Arsenal - v - Leeds United *** Matchday Thread***

[BelfastAndy]

Arsenal open their home account in the Premier League against Leeds United, with both teams aiming to keep their momentum following wins in Gameweek 1.

Arsenal did a job at Old Trafford and came out on top with a narrow 1-0 victory in their opening game of the Premier League season, and their home account opens against Leeds United this weekend. The performances were not up to the mark by the standards set by Mikel Arteta, with many of the key players far away from their usual selves.

An early goal around the 13th minute from Riccardo Calafiori proved enough to secure the points, but Manchester United made the Arsenal defence work hard for the win. Arteta will want to see a different team performance in the opening home game of the season, as he would have worked on the attacking setup to click into gear.

Arsenal are set to face Leeds United at the Emirates on Saturday and then travel to take on Liverpool at Anfield before the international break. Hence, Arteta must maximise the points in these upcoming games, particularly the one against Leeds United on home soil.

Like Arsenal, Leeds United opened their account with a narrow 1-0 win over Everton at Elland Road courtesy of a second-half penalty, scored by new arrival Lukas Nmecha. The spot-kick in itself was a controversial call by referee Chris Cavanagh, as VAR supported the on-field decision after a period of review.

Daniel Farke?s men were the better side when it came to attacking the box and dominating the ball. Despite that, they did face challenges in converting chances into goals and may face their biggest test yet when they take on the best defensive setup in the division in Arsenal.

Farke will hope to build on the momentum from the first game, and winning or even managing a draw at the Emirates will be seen as a big result for a newly-promoted side. However, they are facing a potential title-challenger, which might see Leeds United adapt to a different style compared to the team that were constantly attacking Everton on Monday night.

Team News & Tactics

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta is expected to name a similar lineup that won at Old Trafford, but in the coming weeks, the manager might start tweaking his team based on new arrivals. On Wednesday, there were concerns within the fanbase owing to reports stating Kai Havertz has suffered a knee injury, which may keep him out for a significant period on the sidelines.

However, later on the day, Arsenal agreed a move for Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, with the attacker set to undergo his medicals. Should the Gunners manage to complete the formalities and register before noon on Friday, Eze could be in the squad for Saturday. Either way, for now, Gabriel Martinelli is the likely starter on the left wing, which could change when the England international officially arrives.

Apart from Havertz, there are some doubts over the fitness of Ben White and Christian Norgaard, with the latter missing the Manchester United game. There are no serious concerns over the duo, although Arteta could potentially start Jurrien Timber at right-back while Riccardo Calafiori will start on the left.

Beyond that, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are expected to feature in Arsenal?s midfield. Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres will complete the frontline alongside Martinelli, and the Swede will hope to open his Premier League account in front of the home fans.

Leeds United

Daniel Farke did oversee an injury to a key player in the first game as midfielder Ethan Ampadu was withdrawn, which was later diagnosed as an MCL issue. The Welsh international is now expected to be out until after the international break, and Ilia Gurev will take his place in the middle of the park.

Leeds United can also welcome Jaka Bijol back from his suspension, as he missed the Everton game owing to a sending off against Fiorentina in his last league game for Udinese. He will be in the squad but not expected to start ahead of Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk.

The only other change by Farke might potentially come in the centre-forward role, as he could reward Lukas Nmecha with a start. However, Joel Piroe does offer a lot more than goals, and his style could be seen as beneficial in how Leeds United would love to play, so there is a chance he keeps his place.

The Leeds United bench could be stronger than in the first game as Farke could have new arrival Noah Okafor in his squad, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin might also feature there.

Key Stats

Arsenal have won their last six matches against Leeds United in all competitions.

Arsenal are undefeated in 27 of their last 29 matches in the Premier League.

Leeds United have lost their last seven Premier League matches played in London.

Leeds United last beat Arsenal away from home in Highbury in 2003.

Mikel Arteta has faced Leeds more often without losing than any other side as the Arsenal manager in all competitions (P8 W7 D1), winning all five at the Emirates against the Whites.

MOT.

(Credit: thehardtackle.com)

[ozleeds]

This fkin website gives me the shytes. Told you this d head will send us down Grueev?

[Billyni]

What a shyte site.
Can't get logged on.
Couldn't even predict.

[Billyni]

And who the fk do we think we are? Playing out from the back v arsenal!

[Billyni]

Ramazani not even on the bench?

[Billyni]

We've bought a fkin tailors dummy for a goalkeeper

[norfolk white]

Welcome to the big boys league, let?s move on and give Newcastle a game.

[norfolk white]

Only just managed to log in, site was down

[Pacaman]

Oh dear, that was bad ????

I expected very little but got a lot less than that.

[BelfastAndy]

Poor display.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Set up was a shocker and leaving changes so late worse. Piroe too slow, on that performance too lazy (Nmecha had more touches of the ball in under 30 minutes than Piroe did in over 60).

Ofakor looks to have a poor first touch and Ramazani can be added to the growing list of players that the fool falls out with.

It?s hard enough without having a coach who is tactically niave, makes late subs and doesn?t use the squad well.

