Arsenal Post Match Thread.

[Marvin]

Watched PSG take Monaco apart in the French League Cup Final on Saturday. 4-1.

PSG did everything we didn't do. Controlled the midfield. Kept the ball for long spells. High pressing. Quick turnover. Cut down Monaco's width. Cut out their crosses. Tackled. Worked hard. Took their chances. Etc.

Yes Monaco are good at going forward. But we made them look a lot better than they really are.

We should have beaten Monaco. No question. We had the chances and didn't take them and went missing for 45 mins in 2nd leg

 

[Marvin]

I felt exactly the same watching that game. What was even more disconcerting for me was that Monaco made us look in the first half of the 2nd leg like Barcelona made PSG look.

The key is midfield control. More and more and more I'm coming to the conclusion that as good as they can look there, neither Silva nor KDB long term should be playing in the number 8 roll. Certainly not together. They are both excellent when the wind is behind them, but as soon as they face physical/mental adversity in the centre and they need to show some bollocks, the pair of them wilt.

yesterday we did not lack physical intensity, but focus. We got in some great attacking situations but the passing was way off. That's why Yaya came on but there are weaknesses in his game.

 

[BillyShears]

yesterday we did not lack physical intensity, but focus. We got in some great attacking situations but the passing was way off. That's why Yaya came on but there are weaknesses in his game.

With respect I could not disagree more. Our lack of intensity yesterday was an absolute disgrace in the 2nd half. We played like it was a friendly.

 

[pavelsrnicek]

I felt exactly the same watching that game. What was even more disconcerting for me was that Monaco made us look in the first half of the 2nd leg like Barcelona made PSG look.

The key is midfield control. More and more and more I'm coming to the conclusion that as good as they can look there, neither Silva nor KDB long term should be playing in the number 8 roll. Certainly not together. They are both excellent when the wind is behind them, but as soon as they face physical/mental adversity in the centre and they need to show some bollocks, the pair of them wilt.

There's definitely merit in the argument that it's either KdB or Silva with say Gundogan or someone else but I think when we struggle it's a combination of factors.

Have to say though the key position for us is the holding midfielder/ pivot or whatever we call it. A driven Yaya is perfect there but he's been off his game for a few weeks. Fernandinho can play there but against decent sides his game gets a little loose. Whoever we get in the summer to play there will have a huge bearing on next season.

 

[BillyShears]

There's definitely merit in the argument that it's either KdB or Silva with say Gundogan or someone else but I think when we struggle it's a combination of factors.

Have to say though the key position for us is the holding midfielder/ pivot or whatever we call it. A driven Yaya is perfect there but he's been off his game for a few weeks. Fernandinho can play there but against decent sides his game gets a little loose. Whoever we get in the summer to play there will have a huge bearing on next season.

Spot on. And i'd expand that and say it's about balance and understanding. Toure is slow for sure, but so was Xavi Alonso and yet he anchored Pep's midfield at Bayern most of the time. Our issue is that whatever three we currently field it just becomes stupidly unbalanced too quickly against any decent attacking side. What's more, you can see more and more as the season's gone on that teams are realising that putting our midfield under any pressure generally makes them crumble because even shit sides are beginning to try and press us high and put us under physical and mental pressure from the off.

 

[hcblue95]

What has surprised me most this season is I'm struggling to think of any players pep has really improved, Silva maybe but last year he was injured, Sterling could only improve on last year . Klopp and Pochetino have improved almost all their players, I was expecting this season to see everyone playing 10% better and more motivated but it doesn't seem like it.

 

[Platt Lane 59]

Agree about the lack of players who have improved.
My question is why does Pep seldom make key substitutions when the game is able to be won ?
Yesterday and against Liverpool at home, we did not bring on an attacking player when both games had opened up and we could/should have gone on to get the extra 4 points that would have almost certainly sealed a Top 4 place.

 

[Blue Hefner]

What was wrong with the team selection yesterday? We went for it, that is what I want to see

Apart from Navas at righ-back, I don't see any issues. Even that, there is an argument for having him there as Zab has struggled at times throughout the season

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

The main thing we lack throughout the team is a physicality/reluctance to actually engage in the personal battles.

Even when we tackle, it's always with an attempt to nick-it, and counter, rather than taking the percentages completely out of the equation, clearing it out of play and giving the defence a time to actually fill back in.

Don't get me started on our throw-ins again - three times yesterday we even managed to throw the ball out of play.

Pep's mantra will always be if the opposition doesn't have the ball, then they can't hurt you.

But the same must also apply that always trying to keep the ball in play, reduces the margins for error when you can't keep it.

I'll say it again, it won't matter who the defenders are when you play as high a line as we do. It was the same under Pellegrini, it exposes any player.

We either now buy two world class sitters who also have the technical out ball of a Yaya, or we have to defend five yards further back and mix it up a bit more.

Our forwards can beat any team in the world in a foot race, shown by Sane yesterday.

It wouldn't hurt once in a while to by-pass the midfield and try and hit over the top.

 

[blueinsa]

It wouldn't hurt once in a while to by-pass the midfield and try and hit over the top.

Good post btw mate.