Arsenal’s returning World Cup stars Lichtsteiner, Xhaka and Torreira have only recently rejoined the squad but still got some gametime in the Gunners 2-0 win over Lazio at the weekend, but the new coach Unai Emery still thinks they have a chance to be fit enough to face Man City in our League opener next weekend.
Emery told Arsenal.com: “It’s a different match today for Lichtsteiner, Xhaka and Torreira. We want to give them these minutes for fitness and also so that they’re working together and tactically can start to work with us. In the first week it’s clear that they’re not at their best physically, but we want to continue working with them and if they are OK physically, mentally and in their performances, and better also than other players who were working with us, we could choose them in the first XI.”
We have most of our squad training with Emery for the last month, so they are obviously going to be fitter and more schooled in Emery’s new tactics, but surely Lichtsteiner can’t play any worse than Bellerin, and we have no other defensive midfielder in the same class as Torreira. Should Emery choose them even if they are not quite up to match fitness in such a big game as Man City?
Sam P
Yes, I think its important those three start the 1st match as it would give the team more balance…
Emery has to get his 1st XI right to play as a cohesive unit…
Something tells me we’ll give Mancity a run for their money on match day 1
COYG
If arsenal want to sign one of Vida, Boateng & Rodriguez we must go for Vida, cuz he’s a decent defender who offers a lot of versatility
?Vida can play across the back line.
Great… Salso start Sok and Mustaphi in defence
why are people complaining about the players we bought this summer??…some of them claim to be realists..i have no problem with that….even if we bought Ronaldo some people will still come here to complain about his age…that’s just the irony of life..people are never satisfied…that’s why i don’t give a damn about some people…our players are hungry…they want to prove a point…same goes with the new players and the new coaches which includes Emery…most of those players went through alot last year…they know it is time to put things right..i know Emery is constantly drumming this into their ears… People come here to call the signings we have made(bar torriera and guendouzi) common and ordinary….comparing them to the signings our rivals have made…..NEVER UNDERRATE THE POWER OF A COMMON MAN… that’s what they say……our signings are common and not quality right??…. But guess what??…. I would rather have a wild dog that is ready to work hard and determined to get a hunting job done for me…than for me to pay huge sums to acquire a lazy ass lion just because he is the king of the jungle…. Our common signings will join our team to prove a point this season…i know deep down your souls you guys want that to happen…..just support the team
?
Well said big boss i like ur comment thts z spirit of a true gooner lets go hit em up zese season thnx………
If Emery opts for a 4-3-3 formation, i think our best midfield trio should be; Xhaka…Torreira….Guendouzi…
Whether Xhaka and TorreIra will be ready is another question though, but against City we need a strong midfield and that in my opinion, is our defensive strongest.
If we have any hope of curtailing the threat of Man city, then We need our players to be aggressive, explosive and full of running on Sunday…..
That Manchester City team looks so scary and frightening…..
pace, tricks and skills……
They are so unpredictable in the way they play…..
If we can curtail their wingers and full backs on Sunday, we gonna get something from the match…..
I want AMN to play the left back role on Sunday….
He has the pace and agility to handle Mayrez….
Licht should play the right full back role…..
We all saw how Sane destroyed Hector Last season….
He ran him dead last season…
Mid Is Key To Stop City From Reaching Our Defence Torreira Will Be Very Key For Us Who Do You Suggest For Cb
It should be a good game for the uncommitted viewer. Nail biting for fans of both sides.
The only way to beat City is get the tactics right and to play better than them. Liverpool managed that towards the end of last season when the PL was already decided, and with more than a touch of good fortune, and they did it by playing their best football of the season and going toe to toe.
Even with home advantage it will take everything to fall right to get anything from City Sunday, but stranger things have happened, especially in first game of the season.
