I am sure that comment is a little bit tongue-in-cheek TG.

I haven't seen anything yet from Holding that makes me think he will be a worldbeater. I hope he does become one but I wouldn't put money on it.

To me he seems quite good at all aspects of the game without really excelling in any one area. He's pretty good on the ball but from what I have seen so far I wouldn't say he's especially quick or strong, particularly great in one-v-ones or an amazing reader of the game.

It's early days of course and I hope he proves me wrong big time.

Morning Socrates. You didn’t mention his heading ability, which is another feature of his game that from the evidence so far I see as okay or reasonable rather than outstanding. Like you, and from earlier comments others including DHD and dec, I hope he turns into a world beater. But, and it’s a big but, if Arsenal is to become a superb defensive outfit again, my guess is that Holding will be an adequate squad back up rather than a first team regular.

He has his 24th birthday next Friday (the 20th September) so he’s no longer a kid. If he was going to be a world beater I would have expected him to have shown a bit more by now, even with his injury record. Think of the likes of Sol Campbell, Tony Adams, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, all English central defensive world beaters. Each and every one of them was miles ahead of where Rob Holding is at his age.

I find it amazing that some people are actually questioning Pépé. I mean the kid has only played a couple of games and he's not yet fully fit. He looks to have pace and amazingly quick feet so in my opinion the signs are very promising.

Whether he can have the impact of a Salah or Sane only time will tell but he looks to me like he could be the real deal.

Like so many other aspects of his game he looks decent in the air without being outstanding. I would expect him to have a very good PL career but have yet to see much evidence that he will become one of the top PL CBs. Some fans are seeing him as the man to turn around our defensive fortunes but I am not sure quite what that level of expectation is based on.

I am more excited to see if Tierney can make a big difference. Now Monreal has gone I think we only have one proper LB in the club (Kola is a wingback) which is a bit of a concern.

Didn't we go 20+ games unbeaten with Sockratis and Holding at CB?

So who plays up front ?

Aubameyang can’t be a expected to play every minute of every game for the next 6 weeks.

Nelson as some kind of unorthodox striker ? Pépé ?

Believe it or not Gunfire, Mustafi started and played sixteen of that unbeaten run. I’ve said a few times, he had a really good first half of last season.

I watched the Channel 5 highlights of the second day’s play of the fifth England v Australia test at the Oval. Steve Smith was out yesterday for 80. They said that was his lowest score of the series.

Blimey, if the nearest he’s come to a failed score this series is 80, what a series he’s had.

And its largely been a bowlers' series. Smith's average for the series is nearly 70 runs higher than that of the next player.

Yesterday he’d scored more than twice as many runs as Ben Stokes, the player who has scored the second most runs in the series.

Not a good day football results wise. Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all won.

City are 2-1 down though at half time away to Norwich. Aguero pulled one back on the stroke of half time, which has to be have Norwich feeling a bit gutted and you get the feeling they’re going to reel them in. But we aren’t really competing with City, much more the teams you mentioned bar Liverpool. Still, come on you Canaries!!

You never know, Ash. Stranger things have happened, as any Leicester fan will tell you.

The last thing we want is for a situation to arise where the big two founder while someone else (heaven forbid, Spurs) is there to pick up the pieces.

True. But I can’t see it. I think we could start motoring come the new year with Bellerin Holding and Tierney back and established but it’ll come a bit too late to catch Liverpool who look untouchable Atm. Man City are now 3-1 down! So I guess that counts as foundering for them.

City coming unstuck against Norwich [touch wood] is exactly why the EPL is still a great competition. Thinking back to our wins in 1989 and 1998 ... if memory serves, Liverpool and then Manure looked pretty invincible back then ... I doubt many Arsenal fans saw either of those coming.

I take the point of Ash that we’re more in competition with Tottenham. Chelsea and Manchester United than City and Liverpool. But as I’m one of the people who much prefer City to Liverpool, I’m disappointed that City are 3-1 down at Norwich even though I don’t want either club to remain unbeaten.

I did in the 1988/89 season. I hardly ever bet but at the beginning of the season I felt we were a mega strong outfit and put a tenner on us to win the league. It wasn’t a fortune but back then £10 was worth a lot more than it is now. Got odds of 16/1.

As you say anything could happen. I think we’ve got so much upside with more to come but with obvious weak spots atm. In defence obviously but also still to find balance in midfield which will just hinder us until it’s a bit too late. Taking the example of Leicester for their more modest ability had no obvious weak spots and played to their strengths. Out of interest what was their points total that year? My guess would be around the 80-85 mark

I didn’t know but just looked it up. Leicester got 81 points in the 2015/16 season. We were second with 71 points, 10 behind.

Was listening to the end of the Norwich v City game on the radio, and the comm noted that one of the home defenders had 'quite literally an old head on young shoulders'. Isn't that amazing, I had no idea that head transplants were a thing.

Did he have Wayne Rooney face?

Win 11-0 today, and we will be second on goal difference

Now to await the first defeat for Pool.

After a terrible start to the season, perhaps somewhat surprisingly after their very good 2018/19, Watford changed their manager around a week ago. That possibly makes today’s game more difficult than Watford’s start might suggest. I’ll be happy with any sort of win, whether it comes after we played badly but got an undeserved penalty via a terrible VAR decision, an incompetent own goal, or whatever.

https://www.givemesport.com/1505330-man ... ich-defeat

I love their reaction when he says Klopp

So obviously someone on a wind up

Likewise this is a tough away fixture

Any type of win would be a good result.

Need a win today, spurs, Man U and Chelsea all won yesterday so it’s important even at this early stage that we keep pace.

You’re right. As I said, after their change of manager I think this is a tougher match than Watford’s start implies. However, getting the three points is vital after yesterday’s results went so badly for us.

Thank you Norwich for alleviating my totally paranoid unbeaten club fear. Now for Liverpool to get a loss over with soon enough so I can sleep nights.

Nketiah off the bench for Leeds at 0-0. 5 mins to go he scored to put Leeds 1-0 up. They need to be starting him. They give him 20 mins and he scores every game.
Would love him to come back and make it with us, if for whatever reason he doesn’t then just these first 5 or so games on loan are adding millions to his price tag

Their mad not to start him. How many times has he got them off the hook now ?

He would be getting game time for us with Lacazette injured

Özil starting.

He just can’t bring himself to drop Xhaka can he

Leno, Sokratis, Maitland-Niles, Luiz, Guendouzi, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Pépé, Ceballos, Özil, Aubameyang,

Subs: Martínez, Torreira, Chambers, Nelson, Willock, Martinelli, Saka

Hope Ceballos has a 10/10 game.............

Which Özil will show up today?

Give the chap some respect, he is our "captain"!
Albeit, a dumb one

I'd take a draw

4-4 would be fun.................

Glad the combative Deeney is not playing

Increase the entertainment value, 8-8 draw

Agree with both of you on that- just look at City yesterday. Anything can happen in this league on any given day.

Pépé playing very deep?