{"id":1909,"date":"2020-12-05T13:22:18","date_gmt":"2020-12-05T13:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=1909"},"modified":"2020-12-07T16:31:42","modified_gmt":"2020-12-07T16:31:42","slug":"the-buck-stops-here-can-arteta-find-the-key","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=1909","title":{"rendered":"The Buck Stops Here – Can Arteta Find the Key?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The weight of the world?  (c) Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And so, just like Christmas, the North London Derby comes around again. It finds the Arsenal goose somewhat underprepared this year if not raw after our worst start to a league season in 39 years. We come into this game in 14th place with just 13 points from 10 games. Our opponents sit 8 points ahead of us, squatting at the top of the table. Last Sunday they scrapped out a 0-0 draw at the Bus Stop in Fulham while we put in another poor PL performance ending in a dispiriting home defeat. The Marshdwellers are certainly in good form currently but the Arsenal\u2019s performance and win against Rapid Vienna on Thursday has lifted the mood and shown what we are capable of, if only against a pretty poor outfit. Fortunately, the NLD often does not go to form because so many players raise their game for the occasion – will that apply in a largely deserted barn containing 2000 numpties? A win wouldn\u2019t take the Arsenal into the top half of the table but it would go a long way to restoring the possibility of a St Totteringham\u2019s celebration by season\u2019s end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our PL record at their place (whatever you call it and including their squat at Wembley), is 5 wins, 12 draws and 11 defeats in 28 games with an aggregate of 35 goals for and 40 against. We have to go back to March 2014 for our last victory at the shabby end of the Seven Sisters Road when a goal from Thomas Rosicky after 2 minutes gave us a classic 1-0 victory. Strangely, in each of our last two visits to their lair, we took the lead in the 16th<\/sup> minute. In March 2019 Aaron Ramsey\u2019s fine goal was pegged back by a late Kane penalty for a 1-1 draw and in July 2020 Lacazette\u2019s goal was pegged back almost immediately then we lost 1-2 to an 81st<\/sup> minute goal from Alderweireld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the absence of a sceptical home crowd, the Marshdwellers have embraced the specious one\u2019s dire game style. When out of possession they play a low block with midfielders H\u00f8jbjerg and Sissoko dropping into the backline to create a back 6 screened by a threesome usually comprising Son, Bergwijn and Ndombele. As with all Moaninho\u2019s sides, they happily concede possession and ground awaiting a stray pass or successful tackle to break out at speed. Kane is usually the initial focal point of their breakout receiving the ball inside his own half then firing it forwards for the onrushing Son, Bergwijn or fullbacks. They have become very good at swift and accurate passing between runners and on the counter attack they represent a real goal threat. The interchanges between Son and Kane in particular will have to be stifled. Will they adopt a high press or an all-out attacking strategy against a wounded Arsenal? I don\u2019t think that they will press or drive forwards for long periods but they will do so for spells then revert to the shell. The specious one has suggested that Lloris and Kane are doubtful for this match. I don\u2019t believe a word that man says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the solidity of their massed defence, their centre backs are vulnerable to pace and swift passing and movement. Furthermore, their fullbacks often leave acres of space behind them and are vulnerable to wide-men on a counter-attack. The Marshmen also retain a proclivity to crumble under pressure as Wet Spam demonstrated earlier this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsene Wenger\u2019s Arsenal teams used to succumb to the Portuguese reptile\u2019s \u2018rope a dope\u2019 tactic with sickening regularity. For years I wanted Arsene to beat him at his own game by drawing his team onto us and striking on breakaways but he never played against them that way. Sadly, we did then have a team capable of rapid counter-attacks but those days have long gone and I honestly can\u2019t see that tactic working with Xhaka and Ceballos bestriding our midfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the grim displays against Villa and Wolves and the paucity of chance creation and dearth of PL goals from open play, I found it difficult to see a more fruitful approach to this game than reverting to a back three, prioritising a low block and looking to strike on the break. This would replicate the playbook that we used at Old Trafford though that result relied on a liberal contribution from Lady Luck at both ends. Despite the good performance against Rapid Vienna on Thursday, the quality of the opposition was several rungs below PL standards so it is unlikely it will convince Arteta to retain a 4-3-3 but I think he will use KT3\u2019s and Saka\u2019s flexibility to morph between a 3-4-3 out of possession and a 4-3-3 on the offensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My nightmare is this: our central defence will be lambs to the slaughter if we lose possession when camped on the edge of the opposition box with our wing backs thrown forward and pedestrian midfielders left for dead as opponents race past them. To me, it would be far more preferable to play cat and mouse rather than drive forward, hell for leather. