It might seem a bit churlish for me to question the value of this pre-season game for Arsenal, after eight goals and a clean sheet for the Gunners seems to be just what the doctor ordered as we get ever closer to the start of a crucial campaign, but I have to wonder whether a tougher test might have been better for the players in the long run.
Don’t get me wrong Gooners, there was a lot to be pleased about from this demolition of the Norwegian club Viking FK, with our super Spaniard running the show in his trademark style and scoring a great goal to add to his assists. We also saw two goals each from the impressive Joel Campbell and Alex Iwobi, while Theo Walcott also broke his pre-season duck with a good finish.
All of this is good for the players’ confidence of course, while a clean sheet is always a bonus, but it was the lack of threat that our defenders had to deal with that most concerns me. No doubt Man City will provide a stronger examination of our back line on Sunday but I would have liked them to get a bit more preparation for it tonight.
What do you think Gooners, am I being too picky?
Bob.
BOTH…Good run out for Santi and the Young Gunz tho
Oh……. So the Viking gave Wenger a scandinavian sword?
Probably Ragnar Lothbrok’s *smirks*
well let’s see how many EPL teams he’d be able to smite down with that next season L()L
Outrageous Soapy. You sound and comment like the fan of a team that’s been beaten, and you’re slagging the opposition.
Viking are a crap team in a crap league, only being “saved” by Rosenborg, who lost to APOEL in the CL qualification round, cheating like Mourinho and Simeone were amateurs in cheating (APOEL that is)
However, this is the sort of result I expected, so we seem to be en route for the season (which doesnt really matter for 1p looking at previous years)
No it is not real test. By that means Spurs destroyed Inter today so they are far better than us. till first half struggled both in attack and defense. Second half was better performance but let’s be honest, We played against some unknown team.
We might see where we stand against City on Sunday
It’s a preseason game and we won 8-0. Stop complaining.
You could build a team around Cazorla. Perhaps our best player. Reality check Sunday.
You could, but you don’t have to because he fits so well with any lineup. Ozil kind of has to be built around as his skillset requires others to play off more than Cazorla’s, who can create magic on the ball very well and is just more adaptable to nearly any type of player.
Still think Ozil is the player you want to build around. A team built well around him will create and score a very large amount of goals, but I have to wonder if we have that team built right now. Certain players we have, especially Wilshere, Ramsey, and Giroud are poor fits for Ozil in my opinion (Giroud because he wants to be part of the build up too much and his lack of pace and skill causes Ozil to have less space than a quicker, more skillful CF would, I think the other two are obvious as to why).
@mall-gooner
Here’s what I don’t get about some of the moans. Known or unknown, Viking are still a group of professional footballers, who given the chance could have beaten us. They defended well in the 1st half and had a halfway decent attack going when they had the ball.
Remember. It’s only pre-season. So it was a decent prep and a soft test.
Maybe you should be supporting the”far better” team.
Ok so if I see issue with my team and want them to improve then I am wrong. I should support other team instead of pointing out problems. Thanks for advice @ny_gooner
@mall-gooner
Stop tryin to play the victim.
It was a pre-season match.
I am not trying to play victim. As you suggested it was pre-season game so did I.
We will have better test in next game and will come to know where we stand.
Also, please never suggest any Gooner to support other team. We are as much as loyal as many others and not plastic fan
@mall-gooner
A real Gooner would not make the statement that Spurs were a far better team than AFC. And on the strength of a pre-season match. Miss me with that nonsense…
That you even posted such a statement says a lot about you.
@Ny-gunner, When did I say Spurs is better than AFC. I said pre-season is not a parameter to judge, by that logic Spurs is better than us. Hope you got my point
You didn’t understand my statement and still you came to know lot about me. Thanks
@mall-gooner
Had you explained it then, as you did now, this misunderstanding could have been avoided.
No harm. No foul Gooner…
@Ny-Gooner. My bad anyways enjoy your Weekend.
@mall-gooner
Respect…
Respect to the both of you. I can’t comprehend why people would thumb down?!! (let hope for their sake that they pressed the wrong button)
Here try this koolaid.
I up-voted, but Spurs are not far better, they have played bigger pre-season matches, have more stars back because they have mainly English players who did wonders at Euro. Certainly, Liverpool and Spurs looks solid from pre-season, I doubt if Wenger even wanted to put too much energy in these matches
Good for the boys. Happy for Santi.
However, let’s not be gullible here. This is groundhog day all over again.
Didn’t we see something like this last year?
As long as we don’t make quality signings, all these matches are almost futile efforts.
OT:
I was just thinking of this.
Granit £34m
Riyad £40m
Lacazette £40m
Mustafi £20m
£134m in one season for Arsenal? I really hope we do. The new season is creeping up on us like it did last year.
I hope for the best. Oh to be a Gooner.
as you was just thinking it got me thinking I really like mahrez also but we have a shix load of midfieders and lacazette is good but aubameyang could be had for 60-70 mill. that would make more sense.
Yh your right we have a shix load of midfielders who can’t score goals. Apart from Sanchez, who the last midfielder to score more than15 goals a season?!
Do yourself a favour and forget about aubameyang.
1- bvb isn’t a selling club, unless there is no option but to sell if they don’t want him to go free 2- aubameyang only wants a move to real madrid, if he ever was to leave bvb
Love the fact that Iwobi and campbell got on the score sheet……as well as walcott and the magician
but ofcourse, this is no real test……not while we still got bogey teams like stoke and swansea
get ready…. 10days from now….. The real tests are coming!