I think fans should brace themselves for a loss vs. Man City. I’d like a win, but the team, despite winning 2-0 vs. Lazio, was very suspect defensively and Lazio had many quality chances. A team like Man City would take those chances and win the game 4 or 5-2. Good additions in the summer and the club is moving in the right direction, but we’ll have to be patient with Emery and the squad because it’s a new system and many new faces.
BOOM!
Breaking news in BBC
Kroenke offers to buy arsenal.
Could this be the beginning of our end?
I woke up to a whatsapp from my cousin of Stan kroenke laughing
Hate my cousin
We are in big big trouble
No sir. It is not the beginning of anything. Kroenke has always been in charge because he is the majority shareholder. Wenger is gone and we are no longer playing champions league football. Gone are the days when Kroenke needed convincing that Wenger had to go and that the team is not improving. The competition is fiercer than ever now and everyone can see that. So let him buy up all the shares. It changes nothing. Arsenal is his and if we continue to fail, he will own that failure. We are fans. He is the owner. Arsenals failures are his and his alone. I am not worried about this kind of stuff anymore. I don’t own arsenal and the board members made it clear to us for years that our views don’t count.
Stan Kroenke made an offer to buyArsenal fc at around £1.8 billion after he secured the backing of minority owner Alisher Usmanov.
OT:
In other pressing news, KROENKE HAS MADE AN OFFER TO BUY OUT USMANOV SHARES FOR £550M
A statement from KSE reads:
KSE, UK, Inc. (“KSE”) is pleased to announce the terms of its all-cash offer to acquire the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Arsenal Holdings PLC (“Arsenal”), other than the Arsenal Shares already held by KSE (the “Offer”).
— KSE, a Delaware corporation wholly-owned by Mr E. Stanley Kroenke, currently holds 41,743 Arsenal Shares, representing approximately 67.09 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Arsenal.
— KSE has received an irrevocable undertaking from Red and White Securities to accept the Offer in respect of Red and White Securities’ entire holding of 18,695 Arsenal Shares (representing approximately 30.05 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Arsenal, and approximately 91.31 per cent. of the Arsenal Shares not currently held by KSE) as soon as possible following the publication of the Offer Document and in any event by 3.00 p.m. today.
— The Offer is conditional only upon KSE receiving valid acceptances representing not less than 90 per cent. of the Arsenal Shares to which the Offer relates (being the Arsenal Shares not held by KSE). Therefore, upon the valid acceptance of the Offer by or on behalf of Red and White Securities, the Offer will become unconditional as to acceptances and unconditional in all respects.
— Under the terms of the Offer, which will be subject to the Acceptance Condition and further terms set out in Appendix 1 to this Announcement and the full terms and condition set out in the Offer Document, Arsenal Shareholders will be entitled to receive:
For each Arsenal Share GBP29,419.64 in cash
— The Offer values the entire issued share capital of Arsenal at approximately GBP1.8 billion.
— The successful implementation of the Offer will result in the opening of a new chapter in the history of the Club in bringing 100 per cent. private ownership by KSE. KSE believes moving to private ownership will bring the benefits of a single owner better able to move quickly in furtherance of the Club’s strategy and ambitions. KSE is a committed, long-term owner of the Club.
— Arsenal Shares will be acquired pursuant to the Offer fully paid with full title guarantee and free from all liens, equities, charges, encumbrances, options, rights of pre-emption and any other third party rights and interests of any nature and together with all rights now or hereafter attaching or accruing to them, including voting rights and the right to receive and retain in full all dividends and other distributions (if any) declared, made or paid from Completion.
__
On the bid, Kroenke says: “We at KSE are moving forward with this Offer leading to 100% ownership of the Club. We appreciate Mr Usmanov’s dedication to the Arsenal Football Club and the storied ethos and history the Club represents.”
Lichtsteiner MUST start, as it would be extremely foolish to play Bellerin ; almost as foolish as keeping Bellerin at our club , in fact. I would also play Torreira but not Xhaka, simply because he is not of our standard, IMO.