25/11/18 | AFC Bournemouth 1-2 Arsenal | Premier League

[Angelito]

[SuperJackyWilshere]

I think we are on the same page but it really looks like Emery is in love with Mustafi

The thing is you can see why Emery likes him a lot and want's to work with him.

He's everything you want in a modern day defender. He's fairly quick, he can tackle, he's mobile and he can play the ball forward. His only problem is that he's got a very stupid error in him almost every other game that usually ends up costing us.

So I can see why Emery is trying with him but I don't think Mustafi will ever change. He's a very risky defender.

[#ST]

All fun and games those 'traits' of him but he's a defender who cannot defend. He is not just foul prone he is a foul machine. He gives the ball away stupidly trying to play football. He's just so terrible it pains me to see how he keeps being started.

I get it in a certain way, its logical for the board to want him to get maximum value out of his more expensive players, but he is also judged by his results and Im just annoyed he doesn't just...make that call. Im fine with Mustafi staying but NOT as a starter.

[BrunelGooner]

Mustafi isn't a reliable defender. You just never know if he's going to put in a 9/10 performance, like he did against Liverpool, or a 2/10 performance, like he did against Wolves.

You can see that he has the attributes to be a very good defender, but he's, what, 26 now? I can't envisage him cutting out all these silly errors and lapses in concentration in what is supposedly his prime years as a centre-half.

I'd sell him in the Summer and bring a replacement in. We're not going to get anywhere with defenders who aren't on their A-game every week.

[BrunelGooner]

Also, I've just seen that Monreal isn't going to be back in training for another 2 weeks yet. Lord knows what injury he picked up.

Either way, Kolasinac is going to have to step it up in his absence. I know he's had a lot of injuries that have disrupted his Arsenal career thus far, but I'm not sold on him. He was absolutely dreadful against Wolves two weeks ago, definitely our worst player. Looked very sluggish and uncomfortable with the ball at his feet.

Bournemouth have got some rapid wide players in King, Fraser, Stanislas and Ibe. He's going to have to be a lot sharper than he was against Wolves if we don't want them to kill us on the flanks.

[Jedi]

Either way, Kolasinac is going to have to step it up in his absence. I know he's had a lot of injuries that have disrupted his Arsenal career thus far, but I'm not sold on him. He was absolutely dreadful against Wolves two weeks ago, definitely our worst player. Looked very sluggish and uncomfortable with the ball at his feet.

You'd think that a guy with his physique would be solid at the back but have limited offensive output. Surprisingly it's the other way around. Emery needs to whip him into shape.

[thebigbangtheo]

Either way, Kolasinac is going to have to step it up in his absence. I know he's had a lot of injuries that have disrupted his Arsenal career thus far, but I'm not sold on him. He was absolutely dreadful against Wolves two weeks ago, definitely our worst player. Looked very sluggish and uncomfortable with the ball at his feet.

You'd think that a guy with his physique would be solid at the back but have limited offensive output. Surprisingly it's the other way around. Emery needs to whip him into shape.

I thought that he would have been one of the players who would ideally benefit from Emery's greater emphasis on defensive organisation, collective and individual. It's still early days yet though so no conclusions should be drawn.

If we can get him to be as good defensively as he has shown us he can be going forward, we will have one hell of a player there, so worth pursuing in my opinion.

[Losmeister]

mustafi ? i am tghinking that Emery wants Mavrapanos to take his spot.
as said above, as depth can be opk, mihhty make him hungry eke out more consistent performances

[Losmeister]

Sead? Seems good at defending the ball coming low and at him keeping things in front of him.. interecepting, intervening.. but high, moving badkward, over his head... hes weak, much like mustafi in tghis regard, imho

[BrunelGooner]

Wasn't expecting Tottenham to beat Chelsea so comfortably yesterday.

Which means we really do need to win the next 2 matches.

If we can win today and beat Spurs at The Emirates, we'll be level on points with them. Big IFs though, as Bournemouth are more than capable of beating us and Spurs, unfortunately, are looking very strong.

Just on the topic of Spurs - I know their record at our place isn't great (haven't won away to us for 8 years, and they've won once in the last 23 odd years), but these records are becoming meaningless the stronger they get. They hadn't beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for 28 years up until last season, where they completely wiped the floor with them. So past records are no indication of how we'll do in the future. Still think we can beat them, but won't be easy by any means.

Anyway, I digress. Let's not look ahead to that game yet. We've got an important one coming up in a few hours.

[Phil71]

Bournemouth will be at us from the off, and they do score early goals.

We have to be 100% from the first whistle.

[thebigbangtheo]

With Chelsea losing, Utd drawing and City, Liverpool and Spuds all winning well, the minimum requirement today of a win is crucial to maintaining the prospect of finishing in the top four.

However, a good win to match those of the top three is what's needed to strengthen the argument and the simple fact is an opportunity has presented itself, along with finding out exactly where we are.

[Sims]

Weird game to test out 3atb

Mesut on the bench

Laca injured presumably

[BrunelGooner]

Starting XI: Leno, Bellerin, Sokratis, Müstafi, Holding, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Torreira, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang

Bench: Cech, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Ramsey, Ozil, Guendouzi, Nketiah

Are we playing 3 at the back? And where is Lacazette?! Why are we getting so many injuries ffs?

[Sims]

Laca groin injury, he trained yesterday