{"id":11585,"date":"2025-08-09T23:20:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T22:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=11585"},"modified":"2025-08-11T08:54:28","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T07:54:28","slug":"old-boys-new-boys-but-no-star-schoolboy-nearly-ready-to-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=11585","title":{"rendered":"Old Boys, New Boys but no Star Schoolboy – Nearly Ready to Go\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Viktor Gy\u00f6keres’ first goal in Arsenal colours<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal wrapped up preseason with an Emirates Cup Game against Athletic Club of Bilbao and Arteta started with the XI that is arguably his strongest team albeit he has recently declared that his old tier system of selection has been abandoned:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raya<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timber Saliba Gabriel Calafiori<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00d8degaard Zubimendi Rice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka Gy\u00f6keres Martinelli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was reassuring to see that Gabriel was fit enough to start, given that his recovery from surgery had been interrupted by a set back that ruled him out of all but the late stages of the Villareal game and moreover because of how how error prone our defence has looked without him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We started reasonably briskly but stray passes as we built up initially gave us an undercooked look. After only 2 minutes, Gy\u00f6keres was welcomed to his second Emirates appearance by being wrestled to the ground on the halfway line as he took the ball down and turned his defender for which the defender received an early yellow card. It was an early preview of Gy\u00f6keres\u2019 ability to win the ball in midfield and hold off the defender, later examples seeing lay-off to team mates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A feature of the first half was the long high ball out of defence to Saka on the wide right only one of several of which he failed to trap and beat the covering defender. On two occasions he burst through towards the near post but his low hard shots were blocked by the keeper. When he cut it back it was cut out before reaching Martinelli or Gy\u00f6keres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other wing a busy and motivated Martinelli made several driving runs into the box, laying it off to Gy\u00f6keres to his left or shooting low and hard for the near post but finding only the side netting. Calafiori, another gratifying returnee from injury, was elegantly gliding up the left wing to support Martinelli in a manner from which the flying Brazilian has not recently been accustomed to benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had a couple of jittery moments in defence at this early stage of the game with Timber carelessly losing possession outside Arsenal\u2019s box, a mistake that ended in a weak shot from an otherwise anonymous Williams. Five minutes later a pass inside Arsenal\u2019s box from Calafiori to Martinelli was cut out by a Bilbao forward who should really have scored but his shot was weak and comfortably saved by Raya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 20 minutes, we were looking much more in sync, moving the ball swiftly from back to front and nice interplay on the right between Saka and Zubimendi saw Gy\u00f6keres connect with a cut back from Saka to send the ball towards the far post but the Swede didn\u2019t get strong enough contact and the shot was saved by the keeper. After a period of pressure, a lovely move with one touch passes involving nearly every outfield player sadly then came to naught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calafiori continued to link well with Martinelli and after a neat flick from the Italian, the flying Brazilian released Gy\u00f6keres who drove forward, cutting the ball back from the byeline to Calafiori who side footed it over the bar when a goal looked a possibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bilbao were making no headway against our midfield, let alone our defence and Arsenal\u2019s pressure at the other end was beginning to tell. Zubimendi was looking imperious in midfield and his sweet pass to \u00d8degaard  saw the Norwegian\u2019s clever forward pass into the box lofted over the bar by a panicking defender to prevent an Arsenal runner connecting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 35 minutes, Saka collected a cleared corner wide on the right, cut the ball back to Zubimendi who struck a curling cross first time into the centre of the box. Gy\u00f6keres\u2019 leapt like a salmon and his head connected perfectly to send the ball powerfully past the keeper\u2019s flailing right hand. The lad doesn\u2019t score with his head, eh ? Red and White account opened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal 1 – 0 Athletic Club – Gy\u00f6keres, 34 minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 3 minutes later, a lovely chip over the defence by \u00d8degaard on the halfway line found Martinelli and Saka running towards the goalkeeper. Martinelli took the ball down perfectly and as the keeper approached him laid it delicately to Saka on his right and our Starman stroked it into the net past a desperately backtracking defender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal 2 – 0 Athletic Club – Saka, 37 minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before halftime, Martinelli made a couple more darting runs down the left to the byeline only to see the first low cross cut out by the keeper and the second deflected for a corner. He then connected with a layoff from Gy\u00f6keres but his hard drive was blocked for a corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half Time: Arsenal 2 – 0 Athletic Club<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madueke replaced Martinelli and White replaced Calafiori with Timber switching flanks to left back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second half saw more of the same with Arsenal dominating possession, Gy\u00f6keres running the channels and \u00d8degaard and Zubimendi, in particular, putting vertical balls through towards him. Madueke was lively on the left, repeatedly driving directly at his fullback and one lofted cross aimed for Gy\u00f6keres was headed clear before the Swede could connect. From the corner, Rice found Gabriel at the far post but though his lofted header back towards the near post found Timber, the Dutchman was underneath the dropping ball and couldn\u2019t direct it towards goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gy\u00f6keres then demonstrated close control and strength to retain the ball at the left touchline – the lad doesn\u2019t have close control, eh ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There then followed a sequence of crosses vaulting across the Bilbao goal from either side. The first, from White that a diving Timber just missed at the near post, then Madueke clipped it back from the left towards the same post and Saka just failed to connect. All this in the first 11 minutes of the second half !