The Vikings are coming. A shout to strike fear into the hearts of some of the older denizens of this bar, however, fortunately, rampaging Vikings have not posed a threat for several centuries now and were after all among my forebears so I will malign them no more. The current bunch are a far more peaceable lot, known these days more for Nobel prizes, mice-made fjords, the finest salmon in the world, and their very own pièce de résistance, the invention of the paper-clip.
Molde itself is a small town on the west coast of Norway with a football team that has been relatively successful over the last few decades despite being subject to a double helping of Ole’s hobbitine leadership. Molde’s best-known son in the wider world is probably Jo Nesbo, an ex-Molde FK player and a writer of fairly stylish, if a tad repetitive, Scandinavian noir, who has sold a ton of books to those that enjoy that type of thing, which I do myself – for the main character think Rebus a bit farther north – though I may have to rethink any future purchases now that I have learned Nesbo’s dream was to play for the spuds. Never mind, those that think small are people too. Of course, Molde FK’s best-known son in the Goonerverse is Pal Lydersen, once, somewhat murkily perhaps, of this parish. Pal finished his career at Molde FK after a stint in Austria, annoyingly un-coincidentally with Sturm Graz and not Rapid Vienna but there you go – into each life a little rain must fall as my Dad used to say. Of course an actual coincidence is we just stuffed a team managed by Molde’s ex-manager.
A Bit About Football
Anyway, to the match, and Molde FK arrive sharing leadership atop our group after victories at home to Rapid Vienna and away to Dundalk. They sit 2nd in the Norwegian league 23 games into the season and have won their last four games. They have set up in a 4-3-3 formation in their two Europa League ties so far though they have also used other formations in the Norwegian league this season. That I am afraid is about the limit of my knowledge on Molde though I believe it is probably fair to assume they are around the same level as Rapid Vienna. In other words, we should treat them with respect but it is a game that we should win. I would say a win would go a long way to ensuring qualification from the group but actually qualification was pretty much assured from a very easy group once we won in Vienna.
Team News & Line-up
To the Arsenal then, fresh from our fully deserved 3 points at Old Toilet there appear to be no new injuries for Mikel to consider. On the return front it appears that David Luiz will be available but though Calum Chambers is now training again it is likely to be soon for his comeback. ESR has not featured in any U23 games of late, which leaves me to surmise that he will be short for this one too. Pablo Mari is back in light training though his comeback has again been delayed and Martinelli’s return is still scheduled for the end of the year.
It was not an easy game physically last weekend and I trust MA will continue his policy of resting most if not all of his expected starting XI for this weekend’s visit of Aston Villa. If so, the team seems to pick itself and I am fairly sure we will see Runarsson, Soares, Kola, Mustafi, Joe W., Dani, Xhaka, AMN, Nelson, Eddie and Pepe in the starting line-up. Happily, that only leaves one place for me to ponder and I believe MA will start Luiz if fit. The other options seems to be another start for Rob with the obvious risks that entails or the possibility of some tinkering with Granit slotting into a back three with Mus and Kola. I am all for adventure but personally that back three is not the type of wild camel ride down the foamy rapids I would have in mind. Therefore, I will go with the below XI and hope that Luiz’ powers of recovery remain undimmed by the fading of the football light. Go not gingerly, David.
Runarsson
Mus, Luiz, Kola
Soares, Dani, Xhaka, AMN,
Pepe, Eddie, Nelson
The Holic Pound
The irony of hoping the often admirable David Luiz will bring stability to your back line is not lost on me but he is capable of the odd goal and some excellent passing which may come in handy on the night as the starting XI above though certainly solid does not in all honesty look like an XI with an avalanche of goals in it. In the circumstances I think a conservative 3-0 to the Arsenal is the way to go for a punt this time round at odds of around 9 or 10/1. If we do go with Mus, Xhaka, Kola then a 3-1 at 11/1 would start to look a little more attractive. Mostly I would like us to get through with a minimum of fuss, no injuries and a cheery wave for Molde FK as they set off home in the club longboat with a hearty so long and thanks for all the points ringing in their ears.
That’s about it for now other than to say that any historical or factual inaccuracies in today’s piece are all my own responsibility and were entirely intentional.
COYGS!!!
1st ? Now to read the post ha 😀
Great preview Matt!!
*Votes against a wild camel ride down the foamy rapids.*
Who knew there were wild camels in Norway? I only knew about the moldy cheese, but you admirably stayed away from that one.