You forgot Southampton. I can’t even remember when we last beat them in the league. Also when was the last time we beat Chelsea,United(away) and Liverpool(away) in the league ?
What a stunner goal from Santi. Well-done guys. I know it’s just a preseason game but always good seeing the team you support win games. I remember past seasons, we do thump one team at least.. Everton, Middlesbrough 6:0. Anyone remember? Well, good win….good playing time for some players too.. Can’t complain..
Yes exactly how many teams did we destroy on the PL like viking …..
Been too long since i seen Arsenal do that to a team any team.
l dont care who we sign i want to see a better Arsenal than the last so many years its like they dont care some games and thats not good enough plus games we are on top like we used to be half the time we stuggle in the end to win and thats not the Arsenal i know and remember.
No one fears us like they used to and thats gotta change some how i dont know how Wenger out some might say a bigg signing others might say but one thing i know id rather go back to way we played the best football around (Barca excluded) than struggle like we have.
Wheres the Wenger i know gone the fast attacking get as many goals as u can.
I could go on as ive a lot i could give out about but all i want is the best football from Arsenal for the best fans around who still pay more than they can afford to watch this team.
For me it is variation in attack as much as anything. We take very few long shots and have no width. Trying to force the ball through the middle constantly regardless of how much the other team packs it in limits the number of clear chances we get and in the end goalscoring in general.
I also feel like our pace is way too slow most of the time. I miss Rosicky so much for what he did forcing and controlling a high tempo. We need to bring back that one touch game we had several years ago. The midfield is so much better, it should suit the players we have better right now. Certain players get license to dwell on the ball, but everyone else needs to get rid of it on the second touch. Having fast players doesn’t make the team fast if we spend so long dribbling in circles and letting the defense reset while we pass side to side.
this was not a real test but a good training session. I think we all know the better test or real test will be against City on Sunday. They are probably still getting used to Pep’s playing style but they are a PL team who have a similar quality squad and should be at a similar phase of their preparations. It will be more realistic to draw conclusions after that game IMO.
I would beore happy if it was against manure or chelski.
But simce it was against tge vikings(didnt know they turned to footballers these days).
Ah well whatever
@ramterta
You should be happy your team won, instead of lost. No matter who it was against…
Vikings ruled the world back in the day there where real men used to come from. lol.Joking
Good run out for the lads, probably going to rest cazorla until liverpool game, the other players looked ok, nothing really much to say…………
OOO except for Walcott looked terrible in the first half, started to share the ball better in the second half therefore started to improve with movements and eventually scored, let us hope his confidence improve
I want a No.9 and a CB but I am more convinced than ever that Iwobi is ready so not AS concerned about a new wide player. He showed really promising signs last season and looks to have moved on since – he looks a monster, must have bulked up at least 5/6kg. Personally, and I am OK with receiving the flak, I’d much rather let him have his break-out season as our RW than spend say £60M on Draxler (and I like Draxler alot). Mahrez is great as well but for me it is a coin toss whether he will have such a great season again! Our midfield is a proper headf**k now – haven’t got the first clue as to what our 1st X1 midfield will look like. Concentrate the money on CF and CB I say.
I agree with you on Iwobi.. The only concern I have is that he is right footed and like to cut inside hence LW is his best position but we already had a star player in that position – Alexis. Mahrez with his sweet left food will fit in the RW position nicely.
Draxler, I like him, his first touch remind me of our once best striker Robin Van Persie. If Wenger is confident in converting him to a striker like he did with Van Persie, we should get Draxler as well.
Oh so good to see Alexis!! In background like a spectator with a brand new hair crop…
Some lovely play, and great goals, but Viking were awful, let’s not forget that. Overall, this could have a negative impact on Wenger’s thinking. He may start to think we don’t need any more signings.
If Arsenal don’t spend huge this summer, then fans should protest hard! If they’re not going to spend the huge amounts of money that we the fans are FORCED to give them, then the club should start making big reductions on ticket prices. I say forced, which is in regards to watching Arsenal, not merchandise, etc.
How many teams have we made look awful in the past…..A lot more than we have last few years a few more 8-0 this season and Viking wont look so bad.
Loved Adelade and Iwobi today,1st time I finally see Zalalem making some note worthy moves and passes since we signed the kid,he also looked great,Gotta say we have a lot of players waiting to burst onto the scene,get Lacazeet or another good striker and a solid CB and we are gone my friends.
OOoo i think we should take a dip at Benteke 25 million should do it, not the skillful wide player, but offers everything Giroud does and has a little more pace.
I think we have quite a few wide players that can do a wonderful job, but we do not actually have a CF that would compete with Giroud and that is the area which has the least amount of competition, all our other so call forwards are wide players.
Not the worst idea but so many want the best of the best atm that hes not good enough just yet but dealine day that could change we need another attacker one way or another.
Don’t understand why Ozill and LK can’t play next week then rest the next game. Arsenal & Liverpool have a great history and by not having our players it’s so wrong and for certain kloops team will be there to win with hard work. Remember all they have is the EPL ? Say no more
I would agree if I thought Arsene would actually do it. But we have seen how he rides his best players until they are too tired to play well. If they need rest, I would rather them stay out until they are ready so Arsene doesn’t overuse them so quickly.
Let’s not be so critical or negative. Tonight can only build confidence the city game will help ground and prepare the players for tougher games ahead. Remember the pre season a few seasons ago where we lost games against unknown sides?winnings a good habit to get into!
Ot anyone else think lacazette resembles ‘Craig david’? Can I get a rewind, bo selecta!