Draw Champions League: Atalanta BC 0 - 0 Arsenal | Thursday 19th September | KO: 20:00 BST | TNT Sports

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Champions League is back but on a Thursday let’s go!!

First and one of the hardest games in this initial round that we’ll have with a trip to Bergamo to face last year’s Europa League champions.

Lot of injuries at the back still but hopefully Saka just had a customary limp and will be fit for this although it sounds pessimistic for Ødegaard, Calafiori and Zinchenko.



May be a very big stage for Ethan so probably use Trossard in midfield again although we will have Rice back crucially for this.

Martinelli looks shot form wise in front of goal so may be a good full debut for an experienced CL player in Raheem.

We’ve never faced Atalanta before in a competitive match so here’s a bit about their start to the season…

Form Guide

Mixed start to the year after winning the Europa League last year getting pumped by Inter and needing a huge come back against Fiorentina yesterday.



They’ve been busy in the transfer market… made one of their stars last year De Ketelaere a permanent signing and even added Ben Godfrey from Everton with former PL players Cuadrado, Zaniolo and Rui Patricio.

They lost the heartbeat of last years team though in Koopmeiners to Juventus who was incredible in both league and EL which may explain the iffy start.



Danger Man

Back from injury on the weekend for his first game of the season and bagging a goal and assist against Fiorentina it has to be last year’s man of the match in the EL final Ademola Lookman.



Also keep an eye out for new signing Mateo Retegui up top who’s bagged four in four so far this year and is top scorer in Serie A…

 

[Gooner Zig]

I wouldn't put too much weight on this performance given it was sandwiched between NLD and Etihad on Sunday + it being a Thursday night game with such a short turnaround for City

 

[Artemis]

Maybe, think it's a bit harsh as Henry is still quite far out...Hleb also put Thierry through which the keeper saved earlier on and ran himself into the ground for us.

Wouldn't blame any individual for that loss...not Alex, not Henry for not putting us 2-0, not even Jens for getting sent off...just wasn't meant to be sadly.

Also, please put that vid in a spoiler man...my well being can't deal with seeing that game with no warning

That's a fair point. And sorry about the no-spoiler lol

 

[andeoch1]

I wouldn't put too much weight on this performance given it was sandwiched between NLD and Etihad on Sunday + it being a Thursday night game with such a short turnaround for City

Hope you are right on that point

 

[Red London]

We also had really tough start of season we done well so far despite not being that good on pitch all our away games been tough Villa Sp**s And Atalanta hopefully after City it can release some pressure and the players start performing.

I’m finding it hard to not think we have been hard done by so far this season with not only injuries but the fixture list.

We only get a few PL games before we have this ****ing mess of a 14 days:



In between Newcastle away and Chelsea away, we have Inter away. Really comical. London to north east to London to Milan.

We have Liverpool Newcastle away Inter away Chelsea away in the space of 2 weeks. Right after that there is an international break where our players will be run to the ground.

I wish these tough games came after the international break, because it would have given more of a chance of Ødegaard and Merino returning.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

Another clean sheet.

Still yet to concede with 11 men this season

This is the new "Not yet defeated with 11 men" that Sp**s went on about last season

 

[Rasmi]

I’m finding it hard to not think we have been hard done by so far this season with not only injuries but the fixture list.

We only get a few PL games before we have this ****ing mess of a 14 days:

View attachment 27942

In between Newcastle away and Chelsea away, we have Inter away. Really comical. London to north east to London to Milan.

We have Liverpool Newcastle away Inter away Chelsea away in the space of 2 weeks. Right after that there is an international break where our players will be run to the ground.

I wish these tough games came after the international break, because it would have given more of a chance of Ødegaard and Merino returning.

We have Leicester Southampton and Bournemouth and after the run you highlighted we got several games in row against smaller team to again go on a run. We all knew extended CL meant more games and as one of the richest clubs in the world. No one feels sorry for us

 

[Fabregasm]

This is the new "Not yet defeated with 11 men" that Sp**s went on about last season

Classic Sp**s, "we would have won the league if not for corrupted ref sending off 2 players against Chelsea"

 

[El Realista]

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An interesting perspective this. I’ve seen similar thoughts from others in this space.

I noted as well that we had a vertical setup tonight, without Jorginho or Zinchenko in the team. Very different to the controlled, metronome style influence Ødegaard brings in and what Zin and Jorgi can replace to a degree.

Would be interesting to see if this develops in addition to us replicating what Ode brings to the table, until he gets back. Because if we can do both by the second half of the season, it could be really helpful to our cause.

I don't agree, he is not developing that he is getting closer to Simeone style than anything else. Ødegaard is the only source of creativity we have when we attack. He is not close to Özil buy the closer we have to him in creating chances from nothing. Without him Arteta is going to full defensive mode and struggle even more against teams parking the bus (just like Atlético).

 

[HollandGooner]

Very dull performance our focus was on City. Really strange that Nwaneri isnt getting any more minutes.

