‘What if…..?’
An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective
“Do I want to step into possible foolishness”
Me, last night.
The score against Palace in the Cup was good/possibly bad. One of those games where you want to win but you are kinda cool if you don’t. We remember the big impact that Dubai and a rest/change of scenery had on us last January, and I bet the players did too. On the other hand how many times have we and other teams thrown the Carabao Cup in search of the promised land paved with crepes and British sausages. My pining for the UK just got the best of me there. Sorry.
Forgetting all that sunshine, sausages and thin delicious French heaven for a minute, I wonder if we will look back on this game as an unexpected pivot swing that led us to the promised land of whatever you think is better than milk and honey?
The noise from Gooners, me included, about the need for a spark has been as noisy as the complaining about results. Then on a yucky mid-December night in N5, we got the following…
Tierney
I’d say that most of us were cool with Tierney playing simply because we saw that he had to and because it was Palace at home. I’m going to be one of those annoying ‘told you so’ fans now and remind you that I thought that his overlapping runs would offer another flavour to this team that would compliment our inverted wingers. We were also forgetting that he is arguably the best defensive defender of all of our 6 left back options. It’s always been rare to see a winger get the better of KT. When he sent that perfectly delicious ball to Sterling we were reminded of the benefit of having a leftie delivering a first time cross into a far larger gap between defenders and keeper and how defenders hate defending whilst facing their goal and how strikers love a first time cross as they aren’t stationary or having to reset. There was a point in the game when Merino wandered right and I kept shouting at the TV to ‘get the ball to Tierney.’ He wasn’t just an option, he was the British Sausage option. The cumberland sausage from Tesco’s or that breakfast truck at the services. He was the cumberland sausage and Sterling was the bap, but unfortunately he was the bap from the reduced section at Asda that crumbles when you pick it up.
Apologies to those reading who are not from the UK. I suppose you are getting a school lesson in British food.
KT should be a permanent bench option as he was highly effective and even though his left foot isn’t the wand that Odegaard inherited, it is plenty good enough to be a very useful option. There will also be days when starting KT will make more sense. He seems to speed up what we try to slow down.
2. Jesus
Did we think that Jesus might score against Palace at home? Sure, maybe. A hat-trick? No. Nobody did. It wasn’t just the goals that were needed for the team and Jesus himself, but the types of runs he was making suited his style and our lack.
The goals visibly lifted his confidence and at least for another few weeks we have hope that resting Kai is fine. If somehow Jesus can stay fit and keep up this level of effectiveness then the ‘spark’ that we needed to sign in January becomes less important. I suppose it’s important to recognise that a spark can come from within as well as from the market.
It was clear that the coaching staff had been working with Jesus on those runs behind. You could see it in the movement of others. Merino floated right and then kept exiting stage left to open a passing lane for Odegaard, as defenders followed Merino. When teams prepare for Arsenal they aren’t talking about runs behind (unfortunately), so Palace were exposed. Beyond these runs being effective for our team they activated Jesus’ best quality. He is one of the most skillful strikers in Europe. Get him one on one, as happened three times, and you see the Brazilian in him. Previously, he was dribbling into crowds.
The best way to evaluate a coach is whether he is getting the ‘best’ out of his talent. Is Rice being used effectively to anticipate and deny? Is Merino getting in the box and been seen as he is a huge aerial threat? Are we giving Jover freedom to express his ideas? These are 3 that jumped to mind. Arsenal at their best aren’t just a fluid unit and a solid wall at the back. They are a group of players who are being used to their personal strengths. I remember when Podolski played under Wenger. Arguably the best strike of a football in Europe yet there would be multiple games go by where he wasn’t in the right positions to shoot.
Sometimes with flair we think that it’s fine if they have to beat more than one because they are capable. That’s wrong thinking. Give them one to beat. If you don’t they will try to beat two or three because they know they can, but in reality they do it once a season, get their highlight reel moment and the rest of the world shakes their heads in ironic frustration (see Willian on the last game of the season).
Not only did Jesus’ runs suit him but they also….
3. Unlocked Odegaard
Now this might be even more important.
Martin Odegaard is without doubt one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe. There has been however, a big fat issue with his time at Arsenal. Go watch a comp of him at Real Sociedad. The first 10 clips are normally of goals. Not with him. They were highlights of some of the most difficult yet precise through balls a player could play.
