There are two types of vision of football at the moment. One is to bash Manchester United in article after article, and the other is to say that Arsenal are flattering to deceive or to put it in techno speak “Arsenal’s underlying numbers suggest results are running ahead of performances.”
In short this latter view suggests that Arsenal should not be doing as well as they are with this long winning run, and that things will soon catch up with them.
Two factors argue against this second view. First, despite the notion that the forwards are falling over each other and the front line is a tactical muddle, Arsenal are the fourth highest scoring team in the league, just one goal behind being the equal second highest scoring team in the league.
Second, there is the issue from last season: we were awful away from home, and it clearly became a psychological issue with the players. “Clearly” so because the same players could play at home and win easily and play away and lose.
Now with a run of wins as we currently have we are scoring goals home and away and the longer that continues the more the psychological effect will be established of wiping out last season’s memories and established a new “we can win anywhere” vision.
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 5 Aug 2018 | Arsenal v West Ham United | W | 3-1 | Premier League |
| 02 Sep 2018 | Cardiff City v Arsenal | W | 2-3 | Premier League |
| 12 Sep 2018 | Coventry City v Arsenal | W | 0-3 | League Trophy |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Newcastle United v Arsenal | W | 1-2 | Premier League |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Arsenal v Vorskla Poltava | W | 4-2 | Europa League |
| 23 Sep 2018 | Arsenal v Everton | W | 2-0 | Premier League |
| 26 Sep 2018 | Arsenal v Brentford | W | 3-1 | League Cup |
| 29 Sep 2018 | Arsenal v Watford | W | 2-0 | Premier League |
22 goals in the last 8 games. And yes it has been a run of 5 at home and 3 away, but that will start to be balanced up today, and we’ll see if there is further progress.
Several drainpipes (“outlets”) are still putting the same old same old team news up which basically tells us who got on the plane and who is injured but I think we are edging towards a lineup that looks roughly like this
Leno
Lichtsteiner Sokratis Holding Kolasinac
Guendouozi Elneny
Iwobi Ozil Welbeck
Lacazette
Mkhitaryan hasn’t traveled, you may recall, and Aubameyang was taken ill earlier in the week, Ramsey is an expectant father so on compassionate leave, and so unless the boss is going to throw in Smith Rowe, Eddie or Willock from the off, we will put out this solid side, and then look to take off Ozil for Smith Rowe, Lacazette to be replaced by Eddie etc.
More anon…
Agree with the tenor of the article, but including the League Trophy ?: not truly a First Team competition, is it ?
Yes this has been acknowledged in previous articles – I have included it each time simply because a few of us from Untold went to the Coventry game and wrote it up on the site. should have said that.
Agree wholeheartedly with the lineup shown above. Great to see Leno and Holding getting time – another step in gaining a foothold in the starting XI. Welcome back Kolasinac. I love Elneny in these types of fixtures. COYG!!
I expect a first half win from arsenal to make a point that whatsoever the half don’t count arsenal out.
Ah, thanks for clearing that up Tony !
As this season’s campaign continues to pan on, Arsenal will be out of the sights of their detractors irrespective of their negative thoughts touted against them in some quarters of the media. And they will make incredible progress in their campaign in all competitions continuing to win games upon games going forward in a continuous winning run fashion which they won’t allow any team from any club side to halt it, but will continue to win relentlessly.
BD, your Arsenal starts for Qarabag to night are in order. But I prefer to see Emery start Rowe behind Lacazette and allow Ozil to come on later in the game if things become necessary for Rowe to come off in the game. So that Ozil will rest for Fulham.
Lineup seems to
Leno
Monreal, Sokratis, Holding
Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Elneny, Lichtsteiner
Iwobi, Wellbeck, Smith Rowe
Qurabag
De Silva
Med. edel, Huseynov, Rzezniczak, ANSI Agolli
Michel, Gara Garayev
Madatov, Ozobic, Zombie
Emeghara
Our subs
Martinez, Bellerin, Xhaka, Torreira, Özil, Lacazette
So Nketiah travelled but was not put on the bench
Qarabag subs
Halldorson (gk), Mammadov, Huseynov, Slavchev, Abdullayev, Diniev, Delarge
WoW.
Not many would have seen that coming.
Not sure wahat the Leaving out Eddie is about. Twice now. Otherwise the change in style is refreshing and exciting, even if the lineup may not look it on the surface.