Tonight we will find out if Arsenal have turned the corner and changed our mentality

Can we win under pressure by Konstantin Mitov

Well lovely Arsenal people, it’s here, the Premier league season starts and Arsenal raise the curtains against Crystal Palace. No need to remind ourselves what happened last year at Selhurst park, but this time we have to win.

I’m excited, so excited I’ve ordered the new kit and I’ve been rocking it this week. All that because of the good pre-season we had, but that also scares me. I’ve seen it so many times before. We’ve beaten Bayern Munich in pre-season before. What matters is winning on a difficult evening away at a ground where we haven’t done great.

Last season games like Palace, Southampton and Brighton really cost us. The game on Friday night will really show if we’ve actually turned a corner. If we go and win comfortably, then I think a few eyes will be turned.

If we crumble again and lose, it’ll be same old Arsenal. I think two things will be important. One is not conceding first, because our record of turning games around is terrible and the other is avoiding red cards.

I’d like to see us go and dominate the game. I’m worried about Zaha vs Ben White. Can we avoid stupid fouls leading to free kicks? William Saliba really impressed me in preseason, but can he dominate the defense in the premier league?

Gabriel Jesus smashed it in pre-season, but will he bury the chances when they come? I’m really hoping we’ll show that our mentality has changed. For me, we should be winning games like Palace away. If we want the top 4, and that’s the bare minimum for me, we have to win.

Hopefully the team will live up to the expectations, but we’ll see soon enough, what the new look Arsenal is made of…

Konstantin

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Mikel Arteta talks ahead of our opening game against Crystal Palace

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31 Comments

  1. I remember feeling quite positive and enthusiastic just before the opener last season. A few weeks later I never felt so bad as we lay on the bottom of the table after three games. As always, our expectations are high again and I seriously hope we’ve got the additions to make us mentally and physically stronger? However, this is Arsenal and you just never know what team will turn up. I really want to see an Arsenal side that looks and plays with a real drive and passion tonight. Palace won’t be easy and a good result will be hard so a draw would be a goof start. COYG!!

      1. GunneRay, I think “goof” would be very appropriate, if we don’t win tonight!!
        Reports are saying that CP have injury problems.
        I expect and hope for a two cushioned win tonight and a clean sheet would be great, so my new prediction is 2-0 to The Arsenal!!

    1. The current situation is quite different from last season.
      It is difficult to understand how one could have had a similar level of optimism last season as many have now.
      Last year we had an iffy pre-season and started the season with injuries and illness to several key players.
      We have a better and overall fitter squad to start this season so there are good reasons to be optimistic.

    2. َwhy would you even feel positive last season? We were bad in pre season compared to this season

  2. Yes the day for AFC to Demonstrate their New Page has Come. Today.
    1) Press and Press and Press for 90 minutes
    2) No Red card. Be disciplined
    3) Keep the ball at their end permanently
    4) Score First
    5) Prevent Zaha and Midfielders from having free space.
    6) Avoid missing chance because you will not have them back.

  3. Palace’s home record is superb last season…
    So I am not sure how we will stand…
    Hopefully we will get all 3 points
    Tough opener

  4. Between 3rd/7th most likely.
    Arsenal has added 13 players during Arteta’s term so far at around 300million.
    Saka ESR have emerged while Saliba is back.
    Almost all the unwanted players have gone.
    . The squad is stronger, leaner more together more experienced. Pre season has been good. We have a much more experienced manager. We have a very soft opening 6/7 fixtures.
    So 75 points should be the minimum target.
    Yet so much depends on other clubs.
    Arsenal could get more points than last season but still finish 5th/6th.
    Expecting us to be competitive all season;
    Top 4 not essential.
    Top 6 is the pass mark.
    EL quarter finals a must.
    The rest is a bonus.

    1. That’s your standard last season fairfan. It Still haven’t move I guess? If arteta can’t get the team to 4th at minimum he should he sacked.

  5. Patrick Vieira must’ve known he just needs to wait for counter-attacks, since he’s got Edouard, Ebiowei, Eze and Zaha. Or targeting Magalhaes and White in aerial duels, using Mateta or Benteke

    Our highly risky tactics force the team to rely on our CF, to keep the ball in the final-third. Therefore a fit Jesus is extremely important

    I don’t think Palace players’ skills are on a par with our highly technical players, but the Gunners should brush off any provocation from Palace

  6. I think with Saliba and Gabriel in the middle of the defense, Palace will find it much harder than last year. With the two Gabby’s up front along with Bukayo, we will make a lot of chances and if they can last the whole match it will be ‘adios’ Palace.