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have found selecting a team for this match a major challenge. I hope Mikel Arteta has found it easier. On the one hand we have the record of miserable performances in our recent PL matches that demand improvement and on the other we had that delightful performance on Thursday with the injection of youthful enthusiasm in the form of Nelson and AMN and a re-invigorated looking Lakazette. Yet we must be realistic. Rapid Vienna barely closed us down and those players will not be given that time and space on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The keeper and back three pick themselves (surely Luiz must be rested following two recent head injuries?). The continued absence of Partey is a huge blow as his midfield physicality and distribution were significant factors in the Old Trafford result. All our other midfield options lack those qualities. As a former midfielder of some distinction, MA8 will be well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the midfield players at his disposal. Like many, I am tired of watching Xhaka floundering in our midfield but he does have the experience and street-smarts to match the opposition\u2019s big, tough midfield thugs. Yet I\u2019m not sure I would select him as a starter because he is so bereft of pace. Before Thursday, the whirling Dervish Ceballos\u2019 contributions had been equally turgid. However, his cameo against Rapid Vienna showed his creative qualities with several incisive forward balls and he has forced himself back into contention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, AMN excelled in his favourite position as a box to box midfielder. However, as he played the full 90 minutes and as Thursday\u2019s opposition would have made Xhaka look like Patrick Vieira (I jest), I think he will be on the bench, perhaps to replace Willock late in the game. Lacazette and Nelson both also had excellent games, the former in a deep lying \u201810\u2019 role in which he excelled (against weak opposition), while Nelson displayed high energy and linked well creatively (against weak opposition). Elneny had a less spectacular game but, a couple of poor passes apart gave a reasonable performance as the deep-lying midfielder (though Ceballos looked better). I think it\u2019s a toss-up between Elneny and Ceballos starting in midfield and Ceballos\u2019 cameo may have won him the starting position. For me, that would be alongside Joe Willock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I expect Mikel Arteta to give Lacazette a chance to reprise the \u2018number 10\u2019 role against big boys. With P\u00e9p\u00e9\u2019s continued suspension, I would start Nelson and Aubameyang drifting centrally from \u2018inside forward\u2019 positions ahead of him. This would allow Bellerin to overlap on the right and Saka and Tierney to attack the wide left corridor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually, I think that Mikel Arteta will start Willian over Nelson because of his vastly greater big match experience and recognition that Nelson\u2019s good performance was against lightweights. Heaven forfend Mikel sticks with the turgid combination of Ceballos and Xhaka in central midfield but he might just decide that experience trumps legs and he is paid to make those calls. I think we need more directness, energy, strength and pace than those three players offer but there\u2019s no doubt that experience counts in games like this and youngsters can be overrun. The truth is that we don\u2019t have midfielders of the quality that we need for this level of competition. The brave, though some might say foolhardy, choice would be to play a 4-3-3 with a midfield of AMN, Willock and Ceballos and a front three of Nelson, Aubameyang and Saka. It\u2019s not happening, nor should it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, I expect we will start a 3-4-1-2, morphing into 4-2-1-3 when breaking forward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leno<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holding, Gabriel, Tierney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bellerin, Ceballos, Willock, Saka<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lacazette<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Willian, Aubameyang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Holic Pound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will be satisfied with a good performance and a point but the Holic pound is backing a cheeky 1-0 to the Arsenal at 11\/1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good result in this game, no matter how it\u2019s achieved, would make a massive difference to this team\u2019s confidence and its performances in forthcoming games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the risk of overegging the pudding by returning to the opening metaphor, I hope we don\u2019t get stuffed because if we do, our goose may well be cooked this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Courage mes braves!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy the game, Holics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And so, just like Christmas, the North London Derby comes around again. It finds the Arsenal goose somewhat underprepared this year if not raw after our worst start to a league season in 39 years. We come into this game in 14th place with just 13 points from 10 games. Our opponents sit 8 points […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1909"}],"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=1909"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1925,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1909\/revisions\/1925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}