Coordinated chaos coaching (Positives Needs & Hopes) [BRE 1-3 ARS]

When you play a team that you struggled against previously, don't repeat the same obvious mistake. At the same time, don't obsess over it because they may do something different. Many teams prepare for the next game and spend too much time, if not all their time, trying to nullify something that may not happen and therefore waste their pregame week.

Regardless of best laid plans, every single game of football has chaos. Even though Arsenal are one of the least random teams in Europe every time you make the choice to take a shot, the ball could deflect in any direction, and so if you are more alive and have more bodies around, then amongst the chaos people will start to notice that perhaps it's not luck.POSITIVES:

Strangulation:

It's going to make it potentially harder to score but even harder for our opponents to do so with not a single outlet.

Our first touch:

Just an interesting technical point to watch for.

If I was Arsenal, I’d renew Partey and utilize him as a rotational option. Players with his poise are generational.

Martinelli:

Just loved his goal. He made it as simple as it was. Soft touch and unfussy finish into the available gap and executed with a beautiful short swing.

Merino:

I think that he will have a big impact at Arsenal. Cheeky random prediction… Arsenal win the Champions League this season from a Merino goal. Big game player.
I believe in the Arsenal success story for him because he is an important blend of what is needed in the modern game and what is needed to succeed at Arsenal.
We need a midfielder who gets in the box and is a huge threat. Arsenal deserve to have the best ball winner/dual winner in Europe.

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Jesus' goal may end up being a sliding doors moment for his career and Arsenal's season. More than a regular Jesus goal he needed the encouragement of a poachers finish.
Unfortunately, you don't get extra points for beauty and ultimately if he wants to continue playing lots of number nine minutes this season then there isn't anything more important than him becoming a greater threat in more areas of the field. For the team if your number nine isn't going to score tap ins, penetrate the 6 yard box and get rebounds, then who is?

The CatMan:

I'm not the slightest bit concerned that Raya dropped a shot that came straight at him for the first time in his Arsenal career. He will learn from it and remind himself not to obsess over a quick transition and focus on his technique first.
What is worthy of discussion is that over the last 18 months he has proven on many occasions how quick his second effort is. Most goalkeepers have very good reactions and I think his are even quicker than most, but that save had more to do with how quickly he got up.

Tarzan:

Why is it taking me so long to figure out that Calafiori looks like Tarzan.
What's the Tarzan song? I can't imagine Arsenal fans designing a chant for him that includes making that weird noise and beating their chest, but I might go check out YouTube and see if he ever had a song.
Much like Raya and his big mistake, Calafiori was imperfect in this game. So was Merino but the two new signings haven't played more than a small handful of games in a row since they arrived. What really struck me this week was listening to Declan Rice talking about how difficult he found the adaptation. Where to be and when and what his options were.
I think a really valuable point to make is that any player coming into Arteta's system is going to take a while to adapt because the textbook is different. To prove my point just look at the more successful signings that we have had under him. How many of them have been as good as they are now in the first six months or even the first season?
What would be more healthy is if we understood this, accepted it and laid off them and trusted that a player like Calafiori could well become a player like Gabriel if we show some maturity in how we fan.

Nwaneri:

It's always worthwhile keeping an eye on the ChampionsLeak betting odds. Arsenal are currently third favorites which essentially means that we are considered the third best team in the world right now. If that's what we are then how incredible is it that any 17-year-old can be a part of one of the worlds best teams, and look like an asset rather than an afterthought.
I was so glad to see him play on the right wing as he is the most natural replacement if we can make it work. He certainly did more than enough to justify another opportunity and more minutes there. Apart from his talent, what is so impressive is that he does not play in a submissive manner. You’d think that he would be the one that you could excuse for running down the wing and repeatedly passing it backwards to recycle. He takes responsibility though and takes chances. Not only is that impressive but it's the number one complaint and therefore need, at Arsenal this season.

Motivation:

" Everybody thinks that this is Liverpool's league now that B is injured. That should offend you. Show them."

This is not a quote, but one that I imagine has happened in similar words. A man loves a challenge and will often raise his game if you piss him off. A clever coach will use this character quality to their advantage in a situation like the one Saka's injury has put us in.

Corners:

I don't think that Nwaneri has been given either of his assists, but what was so impressive was that he was given the responsibility to take all of the corners I believe, and his delivery was excellent.
The fact that he was chosen was compliment enough.

23rd minute:

You've probably forgotten what happened at this moment. I had.
Brentford bent a really delicious cross into the back post and looked like they were going to score, but Tarzan extended his neck and changed the course of the game.

NEEDS:Brentford corner:

Small detail, but I was a little disappointed that we weren't wise to Wissa’s free attempt to score from the penalty spot in the second half from a Brentford corner.
Brentford were one of the first to specialize in set plays, probably because Nicholas Jover was there. They have carried on this thread, and if you study their most common options, then the player at the back post running around the pack to the penalty spot is a common corner that they use.

Martinelli runs:

During the first half Martinelli made a few out to in runs behind the defense and he didn't receive one pass. I know that we are low risk team, but I don't think that they are that tricky of a pass for our talented midfielders

Partey runs:

Just an idea as to how to disorganize a low block. Partey had the opportunity to continue dribbling through the middle of the field on a couple of occasions. I'd love to see him continue his run and have Rice or Merino cover for him.

HOPES:

Evan Ferguson:

If the summer target is Alexander Isak, then getting a player like Evan Ferguson on loan makes all kinds of sense.
The only risk I see is his terrible injury record which probably makes it a stupid idea, actually.
I know many have not really seen Evan Ferguson because he hasn't been on the pitch to be seen in the first place, but I have, and what stands out is his same muscular presence as Haaland and his thunderous left foot shooting.
I know Brighton tend to sell high but last season they were pricing him close to 100 million and so you'd think that there's an extremely good player in there if you value a brand new player so highly.

Joan Garcia:

Not just at Arsenal, but many clubs end up signing long-term targets. Perhaps the only reason they didn't sign the player when we thought they would or when we needed them was because of the timing or financial constraints. A back up goalkeeper in the summer certainly wasn't near the top of the list as it is rare to lose your first choice keeper during the season. Joan Garcia was close to joining in the summer and my speculation is that the timing and money will be available in January so they will choose to do it. Purchase a winger for around 50 million and get Garcia for around 20 or so. Leaving the huge striker purchase for the summer.
If we use the same logic to figure out which winger we will go for then I suppose the favourite is probably Brian Mbuemo because we apparently tried to sign him on deadline day.

This has nothing to do with anything relevant to Arsenal but I’m really bothered by it. The modern game is physically harder anyway let alone not having the summer off. There will be a strike soon because the players will find a Jordan Henderson who will lead the troops.

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Not easy to do as these games are normally more competitive.