I know this is tad early, but I am just hoping this summer is not too long & boring. Personally I need to accomplish some important things during the warm months. Hope Jose completes the new signings early just like last year. Then he integrates kids in Domestic cups and Focus on CL & PL (league is top priority). In the past few years all our backup keepers were dire. It would be nice if we retain Cech if there is not stupid money. Also Courtois seems to get injured too many times. Boaz myhill will be a good shout for backup if Cech does leave. Not just this weekend- but Boaz used to thwart us fair few times in the past.
Chelsea v Villa with any luck, they deserve it the way they have turned thier season around and they don`t have any superstars to rely on. Jose may have to integrate some youth this year with ffp taking a firm grip. You can only sell so many players to finance purchases without damaging the team, the only player you have that would bring in big money is Hazard and you don`t want to lose him (not decrying any of your other players with this, just looking at who would pay the money). Cech will stay in my opinion but i can`t really say Courtois has been injured much in the last four years?
Surprise Surprise - I would take Villa as well. They have very good chance tbh. They can pick goons apart with their counter. But can they hold off defensively against goons fire power ? Would be great if Jose uses the next 3 league games to give 1 or 2 starts for the youngsters. At the least a decent run in for Juan. He was responsible for Ivan's yellow today. But hooking him was harsh. But Juan still looks very unconvincing. Hope he gets better. Hope Ivan jetted off for a long holiday last night. Put Luis in shop window for next 3 matches and recover something. For a top keeper Courtois gets all these nagging injuries. Cech used to be like an iron horse.
Think Cech himself will want to go Diego, he's way too good to play 2nd fiddle all season.. As for the youth, EC says it will be 2 years before we see any in the Team and he seems to know everything.
Ok, in exactly a week - we take on the Goons. This is a very important game. I won't agree that pre-season BS friendly. Psychologically this is important game. Last season goons beat City in the shield and carried that comprehensively into league against City. Nobody will give Arsene a chance against Jose. Goons have nothing to lose here given Arsene's record. So Goons have no pressure. Here is my line up. Courtois Ivan Zouma JT Dave Oscar Matic Willian Fab Hazard Costa SUBS: Tiger (63), Remy (80), Rambo, Cahill, Moses (60), Square, LC Going for 3-1 Hazard 17 mins, Costa 61 mins, Tiger 85 mins
I have watched as many pre-season games as I could, Arsenal have walked through all of theirs whilst your games have been played at a good speed/tempo. I don't think you will have too many problems gaining the first "trophy" of the season
Big test for Arsenal, only because I feel they have a lot to prove. Will be interesting to see how our defence copes.
Chelsea XI: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Ramires, Willian, Hazard; Remy. Subs.Begovic, Zouma, Mikel, Oscar, Cuadrado, Moses, Falcao. Arsenal XI : Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Cazorla; Ramsey, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Walcott. Subs . Martinez, Debuchy, Gibbs, Gabriel, Arteta, Iwobi, Giroud. Costa out with his Harm string. Don't like the team. Happy should start. Rambo + Cahill is Disaster for right field. Where are Bertrand, LC - Jose?
Ox produced good shot, but Dave was poor. Couple of times Matic was out of position, Dave was spread too thin & JT invisible. Could be a weak link this season. Eden not shielding left like Willian does on the right. Best chance fell for Rambo. Free header From 2 yards and he puts above. Rambo for all his effort lacks serious brain stuff. Remy was lazy caught 7 or 8 times offside. Very poor. Eden invisible but for some fancy flicks - meaningless. Fab has started the season as he ended last season. awful.
Rambo is a serious dud for mine, and when Cahill plays as well !!!! If we have a problem this season its that we are too slow. Too slow at the back, and we play the ball too slowly from midfield to the front. Another word that I could use is not DIRECT enough. Arsenal look yards faster so far, but they muck around a bit too much. Now Rambos been pulled, Oscar the mystery man comes on. Lots of rusty players on show today, we look pretty underdone so far.
This one is on Jose!! Awful team selection. Remy looked lazy and poor. Falcao was worse than Remy, Cannot hold up ball, cannot pass, cannot dribble. On this evidence Nando is Messi compared with Falcao. Going to be a long transfer window the next 4 weeks. Need some serious defensive cover & top class striker as well.
Surely - if Costa is injured - this is pretty much your first team and was last year. Only Ramires for Oscar was out of the ordinary? I assume many of the South Americans are going to be feeling their efforts over the summer.
