On an early Spring morning – twenty-fifth of March to be precise – in Saint Petersburg one Major Kovalev — who is of an inferior rank but happy to have others think of him as a major and in any case such distinctions can easily get blurred in the real world of imagination – wakes up to a startling realization, which soon turns into a frantic desperation, that his nose has somehow slipped out of his face. And nose here is not a signifier for such secondary things like sense of smell, or danger, or intuition; but the actual anatomical part of Kovalev’s face.
Later out in the streets, covering his flattened face by a scarf, Kovalev finds his renegade nose to be sauntering around as a high ranked state councilor and cannot quite articulate his demand with sufficient authority to force a reunion with his face.
Lately the life of an Arsenal supporter watching the team in action on matchday has not been entirely dissimilar to Kovalev’s experience of looking at the mirror on that fateful March morning in Saint Petersburg. The team is wearing red-and-white – or yellow, or electric blue, or … in any case something that has the Arsenal name and crest on the shirt – and contains players that we recognize as Arsenal players. They are playing football, the game we love, and now and then are creating momentary sparks of recognizable brilliance. But overall, the nose is missing, and we look for it. The seeking starts with hope that soon turns into frantic desperation. And sometimes, to our horror, we see the nose dressed up in our opposition’s jerseys.
The current transfer window has been one of Arsenal’s best in terms of incoming players. Not because of the number we have signed but because of the clear and concrete strategic planning towards squad building that has evidently informed each signing. No more chaotic attempts to bring in established stars (sometimes past their prime) in desperate hope of getting back to the Champions League but both a genuine acknowledgment that the squad needs to be patiently rebuilt and a willingness to do the hard work outside and inside the training ground towards that goal. It is too early to say whether the pieces so painstakingly being assembled will eventually fit together to create the kind of seamless whole that is reflected in matchday performances that the supporters can get behind, irrespective of the results which the more reasonable section of the fanbase accept may take a while to return to the top level.
But let us also humbly accept that the less reasonable “want everything right now” segment of the fans are numerous too, as is the case with all big clubs, and their passionate demand for the immediate improvement in results creates its own pressure which again is an expected force in the dynamics of a club as widely supported as ours.
So, in the coming weeks and months, Arteta and his coaching staff have a complex array of multitudinous challenges: build a footballing identity to create a platform for the group of impressive young talents to be able to express themselves and grow together; optimally leverage the experience and expertise of the senior heads, most notably that of the captain, Aubameyang – getting him back to his goalscoring best is a key prerequisite for us to be able to end this season with a noticeable improvement in the league positions – but in a manner that serves the footballing identity. All this while staying true to the strategic direction to be able to make tactical tweaks to matchdays to sustain (and hopefully achieve) a challenge for the Champions League positions.
Defeat in the opening game – which, now that the events prior to that match have come to light, we can agree was rather unfortunate and one might even say unfair — creates that bit of extra pressure going into this weekend’s London derby against the reigning European champions. Last season saw us win against Chelsea home and away in the PL for the first time since the Invincible season, and before that Mikel had famously guided us to a win against them in the 19-20 FA Cup final. In his fledgling managerial career he has shown that he can set up his teams tactically against superior opposition and earn victories by playing to the strength of his squad.
Aubameyang has completely recovered following his positive COVID test results last week, and even though Mikel suggested in his press conference that captain Auba’s participation will be determined by how he feels in training today, I think for a game of this importance and the fact that we didn’t score any goals in the last match, we will see him start. It seems that Ødegaard has been unable to obtain his visa in time to be selected for this match. Had he done so, I thought he was likely to start down the middle with Emile Smith-Rowe as the left inside forward. On the right side the choice is between Saka and Pépé and Mikel will need to balance the temptation to start Saka with the need to let him have a bit more rest since his Euro heroics so that as the season progresses we get more out of his superlative talents. Had both Martin and ESR started, the technical security provided by them would allow for Pépé’s mercurial talent on one flank, especially given Ødegaard’s ability to get the best out of Nico. But if Saka is back to his best in training and completely fit, I think Mikel will opt for his consistency. As Ødegaard isn’t eligible to play tomorrow I think we will see Saka on the right wing and Pépé on the left (a position he played well enough in a few matches he started there). The defense and central midfield will most likely remain the same, but I won’t be surprised to see Holding ahead of Pablo Mari. Even though unlike his Spanish colleague Holding is right footed, he has played on the left side of the defense before and played well.
