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Tag: Arsenals
Sterling fails to shine as Arsenal’s Champions League draw looms
Raheem Is A Gooner. PICTURE: A crestfallen Raheem Sterling at the final whistle in Girona, pictured moments after his late penalty miss. CREDIT: @laythy29
Sterling fails to shine as Arsenal’s Champions League draw looms
Here’s Ian Mills with his latest Three Things We Learned after Arsenal’s Champions League win at Girona
We secured a top three finish in the Champions League ‘League’ phase with a win in Spain in our final game of the opening eight fixtures.
Here is Ian Mills’ latest Three Things We Learned series piece below:-
1 – Nwaneri keeps on getting better –
A first Champions League start and a first goal for our wonderfully gifted Hale End graduate with the man of the match award to boot.
He has now scored in every competition he has played in this campaign and took his overall goalscoring tally to six so far with a great strike which was bent into the bottom corner for what tuned out to the winner in this entertaining clash.
He has taken to the right-wing position with aplomb and already offers a genuine goal threat in every game he plays.
At 17 he is clearly only going to get better and what a great time all us Gooners are going to have watching him blossom into a major first team star.
2 – Impressive Champions League form offers a chance of silverware –
Whilst finishing in third place in the League format was great to see, our record from eight games was really good, with six wins, a draw and a single defeat.
We conceded only three times and kept five clean sheets in total. While some of our fixtures were not overly entertaining (a fair summation of quite a lot of games in this new format) our strong defence helped to see us over the line and is the foundation upon which our Champions League hopes are built this season.
3 – Loan players fail to shine once more –
When we were awarded our second penalty of the evening, I assumed that either Martin Odegaard or Kai Havertz would take the spot kick.
You would have got long odds on Raheem Sterling being most Gooners first choice, and I was not at all confident he would score.
As it turned out, it was a reasonable save (albeit a good height for the Girona goalkeeper) and the taker looked crestfallen.
Whatever his confidence levels before the penalty, they are certain to have nosedived further still.
While Sterling was struggling in attack, Neto was having a debut to forget in goal. Having been caught out way off his line for Girona’s goal he then inexplicably tried to save it while out of his area.
I accept he has warmed our bench all season so far which is never an easy thing to do, however it is to be hoped that the injury that kept David Raya of the matchday squad is not too serious and that he can return for the crucial with Manchester City at the weekend.
The bid for Ollie Watkins shows that the club have money to spend on them right type of forward – let’s hope can either sign him or someone else to help us score the goals we are going to need for the remainder of the season ahead.
As the UEFA Champions League draw approaches, all eyes are on Arsenal and their star player Raheem Sterling. However, Sterling has failed to shine in recent matches, leaving fans concerned about the team’s chances in the upcoming tournament.Despite his impressive performances in the past, Sterling has struggled to find his form this season. His lackluster performances have been a cause for worry among Arsenal supporters, who were hoping for a standout player to lead the team to victory in the Champions League.
With the draw looming, Arsenal’s hopes for a successful campaign rest on Sterling’s ability to rediscover his best form. The team will need him at his best if they are to compete with the top clubs in Europe and make a deep run in the competition.
As the pressure mounts, all eyes will be on Sterling to deliver when it matters most. Only time will tell if he can rise to the occasion and help Arsenal achieve their Champions League dreams.
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#Sterling #fails #shine #Arsenals #Champions #League #draw #looms
Arsenal’s Speculative Watkins Bid Shows A Lack Of Forward Planning
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – JANUARY 29: Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team’s third … [+]
On the day Jhon Duran moved closer to the Aston Villa exit door, news broke of Arsenal’s bid for another of the Birmingham club’s forwards. According to widespread reports, Arsenal lodged an offer of €60m for Ollie Watkins earlier in the week only for Villa to quickly fend off interest in the England international.
Watkins responded by finding the back of the net in Aston Villa’s Champions League victory over Celtic and is happy to stay at the club according to Unai Emery. “The commitment of Ollie Watkins with us is a huge commitment,” said the Spanish coach who has done a lot to develop the 29-year-old as one of the best strikers in the Premier League.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 25: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, embraces Leandro Trossard of … [+]
“He appreciates a lot how Aston Villa was always supporting him, helping him, and when we [the current coaching staff] joined him here two years ago, how we worked with him, always trying to get the best of him. Some players prefer to leave and some players accept to stay here, to be here and commit with us here and to be with our challenge. One of those is Ollie Watkins.”
It’s understandable that Arsenal would be interested in Watkins. The Gunners lack a centre forward in the mould of the England international with Kai Havertz moonlighting in the position. Havertz has scored eight Premier League goals this season, but sometimes lacks the finishing instincts needed to lead the line for a title-chasing team.
