Arsenal’s Consistency Woes Are History – Here’s Why…

Back to back wins against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Antonio Conte’s Spurs prove that Arsenal have turned a corner, answering their critics from the top of the league.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have been on a positive trajectory for the past twelve to fifteen months, and during this period there have been certain checkpoints the team has reached, and had to overcome. The last couple of weeks have seen a big inspection of Arsenal’s character, but the Gunners have passed these tests with flying colours, helping to show progression from the inconsistency that saw Arsenal miss out on Champions League last season.

Both Sunday’s victory against Liverpool and last Saturday’s victory against Spurs were hard fought, and certainly not handed to the Gunners on a plate, yet Arsenal are getting over the line in the face of adversity more than they have at any point over the past eight years or so, and this is certainly the biggest improvement we have seen in this aspect under the stewardship of Arteta.

The key to this? Character.

Character is the determining factor in the recent resilience the Gunners have shown. The Emirates has long been the home of many a wizard of creativity, technical genius, or a mercurial marksman, yet, whilst fans were left entertained with easy-on-the-eye football, the final hurdle was often far too high.

Some of the finest players the Emirates has been home too since opening in Mesut Özil, Santi Cazorla, and Alexis Sanchez, were never able to consistently fight for the Premier League.
***Photo: Getty Images / Stuart MacFarlane.***

This is where Arteta deserves credit, serving as the link between the history, style, and excellence of Arsenal, whilst sprinkling the grit, work, and determination that the top teams cannot go without. Arteta has built a side filled with gifted talents, footballers who are mesmeric in the way they play the game, in honour of the likes of Santi Cazorla, Mesut Özil, Aaron Ramsey, and countless other beautiful footballers of yesteryear, in the form of Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Fábio Vieira.

The difference now? Not only do the three modern equivalents work tirelessly without the ball, pressing constantly, they are willing to do anything to help the team. Saka’s first goal from Sunday provides a great example of this, as he ran the length of the pitch following a Liverpool corner, to slide in at the back-post whilst Arsenal countered, all in the depths of first half stoppage time.

It is not just Arsenal’s maestros who are working harder though, take Gabriel Jesus as another example. Wow. The Brazilian has come to Arsenal for a big fee, from a big club, competing in the Champions League (and favourites to win it each year!) much like Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona in 2014, or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Dortmund in 2018. Sanchez and Aubameyang will forever be written into Arsenal history, for their goalscoring exploits which helped to deliver trophies to the club – almost single handedly at times. Jesus in my opinion, will be remembered in the same manner, with the difference being the full package he offers, on top of his spellbinding footballing ability.

Jesus is the complete player, and one of the most impressive I have seen at Arsenal since Özil or Sanchez embraced themselves with the Emirates crowd. The 5’9″ Brazilian holds the ball up in such a way that Alan Shearer would tip his hat, and is stronger than almost all defenders he faces due to the exceptionally intelligent way he uses his body. His Brazilian flair to pluck the ball from the sky, combined with his vision and game intelligence to pick the right pass and set an attack flying is Roberto Firmino esque, whilst his skills to beat a man and light up a ground, as well as his predatory goalscoring instincts and finishing ability are a nod to that of the aforementioned Sanchez and Aubameyang, respectively.

In a way, Jesus sums Arsenal in Arteta’s vision up. A perfect mix of skill, will, and effectiveness, oh and how could I forget? The key to it all, amazing character.

Gabriel Jesus leads his teammates into battle against Spurs, his experience is invaluable for this squad, as well as his ability! **Photo: @Arsenal via Twitter**

This is all before we speak about a defence that is arguably better on the ball than the average Premier League midfield five years ago. Take the four that started against Liverpool, Ben White (RB), William Saliba (RCB), Gabriel Magalhães (LCB), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (LB). Three out of these four players possess not only excellent ability on the ball, with their selection, weight of pass, control and more importantly composure at an elite level, but two of the three are actually playing out of position. The ambipedal Tomiyasu is a RB by trade, but fits seamlessly in at LB, in a masterstroke by Arteta to ensure that Arsenal’s build up remained bulletproof, and could not be hurried by the onrushing, pressing four starting attackers of Liverpool. On the opposite side is CB by trade White, who has played zero minutes in his regular position so far this season, but has hugely impressed at RB, if anything receiving more plaudits than he did at CB! He is the perfect modern defender, highly capable in aerial and ground duels, positionally excellent with a superb reading of the game, whilst maintaining the elegance of a midfielder on the ball. It is a joy to watch.

When it comes to actually defending, the purists need not worry, as this group does not shy away from its main purpose. Gabriel and Saliba have formed a strong partnership, and as individuals they both display physical attributes which are vital to keep up with the pace of the modern game, whilst maintaining a gritty approach to duels with opposition attackers. Both are intelligent too, intercepting high to sustain pressure and squeeze teams, leading the rest of the back four, who have all played a vital role in the way Arsenal control games and attack this season, as highlighted in the graphic below, which shows that Arsenal have the highest combined defensive line and press intensity in the Premier League this season, which sets the tone in our games, and provides the blueprint for the way we build up, and spring consistent waves of attack.

Arsenal may not have the highest line or press the most, but they combine these two aspects the best in the Premier League, and this is evident when watching. The Gunners have an outstanding work rate out of possession which supplies chances with the ball, wearing the opposition down.
**Graphic: @markrstats on Twitter – Give him a follow!**

However though, this high octane and high energy approach can sometimes work to the detriment of Arsenal. This team cares a lot, and that is to its credit of course, but at times I notice that we can become over-emotional, and there are certain players who may rush actions, be too aggressive, and ultimately not manage the game properly. This was certainly more of an issue last year, and led to games such as Southampton (A), Spurs (A), and Manchester City (H), where the team let themselves down after performances that had begun with promise.

The single player who typifies this change more than any, is Granit Xhaka, often criticised for his ‘heart on sleeve’ approach before, where he would occasionally boil over – even if this came from the right place. This year though, Xhaka has improved once again, and despite the fact that I have been fighting his corner for years at Arsenal, he has even impressed me with the way in which he has galvanised his teammates, certainly with the help of the professional winners recruited in Jesus and Zinchenko.

Granit Xhaka with his Man Of The Match award for his performance against Spurs, where he was brilliant again, and did not let the emotion of the day get on top of him, even after a mistake – he and his teammates are growing wiser.
**Photo: @Arsenal via Twitter**

Talking with some fans at a game this season, I discussed how we need to adopt the Manchester City approach to games, where their players are almost robotic in their mentality – completely unshakeable. The Liverpool game was an interesting experiment of this to me, Arsenal suffered in the game at times but played their game regardless and were never hurried. This was in part due to the technical security within the XI, but the mentality certainly cannot be understated either, and for the first time ever during Arteta’s reign, I feel that we may be able to bounce back swiftly after defeats, and that we have the character to clear our heads and not spiral into a ‘losing ‘run’, where our confidence is dented – which always felt possible before now.

This was first proved to me after the disappointment of the Manchester United loss at Old Trafford, and subsequent long wait to put said disappointment right in a tricky away trip to Brentford, after being further reenforced with the resilience shown in game situations on Saturday against Liverpool, where Arsenal were pegged back twice but still came through victorious.

These points are further evidenced when looking back to last weeks North London Derby triumph, where Arsenal blew Spurs away.

Arsenal showed a combination of all of the aspects that have provided such a huge upturn in results and performances so far this season, facing a dogged defensive unit in Conte’s Spurs, who deployed what was almost a seven-at-the-back at times, yet the Gunners held their nerve and kept their patience to break through. Arsenal are so calculated in the way they approach their attacks now, the urgency to score is rarely channelled in a desperate way, helping to suffocate the opponent, as Arsenal apply the squeeze on them, starting from the high line. This also means that once teams gain possession of the ball, they are more prone to panicking and rushing, or both, which limits the attacking threat they possess, and causes mistakes. Arsenal managed to frustrate Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Richarlison in Spurs’ front three, and despite them being one of the most dangerous counter-attacking sides in the world, they were unable to provide a big impact over a consistent period.

