I have a strong feeling that in the weeks and months ahead, many of the performances chalked up to "Arteta finally changing his ways" will really just be "new players ramping up and getting fit and comfortable."

A good proxy for talent is how much they make their own teammates do this gesture

You'll never believe what happened next.

An example of how confirmation bias works. I've been concerned that Gyökeres doesn't snap to balls quickly enough in contested situations, and was fuming after this Trossard cross came in and he was caught flat-footed. Awkward, awkward. (1/2)

Pressing is a series of subtle communications, angles, jumps, triggers, timings, tactics, and second-nature movements. Watch early in Iraola’s tenure if you want to see how it takes some time. When you don’t get it right, you wind up more defensive, taking waves of pressure.

I would have gone with a different lineup, and Arteta deserves some criticism for that. But also, the first and second halves are not some controlled A/B test of tactics. Anything was possible at the start. By the second, City was up, and had given up on playing football.

While we wait, learn about our newest player.

Possible "twin-10" aggressive look in final third, if needed: — 2-3 counter-pressing shape, and recovery pace, is about as good as humans can create, keeping things pinned — which means the front-five can be whatever you want 4-1-4-1 diamond pressing/block

Hincapié v Messi

With the important caveats that: — Hincapié was mostly a wide back-three CB, which gives him easier touches while facing play. But also an LB/LWB. — he was in the Bundesliga ...here’s a comparison to other Arsenal full-backs.

I spent the last week or two watching Arsenal’s newest defender. Here’s my big breakdown of how he could shape the team’s present and future: his physical edge, attacking contributions, positional projection, and more. Enjoy. ❤️

Love those two as late subs. That doesn’t feel like a one-off. They have so many of the qualities you want against tired legs.

Somebody tells you "Martinelli scored in the Champions League" and you wouldn't even have to see it, you can picture the whole thing

Three straight football matches of Noni Madueke being Arsenal's best football player.

The things that Gabriel is best at = genuinely one of the best you’ll ever see at them

Calafiori is starting because you want Eze to start and MLS+Eze aren't the neatest complements of one another. Once Hincapié gets up to speed we can rotate Calafiori more. Calafiori is also Ødegaard profile cover in his own weird way (floating around pivot).

Imagine we'll be seeing a Hincapie debut. (Scouting report forthcoming. I went overboard again.) Also imagine we'll see Max. Sneaking feeling we’ll get some MLS in the midfield, too. I hope this message finds you well.

"I love Eze, I'm just not sure I want him receiving in wide areas."

More brilliance from my friend Tom. And dare I say: what’s too often missing in the world of football discourse, of cynics, of joyless little dots on a board, of takes upon #takes: A warmth. A love and fascination for the game and its people, poring through

An ode to Noni Madueke, and the story we didn't care to tell

Was watching back some Champions League last year for Hincapié. The person who was carded here? Mukiele, who later got sent off for a second yellow. Then Laimer, for pushing back. Nothing for Harry. It's been a charmed life. 😂

Freak athlete.

Identity is more important than any formation. The issue with Amorim is that he’s blended “identity” with “formation,” which turns it into a very human issue. It’s like a carpenter loving hammers more than building things, or a musician loving guitars more than making music.

All analysis of that match should start with Madueke, imo. Others scored, but he was the main character.

What most people call "football" is really just the thing we do to kill time between long throw goals.

A first touch, weak-foot clearance:

One little characteristic that I index highly (which I think tells you a lot about a player) is when they *pass* their clearances with confidence, and whether they try to *place* defensive headers to start counters. Mosquera.

Notice how Rice didn't start, but there were still no free opposition transitions through the middle?

The Merino/Zubimendi double-swoop was genius but I did keep wondering if we really needed *two* strikers from Real Sociedad

@billycarpy.bsky.social so when you said Zubi is the guy who transforms 1:0’s into 2:0’s or 3:0’s, you forgot to mention he would do it scoring himself 😉

I am not so goldfish-brained as to forget that Mbeumo did pretty well against him, but Calafiori’s sense of angles, defensive timing, and judgement against Salah were the best since he put on an Arsenal shirt. Have to wonder if Heinze is helping with that.

I know my written scouting reports are loooong, so I’m experimenting with a format to condense it into a one-pager that can feel actionable for coaches: essentially, how to set a player up for success. Here’s a draft example for Eze.

By my count, that's 18 goal contributions since Merino trotted out in the 69th minute (nice) against Leicester in mid-February. Includes goals against Real Madrid, France, and Liverpool.

One note, buoyed by the day's events: I generally think the statistically-inclined (👋) are often too hipster/optimistic about the ability of younger players to do a rather important thing: score goals.

Merino.

I know my written scouting reports are loooong, so I’m experimenting with a format to condense it into a one-pager that can feel actionable for coaches: essentially, how to set a player up for success. Here’s a draft example for Eze.

The simplest way to support Eze. No system change needed. Doesn't even have to be the big, dashing overlaps. Just a little supporting movement and help with width to get him off the touchline. He'll do the rest.

I went to find a random wide reception from Eze, and this was literally the first one I clicked on. "Is most dangerous inside" ≠ "cannot work outside"

My take on anything Dowman-related is: he must be absolutely fucking cooking some adults in training.

I, and I can't stress this enough, love this shit.

Whoever you support, we can marvel at the idea of Gyökeres/Ekitike combining for 3 touches in the box, 6 total completed passes, and 0 shots. Being a striker against Liverpool/Arsenal level defenders fucking SUCKS.

Eze + Calafiori + Gyökeres left Saka (Madueke) + Ødegaard + White (Timber) right It has the juice. Just give it time.

Here it is: my 10,000+ word profile of the popular arrival, examining his strengths, subtle nuances, creativity, tactical/positional usage, and how his ideas might transform Arsenal’s attack. Footage, analytics, tactics, and much more. Enjoy. ❤️

Kiwior’s fbref page for Porto is going to have an awful lot of green bars.

If you want to learn how to scan, watch Rodri and Øde: so demonstrative and played to the beat. What I hadn’t seen before y’day about Wirtz is that he “scans” like Messi: subtler. He can grab whole images in his periphery, then hit passes you didn’t even know he was considering.

Tom now, Tom forever.

Any critique of Arteta playing a cagey gameplan would have to be levelled at Slot, who did the same — except with all his best players, at Anfield. Anything else is post hoc fallacy.

And also: it’s all good.