Arsenal vs Wolves 02.12.2023 - KO 15:00

[HCZ_Reborn]

Won the last four games against this lot, who are going to sit deep and try and break I imagine. For that reason I would bring Jorginho back into the team so we have someone back there to break up the play and allow Rice a bit more freedom going forward (although we definitely need someone of Partey’s strength and passing ability back before too long)


Of course genius suddenly thinks Havertz will be a world beater because he looked ok against a terrible French team that can’t defend…so any idea of a sensible line up out the window.


My team


Ramsdale (sorry Raya is shit, we all know it)


Tomiyasu
Gabriel
Saliba
White


Jorginho
Rice

Odegaard


Nelson
Trossard
Saka


Martinelli one of our best players but he’s been terrible lately, Saka may not be scoring as much but his industry is constant.

[Mac76]

Martinelli one of our best players but he’s been terrible lately

Yeah that goal he scored on Weds was awful :rolleyes:

agree with the rest of it though and would love Nelson to get a start so fine, no problem with giving someone else a rest, but not because of ridiculous assertions that they are 'terrible' (unless it's Zin or Havertz)

[Marc Overmars]

This gameweek has Newcastle v Man Utd and City v Spurs.

So it’s essential we get the 3 points here and gain on those below us. Don’t envisage too much trouble as Wolves are much better at home than away. I guess it will just come down to trying to score as early as possible to avoid the tedious low block problem.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Yeah that goal he scored on Weds was awful :rolleyes:

agree with the rest of it though and would love Nelson to get a start so fine, no problem with giving someone else a rest, but not because of ridiculous assertions that they are 'terrible' (unless it's Zin or Havertz)


:lol: even the part of my post you quote undermines the strawman argument you seem to be trying to make. I said he’s been terrible not is terrible…one suggests that they have dropped well below what they are capable of, the other suggests that they are incapable

Yeah he scored a good goal on Wednesday against a dreadful team (all the teams in the group are dreadful that’s why we have scored 15 goals in 5 games). I think he’s a great player but it’s not a ridiculous assertion to say he’s been terrible of late. Yes I think part of that is he’s not getting the space he’s used to, but a lot of that is he doesn’t seem to want to roll up his sleeves…which Nelson will do more.

[Mac76]

0-3 Hwang hatter btw

[HCZ_Reborn]

So a few statistics to throw in

Under Arteta, we are twice as likely to concede a goal in the second half of a home league game as in the first half (the ratio is 28 to 60)

I suspect the reason for this is because we have a tendency to be caught on the break or sloppiness when trying to get a goal or extend our lead


We are probably going to have to be a bit patient I think unless we get an early goal. But the earliest we’ve scored at home this season is the 26th minute (in the league).

[The Wengerbabies]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAWQofOX0AA0uhV?format=jpg&name=large

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wolves: Sa; Dawson, Kilman, Toti; Semedo, Traore, Doyle, Bellegarde, Bueno; Cunha, Hwang
Subs: Bentley, Doherty, Bueno, Silva, Kaladjzic, Sarabia, Chirewa, Whittingham, Hubner.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

SAKA!!!

[dostoy]

Who is watching this and on what channel?

I know it's not on UK channels

Why do some players wear sleeveless shirts on a freeeeeeezing cold day? Is it a macho thing?

[dostoy]

ODEGAARD 2-0

[dostoy]

Cutback from Zinchenko, stroked in by ODEGAARD.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

ODEGAARD!! 2-0!! :bow:

[dazthegooner]

Goal was pure quality

[dostoy]

When Arsenal are 2-0 up after 15 minutes, they always sit back and think the games is over.

[Letters]

When Arsenal are 2-0 up after 15 minutes, they always sit back and think the games is over.
:lol:

We have had a tendency to do that. Our defence has been better this season though, he says tempting fate!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sa has seen enough it seems.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

I'm not sure why Zinchenko is hellbent on ensuring Wolves get back into this game...pretty disturbing defending from him today...even by his pretty low standards.

[dostoy]

Cunha is a decent player for Wolves. He is quick and awkward.

[WMUG]

Who is watching this and on what channel?

I know it's not on UK channels

Why do some players wear sleeveless shirts on a freeeeeeezing cold day? Is it a macho thing?

Arr, me hearties.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Tomiyasu injured again.

Month long World Class form :bow:

.:rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-1 Wolves. Oof.

[Marc Overmars]

Don’t kill games off and this is what can happen. :rolleyes:

Need more clinical firepower.

[dostoy]

When Arsenal go 2-0 up very quickly, they always sit back.

I knew it would happen.

They are hanging on now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-1 FT. :bow:

[HCZ_Reborn]

When Arsenal go 2-0 up very quickly, they always sit back.

I knew it would happen.

They are hanging on now.

We didn’t sit back, we just couldn’t kill the game off and Zinchenko decided to be a horses arse

[Mac76]

only caught the last 20 mins or so on the radio, but sounds like the usual story, as people say here, of not killing games off, then when we concede Arteta goes into full defensive mode, bringing Wolves onto us

We got away with it so fine, but we need to be more dominant

really hope the Tomi injury isn't too serious

[Mac76]

Zinchenko decided to be a horses arse

there's a surprise

[dostoy]

When I say sit back, I mean the energy level goes down.

There is not as much intent on scoring goals as there is in the first 15 minutes.

[HCZ_Reborn]

only caught the last 20 mins or so on the radio, but sounds like the usual story, as people say here, of not killing games off, then when we concede Arteta goes into full defensive mode, bringing Wolves onto us

We got away with it so fine, but we need to be more dominant

really hope the Tomi injury isn't too serious


If it’s twenty minutes before the end I would say fine, we shouldn’t retreat into our shells. But on 86 minutes? I have to say if it was my call I’d protect what we have.