My predicted line-up (without Ødegaard):
Leno
Chambers – White – Holding – Tierney
Lokonga – Xhaka
Saka – ESR – Pépé
Aubameyang
I expect Gabriel Martinelli to play an important role coming on as a substitute in the second half – most likely to relieve Saka or Aubameyang – and press the Chelsea defense.
Mikel is likely to focus solely on earning the points from this match and will drill his team into highly customized tactics suitable for the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. I would expect a cagey match with us relying more on counter attacks. With the fans returning to the stadium a fighting performance from the team may create the kind of feedback loop between the players and the supporters that lifts the team in a big game like this.
My prediction is a hard-fought 2-1 victory for the mighty Arsenal!
Happy viewing everyone! And to those going to the stadium, the rest of us are looking to you to cheer, support and lift the team. :–)
Major Kovalev’s nose – in events shrouded in mystery, as Gogol interjects – first appears inside his barber Ivan Yakovlevich’s morning bread, and the panicked barber finally manages to dispose of the nose in the River Neva. As the rumors and innuendos about Kovalev’s wantaway nose grow, suddenly, in events equally shrouded in mystery, a policeman captures the nose dressed as a councilor, and returns it to our hapless major. But his desperation doesn’t end so easily as the nose no longer fits on his face and simply slides off. Until, one fine April morning, again through events shrouded in mystery, the nose is back in its rightful place.
And maybe one fine match day in the coming months, we too will find to our delight that Arsenal’s missing footballing identity is firmly back in its place, via events shrouded in mystery. However, unlike in the real world of an imaginary Saint Petersburg, in our imaginary world of a real Arsenal, where no events can be shrouded in mystery, the return of the nose back to the face will be long and painstaking surgery, one stitch at a time. But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming of the days when Arsenal will again be synonymous with fluid, progressive, attacking football.
Old Nikolai Vasilyevich doesn’t have a monopoly on dreams…
Dr. Faustus knows!
2-0 to the Arsenal, Kovalev to score in each half. 🙂
Leave Gogol out of Arsenal. Poor man suffered enough.
Where’s me JVC mug?
oh god, no, no, nooooo
Dr.F
I hope our performance is as good as your preview ! If so we’ve got a terrific chance tomorrow even against the European Champions . Our record against the Chavs is very good recently but we need a MUCH better performance than we saw at Brentford.
I think your team is spot-on but suspect the wingers will start on the opposite sides .
I’d happily take a point from our next two games and hope we can construct a squad to take us up the table .
I attach a clip from last night’s game of a 17- year old who looks the next Saka . Omari Hutchinson looks very exciting and we also have Patino and Azeez . You don’t win anything with kids but you can shape an exciting future .
https://mobile.twitter.com/omarihutch7/status/1429112884878053377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1429112884878053377%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.101greatgoals.com%2Fnews%2Fvideo-arsenal-starlet-hutchsinson-dazzles-with-brace-vs-crystal-palace-including-solo-stunner%2F
I spent more time watching the Hundred finals rather than Brighton but I did see some of the game and Bissouma was superb. Exactly what we need in midfield
Dr F,
Top notch write up. I too long for the day Kovalev’s nose returns to its rightful place. I blame you in advance for the curious dreams I am bound to suffer tonight involving a nose picking up the Premier League trophy. I’m so un imaginatively literal.
Dr F, the whole Kovalev’s nose thing is just brilliant !
I agree with your team as well if Gabriel isn’t fit, but after the rest of it I don’t really care !
Sunday will be my first trip to The Grove since you really do not know when. I will be perfectly honest and say that I care not a jot about Kovalev, or his disappearing snoz. All I hope is that I’m treated to a performance with a tad more backbone than the one that I witnessed at Brentford. Let’s hope we actually have some idea of how we are going to shape up and play. Am I looking forward to going? The answer is no, not really. I will attend full of trepidation.
