Arsenal (H) | Pre-Match Thread

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Absolutely pointless trying to predict a team for this until after Pep's press conference the day before the game. Anything could happen with Internationals, Covid, Injuries etc...

Already Arsenal will be without Tierney as he's been forced into quarantine & out of the Scotland squad meaning he'll miss this game. I expect more of that will follow.

This season will all be about which team & squad are the most flexible & able to react to players missing at the last minute unexpected & hopefully once we get going after the International break that'll be us
 
simon23 said:
why - they are both professionals - its not like Rodri is some kid from the EDS. He is an international footballer

the comparison is needed and fair cause they are playing the same position - rodri is now into his second season with us...ferna was already at a better level in his second season than rodri is at present and if anything Rodri looks like he is regressing a little the way he has started this season (though again in the interest of fairness that could be due to lack of pre season, team structure etc etc)

People can see what Ferna could possibly give us in that position based on what he has previously that Rodri doesn't (and Im not saying he would definitely be able to it as I don't know as he hasn't played there in a while)

What is unfair is to say Rodri is better in that position than Ferna at the moment - we don't have the data for a basis of comparison as Fern hasn't played there in around 18 months.
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Don’t think anyone is saying Rodri is better than Fernandinho, but I would argue strongly against the suggestion that Rodri is ‘regressing’ this season. I thought he was a motm contender along with Eddie against Leeds, and had a good game at Burnley.

He isn’t at Fern’s level yet and might not reach that but as a team last season we weren’t at the same levels of the previous two seasons - that isn’t solely down to Rodri being DM.

Fern did his best at CB back wasn’t as good/effective as he is at DM. No Laporte and Stones/Otters being a shadow of themselves along with LB being a. Instant issue meant that being DM last season was a thankless task.

It’s been a slow start to the season but I’m confident that post international break our squad will be much stronger.

Eddy

Walker
Dias
Laporte
Ake / Mendy

Rodri / Fern
KDB
Bernardo / Gundogan

Sterling
Jesus
Torres / Foden

is a strong side that will have Arsenal worried.

All of a sudden we will back to the good old days of struggling to pick the line-up as there’s so many options.
 
Dax777 said:
The evidence we've seen suggests it's not Fernandihno. Why is everyone pretending they don't notice how often he gave the ball away?
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I was talking in terrms of number of games. You couldcalso say rodri aintvit as with him in ferns position he helped the team surrender the title with a whimper and alrrsdy this season with him in there ww fell apart in one game whrn ferna was taken off..
I think yhe evidence points to tge fact that neither are the answer and we dont havexanyone else in the sqiad who xlcan either
Scottish Cityzen said:
Don’t think anyone is saying Rodri is better than Fernandinho, but I would argue strongly against the suggestion that Rodri is ‘regressing’ this season. I thought he was a motm contender along with Eddie against Leeds, and had a good game at Burnley.

He isn’t at Fern’s level yet and might not reach that but as a team last season we weren’t at the same levels of the previous two seasons - that isn’t solely down to Rodri being DM.

Fern did his best at CB back wasn’t as good/effective as he is at DM. No Laporte and Stones/Otters being a shadow of themselves along with LB being a. Instant issue meant that being DM last season was a thankless task.

It’s been a slow start to the season but I’m confident that post international break our squad will be much stronger.

Eddy

Walker
Dias
Laporte
Ake / Mendy

Rodri / Fern
KDB
Bernardo / Gundogan

Sterling
Jesus
Torres / Foden

is a strong side that will have Arsenal worried.

All of a sudden we will back to the good old days of struggling to pick the line-up as there’s so many options.
Click to expand...
Regardless of anything else Mendy should be nowhere near the starting 11.
 
simon23 said:
I was talking in terrms of number of games. You couldcalso say rodri aintvit as with him in ferns position he helped the team surrender the title with a whimper and alrrsdy this season with him in there ww fell apart in one game whrn ferna was taken off..
I think yhe evidence points to tge fact that neither are the answer and we dont havexanyone else in the sqiad who xlcan either

Regardless of anything else Mendy should be nowhere near the starting 11.
Click to expand...
Mendy should isolate for 14 days. It’s only fair if arsenal lose their left back we lose ours!
 
Adebayor said:
Fair enough. I just don’t see it. He’s very tidy but for a CDM not to be able to close opponents down and move the ball forward quickly, especially in our system where both things are vital, I’d personally still have Fern in there for the big games until we get a suitable replacement for him.
I suppose for the last year we’ve been just as good and haven’t seen any drop off in that area, so you must be right...
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See that's a complete non-sequitur. Firstly it supposes Rodri replacing Fernandinho is the only change we've made. Conveniently ignoring injury then departure of Sane; David Silva ageing then departing: Kompany leaving; Stones and Otamendi falling of a cliff; Delph having the season of his life in 2017/18; Bernando's decline last year - jeez that's more than half the team! But secondly, it assumes Fernandinho 2017 was shacked up in Shangri La and is still available to us. Not sure why this is so difficult for some people to grasp.
 
This will probably change due to issues related to ridiculous internationals
Eddy
Cancelo
Dias
Laporte
Ake

Rodri
KDB
Bernardo
Torres
Jesus
Sterling.
 
simon23 said:
I was talking in terrms of number of games. You couldcalso say rodri aintvit as with him in ferns position he helped the team surrender the title with a whimper and alrrsdy this season with him in there ww fell apart in one game whrn ferna was taken off..
I think yhe evidence points to tge fact that neither are the answer and we dont havexanyone else in the sqiad who xlcan either

Regardless of anything else Mendy should be nowhere near the starting 11.
Click to expand...
1. Your analysis of last year is incomplete. We gave up the title for many reasons. Rodri probably wasn't a significant one of them.

But even if you think or believe he is not it. The question is still is he better than anyone else we've got at the position? The answer is yes. He is

2. As for the simplistic history of why we capitulated against Wolves. This narrative that we lost the middle after Dihno left is laughable. They were countering us constantly while we held possession all through.

And of our players, Dihno gave up possession often.

On their play that led up to their first penalty, we were running an early press to force them into error. Dihno was the weak link in that press as Mendy dispossed of him with ease and started the attack pushing it to Barnes.

Prior to that attack and penalty. They had gotten behind us 2 in the prior 10 minutes on counters. One from the right and the other from the left.

Dihno's presence or absence had zero effect on their abilities to counter us.

Unfortunately, that didn't stop their counter attacking opportunities. As we at the time were trying to go get a 2nd.
 
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