Saka shown a yellow simulating a foul in their box. The contact looked minimal but I've seen PKs given for far, far worse.
Xhaka with one of his trademark whacks from long range. Produces our first shot on target. In the 45th minute.
Can anyone, and I mean this genuinely, explain exactly how we're trying to play? Like, in Emery's most optimistic dream, what is this supposed to look like? Beyond having Xhaka and Luiz send 60-yard prayer balls downfield, and Kolasinac running to the endline and squaring it, I straight-up do not get it. I don't understand the attacking shape, I don't understand the defensive shape. None of it makes sense to me.
Great shot from 25yrds by Xhaka is parried out by GK. After all the build-up inside the box, disappointed that was the best shot we could get off.
Another pathetic half of football with no structure awful selection and tactics fcuk emery, starting to hate this clown now. Same old shit with no sauce Wenger was better @mebeSajid
One of only three shots, not nearly good enough. It seemed like most of the time all three forwards are very narrow, making them very easy to defend.
Robbie Earle seems like an Arsenal fan. Before the match he was playing us up. At halftime he was on an absolute rant about how lame our defense was, especially on their goal, i.e. leaving the opponent's CF unmarked and standing right next to Leno. Meanwhile, Ceballos comes in for Willock, whose name I can't remember being called in the whole of 1T. As the great Howard Jones once said... things can only get better! Right?
Everything is so static. When we just had possession at midfield, the only player running was the guy on the ball. Literally every other player was either standing or walking. Awful.
Funny you should say that. In my mind I was comparing SHU to NYRB in how when SHU went up 1-0, instead of trying to protect the lead, they immediately high-pressed the crap out of us (as they continue to do now in 2T). That is what absolutely has been driving me nuts about NYRB lately... they go 1 or 2 goals up and they sit back and try to protect. Clearly cost them the game last night. As for this game, the only hopes we have are that Sheffield will tire out doing all that pressing, or that we will somehow "outskill" them. But with 30 mins to go we have a tough road. One step at t time. One goal at a time. And we just had our 2nd shot on goal as I'm writing this... Dani with a flubby shot right at the keeper. But maybe, just maybe...
64' Now's the time Unai! Time to bring on some fresh blood... with enough time to actually have some sort of impact. Edit: And right on cue, it looks like he's going to take a big chance and bring in Laca! (has he even been in training yet??)
That could probably be my signature. I grumble when any team does this, and outright moan when my teams do.
Finally our opponent is bunkering a bit and trying to catch us on the occasional counter. We've got 10 more minutes to camp in their half and come up with something. SOMETHING!!!!
Martinelli has 1 touch in 10 minutes. Emery has the golden touch. Sheffield United have literally 2 players pressing and it's preventing our shitheap defenders from playing the ball into midfield. That sequence burned an entire minute before they fouled and we finally decided to blast it upfield.
Just like the Watford match, there's no reason for Emery to be allowed on the bus tonight. This club is going ********ing nowhere with him in charge. There's no vision, no progress, no accomplishment. Abysmal performance from everyone involved today.