There are at least three Arsenal players that will have to put in a far better performance against Tottenham today than they did against Liverpool last Saturday evening. One bad game against a top-six opponent away from home can be forgiven, but to put in two consecutive poor performances will have questions being asked.
David Luiz
Luiz had a nightmare against Liverpool, well, not completely as he did fine in the first half, but wrecking the half time team talk and effectively putting the game out of reach with his ridiculous shirt pull on Mo Salah, simply cannot be repeated today.
Dani Ceballos
He was played out of position but even so, that is no excuse for his suicidal pass across the penalty area that landed at the feet of Roberto Firmino and the truth is that he went completely AWOL thereafter. He had zero impact on the game compared to his performance the previous week at home to Burnley and he has to show that he can do it against the top-six and not just the smaller teams.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Had a poor game against the Reds no denying that and his record against the top-six is not overwhelming, he missed that penalty at Wembley last season and you need your number-one goalscorer producing the goods against the big teams on a regular basis.
There are excuses that can be utilised, especially with Ceballos but that works for only so long, there comes a point when excuses are no longer accepted and the big players are expected to produce against our closest rivals, home and away.
I concur
Derbies have no rules.
We will see the best and the worst of both … sets of fans.
60,000 people yelling their heads off… at the pub.
Managers will give deep, detailed instructions to the players
but the players will only hear the words “Beat the ba#st#rds”
Millions will follow via electronic media riding every pass,
every shot, every tackle, every decision by the ref.
The winners will be lauded the losers will be crucified.
Two weeks later the Derby winner will lose to a scum bag team
and be pilloried while the Derby loser last weeks will beat a top side and their fans will be in raptures.
The emotional roller coaster that is the football season.
We were playing a Champions League winning team at their home. I doubt there’s much these players can improve on
Liverpool’s superior defence, attack made these players look average
I’m sure that they will look better today
As it’s derby day, looking forward to Rangers v Celtic too!
Ceballos’ suicidal pass across the penalty area landed at the feet of Mane, not Firmino. It’s Mane who blasted the ball into the crowd, wasting that golden chance.
I really hope Emery doesn’t play Xhaka in this game, as he will be a liability more than anything else. He slows the game down and rolls back his passes, instead of moving forward and releasing the ball quickly.
My choice would be:
Auba. Laca. Pepe
Özil
Ceballos. Torreira
Kolasinac. Chambers/Luiz. Sokratis. AMN
Leno.
Should Özil tire or is out of form, then Ceballos moves to #10 and his place taken up by Willock. Second option is Guendozi.
In attack, should Laca tire, his role should be taken over by Auba and Martinelli takes Auba’s place. Reiss isn’t fully ready yet, and this game isn’t apt to play youngsters all across the pitch.
Ah man, that is that is a dangerous midfield/front three, if they all fire. If Ozil has a good day then this team will supply goals for days!
This is also what I would like to see.
+1 ?
Ceballos was played out of position? Ain’t that guy a midfielder?
We played a 4-3-1-2 and he was right at there in his favorite attacking mid role. So where out of position was he played?
ask him Joe.
Wasn’t he played on the right of midfield against Liverpool? And in the center the game before?