It’s Coming Home!
Jul 27th, 2017 by 'holic
Back from the tour of Australia and China, the Arsenal prepare to walk out at home on Saturday in the Emirates Cup against Benfica and Sevilla, with RB Leipzig also facing those two teams. Arsenal Wenger was interviewed by Arsenal Player today and commented on the nature of that journey.
“Overall I think we had a long tour, a difficult tour but a very interesting one as well. Everybody worked very hard in very different conditions. I was very happy with the attitude, the focus and the quality of our games, and the intensity of our training as well. Overall until now it has gone very well.”
With two matches to play in two days it is clear the first home crowds of the new season will see the squad fully utilised.
“You’ll see everybody because I will play two teams. One of the most interesting parts of the Emirates Cup for me is that I can give 90 minutes to most of the players in the squad. I will try to do that.”
So who will be available? Arsene dropped a hint that Alexis who, along with Skhodran Mustafi, will train for the first time on Sunday morning could get some minutes that very afternoon. He also gave an update on the injured players but still we have no date for a return by the much missed Santi Cazorla.
“Alexis and Mustafi, their first training session will be on Sunday, the day we play against Sevilla. It is easier to put a striker on the bench than a defender, sometimes, because in a short period they can make an impact. We’ll see. I would say that Gabriel is still a few weeks away because he has an inflammation of his bone. Jack Wilshere is close to coming back to training. Santi Cazorla, it is difficult to set a definite date but he is getting better every day. Overall those are the main injuries we have. Everyone else is back to fitness.”
Clearly to play two teams we will see some of the young players who made the long trip in the last couple of weeks. When asked who might make it he interestingly left out Krystian Bielik, although he also pointed out that he had used a couple of different players in the back three on tour. The reference to Elneny is an interesting one, given the (unfounded?) reports that he was being offered to Leicester City for a very reasonable fee just last week.
“This time, I believe that you will see Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock. Maybe Cohen Bramall as well. We also had Eddie Nketiah, who is doing very well, Donyell Malen, who is doing very well, on tour but there is not necessarily room for them to play. I played players like Elneny in a back three and he has coped very well. Maitland-Niles sometimes played at centre back as well, even in the big games against Chelsea. You see their strengths and their weaknesses, and you learn a lot about your players and your combinations too. Elneny is a player who has a fantastic mentality and attitude, and his main target is to help the team. When he plays there (back three), of course he does extremely well.”
Quizzed about the value of playing stronger opposition in pre-season the boss was quick to point out that in his view it was essential that we do so. This weekend obviously provides him with a last opportunity to experiment with his squad. Surely he will select the eleven against Chelsea in the Community Shield with one eye on his starting line-up against Leicester when the Premier League season kicks off in a fortnight.
“I believe it’s important. Rather than winning 10-0, and at the end of the game you don’t know much more about where you need to improve, it’s interesting for us this time to get good opposition. It makes it easier for us to understand where we want to improve. We played difficult games, sometimes with tired legs, and that is interesting.”
If that has whetted your appetite to go and see the Gunners in the flesh in a really good pre-season atmosphere then you still can. Tickets are available for both days of Emirates Cup 2017 here. Oh, and good luck to the winners of tickets courtesy of Arsenal Football Club and Goonerholic, Pete Francis on Saturday, and Daniel Lamb on Sunday.
Have a great one ‘holics.
59 Responses to “It’s Coming Home!”
My younger grandson is highly excited because he will watch his first match at Arsenal on Saturday. It was his birthday today and he now has a brand new Arsenal shirt to wear to the match.
It might be a pre season match for us but for him it is the start of hopefully a long and happy road of following the Gunners and keeping a family tradition alive that is over 100 years old .
I’d love to see Lacazette and Kolasinac ( did Stan approve their purchase because of the revenue the name printing might bring in?) but as Holic says the key thing is to set up the side as effectively as possible for the season ahead.
I’d had enough of last season until lifted substantially by our response at Wembley. I hope for all of us but particularly for a very excited eight year old it is a great tournament and the beginning of a lifetime love affair.
? For Gooner Terry.
Can feel the new season coming on. Can’t but help feel optimistic, at least for now…
Great stuff TTG. Have a blast with the young’un. ??
Thanks Ned. He was a lovely man. ?
Hope the magic works on your grandson, TTG. Inculcate the values.
He was indeed, ‘Holic.
Nice build up H.
I hope it’s a great weekend for the Gunners and that TTG’s grandson is smitten for life.
Here’s to Gooner Terry. ? In memoriam.
Evening H
Interesting post with the new season nearly upon us.
With some key defensive personnel only returning to training this week,i fail to see how they along with Alexis,can be anywhere near match fit for the opening PL game against Leicester in 14 days time.
The last thing we want is to play them ‘ under done ‘ and they pick up injuries.
Problem is,given Kos is suspended for the opening 2 league games,the Boss may not have much choice.
So it will be very interesting to see the team sheet for the opener.
I think we will get a defensive pointer next week against the Chavs.
A couple of very good interviews on ESPN website,there is one with hector which is very interesting,and in the left hand sidebar of that article,is a link to an interview Santi gave to a Spanish newspaper,revealing the mystery behind his Achilles problems,which thankfully look now to have been resolved.
Going to be an interesting w/end at the Ems,good luck to all those going,especially TTG’s little fella.
Well said bath. Clive, we have previous with Alexis in the first match of the season… ?
Have a great time, TTG !
