View from Arsenal

[terryr]

It being only Tuesday, I was surprised to see quite a bit of discussions on their boards though sometimes the topics wander off into other directions. This is what I've seen so far.......


" I predict a tight and cagey affair as season openers usually are, but I hope we win."

" Our 07/08 curtain-raiser was against Fulham, and we won.
Good omen? (Let's ignore Birmingham and subsequent collapse.)"

" 2-2"

" Definitely going to be too soon for our Brazilian boys to make their debuts of course, but I think we should have this in the bag. Agree this might be a cagey affair but I can't see anything but a narrow Arsenal win to start the season right."

" I think Arteta will ensure we fight from the get go and he will do his best to ensure we will keep a clean sheet I think. I will go for 2-0 to the Arsenal! I think we will see 3 ATB - similar lineup to the shield Pool game, unless Arteta really starts working in Willian & Gabriel with Saliba. I am just genuinely excited for this season!"

" 5-1
after almost two long and horrible years, when watching the matches seemed like a chore and a duty not a pleasure, this season, I am going to predict a win for Arsenal in every match we play. Again the old routine of waking up on the day of the match and waiting impatiently for the lineup to be announced, waiting for the match to start. Back to the reworking of schedule and social commitments carefully around the match timing.
Excited for the season to start."

" It is important that we field in this one, preferably 11 players. And use some sort of formation. Then an easy win might be on the cards, the mirror on my wall tells me."

" Gabriel is out of quarantine on Monday so he'll have a full weeks training with the squad, Willian as well so I'd expect both to start unless Arteta is going to go with Saliba."

" Mike will go safety first so expect to see same team that started Community Shield (asides those leaving on loan or permanently).
One thing I cherish with the Community Shield game is how we played same formation and strategy as previous games against Pool, City and Chelsea but with different key players and won all three.
Saka and Elneny slotted in so well that we didn't miss Pepe and Ceballos."

" For anyone wondering Fulham under Parker aren't a soft touch like 2018/19.
Proper sh*thouse team in the Roy Hodgson mould. Batter you in the air at set pieces with Hector, Odomah and Mitrovic.
Gonna be a right scrap there."

" Might be an ideal time to throw Saliba or Gabriel in, coming up against a c*nt like Mitrovic in your first ever game will get you set for the PL.
One of the dirtiest players around."

" I reckon it will be a back three, Gabriel-Luiz-Tierney...though if Hector does leave, maybe Saliba will get a start."

" Three left-footed players in defense doesn't sound like anything Arteta would play. More than likely Tierney is moving into the left wing-back role and Saliba will slot in, so.
Saliba-Luiz-Gabriel
and when Saliba's left out or we're rotating
Mustafi-Luiz-Gabriel
Gabriel may play a lot, because Mari needs to get back to fitness for back-up."

" I don't like playing promoted teams in their first game when they haven't had the stuffing knocked out of them yet. But hell, we'll have to do the stuff-knocking ourselves!
Arteta has been a revelation in how he has got the team to play against the bigger teams but the test of how high we finish in the league will be in how many points we can get from the games against teams we should always (on paper) beat.
I'm encouraged by our recent form and think we'll get off on a flier. Assuming we don't sell Auba before the game."

" Feels like a draw. Love Mikel but still not confident against the smaller teams."

" If we're going to play 3-atb against teams like Fulham this is going to be a long season."

" ------------Leno/Martienz

------------Saliba-Luiz-KT------

Bellerin--Ceballos--Xhaka---AMN

----Pepe---------Laca---------Auba

Is what I think Arteta will go with. I'd like to see Gabriel at LCB though with AMN and KT as wing backs.
We should really be winning this game, Willian and Saka off the bench if the game needs changing.
3-1 Arsenal. Auba brace."

" I go for a 1-4 win."

" Easy win for us.Fulham never beat us at home ground."

" Özil back in training with the main squad
No sign of Guendouzi that I saw"

" Lovely stuff to read all this optimism. Winning ways can lift players to perform above themselves and Arteta certainly needs that. He has all the hallmarks of an excellent manager. A few wins early on and we might just get top 4 this season, which would be amazing considering how far we've fallen."

" Good to see its on BT, I dont have to find a stream. I expect a comfortable win 3-0 assuming Martinez plays, 3-1 if Leno plays!"

" I feel Luiz is better in physical battles with strikers as is Holding so it probably suits us more than rocking up against an expansive, open team with our lack of options.
They're not the quickest team but they're just really awkward to play against."

