Arsenal Post Match Thread.

[Blue Hefner]

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.

I was screaming for us to do this. One reason, was to quiet thier crowd. All crowds like forwards chasing down defenders and we gave their crowd the excuse to get behind their team when there was a great opportunity by wasting time and playing in their half to get their crowd doing what they do best. BOO

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I was screaming for us to do this. One reason, was to quiet thier crowd. All crowds like forwards chasing down defenders and we gave their crowd the excuse to get behind their team when there was a great opportunity by wasting time and playing in their half to get their crowd doing what they do best. BOO

We by-passed the midfield at home to Barcelona, invited then on and then countered, that kinda worked out okay...

If Pep wants us to share the same footballing principles as his Barca teams, then he also knows the Kryptonite to defeat it, as that result showed.

Problem is, everyone else seems to know the recipe and Pep needs to tweak the ingredients now.

What worked before, doesn't mean you can't improve it.

 

[Father Paul]

Can we all agree that Clichy is past it and has cost us time and time again this season?

Yes

 

[Barcon]

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.

I think this is one of the issues we have. If Gundogan was fit I don't think we'd see Dave and Kev on the pitch together.

 

[Father Paul]

Could not agree more. Zaba will give everything. Not sure I could trust some of the others who will be leaving. Setting that aside, we need a defence that demoralises the opposition, rather than encourage 'em as our defence tends to.

Good point every team in the world fancies they can score at least one goal against us and since we are rarely more than one goal ahead this has been a major shortcoming this season.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Yes

My Pet hate this season.

West Ham at home - asleep on the back post.

Everton - go on Romelu - I'll welch out of a challenge on the halfway line and show one of the most prolific strikers around into our penalty area on to his favoured foot -

Everton away - go on then, I'll personally gift you three of your four goals by playing all over the shop.

Liverpool, I'll be too slow to get out, slip, then tackle from the wrong side and gift a penalty.

Arsenal, I'll be too slow to get out again, I'll make some half-arsed attempt to tackle and hey presto -

 

[Father Paul]

I still cannot understand why Navas is playing in defence. Forget aging defenders, forget injuries. Wtf was Navas doing at right back ? Yes he's a grafter but that's about it, he's not a defender.

For me this was an experiment gone too far.

He was there because of doubts about the form and fitness of the two regulars and because the manager believed rightly as it turned out that Navas represented a
better option than Fernandinho to stifle Sanchez. Navas can be well pleased with his performance not that I expect to see him in that position moving forward.

 

[ballinio]

4 transitional seasons on the bounce- is it some sort of premier league record ?

We're not improving at all, look clueless to me & no idea what our style of play is .
Change all the players & we'll be fine ...I'm told.

 

[Father Paul]

Under Mancini, we would have won that 5-1. First time Pep has arrived at a team which needs attention and he's looking lost. I don't disagree with his philosophy, but our results against the top teams prove that, in our league, you need to defend well and just trying to keep the ball is not enough. Pep must learn or....go.

Pep out? Has the movement started?

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I think this is one of the issues we have. If Gundogan was fit I don't think we'd see Dave and Kev on the pitch together.

Gundogan won't solve the issue, he's not quick enough.

He'll give you the out ball but he's not able to screen.

The dynamic actually changed once Sane found his legs. The set-up was already starting to strain trying to accommodate all the players.

Sterling was able to switch to the other flank but once Sane showed what he could do, it meant Pep had to stay with KDB and Silva in the centre.

The conundrum is the right hand flank, as Sterling and KDB both bring their quality in different ways.

Both are flakes.