Although I hate comparisons, especially to the likes of teams as notoriously and ruthlessly brilliant as Manchester City, you can see that unless a team takes the game to Arsenal, they really struggle to play any football at all. Similarly to City as well, and a large improvement on the previous couple of years under Arteta, is the notable improvement in the way Arsenal react to set backs. A lot of times last season Arsenal would be pegged back or go behind, and at least from my perspective, there was a real worry at how the outcome would of the match would be shaped by this. After Harry Kane’s penalty though, a small period of Spurs confidence was quickly quelled again. This new positivity we are seeing from Arsenal is being massively aided by the fans too, who have grown much more forgiving and supportive.

The Spurs and Liverpool victories have also shown the vast array of weapons Arsenal now possess to hurt teams, with Xhaka and Thomas Partey striking against Spurs as the two typically deeper midfielders, before both goals came from the flanks a week later against Liverpool, there is no longer an over-reliance on one brilliant player, as we saw recently with Aubameyang for a few years.

Arsenal have scored 23 goals this season, via 9 different players – everybody is contributing.
**Photo: @Arsenal via Twitter**

Despite the argument that Spurs and Liverpool have not been playing great football all year so far, I believe these wins really do solidify Arsenal as a serious prospect to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future in the Premier League. Both wins were rooted in spirit from fans, players and manager alike, as well as containing many nuances to deal with certain strengths that each opponent possesses. Some questionable refereeing decisions in favour of all three teams at times across the two fixtures, should still leave fans in no doubt on whether these were just positive results, and not positive performances as well. For me, from what I see, all of the signs are positive that Arsenal are a great team, only getting better via the lessons they are learning and experiences they are having together – long may it continue!

The month (and a bit!) in Arsenal: Fighting back & falling short…

After a turbulent month which was initially crammed with fixtures, giving Premier League clubs competing in Europe their first taste of the fixture pile up which will be commonplace this season, Arsenal are back. The month was later severely interrupted due to the period of mourning observed by the Premier League after Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, and closely followed by a further two week hiatus due to the international break, but the Gunners are ready to undertake October, which will see Mikel Arteta’s side play twice a week, every week.

The Arsenal and Zurich players show their respects to Queen Elizabeth II following her passing, which was announced *during* the game…
**Photo: AP via Marca**

The Gunners remain top of the table going into Saturday’s North London Derby at the Emirates, with a strong record of six wins and one loss from the opening seven Premier League games, as well as a victory away to Zurich on match day one of the Europa League. With plenty of football having been played since my last post, previewing the Bournemouth game, I thought I’d share some thoughts on Arsenal since then – on and off the pitch.

Following Arsenal’s dominant display on the South Coast at Bournemouth, which, despite the goals, most notably for me saw the inception of the Saliba / Tequila chant, Arsenal faced two varied challenges at the Emirates in late August.

William Saliba celebrates his beauty of a goal in the South Coast sunshine.
***Photo: Getty Images***

These came in the form of a Premier League surprise package so far, in Andre Silva’s Fulham, and a struggling Aston Villa side already desperate for points, with manager Steven Gerrard under major pressure.

Prior to Fulham, Arsenal had to bear the news that midfielder Thomas Partey was not fit and unable to partake in the fixture, giving Mohamed Elneny his first start of the season, and changing the lineup which had picked up nine points from nine, for the first time. At this point I felt the game could prove a challenge, due to Fulham’s strong belief and resolve, highlighted in their clashes against Liverpool and Brentford, as well as the strong form of Serbian CF Aleksandar Mitrović.

Adding to this was of course the fact that changes were needed to the first XI, which started to build pressure pre match to act in the transfer window, which was coming to a rapid close, on a defensive midfielder or winger.

Arsenal went 1-0 down in the game due to a mistake from Gabriel Magalhães, with the in-form Mitrović pouncing to punish.

However, this is where I was incredibly impressed with not just the players on the pitch, but the Emirates faithful. For the first time in over a decade of going to the Emirates regularly, I saw a reaction of support and encouragement from the whole ground, towards Gabriel – and the rest of the team. This was similar to the support shown to William Saliba after his unfortunate own goal against Leicester, but for me it felt more special. Arsenal were losing now, and there was only 30 minutes left on the clock. But the reaction and belief from everyone inside the ground of the red persuasion was so overwhelmingly positive that not one part of me felt as though we would go on to lose the game.

My feeling was right, as Arsenal continued to build pressure, picking up where they left off before the mistake, to punish Fulham with two late goals, the winner being scored by Gabriel himself, meaning his redemption arc was complete, providing a really special feeling within this team for me, one I haven’t had for at least half a decade. This team is not weak. This team does not give in.

As with many of Arsenal’s goals this season, it is almost impossible to tell who scored them, the team celebrate after Gabriel’s late winner against Fulham in late August.
***Photo: @Arsenal via Twitter***

My feelings were further validated just four days later, with Arsenal piling on the pressure and assaulting Emi Martinez’s goal for 45 minutes straight, yet with only one goal to show for it, before conceding directly from a corner at the hands of Douglas Luiz to level the game, providing the heart wrenching, sink in your seat feeling you get when watching your team completely dominate a game, believing it was all for nothing.

But not this team.

Because, just three minutes after the equaliser, with the away fans still picking themselves back up from the floor, the imperious Gabriel Martinelli demonstrated how far his game has come in the past year, taking the initiative to aggressively attack the Villa backline, crossing the ball to the back post, before seeing it returned to him to stab home viciously beyond a helpless Martinez.

Images like this are becoming common, as Arsenal’s brilliance on the pitch is matched by some of the best home support in the league. The Emirates has been electric this season.
*Photo: @Arsenal via Twitter*

The transfer window… an opportunity missed?

The morning after the night before from the ecstasy of the Emirates following the Villa triumph, with five wins from five at the start of the Premier League season, was swiftly followed by some strong anxiety… in other words, the hangover was kicking in. Reality was returning to the club, and that reality was that Arsenal had under 24 hours to make any final additions to the squad, before the transfer window slammed shut.

Arsenal had a good summer by all accounts, identifying the profiles and players they wanted early, and acting on this. The issue came in two areas for me, firstly that Arsenal did not sign any players for ‘depth’ or to bolster the squad, and whilst William Saliba’s return from loan acted in this way, as well as Eddie Nketiah’s contract extension and the signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko, we never really added experienced backup in midfield – in a season with an unprecedented fixture list awaiting us.

Zinchenko and Arteta embrace one another, not many would have imagined when the Ukrainian signed that he would be Arsenal’s last piece of business of the summer!
***Photo: Getty Images***

Secondly, Arsenal ‘missed out’ on a main transfer target in Raphinha, and in the style we have seen from this current regime of Edu Gaspar, Mikel Arteta, Tim Lewis, and Richard Garlick, the club did not panic or rush into signing someone, and instead held firm. However, whilst there are certainly plenty of positives in the way Arsenal now handle transfers, the inaction after the aforementioned main winger target Raphinha snubbed The Gunners and fellow London side Chelsea for a move to Barcelona, meant that going into the final day of the window, fans were still slightly worried about the depth of the team, with a gruelling Thursday – Sunday schedule beckoning.

