Roland17:


I share same perspective. Xhaka had great pass/ tackle completion against Leceister, I hope to see him alongside little magician. Also, a quicker transition into offense from the middle of the park into the final third of the opposition. We were too hesitant with possession against Leceister.

We had a defence we were not sure of hence the double DM to curb the runs of one of the quickest strikers- Vardy. Note that it worked, though our attack suffered too.

A box to box runner would increase our attacking flow and allow the wingers to push further even drifting into the centre- that would look more like a 4-3-3 instead of 4-5-1.

Alternatively, Xhaka is a good passer himself and with Ozil returning into CM, transistion won't be a problem. I want a situation where Ozil wouldn't be burdened with too much defensive duties and given enough space to run into. It's Watford!

Wingback:
My unborn child can win the UCL for Assnal but then again he's too good to play for such a mediocre club.

Somebody get me chain, this madness is becoming too much. Ah ahn!

Spy360:

Wilshere really is another option. He was quite decent when he came on against Leicester and tried to dominate the midfield with Ozil. My fear is that he has glass legs.

It's an away game and you want Ozil to flourish without having to look back all the time. So I would recommend 2 DMs- Xhaka and Le Coq until the game is in control.

Hehe glass legs

I'll go for 2 DMs too...

Today we will show them who's boss!!

#COYG

Love this interesting article about Lucas Perez. Please enjoy:

Lucas Pérez will be announced in the next 24 hours as an Arsenal player. As a Deportivo de la Coruña fan, I thought it right to scribble some musings on Lucas as a player.

You’ll read a lot in the coming days/weeks about Lucas from people who, quite frankly, watched him very little (if at all). I’m going to condense his history as a footballer into one small paragraph, since I assume most readers just want to know what kind of player he is and if he suits Arsenal.

Lucas is a Deportivo fan, born and bred. He used to sit in the stands with the Riazor Blues, now he represents the club (although not for long). He’s spent two phenomenal years at Depor, clinching goals that secured survival in back-to-back seasons. He even broke the club record of goals scored in consecutive games, toppling Brazilian legend Bebeto. Lucas performed against the biggest of clubs (as evidenced with two goals in two games at the Camp Nou), as well as the smallest of them too. To join Depor, Lucas had to travel around Europe first. When he did arrive, it included minimising his wage by triple and leaving a Champions League club (PAOK). The love and adoration he has for the club has also seen him turn down Leicester, Southampton, Napoli, Zenit & Sevilla this summer. But, when Arsenal come knocking, it’s hard to resist. Especially when you’re 27, at the peak of your game and performing at a club far smaller in current stature.

Now, about Lucas as a player. It says a lot that Arsene Wenger swooped in for the Spaniard after being turned down by Jamie Vardy. Stylistically, both are the same type of player: lean forwards with bags of speed and energy, always raring to break the defensive line and find themselves one-on-one. In fact, much like Vardy, Lucas suits the counter-attacking style of football. A style that Arsenal irregularly employ, which may be a sticking point. If Wenger does switch for this sort of style, which could be supported by the fact he’s chased down two identical strikers this summer, Arsenal may just have pulled off a bargain considering the current market. One interesting fact about Lucas is that he can speak English, having used it as a form of communication in Ukraine and Greece while plying his trade there.

“Lucas isn’t a prolific goal scorer” – that’s something you’ll be reading a lot over the coming days, supported of course by baseless statistics that don’t consider the fact that he only started playing as a striker last season. He’s often been an interior or attacking-midfielder, sticking close to the striker on his team. Arsenal have Olivier Giroud, a striker synonymous with performing at his best when he has a player that operates closely with him (Griezmann for France, occasionally Walcott for Arsenal). Lucas offers Wenger that duality in style: he can be the counter-attacking striker that punishes opposition defences or he can be a foil and creator for Giroud.

