Arsenal FA Cup SF Post-Match Thread

[mosssideblue]

Got to laugh at Dion Dublin's comments. Yes we were strangely limp and subdued once we got to their box (we spent most of the game around their box), but for him to say 'Arsenal completely outplayed City' was laughable. Arsenal were in the game for a total of about a minute - four chances and two goals. They closed their eyes and hoped for the best - they don't know how they won that game. Like I've said in earlier posts, we're pre-season rusty with a tendency to leave the door open at the back. Do we attack Madrid from the off or do we smother them ? Madrid expect us to attack.

What do you mean by pre season rusty as with the amount of games we have had recently, rusty isn't a term I would use

 

[Whether or not]

If you accept that per the table we are the second best team in England and then consider that we have lost 8 league games to teams other than the scousers, plus last night, we are basically losing every 4th/5th game to inferior teams. My view is that overwhelmingly that is down to crap finishing, but whatever the reason, from Pep down there needs to be some honest self appraisal.

 

[smallsteve]

Utd are better than City at the moment. They don't have the fantastic players we do, but they don't have huge holes either. What's the point of having the two finest wide forwards in the Premier League if an opponent can just put the ball at the feet of their fastest player and he can just race through unchallenged to your six yard box?

We have to accept that City have defensive weakness and we have to address it.

They are better because they are balanced, thanks to a good signing, getting Pogba back and Martial coming into form. We are totally unbalanced.
The strength of a team is built from the back .....nuff said!

 

[ancoats]

pep said and i quote ? this is a good test for the champions league tie vs madrid ? well if madrid was watching well played pep great trick sending the players out and having gundogan single handed in midfield you defo fool me watching

 

[bluemoody61]

Not bothered about last nights game in the slightest, we definitely need to buck up our ideas for Madrid otherwise we will be in for a severe spanking.

 

[mosssideblue]

i try to be gracious in defeat , maybe because I'm older and realise that football isn't really that important in the grand scheme of things, sadly we have our fair share of babies whose dummies come right out of the pram when we lose.

Im with you. Cannot expect to win every game or see a near perfect performance.

 

[come-on-barney]

Remarkable few years, trophies and performances that we could never have dreamed of. All teams need to rebuild at some point, football is cyclical. We will be back stronger than before. Before we start talking next season though and the transfer market, I think the elephant in the room needs to be addressed first.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

I see that that thread about Pep has been pulled. Well done, mods. Pure wind-up.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Im with you. Cannot expect to win every game or see a near perfect performance.

No, but top teams turn up when it matters, it's why no-one was arsed about midweek but were pissed at yesterday.

 

[Keeper!]

Rodri would be OK if he was in a midfield with 2 stronger athletic players who could cover for his lack of pace strength but then again who wouldn't.

Rodri is not our problem , we have forgotten how to press.
We have Silva and Gundo who are not capable of doing so anymore, in Silva's case totally understandable.
Added to that we look vulnerable everytime a team attacks us .

 

[paulchapo]

Deceive yourself if you like but the league table records 9 defeats. 9.

We do not have an outstanding 2nd central defender, and we do not have an outstanding defensive midfielder.

We should be magnaminous and gracious, and we should also be honest with ourselves.

Our problem is the players we signed to be the next generation to slowly replace the old guard haven't worked. On paper we were all delighted when we signed them but they have been patchy at best and terrible at times.

Rodri, Cancelo, Stones, B. Silva, Mahrez, Mendy and Jesus. These were the players signed to take us forward but they don't look like they have the consistency and ability to do so.

Bernardo has had one good season in three and has been poor this season. Rodri is too slow for Dinho',s replacement, Cancelo doesn't look interested to be here, Mahrez has been great in flashes but is predictable and at times selfish, Jesus isn't physical enough and aside from rare occasions is anonymous aparr from tap ins. Mendy's injuries have stalled his progress and he seems to lack defensive nous. Stones just hasn't improved and after four or so years here I doubt he ever will.

They have all contributed to our success but to form the new nucleus and spine of our team going forward I'm afraid they fall well short.

Pep has big and brave decisions to make going forward and who he culls will of course depend on who we can recruit.