Not going to games with my daughter this season will probably be the biggest part of the downside of hiring my ticket out for the season.
Hopefully we might yet get a couple of tickets together for a few games.
I’ll just thank Clive for the reminder and repeat my best wishes for Terry’s family, if they still drop in here at all – especially as it’s now turned midnight and would be Feisty er, Flipping Friday ?
True H,although i do think it is a tad easier for a striker,than for defenders.
With the pace of Vardy, we cannot afford to have any half fit defenders struggling to keep up.
We could be in the same scenario as the opener last season,with either a makeshift back 3 or an underdone Holding/Chambers/Bellerin/Mustafi.
On another note,
I was perusing the fixture list earlier and i notice that by mid November we could be waving goodbye to our title chances or right in the fight.
We have to play Pool/Chavs/Everton and Man City away,and the Spuds at home in that period.
We picked up the sum total of 1 pt from those 5 games last season,any return as bad or only marginally better than that,and the doomsayers will be front and centre once again.
So everyone’s coming along nicely, except those who are not quite fit and they are all doing well. Nice one AW. 🙁
Santi Cazorla is “getting better every day” ……
Well, that is undoubtedly the direction to be going in …….
…282 days so far, Trev. He must be much better indeed. And like a new signing as they say. Probably a January window one…
Perhaps Arsene is planning to give Alexis some playing time this weekend to ensure he is crocked for “three weeks”, and therefore no longer quite so attractive to other teams?
Nice stuff H. TTG details one of the few really good points of The Emirates Cup. Have a great day out. I hope you all enjoy it.
Trev. I might be able to help you out with daddy daughter tickets and for a lot less than you would have been paying. I will drop you an e mail.
Raises a glass ? to GT.
Cheers, Steve T,
that would be bloomin’ marvellous ??
? Gooner Terry
I’ve bought myself the new shirt.
It’s not really designed for the older gent
But I do like the black and pink one too- it’s just not an Arsenal shirt
This seems a step in the right direction:
https://www.arsenal.com/news/important-update-our-womens-team
Arsenal Ladies become Arsenal Women and mostly just Arsenal.
The older gent has just bought She Wore’s latest white polo with 30s logo and red trim, TTG. We can pull that off with style!
Holic- I wore their yellow Cup Final shirt to the match! Yes it accommodates the larger man????
Moi aussi, Holic @ 20. Classy piece of schmutter.
With Fornals off the menu, any thoughts on Danilo Pereira?
Fornals ?
Is that some kind of fancy snails .,. ?
?
I see Emil Forsberg is being linked to Manure. 🙁
I’ve just stumbled across the Emirates Cup on Quest tv, a freeview channel I’ve never watched before. It’s chucking it down with rain here in Devon, so that’s me sorted for the afternoon.
exact same here stu
?
i hear QVC have got the premiership rights
write yer own spurs and History Channel jokes
You have e mail Trev.
Cheers Steve – off to have a look ……
Devon Stu, thanks for the advice,
I’m in Devon at the moment too – Westward Ho! actually – haven’t seen a raindrop all day so far, but Quest tv it is, if I can find it.
@ 24, nope it’s a Two Ronnies sketch.
Read and replied, Steve T ????
I’m in Ashburton Ho Ho Ho! and the rain is moving south to north and you may cop it soon, Trev.
Unfortunately all the Spurs footage on the History channel is only available in black and white.
Devon, you’re a star.
I looked all through the TV times in the paper and found nothing. All tuned in now to Quest ??
Quest? Fookin QUEST?
Oh joy. Turned it on just in time to see the goal.
Never watched Quest before, I just learned how a ski boot is made.
And then a nice young lady in rubber gloves and a chain made some skis.
Now we’re losing after OG missed an easy finish. Sigh.
Dreadful kit this.
Almost as dreadful as Feo’s barnet
FEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Gooooaaaalll!
FEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO again
The man with no place, supposedly.
Throw away those goals, folks…
Same old Arsenal. Absolute dogshit at the back!
Kola doing well, Feo with two, midfield player off injured
already and our defence sportingly entertaining the crowd
in the rain. Plenty for a good crowd to see first half.
Nothing like the team for the first game I think so just a game
to enjoy.
indeed osaka M
a game to be approached
with candy floss emotions
*refills jumbo beer*
Enjoyable game and a lively atmosphere in the ground. Some of our defending is reminiscent of the likes of Mancini and Blockley. Kolasinac looks useful, one big fucking unit. Nelson too looks promising. I’m not sure if I’m watching an ad or a programme about French polishing. Thought I’d changed channels by mistake.
now we’re talkin ?
ex pro s in crap suits drawing on screens
or a bloke french polishing
no contest
half time gold that
No one is as good as me at changing channels by mistake.
Mot so good at French polishing though.
Arsenal lacking a bit of a polish in defence today,
what with Woj gone and Bielik not picked.
Feo headless chickened his hat trick chance 🙂
Nice work by Nelson and OG for a fourth
*waves big foam fingers*
YEAH!
How much did Kolasinac cost again?!
😀
lacazette and kolasinac
are pfizer our new sponsors ?
Candy floss emotions, cba? Does that mean in the pink?
Theo the Thing
No one is as good as me at changing channels by mistake.
An excuse oft-used when you’re caught watching Babestation.
And following Arsenal, Wheeler Dealers – The E-Type Jag.
Get in.
Enjoyed that. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
BARBs quest tv demographic number cruncher
happy monday ?