What about both 😮? A lot has been said/written about it already but the double pivot of Rice and Zubimendi seems to be resulting in lots of players standing at the corners of the 18 yard box and very little central threat at the moment.
I’m not sure we’ll change this year now but food for thought
QED, have a lovely day. Try not to denounce other people’s opinions, it’ll help you in the long run
I’m not sure you know what that means
You’re very antagonistic when discussing points of view about football. Just an observation
This has really descended, it seems quite strange to seemingly argue that having better players won’t make us better at football. I’m fairly sure swapping Gyokeres for Mbappe would be a net positive 😂
I think we’re now being unproductive rather than having a useful discussion so will leave it there
That’s really irrelevant mate, any number of confounding factors contribute to team losses and form when I’m talking about individual player ability.
I’m not trying to beat Arsenal over the head - I’m discussing how we can be better which is surely the aim/dream of every fan?
I’d say it’s that different abilities are prioritised in the PL even for attackers (strength, athleticism, defensive awareness). There’s more than one way to play and it’s not ‘wrong’ but I feel the PL needle has swung too far in that direction. Anyway time will tell, let’s revisit next week
I’m not going to claim expertise for all PL teams, as I say 90% of games I watch are Arsenal. That said, from what I saw last night I feel there is an over emphasis on physical gifts/structure in the PL. You put Vitinha, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia and Vini in the Arsenal team and it’s a different game.
My counter to your valid point about athleticism is that this is where technical ability shines; rather than matching physically across the pitch the alternate approach is to out football the opponent or at least have the ability to do both. My feeling is that we and other PL teams lack in this area
You’re mistaking me for a journalist with an agenda. I’m an Arsenal fan/ST holder giving my opinion and it’s not limited to Arsenal. I see a wider problem with style of play in the PL where physicality and structure trumps technical ability and think that might have been exposed last night
I don’t have a ‘narrative’ myself, I’m just an Arsenal fan. My eyes tell me that there is something less stylistically appealing than it used to be about how football is played in the prem, mainly in our games as that’s 90% of the games I watch
Is that not in someways proving my point? There is 1 example from 90 minutes of football where we were effective in moving the ball swiftly and it created a good chance.
City could have played for 3 days and not scored yesterday, plodding build up then Vini et al just blitzed through.
If I’m being truly honest I think we lack technical quality across the board. Saka is the exception and he dropped a clanger today, Noni can dribble but his end product is extremely variable. For me I looked at Vini & Kvaratskhelia tonight and just say wow, that’s the level I want.
True but even Calafiori is not some sort of goal machine fullback. I find our structure in attack lacking in intricacy, speed of thought, pass, movement and shot. I can’t work out if we’re out of form or genuinely lack technical ability/pace in general.
Anyway, just back them now I guess, quads on!
Oh absolutely, don’t understand it at all! Timber being the spare man in attack and ending up in dangerous positions in the box is just not working. I love him as a defender but he’s so far off it in an attacking sense. Would be far better to have him hold width and put Saka/Noni in those areas
I don’t think they do have 11 men behind the ball - they tend to leave one up top 1v1 and we end up with one CB high and wide and a fullback in the box. It just strikes me that you might as well commit more numbers to attacking at pace rather than plodding forward with the same outcome in defence?
I’d really like to see more central midfield runs and more tempo in our build up. We end up hugely committed in attack but do so in stepwise building blocks which catches no-one by surprise but leaves the same exposure at the back. It’s baffling to me but I’m not a world class football manager tbf
Listen, I’m an Arsenal fan and I want us to win everything possible this season
However, I am pleased that the stodgy ‘Premier League way’ of playing has been really tested in the UCL last 16 so far and hope it prompts change in player/style priorities for PL teams going forward, Arsenal included
Got away with that, draw away in Europe isn’t a bad result but Arsenal living on a knife edge recently; normally precedes a bad loss
Can’t understand why we play in this zero tempo static way so much and dislike Timber as the overload inside, he’s not got the end product. Need some 🔥 #COYG 🔴⚪️
All I can say to Wrexham fans is - if you make it to the prem next season welcome to the nightmarish hellscape that is VAR. Never celebrate goals and wait for the dreaded VAR review screen to decide your fate
You gave Chelski All Stars a hell of a game, deserved to win, they’re the worst.
I disagree with that decision, he barely flicks his shin pad as he’s bringing his foot down, he’s not studs up.
It’s certainly an ‘orange’ tackle for speed but when the ref gives that as a yellow I really don’t think that’s clear and obvious. VAR ruining a good game as usual, unlucky Wrexham
Well it was scrappy but job done. Only take home I have from that game comes in the form of two words: Max Dowman 🤯 🔥
Being the best player on the pitch at his age in a team of established players, many trying to make their own claim for the 1st XI is nothing short of phenomenal #quadson #COYG 🔴⚪️
Arsenal seem to be playing a… 325 today? 415? 406? It’s gonna be fun 😂 amazing to see Dowman start too, hope he has a stunner!
#COYG 🔴⚪️
🎵 Everybody Hurz 🎵 at the Emirates next season please. It’s funny how Brighton aka the only team who play football are 13th and going nowhere, whilst enemies of football Arsenal are challenging on four fronts and have scored the most goals in the prem this season. I believe the term is ‘cry more’ 😂
Arsenal were a lot better after the changes. Havertz + Calafiori were reassuring in possession, hope they get back to full fitness and are a big part of the rest of the season, huge win
And obviously I’ve always loved Forest. That last sequence at the end no idea how City didn’t score 💪🏻 #coyg 🔴⚪️
Agreed, I’d consider dropping Eze deeper in build up and playing Saka as a 10. Just change the dynamic in some way, run channels with Martinelli and Gyok. We look swarmed in build up and outnumbered when we try and press
Tough away game so far, chances at a premium and Arsenal are lacking a lot in terms of presence up top and playing through the press
Hope Arteta has something up his sleeve to change things because this feels like a game with a heartbreaking end. Need some attacking threat #Focus #COYG 💪🏻🔴⚪️
@arsenalfc.bsky.social I don’t think you sent an email re: the purchase window for Season Ticket holders for the Leverkusen game. Only noticed it was live when I was looking on my account today.
Arsenal season ticket holders don’t know if I missed the email but Leverkusen home leg reserved tickets are live til Friday 1pm, make sure you buy yours if you’re not in the full cup scheme! #quadson #COYG 💪🏻 🔴⚪️
Goodly evening gents, noticeable no. of relieved sighs leaving the ground today!
I find our build-up play paradoxical; slow when 0-0/1 goal up mid game, yet lump forward at the death when defending a lead. Why do we forsake the horseshoe when we need it most? @gunnerblog.bsky.social #arsecastextra