I agree totally that the transfer policy makes perfect sense. I very much like the idea of bringing in younger players with a view to planning for the future. All of that makes perfect sense. My worry stems from the fact that I have little faith in anyone that has any dealings with the management of the club. Currently it’s a mess from top to bottom. I would have far more confidence in the signings if they had been brought in with the likes of AW and DD at the helm. The planned protests tomorrow would tend to suggest that I’m not the only one who thinks like that. That said, I sincerely hope that all of the recent recruits turn out to be a success and enjoy a long and prosperous Arsenal career.
No idea what will happen tomorrow but at this particular moment, I would happily settle for a point and a non toxic stadium. A Brentford like performance may well result in reactions that none of us want to see.
A superb analogy for our experience over the last few years, Dr F. I too prefer the apparent new signing philosophy of acquiring hungry young talent rather than jaded older deadbeats with sated ambition and worn out knees. No! I’m not referring to anyone in this bar!
Tomorrow is the first of a pair of monstrous hurdles. As Dr F has observed Arteta has outfoxed them recently. Like Steve T I am filled with trepidation but have my fingers crossed.
Sadly there are rumours in the last few hours that Ben White is out of the squad. The smart money is on Covid. Not helpful.
Dr F, you wear your learning lightly and so entertainingly. Yet, did not Kovalev return to his bad old ways after being reunited with his nose?
TTG@4: There are high hopes for Omari Hutchinson. Like ESR, he could probably use a season of Championship football on loan to acclimatise him to senior football.
Re: TTG. Omari’s on fire. Let’s watch that again.
Tickets still available if anyone is interested???
If anyone was wondering what the current state of the club is then I guess there’s your answer.
Thanks Dr F, a tough game at the
wrong time for us.
If Ben White is really out then at
least Rob is a ready made replacement
Another 1-0 to The Arsenal COYGs!
Thanks everyone for the kind words.
Ned@10: You are right, let us say he returns back to his merry old ways. 🙂 Chasing women and buying decorative ribbons for ranks he doesn’t hold. In a nutshell, he started having fun again …
Having spent all summer moaning and whining about The Arsenal, I awake this morning with that same childlike “first home game of the season feeling” I remember from the early 70’s. Having considered giving up my season ticket ( I didn’t), I now wish I was going to be there (I can’t); the pre-match booze and chat with the same crowd I’ve been going with for donkeys years; the walk through Highbury Fields, the scene of many an episode from our early years about which my little group will no doubt regale themselves; pitching up outside the fabulous ground; the distinctive smells of fried onions and expectancy hanging heavy in the air while you queue to get in.
To all those going, have a great afternoon and belt out some noise. COYG.
A fine and entertaining preview Dr F. I haven’t read Gogol – I might now.
Like Steve and others, I’m off to my first game since March 2020 with anticipation and trepidation. Chelsea under Tuchel seem to be a different team to that under Lampard.
Tickets are easy to find at the moment, our next two games, both away, were available at very low or even zero credits. These are troubled times.
C100,
The reason away games might be more easily available is because the ludicrous away. Season ticket scheme has been abandoned, as I understand it, so credits don’t count any more.
As of this morning, both West Brom and Citeh away are showing as sold out on the website.
We really sold out West Brom away in the 2nd round of the Carabao Cup!
Unless our ticket allocation was very small…..
Kola to Fenerbahce would be good if we could get it done.
The away scheme is still in existence for the next two seasons and they were given priority for these games. We had 2750 tix for WBA. We sold out at zero credits having opened at 10. For Man City, we had 3065 tix and it sold out at zero credits having opened at 30.
Great! So we sold out….
Dr F@14: I will take your optimistic reading. 🙂
CER@15: Just the mention of the smell of fried onions brings back the walk up St Thomas’s Road and into Gillespie Road.
The open letter from Stan and Josh Kroenke that appears under their name in the Chelsea programme strikes me as being PR pablum, and not even at its finest.
https://www.arsenal.com/news/stan-and-josh-kroenke-open-letter
Leno
Cedric Holding Mart Tierney
Lokongo Xhaka
Saka ESR Martinelli
Pepe
Auba and Balogun on the bench. As is Ramsdale.