Wolves’ Pedro Neto was a name that was linked heavily with a move to North London, with reports suggesting that the deal was actually quite advanced, believable and in line with the way Arsenal have been operating in the past year. Adding to that the involvement of notorious Portugese agent Jorge Mendes, and fans were confident up until deadline that a move was possible, but this optimism was snuffled out after many reliable outlets revealed the £50M price tag was just not as high as Arsenal were willing to go to secure the Portugese.

The two that got away? Both Raphinha (left) and Pedro Neto (right) were heavily chased by Arsenal, yet neither will play their football under Mikel Arteta this season.
*Photo: Getty Images*

Even more anxiety-inducing for the Arsenal faithful was the fact that in Partey’s absence via injury (something we have come to expect), Elneny, who had been covering was also now injured, prompting the lesser experienced Albert Sambi Lokonga to be thrown in to the Villa clash, and eventually firing Arteta’s side to make an out of character late dash in the market, for Aston Villa and Brazil’s Douglas Luiz, who had briefly sunk Arsenal hearts not even twelve hours earlier! However, this proved to be too big of a deal to complete so late on, and with Leicester’s Youri Tielemans also a target throughout the summer, it would not be unreasonable to speculate that Arsenal missed out on one or possibly two more positions worth of new players during the summer.

Douglas Luiz doesn’t have to move to be embraced by his teammates, after scoring from the corner flag to level the score against Arsenal…
***Photo: Getty Images***

Even as I write this article, Arsenal are continually linked to the two midfielders currently plying their trade at the Midlands outfits, and a move for one of the pair in January seems highly likely. However, this obviously does not help to cope with the strain that will be faced by the Arsenal squad until the World Cup in November, and as the window closed with no fresh faces since the completion of Zinchenko’s move from Manchester City on the 23rd July, fans were growing concerned.

Old Trafford Blues

The following weekend saw these feelings arguably validated by Arsenal, as a polarising game with plenty of positives ultimately handed bitter rivals Manchester United all three points in Manchester.

The Gunners arrived with the same lineup that started against Villa, with the only difference coming at LB, as Zinchenko returned to keep Kieran Tierney sidelined. Arsenal began the game fairly slowly, and United were able to use the crowd to control the attacking side of the game, despite this Arsenal never looked flustered, with the key being the composure and technical prowess of the new look back four. The turning point for the whole game soon arrived, giving an early lead to the Gunners, as captain Martin Ødegaard dispossessed Christian Eriksen in the middle of the park, freeing Saka to play a gorgeous defence splitting pass to Martinelli, who finished with aplomb. Unfortunately though, this eventually handed United a bigger boost, as after a long VAR review, the goal was disallowed, with Ødegaard deemed to have fouled Eriksen in the build up.

Despite some further domination, United took the lead via new £86M recruit Antony, with Arsenal providing him the perfect way to start his Manchester United career – a specialism of this club over the years. Despite this blow Arsenal heads did not drop, possibly due to the culmination of superb support they have received when faced with challenges so far this season. Arsenal sustained pressure well, with adaptations in their attacking play to hurt United. These included long balls to Jesus, who was wonderful on the day with his hold up play, acting as an archetypal #9 to pluck balls from the sky effortlessly before building an attacking move. Ødegaard and Saka combined intricately, giving opposing fullback Tyrell Malacia a hard time, whilst Martinelli ensured Diogo Dalot was unable to effect the game in an attacking sense, consistently running beyond his man.

Antony slots past Aaron Ramsdale as he starts his Manchester United career perfectly.
***Photo: Dave Thompson / AP***

The varied attacking bombardment eventually paid off for Arteta’s side, who notably started the second half magnificently, with Saka slotting into an open net after Jesus poked the ball to him following a brilliant pass from Ødegaard.

However, after this goal Arsenal seemed to ease off slightly, for want of a better term. The intense approach which had suffocated United until now was suddenly abandoned, and in came a slightly more passive passage of play, which gave initiative back to United. It is hard to say exactly why this happened, it did not appear to be a tactical instruction, to me it seemed as though the inexperience of Lokonga holding the base of the midfield down, partnered with the intelligence of Eriksen exposed the core of the Arsenal team.

Mikel Arteta speaks to Gabriel Martinelli on the touchline at Old Trafford. Arteta was criticised for his approach to the game, the openness of the team, and his substitutions.
*Photo: @Arsenal via Twitter*

Arsenal’s midfield has seen Granit Xhaka attacking far more, ditching some of the defensive reliability of a double pivot for added attacking thrust, and combined with an Ødegaard performance reminiscent of some of those we saw towards the back end of last season away from home when out of possession, the inexperienced Lokonga, and inevitably Arsenal, suffered.

Bruno’s ball for the second goal was far too easy to play to Marcus Rashford, making his run to stretch the incredibly high line of Arsenal, with a vacant midfield in front of them, providing so much time on the ball to United’s creators. The goal was a shocker simply put, and had thrown away such a large period of domination via pure naïvety.

Worse still, is that the United third which buried the game was almost identical, and I would argue even more shocking than the second, the Arsenal defensive line and structure looking like it had been formed in a school playground. A strange feeling, after the defensive unit had looked stronger than ever, yet capitulated entirely, surrendering three points. Gary Neville was admittedly impressed by Arsenal on the day, yet pointed to Arteta’s gung-ho triple substitution, arguing the game would be entirely unbalanced in one teams favour after the changes – and in this case United prospered.

Yet, I am not too sure I blame the substitutions, possibly the third goal was scored when the players were still organising their shape, and giving Fábio Vieira his first Premier League minutes here could have been something of a baptism of fire, but principally Arteta did not simply abandon his structure, or panic as some would suggest. On the flip side of that though, it has been almost a month since the game, and I am still a little confused at what went on – but I do feel the confidence of the high line partnered with the absent midfield made it easy for United, a lesson that if you do not always squeeze the opposition in the Premier League, they will hurt you.

Arsenal’s following game was the group opener of the Europa League, away at Zurich, where a 2-1 win was collected, kicking the group off nicely. Eddie Nketiah and Marquinhos were the scorers and providers for each other’s goals, which were well crafted – yet the evening was marked by the death of Queen Elizabeth II, which was announced by Buckingham Palace during the game.

An important response on the horizon?

Arsenal had bounced back from the United defeat via the Europa League, but the real test was to see if the Premier League momentum had been halted, yet on the following day it was announced Arteta’s side would have to wait a while to see if they could get back on track – with the weekends Premier League fixtures being postponed as a mark of respect.

Extra time on the training ground maybe, but if the best way to rectify a bad result is by playing again, an unwelcome gap that was now forming between fixtures, with added uncertainty for games in Europe and the Premier League in the week after due to concerns around public safety and policing numbers. This all seemed to come at the worst possible time for Arsenal, their first blip in momentum would now be followed up by a two-week gap in Premier League football – with the next fixture a trip to the GTech Community Stadium to face Brentford, a ground and team I likened to former Premier League nuisances (I mean that with full respect and praise) Stoke City.

Nobody needs reminding of the beating Arsenal took in West London to start the 2021/22 season, last August. This helped put Brentford on the map and made them feel part of Premier League furniture instantly.
**Photo: @BrentfordFC via Twitter**

Brentford (much like Stoke), play a game you do not want to play, particularly as a possession based side. The football is physical, a back three of physically imposing, intelligent defenders is employed, the signing of former Burnley captain Ben Mee this summer proving my point. This is combined with quality on the ball, particularly from goalkeeper David Raya, who has been an Arsenal target at many points over the last few years. A relentless midfield and tireless wingbacks with quality in their deliveries to forward duo Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo (who work their socks off all game) combine to make a stubborn opponent. All of this is dictated by manager Thomas Frank, who will act as anything from cheerleader to the crowd, or tactician in the dressing room to ensure a result.

