Arsenal
Who Arsenal are guaranteed to avoid with 15 potential Champions League round of 16 opponents
Arsenal defeated RC Lens 6-0 to advance to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with one match remaining. They are one of 12 teams to do so.
On Monday, December 18, Arsenal will find out their fate for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. Before then, though, a lot needs to be determined.
In order to qualify as group winners, the Gunners needed to defeat RC Lens. To Mikel Arteta’s delight, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, and Jorginho all scored as the Gunners crushed the Ligue 1 team 6-0.
“This is not even the dream I had! In the post-match press conference, the Spaniard stated, “I think we did it in a really convincing way against a really good side. We had the chance to qualify today and be top of the group.” “The team had a lot of aggression and a strong desire to win the game right away. For the first half hour, everything went according to plan. That was very beneficial in winning the match.”
As the evening at the Emirates Stadium comes to an end, talk has already shifted to the opponent that will prevent Arsenal from winning the competition and going to the quarterfinals for the first time since Barcelona eliminated them in the 2009–10 campaign.
Naturally, the Gunners will be seeded for the round of 16 draw along with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and holders Manchester City, as matchday six will determine the other four group winners. This is because they qualified first in Group B with one game remaining.
The north London team, however, won’t be overly concerned about who wins Groups D, E, F, and G, as they will only have to play an unsettled runner-up in the round of 16.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta demonstrates what makes Bukayo Saka unique as he succeeds in attacking Arsenal
READ MORE: Arsenal’s potential opponents in the Champions League last-16 include Barcelona, PSG, and Atletico Madrid
The Gunners will definitely avoid PSV Eindhoven now that UEFA has ruled that clubs cannot play opponents they faced in the group stage in the round of 16. Actually, at this point in time, RB Leipzig of the Bundesliga is their only potential rival. This is due to the fact that there are currently only two confirmed group runners-up.
Real Sociedad, Internazionale, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Borussia Dortmund, and Barcelona have already qualified as of matchday six; however, they remain in the running to finish second in their respective groups, along with Copenhagen, Galatasaray, Manchester United, Napoli, Braga, Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, AC Milan, Porto, and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Should the Premier League pair advance, UEFA further stipulates that ‘no side can face another team from the same national association’ in the round of 16. This means that Arsenal will not be paired with either of those 16 teams.
Arsenal
BREAKING: Premier FA on City’s 115 charge finally revealed – 20points deduction, opportunity for Arsenal to win the league – Congratulations Arsenal fans
The Premier League’s lawsuit against Manchester City, a local competitor, may require Manchester United to pay substantial sums of money that “will not be recoverable,” according to The Telegraph.
There are 115 charges against City for allegedly breaking Premier League rules between 2009 and 2023. According to the BBC, these accusations are as follows:
• 54x: Inaccurate financial data was not provided from 2009–10 to 2017–18.
• 14x – Inaccurate information on player and management payments from 2009–10 to 2017–18 is not provided.
• 5x: Noncompliance with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations from 2013–14 to 2017–18, as well as other UEFA regulations.
• 7x – Violation of Premier League PSR regulations from 2015–16 to 2017–18.
• 35x: From December 2018 to February 2023, the player neglected to cooperate with Premier League investigations.
A total of 35 charges of “failure to co-operate” with the Premier League’s inquiry from 2018 to 2023 are made, not all of which are related to financial restrictions. The German publication Der Spiegel initially made the claimed violations public in an article that dates back to 2009. The emails that were revealed in this exposé, according to City, were “obtained illegally.”
According to the BBC, the accusations centre on “paying former manager Roberto Mancini to act as a consultant to a club in Abu Dhabi, driving more money into the club from owner Sheikh Mansour through fictitious sponsorship deals, and giving players more money than was going through the accounts.”
The ability to sign more and better players than they otherwise would have been able to would have resulted from this.
“The argument goes that they would not have won what they did and would not have been as far advanced as they were when Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016 and turned them into the most successful team in the world, culminating in them winning the Treble in 2023,” if it weren’t for this extra funding and the talent it allowed the Citizens to recruit on the pitch.
According to The Telegraph, the claims made against City will be discussed in “private hearings later this month,” with Premier League chief Richard Masters arguing that it was “time” to settle the dispute. The Manchester club was first charged by the top division’s regulatory body in February 2023, more than eighteen months ago. The lawsuit is anticipated to be decided “early in 2025.”
