UEL Group Stage: Rapid Vienna vs Arsenal | Thursday 22 October | 17.55 | BT Sport

[hydrofluoric acid]

Wait. Why is Saliba not in the EL squad?

 

[Big Poppa]

Great stat. This is what it feels like.
For a while I’ve felt like we just aren’t winning the ball back like we used to. Xhaka used to be a good ball winner, now it’s rare. Similar decline for Bellerin.

The only one doing any ball winning right now is Ceballos.
I’m sure Partey will bring something here too.

Yes Partey will make a huge difference.

Xhaka often can't get close enough to players to make tackles, so he either has to commit a foul or watch them breeze past him.

It will be interesting to see who survives once Thomas is integrated because I agree that Ceballos is now offering a lot of qualities out of possession too.

 

[ggunner12345]

Stupid decision not to have saliba in el squad. I think renarson will make his debut and some youngsters will play. Don't have bt so won't be watching.

 

[Tomb Bombadil]

Stupid decision not to have saliba in el squad. I think renarson will make his debut and some youngsters will play. Don't have bt so won't be watching.

They still thought they will lend him out or what the **** where they thinking? Why not leave Chambers, Mustafi or Mari out? I guess this means he won't play until January. What I like to see:

Runarsson
Cedric Gabriel Luiz AMN
Willock Partey Elneny
Pepe Nketiah Nelson
​

But I guess we will see more first team players. What about Mari? Already fit to play?

 

[Finesse]

This is not a game to play fringe players. We are still not coherent as a team going forward. We are still a lot of work in progress. It needs to happen in training daily and implemented on the pitch to see progress. These games should serve as actual drills for the first team players and the team strategy.

Especially now we are atrocious in attack. Partey needs to be playing with guys he will play with in the PL. We need to work out formations using these games to fine tune our PL form and attacking instincts.

 

[Penn_]

We really need a commanding win here to restore some faith again. After Fulham and West Ham felt like we were grounded but fairly upbeat.

Now after the long international break, Liverpool and City feels a bit dead.

 

[Manberg]

It's an away game to the side which came 2nd in the Austrian Bundesliga. I will be happy with any win. Convincing or otherwise.

Are we doing our usual underestimating our opponents?

 

[Jasard]

It's an away game to the side which came 2nd in the Austrian Bundesliga. I will be happy with any win. Convincing or otherwise.

Are we doing our usual underestimating our opponents?

#FarmersLeague 8-0 #YaGunners

 

[ggunner12345]

Chambers and Mustafi are back in training

 

[Red London]

We should play Partey in the formation and system we are going to utilise against Leicester. I want him purring for the game.

Take him off at 60 to keep him fresh.

 

[Breezy]

It's an away game to the side which came 2nd in the Austrian Bundesliga. I will be happy with any win. Convincing or otherwise.

Are we doing our usual underestimating our opponents?

Yeah Austrian and Swiss sides are quite unpredictable really. We could wallop them 6-0 or just as easily get turned over convincingly, especially at their place.

Watch it finish 0-0 now.

 

[boonthegoon]

I would like Auba to start. He badly needs a goal.

 

[Mohamed7]

Rubbish cup. I hate it.

 

[Mohamed7]

I think the balance of the team hasn't helped him much but I do think he's been incredibly insecure on the ball and hasn't been able to effect games as positively as I'd like. Willian has been exactly as I expected him to be to be honest - largely OK but nothing more. Good game vs the worst team in the league, middling games vs everyone else. Ideally I want that LW spot for Nelson, he has to perform IMO. Saka LCM, Nelson LW, Tierney LB is the ideal left hand side with Auba upfront. Right hand side not sure what happens there if Pepe isn't bringing it so well.

Nelson is nothing special and as soon as we get in some better players he will be shifted and most likely to the championship

 

[lufere7]

I'll actually go against the grain and say I enjoy the UEL group games, we normally play tons of youngsters and at least last season they performed very well.

Seeing Martinelli and Saka tearing it up was a joy, hoping to see those kind of breakthrough performances from Nelson and/or ESR. Good confidence builder for Pepe too, just hoping he doesn't get benched after a blinder again

 

[Jasard]

Want to see Arteta take these as opportunities to try out a more attacking approach before the squad forgets how to do it!

 

[Malky]

Did the club expect Saliba to go out on loan when he's not included? Because that decision is a strange one.

 

[Ashybashy86]

Nelson is nothing special and as soon as we get in some better players he will be shifted and most likely to the championship

I think there's a good player in there. A useful squaddie at the very least. He needs to start making better decisions, but same has been said about Pepe.

 

[Macho]

Did the club expect Saliba to go out on loan when he's not included? Because that decision is a strange one.

Correct.

 

[Arsenal1508]

Does Arteta have the balls to admit he fvxked up not including Saliba.

I think he overthinks situations too much.

For what reason is Mustafi named when he is injured?