However, Arsenal’s speculative bid for Watkins shows a lack of forward planning at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners could have moved for the Aston Villa striker earlier in the January transfer window. A bid could have been made last summer when Villa might have entertained the idea of letting a key player leave.
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins scores their side’s third goal of the game during the UEFA Champions … [+]
Dusan Vlahovic, Victor Osimhen and Jonathan David have all been linked with a move to Arsenal, but the Gunners had remained patient in their pursuit of a new centre forward. Now, though, the North London club has decided to move for Watkins despite the 29-year-old suffering for consistency at times this season.
Arsenal is at a crossroads under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners have undoubtedly made significant progress over the last three campaigns, but this season has shown how far they are off the top level of the Premier League. Watkins might help them make the final step, but should such a big addition have been left so late?
Arsenal’s Speculative Watkins Bid Shows A Lack Of Forward PlanningIn a surprising turn of events, Arsenal have reportedly made a speculative bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. The Gunners are said to be interested in bringing the 25-year-old to the Emirates Stadium in the summer transfer window.
While Watkins has been in impressive form for Villa this season, scoring 12 goals in the Premier League, it is unclear why Arsenal have suddenly decided to pursue him. The move reeks of desperation and a lack of forward planning on the part of the club’s recruitment team.
Arsenal are in dire need of a top-quality striker to lead the line, but Watkins may not be the answer. The Gunners should be targeting proven goalscorers who can make an immediate impact, rather than taking a punt on a player who has only had one standout season in the top flight.
Furthermore, Arsenal’s bid for Watkins could be seen as disrespectful to Villa, who are currently above them in the league standings. It is unlikely that Villa would be willing to sell one of their best players to a direct rival, especially with Watkins still under contract until 2025.
Overall, Arsenal’s speculative bid for Ollie Watkins shows a lack of forward planning and a lack of ambition in their pursuit of a top striker. The Gunners need to reassess their transfer strategy and target players who can truly elevate the team to the next level.
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#Arsenals #Speculative #Watkins #Bid #Shows #Lack #Planning
Why Martin Odegaard misses Arsenal’s game against Wolves | Football
Martin Odegaard missed Arsenal’s Premier League games against Wolves (Picture: Getty) Arsenal were without skipper Martin Odegaard for Saturday’s Premier League game against Wolves.
The Norway international had scored on each of his last two visits to Molineux, but the Gunners were forced to cope without their main playmaker against the relegation strugglers.
Odegaard played the full 90 minutes against Dinamo Zagreb in midweek and scored his side’s third goal, his first from open play this season.
Follow the latest updates and score of Wolves vs Arsenal on Metro’s live blog
The 26-year-old missed the trip to the Black Country, however, due to sickness as Mikel Arteta was forced into yet another change.
Arsenal were also minus the services of summer signing Mikel Merino but there were welcome returns for William Saliba and Ethan Nwaneri.
The France international defender had missed two games with the hamstring injury he picked up during the closing stages of the north London derby earlier this month.
Saliba partnered Gabriel at the heart of Arsenal’s defence with the Brazilian wearing the armband in Odegaard’s absence.
Nwaneri’s return represented an equally welcome boost given the 17-year-old had begun to make a decent fist of deputising for Bukayo Saka before he sustained a muscle injury against Brighton last month.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, meanwhile, started at left-back after scans revealed there was no last damage to his knee after he missed the Champions League win over Dinamo.
William Saliba was back in the Arsenal starting XI after missing two games with a hamstring injury (Picture: Getty) Myles Lewis-Skelly started at left-back after missing the win over Dinamo Zagreb (Picture: Getty) Oleksandr Zinchenko, therefore, was relegated to the bench amid speculation he could move to Borussia Dortmund before the transfer deadline.
For Wolves, meanwhile, Matheus Cunha started despite the conjecture about his own future.
Arsenal are among a number of clubs said to be monitoring his situation but Wolves boss Vitor Pereira insisted at his pre-match press conference that he has no intention of selling the former Atletico Madrid forward.
Asked if there had been any bids for the Brazilian, Pereira told a press conference on Friday: ‘I don’t know, he’s my player and he’s not for sale. He’s committed to us.
‘He’s never asked to leave the club, he wants to help the team, he wants to be with us.’
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Due to a slight ankle injury, Martin Odegaard will be missing Arsenal’s upcoming game against Wolves. The talented midfielder has been a key player for the Gunners this season, but unfortunately, he will have to sit out this important match. Odegaard’s absence will surely be felt on the pitch, as his creative playmaking and vision have been crucial for Arsenal’s success. Let’s hope for a speedy recovery for Odegaard so he can get back on the field and help his team secure more victories in the future. #GetWellSoonOdegaard #Arsenal #Wolves #Football.
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- Football: Martin Odegaard misses Arsenal match
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