Arsenal faced the French Champions PSG yesterday and destroyed the by 5 goals to 1, but we have to face the fact that we had most of our squad fit and ready to play to a top level, while PSG had to play many youngsters as loads of their top stars were on extended holidays after their exertions at the World Cup in Russia.
The new PSG boss Thomas tuchel, who replaced Unai Emery at the Parc des Princes, believes that Arsenal’s extra fitness could give us a big advantage when we play Man City and Chelsea in our first two matches. ‘It could give (Arsenal) a big advantage,’ Tuchel said. ‘Chelsea had few international players when they became Champions two years ago.
‘It is a big advantage. It is very complicated for us. To manage is almost not to manage.
‘We want our players to rest but we want them back because they are our players. We have a new coaching staff and the league starts very early.
‘It would not be first time there are strange results like this. When I managed Mainz in Germany, I always wanted to play the big teams early on after the European Championships or the World Cup.
‘We would have had six weeks pre-season and be raring to go. This can happen.’
With a very fast start Arsenal could take precious points from two of our main challengers and give us a great confidence boost going into Emery’s first season. Perhaps lady luck has actually smiled on us for a change?
Admin
Surprise? Is beating both of them an upset? Truly we have fallen to be a surprise to beat Chelsea and man city
Don’t know where you have been the last decade but it’s long since those days when we were expected to beat both these sides
If the first eleven includes Mustafi,Xhaka and Kolasinac , we have little chance against Man City.Hopefully Emery will see the light and exclude these Wenger signings from his plans .They are simply not good enough for a side with aspirations to win trophies.With a clutch of really exciting youngsters we do not need this trio of average players.
Kolsanic is a good player. Wenger played him in the wrong positions and he lost confidence. Actually we can’t judge any of these players because Emery isn’t Wenger. We haven’t seen whether Emery will get the best out of the players. Let’s give them a chance under Emery
Also a major problem is that our team is full of Average players ie El Neny, Ramsey, Iwobi, Bellerin, Welbeck, Perez, Chambers, Holding
We aren’t exactly over flowing with top quality players
True enough … We have added one in the window … Torreira … With some real potential in the French and possibly Leno … But I have to say I can’t blame wenger for their averageness just his refusal to acknowledge it and move on … Kolasinac I am sorry to say is decent going forward but a weak defender and we can’t afford that luxury anymore … With Monreal past his best that’s a big problem on the left side … I have long called for an attacking wing option but tbh I think a quality left back might make a bigger difference right now
Kolasinac has been terrible and not just of late.
Mustafi though looks a different player since Emery arrived.
We are going to beat them comfortably..I’m sure of that.both teams won’t be able to handle our fast high tempo game with out their key players in the game….making matters worst.. Our team is more complete right now
Why do you say “comfortably”? It would be more realistic to say you think we could well beat them. But you go way over the top and lose credibility when you say “comfortably”. City only lost 14 points in the whole of last season and no one beat them comfortably. Not even one of the other four teams who also finished well above us. Why hype everything ?
Even though I don’t agree with his use of “comfortably” too however, it’s his opinion, and he is entitled to his opinion, just the same way we all are.
I have my eyes more on Chelsea…i really want us to win that match..it’s been a while since we won at Stamford Bridge and it would allow us know if our away form of last season has been banished… As for man city at home that’s going to be a walk over….TRUST ME!!
“A walkover?” And you wonder why I pull you up on your hyped language? Get real. We are playing Man City, NOT W.B.A.
I really was impressed by Guendouzi. He has bags of enthusiasm, stamina, hard work rate. Id like to see him with Torreira or Xhaka.
Torreira and Guendouzi midfielders will strengthen our defense and maybe they will mask our weakness in central defense as I think we could be weak when it comes to Centre Backs. We have plenty (Koscielny, Mustafi, Holding, Chambers, Sokratis and Mavrapanos) but their quality is questionable at the moment as individuals and parings.
Guendouzi this and that….He’s not top quality and we can’t compete with him.Watch him get overrun by top 5 midfield s…Educate yourselves Gunner fans…Our Midfield is average,our defense is worse and Emery is not Jesus Christ…
You obviously haven’t seen him play for us. Man of the match in every game he’s played.
