The next 5: Page 9 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

The next 5

MistaT

Would love for ESR to be back for some of these games. We’ll need rotation, and he’s good for goals. It’s been a shame to see him out this season as he could have been a huge asset in Europa where we labored.

RocktheCasbah

Absolutely.

The Evening Standard had a report yesterday saying he should be back in training with the first team group by the end of this training camp, so that sounds pretty positive.

Claudius

Tam wrote:
Claudius wrote:
What about the other teams? Are they coming to play us after a week long rest as well? I think we will be just fine. Everyone has a hard fixture list.
The only thing I worry about is injury. But I have always banked on us being a bit lucky with injuries to our starting 11 to stay in the top 2.

I've no doubt in a parallel universe there is a poster called Cam on RedCafe with a SickBoy from Trainspotting avatar, saying how much of a test it will be far Ten Hag to come through a busy New Year period post World Cup.

You see a weeks rest, I see other teams potentially getting players back into the swing of things more quickly than us. The World Cup is a huge unknown and distraction, we've no idea the impact it might have. It's a test for everyone.

I think I’m also less prone to fatalism now in the last 24 months than I was before. It’s why I didn’t wallow in missing out on top 4 last year. It didn’t feel like the end of the world. Things still felt hopeful after that end of season collapse. My perspective has shifted a lot since Wenger and Emery, our even pre Boxing Day Arteta.

goon

Only issue is we've been the best team in the league so we have more to get back up to speed with. West Ham on the other hand, were playing poorly. They just need to turn up to training and that's pretty much them picking up where they left off.

On the other hand, I don't really see anyone in our side performing at superhuman levels, everyone has just being doing their job and are very comfortable with their role within the system. That should hold true after the world cup.

Qwiss

West Ham are aiming for a European spot, we are trying to win the league. They have a lot more room for slip ups.

Big Willie

goon wrote:
Only issue is we've been the best team in the league so we have more to get back up to speed with. West Ham on the other hand, were playing poorly. They just need to turn up to training and that's pretty much them picking up where they left off.

On the other hand, I don't really see anyone in our side performing at superhuman levels, everyone has just being doing their job and are very comfortable with their role within the system. That should hold true after the world cup.

How many hands you got man?

banduan

Quincy Abeyie wrote:
Claudius wrote:
What about the other teams? Are they coming to play us after a week long rest as well? I think we will be just fine. Everyone has a hard fixture list.
The only thing I worry about is injury. But I have always banked on us being a bit lucky with injuries to our starting 11 to stay in the top 2.

What? That it's a tough game for us doesn't mean it isn't for our opponent.

exactly. All those games are tough except Hammers cos they been shite.
We can certainly win them, it just won't be easy. Any wins out of those, barring Everton, would be massive statements in the title race. Newcastle have stopped being chumps playing away too so even a home win v them is huge.

Sicario

Our game v Man City has been re-arranged for Wed Feb 15th:

Good to see Man City have back to back games to Utd and Spurs a few weeks before that though.

goon

Burnwinter

Good start to this, which has made the next couple feel a little less daunting even without Jesus. Hopefully by the time we face Spurs and United we'll have reinforcements in the form of ESR and Mudryk.

Interesting little stat by the way. If our final 23 games bear the same results as the last 23 from last season (a period that included 7 losses), we'll end up on 86 points.

Burnwinter

Brighton–Newcastle feels more daunting currently than Spurs–United — anyone else feel that?

One game at a time, our West Ham performance just gone would challenge any of this roster.

Pepe LeFrits

I'm just glad the Newcastle game is at the Emirates.

Clrnc

Pepe LeFrits Think currently we are probably more likely to beat City at Ettihad than Newcastle at St James.

goon

I actually can’t wait to see us play Newcastle. They’re probably the most aggressive pressing side in the league right now. On the other hand we’re probably the most press resistant team in the league. Going to be fun to see how it plays out.

KingslandBarge

The Brighton fixture is a bit of an uncertain wedge for me, but I am optimistic about a stellar grudge tour in January.
Not sure how effective Arteta will be with rotation. He's not been very liberal with it ever or recently. If he doesn't intend to rotate, hopefully it'll at least bring good returns.

Clrnc

KingslandBarge I think from his POV he is probably telling the owners he wants and will need to rotate but still don't have good enough personnel on the bench to trust.

He probably have seen enough from limited viewing to know the fringe players he has at his disposal is good enough for a top 4 emergency job but not good enough to keep up with the Citeh Machine

Our January fixtures are really a horrible piece of work. Can't see us coping without Jesus

KingslandBarge

Burnwinter
For sure, I tried referencing the table on the middle of this page https://www.arsenal.com/news/breakdown-evaluating-our-season-so-far back in December KingslandBarge. Though it's not entirely the reason, just look at how finished and void of energy Newcastle seem at the moment.

Don Pacifico

Clrnc Our January fixtures are really a horrible piece of work. Can't see us coping without Jesus

I don't get this.

I understand that we're all gutted that Jesus is out as he's been one of our best players but fundamentally, the way we play isn't reliant on him or any one player. With Eddie, we'll miss the contribution in the build-up but we probably gain more threat in the penalty area. All in all, it's not ideal but I think we have enough attacking potential within the team.

Coombs

Don Pacifico All in all, it's not ideal but I think we have enough attacking potential within the team.

And if Eddie gets a knock or a red card? We're way too short up top.

Burnwinter

Don Pacifico I don't get this.

Don't think we've seen the deficit yet, playing West Ham. Jesus is statistically the top defensive forward in the league, as well as persistently terrifying defences and dragging players out of position with his threat on the ball. Also very crafty at set pieces.

Could be that we won't miss him, but I think it'll be rather obvious versus an organised defence.

Don Pacifico

Coombs

Then Martinelli plays centrally.

The reason we have a squad is so that we have players who can fill in. It's also why Arteta has prioritised players who are positionally flexible.

Don Pacifico

Burnwinter

Perhaps - for the record, my perspective isn't coloured by the WH match as I've said the same thing the last couple of weeks.

That being said, in response to your specific point I think it's worth remembering how much pressing the whole front line were doing against West Ham, to the point that in the second half it was notable how quickly we won the ball back. Of course Jesus has been a massive contributor in this regard but it's also a strategy deployed across the team, many of whom are also pretty proficient at it too.

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