Arsenal (H) - FA Cup | Post Match Thread

It’s always a good sign when you can play poor and nick a victory. Pep has over a week now to coach the life back into the team. We need energy, desire, courage and a willingness to run and back your mate up. Our lads have the skill, mix it with the other stuff, that we know they’re capable of and boom, we’ll be unstoppable. CTID
 
Dixon pointed out Rico Lewis ' shortcomings at RB, often not tight enough to attacker, allows the cross. Other teams will target him if he plays there and I can see it costing City. He was often just in front of defence though, so not sure what his role is. Not convinced about him there either. Hope he improves. So difficult to give youngsters minutes in important games. Don't think he will start against spuds.
 
blue ranger said:
No it was more grappling and wrestling. Nothing that could have caused injury.
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Ref bottled it in the first few minutes - gave a foul against Haaland when it was either play on or a foul against Haaland and a booking for Holding - very appropriate name that cos that’s all he did all night !!
 
Etihad said:
Dixon pointed out Rico Lewis ' shortcomings at RB, often not tight enough to attacker, allows the cross. Other teams will target him if he plays there and I can see it costing City. He was often just in front of defence though, so not sure what his role is. Not convinced about him there either. Hope he improves. So difficult to give youngsters minutes in important games. Don't think he will start against spuds.
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I said this a few games ago, that Lewis still needs to learn his craft in 'lesser graded' games before pushing for first team proper. At the time, I said I classed Arsenal in the top tier of games he shouldn't play in yet(okay, this was the FA Cup, so almost acceptable).

Whilst he wasn't terrible, I didn't think he was effective and Walker could have easily played there all game. Martinelli would have tore him a new one as he gave Walker issues.

Anyway, I was told the other week "if he's good enough, he's old enough". Yes and no. In a straight game, for a straight team, I'd see that. This team is never a straight one under Guardiola's expansive tactics.

The kid's good, but he needs time.
 
Gray said:
Had paid for a ticket on the FA Cup scheme but didn’t go last night. My Google Wallet still showing the Wolves match when I checked last night and this morning so wouldn’t have been able to get in anyway.

What is going on?
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Mine was the same, I checked with one of the helpers outside who said it will still work which it did.
 
Cricket Blue said:
Didn't understand all the match forum negativity.
I thought we were brilliant
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We didn’t play our normal game of high up the pitch keeping a team penned in with possession. City seemed to be a lot deeper than normal, this stopped the likes of Saka getting any space and causing problems. We got done at Anfield and Old Trafford with counters, looking back at this game where it didn’t look like a normal City performance on first glance. Instead they won dirty which is much better than dominating teams and then getting suckered with counters.
 
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Etihad said:
Dixon pointed out Rico Lewis ' shortcomings at RB, often not tight enough to attacker, allows the cross. Other teams will target him if he plays there and I can see it costing City. He was often just in front of defence though, so not sure what his role is. Not convinced about him there either. Hope he improves. So difficult to give youngsters minutes in important games. Don't think he will start against spuds.
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Rico seems to have come in for a bit of stick for his performance against the gunners and while he was less effective than in some recent games he still put in a reasonable shift.
This inverted role is a difficult one to pull off for even the most seasoned pros, Walker for example looks far from comfortable when asked to do this.
Lewis has shown his ability to control the ball in tight spaces and his short link up play is exceptional for one so inexperienced. For me it is difficult if not impossible to accomplish this task and fulfil normal full back duties particularly against a team with strong attacking wide players.
On the basis of recent form I would much rather see his name on the teamsheet against Spuds instead of one or two more senior underperformers.
 
One more observation for today for a certain poster (you know who you are).

You were adamant that a trio of Rodri, Gundogan and De Bruyne was "too slow" and would get ripped apart against a younger 'more mobile' mid. I told you the inclusion of Gundogan over Bernardo was crucial he tends to drive through the mid, dragging them with him and finds the pass through the lines, whilst you thought Bernardo's energy was better.

Unless Bernardo picks up form (he plays like he's no longer interested), he'll not be starting barring injury or lesser tiered games.

Sure De Bruyne is still slightly out of form, but the position he held was where I wanted him and also Alvarez, when he came on, also occupied (you said shouldn't as it was "suicidal").

You also thought Cancelo was better over Aké on the left and thought Grealish should be left out.

Sooo...

Last night showed me you simply don't know what you're talking about.
 
woody1968 said:
Ref bottled it in the first few minutes - gave a foul against Haaland when it was either play on or a foul against Haaland and a booking for Holding - very appropriate name that cos that’s all he did all night !!
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Absolutely. He looked like he was going to give us the free kick before he realised he’d have to send Holding off. Terrible ref again.
 
mike1923 said:
More ironic was them singing ‘shit ground no history’

Can’t be arsed adding up how many trophies our ground has seen compared to theirs but I know how it stacks up
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I thought they were singing "shit club, no history", but even then we won a major trophy before they did.
 
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