That’s how I saw it too.
arsenal will suprise us under emery cuz we cumin strong
@Topgunner, you are very correct. The only player we have in our midfield that’s true class is Torreira. Ramsey, Xhaka, Elneny are average players. we’ll still have problems passing through teams that press high up the pitch.
No . we don’t have the quality to beat them coz we don’t have money to spend on quality players
I seem to remember Wigan beating City last season and they don’t have a brass farthing.
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Football matches are won on the pitch; not by comparing the transfer value of squads before the game.
Hopefully Arsenal are working towards a champion team, not a team of champions.
Fabulous, we have the money and we have the quality.
Declan it,agree with the quality, but where is the money exactly?
As far as I am aware, the transfer kitty hasn’t changed.
Don’t be persuaded into thinking that the players we eventually sell will boost the funds.
History shows us that Kronkie ensures his incomings nearly always match his outgoings.
But always in profit, Ken. Heavan help him if he has to put in his own money; will never happen!
The Delusion of we arsenal fans is alarming..What makes everyone think we are better than Mancity,Liverpool,Spurs,and Chelsea is beyond me.Because we have Torreira? Guendouzi? Socratis?….These guys would barely make any top team….And some people are here thinking top 4 is Guaranteed…SMH..Some teams just need a good season from their top players to win leagues..as the likes of Hazard,Kante,De bruyne,Silva,Salah,E.t.c…Who does arsenal have eh…Ozil?,Goundouzi,….We are just average at best ….Let’s accept it
Oh happy days
Top gunner
For now we can be delusional. We can dream the dream.
Until the season kicks off we sit top of the prem by alphabetical order.
Will we be then last season. I hope so
Can we beat everyone around us. I think so
Can we win the league and cups.
Why not. Until it is mathmatically not possible or we have been knocked.
We go in to this season as everything is possible and if we don’t then why bother turning up
Too many years have been wasted with the mentality of we are not good enough by the players
Pardon my French to everyone out there but *ollcks to that
Our new man will have too tweek thing around for a while and we will have bad days as well as good days but here’s hoping we have more good days and welcome back the glory years
All the Arsenal have to do is improve the away form. Let’s stay positive for a while.
Lol you are a a negative fan, no one said we are better quality wise than man city its just that they will be missing most of their starting 11 who will either not be available or lack match fitness. same for chelsea. To answer your question an ok season for auba and laca is worth at least 25 and 18 goals each. a good season we have 30 from auba and 20 from laca. IN the epl we win anyway we can, there is no winning fair all the time. we always had our best player alexis come late every season start he was with us for tournament duties, now its our turn to profit from it.
Add to that our prowess in scoring set pieces last season, 1st if counting free-kicks and corners with 15 and only conceded 7. Any pundits that blindly repeated all season that we were weak in set-pieces was talking recycled shit and so were the fans blindly following them. We have a small chance at winning the epl but with the right situations we could well challenge for it until at least march/april which would be better than our last 4 seasons.
You can’t be an Arsenal fan !! no one can be this negative !!!
Topgunner, the one name you omit is Emery.
He has brought a different way of doing things and that was never more evident than the celebrations going on against PSG.
Ozil, Abu and Lacs all jumping up and down with excitement as our youngsters played some great football.
To be successful, you don’t have to have all the best players, you need to have team spirit linked with positivity and commitment from a top squad of players who believe in the manager.
That’s where we are miles ahead of Utd and Chelsea at this present moment
Emery has all the above in place and it’s all down to his management skills.
I am really looking forward to his battles with Pep etc this season.
Maybe you should have been our new manager Ken ?
Sue, I really can’t praise Emery enough.
The change in the players and supporters is incredible and I feel the club is on such a high versus the likes of Utd, Chelsea and even Spuds (no new signings as natives getting restless).
This feeling of well being is so crucial and, unfortunately Arsene lost it in the last two seasons.
The only question mark for me is the Ramsey situation and Huss and Emery will do what is best for the club.
Glad you got your WHU tickets by the way, any idea when you might get season tickets?
