• The Arsenal

  • Arsenal - Ipswich, Friday 27 December at 20:15 UK time.

0 shots from Jesus tonight. Our CF for 72 minutes. That's just awful.

Tough watch. We're a bit shit tbh and it's hard to swallow after the improvement over the last two seasons.

lorddulaarsenal he was average, but that 15 minute spell in the 2nd half where he turned it on was unsurprisingly our best period of the match. he's playing like 2021 odegaard right now. drifting through games and only turning it on in spurts.

    Quite dire. We'll have little threat with Martinelli on the right if this is any guide. Glad of the three points however, on we go.

    We should've won by 2 or 3 given some of the chances.

    Was a weird match. First half we dominated despite Odegaard being crud but wouldn't do enough at the other end. 2nd half we faltered but Odegaard picked us up driving us forward.

    Back to being annoyed at Gabi Jebus and Trossard again. The latter had a great assist but yet another lazy braindead backpass, he's done that thrice already this season.

      banduan The latter had a great assist but yet another lazy braindead backpass, he's done that thrice already this season.

      He was playing terribly at that stage, he looked spent. I didn't understand why Arteta hadn't taken him off earlier. He's lucky that reluctance to take him off didn't cost us.

      Without Saka these marginal mistakes and bad finishing are going to be amplified. If we can't build up the sort of leads we should those subs in the second half become really crucial to not lose control of the game.

        As an aside this was one of those horrible matches to attend put on late for TV post holidays and the football was really boring. It didn't look to me at least what we are going for in Saka's absence and I think it makes it hard to see us winning even the domestic cups if he's not about.

        This needs to make Arteta realise he needs to boost the attacking quality Ode isn't a goal scorer so it really is just Saka who has some reliability but his own goal scoring is still someway from what Salah or Harland have contributed.

          Wouldn't be surprised to see White start getting shifted to CB with Timber starting to own that RB spot

            MistaT just use the squad. Given the quality of the two players, that’s easily one position where I’d typically start Timber, but give White 30 to close out the game

              lorddulaarsenal maybe. But none of those players are without injury risk and the more we lean on them, the more they're likely to get injured.

              Kiwior seems relatively robust so far (albeit he's not had as much exposure as others) so that's a big tick for him in my book. Would much rather sell Tomiyasu (and Zinchenko).

                awooga83 Arteta's going to have to take the handbrake off in Saka's absence. Take some more risks and get our attackers into space more often. Even the best attackers in the world find it hard when having to constantly dance through heavy traffic to create chances and score.

                    SimplyThePest I've been critical of our handbrake but with the squad we have and Saka out I think I'd actually double down on solidity. The Havertz and Ode midfield appealed to me with Saka but now I want our best back 7 with Havertz up top, Ode AM and 2 wingers.

                    If we sign someone worthwhile I'll revise this

                        I'd give the Havertz at 8 and Jesus at 9 thing another chance. The former has scored two in two like this after all, and it means we have at least a bit of vertical movement into the box from deeper.

                        It's no long term thing though, and signing a top wide player who can break lines with his ball carrying and movement would mean we could really give Merino a go in the left 8 at the same time.

                          Qwiss You might be right, mate but bloody hell, we've looked very pedestrian in attack with Saka available... Time will tell but I suspect Arteta may very well do what you have suggested.