Pre-Season 2025/2026: Page 28 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Pre-Season 2025/2026

Speedster

Yea a lot of jersey pulling on him you'd never get away with on VAR. But they definitely got in his head.

I thought our touches were heavy when we were running. These guys are running on dead legs from heavy conditioning.

USArsenal

Speedster These guys are running on dead legs from heavy conditioning.

This was kind of what I was thinking in my head also. Its preseason, and we are doing a lot of training. Spurs have had an easier preseason than us so its not surprising that we didn't look all that great. Plus, we just had a heavy game v Newcastle a few days ago. This is all about conditioning, not results. Yes, we would love to look sparkling and perfect now, but truth is, we've not always played our best in pre-season. I'm more interested in what we do v. Man U in the opening game. We don't need to go all out in preseason friendlies. We need to get into game shape so when the real season starts, we're ready.

Speedster

USArsenal

Aye you can have a more technical or a more fitness driven preseason. From working in sports you found the coaches just do what they're best at coaching.

Arteta is gonna be flogging them. They're dead on their feet, the extra fitness should help come Christmas when you hit fixture pile up.

Meatwad

if you don't have heavy legs in pre-season you aren't doing it right.

Speedster

Yea generally, I've been in pre seasons in a top 4 team in top division rugby in England and the manager has just gone to fitness heavy and the lads have no fluidity to the passing/ technical skills. You get near the end of pre season and you usually play a rival and they just wheeled out a ton of youngsters. Take the loss and save face because you've fooked pre season.

Gazza M

I woke up still weirdly irked by that performance. must have been the heavy feeling of dejavu from last season. its still the case that we generate most of our quality open play chances off the back of our pressing, which was way off yesterday, which is understandable given its pre-season. the problem is there were warning signs that our press wasn't effective last season as well, which ties into the massive drop in attacking production across the board - and this was noticeable BEFORE the injuries, in case anyone raised that point. I have some concerns around how much stomach our established players have for this playing style if it continues to not deliver results.

flobaba

Gazza M and it's such hard work too. It's unbelievable that this is how a team that aspires to truly compete at top level chooses to go about it. Grafty. Once the low block is set, If our wingers can't win their one v ones we are dead in the water. If we can't bundle one in via set piece, we are hopeless. If we can't get a cross onto the head of Fellaini, we are struggling. Even passing out via midfield interplay seems a bit of a chore. No creativity, no fluid movement that threatens or pulls the opposition apart and puts them under a lot of pressure, just predictable patterns and duels. Yes it is preseason but the ideas aren't looking much different from last time even with the personnel upgrades. I didn't watch when Gyok came on but if our style didn't change much at that point it doesn't bode well...

Gazza M

flobaba we got out-duelled in the first half and it showed. it resulted in us being completely neutered in both directions. arteta remains all-in on being the biggest, strongest, most energetic team as the path to success. if we're not bang on it physically every game, there doesn't appear to be much to us. its really all on the likes of eze, gyokeres and zubimendi to freshen this up. not just in terms of the quality they bring, but to hopefully spark some better ideas from arteta.

Burnwinter

I dunno, people talk crisis about our style a wee bit too much for me.

For example, up the thread there's a claim we don't get touches in the opposition penalty area, but stats show last season we were basically the same on that measure as Liverpool and City.

I get that """control""" can make for rather charmless viewing, but if adding quality cranks up our execution by just a few percent we'll do very well without a stylistic overhaul.

Asterix

We're giving minutes to a lot of players, which makes getting a rhythm difficult.

I mean I'm just looking for excuses really. Dislike losing to Spurs, even in this game.

Gurgen

I didn’t watch the game but quite surprised by the drama on here. It’s preseason people, nobody cares. Including the players.

USArsenal

Gurgen

Yeah, this is kinda where my head is too.

flobaba

Gurgen if you think top level professional footballers don't care about losing, you have no idea what you're talking about. Competition (and an insane desire to win) is in their blood. I have an 11 year old nephew who can't stand losing a game of footie and will go out training in the backyard and mad all night whenever he doesn't play well or his team loses. Heck he can't even lose a game of ping pong against his little brother without it turning into a fight/argument.

If you think professional footballers who play for Arsenal don't care about losing to Spurs, pre season or otherwise, I don't know what to tell you. If even fans are widely disappointed, the players are feeling it doubly so. If they aren't, they really shouldn't be here.

Burnwinter

Being a sore loser is only the trait of winners to the extent it helps them win. Resentful dogma and blame is far from helpful.

Gurgen

I think professional footballers care about losing, but I think they don’t put everything in the line in preseason like they would in big competitive games.

Speedster

Gurgen

Exactly if your 16 you go for everything if your 26 you need to be fit for the start of the season.

est

Would be great, but I'm skeptical.

Klaus

est Think Madueke makes a ton of sense with this in mind, just like our insistence that Martinelli isn't for sale.

Speedster

est

Like how we played with auba?

flobaba

est one can hope. I mean it's a no brainer, right?

Klaus

When's the Villarreal game by the way? Is it wednesday? I reckon Gyökeres might get half an hour at least, should be able to see some patterns a little more clearly then.

RocktheCasbah

Klaus Wednesday. Half tempted to pop down after work, but already going to the Athletic Club game on Saturday.

Qwiss

Klaus I'm expecting a full half from him.

« Previous Page Next Page »