Expectations are always high leading up to the start of the season! But I believe Emery is doing everything the right way (no disrespect to Arsene) he wants happy fans & I believe he has them!!
Cheers Ken, we’re buzzing as the match is the day after my lad’s bitrthday… so a treat for him (any excuse to go to Arsenal hey ?)
I work every other weekend so a season ticket will be tricky for us. I’m on the waiting list though apparently! I must say I do take my hat off to you for attending… as I’m shattered after 1 match…. maximum 6 a season.. & you attend every home game!! That really is dedication ?
The spuds new signings are Lamela & Son signing new deals ?
Ooh I wonder how many top players Leicester had when they won the league.I wonder why some so called gooners are damn pessimistic
Topgunner? More like bottomgunner today, you’re obviously forgetting we also h@ve a top manager with a plan, that is gradually taking shape. Our existing players actually look happy playing for once. It’s not dilusinal, it’s proper supporters looking forward, not back.
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Call yourself “Topgunner”, more like “TopPessimisticPratt”
We are better than the spuds, what makes me think that?
We have better players, we have better fans, we have the better stadium, I can’t think of one thing they do better!
Last season we had a coach who didn’t employ tactics, a coach who didn’t train how to deal with def actions, a coach who failed GKs for near a decade!
Emery isn’t the 2nd coming of Christ, Emery is real and he can have a real effect on the squad. He can teach Bellerin how to position himself better. His GK coaches can aid Cech regain some of that top form he had prior to Gerry Peyton got his trash hands on him. Ozil will have something to prove after the racial issues he has had to put up with and he finally has hus number 10 shirt, Ozil could have something to prove this year while not being let down by the coach not playing a DM to recognise Ozils skillset.
“Who does arsenal have eh”
Two of the worlds deadliest strikers. Both of whom have proven to score more than 30 goals a season. Who does UTD have upfront compared to Laca and Auba XD
Man City come 2nd to our strikeforce, they have some great players but Auba and Laca are top dogs.
Top it all off, the spuds are chokers, look how their players cosy us in the WC. Kane the choker scored how many from open play? You want to think he is better than Auba? PMSL!
Such a troll account calling themself Topgunner.
It’s funny how you mentioned the top players from the opposition – Sarah, KDB, Silva, Hazard etc
Buy you failed to mention our world class players like Aubemeyang, Lacazette, Ozil, Mikh in direct comparison!
This is perhaps our strongest all round squad in a decade, first time we make 5 signings before August, and to key areas too. Give them a chance, we are yet to even kick a ball in the EPL
YOU ARE THE POLAR OPPOSITE FROM CHIZA, WHOM I CHIDED FOR HIS OVERHYPED OPTIMISM. I will chide you for your over pessimism, since I am a realist, neither overhype nor supergloomy aboiut our team. You say “we are average at best.” What team would YOU then consider truly average? To compare us with then! West Ham? Leicester? Everton? Wolves? And at best too? You are clearly writing nonsense and as a realist I long for truthful analysis. Neither overhype nor unthinking pessimism. Neither help our club and both are clearly false. To make the progress that ALL clubs always constantly search for, we HAVE to be honest about where we are. I think we will be seriously challenging for 4th place and possibly better, with a good chance of a domestic trophy or Europa League. That opinion is based on sober, truthful analysis of thr signs so far under Emery, taking into account our far better than usual pre-season progress and an obvious new hunger and desire throughout the players so far. You also called OZIL AVERAGE! Words fail me after reading such tripe.
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if we can strengthen our defense we can be on par with City and Chelsea or even stronger
we have 2 World Class finishers Laca and Auba
2 quality playmakers Ozil and Mikhi
with Leno and the other 6 new players joining in……
We are definitely up there with the top 3
I think to fully completed the rebuilding and revamping of the Arsenal squad for the summer campaign next season, Arsenal will need to sign a top quality winger player of Ousmane Dembele but on a season loan deal with an option to make the deal permanent. But as us the Gooners know very well, Arsenal will have to sell Ramsey to Chelsea for £40m but that deends if Chelsea want him and a host of 3 senior Gunners of: Perez, Welbeck andJenkinson who are on the fringes at the moment at the Emirates Stadium to raise fund to sign Dembele on loan and one more top quality striker player before the summer window closes if they are to realise their aims and objectives to win both the big Titles of the PL and ELC next season’s campaign..
