Beating Nottingham Forest 5-0 was a good result but the quality of the opponent is nowhere near the level that Arsenal will be facing in the Premier League, starting next Monday night at Old Trafford.
It is right that the players are praised for their performance against the Championship side. It is right that the debut of Kieran Tierney is applauded, and it is right that the return to action of both Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin is positively highlighted.
What we saw was impressive, but not until they come up against a proper opponent that will put pressure on the defence will we know for sure how good the new-look Arsenal defence is.
There are some big tests coming down the line very soon and Holding, Tierney and Bellerin will be tested far more than they were against Forest on Tuesday evening.
Bellerin will probably not start against United on Monday so we will have to wait for him to come up against David James but Tierney and Holding are in with a shout for a start and we will be in a much better situation to see where they are truly at.
There is nothing wrong with being excited, I certainly am, and I honestly do believe that the Arsenal defence is going to be far more reliable and stable than what we have become used to, but I am not going to get carried away after just one game.
There is also the Unai Emery factor, will he persevere with David Luiz? What will he do with Calum Chambers who is putting in some excellent performances? Emery may not go with the defensive line-up we think he should, he is an enigma when it comes to team selection.
But as things stand today, the positivity that is being felt among Arsenal fans is a good thing, but let’s not get carried away just yet.
I wanna see Chambers starting against Man U. He was unlucky to be dropped early in the season and he’s better and more reliable than Sokratis and luiz
I wish to see this defence versus Man U:
Chambers – Luiz – Holding – Tierney
my preferable defensive lineup too..
Yes,it is time for Emery to be bold and effect necessary changes. Chambers should make the starting 11.
I honestly believe that chambers should play the ‘xhaka’ Roll when bellerin is fit enough to start. The other team selection that I would quite like to see would be 3-5-2 chambers, luis, holding then bellerin, willock, cabelloes, guendouzi, tierney and up top Auba, and Pepe
Good development we really need to start featuering our best.
Cautious optimism is the need of the hour for our own sakes, because we do not know what team Emery will put on the pitch. To be fair, even he doesn’t know😁.
After the Burnley game I said Luiz & Sokratis shouldn’t play together, both being hot-heads, and that one of them should partner Chambers, or Holding when he comes back, but after the NF game I believe both Chambers and Holding should start. Last season I also believed it was wrong to send Chambers out on loan after a good preseason, but since it’s all in the past, the lad needs a good run on the pitch in EPL games. Mustafi hasn’t done badly either upon his return.
Itay have been against a Championship team, but the midfield controlled the game well, playing in the opponent’s half most of the time, and rightly so. I really hope Emery allows partnerships to evolve in this area of the pitch, instead of selecting combinations that are all over the place. Xhaka needs some time off to get his head and game sorted, as he seems to have lost his way.
Let’s hope for the best, starting with the gaffer choosing the right team, formation and system.
Are you kidding me! Can u just imagine q Chambers vs. Ames Contest! It would be so disastrous. Chambers is not a fullback remember. As such, if he is to nullify that treat, there would be no, assists and attacks from that wing. Hell no! Pls think of something else and not Chambers as fullback.