Re: Ned @24. The first item of PR pablum I spotted was Stan Kroenke supposedly writing the words “ here at Emirates Stadium”
When was he there at Emirates and not on the ranch? Hardly ever.
Cedric has finally left the naughty
step. Auba not ready to start it
seems and so Martinelli/ Pepe
in a fluid attack (well I hope it’s
fluid but I guess there’s not a lot
of options.
CER @15. That’s the spirit! COYG
Just got in to the ground and it’s a total shambles. Various route closed off, major problems with the new ticket system and clueless bar staff to join the clueless stewards.
30 minutes before kick off and it’s mess
bt8@26: Good catch.
OM@27: Kola on the bench. Barrel scraping time.
Steve,
My son got in fine but some of my mates have had a pretty chaotic experience.
Good luck seeing the start, all those who are trying to get in.
Here the game is on the telly but only with Spanish commentary unless you wait for the recording. Brave new world.
COYG
Lokonga sounds good in Spanish.
Nice way to use your Granit head, Xhaka.
Are they playing with 1950s heavyweight balls? How has that knocked Xhaka to the ground?!
Great run ESR
Announcers correctly say Tierney’s control and cross were “caliente”
At the risk of ruining it, the football has been very progressive.
Unlike the referee who is keen to give Chelsea every possible decision
I’ll get my coat,
Cedric plays Chelsea onside for the goal. Poor.
Same announcer correctly says the goal was “agua fría” for Srsenal and their supporters after dominating the game up to then.
bt8 – it’s on NBC Sports, but seems like you’re enjoying the Spanish commentary.
Thanks, Potsticker.
I switched over now.
Pablo Mari is no physical match for Lukaku, but who would be?
Tierney awful on both goals. This team has absolutely nothing to offer apart from its lovely socks.
Someone tell our players and the coach that Reece James is playing for Chelsea.
I wish Smith Rowe would shoot when he’s driving to the edge of the box, instead of laying it off every single time.
33% possession and being bullied all over the park. The lack of leadership and authority is quite frankly embarrassing at times. How we let them continually run straight through us is quite simply schoolboy stuff.
What started off really positive could very rapidly change.
I’m not as negative as some. I think Arteta should have figured out the left side overload but other than that and given what we are missing it’s not too bad.
Oh and the referee has been, err, interesting. No pen. A booking for no contact on the cheat Alonso,
Are we blaming the officials already???? For this????
Please tell me that’s not the level we are at already?????
Have I made points on any decisions which are wrong?
No idea CER. Not seen any replays. Just seemed a strange comment to me, especially as I watch what Is happening on n front of me
Game planning?? Adjustments!!
Its going to be a long long season people.
We at least tried to play a progressive positive football. Lokonga at the heart of it.
Some encouraging combination play. Partey-Sambi combination worked would be great.
And it was courageous of Mikel to choose to play open football and not to revert to 3-5-2 cagey performance (which the freaking pundits forgot he had done before and got results multiple times against better teams). It’s better to build towards a style and shape even if you lose a few more games on the way.
The rest unfolded as was expected. Two teams in completely different stages of their respective evolutions.
And yes, it was as clear a penalty as there could be.
I thought the referee gave them everything but we were so poor we made a carthorse like Reece James look like a footballer.
Had nothing going forward, created absolutely nothing and were weak at the back as usual.
Lokonga is looking like a good signing but we get nothing from players like Pepe, who think walking around is good enough.
In short, didn’t expect to get anything from the game and somehow got less than expected.
Dr F.
Thanks for the excellent preface. I’m sure Gogol would be a Gooner.
I wish you would be right but even if you are we are literally inching. As today game was painful it seems we have to be patient and most likely we need a half-season to find cohesion and consistency. Again.
I am new here so please allow a drink for everyone on me.
COYG.