" Hopefully for a winning start I'm expecting 343 and i can't believe I'm saying this but elneny will start this hopefully xhaka don't return from international duty injured or tested positive because we'll be f**ked. Edu Arteta need to sort the midfield quick.
Martinez
Saliba Luiz Tierney
Niles Elneny Xhaka Saka
Pepe Laca Auba

" Looks like Willian is in full training now. I think he'll start vs Fulham, can't wait to see him light it up for Arsenal and watch the loser bum squad usual suspects cry about it.
As is Luiz, he'll be one of our most important players this season. Bookmark this post."

" Fancy Fulham to get something"

" As for Fulham, I am looking forward to it. Praise be to Arteta who has somehow got me looking forward to Arsenal matches again."

" Read a statistic that for opening day fixtures, newly promoted teams have a 17% win rate."

" No matter how bad it gets, at least we don't have to put up with Wenger anymore"

" Do we win a trophy if we win this game as well?"

" Lords of London Shield iinit
Hoping we paste them like 2 years ago, would be nice to start on top."

" We need to win this and keep momentum up cos there's a difficult run of league fixtures not long afterwards"

" Fulham don't even have new kits ready yet. I doubt they are prepared that well such a short season turnaround.
We should win this whoever is available."

" We've had two warm up games this week in preparation that seem to have gone unnoticed.
Beat QPR 4-3 and lost to Villa 3-2.
Willian made his debut against Villa and Ceballos played also.
3 goals for Aubameyang over the 2 games.
Ozil also played."

" The team will be closer to the team that started the community shield. Saka could start ahead of pepe in an away game with Pepe coming on as a sub.
Lacazette may start if fit and if we aren't planning to sell him. Saliba may start ahead of holding if holding is being loaned/sold.
Between elneny and Ceballos, it will again depend on Ceballos' fitness and elneny 's future.
AMN will start at LWB and Tierney will tuck in as LCB."

Not bad for a Tuesday . I'll check back later in the week and update as and when.

UPDATED BELOW

" Damn that's a big blow losing our best CB, means one of Gabriel or Saliba will have to show up and be the main man, interesting.
Need Luiz back asap."

" Holding has been known for a few days and Luiz has been in full training just yesterday. This most likely happened yesterday afternoon."

" Only Arsenal can start the season like this. Big blow before we even kicked a ball."

" It's not good. We've many big games to play over the next six weeks. We need his experience and leadership at the back."

" Luiz injured. More likely going to be gabriel and holding. You wouldn't buy a rolls Royce and drive it in the mud straight away would you, not without insurance and stuff. So saliba will be protected to begin with."

" We have 43 center backs yet still in crisis with injuries"

" Just go for that, tell Gabriel to get stuck into Mitrovic."

" 2-1 Arsenal. We'll grind it out, expect my boy Mitrovic to bully our bum defenders and grab a goal though."

" I'll start Eddie over Laca btw.
Not looking forward to see Willian wear the red of Arsenal though."

"Hope Fulham stay up, good club, good young manager.
Traditionally though they get battered by the top teams and it's a dead game when your rivals are playing them. "

" Leno
Holding-Gabriel-Tierney
Bellerin-Ceballos-Xhaka-Niles
Saka-Eddie-Auba
​
...feel Emi's time is coming to an end here sadly, but at least he will always have the FA Cup and despite what others think on here Leno is also a good keeper.
Going to be a good welcome to England match for Gabriel against someone like Mitrovic, not going to judge him after one game but will be nice early test for him...losing Luiz early is a blow though.
Think Saka and Eddie will keep their places, as I think Pepe and Laca will only make the bench after returning late and to reward the former two for impressive games in the Community Shield...guess Willian could also start but feeling a bench role for him in this first game.
Going to go for 3-1 win here...think we only won 3 of our 10 first games of the season in the 2010s, hopefully start the 2020s better!"

" Pretty fascinating match in terms of tactics - that is, will we use the 343 system that has been so successful against the big sides, or will we be going with a 4 2 3 1 in this one?

I suspect we'll stick with the back three for now, particularly with Luiz injured and Gabriel only just joining the squad.

My prediction:


​
Leno
Saliba-Holding-Tierney
Bellerin-Ceballos-Xhaka-AMN
Willian-Eddie-Auba​
What I'd like to see:

Leno
Saliba-Holding-Gabriel
AMN-Ceballos-Xhaka-Tierney
Willian
Pepe--------------Auba​

With the Willian Pepe Auba front three being very fluid."

" Difficult to predict a starting 11. We now have so many options going forward. I think Arteta will still want that extra stability so we'll go with a similar tactic to the one that worked so well against Liverpool.

Leno
Bellerin - Saliba - Holding - Tierney - AMN
Xhaka - Ceballos
Pepe - Laca - Auba

Although Willian, Saka and Eddie could easily start in place of Pepe/Laca.
Honestly we have so many quality options going forward now."