A superbly enjoyable preview Matt!
I wonder if Mikel will be tempted to continue the inexorable transition to 4-3-3 and fit Joe in the midfield as well. And make AMN play as the left wing back. Or 3-4-3 but Joe instead of Dani. After last week’s performance it will be very unlike Mikel to drop him.
I like the look of another 3-0.
Cool preview, Matt. Your knowledge of the literature and Arsenal connection of Molde is impressive. I rather like your selection and your suggested scoreline of 3-0 or even 3-1 would seal qualification nicely.
Matt
I now know much more than I ever expected to about Molde . But I can predict it will be f…ing cold when we go there . There is Norway he will leave out Joe and. Xhaka will either play in a back three or in a midfield three . They will be quite good and we will win 2-1
I was enjoying my read until I thumped my head on : “If we do go with Mus, Xhaka, Kola……”
On this Day at the Races in the wilds of Northern Norway it would be Animal Crackers to entrust the Cocoanuts, aka the Gunners very own Marx Brother trio, to the defence of the Arsenal’s Europa prospects. I’d anticipate total Monkey Business at the back and a Duck Soup outcome is much more likely than the 1-3 away win you tempt me to wager on at great Humour Risk. Horse Feathers to that, I want to enjoy my Night at the Opera.
Molde Striker: Are you a man or a mouse?
Musta: Put a piece of cheese on the pitch and you’ll find out.
Arteta: “That’s in every contract, that’s what you call a sanity clause.”
Kola: “You can’t a fool a me there ain’t no sanity clause”
Granit: “They threw an apple at me!”
Ref: “Well, watermelons are out of season.”
BtM: I intend to live forever or die trying.
Keep winning Arsenal. Play better but don’t play the Marx Brothers 🙂
More seriously, Matt that’s a fine preview on a very difficult ask. I’d be happy to see the team you’ve listed start because, like bt8, I’m not keen on a ‘wild camel ride down the foamy rapids’. I think, however, that Arteta will start Willock and use Ceballos as a substitute if required (Spaniards don’t do well in the sub-Artic 🙂 ).
Like you, I don’t think we’ll see an avalanche of goals and I’ll be happy to settle for a good old fashioned 0-1 in favour of the visitors as long as the team gives a good account of itself.
I am confused by both BTM and TTG’s posts,
Are we not playing this game at home. ??
Clive @8, that’s what the club thinks too.
That’s the last time I’ll take a lead from TTG. (Until the next time). 🙂
BTM
To save time, just keep your 6/7 on file, and slot them into next weeks preview, when we do actually visit the frozen North. !!
As for the match, if we cannot beat Molde comfortably at home i will be very surprised.
I will be even more surprised if any of the 11 that started against Utd are anywhere nearer than the subs bench tomorrow.
Given the excellent all round effort at the Old Toilet, it would be an injustice if the same starting eleven don’t line up against Villa next Sunday.
They have earned the right to keep their spots until injury or loss of form dictate otherwise.
Good with all of that, Clive. Now that the fog has cleared and I realise that Thursday night is a home game, a comfortable win should be very manageable.
The first team is shaping up well and the Villa game represents the first in several where the Arsenal should be able to start racking up three points – always assuming that Emi Martinez isn’t in unbeatable form.
Pay attention. I was projecting forward to our subsequent game in Norway and wanted to make a very weak joke about the cold . As it won’t be that cold tomorrow I discussed the second leg. Ok so far?
The man from Fife has obviously been on the gargle and mistook tomorrow ‘s venue .
I wish to point out we will be at home and we will still win 2-1 .
I have also been on the gargle myself. I retired as a director today and was given ( its an Irish company ) a bottle of an 18 year old Jameson whiskey . It is one of the most mature and beautiful tastes I’ve encountered in either Scotch whisky or Irish whiskey . I was also trying to do my Grandson’s school quiz as well and I fear my mental acuity suffered as tge evening went on 🥃
TTG,
I am sure you mentioned retiring
and the receipt of pleasant liquid
gifts before 🤔
Are you on a Sinatraesque kind of
tour where you retire, comeback
and then retire again? 😃
And thanks bt8, Dr F, TTG, Bath
and BtM for the kind words.
It was a pleasure as always and
I got to learn a little at the same
time – win-win 👍
matt, thanks for a fine preview. i agree with your team, though wild camel foam rapids aside, i wouldn’t mind seeing dani and joe in the midfield even if xhaka gets backline duty.
mice-made fjords? nibbled from moldē cheese?
