Arsenal FA Cup SF Post-Match Thread

[paulchapo]

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!

My fear was always playing them in the final. A bit like Wolves our style is tailor made for them and I dreaded a hiding if we faced them.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

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!

Exactly what I thought at the final whistle.
I think their counter-attacking game would have slaughtered us, frankly. I did want to see an unprecedented all-Manchester final. With us coming out on top, obviously. Far from sure that it would have happened. Mind you, they've still got to get past Chelsea, who are a funny old team at present. Strange things have happened in semi-finals…

 

[NorthamptonBlue]

We......are.......just........soooooo..........slow.......

 

[paulchapo]

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.

He makes some good saves and did yesterday but I agree he lets in some soft ones too. I thought he could have done better on both goals yesterday. Pep's game when it works means the keeper often doesn't have a lot to do so I can see why he chose Ederson.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

arrogant, is thinking you know better than someone who knows better than you, to call pep arrogant is fucking amazing, he's a very humble guy in my opinion, and possibly the least arrogant manager in football considering he has every right to be .

I think a better word would have been stubborn rather than arrogant. Pep obviously believes in his team selections even when they have previously displayed certain frailties . The David Silva / Gundogan combination being one .

 

[Dr Jacoby]

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.

Ederson, Laporte, De Bruyne and Aguero.

 

[chaddblue]

He makes some good saves and did yesterday but I agree he lets in some soft ones too. I thought he could have done better on both goals yesterday. Pep's game when it works means the keeper often doesn't have a lot to do so I can see why he chose Ederson.

I thought he was the only player last night who shouldn't be ashamed of their performance. No keeper in the world would have got near to the first goal and the second goal is just one of those things.. through the legs... happens to every keeper multiple times through their career

His saves probably saved us from a total embarressment

 

[Marvin]

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 ..

Might be part of it. e.g. it could help prevent players switching off but it wouldn't help in terms of lack of basic speed in the midfield. If we had Kompany in defence, could he get an ageing Yaya to track his man?

 

[markstephenhickey]

Exactly what I thought at the final whistle.
I think their counter-attacking game would have slaughtered us, frankly. I did want to see an unprecedented all-Manchester final. With us coming out on top, obviously. Far from sure that it would have happened. Mind you, they've still got to get past Chelsea, who are a funny old team at present. Strange things have happened in semi-finals…

Our high line against Martial,Rashford and Greenwood wouldn’t fare well would it. We’d 100% have to do something different tactically. Guess we don’t have to think about it too much now!

 

[nellyonthewing]

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.

As I said yesterday apart from KDB and Sterling who from out team would currently get in Real or Barca's first 11.?

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

Ederson, Laporte, De Bruyne and Aguero.

Currently I'd say KdB & Laporte aren't - hopefully they can get back to the level they were previously. My feeling with Kev is that injuries have taken a lot of the dynamism out of his game. We will have to see next season. Aguero has been world class since we bought him but time catches up with every player and even though he is still delivering you have to say his peak was quite a while back and we are relying on him delivering again next season.

My question was more about the here and now and not so much about who has been world class at some point. Maybe for some reason there is a bout of apathy at the club as no-one other than Foden is standing out generally.

 

[nellyonthewing]

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 ..

Giving players like Yaya and Silva the captains armband is a waste .Apart from calling heads or tails that's all you get.

 

[Dr Jacoby]

Currently I'd say KdB & Laporte aren't - hopefully they can get back to the level they were previously. My feeling with Kev is that injuries have taken a lot of the dynamism out of his game. We will have to see next season. Aguero has been world class since we bought him but time catches up with every player and even though he is still delivering you have to say his peak was quite a while back and we are relying on him delivering again next season.

My question was more about the here and now and not so much about who has been world class at some point. Maybe for some reason there is a bout of apathy at the club as no-one other than Foden is standing out generally.

Fair enough but I’d say De Bruyne is indisputably world class. He’s been far and away our best player this season.

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

Fair enough but I’d say De Bruyne is indisputably world class. He’s been far and away our best player this season.

I have to agree and I should have put him in that bracket in my original post.

 

[Craig]

As I said yesterday apart from KDB and Sterling who from out team would currently get in Real or Barca's first 11.?

The thing neither of those 2 are particularly good at the moment either. In fact Barca are going backwards at a rapid pace. They need a bigger rebuild than us.

 

[cookster]

Did we learn anything new from yesterday's defeat, no.
Need a world class centre back plus an able deputy with potential. Left back is a must, with a wide player and another forward.
After the Sane money its still probably gonna cost 200m net so we need to offload Stones, Otamendi and possibly Zinchenko.

Biggest Summer for a while, get it done Txiki.

 

[MichaelFrontzeck'sBathroom]

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.

Losing our greatest players was always going to be tough and replacing them even harder, big summer ahead.

 

[bluealf]

there is a first time for everything.

And my point stands - you didnt see/read the other comments to get the bigger picture regarding my full opinion - just one you jumped on so you could try and attack. Maybe that says something about you

What like this bigger picture post?

i agree - not convinced by him at all but he could be an expensive mistake and one the club are not ready to sort out yet - the club are reportedly lookign to extend Sergios contract - that says to me they aint ready to replace him or get another striker in. We wont get any other forward whileSergio is at the club as that player wont play enough games to warrant it.

Personally Id sell GJ now, keep Sergio for a season or 2 at most and get someone else in but that aint happening either

For me GJ has had his chances to convince and he looks way off it far too often. I get everything about his positives but you cannot rely on him consistently in the hard games. He will score against he cannon fodder of the lower and mid table prem teams but thats about it.

Shall I start with an expensive mistake? He cost a reported 27m and if you think the club couldn't at least double that back if he was sold right now, then you are an even bigger idiot than I believe you are anyway.

He has had his chance to convince, he has scored 66 goals for this club you dolt, 66 he is on a par with any other striker we have had in recent times bar Aguero, there was a report by Stuart Brennan in the MUEN saying we actually score more as a team when Gabby is playing than Aguero, so make of that what you will.

He will score against the cannon fodder and it would seem in the Bernabeu stadium in the champions league as well but yeah we will just brush over that fact as it goes against your current narrative.

And this was the post I responded to.

fully agree - Jesus completely annoymous today 9not for the first time) - I will say it again and get absued for it but he aint good enough

How much of a bigger picture are you painting there?

 

[stan bowles]

I said everyone was poor other than Ederson imo, but Gundogan was a ball watching in the first half and give it away consistantly. He offered no pass to our defence so they had to look long more often than not.

When we did get in behind Jesus was nowhere to be seen, just not good enough.

Although Mendy played auba on for the second goal It was marginal and the defence should have been able to do enough to stop the goal. Garcia and Laporte got turned around just like Stones and Nico.

Not sure why you think Ederson was anything other than poor yesterday. Calamitous error first half with a careless pass nearly led to a goal and then nutmegged for the second when we needed him to step up and save that to keep us in the game. Another one in the squad who should looking be looking to improve next season - time we had someone who pushed him for the number 1 spot.

 

[robbieh]

The thing neither of those 2 are particularly good at the moment either. In fact Barca are going backwards at a rapid pace. They need a bigger rebuild than us.

Perhaps more importantly how many of our side would get in Liverpool's team.
Laporte, KdB, Kun.

And if we could raid them? The 2 full backs, Dyke, Salah. So when looked at like that not so bad.