  7. I don’t care what anyone says but if we don’t win this match today, then arteta has to go tomorrow. He’s the highest spender manager in the league in the past 3 seasons, as usual the board has hacked him again this season and are still willing to back before the window clsoe, he got all his main target early this window and they’ve all played together in preseason. So if we dont win today comfortably then he has nothing to offer all this season.

    1. @Lenohappy
      Sack Arteta if we don’t win comfortably today? Do you know how hard Palace are to beat at home?

      They haven’t even conceded a goal in their last six games at Selhurst Park!

    2. @Lenohappy we were tops spenders only last season on this season it’s not over and anything can happen.

      Well we should aim for maximum three points all the best AFC.

  8. Firmly believe the team will be back to top 4 this season.
    Came really close last season and the team looks much stronger now.
    There’s sky high expectations for tonight and I hope our players will manage the pressure.
    Can’t wait for the kick off!
    COYG

  9. I’m so excited for tonight,yet-such is the nature of the Premier League- this already feels like a huge game for us. The pendulum could really swing in either direction depending on tonight’s performance & result.
    Go down there,shut the fans up and come away with a couple of goals and a clean sheet and we will be properly up and running. Jesus scores, Saliba proves himself a Prem quality defender and we are chilling at 10 o clock top of the table and full of belief.
    Get bullied and concede any amount of soft goals from set pieces and it’ll be all ‘soft-centred Arsenal can be got at,as usual’ That scenario would undoubtedly knock out confidence going forward.
    I know it’s the first game of a long English season-uniquely punctuated with a WC-but this one tonight really feels a real ‘mindset-definer’.
    Come on Arsenal….let’s kick it off in style and give us Gooners a real solid platform from which to build on this season. And give us Gooners that couple of hours overdue relaxation tonight!

  10. We should press hard as we did against Seville; they didn’t expect that from our side. Hence they made a lot of mistakes, and we scored 6.

    My hopes and expectations are high this season because of what I saw in our pre-season games. I understand we are missing some players, but I can be optimistic about getting the rest of the team ready.

  11. No excuses for to night.. We have got to win this game..
    This season is the ultimate for Arteta. Honeymoon period is over.. We have got to see better this season starting from tonight.

    Come on You Arsenal.

  12. Pre season is behind us and now the season begins. Whatever we do, however we play matters from here until the end of the season. Arteta is judged from today for the results that comes from the team. Can we beat Palace? I am a bit timid to say yes. Zaha always roll us over and I am hoping that is not the case this time. I am hoping for the win and do hope the team can play and dominate even more than how we dominated pre season. Hoping for the win. COYG.

  13. I don’t understand all these noise about if Arsenal should loose today, then Arteta must be sacked…. This is premier league for crying out loud, I have seen in a situation where a team lost the first two matches and still won the league, city came from 13th position last two seasons and still won the league…..
    You guys should not put pressure on this team and the mgt, its not easy to play opening match of the whole 38 matches in an away game again and expect us to win comfortably or easily. I can guarantee you that Chelsea, liv and even city will not win palace in their first opening match of the season….
    So please allow this team express their feelings on the field of play, and see even they they loose , then play better football and make us proud not that of they don’t win the opening match Arteta should or must be sack, I beg let’s be calming down ooooo

  14. Arsenal lost top 4 in the first 3 games of last season. If we can get a win today no matter how ugly, I am confident that it will be a brilliant season for AFC. I am bookmarking this article for May 28, 2023

  15. To save the drama we need to dominate possession in their 3rd of the pitch (pin them in) if they sit to deep it will be hard for a counter attack to be successful. We need to be clinical and disciplined….let’s get to the top of the league tonight 💪

  16. Good test for us … I think we will win .. by how much will be a good gauge of our top 4 chances .. but if we don’t win .. esp as they have more injury issues than we do it seems … it will be a sign of another troubling season ahead … the big uncertainty is arteta’s motivational skills and the big weakness is still midfield and the lack of control and leadership there … hoping for a three goal margin but would be happy with one

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