Arsenal (A) 17/8: Build-Up & Match Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

Back to the real stuff. With a fixture that's got to be close to the bottom of who we'd rather play to kick things off.

Clearly it's going to be an incredibly tough task with the squad not yet finalised, Neto gone, Cunha unlikely to start (or perhaps even feature at all) and Semedo out.

This is what I'd do, it won't happen, but I cannot be sending Matthew James Doherty out at RB in a back four in a Premier League fixture in August 2024. Just no. And I want more than two players in CM or we'll get walked through at will.

-------------------------------Sa----------------------------

Mosquera----------Dawson------------Toti--------Ait-Nouri

--------------J Gomes-------Doyle-----Lemina----------------

-------------R Gomes-----Strand Larsen----Hwang----------

2023/24: L 0-2 (H), L 1-2 (A)
2022/23: L 0-2 (H), L 0-5 (A)
2021/22: L 0-1 (H), L 1-2 (A)
2020/21: W 2-1 (H), W 2-1 (A)
2019/20: L 0-2 (H), D 1-1 (A)
2018/19: W 3-1 (H), D 1-1 (A)
2011/12: L 0-3 (H), D 1-1 (A)
2010/11: L 0-2 (H), L 0-2 (A)
2009/10: L 1-4 (H), L 0-1 (A)
2004/05: L 0-2 (A, FAC)
2003/04: L 1-3 (H), L 0-3 (A), L 1-5 (A, LC)
1998/99: L 1-2 (H, FAC)
1997/98: L 0-1 (N, FAC)

Wolves vs Arsenal, 1998-2023

Can you name the Wolves goalscorers vs Arsenal, 1998-2023?

www.sporcle.com

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

Against these would go 3 centre halfs

 

[Kenny]

Cunha back in training on Monday but GO does like to be mega cautious on players after injury.

 

[NicholasG1973]

Back to the real stuff. With a fixture that's got to be close to the bottom of who we'd rather play to kick things off.

Clearly it's going to be an incredibly tough task with the squad not yet finalised, Neto gone, Cunha unlikely to start (or perhaps even feature at all) and Semedo out.

This is what I'd do, it won't happen, but I cannot be sending Matthew James Doherty out at RB in a back four in a Premier League fixture in August 2024. Just no. And I want more than two players in CM or we'll get walked through at will.

-------------------------------Sa----------------------------

Mosquera----------Dawson------------Toti--------Ait-Nouri

--------------J Gomes-------Doyle-----Lemina----------------

-------------R Gomes-----Strand Larsen----Hwang----------

2023/24: L 0-2 (H), L 1-2 (A)
2022/23: L 0-2 (H), L 0-5 (A)
2021/22: L 0-1 (H), L 1-2 (A)
2020/21: W 2-1 (H), W 2-1 (A)
2019/20: L 0-2 (H), D 1-1 (A)
2018/19: W 3-1 (H), D 1-1 (A)
2011/12: L 0-3 (H), D 1-1 (A)
2010/11: L 0-2 (H), L 0-2 (A)
2009/10: L 1-4 (H), L 0-1 (A)
2004/05: L 0-2 (A, FAC)
2003/04: L 1-3 (H), L 0-3 (A), L 1-5 (A, LC)
1998/99: L 1-2 (H, FAC)
1997/98: L 0-1 (N, FAC)

Wolves vs Arsenal, 1998-2023

Can you name the Wolves goalscorers vs Arsenal, 1998-2023?

www.sporcle.com

That looks like a proper rubbish team.

And probably the best we’ve got available.

 

[Alan]

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how short the offseason is.

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

That looks like a proper rubbish team.

And probably the best we’ve got available.

Going to get battered, fully expecting 5

 

[Squeak]

Can honestly say that on the back of the Pedro news, I'm absolutely resigned to a thrashing.

 

[Tony Towner]

I'd play 343 and think we will. We are catching them at a good time, most of their team will be working their way back to fitness.
Sa
Doherty
Mosquera
Dawson
Toti
RAN
Gomes
Lemina
Hwang
Larsen
Gomes

We'll lose 2-0

 

[sycophantia]

I'd play 343 and think we will. We are catching them at a good time, most of their team will be working their way back to fitness.
Sa
Doherty
Mosquera
Dawson
Toti
RAN
Gomes
Lemina
Hwang
Larsen
Gomes

We'll lose 2-0

That's what I'd go for (I was too scared of incurring DWs wrath)

 

[Tony Towner]

That's what I'd go for (I was too scared of incurring DWs wrath)

You be you, he'll actually respect you for it

 

[Johnny75]

I'd go 4-3-3;

Sa
Lima - Mosquera - Toti - RAN
João G
Lemina - Doyle
Sarabia - Hwang - Rodrigo G
​

It'll end up more 4-5-1 and playing on the counter but you never know.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't mind us doing three CHs when necessary and you can easily argue it's necessary here.

It's the constant clinging to it as a comfort blanket, playing it when we need to be on the front foot and saying 'we can't play a back four' when we don't have the same players as we did in 2019 that I'm against.

 

[Tony Towner]

I don't mind us doing three CHs when necessary and you can easily argue it's necessary here.

It's the constant clinging to it as a comfort blanket, playing it when we need to be on the front foot and saying 'we can't play a back four' when we don't have the same players as we did in 2019 that I'm against.

It's only the Semedo suspension that stops me from pulling off the band aid. Doherty is going to play on the right, you know it, I know it, so it's just mitigating against that.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Oh I know it. I just refuse to write it down, no one can make me.

 

[Deano]

I think if we were going to play 3 CBs we would have seen it at least once in pre season even if it was just for a short period in one of the gsmes, I know we played it last year but to go through a whole summer of prep with 4 at the back and then switch back ... I can't see it. With the way he wants to play one of the midfielders drops back pretty deep anyway so I expect to see 4-2-3-1.

 

[Tony Towner]

I think if we were going to play 3 CBs we would have seen it at least once in pre season even if it was just for a short period in one of the gsmes, I know we played it last year but to go through a whole summer of prep with 4 at the back and then switch back ... I can't see it. With the way he wants to play one of the midfielders drops back pretty deep anyway so I expect to see 4-2-3-1.

That didn't work at all when tried last season, just made Lemina out of position and a chasm between midfield and defence. A 4 is the way to go, I'm unsure about how high he wants them to sit and whether we have the players to do that though.

 

[Deano]

That didn't work at all when tried last season, just made Lemina out of position and a chasm between midfield and defence. A 4 is the way to go, I'm unsure about how high he wants them to sit and whether we have the players to do that though.

I actually agree that Lemina doing that takes something away from his game but that what he was doing a lot during the friendlies in America

 

[sycophantia]

I think if we were going to play 3 CBs we would have seen it at least once in pre season even if it was just for a short period in one of the gsmes, I know we played it last year but to go through a whole summer of prep with 4 at the back and then switch back ... I can't see it. With the way he wants to play one of the midfielders drops back pretty deep anyway so I expect to see 4-2-3-1.

Yeah you're probably right, DWs team is a decent punt but obviously with Doc at RB and Dawson missing out.

 

[Alan]

Just play Lima. Done.

 

[jlo]

A back three CB pairing of Mosquera, Dawson and Toti seems perfect with wingbacks, as either one can get up high with the other dropping into a FB role creating a back 4 at any point of the game.

Side note this is also the flaw of letting Hugo go out in a sense as RAN covers more than the LB position, but I do suspect game time will be good for him.