Match Day Thread Arsenal vs Brentford - Matchday Thread

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Venue: Emirates Stadium
Date: Saturday 11th February 2023
KO time: 15:00 GMT

Overall Record

Wins: 6
Losses: 6
Draws: 4

Last six meetings

Brentford 0-3 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
Brentford 2-0 Arsenal
Arsenal 3-1 Brentford
Brentford 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-2 Brentford

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This game is a must win at all costs, we cannot have 3 game blips or crashes like last season. Of course we have moved on from that and are a completely different team now and Brentford are a competitive opposition but we let points slip against Everton and were thankfully not punished for this but another draw on the back of that will not be great for us and especially while pep is trying to build a siege mentality on the back of the PL investigation where well we all know they committed genuine fraud or as Arsene Wenger christened it financial doping.

 

Yeah, if we drop points tomorrow, then I will begin to worry that the Everton game wasn't just a one-off. We need to win and put in a good performance.
Thomas Frank's done an incredible job at Brentford, they're currently 7th and are unbeaten in 9, so it certainly won't be a walk in the park. We absolutely need a solid victory going into the City game. I'm living in 2% hope that Unai can do us a favour on Sunday, but I'm 98% sure that Villa will be on the end of a battering. And obviously, we shouldn't be banking on that anyway. So long as we can maintain this lead over City into the crucial fixture next week, then we're in a good position.

 

If even Unai does us a favour this is looking extremely bad for us if we dont edge this by a goal somehow..because city have been there and done it before and we are just letting them taste blood.

 

Unchanged XI. I’m slightly surprised Martinelli is still in the team as he’s been poor recently, but it’s pretty much the side I expected.

Let’s hope we can get the job done!

 

I agree and think Trossard should have been given a start. COYG

 

20 mins gone. Brentford have looked very dangerous on the counter and are very well organised out of possession. I feel like it’s gonna take a moment of magic or an individual error to open the deadlock.

We’ve dominated the ball and had some good half-chances but we’re not testing Raya enough.

 

Toney’s basically missed an open goal, he’s hit the bar from eight yards out when he had the entire goal to aim at. We’re looking very susceptible to counters and direct play.

We’re not winning these second balls/duels. Concerning.

 

They could have scored again. Brentford have set up perfectly and have tactically got it spot on, but this is really not the performance of a team that is hungry to win a title.

 

HT. 0-0.

We’ve had more of the ball, but Brentford had the better chances by far.

We’re too slow in releasing the ball and every time we break out of their press, we keep making the wrong decision.

Need to start winning duels and moving the ball faster.

 

Martinelli?? What was he thinking there? Take him off please. He’s not been at it all game and he’s tried a stupid flick in a dangerous area.

 

And yet again, another opportunity spurned by Toney. We aren’t even going to get a point here if this carries on.

 

TROSSARD! 1-0!

Great substitution and what a time to get your first goal. Great cross by Saka and a top finish from an acute angle with the ball fizzed in with a lot of speed.

 

1-1. **** sake. Can’t say it’s not deserved.

 

Don’t think Ramsdale covered himself in glory there

 

Our last three goals have been conceded from set plays. Annoying as we used to have such a good record of not conceding from them.

Also, that goal came from Saliba giving a needless free kick away. There was no need to make a challenge there. Just a series of ridiculous decisions.

 

I mean, how Toney gets a foul in the first place is ludicrous when he's holding Saliba

 

Goal looks pretty clearly outside too

 

FT. 1-1.

Horrible performances and results the last two games. Unfortunately, we just didn’t play well enough today and allowed Brentford to play how they wanted. We were giving away cheap fouls, not dominating the channels and Toney absolutely had his way with Saliba for the entire game.

We played better second half, but this isn’t the performance of champions I’m afraid. You’d have to say this result is probably going to galvanise Man City and we have to assume that they’re going to beat Villa at home tomorrow afternoon.

Not a good time to start having a dip in form at all.

It doesn’t get any easier with City next likely closing the gap on us to 3 points.

 

I don’t want to be too reactionary yet, but I can’t help but feel we’ve handed the momentum to Man City.