 

[SA Gunner]

I don't agree, he is not developing that he is getting closer to Simeone style than anything else. Ødegaard is the only source of creativity we have when we attack. He is not close to Özil buy the closer we have to him in creating chances from nothing. Without him Arteta is going to full defensive mode and struggle even more against teams parking the bus (just like Atlético).

I think a lot of our play against Atalanta fell down because we weren’t able to connect better between the lines. Too many lost balls in possession, opening ourselves up to be transitioned on.

We need those connections back, crisp passing and finding our players. Ødegaard is really missed in that sense.

Still early in the season though, there will be improvements to come. Just like last season things will get into gear when it matters again

 

[El Realista]

I think a lot of our play against Atalanta fell down because we weren’t able to connect better between the lines. Too many lost balls in possession, opening ourselves up to be transitioned on.

We need those connections back, crisp passing and finding our players. Ødegaard is really missed in that sense.

Still early in the season though, there will be improvements to come. Just like last season things will get into gear when it matters again

I don't know why Arteta keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. Why using Havertz where he is useless, why not giving chances to the boy is supposedly the reason you show the exit to ESR and Vieira, why not playing Jorginho instead of Partey to rest him. Always the same.

 

[Blankety Blank]

Atlanta sold their best midfielder and missing their best CB and striker. If we have to play our best team to squeeze something out of that fixture. We really are not that good. They not gonna make top 3 in Seria A

We didn't play our best team though.
Ode was injured & I reckon if fit Merino plays for TP who ngl is a liability at times.


It's away from home in Europe against the Europa cup winners.
Not spectacular but We never looked in danger apart from the pen.

Very professional performance.

 

[Blankety Blank]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1836876456644731003

16th. Disgraceful get him out!

Ahead of Man City

 

[MikeVinna]

Good result bad performance. Really need to stop playing Kai in midfield. Even if he does good individually it just doesn’t help the team. Havertz CF and three actual midfielders is required. If that means Nwaneri then so be it.

 

[Big Poppa]

I think a lot of our play against Atalanta fell down because we weren’t able to connect better between the lines. Too many lost balls in possession, opening ourselves up to be transitioned on.

We need those connections back, crisp passing and finding our players. Ødegaard is really missed in that sense.

Still early in the season though, there will be improvements to come. Just like last season things will get into gear when it matters again

I can live with poor execution but it seemed to me that everyone wanted the ball to feet and when they got it, they turned inside or backwards because there was zero movement. Nobody prepared to gamble. This is consistent with what I’ve seen from Arteta in big away games.

We prioritise retention of shape to avoid conceding counter attacks, but with the amount we’ve spent since he took over I would expect us to show a bit more courage to play.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

It was no different from most of our away CL performances last year, regardless of Ødegaard. We have to evolve, we have to be braver and more threatening in possession. Some of our players are frightening of giving away position because they play a riskier ball in order to try and create something. Last night we definitely did lack creativity but we did last season in these games even with Ødegaard so it's an issue far beyond him.

Other than that I've always said to win the CL you need killers. CL games especially in the knockout stages will just be a game of who can produce when needed. All the stuff about controlling the game and structure is secondary. We've seen it so many times.

 

[celestis]

I can live with poor execution but it seemed to me that everyone wanted the ball to feet and when they got it, they turned inside or backwards because there was zero movement. Nobody prepared to gamble. This is consistent with what I’ve seen from Arteta in big away games.

We prioritise retention of shape to avoid conceding counter attacks, but with the amount we’ve spent since he took over I would expect us to show a bit more courage to play.

Yeah we are lacking technical quality and creativity . Too many times for a top side the passes aren't to the attackers advantage or the first touch is bad but it's the inability to spot a run that makes you pull your hair out.

 

[SA Gunner]

I can live with poor execution but it seemed to me that everyone wanted the ball to feet and when they got it, they turned inside or backwards because there was zero movement. Nobody prepared to gamble. This is consistent with what I’ve seen from Arteta in big away games.

We prioritise retention of shape to avoid conceding counter attacks, but with the amount we’ve spent since he took over I would expect us to show a bit more courage to play.

Yeah, and it helped Atalanta a great deal as they were able to stay tight on our players in their man to man marking system.

Someone like Nwaneri for example, and his ability to receive and turn his marker and then drive with the ball would have caused all sorts of problems for them. Doing that at some stage in games (probably later on with Arteta) is something I would be interested to see.

There is a lot of things we can do better, question is will Mikel take more of a risk again.

 

[dashsnow17]

Why were we playing champions league on a Thursday? That’s a disgrace

 

[HattoriHanzo]

I don't know what people expected yesterday.
We played first UCL game this season, away against excellent Atalanta who recently destroyed Liverpool at Anfield and Leverkusen in Europa League final.
And less than 72 hours before City away.
For me the lineup was ok, I don't know why people expected so much rotation.
Our setup was also ok, we had 2 big chances (Saka free kick, Martinelli's chance which Havertz and Saka prepared for him), they had even less (2 Cuadrado shots and very soft and dubious penalty)
Some players didn't play well yesterday (Partey, Martinelli tried very hard and was defensively ok, but that miss will make his frustration even bigger)
Raya was excellent.

I wouldn't make some big conclusions from this match.