As things stand right now Arsenal is second in the standings behind Liverpool on goal difference and even though the season is just two games old and we have not faced a top-six rival there is still plenty of reasons to be very confident that this campaign will be a successful one.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first, Burnley and Newcastle were easy pickings, I accept that and I know full well that the upcoming games against Liverpool and Tottenham are the real test but that is not what this article is about.
While our first two opponents were hardly the most testing opponents it has to be noted that in the first game it could be argued that as many as six or seven first-team players were missing and even in the game against Burnley there were significant player absences.
But putting the quality of the opponents to one side there is a lot to feel good about as we gear up to face much sterner opposition.
Dani Ceballos has already strengthened the midfield and looks like he could be the replacement for Aaron Ramsey we have been looking for, he also has that Santi Cazorla feel about him and the energy he has brought to the team is clear to see. I have no doubts he will give both Spurs and Liverpool a torrid time.
Lucas Torreira, Mesut Ozil and even Nicolas Pepe have yet to stamp their mark on the season and when those three start clicking in their respective positions the team will be even stronger.
The defence will be far stronger soon as well, David Luiz will become more settled, Monreal is playing like a new signing and Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin should all be back by the time October comes to a close.
This Arsenal team has yet to realise its full potential and as each game passes they are getting closer and closer to showing what they are truly capable of.
I am not saying we are title contenders though I am not ruling it out either but I am saying that there is every reason to feel confident that we will do a lot better than last season and from where I am sat, the evidence is there already that my confidence is justified.
Liverpool test will tell us more.
I hope we go for 3 -5 – 1 -1 against them to avoid a heavy defeat (or defeat at all).
Leno
Chambers – Luiz – Sokratis
AMN – Guendouzi – Torreira – Ceballos – Monreal
Lacazette
Aubameyang
Pepe to come on for Lacazette or Guendouzi depending on the game developments (and a shift to 3 – 4 – 2 – 1 in case he replaces Guendouzi)
With Luiz we can unlike previous years put a long ball straight to our attackers without relying on the snail-paced Xhaka.
Arsenal have tried several defensive tactics against Klopp and they didn’t work. A three-CB formation is fine, but it must be the attacking one, such as 3-4-1-2
However, I’d prefer Emery to use 4-3-3 like Liverpool and Man City. We can’t rely on our wingers to penetrate, but I believe Ceballos and Ozil or Mkhitaryan can be good half-wingers like De Bruyne:
……………………Leno
Maitland-Niles . Sokratis . Luiz . Monreal
………………….Torreira
………..Ceballos ……….. Ozil
…Pepe ……………………… Aubameyang
…………………Lacazette
OZIL away to Anfield? Mhhhhhh.
I like the 5-3-1-1
Good lineup
My exact lineup. The best we can have. It’s a shame Ozil will not play. I don’t trust Willock, Nelson, Gud’ and even Xhaka in these kind of games. No to 352 tactics of defensive minded football. We better loose playing to score than loose trying to defend .it’s too early for such tactical mentalities.
I’d switch out Ozil for Guenzoudi. Guendouzi has been in form and will match the energy of Liverpool’s midfield. Besides for that I like the lineup. Arsenal should try bypassing midfield as often as possible and just get the ball to our front 3. I only see us scoring this way or through counters.
gotanidea
Ozil at Anfield??????? LSD or Magic Mushrooms?
Liverpool at Anfield is a tough one. I suggest a 433. The midfield will win or lose this game. A midfield 3 of Ceballos, Torrera and AMN is best. I chose AMN because of his high energy and pace. Liverpool is a team that Plays Gengen football. The way they press in numbers. They keep their shape very well. So we need AMN in midfield as a box to box.He needs to fight for the balls. Willock will be under intense pressure. We need to have a strong midfield against Liverpool. A front 3 of Pepe, Lacazette and Aubameyang. What Liverpool does best is to try and score all their goals in the first half. We need to go offensive and long balls.AMN will break up play a lot in the middle. Also, the defence should play deep. A high line makes no sense. Play deep and make the front 3 of Liverpool isolated. At right back, I will suggest mustafi or Chambers. But AMN should play in midfield. If we get 4 points against Liverpool and Spurs, then we will challenge for the title. We are better than Spurs, Man United and Chelsea.
I am very much concerned about our manager’s mentality when it comes to team selection.substituting Laca all the time and not fielding Torierra who happens to be our only reliable DM baffles. All the managers of the top 6 teams play their best DM and best front three week in week out except UA.
Duncan J our manager is probably not worrying about the mentality of some Arsenal supporters though, but he should.
Torreira is being integrated slowly into the team after playing in the Copa America. Don’t be surprised if David Luiz plays in midfield with Torreira against Liverpool.
Sorry to me I believe torreira is a flop that’s why he’s not being playing this days , don’t just criticize the coach about that
How we handle Liverpool at Anfield will give us a better idea of how good we are. We’ve only played Newcastle and Burnley. Liverpool is one of the best teams in the league and Title contender.
Let’s take it one match at a time.
?