I can’t remember when Arsenal started a season in PL fit and ready, with all the main players in the team… maybe Invincibles? Jesus, how long have passed… Wenger was a master of starting slow, remember few games against Liverpool in August recently… Crazy!
Now it seems we can start with all the man in the action. That will be interesting. If we take 3 points from first two games I would be happy.
I think we all gonna see a xhaka, Torriera midfield for at least the beginning of the season
Seriously, some people need to STFU and think and TT is one of them, the gormless gollum.
“‘Chelsea had few international players when they became Champions two years ago.”
We are not Chavski and we have more than just a few internationals.
I could list majority of AFC and most of them would be internationals.
Did the muppet mean play at the WC? There is a difference between an international and being an international at a world cup.
Wow, thanks for the great insight.
Not sure if you’re being wilfully disingenuous or you just lack basic comprehension faculties.
My first team of the season
Cech
Bellerin Papas Mustafi Monreal
Goundouzi
Ozil Ramsay Mhki Auba
Laca
Bench
Leno
Toerrira
Emile Rowe
Chambers
Iwobi
Xhaka
Experienced with a few young players and 2 debutants.
I think it is important Arsenal Fans stand pragmatic as people even though we want our team to play with flair.
The first step is to compete with the top 5. Starting Spurs have injuring and no signings, Chelski have just played their first post Conte match, Utd have mourinho moaning again and lacking signings, whilst Liverpool and City look set.
Chelski vs Arsenal wasn’t a random fixture.
EPL knew we will both have new managers this season. They have set us against each other as it will be naturally.
We first need to be top dogs on London. West ham have made good signings and have a new man in charge. Someone who knows the premier league unlike our manager. Spurs new hype new stadium.
But I must say I feel our club feels the most stable of them all. We spent 70m but we have assets to sell and brought in a new GK, CD, CDM, CM, RB.
Arsenal Fans need to re-understand some of our players under unai. Holding, Chambers, Bellerin, Manopav are young. Regardless of how long they have been with us, they are young and have that experience already. They have 3 yrs to break in and be first teamers. Whilst Everton developed stones, it’s city who pay the cash. Arsenal do the Everton always. So including to that list above we can add Goundouzi and Torriera Emile Rowe, M.Niles, Nelson (with a few pushing them).
See that’s our structure from bottom up. Beyond these young hungry talent is Auba, Laca, Ozil…
Okay we can be ‘but city have…’ and we want to be That Arsenal we all loved for be no.1 but just like before then, g.graham days and fight we need to be willing to fight all over the pitch again. We will see a development in defence, a sharpeness in attack and solid control in midfield if we fight.
But time is what we need, because then all these comments of ‘basically what I am saying is I want it now’ will be answered.
Reality is, lots of teams have lots of money and lots of money buys you the best players, scouts, agents… We have to live with that fact. To be no.1 we need to be no.1 off the pitch. That doesn’t mean having the riches owners because well…are you richer then me, am i richer then you?!!…it’s all relative. We need to be better with our system…a new one at that. Gazidas leaving talk is a good sign. A good sign he’s wanted because he must be good.
Off the American owners (Liverpool, Man U and us) and after Fergie era and dawn of a new era (richer clubs and not club) United havent won more then us nor Liverpool. Doesn’t make us a better squad, but a more stable club. They have spent far far more then us. Which is the smarter American? Knoenre gets stick. He always will, even if we win the league, it’s always been that way But frustrations at seeing clubs get better while we stop growing as fast because of new arsenal is hard to accept but true. If we didn’t buy a new stadium could we of invested 400million in 3 or 4 years birth? Maybe, but our general profits for future spending is limited hugely because we are at Highbury still.
We all here change. Human nature.. But it’s all change at arsenal. Maybe it’s been like that awhile but now with a new manager it’s finally fully new.