Problem is they seem stuck to a rigid set up that I very much doubt can win a title but we will see.
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Definite upgrade
Double it. I could see Arteta use him the same way Pep used Grealish.
So basically ruin him.
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Eze is massively inconsistent. For all his undeniable talent.
He’s an improvement as a backup to Saka but Arteta will sap any creativity out of him with his multi billion stoke style of football
Eze is not backup to Saka, Eze will likely start in the left half-space. Madueke is Saka’s backup.
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We’ll see. I know Hincapie has his fans, but Kiwior’s main fault is he wasn’t as good as Saliba or Gabriel. But Hincapie almost certainly isn’t either.
This strikes me as a possible upgrade, but the bigger advantage is they moved on someone who while an effective backup had become stale with an acceptance he was never going to challenge for a starting spot. I think that sort of move can be important for the team dynamic, but in terms of personnel it’s still got to play out to see if he’s actually a better player.
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I seem to recollect that Madueke was more of a LW in his first two matches for Arsenal. He played right wing against us. Probably changes now that Eze is in.
He still has to acclimatize to the league. Hincapie that is. I don’t see a point in signing a CB right now. Especially when Kwior’s used to the premier league and does a fair job at it.
Szobo was at RB for a few games, doesn’t make him a RB for the season. Madueke might do a job at both wings, but Eze is not brought in to be Saka’s backup on the right.
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Kiwior wanted to leave to get more games
Missed that then. They’ve still got Mosquera , Califiori , White who do a fair job at CB. Does seem overkill to be stacking up on so many defenders.
Mosquera gives them their third dedicated CB. Everyone else who is an option there is filling out a squad role in one of the FB positions as well and so once you take that into account as @Zoran pointed out, the number of bodies is about right - 8 or 9 depending on how you count Zinchenko (more out than in) and MLS (may not be being considered for LB this year)
Especially with injury issues to White and Timber, they would not have been able to get rid of Kiwior and not replace him without leaving themselves short.
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Zinchenko has signed for Forest on loan.
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They are already have that warmed us as an excuse.
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Arteta needs to find a way to let Arsenal express themselves and play with some joy. They have a smashing team and a great squad. He is coaching them to within an inch of their lives, which sounds good, but in the relentless pursuit of marginal gains it looks to me as though they have forgotten something of greater importance.
Trust them to play! He’s wound up so tightly, which is why he spends every game out of his technical zone, kicking every ball, gesticulating and shouting at them, and generally ‘over-coaching’ (not sure if I’ve just coined a new phrase there, or if it is already a thing).
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Yes, agreed. They’d be better off letting the players express themselves.
Let’s hope he keeps on making this mistake.
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Ref should yellow card him more he’s on the pitch sometimes.
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I don’t think there is any benefit to playing down the quality of Arsenal. And Arne probably would agree.
Outside of Dom’s effort, I think Arsenal actually created a couple of good chances. Probably better chances to score than we had. We had Gakpo’s long ranger going wide. Virg’s interception Which he couldn’t take on his right as that avenue was blocked… He would have to have taken the shot on his left.
For Arsenal there were a few exceptional blocks by Kerkez, a shot blocked by Virg’s body, a mad scramble from an Arsenal corner. There was a bit of a flurry of activity between 30 and 55 mins where Arsenal had some half chances, we had some quarter chances. Any other way that Kerkez defended that 35min attempt probably would have resulted in a very good shot on goal for Arsenal.
The point being made is that no team really dominated and created anything apart from the FK goal. We could replay that game 100 times, majority are going to be score or scoreless draws given how tight it is between these two teams, and we’ll probably take a greater share of the remainder but not by much.
If we were dominating them and peppering their goal, then I’d have a different opinion, but this was a tight contest decided on a free kick that was reflective of the match as a whole - a moment of quality for us got us the 3 points. On another day, it could have been Rice burying it into the top corner instead of skying it into the crowd on his effort.
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I’m ok with your general point but not sure us defending successfully can be classed as a chance for Arsenal.
That’s what a defender is there for.
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