Arsenal of all teams know this better than anyone, due to the season opening disappointment of last season, where Brentford really announced their style and intentions in the league in the way they defeated Arteta’s team – which was decimated by COVID in fairness (a detail often left out, despite this games continual reference).

Knowing this, Arsenal really did need to bounce back from not just the United result, but the performance, defensive frailties just would not do. However, in yet another demonstration of character Arsenal did this perfectly. I feel this was our best overall performance of the whole season, a masterclass in how to dominate a team which are seldom on the receiving end of such a one sided game.

From the first minute where the outstanding ever-present of Xhaka worked with Martinelli to create a strong opening, Arsenal won every duel, showing the sturdy nature of this side, before opening the scoring, when Saliba rose the highest to head a corner home magnificently, beating Brentford at their own game, physically dominating on a set piece – a moment which really summed up the transformation of just over a year at Arsenal.

After the lead was established, it was not threatened at all, thanks to the quality of the performance and the control demonstrated. Xhaka’s inch perfect chipped ball which was headed home by the lively Jesus was a combination of Arsenal’s technical and physical prowess, and superiority on the day. The result was finalised with Vieira’s real introduction to the Premier League, as he beautifully curled an effort from outside of the box, bending the ball beyond Raya on his near side, off the post and in.

Some of the best performers on the day embrace Fábio Vieira after his stunning goal to kill the game against Brentford.
***Photo: @Arsenal via Twitter.***

A big response was required, and this was the perfect response.

Rhythm would be a fine thing…

Once again, Arsenal were met with a momentum killer, this time in the form of the international break, providing yet another anxious wait to fans, as well as killing the good feeling after such a strong result.

With the North London Derby edging ever closer, it may feel strange jumping straight back into that game. An early Saturday kick-off slot does not help this situation, with these games notoriously a lot slower and less intense, from a playing and fan perspective. However, if there is one game that can throw this trend out of the window, it is the North London Derby.

Arsenal may have actually benefitted from the break, as Tottenham stars Hugo Lloris and Dejan Kulusevski are set to miss the game via injury, Kulusevski’s injury being sustained with his native Sweden. Arsenal have not suffered the same fate, and are not currently nursing any new injury situations as a result of the international break, although it was confirmed yesterday that Emile Smith Rowe will miss multiple months of football following surgery to help a recurring groin problem, which is a huge upset for the youngster who has had to play a bit part role for various reasons over the past year.

As for the North London Derby, this particular fixture coming off the back of a two week hiatus to club football, and a month of disruption almost requires no words. The players, the managers, the pundits, and of course the fans all know what this means, and the game should provide the perfect reintroduction to the Premier League, as one thing these two North London foes will agree on, is that this derby is fuelled with pure hatred and passion, and this never fails to reveal itself on the pitch.

I expect a strong performance from Arsenal, anything else and I would be lacking faith, as this squad have really shown us they are serious, that they care, and that most importantly, they are an exceptional football team. The main aspects that must be avoided are indulging in any over-emotional moments of the game, as Antonio Conte and therefore his players will be looking to antagonise what is admittedly a squad that wear their hearts on their sleeve, possibly sometimes to their detriment.

Antonio Conte seemed to exude confidence in the way he spoke before and after the last meeting, as well as in the way his team performed on the day the last time the two teams met. I have a feeling this time could prove different though.
***Photo: Getty Images***

As well as this, the midfield battle will be key, although it is a worry that due to Kulusevski’s absence and Conte’s want for a result at a ground where Spurs only ever seem to suffer, it has been rumoured by reputable and reliable Spurs outlets that he could pack his midfield into a congested three, and a five man line with the wing-backs included. This allows Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son to cause problems solely focussing on stretching the defence, as well as a possible muting of our bright midfield. This battle will be crucial and will certainly decide the game in my eyes, barring Arsenal showing any sorts of naïvety as previously discussed.

My last irrational fear is one where Arsenal are able to dominate the game, but will come away bruised and frustrated, reminiscent of the top four deciding game back in May… I am not one to say we dominated proceedings on that night, but it felt very “this is a results business” V “the better football should win” in the philosophies adopted by the managers, and that typically only ends in one way in my experience. In other words if Spurs have two shots on target, two goals and I leave the ground ranting angrily, I may not be that surprised or even angry at the performance, simply the result.

We need Spurs to hire a poet type manager sooner or later, this Jose Mourinho, Conte, Kane and Son era has given me far too much overthinking to do regarding possible xG cheating.

Roll on Saturday!

A final picture to highlight the feeling at Arsenal from manager, to players, to staff, to stewards, and vitally to fans! This type of support will go a long way in ensuring a positive result for Arsenal on Saturday, and I am sure the Emirates will not disappoint. ***Photo: @Arsenal via Twitter.***

The week in Arsenal: Looking ahead to Bournemouth & reflecting on a winning start…

Two Premier League games in to the 2022/23 season have seen Arsenal collect six points, score six goals, and concede two. The Gunners are flying and have maintained their stunning pre-season form early into the new campaign, with the football on show matching the results. In years gone by, it may have been easy to simply praise the fixture list for giving Mikel Arteta’s side an ‘easy’ start, but with the performances as comprehensive and dominant as we have seen thus far, I feel that does Arsenal a disservice.

Let’s take a look back at how we won our first two games, the standout performers, some key moments within them, the way Arteta has deployed his team, and where we can continue to improve, before previewing Saturday evenings visit to The Vitality Stadium, where we will take on Scott Parker’s Bournemouth.

The team:

A factor in our strong start has been the consistency in team selection by Arteta, with the lineup remaining unchanged since Oleksandr Zinchenko signed for the club. The current first XI boasts a strong record of four wins, and a 16-2 aggregate score in the four games it has played (including pre-season).

The side is playing with full confidence, and you can see the on-pitch connection and relationships improving with every kick of a ball amongst the group. The idea in this 4-3-3 system is to play a fluid 3-2-5 / 2-3-5 with the ball, that is if you want to try and give it some sort of structure.

Arsenal:

This can change depending on the fullback pairing, but in the Zinchenko / Ben White dynamic I’d be confident in my description. The nature of the RB profiles at Arsenal means that whilst first choice Takehiro Tomiyasu and deputising CB White can both provide an overlap and attacking support to an adequate standard, neither are final third threats or presences in the mould of Reece James or Trent Alexander-Arnold. This means the Gunners have a three back hybrid available, suiting the strong defensive capabilities of the pair to stifle opposition attacks.

Our LB profiles are the antithesis of this, with Kieran Tierney and Zinchenko boasting a strong presence going forward. Whilst both are able defenders, Tierney is a powerful runner who overlaps and delivers well from wide areas, whilst Zinchenko is a technically brilliant footballer, who can overlap as well as find himself in the pockets of space left by our LCM, the Ukrainian is known to play in midfield, and this versatility is highlighted and celebrated in Arsenal’s current system.

The single pivot player in the side is Thomas Partey, who is tasked with cutting out the ball, winning duels and distributing to those ahead of him, assisted by his defence who are adept at reading the game to squeeze the oppositions forward line and intercept high. Granit Xhaka has been reinvented as a box-to-box player within this side, with the Swiss finding himself popping up in all sorts of positions across the left hand side, as well as arriving late in attacking areas as an extra body. Pushed slightly higher is club captain Martin Ødegaard, who is a link between the less creative players in deeper roles and the attacking trio, tasked with making things happen on the ball, and supporting Bukayo Saka from his role on the touchline, making underlapping runs to drag defenders away from the winger. The pair also have a really strong combination pattern made possible by their understanding of each others games, and ability in tight spaces.