I don’t want to predict anything until seeing the results of the two big EPL games
A draw with Liverpool and a win over Tottenham would show the Gunners’ mentality
Liverpool will be our truly test for us
I’m really optimistic about our top four finish this season.#coyg
Agree 1st 2 games was not against top opposition. Against pool I would have
Leno
sokratis-chambers monteal
AMN luis terreira kolasniac
Ceballos
Auba laca
I thank God you not the Coach!! For heaven’s sake where have you guys gotten this defensive minded mentality from?? Why did we buy pepe and Cab’ ? We could have focused on buying Five defenders and play with 7 defensive minded players all season long. We can as well sell some of our attackers then. I hate defensive tactics with passion. It’s a very negative approach. It’s under acceptable
Liverpool can be only beaten by offence and not by going into the match with a defensive mindset. Their last two games showed their defence up, so Emery would do well to put a strong attack on the pitch, with Auba, Laca & Pepe the front three.
Backed up by Ozil, who should play in front of Ceballos & Torreira. I believe Ceballos’ combination with Ozil is going to be the key for us this season, so attack should be our mindset. Torreira can always hold up the defensive side of things.
I believe our defence should consist of AMN, Luiz, Chambers & Monreal. Leno needs to be more vocal between the sticks.
Our bench strength is fairly decent for effective substitution, should Laca, Ozil & Monreal tire in the second half
We tried to attack liverpool away last season and got a thorough beating.giving it a different approach this time round is appropriate..i would only substitute the kola for pepe to start
leno
sokratis-chambers monteal
AMN luis terreira pepe
Ceballos
Auba laca
With the right selection employed by emery we can definitely shock Liverpool…we have the talents all we need is d managers brains..
We have every reason to be optimistic. Liverpool at Anfield will be difficult , however , we are not too far off lpool , based on squad, even last season none of big team got 6points against us except city, it will be difficult UE is a big match coach, am confident
I think ozil shd start at Liverpool. We have to attack them and not respected them to much. Also, not to throw caution to the wind
I think we gonna give them a tough game. let emery start guendonzi and torrera together #COYG
I don’t fancy torrera of late
I think our defensive fralties will cost us against Liverpool yes can see us causing them problems with our attack but we will not be good enough to go there and get a result be something like 3-1 Liverpool!!
Our fixture with Liverpool is always full of goals (apart from the only time I went & it ended 0-0 ?)
If I’m completely honest, I’m not expecting a win… would be very happy with a draw though. We’ve been annihilated there the last few seasons.. I don’t think that will be the case this time! Gonna be end to end stuff though!
Please no ozil in this match I see a Liverpool 2:1 win thou
We are far more dangerous on the counter attack than last year. I’d make Robertson accountable for Pepe so he can’t bomb forward at will without consequences.
I’d start Chambers not Sokratis; the Greek fouls too much and we can’t give away free kicks cheaply.
AMN needs a good game, and we need a hard working midfield to slow their attacks. Torreira as a DM and Ceballos and Guendouzi to pressure them; they have great engines.
Lastly our front 3 have to defend early and often in their half, otherwise we’ll be chasing Liverpool all game.
Oh, and play long sometimes; we’re dead in the water if we constantly try and build up from the back. Liverpool’s press will kill us, so play long sometimes to keep them honest and unsettled.
We have a chance, early in season and pool haven’t found their stride yet.
Some good points,however instead of playing long,I would prefer luiz to be looking for pepe on the wings to stretch them.If we play aub,lacca,pepe, lacca is very capable of holding up the ball to bring auba and pepe into the game aswell but those front 3 must start.
Arsenal have the players but do not have a team yet. The midfield that played against was under 21.Gendouzi, ceballos and willock did well but failed to control the game. You don’t get anything from Liverpool or City unless you compete fiercely in the middle of the park. The defense struggled to play out from the back faced by Burnley pressing. Liverpool will press even better and offer more threat.Creatively, the strikers were starved.In short the Liverpool and Spurs games have come too early to even assess the strength of this team.However, from glimpses seen over the last 2 weeks the potential is huge but the balance is still lacking. What is the most balanced formation? What is the most balanced midfield combination? Ceballos is good but holds on to the ball too long. The big teams will figure that out and device ways of dispossessing him. He is not very creative. Oil can provide that. Can Ozil and Ceballos play on the same midfield and still be balanced? Much will depend on the formation. Away from home Emery might consider starting one of the two main strikers on the bench as he did in many games last year. It would be surprising if gendouzi and willock start in the big games. 3-5-1-1 with both lacazette and pepe starting on the bench may be worth trying.
If arsenal set up 433 on the counter with;
Auba Laca Pepe
Cabellos
Guendouzi Torreira
Monreal Luiz Chambers AMN
Leno
Imaging when we get Bellerin, Holding and Tierney in there. Mesut also if he steps up his game like we know he can as Cabellos & Guendouzi will keep him & Xhaka out of the starting 11 with big performances against Liverpool & Spurs. Hell even Willok will go ahead of them if they dont buck up their ideas
Oezil has no role to play in Arsenal’s future. He does not belong in the english game.
Liverpool can be only beaten by offence and not by going into the match with a defensive mindset. Their last two games showed their defence up, so Emery would do well to put a strong attack on the pitch, with Auba, Laca & Pepe the front three.
Backed up by Ozil, who should play in front of Ceballos & Torreira. I believe Ceballos’ combination with Ozil is going to be the key for us this season, so attack should be our mindset. Torreira can always hold up the defensive side of things.
I believe our defence should consist of AMN, Luiz, Chambers & Monreal. Leno needs to be more vocal between the sticks.
Our bench strength is fairly decent for effective substitution, should Laca, Ozil & Monreal tire in the second half