Morning all.
It’s been fairly an attention-grabbing weekend within the Premier League. I caught the second half of the Manchester derby yesterday night, and it was kinda boring … till it wasn’t. Metropolis have been 1-0 up and seemingly set for 3 factors, till Matheus Nunes produced one of many dumbest challenges you’ll ever see, clattering Amad Diallo and United had a penalty.
Bruno Fernandes dispatched it for 1-1 and a minute later it was 2-1 when Diallo did brilliantly to dink the ball over Ederson after which discover a end regardless of the presence of defenders on the road. Clearly no one needs Manchester United to be completely happy, however there’s nonetheless some enjoyment to be taken in yet one more dangerous consequence for Pep Guardiola’s facet.
It’s a unprecedented run by any requirements, not to mention those we’ve come to count on from Man Metropolis. I believe they’ll regular the ship and go on and win a variety of video games, however a run like this goes an extended method to piercing the aura they’ve had for therefore a few years. They’ve been so dominant, so inevitable, that I believe it impacts the opposition groups and gamers. In the event that they go forward, there’s a way that the sport is completed, and I don’t suppose that’s the case any extra.
I’ll say although, with out making an attempt to deliver anybody down, the hole between us and the leaders isn’t the one that provides me most pause after I take a look at the league desk. It’s the truth that regardless of Metropolis’s horrible kind, we solely have a 3 level hole over them, and it must be extra. The final two video games, at Fulham and Everton on Sunday, have been missed alternatives – not simply to catch Liverpool and maintain tempo with Chelsea, however to place a ways between us and Metropolis.
Sticking with us for only a second, I’m wondering if the final couple of video games and our incapability to discover a manner by way of a crew that sits deep may have given Mikel Arteta a bit to consider past how an additional attacking participant would possibly assist. I don’t suppose you want a grasp’s diploma in soccer to see how including qualities we don’t should our entrance line is perhaps helpful. I do know there’s a variety of clamour for a striker, and I get that fully, however I don’t suppose there’s any actual likelihood of getting one of many few good ones that exist within the January market. I do suppose there’s way more likelihood of a flexible attacker who can play throughout the entrance three, and I hope that’s the place the main target is that if we’re energetic when the window opens.
Past the apparent although, the place that participant would possibly provide you with one other precise goalscoring possibility (one thing we don’t have sufficient of on our bench proper now), it may additionally provide you with higher tactical variation. I bear in mind at the beginning of final season, Arteta was very large on making his crew unpredictable, not merely when it comes to the beginning line-ups, however how they might play from sport to sport, and even change issues up throughout video games.
Proper now, I don’t see that from Arsenal. I believe we’re nonetheless good, by the way in which. Able to enjoying some superb stuff and producing good outcomes, however on the times when the opposition frustrate us, do we’ve got sufficient tactical selection? It’s why, in yesterday’s weblog, I discussed the concept of enjoying Martin Odegaard and Ethan Nwaneri collectively, slightly than it being a one or the opposite state of affairs. Our left hand facet stays a difficulty, and I don’t know what precisely we are able to do about it with the gamers we’ve got, however watching Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli battle to provide from there should be one thing that’s giving the supervisor lots to consider.
Once more, I believe each gamers are able to higher than we’ve seen to date this season. Trossard isn’t precisely one for the long run given his age, and Martinelli seems to have plateaued in a major manner, however is there one thing Arteta can do elsewhere on the pitch which may get extra out of them? A brand new signing may unlock one thing, no query, however the patterns of play which were so efficient for us for the final couple of seasons are actually well-known by the opposition and their analysts, and I believe that has performed an element within the final couple of video games – in tandem with our personal points within the closing third.
Anyway, again to the Premier League, and we’ve seen a few managers sacked. I don’t suppose both is a shock actually. Gary O’Neil’s Wolves have been dangerous for too lengthy, whereas Russell Martin getting canned by Southampton after 5-0 defeat yesterday felt inevitable. It’s all nicely and good for a supervisor to have his personal type of play or rules, however once they’re so regularly the reason for your crew conceding targets and shedding video games, you need to adapt when the gamers aren’t able to doing on the required degree.
Hat-tip to Andrew Allen who despatched me this piece through the week, it’s a great examine a few of Southampton’s woes and the broader ‘pattern’ of groups enjoying out from the again. Russell Martin has paid the worth for that this weekend. For extra on the Premier League, you’ll be able to be a part of us on Patreon later for an episode of The 30, lots to get our enamel into for positive.
And naturally we may have an Arsecast Additional for you in a short time too. We’ve put out the decision for questions on BlueSky @gunnerblog.bsky.social and @arseblog.com with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or should you’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, go away your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Pod must be out round midday. For now, have a great one.