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, Bilbao woke up and made a couple of forays upfield but they got nowhere near Raya or his goal. Out of possession, Rice was dropping between the centre backs to allow the fullbacks to remain upfield. However, when we had possession, he was still galloping upfield to assist in attack and he was unfortunate to be knocked to the ground on the edge of the box after a run inside by Madueke ended with a square pass to Gy\u00f6keres that he delicately slipped on to the incoming Rice. The lad can\u2019t link up play, eh ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A silky dribble by Zubimendi up the middle allowed him to find Madueke on the left and his cross was met by a diving header by Gy\u00f6keres that struck the keeper\u2019s right hand post and rebounded to safety. No comment!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 63 minutes, MLS replaced Timber, Mosquera replaced Gabriel and Williams, who got nothing out of Timber on either flank was also replaced. On this evenings showing, Madueke was the better acquisition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time Mosquera played left centre back with Saliba staying on his right unlike last time out when the Frenchman switched to allow the new boy to play on his right. They looked as safe as houses and at one point Mosquera displayed Saliba-esque calmness, confidence, poise and footwork to evade opposition forwards in the Arsenal box and slide the ball up to MLS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this phase of the match (65 minutes in), Gy\u00f6keres was still darting into channels on the left, right and up the centre with \u00d8degaard, in particular, regularly looking to play him in. White committed a cynical trip as a Basque broke out of defence and was fortunate not to get booked but almost immediately afterwards MLS was unlucky to receive Ben\u2019s card for a robust challenge on the halfway line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 70 minutes, Havertz replaced Gy\u00f6keres. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madueke continued to look threatening with the ball but also worked hard off the ball to close down ball carriers in midfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the 75th minute the intensity had dropped and Nige, today\u2019s co-commentator suggested that the game had become walking football. That was a tad unfair as White was still overlapping with gusto, supporting Saka as in days of yore and one cross from the byeline that was pushed out by the keeper was deftly back-heeled by Zubimendi to Havertz whose clipped effort was saved. A feature of this game continued to be the elegant control of Zubimendi who let little past him and always looked to pass forward when he gained possession. Our build-ups already look swifter and more vertical as a result of this lad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rice has clearly had a good rest over the summer and should start the forthcoming season much better than he did last season (because he was knackered by the Euros). On 81 minutes he tried to take a short corner, passed directly to an opponent who belted up the line into the space vacated by MLS. Rice hared after him, closed down on him just after the halfway line and stifled the breakaway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just a minute later, Havertz ran onto a lofted ball over the Bilbao defence by Saka from the middle of Arsenal\u2019s half and he ran from the centre circle into the opposition box outpacing one defender and holding off another (with his new, improved, upper body strength?) to slide the ball from the left across the keeper into the far side of his goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal 3 – 0 Athletic Club – Havertz, 82 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 83 minutes, Merino replaced Rice and Nwaneri replaced \u00d8degaard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The game wound to a close but not without a comical ball to Saka\u2019s face from White that poleaxed our Starman, but they both laughed it off, a dribbling vignette or two from Nwaneri and a neat series of 1-2\u2019s at the edge of the box executed by Madueke but his chip to Havertz was blocked. However our new signing demonstrated that he has bought into Arteta\u2019s ethos as he chased down the attacker forcing him to run the ball out of play. The game finished with Zubimendi intercepting a forward ball and making a beautiful pass over the Bilbao defence to the onrushing Saka that, in itself, would have been worthy of a fourth goal but sadly not this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Time: Arsenal 3 – 0 Athletic Club<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like all the other preseason games, the point of this exercise was to increase our fitness and match sharpness while building on-field relationships between our old and new players. The 3-0 scoreline was thoroughly deserved and is very gratifying but much more satisfying was the increased sense of a smooth-running machine that displays urgency, focus and increased readiness for the forthcoming fray. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a post-match penalty shoot out that saw some superb penalties from both sides, one miss each and one save by Raya to win bragging rights 6-5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A man by man analysis is worth consideration at this last public showing before the new season starts in earnest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raya:<\/em> he didn\u2019t have much to do, in truth, and didn\u2019t have to make a serious save but he displayed urgency in getting the ball forward quickly and his long passes to a teammate at halfway were unerringly accurate; in the penalties, where he made one good save, he dived the correct way most times and was unlucky not to reach a couple more but most of the shots he faced were quite unstoppable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timber:<\/em> it was good to see him fit again; he got forward to support Saka well in the first half and slotted in seamlessly at left back in the second half; he\u2019s raring