re: Arsenal 2025/2026 Season Thread: There is Noni to Be Upset

I hope the goal with all these purchases is to add variety to the way we play. What Arteta is trying to do is probably the most difficult thing in the sport, which is to manage games by controlling the ball, ultimately making it so that we are never in danger if we lose the ball. The problem is that we need variety in our attacking approach. Occasionally you need someone to carry the ball from deep. Occasionally you need someone to try a long shot. Occasionally you need quick passing progressions and sometimes you need slower build-ups.

It sort of drives me crazy that Arteta was the exact midfielder who allowed us to vary our tempo under Wenger, as if anyone remembers we struggled finding deep lying midfielders to get Cesc the ball when we decided to go to the 3 man midfield in 2009. When Arteta came and became that player for us, we were structurally far better, and honestly if Ramsey doesn't get hurt at mid-season, we should have come closer to the title in 2013-14 than we did.

Regardless, the fact that we have significant trouble varying the tempo drives me up a wall. This is the very thing that made Arteta an important midfielder for us and I feel like he doesn't value that ability enough. The big thing that MLS provided last season was the very simple ability to occasionally carry the ball in dangerous areas, to ride the opposition press and to play balls early. He was actually excellent at slowing or speeding up the tempo of the game. Similarly, Nwaneri can carry the ball extremely well and the fact he can drive with it is more reason to give him time somewhere on the field. The ability to carry and change the way we play just a slight amount was why I thought we should never have sold ESR. He was a Hale End kid who was as talented as Saka and deserved as many chances as Martinelli to find his feet after injury. His introduction in 2020 was the reason Arteta still has this job and all he did was to occasionally make direct runs off entry passes so that Lacazette had someone to combine with. It feels frustrating that Arteta is really hesitant to combine ball-carrying to our game at all. It is too much Pep and not enough Wenger.

Just more fluidity and willingness to go on the front foot instead of being cautious all the time. If you can jump out to a 2/3-0 lead like we were doing in the back half of 23/24 season, it allows you to take control and who cares if you give up a stupid goal.

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The problem is that we need variety in our attacking approach. Occasionally you need someone to carry the ball from deep. Occasionally you need someone to try a long shot. Occasionally you need quick passing progressions and sometimes you need slower build-ups.

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I think this is exactly why we went after Zubimendi and Madueke from the start of the window. Zubi is a more direct, progressive passer than anyone else we have in the squad and Noni is one of the best 1v1 progressive dribblers in the league. He just needs to work on the final product.

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Is the only place to watch the game on arsenal.com today?

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I think so.

This guy on the sideline with Clark has the long sleeve third jersey on. Looks clean. Might have to try and snag one. Maybe when prices come down.

Martinelli looks like he sees the writing on the wall and is playing with no confidence at all.

Defense has been awful, good to get a goal back.

Merino is a good goal scorer but not good in the midfield. I’d like to see him come on in the last 15 minutes of games to get a goal, but otherwise he should not play much.

It is definitely preseason, but my god this attack looks like dog shite

2 shots on target in 60 min, and for sure 1 was a set piece

Yikes