" Feel like this game goes one of two ways...Either we're 3-0 up at half time and absolutely coast to victory or it's a dull affair when up pops Mitrovic to bully our CB's and rocket in a 94th header for a 0-1 scoreline.
Hopefully it's the former. Let's lay down a marker performance and score, straight off the bat this season. COYG"

" I havent seen Fulham play at all last season. Not sure if they will do a low block on us or not. Might be tough if they do low block all the time and do counter on us. But tbh i don't know Fulham at all so I am not sure what kind of personnel they have and what kind play will they play against us."

" 2-2 Aubameyang"

"Arsenal 5-0 fulham
Auba hattrick "

" Fulham 0 2 Arsenal
Aubameyang"

" Fulham vs. Arsenal (1 - 2); PEA"

" Fulham 1-2 Arsenal
Tierney"

" 2-1 Saka"

" Fulham: 0
Arsenal: 2
First goal: Auba"

" Martinez

Saliba
Luiz
Gabriel

Bellerin
Celballos
Xhaka
Tierney

Pepe
Auba
Willian
That would be the team most people want to see if we play that formation."

" I don't think Arteta will start with two CB's who have zero EPL experience between them."

" So long as Kolasinac isn't starting I'll be happy. I can see it being:

Martinez

Holding (unless he gets moved on)
Luiz
Tierney

Bellerin
Xhaka
Ceballos
AMN

Willian
Lacazette
Aubameyang

It's good to think of the quality of players not making the 11 in some positions, obviously GS's 3-man defence will end up coming in unless we change formation. Willian, Saka and Pepe all competing for one position on the right?"

"Luiz is out"

" What?. How Long?"

" six weeks they say"

"CRAP"

" Luiz injury is a major blow, no other leader at the back so far. Tierney may need to step up on that front."

" Mustafi, is out.

Holding, Tierney and Saliba then I suppose.
There was a rumour knocking around, and it was o my a rumour, that Saliba had an uncomfortable game against Villa."

" If Luiz is out for over a month, MA might play the two newbies, either side of Holding.
Fulham won't be our toughest opponent and there's two more easier games before we play against Lpool.
This gives him time to intergrate Gabriel and Saliba into a working back3."

" Anything can happen now.. There goes our want for a quick start.. The attack has to step up, especially willian since he used to this league.
We need to put two past teams and hope we only concede one."

" Tierney was always going to slot in with AMN playing LB and alternating with him.
Without luiz, it's a big question mark on who now plays in the middle.
I suspect it will be holding with Saliba on his right. It's not like there's an abundance of choice."

" Oh yes, forgot AMN. But against a newly promoted team I would prefer to see Saka there for his end product going forward, especially if someone as competent as Tierney is the covering left CB. I think AMN is the option versus teams who will dominate us in possession."

Its a small update but I had some time to kill. I'll check back tomorrow

[Jim©]

I loved this comment:

"For anyone wondering Fulham under Parker aren't a soft touch like 2018/19.
Proper sh*thouse team in the Roy Hodgson mould. Batter you in the air at set pieces with Hector, Odomah and Mitrovic.
Gonna be a right scrap there."

[Denzil Dexter]

I loved this comment:

"For anyone wondering Fulham under Parker aren't a soft touch like 2018/19.
Proper sh*thouse team in the Roy Hodgson mould. Batter you in the air at set pieces with Hector, Odomah and Mitrovic.
Gonna be a right scrap there."

" Easy win for us.Fulham never beat us at home ground." Put this up in the dressing room. SP won't have to say a word. Like that ***** at Brentford who said we were scared of them. [emoji23][emoji23]

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[Sgt Fulham]

I loved this comment:

"For anyone wondering Fulham under Parker aren't a soft touch like 2018/19.
Proper sh*thouse team in the Roy Hodgson mould. Batter you in the air at set pieces with Hector, Odomah and Mitrovic.
Gonna be a right scrap there."

It's both very true and very incorrect at the same time lol

[Denzil Dexter]

I loved this comment:

"For anyone wondering Fulham under Parker aren't a soft touch like 2018/19.
Proper sh*thouse team in the Roy Hodgson mould. Batter you in the air at set pieces with Hector, Odomah and Mitrovic.
Gonna be a right scrap there."

It's both very true and very incorrect at the same time lol

They clearly didn't watch our match against Cardiff [emoji23]

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[fulhamben]

Pepe laca and auba up against Bryan ream hec and Christie. It doesn't bear thing about does it.

[Burt]

They're a pessimistic bunch aren't they?  :dft011:

[Forever Fulham]

I would have expected a lot more confidence from their fans than what these comments suggest.  Wow.

[terryr]

I actually think they're pretty confident. My favorite comment was: " Do we win a trophy if we win this game as well?"

[terryr]

updated