Arsenal still have a deep block issue. We aren’t creating simple chances even though we have the ball for 85 of the 95 minutes. Perhaps the best way to unlock a deep block is to go get one of the world’s best midfielders at threading the needle? Oh, wait. We have him. So why aren’t we using his superpower? Well, he can’t thread the needle if we’ve lost the knitting instructions. What would be the point? You can’t make the beautiful blanket without the instructions, so you might as well put the needle down. Shame. Granny Martin is the best at knitting in the neighborhood. Unless…. (insert cheesy seasonal Jesus pun).
4. Sterling
I remember well when we signed him on deadline day thinking that this might be genius. A player scorned by a rival down the road. A point to prove and obvious ability. We weren’t paying the majority of his ridiculous wages and weren’t committed to a long term risk. A player with his last World Cup on the horizon and now a very real chance of getting back in the England squad. Too good to be true.
Until he decided to pretend that it was 1995 and that it would be totally cool if he casually wandered back on defence rather than joined in the 2024 modern game where wingers press and run the whole field.
He was given another chance and although he wasn’t brilliant, he was a serious off ball player and there were green shoots with the ball, too.
What if Palace at home in the Carabao Cup was the catalyst for Arsenal winning something even shinier in May?
POSITIVES:
Merino:
Slowly and subtly he is impacting more and more. He is a tacticians player because much of what he does/is asked to do, is unnoticed but can only be accomplished by an intelligent player. I’d love for the club to put him in front of the camera more. We need more of a connection to him and it would greatly help him personally as many are 50/50 on his signing right now.
Trossard:
His level of deceptive body movements are underrated. Like Odegaard, he shakes off defenders with his hips more than with ball movement. We need his eye for goal to return and so I predict that happens over Christmas.
Captains:
Have you ever thought about how many potential leaders Mikel has assembled in this squad. I’d say that way over half of them have captained a former or national team before or in someone like Gabriel’s case, could do the job admirably, if asked.
Saliba:
Well done and well deserved to Big Bill on getting in the World XI. Next year and for the next ten years they won’t disrespect him by putting him left back. They will put him where he belongs and Rudiger can play left back or just be the shoe shine boy on the bench, hired just for Big Bill.
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Team news:
Father Christmas came early for Arsenal if these are true…
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NEEDS:
Two Halves:
Have you noticed that we have been struggling for a while now to match our second half efforts with a competent first half? That could be for a multitude of reasons but it’s most certainly not putting us in the position of ‘control’ that Arteta wants.
Pressing/Finishing:
I was listening to the very good LeGrove podcast and they were talking about how Jesus and Odegaard may have a lack of composure in the box because they run their legs off outside the box. Makes sense to me.
HOPES:
Donnarumma:
Just best wishes to Gigi Donnarumma after this….
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Congratulations to the photographer (I think), who captured such a memorable (I think) image.
Semenyo:
I’m not sure if I mentioned Semenyo in my ‘transfer options’ piece last week. If I didn’t then I’m a fool that deserves no sausages and no crepes for Christmas or any other time. Apart from sparkly stats, he has the profile to play for a bigger club and having worked his way up the English footballing tier, I’m guessing he has the motivation. A scarily powerful dribbler who is unusually two footed.
Olmo:
Did you know that one of the best players at the Euros might have to leave Barcelona in January whilst under contract, and for free? A ‘Wenger’ type player in the model of Rosicky, Cazorla and all the other twinkle toes. Barcelona cannot currently register him for 2025 and somehow this means that he is a freebie for someone very lucky. I’d imagine City will be dreaming, but maybe not.
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Bruno/Fabian/Tindall:
Apparently Bruno Guimareas and Fabian Schar are out of the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi final. Arsenal HAVE to beat Newcastle now that we are committed to these two games because I cannot have Jason Tindall’s face burned in my brain lifting any silverware at any point, ever.
Moleiro:
There were rumours on Wednesday that we have agreed terms with this twinkle toes Spanish midfielder. I was somewhat believing until they said we were willing to pay his release clause of 60M Euros. He might be worth this but Las Palmas aren’t getting that fee when they’d sell for 20-25M
Musiala:
The twinkle toes that I think we are very quietly pursuing is actually Jamal Musiala.
FINAL THOUGHT:
Many congratulations to GunnersTown boss, Dave Seager, who has published a very unique anthology of poems writing by Arsenal fans. I’m sure it’s available at the club shop or you can get it here…
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Yours truly has a couple of cheeky poems in there.
May this Christmas bless the Lord for all he has given us and may your family laugh and love much
Mike
Positives Needs & Hopes with Mike McDonald
Former Highbury regular. Moved to TN, USA in ’99. Married with 3 kids. Coached in UK and US for 27 years.
Mike McDonald Soccer Academy in Morristown TN, Olympic Development coach, Regional Premier League Champion.
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