Arsenal (A) - PL Post Match Thread

[bluemoon32]

We’ve also got that Belgian guy to come back, forget his name but some say he’s the best creative midfielder in the world.

;)

That Belgian guy would have angrily dragged everyone with him yesterday, that awful tepid performance would have had him a lovely shade of beetroot.

 

[PistonBlue]

Spurs? Seriously!?

Absolutely no chance.

I wouldn't be so quick to write Spuds off personally, think they have a top manager now

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Shame they couldn't get as fired up for the game as they did for the Arse Set-Piece coach.

 

[Eccles Blue]

Majority of us think he was lucky to stay on the pitch. If OliVAR had reffed the game correctly instead of for "The product" he'd have walked.

Thank you. I was incensed unfortunately which I rarely get at a City player as I don’t think we are a ‘dirty’ team.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Piss poor yesterday.

Bizarre game plan and wrong 11 which resulted in a lack of invention and aggression in our play.

It was also an opportunity for one or two of our less obvious/expected players to take the game by the scruff.......the only one who came close in the middle of the park and attack was Lewis,which is a poor reflection of the likes of Alvarez,Foden,Bernie,Haaland,and the thick fuck Kovacic.

Gvardiol had a decent game at the back,and,along with John's very welcome return,they're my other positives.

Pep needs to find the spark again,and a way of playing to a quality level when Rodri is absent.We need to find leaders,because they were sadly missing at the Emirates.

 

[mcfcbill91]

The last two games have been a summation of a sometimes frustrating start to the season, despite some solid results.

Primarily due to the injuries - have we been able to name a consistent team? Even Pep missed two games! Rodri's moment of madness too, but we could've covered this better had it not coincided with Bernardo, Stones not being up to speed. We've been unlucky with two own goals in the last two games.

Injuries - this is clearly going to affect how we play - new lads not up to speed with our patterns & principles. 6 starters from the April fixture against Arsenal yesterday, but only 2 from the midfield and attack.

Our ability to control the tempo of games is what separates us from the rest. The clearest signal we're struggling with this is how often someone forces a longer pass. Yesterday in the first half, there were 3 or 4 from Dias & Walker, just aimless clips. It kills momentum.

Pep had to be more pragmatic with the tactics from the outset due to personnel. Used a pretty simple build up with wider full backs and tucked in the wider players. Gvardiol was our outlet - a central defender playing full back.

This contributes to the making the game a lot tighter. We had some opportunities to break but it's being carried by Rico & Gvardiol - not KDB.

Even bringing on Stones showed what we've missed last week and yesterday. It's a control element to our game - Rodri is the king of it, but Stones is capable of it too by breaking lines. I understand the criticism of Grealish at times but he's a vital part - he will consistently get the team within 30 yards of the goal and build pressure.

That's when we start getting quality service to Haaland and start bringing the best out of Kovacic & Nunes etc. It takes time to learn the requirements of playing for Pep.

Post the break, some better luck with injuries (and in general) will make a difference. I don't feel like we've deserved to lose these games and the margins have been tight. If we can name a consistent team it begins to move them back in our favour, we'll create more chances.

 

[Tolmie scores]

I'm sorry he bought Kovacic and Nunes. It's on him. Two players not at the required level for this team. Then he bought a project player to compete with Grealish on the left and sold our only natural RW Palmer. How would he explain this decisions? He is a great coach obviously but he is not infalible.

Palmer, why did he never like him? Maybe attitude...sa though, an academy star who will be great in a year or two...sad loss

 

[havefaith]

What still rankles with me today is that we played for a 0-0, why? Even if Pep was worried about them having Saka and Martinelli in the starting 11 then once their team sheet was out then surely he can alter the thoughts about how we approach the game? They were there for the taking and we did fuck all.

One of the most boring games I’ve had the displeasure to watch in a long time, we were wank.

I would agree, that said I don't think Arsenal, giving it their all were any better and were lucky to score. Inside they know they were lucky and that in time (fingers crossed) pep and the boys will get their act together and their arses will collectively twitch once more.

 

[Father Paul]

The last two games have been a summation of a sometimes frustrating start to the season, despite some solid results.

Primarily due to the injuries - have we been able to name a consistent team? Even Pep missed two games! Rodri's moment of madness too, but we could've covered this better had it not coincided with Bernardo, Stones not being up to speed. We've been unlucky with two own goals in the last two games.

Injuries - this is clearly going to affect how we play - new lads not up to speed with our patterns & principles. 6 starters from the April fixture against Arsenal yesterday, but only 2 from the midfield and attack.

Our ability to control the tempo of games is what separates us from the rest. The clearest signal we're struggling with this is how often someone forces a longer pass. Yesterday in the first half, there were 3 or 4 from Dias & Walker, just aimless clips. It kills momentum.

Pep had to be more pragmatic with the tactics from the outset due to personnel. Used a pretty simple build up with wider full backs and tucked in the wider players. Gvardiol was our outlet - a central defender playing full back.

This contributes to the making the game a lot tighter. We had some opportunities to break but it's being carried by Rico & Gvardiol - not KDB.

Even bringing on Stones showed what we've missed last week and yesterday. It's a control element to our game - Rodri is the king of it, but Stones is capable of it too by breaking lines. I understand the criticism of Grealish at times but he's a vital part - he will consistently get the team within 30 yards of the goal and build pressure.

That's when we start getting quality service to Haaland and start bringing the best out of Kovacic & Nunes etc. It takes time to learn the requirements of playing for Pep.

Post the break, some better luck with injuries (and in general) will make a difference. I don't feel like we've deserved to lose these games and the margins have been tight. If we can name a consistent team it begins to move them back in our favour, we'll create more chances.

If we can get a bit more stability after the break and stay within 4 or 5 points of the leader all we need is another one of our 14 or 15 game winning streaks. In many respects we were in a worse position last January but managed to pull through. We are faced by a number of problems but as yet these are not insurmountable.

 

[chickaroon]

Bernard?

Yes of course Bernie. How could I forget. Even stronger then!