Arsenal by the end had several players under 20 on the pitch getting minutes including a very talented looking 15 yo. We just send ours out on loan or sell them. FFS - Farke is like this site - unreliable.

[Monaco_Totty]

We showed Arsenal too much respect all game, offering zero intensity,imo.
Not putting in enough tackles just allowing Arsenal to run at us thus dictating the tempo which was only gonna go one way & it did. 🙁

Watching on tv & listening to friends comments, then in short I will offer a typical Arsenal game plan of possession football with expected swift attacking transitions clearly aimed to control the 'midfield into creating opportunities through intricate passing sequences', as expected.

Per usual they focused on building from the back thus drawing our defensive lines out of position whilst we adopted a more counter-attacking approach, all as expected.
But with 5 clear chances all banged in then not alot can be said, apart from finito !

Only positive of merit was first 30 mins when to be fair DF did make make some minor in-game adjustments & the game might have been shaped differently had Raya not stopped that Struijk header on 20 mins from our corner.
Disappointing defending from us too again shortly after when Rice whipped it over & Timber among far to many red shirts moved inside from beyond the far post to glance past Perri well.

Noted that Gruev was far to easily pressured all game, notably once by Rice into a loose pass which Arsenal worked quickly to Saka via Zubimendi & Timber, with a finish smashed in above Perris shoulder angled from the right being the end decisive result to Gruevs initial lack of awareness.

Poor defending again allowing Gyokeres space to slice inside Struijk & away from a tepid Bogle tackle before banging a low shot to prompt that damn awful mask celebration bollux.

Struijk was guilty on a number of situations over the 90 mins, notably the chance created when Zubimendi pounced on Stach, who had been played into trouble by a Pascal loose pass - so a PL wake up call from DF needed into Pascals ear, imo, defo.
For me only Gudmundsson performed with any great credit & up against against mighty Saka too.

As for up front, mmmm.
Piroe never got a sniff & appeared far too isolated at times with James again poor & imo showing his 'Fulham' PL form.
Surprised Tanaka started ahead of Longstaff & sadly he appeared to take a nasty knock in a game he was bypassed by far too easily, noted too.

Oh well the result is not a surprise but I did not expect the Leeds players to be so tepid today in their 'individual-performances' particularly of lacking any tenacity when it matters.

So yeah - Disappointing performance in fairness & I felt sorry for those who travelled & who kindly took time to message me a few observations. 😕

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

The performance was a disgrace at times MT.

It derived entirely from playing Gruev in the pivot who can’t be progressive and trying to play progressively and Piroe up front.

Piroe frankly was a disgrace with his lack of apparent effort. He didn’t press properly, he never challenges in the air and jogs back. Gnonto who is so much smaller showed what effort and aggression looks like.

Struijk had his confidence drain but the number of times we passed inaccurately to him or to his wrong foot.

Welcome to the PL Leeds time to grow up and learn the lessons v quickly.

Farke is just not good enough history suggests he does badly in the top leagues - I fear it’s about to be groundhog season.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

The performance was a disgrace at times MT.

It derived entirely from playing Gruev in the pivot who can?t be progressive and trying to play progressively and Piroe up front.

Piroe frankly was a disgrace with his lack of apparent effort. He didn?t press properly, he never challenges in the air and jogs back. Gnonto who is so much smaller showed what effort and aggression looks like.

Struijk had his confidence drain but the number of times we passed inaccurately to him or to his wrong foot.

Welcome to the PL Leeds time to grow up and learn the lessons v quickly.

Farke is just not good enough history suggests he does badly in the top leagues - I fear it?s about to be groundhog season.

[Monaco_Totty]

The performance was a disgrace at times MT.

It derived entirely from playing Gruev in the pivot who can?t be progressive and trying to play progressively and Piroe up front.

Piroe frankly was a disgrace with his lack of apparent effort. He didn?t press properly, he never challenges in the air and jogs back. Gnonto who is so much smaller showed what effort and aggression looks like.

Struijk had his confidence drain but the number of times we passed inaccurately to him or to his wrong foot.

Welcome to the PL Leeds time to grow up and learn the lessons v quickly.

Farke is just not good enough history suggests he does badly in the top leagues - I fear it?s about to be groundhog season.

Farke naive, your stating again, what about the players role ?

Accountability separates those players who raise their level of play year after year & those who remain stuck & never reach their potential.

Look at 'accountability' in greater depth.
When players choose to play the blame game they often see nothing as their fault.
With 'that perspective' they can do little to nothing to play better, imo, H.

Accountability can be broken down into 2 major components of Evaluation & Preparation, likewise for our Head Coach, too.

Evaluation is asking ones self 2 questions.
1.What can I learn from my play or mistakes in this game or practice.
2. How can I perform better in future situations.

Preparation is asking the questions.
1. What actions can I take to improve my game.
2. How to overcome my bad habits & learn from my mistakes.

Answer requires all parties to use 'all' tools of skill-sets & mindset abilities available, end of.
For me DF set up a team tactically to use our best available personality mind-set wise, skill set wise & tactically to use those 'weapons'.
For me the players did did not use the opportunity given in what in essence was a free hit game for us as we had nothing to lose.

Just saying