to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saliba:<\/em> at his silky best; utterly unruffled; plays his best football with Gabby alongside (he should remember that); he smashed his penalty into the top right corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriel<\/em>: it was great to have him back; unsurprisingly, he doesn\u2019t yet look 100% but his calmness helps the rest of the defence to do their best work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calafiori<\/em>: looks the business with and without the ball; elegant and creative going forward; adds more to our offence than MLS has done recently and would be my first choice left back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00d8degaard: looks to be closer to his best than he did for most of last season though perhaps not quite there yet; perhaps showing early signs of an understanding of Gy\u00f6keres\u2019 movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zubimendi:<\/em> class act; imperious; great assist – he will get more; love him; took a short run up to his penalty sending the ball into the net with a crisp shot; what a signing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rice<\/em>: relatively quiet first half but showed his stamina and athleticism; encouraging early signs of symbiosis with Zubimendi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka<\/em>: looks fully fit; energetic and dynamic throughout; had his full-back on toast and was unlucky with his first half efforts; not sure why he played 90 minutes; took a cool penalty right in the bottom right corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gy\u00f6keres<\/em>: he looks like the number 9 we\u2019ve been missing since RvP; worked hard throughout and took his chances well; and they said he doesn\u2019t score with his head!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martinelli<\/em>: he played like he had read some of the over the top criticism and was unlucky not to score and have more assists; worked hard throughout; benefitted from Calafiori and Gy\u00f6keres alongside him; 100% a keeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White<\/em>: solid defending; looks back to his mischievous, overlapping best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madueke<\/em>: dynamic, hard-working and committed both with and without the ball; he will be an asset on both wings and will get his share of assists and goals; took a good penalty with a chip down the middle after the keeper dived when he paused his run up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MLS<\/em>: solid and unruffled; less prominent offensively than Calafiori.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mosquera<\/em>: a very impressive defender; big, strong, athletic and skillful; reminds me of Saliba – quite the compliment!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Havertz<\/em>: looks bigger, fit and ready to go (and compete for his place and playing time); he took his goal very well indeed; also took a good penalty, sending the keeper the wrong way with a stuttered run up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merino<\/em>: only got 10 minutes; a valuable midfield back-up and third choice centre forward; took an excellent penalty with a confident strike to the left corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nwaneri: likewise only got 10 minutes; showed some nice dribbling and passing skills in \u00d8degaard\u2019s role; too clever by half with his penalty which he clipped over the bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We look better than we did in the last few games both with and without the ball. We are almost ready. Another week in the training ground should increase familiarity and embed some automatisms. Bring it on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COYG !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Predictathon 2025-26<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy the new season playing the Goonerholicsforever Prediction Contest, in aid of the Willow Foundation!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, the contest\u2019s purpose is twofold. First, to enhance the enjoyment of the upcoming season by providing a degree of light-hearted competitive rivalry as the season progresses. Second, to support Bob Wilson\u2019s Willow Foundation with another generous collective donation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rules of the game are straightforward:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The object of the contest is to predict the final 2025-26 Premier League table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The winner will be the player whose predictions are closest to the table at the end of Matchweek 38.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. This will be determined by a points score using the Difference Squared system. The lowest total score wins. The reward for winning is a full year\u2019s bragging rights as the bar\u2019s top know-it-all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For full details and how the scoring works, check out the Contests tab<\/a> at the top of this page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To enter, download the entry blank<\/a>. Email your completed entry form to ghfpredict@yahoo.com. We must receive your completed entry no later than one hour before the new season kicks off, i.e., by 1900 UK time on Friday, August 15<\/em><\/strong>.  No changes to entries or new players are permitted after that deadline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contestants are honour-bound to donate to the Willow Foundation (<\/strong>link here<\/a>) at least \u00a325. This covers entry into the League Positions contest and the three bonus predictions (first manager to get the tin tack, and the winners of the two domestic cups).<\/strong> You can donate more to Willow \u2014 we encourage you to do so \u2014 but it will not guarantee a higher placing!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Arsenal wrapped up preseason with an Emirates Cup Game against Athletic Club of Bilbao and Arteta started with the XI that is arguably his strongest team albeit he has recently declared that his old tier system of selection has been abandoned: Raya Timber Saliba Gabriel Calafiori \u00d8degaard Zubimendi Rice Saka Gy\u00f6keres Martinelli. It was reassuring […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11585"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11585"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11585\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11614,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11585\/revisions\/11614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}