Front Office Sports cites a Premier League owner as saying that the league winners “will be relegated,” while an owner from a lower division of the football hierarchy believes that a “record fine and points deduction” will be applied, but “in a way that would allow [City] to admit no fault.”
Regarding punishment, “everything is on the table,” according to a number of attorneys who work in the football community and spoke with Front Office Sports. They argue, “On the severe end, league titles stripped and relegation are on the table, but no one knows how likely that is.”
If City’s championship victories from these years are annulled, it presents an intriguing hypothetical given that United finished in second place behind their local rivals in the league table three times during the alleged offenses—once each under Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Nonetheless, the Premier League’s recent decision in Everton’s case about a violation of the profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR) will “significantly” impact City’s case.
In order to successfully prosecute its case against the Merseyside club, which resulted in a “10-point deduction reduced to six on appeal in February,” the Premier League paid £4.7 million in expenses. The Premier League contested the £1.7 million in costs that the commission overseeing the proceedings had granted them. The commission’s ruling was upheld after Everton “successfully argued that it was not liable for what its general counsel, Celia Rooney, described as ‘frankly eye-watering’ costs.”
The Everton case centred on a single PSR regulatory violation (City’s accounts for 115). As they have attempted to address City’s issues, the Premier League’s in-house and outside counsel have needed “many more hours,” according to The Telegraph. As a result, the Premier League may have incurred significantly greater costs than those related to the Toffees lawsuit.
The other nineteen Premier League teams, including United, will be obligated to cover the costs associated with the accusations made against City. The Telegraph story states that “the Premier League’s 20 shareholders bear all governance costs, which will be deducted from disbursements of central broadcast rights and commercial funds.”
Even though it seems unfair that City’s rivals will have to pay the costs associated with the case against them, any United supporter would consider it money well spent if the team’s local rivals are ultimately forced to pay the price for their egregious cheating.
Arsenal
“Imagine he lost the ball 11 times, had fewer touches than David Raya and also a very poor passing accuracy. He can’t even hold on to the ball just to save his life” Arsenal Legend Patrick Vieira says £180k-p/w Arsenal star is the biggest problem for Mikel Arteta and the team he’s trying to build
Imagine that he had an extremely low passing accuracy and misplaced the ball eleven times. Even holding onto the ball would be impossible for him to survive. Mikel Arteta and the team he is trying to assemble face the biggest challenge, according to Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, a £180k-per-week player.
£180k-per-week Arsenal Star Is Turning Into a Serious Issue That Arteta Needs to Fix
Gabriel Martinelli had a difficult game against Aston Villa, playing poorly.
Leandro Trossard is vying for a starting position after quickly proving his worth with a goal.
Since Mikel Arteta needs to make a change, Arsenal may try to acquire Nico Williams to compete with Martinelli on the left wing.
Arsenal has started the Premier League well, going two for two so far in the English premier league. Although they were predicted to defeat Wolves on the first day, their victory over Aston Villa served as a clear indication that they intended to contend for the crown.
The Gunners needed David Raya’s skill to stay in it, but Ollie Watkins’s big alterations allowed Mikel Arteta’s team to win all three points with two goals in the second half. Leandro Trossard scored the first goal in the 67th minute, and ten minutes later, Thomas Partey completed the comeback.
Not only would all parties concerned have been happy with the victory, but Gabriel Martinelli gave a subpar effort. Arteta has to make a significant choice about the right side of his assault because his form has been a little off for a while.
It’s evident to viewers of the game that Martinelli wasn’t playing at his peak while he was at Villa Park. He was Arsenal’s poorest player on the pitch after his 5/10 performance, and the statistics support this.
In fact, he had fewer touches than custodian Raya at the end of the game. He nevertheless gave up the ball 11 times, which is the second-highest number for the Gunners. Furthermore, he had the lowest passing percentage of any player to start for Arteta that day, coming in at 76% (13/17).
And given that he made no shots, only finished one of his two attempted dribbles, and only won one of his five ground duel efforts, it’s easy to understand why he was benched with the game still close. Writer Kaya Kaynak did a great job of summarising it in her player ratings for football.london. He penned:
Trossard Is Brilliant
attempting to get a jump start on Martinelli
Martinelli, who makes £180,000 a week, found it difficult to have an effect during his 65-minute performance, but his substitute had an incredible day. Trossard scored his first goal off the bench two minutes after entering the game.
Furthermore, the Belgian’s efficiency has long been a topic of discussion, particularly when compared to the Brazilian’s. For example, over the last 18 games of the 2023–24 season, Martinelli scored just four goals in the league, compared to nine goals by Trossard.