Disappointing that we couldn’t put them to the sword, but from what I can gather the performance wasn’t bad, but not the first time Zinchenko caught in possession, back in the good old days of Clough he’d get a cuff round the back of the head for it.

Last time this happened was against Forest, (by this, comfortable 2-0 lead made into a nail biter by silly defensive lapse) and I was furious because the whole game we were shit. Whilst I wish we were more clinical at times, if we are creating enough chances to win by a big margin as long as we do win I can live with it.

[HCZ_Reborn]

When I say sit back, I mean the energy level goes down.

There is not as much intent on scoring goals as there is in the first 15 minutes.

But that’s just the way it goes, you’re not going to have the same energy levels for ninety minutes.


Yes I wish we weren’t so profligate at times but overall when we’ve scored twenty goals in eight games at home. I’m not too worried

[Mac76]

But that’s just the way it goes, you’re not going to have the same energy levels for ninety minutes.


Which is exactly why people like me call for two or three subs on or around 60 minutes, to bring on fresh energy - Arteta's first sub was 67 mins and there wasn't another until 77 mins

[HCZ_Reborn]

Yeah maybe but we didn’t exactly have loads of good options on the bench, had players we could have brought on to see the game out but that’s it

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

But that’s just the way it goes, you’re not going to have the same energy levels for ninety minutes.


Yes I wish we weren’t so profligate at times but overall when we’ve scored twenty goals in eight games at home. I’m not too worried

If we'd drawn this game, it would have been Arteta's fault single handley. Wolves had pretty much given up after the first 2 goals and most of our starters just seemed to do the same after 30 mins, seemingly waiting for the final whistle to go off.

Clearly they felt the game was won already and they had nothing to prove, thus the unnecessary showboating, silly shots from all angles and the Zinchencko howler which I called long before he gave them their lifeline.

TBH Arteta was just as lack lustre and unserious as the team today. Nothing stopped him from changing the energy and bringing in subs when it was clear we were just doing the rounds. The commentary felt he was waiting for the 3rd goal but I'm pretty sure he would have still left those players on no matter what.

20 mins of fabulous football and just 70 mins watching the players strutting around...thats the summary of this game.

[Mac76]

Yeah maybe but we didn’t exactly have loads of good options on the bench, had players we could have brought on to see the game out but that’s it


don't agree, Nelson always injects extra energy and has scored some important goals, plus in recent games Havertz has shown he can come on and do a job

and actually i think White could do a really good job on the right wing, though admittedly he ended up having to replace Tomi

[HCZ_Reborn]

If we'd drawn this game, it would have been Arteta's fault single handley. Wolves had pretty much given up after the first 2 goals and most of our starters just seemed to do the same after 30 mins, seemingly waiting for the final whistle to go off.

Clearly they felt the game was won already and they had nothing to prove, thus the unnecessary showboating, silly shots from all angles and the Zinchencko howler which I called long before he gave them their lifeline.

TBH Arteta was just as lack lustre and unserious as the team today. Nothing stopped him from changing the energy and bringing in subs when it was clear we were just doing the rounds. The commentary felt he was waiting for the 3rd goal but I'm pretty sure he would have still left those players on no matter what.

20 mins of fabulous football and just 70 mins watching the players strutting around...thats the summary of this game.


I think showboating probably is a bit of a stretch, I just don’t think we’ve got natural finishers in the team. I think let’s be fair if some of the stuff we produced had paid off we would have been lauding it.


I think in some ways, it has to be put into perspective that we played three days ago. And although that was a walk in the park, you aren’t going to have the same intensity. It wasn’t like they were threatening to come back into the game before Zinchenko was a dickhead.

End of the day, despite the fact that we made it harder for ourselves than we should have done. We won. If we carry the complacency and malaise into the Luton and Villa games I’ll have plenty to say. But to be honest don’t really have it in me to be too cross

[Marc Overmars]

A bit disconcerting that we made that trickier than it needed to be but a wins a win I guess.

Still waiting for something more convincing as far as the league performances are concerned though. Really need some killers up front.

[Letters]

A bit disconcerting that we made that trickier than it needed to be but a wins a win I guess.

Still waiting for something more convincing as far as the league performances are concerned though. Really need some killers up front.

It's bizarre how we manage to combine an apparently good defence (statistically, at least) with a baffling inability to keep clean sheets at home.
It's obviously good that started so convincingly and went in to a seemingly comfortable lead early. But disappointing that we once again conceded and ended up hanging on somewhat. We have to stop that, especially these days when there are so many minutes of injury time. We're not going to keep getting away with this.

[HCZ_Reborn]

It's bizarre how we manage to combine an apparently good defence (statistically, at least) with a baffling inability to keep clean sheets at home.
It's obviously good that started so convincingly and went in to a seemingly comfortable lead early. But disappointing that we once again conceded and ended up hanging on somewhat. We have to stop that, especially these days when there are so many minutes of injury time. We're not going to keep getting away with this.

We play a lot more aggressively at home than away from home. And the way we set up often leaves us vulnerable to the counter.

What I will say though is that overall, after the Spurs game we have looked a lot better defensively at home. We’ve conceded two goals in four games (two in six if you include the champions league)

Yesterday was far more about an individual error than a leaky defence. And that is important to note given Wolves are a dangerous side on the counter attack and we really didn’t give much away and Saliba especially as he often does dealt well with pace.

Overall we’ve conceded 8 in 8 at home in the league, not great but not a giant cause for concern either. I think overall we will keep more clean sheets at home this season than last. But also I just think we are more inclined to be defensive away from home, we have kept almost twice as many clean sheets away from home under Arteta and you also have to think we score fewer as well, because ultimately as good as your defence is, unless you’re the most clinical side going you either attack or you defend