Arsenal (H) Post match thread

[bluecityste]

I thought Dias looked VERY impressive and all the things said about him being a 'leader' seems to be evident already.
The whole defence looked class.

 

[dadnlad]

does anyone think Sian Massey Ellis should,ve gone down i mean after all a touch is a touch

clean your mouths out i meant fall on floor like rest of arsenal team did

 

[stonerblue]

Good to get a win against a good arsenal team at the moment they are no mugs anymore. Also a clean sheet and some no nonsense defending well played City win our next league game and we are right back in the mix.

I'd say Arsenal have played some of the best footy in the league since the start of the season.

 

[br88]

The thing I liked was Dias organising the defensive line on his home debut which can only bode well for the future.

I think Dias could soon become the leader of the team and he is still young. In fact our defenders are mostly of a very good age which bodes well for the future. Dias 23, Laporte 26, Ake 25, Cancelo and Mendy also both 26. Although Walker is 30 I think he can carry on for years yet.

 

[manimanc]

does anyone think Sian Massey Ellis should,ve gone down i mean after all a fouch is a touch

clean your mouths out i meant fall on floor like rest of arsenal team did

The only surprise is that VAR didn't review it to make it look like Sergio was trying to undo her bra.

 

[Eds]

Sterling's point about Aguero in MEN is interesting. Basically that when Serge is on the pitch with his experience and instincts, the defence has to focus on him which gives that extra space for the others to move around fluidly. I spent the first 20 mins confused about the formation but finally got it (I think) - 3 at the back plus Rodri and Cancelo covering in front, making a defensive 5 when needed, then Bernando roaming between the lines and 4 attackers making an attacking 5. So maybe it was the 5 -5 formation that Bielsa employed. With the defence looking more solid it certainly gave us yet another way of playing. Oddly for me, I didn't spend the 2nd half dreading that one mistake would muck it up. Good to see Eddy making saves too.

I am still struggling to comprehend the formation. At times when Eddy had the ball at two centre half’s split, the two were Dias and Silva! Were we playing three at the back with Cancelo playing as right sided defensive midfielder but sometimes going more central when the ball was on the left? Was Sergio playing just behind Sterling in the middle? MOTD suggested it was a 4231 but I think it was more like a 3 1 1 2 2 1. Very Pep like to try and confuse teams. Whatever it was it worked and we can only get stronger as players return from injury and we become fitter. This is still like our pre season.

 

[Eds]

does anyone think Sian Massey Ellis should,ve gone down i mean after all a touch is a touch

clean your mouths out i meant fall on floor like rest of arsenal team did

No room left on the pitch for her to fall given the Saka, Tierney, Pepe were throwing themselves around all game.

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

Just echoing many of the positive comments made on here and agreeing with Pep's after match remarks. A season like we've never seen before and hopefully won't ever see again. No close season for City - unlike most other clubs - and two international breaks to add to the chaos of injuries and new players, so City aren't aren't prepared for the new season at all. This showed for the last hour at Wolves, was disastrous against Leicester when our midfield was never up to pace and then seemed to be coming right at Leeds. Yesterday our game management was excellent. We didn't set off like an express train then lose all control but paced ourselves well and maintained control. Arteta's Arsenal are a much tougher nut than for the last ten years and I was the usual nervous wreck for most of the game but looking back we did stay in control and this was without Laporte and KdB, and with a Sergio far short of match fitnesss. But as Raheem said, other sides have to watch him closely - even at half pace he is a threat in the area which we have lacked this season. It was good to see Bernardo back to his energetic, "busy bee" style and Dias looks excellent. But Ake must rank as one of the best £40 million signings made; his calm, unflappable assurance is a real plus.

 

[Moorland Blue]

I am still struggling to comprehend the formation. At times when Eddy had the ball at two centre half’s split, the two were Dias and Silva! Were we playing three at the back with Cancelo playing as right sided defensive midfielder but sometimes going more central when the ball was on the left? Was Sergio playing just behind Sterling in the middle? MOTD suggested it was a 4231 but I think it was more like a 3 1 1 2 2 1. Very Pep like to try and confuse teams. Whatever it was it worked and we can only get stronger as players return from injury and we become fitter. This is still like our pre season.

Me too! My thought is just a best guess. I worried that Pep had made a mistake picking Cancelo in that position. Why not Fern with Rodri? I'm wondering now if it was a device to ensure Aub did not get a clear run down the left in a counter. Fern as he ages cannot turn as quickly as in his prime so would not have been able to support Walker as quickly as Cancelo could. Given that we've looked knackered after 60mins in previous games, I also think the formation helped to conserve energy, not that Foden, Silva and Walker needed that. Are and Dias look great additions to me.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

Great performance!
Is there an argument for our play to be more defensive now and reel back a little on the forward play?