Michael Keshani
@michaelkeshani.bsky.social
Someone already took @/Kesh, so this platform is off to a bad start for me.
I *think* so, in the context of a better centre forward coming back and Odegaard back as well as general clicking. Idk if it'll be 23/24 level but that's definitely the next level this team needs and I won't pretend I'm not slightly concerned
October 27, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I *think* so, in the context of a better centre forward coming back and Odegaard back as well as general clicking. Idk if it'll be 23/24 level but that's definitely the next level this team needs and I won't pretend I'm not slightly concerned
I think he does it better than Martinelli and can play withdrawn loads better, but I'm very pro shifting Eze out there and trying Ethan centrally again while Odegaard is out
October 27, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I think he does it better than Martinelli and can play withdrawn loads better, but I'm very pro shifting Eze out there and trying Ethan centrally again while Odegaard is out
I think it's technical security and holding the ball high up. Martinelli and Gyökeres is pretty technically loose and leaves us vulnerable to turnovers etc. Also imo explains why he was happy to give it a try vs Atleti with MLS behind (and relatively lower stakes). Not ideal but I back the logic
October 27, 2025 at 3:11 PM
I think it's technical security and holding the ball high up. Martinelli and Gyökeres is pretty technically loose and leaves us vulnerable to turnovers etc. Also imo explains why he was happy to give it a try vs Atleti with MLS behind (and relatively lower stakes). Not ideal but I back the logic
Re the forward and handbrake, agree. Hopefully just a gelling process without our best AM and CF, and that also necessitating Trossard LW with Eze 10, but one to wait and see. Hoping for a 23/24 style attacking click
October 27, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Re the forward and handbrake, agree. Hopefully just a gelling process without our best AM and CF, and that also necessitating Trossard LW with Eze 10, but one to wait and see. Hoping for a 23/24 style attacking click
Would need to see some proper analysis but wonder if his aerials are part of why we’ve been so much better at defending set pieces this year, was something like half the goals we conceded last season
October 27, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Would need to see some proper analysis but wonder if his aerials are part of why we’ve been so much better at defending set pieces this year, was something like half the goals we conceded last season
He’s a diff player to Jorginho and much more capable of being a lower touch, ball-economical player. Still a few gears more to get from MZ but loved his start.
Since and inc. Athletic (a) he’s averaged 79.8 touches p/90. His presence really tells in how we manage games and how much better we are.
Since and inc. Athletic (a) he’s averaged 79.8 touches p/90. His presence really tells in how we manage games and how much better we are.
October 27, 2025 at 12:45 PM
He’s a diff player to Jorginho and much more capable of being a lower touch, ball-economical player. Still a few gears more to get from MZ but loved his start.
Since and inc. Athletic (a) he’s averaged 79.8 touches p/90. His presence really tells in how we manage games and how much better we are.
Since and inc. Athletic (a) he’s averaged 79.8 touches p/90. His presence really tells in how we manage games and how much better we are.
And even in ground it never felt in any doubt after we scored. The title showdown against Sunderland in a couple of weeks is gonna go platinum.
October 26, 2025 at 10:53 PM
And even in ground it never felt in any doubt after we scored. The title showdown against Sunderland in a couple of weeks is gonna go platinum.