The younger winger started both games against Villa and Wolves, but in 155 minutes of action, he did not contribute to a single goal, whereas Trossard scored one goal in significantly fewer minutes (35 total in both games).
The 29-year-old is clearly unhappy with his status as a substitute, as evidenced by his subdued celebration, and he will naturally believe he has done more than enough to get things started. Arteta has admitted this and given the “upset” player credit for his reaction.
Trossard’s contribution off the bench will be valued by the Spaniard, while Martinelli’s failure to return to peak form is not ideal for a side aiming for a championship. But there’s another way to solve the issue that might let Arteta continue to use the Belgian as a super-sub.
Nico Williams is desired
May appear as a rival to Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli had a difficult game against Aston Villa, playing poorly.
Leandro Trossard is vying for a starting position after quickly proving his worth with a goal.
Since Mikel Arteta needs to make a change, Arsenal may try to acquire Nico Williams to compete with Martinelli on the left wing.
Arsenal has started the Premier League well, going two for two so far in the English premier league. Although they were predicted to defeat Wolves on the first day, their victory over Aston Villa served as a clear indication that they intended to contend for the crown.
The Gunners needed David Raya’s skill to stay in it, but Ollie Watkins’s big alterations allowed Mikel Arteta’s team to win all three points with two goals in the second half. Leandro Trossard scored the first goal in the 67th minute, and ten minutes later, Thomas Partey completed the comeback.
Not only would all parties concerned have been happy with the victory, but Gabriel Martinelli gave a subpar effort. Arteta has to make a significant choice about the right side of his assault because his form has been a little off for a while.
Martinelli Wasted Against Villa
Not as many touches as David Raya
It’s evident to viewers of the game that Martinelli wasn’t playing at his peak while he was at Villa Park. He was Arsenal’s poorest player on the pitch after his 5/10 performance, and the statistics support this.
In fact, he had fewer touches than custodian Raya at the end of the game. He nevertheless gave up the ball 11 times, which is the second-highest number for the Gunners. Furthermore, he had the lowest passing percentage of any player to start for Arteta that day, coming in at 76% (13/17).
And given that he made no shots, only finished one of his two attempted dribbles, and only won one of his five ground duel efforts, it’s easy to understand why he was benched with the game still close. Writer Kaya Kaynak did a great job of summarising it in her player ratings for football.london. He penned:
His performance is still unsatisfactory when he is compelled to use his left foot. sometimes kept it too long when using the counter.
attempting to get a jump start on Martinelli
Martinelli, who makes £180,000 a week, found it difficult to have an effect during his 65-minute performance, but his substitute had an incredible day. Trossard scored his first goal off the bench two minutes after entering the game.
Furthermore, the Belgian’s efficiency has long been a topic of discussion, particularly when compared to the Brazilian’s. For example, over the last 18 games of the 2023–24 season, Martinelli scored just four goals in the league, compared to nine goals by Trossard.
The younger winger started both games against Villa and Wolves, but in 155 minutes of action, he did not contribute to a single goal, whereas Trossard scored one goal in significantly fewer minutes (35 total in both games).
The 29-year-old is clearly unhappy with his status as a substitute, as evidenced by his subdued celebration, and he will naturally believe he has done more than enough to get things started. Arteta has admitted this and given the “upset” player credit for his reaction.
Trossard’s contribution off the bench will be valued by the Spaniard, while Martinelli’s failure to return to peak form is not ideal for a side aiming for a championship. But there’s another way to solve the issue that might let Arteta continue to use the Belgian as a super-sub.
Nico Williams is desired
May appear as a rival to Martinelli
It appears that Arteta has already considered the wing to be one place in need of improvement. Naturally, Bukayo Saka needs someone to relieve some of the pressure on his right side when tiredness sets in, but maybe the Gunners might also get an improvement on the left wing.
One reported player stands out above the rest as the summer transfer window draws to a close, and it’s also an intriguing one. It is understood by GIVEMESPORT sources that Arsenal is still seeking to sign Nico Williams. Although Barcelona has long been thought of as his top choice, given their difficulties in getting summer signing Dani Olmo registered to play, it appears that they won’t have the funds to close a deal this summer. The north London outfit might benefit from this.
The 22-year-old had a tremendous summer, winning Euro 2024 with Spain and adding a goal against England in the championship game to solidify his place among the game’s most intriguing young wingers. Martinelli’s good news is that Williams’ Arsenal career wouldn’t necessarily end if he did arrive.