Lucas amassed eight assists and 17 goals last year. A career high. While that may seem measly in a time where footballers are filling their boots with 40+ goals per season, one has to consider the club. As a Deportivo fan, I have struggled in the last 5-6 years with strikers who end as top scorers for the club with just 7-10 goals. The issue they all have in common is a lack of creator in the side. Strikers are often forced to carve out their own chances here, so that’s a testament to Lucas’ comfortability and quality as a forward. He chases down possession, effortlessly carries the game forward and then applies a slick finishing touch. This, with no creator. Arsenal have Mesut Özil – a player crying out for more goal scorers to support – and the likes of a supporting cast of Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey etc. The list goes on. Lucas had virtually nobody last season, nor the season before that. He was plucking goals out of nothing, such as the one embedded below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMdUXO8vQ0Y

Lucas has also shown that he can bring the best out of players around him. Luis Alberto, for example, had his best season knocking in goals for Sevilla’s B team. At Liverpool & Málaga, he was fairly poor. At Depor, though, we saw the best of Luis Alberto. Why? Because Lucas, when working in tandem with another forward, is a fantastic footballer. And if he strikes this partnership with, say, Alexis or Giroud, then Arsenal fans are likely to be salivating come the end of the summer.

Am I saying he’s perfect for Arsenal? Not really. There are a few caveats. Will Wenger arrange the system around him? That’s one. But the other comes as part of Lucas’ main issue: he takes a few chances before he puts one away. That may frustrate some, but it’s also worth looking at the other side of things: will he score more if he’s less inclined to snap away at the half chances he creates and simply latch onto a perfectly weighted pass instead? Lucas also requires a bit of freedom if his game is to truly prosper. It’s far from clear what his role will be, but he is an upgrade on all of Arsenal’s wingers (bar Alexis) at the very least.

And, just briefly, since I mentioned Alexis, Arsenal fans will love Lucas Pérez for the same reason they love the Chilean. He works extremely hard – and not in an English “he runs about a bit” type. Lucas will bust a lung to revive a loose ball and, once he collects it, he will carry it forward. Unlike Alexis, though, Lucas is less of a dribbler so will look to release possession to a team-mate once he wins the ball back.

Is he perfect? No. And is he the striker Arsenal 100% wanted this summer? No. But I think he could prove to be an exceptional capture if, as aforementioned, the system is arranged to suit his game. He could be the perfect partner for Giroud and Alexis. Stylistically speaking, Wenger has a very versatile player on his hands that could be the key to saving what has been a miserable summer & start to the season.



I’d like to wish Lucas the best at Arsenal. Thank you for helping the city of A Coruña dream again; for the goals, the assists, the times you picked the team up from the rubble surrounding it. Thank you for that goal that sparked the revival against Barcelona that kept us up; the goal against Villarreal that also secured our safety the year after. Noraboa, boa sorte.

My favourite Lucas Pérez moment: he tells Germán Lux that he will save Nolito’s penalty in the derby game, then tells Nolito he’s going to miss. Both things happen, and Lucas celebrates like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=53&v=K3-89Vyc_Fo

https://moarfootball.com/2016/08/25/a-deportivo-la-coruna-fan-on-lucas-perez/

Mufasa sorry Mustafi having his medicals at Arsenal done. Ramuzaki, and those scumtwats no go like this: elronke, you see your life so?

Wenger yet to get over the miss of Vardy while fans here where deluding themselves that they don't need him.


Watch out Perez and Mustafi being rated higher than Aguero and Ramos soon.

@Pataki
Interesting piece. If all that's said comes true, then he is a steal, excellent business which Arsenal has always been known for.

chrisley024:
Wenger yet to get over the miss of Vardy while fans here where deluding themselves that they don't need him.


Watch out Perez and Mustafi being rated higher than Aguero and Ramos soon.

Perez would soon be called up to Spanish national team from Oct. As for Mustafi, he has already displaced Hummels in the German's.

NB: Haters take style vex.

chrisley024:
Wenger yet to get over the miss of Vardy while fans here where deluding themselves that they don't need him.


Watch out Perez and Mustafi being rated higher than Aguero and Ramos soon.

