Barcelona vs Arsenal | August 4th | KO: 19:00 BST | Joan Gamper Trophy

[Yousif Arsenal]

Martinelli Ceballos and Guendouzi at 2nd half needed

 

[Jackie_Treehorn]

Not a bad first half at all. Great assist from Mesut and clinical finish from Auba.

The young guys look good, aside from poor Willock being fooled by Rakitic. I think Nelson’s making his case for some real playing time on the left side of the attack. Proud of AMN learning every game while being played out of position.

 

[OnlyOne]

Mesut already equalling his assist record from last season and we haven't even started yet.

 

[Vinci]

Same old problem with Xhaka, he does well when he has time to pick a pass, but messes up constantly under pressure.

 

[TheIceman85]

Great first half, the only worry is how we transition to attack. Auba can't hold the ball and Mkhi is finished here. When you add Pepe and Laca to this mix, we will have an amazing attack.

Agree on Miki. Looks like we need someone who can receive the ball from deep, turn and drive into the space. Hopefully Pepe will bring that. Miki can only turn and look for a pass which isn’t always on.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

Something that you really have to give Emery credit for, for all his other controverse decisions, is that he showed with Guen that he isn't afraid or reluctant to play a kid, if he sees something special with him. Let's hope Willock has become this season's Guendouzi for Emery.

 

[Sniper Mik]

Chambers probably has half the no. of mistakes per game as Mustafi. Not ideal but still better than nothing. If we can't get a CB, Chambers has to be the one playing ahead of him till Holding comes back

 

[Arsenal1508]

Emery again proving he know how to setup his team in big games just hope he stick with one formation

Yeah Ok....Özil and Mhki starting together.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Mesut already equalling his assist record from last season and we haven't even started yet.

Anything less than 20 assists playing with pepe laca auba should be unacceptable

 

[2Smokeyy]

Mkhitaryan and Xhaka holding this team back from reaching another level.

Not surprised by both of their performances. Need to bin both.

 

[Wrighty4eva]

Mkhitaryan and Xhaka have been nothing but liabilities the first half you would think they were the youth players.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Yeah Ok....Özil and Mhki starting together.

Özil can start he still have the quality mkhi won't be starting anynore with pepe is here

 

[Divided_Pie]

The good news is that Pepe will replace Mkhi, and hopefully Nelson will be above him as well.

The bad news is that Emery will persist with Xhaka as his captain and first name on the team sheet until it gets him fired.

Xhaka slows down our attack, so many wasted runs and aborted counters. Sure, he keeps the ball moving and executes within the framework, but usually this leads to nothing other than maybe a gift turnover to the opposition. Then without the ball Xhaka cannot cover any space at all, he ball watches instead of tracking runners, and he offers the 1v1 defense of a traffic cone.

 

[Arsenal1508]

Put it this, I'd have no interest in trading the two.

We don't trade in the UK. We say swap.

If Leno is going to be the POTY for us, I think that will be a bad sign. We have too much bloody great attacking talent for our Goal Keeper to be player of the season.

 

[Trilly]

Leno could of easily been our POTY, he'd be rated as high as Allison if he was in that Liverpool team.

Haven’t seen anything from Allison that suggests he’s even worth 70M.

He just seems a good well rounded keeper that’s good on the ball. Think our boy Leno is up there with the best of em.

 

[Big Poppa]

I'm in love with that first half from Willock. We actually look like we have a physical presence in midfield who can do both sides of the game just as well.

Barca should've given Paco Alcacer more game time instead of shelling out for Griezmann.

 

[OnlyOne]

Good point, Griezmann looks a rubbish, bad first touch and all.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Willock > Guendouzi

 

[2Smokeyy]

I’d love to see Torreira for Xhaka and Martinelli for Mkhitaryan.

Reiss Auba Mart​

Needed

 

[Geofranco]

Nelson seems so timid almost anxious. The last thing you wanna see from a youngster :/ And that goes for the whole of pre season bar that fluke goal.

I think Nelson has played pretty well besides that poor back pass. He is really working hard defensively and has shown he has the technical ability required for this level. The other things will come with time. Just be patient with him, he is still only 19.