I see the weather forecast calls for a chance of showers and I hope the humidity doesn’t favor Molde. Where there’s Molde, I expect to see Mustafi.
Nice job Matt. I’m looking forward to watching this one tonight! It’ll make a nice change from being glued to the American election!
I am really enjoying Mark Goldbridge’s live takes on Manc meltdowns,
Sorry, this was what I meant to post.
Thanks scruz, C100 – I hope all
the results go our way over the
next day or so.
so i assume anything that comes off a glacier and floats down the fjord is a miceberg?
Good news on the PPV front, but our game vs Villa this weekend still PPV
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/nov/05/premier-leagues-pay-per-view-model-likely-to-be-scrapped-after-this-weekend
Splendid preview, OM. Literature, history and football rolled into one. Slartibartfast might want to have a word about the fjords, though. He won an award for them, you know.
Apropos of nothing much, I see that Molde’s crest is a whale chasing herring into a barrel.
‘Herring in a barrel” Ned?
That’s when my shooting success rate is at its very highest. Let’s hope that’s a good omen and true for the Arsenal tonight. 🙂
Matt,
Thank you for the retirement idea .
The besetting flaw is that while people will pay me to go into retirement no one will pay me to come out !
I had a good chat with a mate who is a music producer and a Chelsea fan today ( he wrote Blue Day with Suggs) . He was incredibly impressed with Arsenal at Old Toilet on Sunday especially Partey and Gabriel …and very unimpressed with United . He thinks Arteta might be the best emerging coach in the country and he thinks any one of six or seven teams might win the League including Leicester and Arsenal . Not often you meet an intelligent Chav.
You know how it is when someone dies and you already thought the6 were dead or even worse had never heard of them ?
This has broken today . Layth is being very subtle in suggesting he was asked to leave because he broke Covid protocol
https://www.onlinegooner.com/articles/view/5453
I’d never heard of the bloke and consider myself reasonably well informed about the club
TTG, the only question I’d have for your Chav friend is ‘does he think there’s a better emerging coach in Europe?’
TTG@27: Arseblog had a piece on Lucassen about a year back
Leno
Mustafi, David Luiz, Xhaka
Maitland-Niles, Ceballos, Willock, Kolasinac
Pepe, Nketiah, Willian
Thanks Ned.
I’m not a regular Arseblog reader so thanks for this .
Btm
We didn’t discuss that but I guess he’d cite Nagelsmann ( or has he emerged ) and he is quite a fan of Fat Frank .The Atalanta coach probably had high stock until Tuesday!
Interesting team tonight . Where will Xhaka play ?
Bench: Rúnarsson, Macey, Bellerin, Tierney, Gabriel, Holding, Cédric Soares, Partey, Elneny, Saka, Lacazette, Aubameyang
Ned,
Slartibartfast might have a point
there 😉
Nelson is a notable absence. Late injury?
Leno back in goal, Cedric only on
the bench and Nelson out so not a
great guess on the team but I assume
Nelson is an injury problem.
Doesn’t look the best balanced side to be
honest but it could line-up in several way so
I’ll wait and see.
TTG@31: there are certainly several ways to shuffle the pack. Leno, Mustafi, David Luiz, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles, Ceballos, Willock, Kolasinac, Pepe, Nketiah and Willian is the order in which the team was posted by the club, which suggests Xhaka playing at the back in either a three or a four, although I see other outlets are suggesting a back four of AMN, Mustafi, Luiz and Kola. Unless we give up an early goal, I suspect we will see more of the putative 2-4-3-1 deployed against United.
Cheers Matt! and everyone – UP THE ARSE!
One can’t always guess Arteta’s mindset. He rarely picks the same side- very Pep-like in that respect . I think Nelson and ESR are out through injury. ESR is very ( too?) fragile . I’m hoping for a big game from Willian and would love Pépé to have a cracker which you might be able to do on Guy Fawkes night .
ttg i do love pepe’s europa league crackers…right about a year since the last couple!
Where’s Balogun?
Coyg!
close, eddie. nice work by joe and amn.
oooh, that was close. good save by their keeper.
xhaka forced into forward passing from the back.
amn having a good game so far, and joe.
and just like that we give up a goal after bossing the first 20 minutes. terrible defense.
sorry, but get pepe out at the half.
eddie pressing well
frustrating first half.
ok, go in at 1-1, better.
A very pedestrian half but what can you expect with a midfield of Ceballos and Xhaka? The former has at least made some key defensive interceptions and played some nice through balls.