Granit Xhaka celebrates his goal against Leicester, in his re-defined role in the side.
**Photo / @Arsenal via Twitter**

Then come the two biggest goal threats of the system via the in-form Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli. Both have scored two goals so far this season, and provide an electricity to the game when they have the ball. The LW in this system has plenty of space to operate in and is often more isolated with just one opposing defender, such is the support provided by those closest to him. For Martinelli, this means he has time to make runs into space off the ball, in dangerous zones between opposing RB and RCB for example, or he can use his strong dribbling and 1V1 ability to take his man on. The combinations on the left hand side are plentiful, and Gabriel Jesus has found himself operating in this space at times during the opening two fixtures, providing lots of options for his teammates and confusion for defenders, who find it hard to pick him up.

Jesus in the CF role has taken the team to a different level thus far, and represents the biggest difference between the team from last season and this term. Jesus highlights what Arsenal had been missing for so long, with the ball he links up perfectly with his supporting cast, dribbles and carries the ball exceptionally at a frightening pace, crafting goalscoring opportunities frequently, and creating space effortlessly. Without the ball the Brazilian is a bundle of energy, an irrepressible threat to his opposing CB partnership, battling with them all game. He demonstrates strength to hold his man off, ridiculous pressing capabilities, and the physical presence in the air or with opponents who are in possession, pestering and fighting until the opportunity is gone. He cannot be praised enough for his start in my eyes, he makes something happen out of everything in a match, big or small, pretty or not, and it is elevating us hugely.

The Brazilian duo of Gabriel’s (Jesus and Martinelli) in attack are on fire so far this season…
**Photo / @Arsenal via Twitter**

In typical Mikel Arteta fashion the team without the ball can drop into a compact 4-4-2, with Ødegaard acting as the second man alongside CF Jesus in the central zones, defending from the front and pressing tirelessly. However, in the opening two games of the season we have seen this far less from the Gunners, possibly due to the opposition we have faced, or simply because we have evolved past the need to have to soak up pressure as much as we used to under Arteta. Palace had us pinned for part of our Premier League opener at Selhurst Park, however the team still attempted more of a high press in the game, not just purposefully sitting back and letting wave after wave of pressure arrive unchallenged. Against Leicester, the Foxes took a more reserved approach to the game, leading to no long spells out of possession, meaning the high press was mainly deployed to win possession back, and with the ball Arsenal displayed far more control.

The positives from our first two tests…

Starting with the positives, and I feel context is a largely important factor in my appraisal and disapproval of certain aspects of the performances against Crystal Palace and Leicester. Arsenal did not play their best game ever against Patrick Vieira’s side, however the opening 30 minutes was certainly one to behold, as Arsenal showed superiority in every aspect of the pitch, from winning duels and second balls, to playing with freedom and a creative flair which silenced the home crowd and laid the foundation for victory.

A set-piece routine provided the opening goal, scored by Martinelli to show the continuation of a theme from last season of Nicolas Jover’s genius. Out of position White marshalled Wilfried Zaha expertly from RB, giving the tricky winger a night to forget, and William Saliba greeted the Premier League with a dominant display, not putting a foot wrong all evening, breeding confidence. Outside of this I feel the well praised Xhaka and Jesus deserve their flowers once again, for playing with such a high intensity and desire to win. Eddie Nketiah also had a great cameo when welcomed onto the pitch from the bench, providing the thrust for the second goal, which killed the game.

Gabriel Martinelli celebrates the opening goal of Arsenal’s 2022/23 campaign at Selhurst Park.
**Photo / @iF2is via Twitter**

As for Leicester, the Emirates was rocking for this thrilling Arsenal team, and they were not left disappointed. Arteta’s side had some brilliant individual performances once again, in the form of the aforementioned Jesus and Xhaka, who repeated a display of individual drive and skill, this time along with Martinelli, who’s second half goal was sublime, after he had caused havoc to Wesley Fofana and Timothy Castagne on the Leicester right hand side, almost getting the former sent off.

However, it was the team performance that had improved massively from the season opener, with a much improved display of calmness on the ball and control to dictate the game at our desired pace, admittedly aided by Leicester’s pathetic attempts to press or win the ball, with Brendan Rodgers’ side opting to sit off and wait for counter-attacking opportunities instead. The performance was far more convincing despite the winning margin remaining the same, and as a unit the team nullified Leicester’s biggest individual threats for the most part in Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, and Youri Tielemans, remaining patient when building up, not biting at the repeated cynical fouls committed by Leicester, and keeping our heads when the deficit was halved twice in the game – overall the performance was commendably mature and displayed the qualities required to reach the top 4.

The weak points…

Onto the criticism for the performances, starting with Palace, and I would almost describe the teams performance from a structural point of view as the exact opposite to what I just described as the positives from Leicester. The team as a whole showed a considerable lack of composure, particularly in midfield, where it felt as though all three midfielders were often too nervous to carry the ball forwards, with Ødegaard the biggest perpetrator of this fault, showing no improvement on his performance in the corresponding fixture from last season. Our passing was erratic and rushed, which allowed for a Palace onslaught from around the half an hour mark all the way through to the 70th minute.

Palace were unlucky on the night, with some big saves from Aaron Ramsdale to maintain the clean sheet, however Ramsdale’s debut in the #1 shirt also featured some nervous moments, adding to a pattern of sloppy distribution stretching back to last season, with a long punt hitting Palace forward, Odsonne Édouard and looping dangerously close to the Arsenal goal. Debutant Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhães on the left hand side of the defence all too often provided encouragement for Palace from a defensive standpoint, and Zinchenko struggled aerially in a mis-match against opposing winger Jordan Ayew – although the former Manchester City man added quality and calmness to the build-up. Overall, the Eagles created a few too many easy chances off the back of a sloppy structure, lack of focus, and individual errors that must be eradicated for us to succeed this season.

Ramsdale denies Eberechi Eze brilliantly, however he needs to cut the lapses in concentration out.
**Photo / @iF2is via Twitter**

Onto the negatives against Leicester and whilst massively reduced, these once again focus on the defensive side of the team. There were certainly improvements to the teams structure and solidity post Palace, although as I mentioned the weak performance of Leicester combined with the setting for the game at home means I am intrigued to see how we control our next away test.

Another strong start was rewarded with a 2-0 lead going into the 40th minute of the game, with a marauding run from Fofana weaving his way through to goal before being denied by Ramsdale the only real Leicester chance, that was until Leicester were awarded a penalty by referee Darren England for Ramsdale’s alleged ‘collision’ with Vardy, latching onto a loose ball over the top. This decision was overruled when Mike Dean intervened via VAR, and this may seem harsh as it certainly was not a penalty, but I feel as though Ramsdale contested for the ball, rushing off his line when Vardy would have reached it nearer the corner flag than the goal, at an awkward angle, and with Gabriel and Saliba well placed to deal with the threat. In these situations I would much rather avoid giving the referee a decision to make, especially with how inconsistent VAR can be when intervening. These sorts of events can change games in an instant, along with the atmosphere inside of a stadium, and even if they are overruled, it can provide a way back for a team that was dead and buried by that stage, sending nervous energy around the ground.

A further defensive mixup between Ramsdale and Saliba led to the latter putting the ball into his own net early in the second half, in what can be put down to another lack of communication – which can be expected with the new players bedding in, but certainly not a moment that either player will remember fondly. Both players reacted incredibly positively though, assisted by the fans who got right behind them, as well as the quick response from Xhaka, which killed some freshly returned Leicester belief. Lastly, Maddison’s goal which restored some Leicester faith of a comeback for a short while was avoidable, players were slow to track Maddison’s overlapping run and the angle which he slots the ball through Ramsdale’s legs from is the sort of goal I can only imagine a goalkeeper would be furious with themselves for letting in. On that train of thought I do not want to heap more criticism onto Ramsdale, but merely hope that he can re-find his true level, as he has shown a slight decline in overall performance since around April.