Both are still young enough to play a major role in the squad in the years to come, covering Saka on the right and competing with Trossard for the starting spot on the left. Furthermore, the Spaniard is far from ideal, even with his impressive reputation.
Ultimately, he has not even participated in a European club competition, such as the Champions League. Furthermore, Martinelli has 41 goals and 24 assists in 176 games for Arsenal, so his 20 goals and 26 assists in 124 senior appearances for Bilbao aren’t all that much better.
That said, Martinelli will need to step it up a notch if Trossard continues to play well and Williams shows up. In order for the Gunners to win the Premier League, Arteta may need to be merciless and bench the 23-year-old because of his current form, which is starting to become an issue.
Arsenal
“He’s the only good player in the whole Arsenal team today… If Arteta don’t want to be sacked, he should make the mistake he made last season”: Arteta told to avoid benching ONE Arsenal player if he really want to keep his job
“Out of the entire Arsenal team today, he is the only good player. Arteta needs to learn from his previous season’s blunder if he wants to avoid being fired. If Arteta wants to stay in his position, he should refrain from benching even ONE Arsenal player.
Arsenal defeated Aston Villa on the road with a fantastic, hard-fought victory. Injury problems caused the game to start slowly, but Arsenal looked to be in control and had a chance to take the lead when Bukayo Saka’s effort forced an incredible save from Emi Martinez.
Leon Bailey then had a chance to put Villa ahead when he beat Gabriel in front of goal, allowing Morgan Rogers to set up Ollie Watkins for a tap-in. Still, the England striker missed the mark by a whisker. Following that, Villa had a minor advantage as both teams exchanged half-chances, leaving the score evenly balanced at the half.
Soon after the restart, it appeared inevitable that Villa would score as Watkins was directly in line to receive Amadou Onana’s deflected shot that had struck the bar. But David Raya sprang out of nowhere to hold the score at 0-0.
Villa appeared to be in control the entire time, but Leandro Trossard’s weak shot gave Arsenal the advantage. Then, with a strong shot from the edge of the box that slipped through Emi Martinez’s gloves, Thomas Partey gave the Gunners a two goal advantage. The Arsenal players’ respective ratings from football.london are shown here.
David Raya: An wonderful block to thwart Watkins’ header. Amazing reactions at such a close distance. Excellent aside from it in terms of his placement and dispersal. Arsenal has a world-class custodian in goal! 9.
Ben White: As Villa extended the game, he did occasionally find himself out of position. But in one-on-one fights, he was generally respectable. 6.
William Saliba: In the first half, John McGinn’s muscular approach clearly agitated him. While it did appear to have a slight impact on his performance, Watkins’ runs down the channel were mostly handled successfully by him. Great recovery tackle to halt Ramsey in the last moments. 7.
Gabriel: Watkins ought to have penalised him for his bad first-half possession loss. but made a full recovery and showed leadership, especially after Arsenal took the lead. 6.
Jurrien Timber: When Arsenal had the ball, he inverted straight into the middle circle. kept Bailey silent most of the time, but his one-on-one defence was usually strong. 7.
Thomas Partey: He never stops making bold moves from the outside in, and this one worked! Although he wasn’t always at his best in the middle, he made a significant contribution to a big victory. 7.
Martin Odegaard: Saka’s through pass to him was crucial in setting up the first goal. Late on, we should have added a third when a good opportunity went over the crossbar. 7.
Declan Rice: Engaged in a fantastic midfield duel with Jurrien Timber and Amadou Onana. Although he wasn’t always the best at blocking the backline, he nevertheless managed to get forward with some success. 7.
Bukayo Saka: His lung-busting dash was a major contributor to the opening goal. then gave the second’s assistance. Once more, not the most powerful, but vital in the pivotal times. 8.
Kai Havertz: With an outstretched foot, he provided the crucial assist for the first goal. Even so, there had been moments when his pass selection had been a little off. 7.
Gabriel Martinelli: When he is forced to land on his left foot, his final product still disappoints. On sometimes, I kept it on the counter for too long. Despite this, his gait and sprinting into empty space are still positive. 6.
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Erik Ten Hag is the real problem of this team and I will keep saying it till my last breath,How can you have a player of His class on bench and decide to start this calamity player”, Rio Ferdinand blast Ten Hag for Benching £60m man united player again yesterday
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