That Chelsea side will beat a lot of teams better than us this season. When you can bring players like Kante, Werner and Ziyech in off the bench and still leave six there who would walk into most Premiership sides, you know you have a squad of quality. Lukaku is the new Drogba for them; can bully any defence. We took too long (two goals conceded) to get the overload on their right, our left sorted out; I thought Xhaka was meant to provide the left-sided defensive cover when Tierney advanced up the wing. Positives for us? We were second best, no question, but stopped it going pear-shaped after falling 2-0 behind. We looked as if we had a game plan, which was not dissimilar to Chelsea’s but they executed theirs far better. However, we have now gone two league games without a goal and managed just seven shots on target. Lokonga again looked good. Leno played well; competition bucking him up, perhaps.
NBN @ 60. Having a game plan is one thing. If that game plan is not working or circumstances change you make adjustments. Did MA make adjustments?
If there is one or 2 things I can pick on, on Sambi, its his pace in defensive situations & of course bulking up.
Pretty fair performance completely absent the spine of the team. So Chel$ki have won one of the last four and i see looney tunes blaming Tierney for the goals despite being asked to cover two players and provide the supply line from the left wing. Always good for a laugh.
I wonder if Brighton would take the remains two Marx brothers Xhaka and Kolasinac plus cash for Bissouma?
Still some seats available? Maybe had something to do with slight concerns over the global pandemic. There were certainly plenty around the 80 minute mark – “Sorry, gotta leave, train to catch”
We’d never lost the first two league games without scoring before, apparently.
Las, thank you and welcome to the bar!
Yes, we are now obviously rebuilding towards a cohesive identity. Much better than the thoughtless sticking plaster approach of last few years.
Ned@60: I have a suspicion that we are still after a striker in place of Laca.
TD@61: There were noticeable adjustments after halftime. Xhaka played deeper, almost as a third CB. Soares and Tierney both played wider, and Tierney did not push as high most of the time. The formation changed to 5-3-2 from 4-2-3-1 when Auba came on after 60 minutes.
Dr F@64: We need one. Obviously, we are not scoring goals, but also we are not making anywhere near enough attempts on goal.
Ned@66: Right. For two seasons Auba — and especially in the first year with his friend Laca helping out — carried a mostly dysfunctional team by scoring at his career high conversion rate. That was unsustainable and we always needed this complete reboot …
The way out is the way in. 😉
Cohesive Identity Utd
bright future ahead
most definitely
keep on
Thanks for pointing that out. I will watch the game (2nd half) again, its my DVR.
Watching Mari trying to deal with Lukaku reminded me of when we asked Senderos to try and deal with Drogba.
Doc. We were at home and had 35% possession. At times we went for 2/3 minute periods without touching the ball. How does that result in progressive, positive football?
Ned. Spot on about the chavs. They are light years above us and we won’t play the likes of them until next week.
BtM. How we have given Xhaka a contract extension and left the likes of Bissouma at Brighton will always be a mystery.
i see looney tunes blaming Tierney
Fuck off.
He got sucked in to the middle on both goals and left acres of space for James. It is possible to admit that without bursting into tears or thinking he’s a cunt. Open your eyes.
“Watching Mari trying to deal with Lukaku reminded me of when we asked Senderos to try and deal with Drogba.”
Exactly.
So sad
Lukaku is a handful for any CB. He is one of the biggest and best strikers in Europe at the height of his powers. Italian CBs, who know a thing or two about defending, hardly had him in their pockets last season; he was the second-top scorer in Serie A after Ronaldo with 24 goals. That is as many as Werner, Abraham, Havertz, Giroud and Pulsic managed in the Premiership between them.
Steve T@70: 🙂
What Cynic said @71. For the first goal Tierney is marking Mount in the build-up but Xhaka and Saka are marking no one, leaving James in open space on the right-wing. Once James receives the ball, Tierney leaves Mount and heads for James, but with little hope of getting a block in my that point. Saka should have tracked back to pick up James or Xhaka take Mount and Tierney take James, which is what they did in the second half. Same lack of tracking back for the second goal. No one tracked back to cover James, who again was left unmarked in acres of space on the wing, with Tierney having to make a desperate but futile last-ditch attempt to block James’s shot.
Kante is the best football player in the world
end of discussion
.
@73
Good points Ned. A motivated Lukaku up against our 2nd choice CB pairing
was always a tough ask.
Another tough game coming next and where a goal will come from is the
bigger concern, for me anyway.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>