The best of our lads tonight are Willock and AMN. Willian is looking several times more effective than Pepe but the latter sets a very low bar. We were unlucky to get the Nketiah goal flagged off – wrongly! However the kids made and scored a nice equaliser at a nice time. We need to up the pace in the second half to win this and put daylight between us and Molde in the group table. COYG!
Evening TTG
re ESR, he’s not injured, had full training session with first team on Wednesday, but needs to get some fitness levels up so will have a few games first with the under 23’s.
As for Reiss, with Willian playing tonight, it may well be Nelson is going to start against Villa on Sunday.
All to play for in the second half.
I liked that little excerpt from ‘Monkey Business’ that Grouch and Harpo reprised for the Molde goal 🙂 But that just shows you what can happen when we don’t build up from our own six yard box 🙂
Willock very unlucky to have his goal chalked off for off-side. He was clearly on. Pleased to see him play a critical role second time around. He’s having a good game tonight.
Xhaka is a magnet for a reverse pass then is the master of the sideways, backwards follow-up but credit to him for his breakaway ‘sprint’ for our goal (he got there in twice the time that Martinelli would have done).
Scruz, you’re seeing a different ‘Eddie pressing’ than the one on my screen. I’m pleading the fifth on Pepe.
@ 52 “it may well be Nelson is going to start against Villa on Sunday” thinking exactly the same thing and hoping so, Clive.
3-1 and a little better 2nd half.
If only that had been predicted as the scoreline 🙁
Box-to-box Joe is a talent. MotM tonight.
Joe W wraps up the game and
deserved that. Sadly ended the
3-1 predictions but never mind.
Job done and on we go.
Good win in then. Elneny’s intro changed the tempo.
Good night empty bar.
Goodnight BtM 🙂
And goodnight, Matt 🙂
Good afternoon, to those of you for whom it is afternoon.
Willock, as noted by others, our MOTM. Shout outs for AMN, David Luiz and, a bit less loudly, Mustafi.
We looked a lot better towards the end when we were driving at or passing through them, which hopefully will be what Partey will be doing against Villa.
Goodnight BtM 🙂
Good morning me and good afternoon Ned.
Saka coming on helped as well as
Elneny. Good to see Luiz back.
A few positives from the night and hopefully
no injuries. I was quite surprised we didn’t
see Runarsson in goal.
Thanks Clive for the update on
ESR. I’m still hopeful for him
though it’s been a frustrating
start to the season.
A pedestrian first half but a more impressive second.
Joe was MotM by some distance -worked hard throughout and deserved his goal. Pepe was very disappointing apart from his excellent strike for his goal. In the first half I thought we looked more incisive when Willian came over to the right but the arrival of Saka made an even bigger difference. Eddie was lively throughout and unlucky to have his goal chalked off. The difference in pace and forward thrust between the midfield of Xhaka and Ceballos compared to Partey and Elnenny was stark though Ceballos made some key interceptions in our box (at least 4) and was more attacking minded in the second half. I thought the CBs were fine apart from the lapse for the Molde goal and Luiz’s long passing is a delight (great interview too). Kola is Kola. AMN was excellent. Cedric was Cedric. Leno had no chance with their goal because of the bounce in front of him and dealt with everything else well – including the collision with KT.
BTM
Sadly from our point of view, at Mikel’s after match prezzer ,he said that Reiss was left out because of injury.
Knee problem apparently .
No indication of prognosis, i guess we will find out in update for Villa game.
Matt @63
You and me both .
Clive, thanks for the update on Nelson. Disappointing. Hope it is a short-lived injury.
Difficult to get a read on ESR. Have seen so little of him. He has played fewer than 800 first-team minutes since his first game in 2018.
Scruz,
Yes Pepe seems to like the Europa …but I find his performances maddeningly inconsistent. Let’s hope we will have you back at the Grove very soon
Clive,
Greetings
I heard from a pre-match tweet that Arteta wasn’t hugely worried by the Nelson injury. He must also feel ESR is not match fit yet . That boy needs to make his mark soon . Interesting that Musah who left us for Valencia is playing in La Liga at 17 and will make his US senior debut in a few days. A big loss to us
Nice preview OM. I loved the Molde information 😊 And a close call on the holics’ pound.
We have taken all the points without looking brilliant so far, but last night seemed comfortable as I listened on the radio, even if we still gave them a slightly dodgy opener as is our wont.
thanks GSD.
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