Sometimes being on here reminds me of the Positive Gunners time on Twitter. The bar is high when you’re trying to win a league and there are lots of things we didn’t do particularly well yesterday. But we also dug in and won, which is what you have to do on those days, and is good 👍
October 19, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Sometimes being on here reminds me of the Positive Gunners time on Twitter. The bar is high when you’re trying to win a league and there are lots of things we didn’t do particularly well yesterday. But we also dug in and won, which is what you have to do on those days, and is good 👍
That’s what I was saying and I didn’t call it worrying, just individually not enjoyable but ultimately fine as long as it’s not too much of a pattern 👍
October 19, 2025 at 8:50 AM
That’s what I was saying and I didn’t call it worrying, just individually not enjoyable but ultimately fine as long as it’s not too much of a pattern 👍
Yep, that’s where I am
October 18, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Yep, that’s where I am
I didn’t like how loose we were off ball at all. Uncharacteristic at least so hopefully a blip
October 18, 2025 at 6:41 PM
I didn’t like how loose we were off ball at all. Uncharacteristic at least so hopefully a blip
His hold up play has been atrocious apart from Newcastle, when it was very good, and the passes are the holdup play. It’s impossible to do good holdup work if you’re completing 5 passes
October 5, 2025 at 11:06 AM
His hold up play has been atrocious apart from Newcastle, when it was very good, and the passes are the holdup play. It’s impossible to do good holdup work if you’re completing 5 passes
I’d be more in line with this if the time on the ball had much promise. Half his passes are over or under hit and slow attacks. I worry about how much we can adapt to him being a black hole in possession
October 5, 2025 at 11:04 AM
I’d be more in line with this if the time on the ball had much promise. Half his passes are over or under hit and slow attacks. I worry about how much we can adapt to him being a black hole in possession
An average of 6.2 passes per game from 10.3 attempted. There’s a certain leeway for going to Anfield and St James’ and playing City, but 5 passes completed in a game where we had 68% possession and completed 129 final third passes at home vs -this- West Ham is really quite concerning.
October 5, 2025 at 10:48 AM
An average of 6.2 passes per game from 10.3 attempted. There’s a certain leeway for going to Anfield and St James’ and playing City, but 5 passes completed in a game where we had 68% possession and completed 129 final third passes at home vs -this- West Ham is really quite concerning.
If you wanted to give me 180 minutes to make all those worries even more pronounced, these would be them.
October 5, 2025 at 10:44 AM
If you wanted to give me 180 minutes to make all those worries even more pronounced, these would be them.
Soon as I said this he was rubbish for the rest of the game but fair play to him, there’s no faulting the work rate.
September 28, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Soon as I said this he was rubbish for the rest of the game but fair play to him, there’s no faulting the work rate.
This is the point of hope, definitely, and for what we paid him getting good numbers vs the non-top 6 is absolutely fine. And if he’s gonna be a success we’ll prob need a bit of time to meet his skill set in the middle, but the limitations at this point are stark in the context of the side
September 22, 2025 at 4:33 PM
This is the point of hope, definitely, and for what we paid him getting good numbers vs the non-top 6 is absolutely fine. And if he’s gonna be a success we’ll prob need a bit of time to meet his skill set in the middle, but the limitations at this point are stark in the context of the side
Okay, no more questioning, criticising or concerns. Sorry about that.
September 22, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Okay, no more questioning, criticising or concerns. Sorry about that.
Yeah I’m trying to be conscious of the confirmation bias angle hah, when writing about him/the forwards last week I do definitely see how it can be a deal that works out and how the early schedule has been far from ideal for him but I’m watching with worry
September 22, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Yeah I’m trying to be conscious of the confirmation bias angle hah, when writing about him/the forwards last week I do definitely see how it can be a deal that works out and how the early schedule has been far from ideal for him but I’m watching with worry
Mate says he plays like he's 5'8, and which sums it up well imo. The hope is there's that bit of adaptation that means in a lot of games we can bridge it, he can get better finding box space and our ball dominance means we can just turn that into him scoring being our focus. But it's a big change.
September 22, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Mate says he plays like he's 5'8, and which sums it up well imo. The hope is there's that bit of adaptation that means in a lot of games we can bridge it, he can get better finding box space and our ball dominance means we can just turn that into him scoring being our focus. But it's a big change.
Yep, same across the board. And Arteta is clearly trying to plan around that - playing Trossard yday for more ball retention, playing Merino for pressing/physicality/outlet - and that's not making us any better.
September 22, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Yep, same across the board. And Arteta is clearly trying to plan around that - playing Trossard yday for more ball retention, playing Merino for pressing/physicality/outlet - and that's not making us any better.