 

[wolviedinho]

with 10/11 behind the ball where do the wingers get behind ? Teams sit specifically to stop that

Quick transitions from centre back to midfield. We used to beat the press quite easily now we look trapped at the back. The ball from cb to mid then out to wing is now not an option unless we counter attack. The cm and cb are caught now on the ball due to lack of options. How many times did Laporte come out with ball trying to force the issue. Same with Kev he was trying to play it direct into Jesus instead of hitting the early ball to the wings. Also the passing has been poor this season so many mistakes. It does remind me of pep’s first season. He needed new players then and he needs to be ruthless once again.

 

[Super David Silva 21]

The only way we can be stopped is if the opposition camp their own box, need a target man for games like that.

 

[Mike N]

We dodged a bullet last night. United know how to play against us and would have beaten us in the final. We’d have played exactly the same way and they would have broke away a few times and finished us off.

We can just ignore the final now!

 

[trumpton]

The squad is weak defensively. Why used 500 words when you can do it in 5?

Bloody hell Marvin, I'll take that like back off you.

Because it's not just the defence!

The defence are the end of the problem not the cause.

Why did we look steadier at the back the previous 2 seasons? Two reasons, Fernandinho's positional sense/ability to win the ball back and midfielders tracking back. How many times this season have you seen Stirling, Bernardo, Mahrez etc winning the ball back in our final third. Christ even Sane was tracking back and winning the ball.

We play a high line without the pace to get us out the shit and the players don't seem as hungry.

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

You have to ask who are our world class players currently? We had peak Kompany, Fernandinho, Yaya, D Silva & Aguero who were definitely world class. Who are right now? Bernardo last season & Sterling at times but no-one else in my view. Ederson maybe if you take the view that his world class distribution outweighs his distinctly average shot saving abilities.

We have bought 'good' players in recent years and many of them have either not improved or regressed. Overall we have started to merge with the clubs who were miles behind us and it's going to take more than one window to try to rectify the mistakes we have made in player recruitment.

 

[ancoats]

If you accept that per the table we are the second best team in England and then consider that we have lost 8 league games to teams other than the scousers, plus last night, we are basically losing every 4th/5th game to inferior teams. My view is that overwhelmingly that is down to crap finishing, but whatever the reason, from Pep down there needs to be some honest self appraisal.

the puzzle is in the finishing ? even when city have lost we make over 15 chances and have 4 or 5 great chances in every game. but its the defence that city gets slammed all the time ? the truth is city are short in all departments even the keeper we only have ederson

city need a super striker or 2 ? somebody that scores 40 goals a season. we make the most chances in world football that somebody should be get 40 goals easy ? could you see a alan shearer or andy cole getting just 20 goals a season in this team they would give up football

goals are being made by the hat full but missed because of sloppy finishing, its a simple game just score more than the other team, pep at barca had goals messi he would get easy 40 to 50 and barca had a dodgy defence but the goals saved them

 

[Roachy]

Rodri is not our problem , we have forgotten how to press.
We have Silva and Gundo who are not capable of doing so anymore, in Silva's case totally understandable.
Added to that we look vulnerable everytime a team attacks us .

For their 1st goal you could have fitted on ocean liner in our midfield with room to spare.

 

[nellyonthewing]

Our problem is the players we signed to be the next generation to slowly replace the old guard haven't worked. On paper we were all delighted when we signed them but they have been patchy at best and terrible at times.

Rodri, Cancelo, Stones, B. Silva, Mahrez, Mendy and Jesus. These were the players signed to take us forward but they don't look like they have the consistency and ability to do so.

Bernardo has had one good season in three and has been poor this season. Rodri is too slow for Dinho',s replacement, Cancelo doesn't look interested to be here, Mahrez has been great in flashes but is predictable and at times selfish, Jesus isn't physical enough and aside from rare occasions is anonymous aparr from tap ins. Mendy's injuries have stalled his progress and he seems to lack defensive nous. Stones just hasn't improved and after four or so years here I doubt he ever will.

They have all contributed to our success but to form the new nucleus and spine of our team going forward I'm afraid they fall well short.

Pep has big and brave decisions to make going forward and who he culls will of course depend on who we can recruit.

Can't disagree with any of that. I'd include the Keeper as well. For every brilliant defence splitting ball forward he lets in a couple of soft goals.

 

[deano ou812]

A lot of problems in the team,main for me is we don’t have a stand out leader in the team a voice who can cajole the players around him when things aren’t going our way,some look to hide when we go a goal down ..