Three nice goals (the Ox's was lovely), and some valuable experience for the players, especially the young guys. Debuchy really looks like a man who'd rather be somewhere else. It's hard to take away any real lessons from a game against the second string of a Mexican League outfit, even one as strong as Chivas. But winning is better than losing. And it doesn't seem as though there've been injuries. Wenger says that Alexis will be ready soon. Only Per is out long term.
Walcott is struggling to make an impression up front. He's not a front man and we're overdosed with good wingers--ones who actually try to play defense some of the time as well as make runs forward. I wish we'd sold him five years ago, or more. All that jerking AFC around in contract talks, the ridiculously high salary that no one else will match, the months injured every year...it's not worth the goals he gets, considering that he's cost some too with his lack of defensive effort.
The "British core" may be shifting, with Walcott, Jenkinson, and Gibbs on the way out, and Chambers, Holding, and Welbeck coming in. There's no reason AOC, Wilshere, and Ramsey can't still be regulars. Iwobi should continue to develop. Akpom may be an option up front; he seems to have the tools. The Jeff could contribute. Zelalem needs time, but I like him.
It was nice to see Cazorla looking sharp out there, wasn't it? Coquelin lacked discipline; he'd have been sent off it it weren't a friendly. Xhaka and Elneny are ready to start too. The Coq will find it hard to get on the field. We've got enough mids with bite to afford to play Ozil without fear of being soft through the middle.
I like the team now, but a strong, experienced center back has suddenly become a requirement, and of course we still need a fearsome striker.
Two weeks before Liverpool. I just watched them against Roma (they lost 2-1) and they looked pretty good. I don't think they're where they need to be, but it looks as though they're getting Klopp's message.
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