Tag Archives: She Wore

Cup defeat showed Man City are not a team to fear

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Whilst we lost to Manchester City in the cup, there were plenty of positives that we could take and carry into tonight’s game.

Haaland don’t like it up him

In the games I have seen Erling Haaland struggle in this season – and there have not been many – he has had a defender stick right to him.

Against us in the Cup, it was firstly Rob Holding and then William Saiba. He barely got a sniff.

Haaland is a fantastic finisher and comes alive in the box. But he does not have a little trick to get the better of a touch tight defender. He reminds me a lot of Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Likewise, he is not great at laying it off to team mates.

If a defender is tight to you, you should be looking to draw in your opponent before laying it off to a team mate in more space. Harry Kane is fantastic at this. As was Olivier Giroud. Haaland doesn’t have the “quick lay off” in his locker.

Like in the Cup, we need someone to be tight to Haaland to restrict him. This then frustrates him. And if that player gets booked, Mikel Arteta needs to not be afraid of making a change.

Martinelli / Trossard axis

Man City’s full backs are a threat going forward. But they can also be got at in defence.

Trossard gave Rico Lewis a torrid time in the Cup game. And then Gabriel Martinelli came on and further increased the intensity.

Knowing that they will only play 65/30 minutes each will lead to the pair not needing to pace themselves as much. And then as one tires, the other comes on.

This will no only keep Man City’s right back pinned back for 90 minutes, but also provide a fantastic attacking outlet for us to go on and score.

No Lokonga, more Partey

We massively missed Thomas Partey when he went off at half time with a rib injury. The difference between Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga is the biggest positional drop off at the club right now.

A fit and ready Partey makes a huge difference to the team

Strength of XIs

In the Cup, Man City basically played their strongest XI.

Ben White, William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli were all missing from the starting l line up. That is half of our strongest outfield players.

All 5 are set to start tonight against Man City. If a 50/50 1st/2nd XI can dominate the champions on their patch, what can our strongest team do at home?

The Cup game showed we can compete with City. Now we just need the 3 points.

Keenos

Martinelli / Trossard axis could be devastating

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Like many, I was sceptical at the signing of Leandro Trossard.

I viewed him as a fairly average player who was trying to force through a big moves based on a single decent spell. I was not impressed with his behaviour post-World Cup.

But he has shown in the two games since joining just how key a signing he could be.

One of our issues this season has been a lack of attacking options on the bench. If Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli were not quite doing it, the only option was Eddie Nketiah.

This meant that Martinelli and Saka would play the full 90 minutes. Even when struggling to break opponents down.

Against Manchester’s United and City, we saw just how dangerous a “fresh pair of legs” can be.

Martinelli started the Manchester United game. His Duracell bunny running drains a full back.

After 65 minutes of facing Martinelli, he was switched out for Trossard. And the new signing was integral in helping to set up our winning goal.

Trossard started in the defeat to Man City and gave young Rico Lewis a torrid time. And on the 66th minute he was taken off for Martinelli.

1-nil down, the substitution rejuvenated us. Martinelli became the biggest threat on the pitch, putting 90 minutes of hard running into a 30 minute cameo.

Whilst against City, the sub failed to lead to a goal, you can see in the future that it is going to have a huge impact.

Martinelli or Trossard will now know that they only need to pace their effort of 65 minutes. And then with half an hour to go, a tired full back is going to face a new electric threat.

There is a lot to be excited about over The Arsenal right now.

Keenos

Should in-form Manchester United forward be on Arsenal’s radar?

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Marcus Rashford “is in the form of his life”. Right now every ball he strikes hits the back of the net.

He has been to the brink and back over the last 18 months.

The fall out from his missed penalty at the 2021 Euro’s was followed by him receiving the majority of the vile racist abuse aimed at himself, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho.

He then arguably made a target for himself by continuing to speak out on social matters. And the more statements he released, the worse his on-field performances got.

This led to more abuse with many saying he should “concentrate on football”.

He was clearly struggling mentally off the pitch which in turn affected his performances on.

Under Erik Ten Hag, he looks rejuvenated. Scoring for fun and back playing with a smile on his face. But he is also in contract dispute.

His current deal was just to expire in the summer, but Man U triggered a 1-year extension. That would ensure his boyhood side would not lose him for nothing in the summer.

But as his performances improved, as did his wage demands.

Already one of Man U’s highest paid players, he wants more to stay. But that would contradict the clubs new wage structure bought in post Cristiano Ronaldo.

If he does not agree a deal before the summer, he will probably be sold.

Over the years, Arsenal have been linked with him on numerous occasions. And there was a time when I’d have said “let’s sign Rashford”. But if he is on the market this summer, Arsenal would do well to stay clear.

Rashford can not pass

This season Rashford has been electric. Playing on the edge, beating his opponent for fun, and scoring goals.

But when Manchester United are trying to build up play, it often breaks down when it gets to Rashford.

In the Premier League this season, he averages just 77.1% psd completion. That would make him the 21st worst passer at Arsenal.

Only one Arsenal player has started more than 5 league games and has a lower pass completion ratio – Keiran Tierney.

Tierney and Marquinhos are the only two to have a pass completion date under 80%.

Rashford scored a great goal against Nottingham Forest. He was also Man U’s worst passer with just 75%. And that has been the story of his season.

Playing on the counter, or on the fringes, he is exceptional. But if he is asked to get involved in build up play, he is sloppy.

And he doesn’t defend

Arsenal defend from the front, and everyone does a job tracking back.

Own reason we are top of the league is because of the work Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli put in.

They press the opponents defenders, but also track back.

Defensively Rashford is poor at both ends of the pitch.

He doesn’t put pressure on the opposition defence, nor does he cover Luke Shaw.

Bukayo Saka was consistently left one on one v Shaw. Rashford usually hanging around further up the field waiting for the break.

Attack is the first form of defence and Rashford (under the orders of Ten Hag) seem to think that by staying high up the field, the Englishman will pin back the full back without needing to track back.

Issue is Arsenal do not play like that.

Carried when not scoring

If Rashford does not score, he contributes very little else to the side.

He scored a great goal against Arsenal, but then was anonymous for the rest of the game.

Man U are playing with 10-men until he comes alive as he gets a sniff of goal.

No one is a passenger under Arteta. Every player has to be involved for 90-minutes.

We can not afford to carry Rashford

Poor man’s Mbappe

The way Rashford plays is not too dissimilar to Mbappe.

The Frenchman also hangs forward, wide left and contributes little defensively.

But he is twice the player of Rashford. And also plays in an easier league.

Mbappe can afford to play the way he does for PSG as they dominate most games. He could not do that for Arsenal.

Once this spell of goal scoring is over, he will return to the average player he is.

High wages

His form means that he will be demanding more money then he is currently on – reportedly £200k a week.

Manchester United are currently refusing to pay him what he wants, having introduced a new wage structure.

His wage demands are linked to his knowledge that he can move for free in 18 months and get himself a huge signing on fee.

If his wage demands are considered unreasonable by Man U, then Arsenal would probably come to the same conclusion.

PSG

Everything taken into account, you can see why Rashford is top of the list to replace Mbappe at PSG.

They will pay him the wages he wants, and let him have the attacking freedom he demands.

He will be a good suit for them. He will not be great for us.

Rashford, enjoy Paris. London isn’t for you.

Keenos