*Raya

Brentford play one way. Like Wimbledon in the past. Get both your strikers to work really hard and hold up the ball from long balls. The reason why we have looked more assured at the back is because Rice able to screen against that tactic. Teams get into real trouble when those strikers isolate themselves against your CBs. I think it was Gabriel's worst game this season because of it.

Jorginho is absolutely dead against that. And there was no point playing Rice higher up because Brentford play long ball, so who are you going to press? Not surprised, Havertz only found space for the winner after Jesus came on.

I'm more annoyed he picked trossard on the wings. Give nelson a chance there FFS. Trossard is far more effective in central areas ruined the entire balance.

Aye, we should've saved Jorginho for Porto.

2nd half was a good warm up for that game, Brentford players spent it all in the floor until we scored the winner.

Havertz and Trossard work well. Ask West Ham. Just think we didn't control the middle of the park like we usually do because Jorginho was out muscled. Everton, Burnley (under Dyche) and Palace used to use that tactic against us 2 or 3 times a season. And Xhaka used to get really frustrated like Jorgino because they were physically bullied in DM.

My fear is that if we play Rice and Jorginho against Porto we may have a similar problem. If Porto are able to get out of our press, Jorginho will offer no protection without Zinny also helping in MF.

I think it's time to start Partey and Rice and use Jesus instead of Trossard from the left. Then you can cover with Rice on the left if you play Zinny to add a bit more creativity.

Vs Porto
------Raya----------
BW-Sal-Gab-Zin-
-----Partey---------
-------------Rice----
Saka----------------
---------------Jesus-
--------Havertz-----

*ode

Trouble with that is, we all know Partey takes 3-4-5 games to find form, and we’re clearly still nursing Jesus back from injury.

I wouldn’t be surprised if neither start on Tuesday.

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 23 minutes ago
Vs Porto
------Raya----------
BW-Sal-Gab-Zin-
-----Partey---------
-------------Rice----
Saka----------------
---------------Jesus-
--------Havertz-----
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Nae chance

comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 13 minutes ago
Trouble with that is, we all know Partey takes 3-4-5 games to find form, and we’re clearly still nursing Jesus back from injury.

I wouldn’t be surprised if neither start on Tuesday.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This, pretty much. Partey will probably not start a game this season unless Rice gets an injury I think

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 28 minutes ago
Havertz and Trossard work well. Ask West Ham. Just think we didn't control the middle of the park like we usually do because Jorginho was out muscled. Everton, Burnley (under Dyche) and Palace used to use that tactic against us 2 or 3 times a season. And Xhaka used to get really frustrated like Jorgino because they were physically bullied in DM.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Trossard and Havertz had a good dynamic rotating central areas up front and in midfield. Trossard on the wing is different. In my predicted xi I had trossard in midfield, that would have worked a lot better.

I agree this wasn't a Jorginho game. But hey, he still played some lovely passes into the box, could've had an assist on another day. And rice got another goal by pushing up higher.

As I suspected at the start of the season, rice is the true "xhaka replacement". He's nearly matched xhakas numbers from last season already. Havertz can "do a job" there but he just isnt consistent enough.

If partey can come back to a good level, it'll be him at 6 with Declan as the left 8.

Hoping either Wolves or Chelsea lose the FA cup quarter final next weekend. We are due to play Wolves on 20th April and that's the weekend FA cup semi finals go ahead. I'm assuming if Wolves get through to the semi finals but Chelsea don't then our game against Chelsea would be scheduled for 20th April. Well that is common sense anyway!

comment by Tu Meke (U3732)
posted 23 minutes ago


As I suspected at the start of the season, rice is the true "xhaka replacement". He's nearly matched xhakas numbers from last season already. Havertz can "do a job" there but he just isnt consistent enough.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't think Arteta intended that, or he wouldn't have started Havertz no.8 / Jesus whenever Jesus was fit. Arteta wanted Havertz to play in the role he played for Leverkusen. The fact he has been able to adjust to false 9 is great because he never played that at Chelsea. It's also a new role for us, with both Saka and Martinelli playing slightly higher.

And to an extent it has worked out that way because of Rice's inability to control midfield tempo that was cruelly exposed by Fulham and West Ham before the Dubai break.

So Arteta is using Rice to press higher up, and he has also unlocked his attacking prowess with it.

Our problem was that both of our wings were nearly dead. Neither Trossard or Saka hardly came through. So we tried to hard to come from the middle of the park and they stand tight in defense. We need our wingers doing their job on Tuesday otherwise it'll going to be a long evening.

What I really dont like is the way the media covering of the game yesterday. It's all about Havertz scoring the winner but shouldnt be on the field. No one reporting on Rice hitting the woodwork or Odegaard and Trossard should have had penalties.

Yes, Havertz could have had a second yellow for simulation. On the other hand at that point we should have won the game if the ref. and VAR would have done their job properly.

The luckiest man yesterday was clearly Ramsdale. If we wouldnt have won that game his career at Arsenal was over today.

It's always the same. The media is so used to being up Liverpool and Man City backsides, they don't want Arsenal spoiling their narrative.

Brentford diving constantly and giving little fouls away. They wanted us to get into squabbles and disrupt our flow. Which they did really well.

Tierney was too scared of being criticised because there were 3 clear pens. Trossard around the neck, Gabriel wrestled to the ground in a corner and Gabriel shorts being held at a free kick. We need to get a better press officer who makes sure Arteta focuses on this, like Frank did at the end of the game. Because the media is too thick and need to be guided, and sometimes Arteta gets side tracked in what he thinks went wrong!

imo Ramsdale's career at Arsenal was already over when his dad complained. It's a matter who we sell him to. Chelsea?

I felt sick for Aaron to be honest. He didnt deserve that. Thank god Kai won us the game in the end. Thought Ben White was outstanding and our best player yesterday.

That game yesterday was a blueprint of what is waiting for us on Tuesday. Porto will do exact the same. Time wasting, stay back and counter.

We gonna put Porto in a spliff

comment by CrouchEndGooner (U13531)
posted 5 minutes ago
We gonna put Porto in a spliff
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am already shiiit in my pants

https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/1766615725588742256?t=XIL43R0TDyP__zPpmgcJhQ&s=19

Scousers are FUMING

Lovely

comment by CrouchEndGooner (U13531)
posted 21 minutes ago
We gonna put Porto in a spliff
----------------------------------------------------------------------
do you think this urban bantz is funny m8?

Shut up you battycrease