Mikel Arteta will certainly be looking to eradicate the sloppy aspects of each performance.
**Photo / @Arsenal via Twitter**

These observations may seem harsh, and I felt that way when writing, however I am harsh on this team because my expectations are high, and I believe in them and the manager to achieve greatness. It is important that incidents within games do not become patterns, eventually manifesting themselves as long term soft characteristics about the team – and a defensive frailty is the worst of the lot.

How will Bournemouth look to hurt Arsenal’s confident start to the season?

Scott Parker is certainly underrated in my eyes as a coach, for me he demonstrates a far more promising present and future in management than his other English counterparts such as Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Parker has a strong and rigid style which matches his tough persona as a player, often deploying a back three or five, utilising both systems so far in the two opening games of the season. His teams have strong principals, and with the quality of the squads at his disposal (including here at Bournemouth), a lot of the big results he collects are a result of resolute defending, bravery from attacking players, and tactical nuances. Parker’s last meeting with Arteta saw the Englishman come away with a more positive result, back in 2021 when his Fulham side fought for a 1-1 draw at the Emirates, where Arsenal scored a 97th minute equaliser. Here is how he may lineup on Saturday evening…

Bournemouth:

Injuries: Jordan Zemura (COVID), Dominic Solanke (Ankle), Ryan Fredericks (Calf), Joseph Rothwell (Thigh), David Brooks (Medical Recovery).

Suspensions: N/A

Bournemouth opted for a 3-4-2-1 in their recent visit to The Etihad, although after a 4-0 demolition by the champions, Parker himself admitted that Pep Guardiola’s side were “just too good” for the Cherries to handle. However, in Parker’s opening day 2-0 success against Aston Villa, the team played a 5-3-2, with the notable difference being the inclusion of left back Jordan Zemura, who is a doubt ahead of Saturday evening after struggling with COVID recently. Also in that line-up was Dominic Solanke, who had a great Championship season last term, although will miss Arsenal’s visit due to an ankle injury.

Kieffer Moore celebrates his goal which made sure of the three points against Villa on the opening day – although Parker may need a new solution at CF.
**Photo / @iF2is via Twitter**

Through a mixture of injuries and an attempt to get the best, most experienced members of the squad playing, Bournemouth have yet to show a settled XI or structure so far this season, hence the inclusion of new recruit Marcos Senesi, as well as Jamal Lowe, Phillip Billing, and Junior Stanislas as possible starters in my predicted XI. With Solanke out, it does feel that Welshman Kieffer Moore will struggle as the lone CF, opening up an opportunity for a change. Parker may also look to get Jefferson Lerma back into midfield from CB by including Senesi, especially against this well oiled, attacking Arsenal machine. A physical battle will certainly have to be relished by Arteta’s side if they wish to keep a clean sheet, and implement sustained pressure.

Some final thoughts on Arsenal…

Regardless of the enigma that is this Bournemouth side so far, I feel confident knowing that no matter how strong our opposition, at this stage in Arteta’s tenure I rarely find myself worried about how we will prevent the other team, focussing more on how Arsenal will win the game with their strengths. I think this system is good enough to dismantle any style of team when the players show the right intensity and act as a unit without the ball especially. Arsenal have a mix of measured buildup and individual brilliance, which can find its way around any defensive puzzle within a 90 minute spell.

Arsenal:

Injuries: Fábio Vieira (Ankle), Reiss Nelson (Muscular).

Suspensions: N/A

As for Arsenal’s lineup, I believe it will remain unchanged once again, with only Tierney and Tomiyasu’s return to fitness threatening any re-shuffle by Arteta, however with the form of the side, it is hard to see any re-integration of injured players being rushed. This squad is blessed with the depth to allow for players to take their time when returning to the fold, with the same luxury being afforded to Emile Smith Rowe and Fábio Vieira – who both partook in the Arsenal U-21 sides triumph over Swansea’s U-21 on Wednesday evening, to rebuild fitness and match sharpness.

Vieira showcased his ability on Wednesday night at the Arsenal U-21 fixture – slowly building his match sharpness back up from injury.
**Photo / @davidhickman14 via Twitter**

It feels as though Vieira is still a way from playing, although interestingly the highly adaptable Portuguese may well be used as an interior in midfield, replacing Xhaka in our best XI, as the attacking positions that Xhaka find himself in would suit Vieira’s game far better, adding another creative tool to pick the locks of opposition defences. This is a particularly exciting prospect in games against weaker opposition, especially when you factor in Zinchenko’s ability to invert and cover the central zones left vacant by the LCM.

Smith Rowe on the other hand, is much further along the injury timeline, and a cameo is more than likely from the bench on Saturday to get him back up to speed. On that same note, Nketiah has so far been a victim of the productivity and sensational form of Jesus and particularly Martinelli early in the season, preventing him from starting. This is a shame because as I’ve reiterated many times, Eddie has a big season ahead of him where he will certainly pleasantly surprise many, although his mentality leads me to believe he will stay patient and hungry whilst he works his way into the XI.

I am hopeful that Saka will regain some confidence on Saturday too, as the one negative to the system currently is his isolation on the touchline of the RW, as a result of the lack of attacking combinations from his fullback and from Ødegaard’s lacklustre supporting movement in the opening two games. Saka has looked quiet by his sky-high standards but I am not worried about him, he has created chances and certainly impacted our wins positively, even without goals and assists – which is arguably the biggest sign of a top player.

Gabriel Jesus embraces the fans in my favourite photo of the week, which encapsulates the mood around the club right now.
**Photo / @iF2is via Twitter**

Overall, Saturday cannot come soon enough for me, Arsenal look brilliant and each game is a pleasure to watch at this moment in time. The connection between the fans and club is at an all time high in Arteta’s reign, and the positivity surrounding the performances will serve to maintain the high standards.

Match Preview: Crystal Palace v Arsenal.

Friday, August 5th, 2022 Selhurst Park Kick-Off (UK): 8PM – Live on Sky Sports Match Officials: Referee: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Darren England.

Arsenal once again have the duty of raising the curtain on the latest Premier League campaign, with a visit to Selhurst Park kicking off the 2022/23 season on Friday night. Hosts Crystal Palace will be entering their tenth consecutive season in the top flight, and as Premier League regulars, they will know exactly how to deal with the occasion. The Gunners will be looking for an opening day victory in the Premier League, after this alluded Mikel Arteta’s side last year at the hands of Thomas Frank’s Brentford. This is the fifth time that Arsenal will be involved in the first game of a new Premier League season, with a strong record of three wins and one loss in this scenario.

Christian Nørgaard wheels away in celebration on the opening day of last season, as Arsenal surrendered to the atmosphere and occasion at Brentford.
**Photo / @BrentfordFC via Twitter**

The prospect of a London derby to begin the season is exciting for the neutral, however Arteta’s side will certainly have to be cautious, as Selhurst Park in particular has proved to be a tricky ground to visit in recent memory for Arsenal, winning just two of their last six visits to South East London, with the latest loss being a heavy 3-0 defeat back in April, which inflicted major damage on Arsenal’s hopes of finishing in a top four spot last season. Combining this with the brilliant form of Patrick Vieira’s Palace last season, that saw the Eagles visit Wembley in an FA Cup semi-final, and finish in style with a run of six consecutive home games unbeaten, in which they kept five clean sheets, and Arsenal will have to be careful not to fall at the first hurdle on Friday.

How Arsenal can avoid opening day upset…

With Arteta yet to defeat Vieira in his two managerial meetings with the Arsenal invincible, a new plan will be needed to overcome the failures of old. The main issue with our performances against Palace last season came from a lack of maturity and intensity at times in both games, and despite a great show of resilience to claw a point back at the Emirates in the 95th minute back in October, leaving it late will be the last thing on any Arsenal fans mind for the first game of the season.

