AFTV News

November international action round-up  By Jack Lacey-Hatton  The final international break of 2021 has seen Arsenal players jetting all across the globe over the last week. Qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is coming to a head over the next window and several of Mikel Arteta’s first-team are in the thick of the action. A number have already pulled on their national jersey over the last few days, so let’s take a look at those who have already been in action.   Smith Rowe debut It was a proud moment for Arsenal academy product Emile Smith Rowe on Friday night as he made his senior England debut. He came off the bench with 15 minutes left of the Three Lions' qualifier against Albania. England were already 5-0 up, and that is how it finished at Wembley. His club-mates Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale were both unused substitutes for Gareth Southgate’s team.   Tierney helps Scots reach play-offs Left back Kieran Tierney won his 29 th ...

Does Matteo Guendouzi have a future at Arsenal FC after all? By Oli Dickson Jefford In a club full of polarising figures in recent years, very few have been quite as polarising as Matteo  Guendouzi . For some,  Guendouzi  was a bright young talent who showed natural leadership qualities and could have become a mainstay in the starting XI. For others he was an erratic, hot-headed and at times reckless footballer who cost Arsenal more than he gave them. Mikel Arteta decisively thought the latter, shutting the Frenchman out, and several fans seemingly switched to that view as he became a maligned figure at the club. Loan spells The 22-year-old spent last season on loan at Hertha Berlin and is now at Marseille, where all of a sudden his career has seemingly been reborn. Guendouzi  scored twice as Marseille beat Lorient 4-1 on Sunday, and he was the club’s Player of the Month in September. Now, many Arsenal fans believe he may actually have a future at the club af...

Could Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain re-sign for Arsenal in the January transfer window? By Jack Lacey-Hatton  This time ten years ago Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was one of the brightest prospects in the Arsenal squad. Having signed from Southampton for around £12million, Chamberlain debuted in the infamous 8-2 defeat at Manchester United, maybe the only bright spot on an otherwise grim day. A month later he was opening the scoring in a Champions League tie against Olympiacos. Now, a decade on, he is being linked with a possible return to the Emirates stadium, with current club  Liverpool reportedly ready to cash in on the 28-year-old. The midfielder first moved to Merseyside back in 2017 for £35million. He is currently under contract until 2024, so Arsenal may have to pay a fair price to bring him back to N7. Some reports even suggest Liverpool want to recoup the majority of the original transfer fee they paid for him. So would it be a good move for Arsenal?   Yes - he should be b...

Can Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga excel as Arsenal's midfield partnership? By Oli Dickson Jefford Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Brighton brought Arsenal slightly back down to earth after the high of a 3-1 derby demolition of Tottenham the previous weekend. The Seagulls have started the season superbly and were never going to be pushovers for the Gunners, who were duly forced to work hard for a point. Now reaching the second international break of the season, Mikel Arteta has a couple of weeks to reflect on what has been a positive run of league matches. Though the performance against Brighton was not sparkling, it was certainly solid and among those who impressed were Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga. Partey and Lokonga anchored the centre of midfield together and this is a partnership that could be employed for a while. With Granit Xhaka facing a potentially lengthy layoff, the duo that started against Albion on Saturday may be paired together for the next ...

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's goal kept all three points in North London after a period of bad form.  Arsenal v Norwich – Match Review Arsenal finally kickstarted their Premier League campaign with a convincing 1-0 victory against Norwich. The clash was a crucial fixture after a disastrous start to the season and despite being winnable on paper - the Canaries and Gunners had both lost three games from three – few Arsenal fans expected a walkover. The scoreline ended up being somewhat deceptive, with the Gunners dominating much of the game – racking up a whopping 30 shots – and several players putting in impressive performances. The win moves Arsenal up to 16th, but will mean nothing if Mikel Arteta fails to lead his side to victory against Burnley at Turf Moor next week. Defence Despite the shaky start, Arsenal’s defence has appeared to have been steadily improving for a while now. And with every player fit, it looks as though Saturday’s back four could be the one for Arsenal to pers...

Evaluating every summer signing’s start to life at the Emirates By Oscar Maung-Haley With the transfer window firmly shut for the next few months, it’s time to take a look at all of Arsenal’s summer signings and how they’ve started life at the Emirates. It should also be noted that we’re not going to mention new arrival Takehiro Tomiyasu…simply because he’s yet to kick a ball! Ben White Ben White was the headline signing for Arsenal this summer following his £50m move from Brighton & Hove Albion. It’s fair to say his start at the Emirates has been a rollercoaster.  White started the opening day of the season fixture away at newly-promoted Brentford, which saw Arsenal lose 2-0. On the evening, both White and Pablo Mari were bullied by Brentford forward Ivan Toney, who dominated the pair in the air. Following the loss to Brentford, White then contracted COVID-19, missing the next three games of Arsenal action. Given his recent battle with COVID and the shambles that currently sur...

By Oscar Maung-Haley Albert Sambi Lokonga looks set to become Arsenal’s second summer signing with reports this week claiming the Gunners have agreed to sign the Belgian midfielder from Anderlecht. According to the Evening Standard, the deal is set to cost Arsenal £15m upfront with performance-related add-ons included. Over the course of the last two seasons, Lokonga has become a key player for Anderlecht. The 21-year-old made 33 league starts last season, helping the Belgian side to a third place league finish. Lokonga would bring some much needed dynamism to Arsenal’s midfield. And he also offers a lot in terms of tactical flexibility in the middle of the park. While true that he is a central midfielder, the Belgian is comfortable in two or three-man midfield in front of a back four and as a sitting midfielder in a two in front of a back three. With Mikel Arteta favouring 4-2-3-1 for the majority of last season, Lokonga would slot in nicely into the heart of Arsenal’s midfield. And w...