I know it has been said so many times it has been practically meaningless, but after the incredible disruption to Arsenal’s first three matches, our season starts now….
Mikel Arteta has now got most of his injured players back in the squad, and most of our new signings are being integrated quickly, although Timoyasu has only just got off the plane and Lokonga has had an injury scare while with Belgium.
Xhaka is also unavailable through his suspension but the return to fitness of Gabriel, Ben White and Thomas Partey is a massive boost for the boss, and Aaron Ramsdale, Nuno Tavares and Martin Odegaard will be in contention to start the game as well.
Arteta now believes that the time has come for his new young squad to prove our credentials against Norwich, and he hopes they can all play together as a unit very quickly. Despite the massive rebuilding project he accepts that we need immediate results as well as a long term plan. He told Arsenal.com: “Now we have the tools that we believe are going to give us the best opportunity to compete in the way we want to compete and build what we want to build in this project and now we have to make it work. We have to build it together, we need to create relationships, chemistry, understanding. We have to adapt and we have to do that really quickly.”
“The amount of changes in two years is almost 30 players. Edu explained it like I tried to explain it. We have all participated, trying to create and build this project, led by the owners, and it is a project we believe in, that we have to assemble because it is the only option that we believe was best for the future of the club.
“We all take responsibility because we have all been involved in the decisions and we have to make it work. The complexity in football is that you want to build a medium to long-term project with immediate results and we have to embrace that, because there is no other way in football and you are going to have to get results and we are ready to do that.”
So, I am very excited to see how all our youngsters can play together and expect to see more urgency and quick-thinking on the pitch.
Arteta seems to think they are ready, and I really hope he is right.
COYG!
He’s got no excuse now, even a draw should see him thru the door. Arsenal’s no training ground 4 rookies. A win or quit……period!!!
Lets win this!! 5-0 to arsenal !!!!
Starting the new boys is kind risky.
Lose this game and their careers and Arteta’s will take a gigantic hit. But then at 0-3 we have little choice. Ramsdale and Tomi (passport issue?) should therefore start
White and Gabriel seems logical as does Tierney.
Partey and Lokonga with no Xhaka or Elneny again seems most probable.
Odegaard seems nailed on to start as does Saka so ESR or Pepe with Auba or Laca up front.
The rest are squad/Quota or Carabao/ FA cup standard.
Home games v Norwich AFC Wimbledon Spurs Palace and Villa and winnable away games v Burnley, Brighton and Leicester are the ideal schedule for the newbies. .
I like how he stresses that they all are responsible for the path the club is taking. Again just making sure we know who to blame lol doesn’t seem to realised that our main gripe is on the field. Improvee our style of play and start climbing up the table and we’ll be back onside, maybe, perhaps … 😂
Perfect time to talk big now that we are playing a very poor Norwich next. After we win(I’m sure we will) then you’ll see MA talking himself and his ideas up again.
Norwich
Burnley
Spurs
Brighton
Crystal Palace
For me nothing less than 4 wins and draw is acceptable against those teams.