In the aforementioned home fixture, Arsenal did not struggle to control the game per se, dominating the attacking statistics, but showed a real naïvety when the ball was lost, particularly in the final third. Whilst it is true that these were the early days of a move away from a 4-2-3-1 shape for the Gunners, meaning certain dynamics such as Emile Smith Rowe as a #8 and the lack of proper spacing between players were teething problems that had not yet been resolved, the performance allowed an easy counter-attack which Vieira’s team, spearheaded by Jordan Ayew, Christian Benteke, Odsonne Édouard and later Michael Olise, took full advantage of.

Edouard celebrates what looked like a Palace winner at the Emirates, after a ruthless counter-attack.
**Photo / @CPFC via Twitter**

Once the sides met again in April, Arteta’s switch to a fluid 4-3-3 was no longer in its infancy, and the confidence amongst the fanbase and team reflected this, with the system bearing fruit for Arteta’s men. Simultaneously though, Palace had improved themselves, with Wilfried Zaha returning to be a key player, as well as Jean-Philippe Mateta and Olise announcing themselves as mercurial talents, and key bows to the Crystal Palace arrow. On this night, Arsenal’s downfall was no longer about a misunderstanding of tactical instruction, but more a capitulation under the lights on a Monday night, where Palace outfought, and out-thought us. The intensity on the pitch was low from kick-off, and the game had an end of Arséne Wenger era feel to it, with players struggling to win first or second balls, getting passed around and dribbled past with ease, and showing a lack of an organised press – which contributed to CB Joachim Andersen’s second assist of the game, so it was no surprise that within 30 minutes we were 2-0 down. A second half penalty sealed our fate, and the difference from October was the dominance in the Palace performance, rather than the weakness in ours. Another toothless performance come Friday and we may as well forget about a positive result, as Palace will have their fans right behind them, and early in the season one off ‘surprise’ results are far from infrequent.

Fast forward to August from the dismal night in April and Arsenal’s system has kept refining itself since, and with our new players, new combinations, and ever-improving confidence, the game has a fresh dynamic. Since we have had the full compliment of players that we will take into the game on Friday, in Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and returning loanee William Saliba, Arsenal have scored ten goals and conceded none in two games to first Chelsea, and then Sevilla, and whilst this may be pre-season, which I do not bother drawing too many conclusions from, the team has played with a noticeably better freedom and fluidity. Players are interchanging all over the pitch, everybody has a brilliant understanding, and the rotations and patterns of play are gorgeous, as well as proving to be very difficult to stop.

I have talked in more depth in my season preview about our new signings and players that I believe will particularly impress this season, but in a few words, Jesus has opened endless possibilities in comparison to last season, as his link up, dribbling, pace, finishing and shot creation is worlds above that of Alexandre Lacazette. Saliba’s return and new recruit Zinchenko both bring a lot of the same improvements to the team, with both hugely lifting the composure and technical security of our defence whilst being astute defenders. Saliba allows for cover across the backline in the form of Ben White shifting to RB, whilst we wait for the injured Takehiro Tomiyasu to make his return – however this is far less urgent now. Zinchenko also provides cover for the injured Kieran Tierney, with the Ukrainian providing calmness in possession, and the ability to both overlap and invert effectively – making him much harder to pick up.

These improvements in defence and attack alone make it less likely that the same mistakes from our last visit will reoccur, as we notably failed to have any high quality attempts on goal, with Palace defenders Andersen and Marc Guéhi marshalling Lacazette expertly, with his lack of physical qualities making it an easy day at the office for the pair. As well as this, Cedric and Nuno Tavares serving as the two fullbacks on the night were incredibly erratic on the ball, often hoofing it long which only served to rebuild pressure from Palace and their fans. Both also struggled to deal with their respective wingers, and with the quality of Vieira’s wide-men, this caused dangerous situations frequently. In midfield, unfortunately new recruit Fábio Vieira will miss out as he has a slight injury, however Arsenal still boast an incredibly strong trio of midfielders for the trip, who have only grown in their understanding of the roles they are tasked with.

The write off at Selhurst Park last season left me shocked in the stands, but our squad has improved since.
**Photo / All rights belong to me**

With that, as long as Arsenal play their game, and avoid the mistake of letting Palace set the tone with the crowd behind them, I believe from a footballing point of view we have got what it takes to be dangerous enough going forward, whilst frustrating the Palace attack enough to prevent a similar scoreline as last season. Arsenal will have to be cautious on set pieces, as Palace are a real threat in these situations, having the players to win plenty of fouls, and despite our strong record on corners in particular last season, giving any team dead ball situations can help to build confidence, at the very least. This game will be the biggest test for Arteta’s side until the trip to Old Trafford in early September in my view, meaning a positive result here would be massive for the confidence of this ever developing side. A negative result would not be followed up by tough consecutive games as it was last season, but ultimately if Arsenal want to achieve their goals, a win is all that will do.

How Vieira can get Palace purring against his former side again…

Discussing how Arsenal have improved and will provide a new set of challenges for the Eagles on Friday in isolation can skew reality, and it must not be lost that Palace have had a positive few months since the sides last met too. Palace certainly make use of the feeling they get from a game when playing against Arsenal, and this stretches back to the 3-0 embarrassment of 2017, where Sam Allardyce’s team rampantly bullied Wenger’s collapsing Arsenal, as if the crowd were telling the players what to do telepathically. The energy generated by the faithful “ultras” of the ground will be no different on Friday, and the electric atmosphere the fans help to build will be a major factor in not just this game, but all games at Selhurst Park this season. The side boast the strong home record mentioned prior for a reason, and if Arsenal are not at their very best, I am certain that Vieira will utilise this and incorporate it into the way his team approaches the night.

Palace under Vieira have deployed a fairly traditional 4-3-3, however there are plenty of tactical nuances to this system, and each player has a well defined role, particularly from an attacking sense. Going from front to back, the South London outfit have not been scared to utilise three traditional CF’s across the frontline, with Ayew the clubs official #9 often finding himself on the touchline of the right flank, Benteke still rotating as a useful starting CF, and Edouard playing from the left. This is because when Palace attack, the LW often tucks in, almost forming a two man strike partnership of yesteryear with the defined CF. Ayew can hold his width and is often supported by what was the busy RCM of the midfield three last season in Conor Gallagher – who has since returned to Chelsea after his loan spell – which may cause some tactical tweaks to the system. Where the LW in this system often tucks in, young English LB Tyrick Mitchell is tasked with stretching the pitch, staying as high and wide as possible. The fullback got his first senior England call up last season, and has a notably strong ability to keep possession and deliver the ball from wide, whilst acting as a ‘stopper’ style traditional fullback.

Palace pair Mitchell and Guéhi impressed last season, which earned the both of them senior England call-ups.
**Photo /** **via football365.com**

Anchoring the midfield has been a mixture of Cheikhou Kouyaté – who has now left the club, Will Hughes, and Luka Milivojević, with these players ordered in how many Premier League minutes they played last season. To the left of this deeper midfielder is often a ‘busier’ box to box style player, as despite Gallagher’s tenacity, his focus was more offensive. This player comes in the form of Palace veteran James McArthur, as well as Jeffrey Schlupp, who are both willing runners, providing the squeeze on opponents, harassing them into making quick, rushed passes. The side then form something of a back three to accommodate captain Joel Ward’s strengths, with the excellent Guéhi and Andersen partnership joining him.