Why not show us which of your useless defenders is a world cup winning defender? Gerrarahia mhen!

.... ... Great piece there @pataki.... I guess it explains why Campbell went on loan because he knew he wasn't going to get the game time he needs which is what he said himself..... Wenger has finally decided to fill the gaping holes which has been staring at him for a long time now...
... From the prices of both Vardy and Perez, it seems Wenger budgeted £20m for a striker this window.....Perez is younger, but time will tell if he is the better of the two...
.... For Today's Match.... Wenger shouldn't pair Xhaka with Coquelin, the combo isn't just working at the moment... It should be Xhaka and Wilshere/Cazorla... Preferably, the spainard...
.. And Coquelin needs some serious talking to as he is a walking red card... He is becoming more brainless by the week, getting yellows as early as 30,40 minutes... It puts unnecessary pressure on him..... We need a victory today and I am certain we get it....

Spy360:
@Pataki
Interesting piece. If all that's said comes true, then he is a steal, excellent business which Arsenal has always been known for.

Spy360 and he is a steal

Chisos!!!! Even without selling, Wenger spent £91M pounds in a single window Jesú
The end times are here my brethren

Spy360:

Perez would soon be called up to Spanish national team from Oct. As for Mustafi, he has already displaced Hummels in the German's.

Just like Giroud being CF for France doesn't stop him from being shite or you guys from crying for a CF.

Pataki:


Why not show us which of your useless defenders is a world cup winning defender? Gerrarahia mhen!

Tell that to Leicester defenders.

Spy360:

Perez would soon be called up to Spanish national team from Oct. As for Mustafi, he has already displaced Hummels in the German's.

NB: Haters take style vex.

Mustafi displace hummels in German national team when did that happen?

@ Pataki, nice piece.

I watched one of his YouTube clip, he is not that bad, he is like a griezman, eduardo kind of player although I pray he turns out like the former or even better.

Also, any information on his injury history?

kokaneprodigy:
Spy360 and he is a steal

I nor be thief o. Abeg.

RAKITIC:
Mustafi displace hummels in German national team when did that happen?

At the Euros

Spy360:

At the Euros

Hummels was injured at the beginning of the tournament and was serving a suspension against France.

I will be happy if he can turn to a toress of Liverpool kinda player, many strikers that came from mid table or lower in the laliga almost all shone in england, so i wish him well

You dont have to be a big name, so far you are good and have quality, I don't care your prev club or price, just deliver

As for todays game, we need an energetic and mobile player beside xhaka, and IMO, wilshere ticks the boxes, but many will disagree and prefer an ageing carzola.

Pataki:
Mufasa sorry Mustafi having his medicals at Arsenal done. Ramuzaki, and those scumtwats no go like this: elronke, you see your life so?

Ma man!!!..hope you ve got a Holding Chambers for the toothless Mufasa?..

Wengay haff served you ppl enough food...No more excuses!!!
I'm sincerely happy for you guys on this one tho..

Abeg who will today's match?

Spy360 nwanne ke way?

elrony:
Abeg who will today's match?
Spy360 nwanne ke way?

I ga mara ife, nabania
Watford 0-2 Arsenal

RAKITIC:
Hummels was injured at the beginning of the tournament and was serving a suspension against France.

All join...

Identical jersey colors

Santi opens scoring for us with a penalty.

Spy360:

I ga mara ife, nabania

Watford 0-2 Arsenal

Nsogbu adiro! !!

EPL Schedule for today. All matches now live here: http://www.kwallon.com/sports/live/


15:00
C Palace AFC Bournemouth
15:00
Chelsea - Burnley
15:00
Everton - Stoke
15:00
Leicester - Swansea
15:00
Southampton - Sunderland
15:00
Watford - Arsenal

Alexis makes it 2-0

Jesuuuuuuuuu

See my boysssss!!!!

Iyalaya anybody!!!

Half time: Watford (0) Arsenal (3)

Ozil makes it 3-0.