kai is (or more often isnt) offering. Edited September 26, 20232 yr by Dutch
September 26, 20232 yr 2 hours ago, Ted Lange said: https://www.arsenal.com/news/arteta-injuries-rice-saka-and-trossard Saka, Rice, Trossard all out for Wednesday and from the sounds of it doubtful for the weekend. Partey wont be back either. This is.. not ideal.
September 26, 20232 yr Must also be pointed out that we replaced Xhaka with Havertz, and that looks a downgrade so far. While Kai may eventually come good for us (Arteta clearly values a still young and talanted player, and he rehabilitated Xhaka after all), I think we may have underestimated what the 2021-2023 vintage of Xhaka brought to The Arsenal.
September 27, 20232 yr Glad ESR is getting a start. Not sure I'd have risked both Benny Blanco and Gabi XL. A youth player makes the XI! Let's get out of here with a Havartz goal, a solid showing from ESR and Reiss, and no injuries.
September 27, 20232 yr 13 minutes ago, The Maestro said: Nelson, nice!!! Thought Eddie had muffed that From this angle, I'm not sure how the ball made it through to Reiss. Still... One Nil to The Arsenal. LFG! https://dubzalt.com/storage/videos/b22ea5.mp4
September 27, 20232 yr We advance, hopefully to face a lower league side where we can rest key guys and get young ones a match.
September 27, 20232 yr Held on, just win and advance baby. Tomi with some big blocks today. ESR looked good.
September 29, 20232 yr Not great Bobhttps://arseblog.news/2023/09/mikel-arteta-issues-pre-bournemouth-fitness-update/Looking like we’re really going to need that October break.
September 29, 20232 yr We almost have an XI of injured players: Saliba, Timber, Rice, Partey, Fabio, Martinelli, Trossard, Saka. That’s 8/11 of a side that would finish top 4. Either London Colney is built on a cursed ancient burial ground, or there is some serious problems about our medical and training programs that need changing. Players who went their careers without injury at their previous clubs suddenly become brittle after joining Arsenal. IIRC Gabriel Jesus mentioned in an interview that Arsenal train much more intensely than City. Correlation? Maybe. But clearly something is massively wrong with how we train, recover and treat injuries. Edited September 29, 20232 yr by Dutch
September 29, 20232 yr 3 hours ago, Buzzrock said: Not great Bob https://arseblog.news/2023/09/mikel-arteta-issues-pre-bournemouth-fitness-update/ Looking like we’re really going to need that October break. We’ll get them healthy just in time for their respective NT managers to re-injure them. Oh, and we’re losing Tomi and Partey for the Asian and African cups, respectively, this winter. FML Edited September 29, 20232 yr by Dutch
September 30, 20232 yr Honestly I wish Saka was getting a rest Edited September 30, 20232 yr by The Maestro
September 30, 20232 yr Peacock more than a minute behind the actual game, and keeps knocking out. Streaming blows
October 2, 20232 yr Well that was fun. Absorbed their initial pressing before Starboy scored on our first real attack. Hopefully the goal and flood of positive response, both from the lads and the supporters, removes his block and unlocks Havartz. The way the lads responded to Kai's goal... I love this group of guys. Really, really hope they cement their Arsenal legacy with some major silverware. A resounding defensive performance and a cleansheet. The away fans absolutely fucking BRINGING it. Drowned out the home supporters all match long. Needed some good vibes ahead of City, and it will be damn nice to have Partey back (hopefully back in his usual role as a 6 in MF and not as RB). Two gripes: First is a minor one, that Smith-Rowe didn't get his "monkey off his back" goal. Second is valid: Saka should have been subbed off FAR earlier then he was. Everyone knows opponents kick shit out of his legs with zero repercussions from the refs, so why leave him out there only to get kicked needlessly, and then sub him off only after he came up limping. Starboy needs some load management. Anyone else been singing the Kai song all weekend? I have. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cx2vdJKtcT-/?igshid=NzZhOTFlYzFmZQ%3D%3D Edited October 2, 20232 yr by Dutch
October 2, 20232 yr Also... EPL goal scored in September: Kai Havartz - 1 Chelsea - 0. Edited October 2, 20232 yr by Dutch
October 3, 20232 yr Would have loved to see more rotation in the squad. That’s a very strong 11 with a massive PL match coming up this weekend. Edited October 3, 20232 yr by texasgangordie
October 3, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, texasgangordie said: Would have loved to see more rotation in the squad. That’s a very strong 11 with a massive PL match coming up this weekend. It's a full-strength side; I would have expected a bit of rotation. Lens are just outside relegation in the French league, but away CL fixtures are rarely easy.
October 3, 20232 yr The Lens crowd is awesome, what a great environment. Their stadium has more seats than the city has people.
October 3, 20232 yr What a fuck up by Raya, but hell of a shot from the Lens player Edited October 3, 20232 yr by Ted Lange
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