Another note to make about that pair is the brilliance of their passing – particularly over long distances. This combined with a physically capable set of tall attackers in a front three is perfect for getting from back to front quickly, as not many defences can deal with this bombardment. Palace do not boast an amazing pass accuracy percentage, neither do they play what would be traditionally ‘beautiful’ football, however the pace at which they act with the ball is frightening, whether it be a long ball to a forward, quick give and goes through midfield, or the sight of Zaha and Olise dribbling in full flow, they have plenty of ways to flex their attacking might. The combination of pace in attacking movement, as well as the high press and squeeze which can shrink the old school pitch of Selhurst Park will be a danger for Arteta to consider, and whilst Arsenal will certainly not want to surrender possession via long balls, they will need to be accurate, composed, and communicate well when building up to avoid any mishaps.

Vieira’s Palace tactics are hardly reinventing the wheel, however they have strong principals, rooted in the era where Vieira graced the Premier League as a player, with a modern twist. As well as these principals on the pitch, Vieira has created something far deeper and long term at the club. Palace had been stagnant ever since the 2018/19 season, with star players often departing, leaving an ageing squad in their place. Despite the ownership at the club taking an active interest and chairman Steve Parish being a boyhood fan it was simply too risky to get rid of Roy Hodgson and these players, as whilst stagnant the formula was ensuring Palace’s Premier League survival season after season. Following Hodgson’s retirement from management though, Palace were forced to switch their system around, and following nine senior players leaving the club in the summer of 2021, Vieira took charge, and has become a part of the family, with the Frenchman taking an interest from top to bottom, even watching academy games regularly. Vieira is becoming a figurehead at the club, and with such a strong crop of talented players, both past and present, beginning their careers at The Academy – which received a £20M rebuild in 2021, there are exciting times ahead.

However, there may be a slightly bitter taste in the mouths of Palace fans following Gallagher’s move back to Chelsea at the end of his loan spell. The 22 year old had an outstanding campaign for Palace last season, with the all action midfielder epitomising the style that Vieira wishes to imprint upon his side. The Palace faithful fell in love with the young English midfielder, and will be nervously awaiting to see if any of the solutions to his vacancy can replace his impact.

Of these solutions are two more under-25 midfield talents, in the form of Ebere Eze (24), who spent the entirety of last season out with a bad injury, yet has seen plenty of action under Vieira in pre-season so far, and new signing Cheick Doucouré (22), who arrived from Lens in Ligue 1 for £22M in July. Whilst the profiles of both of these players does not replicate Gallagher’s directly, we could see a shift to a double-pivot from Vieira’s side, with Eze lacking the defensive work rate to be a box to box in the Gallagher mould. The upside though, is that Eze is as silky on the ball as they come, and I believe he will help Palace retain the ball better, pass with a vastly improved accuracy and create more chances from open play. Doucouré would also suit my proposed formation change, as he is suited to a deeper position, however the sky is the limit under Vieira, who told him “I’m going to make you better. I know your game, I’ve known it for a while, so I know what you need”.

New boy Doucouré comes to SE25 full of promise, after starring in two impressive seasons for Lens in Ligue 1.
**Photo / @CPFC via Twitter**

Another area of concern for the Palace faithful, will be the messy pre-season the club undertook this summer, with the squad essentially being split in two, with just eight senior outfield players having travelled to Singapore and Australia for a tour that was due to commence ahead of the 2020/21 season, but was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the foreign tour has been revealed as a big money maker, and positive for brand exposure too, it is far from ideal for squad cohesion of new signings, amongst other purely footballing queries. Zaha, Eze, Guéhi, and Olise all remained on English soil and whilst the 26 man squad was filled with young, hungry players for Vieira to keep his eye on ahead of the new term, as well as the pre-season both on UK soil and abroad yielding positive results, you would think the idea may have just added unneeded confusion and stress to preparation for Vieira.

Predicted Lineups:

Arsenal:

Injuries: Emile Smith Rowe (Groin), Fábio Vieira (Ankle), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Thigh), Kieran Tierney (Knee).

Suspensions: N/A

As previously discussed, Arsenal will retain their 4-3-3 on Friday. The team practically picks itself, through a combination of reliable quality, and some positions that are injury hit. After Bernd Leno’s departure to Fulham on Tuesday, there is no doubt that Aaron Ramsdale will start – that is if there was any doubt cast in your mind anyway. The back four sees new boy Zinchenko in, as Nuno Tavares left the club for a year long loan move to Marseille on the weekend, and Tierney is still nursing an injury which kept him out at the back end of last season. Ben White starts at RB, following his spell here in pre-season, where he played with excellent authority over the position. Tomiyasu has a chance of playing, as he looks likely to return soon, but I don’t see it myself on Friday. It would be throwing him in at the deep end facing up to Zaha when he would just about pass as available for the game.

Thomas Partey starts at the base of the midfield three, despite the Ghanaian being in the midst of a legal battle which turned incredibly public via Twitter last week. The club seem to have a clear stance which will not be unchanged, which is to support Partey, meaning unless in the eyes of the law his situation changes, he will continue to be picked, however that is received by fans. Xhaka has featured heavily in pre-season, and his typical reliability will be useful in this game. As for Ødegaard, the new official club captain is a guaranteed starter without question, and it will be interesting to see if the Norwegian can forget his woes from this fixture last season. The front three has two of our finest players in Jesus and Saka undoubtedly starting, supported by new #11 Martinelli, who due to Smith Rowe’s injury, has an opportunity to make that LW spot his own.

Crystal Palace:

Injuries: Sam Johnstone (Quadricep), Jack Butland (Hand), James McArthur (Hip), Michael Olise (Ankle).

Suspensions: N/A

As for Crystal Palace, I have opted for a 4-3-3, as this was Vieira’s preferred lineup last season, however with the new midfield profiles I would not be shocked by a 4-2-3-1 shape, which could see a re-shuffle in midfield, with Schlupp coming out of the side for Hughes to partner Doucouré. Regardless though, Eze will certainly be gifted with a free role, with his main challenge to create chances and keep Palace ticking over against an Arsenal side who love to have the ball. The back four and goalkeeper are easy choices for me, with Guaita actually being the only senior keeper available, as both other keepers including new recruit Johnstone, finding themselves on the injury list.

From the midfield to the attack I will reiterate that there are numerous choices and combinations available to Vieira. The missing McArthur will prove to be a big blow for Palace, after Kouyate’s experience has been lost this window. This leaves the Eagles thin in central midfield, and possibly needing another midfielder before the transfer window closes, especially if the club wish to improve their control on games this term. As for the front three, Zaha and Ayew seem certain to start, with both players being trusted on big occasions. The CF option at Palace is never one I am confident of predicting, with Vieira happy to roll the dice and rotate between his three options, although on this occasion I believe Mateta will play, especially after his excellent performance against the Gunners back in April. One last plausible suggestion is that new and promising youngster, Malcolm Ebiowei could feature on the wing from the start, although I believe on Friday he may only see minutes from the bench – the young Englishman will certainly make the first XI very soon, though.

Final thoughts…

I believe Friday will be a high quality, captivating contest to kick the newest instalment of the Premier League off, with two teams of contrasting styles trading blows – the question is which system will falter first? The key battles will come from midfield, and Arteta must ensure that Arsenal survive the fast paced football Palace will serve his team. There will be top individuals in both attacks, and if either of Jesus or Zaha decide to switch the fireworks on, not many defenders will have a say in what follows. If Palace bombard Arsenal aerially they may get some joy, but in the same tone Arsenal will be too strong if they are able to keep hold of possession and bring wave after wave of attack, which will suffocate the space Palace want to spring a counter.

Jesus has the X factor to make something happen out of nothing, and has been in red hot form since joining Arsenal…
**Photo / @Arsenal via Twitter**

But of course, that is just the football, and once the ground is full, the fans are up for it, and all eyes are on the London based outfits, you never really know what may happen. Expect the unexpected, the Premier League is back!