I enjoy the hard work and the grind as much as next fella but 23 yrs without a league title or cl is a bit too much given the extent of the size of this club .
Finished the replay, I thought the effort and performance overall was better. But the final third, so little good is happening there. Trossard used to be the one you could count on to deliver the final touch but as others in this thread said, he's washed.
True, true, but there's a big elephant in the room that's inescapable. So many things you can point to that aren't exactly awe inspiring. Did you see our bench tonight? Remember what it looked like earlier in the season?
I watched it a few hours ago while I was still deep in Turbo Tax so my focus wasn't supreme, but one player that stood out for me Martinelli, and I want to give him some flowers. I think he best embodied how Mikel was imploring them to play (fire and no fear). He had already been putting in a solid shift for 20 mins when he was called on to save what looked like a super dangerous counter, potentially 1-v-1 with Raya. Luckily it was Marti at midfield minding the shop, because had it been Zubi or Rice, there's no way in hell they would've caught the guy. But Gabi did with blazing speed and a pick-pockets instinct. The only 2 other players on the pitch I could imagine might've come close to that were Mosquera and maybe Saliba. Then well into 2T, before he was completely gassed, he still seemed to be our most eager, energetic player. He's got great attitude and industry. And he had one of our most dangerous shots... a side-winder (I think) from the top of the box, which went quite high, but I think he was only a fraction away from a golazo. And to his credit, he was still trying!
Some other random thoughts: God! Mikel must completely not trust Norgaard. Why did they sign him? Noni doing his right knee, not the one that was already strapped up either... sigh. Seemed a pretty innocuous collision but the way he could barely put weight on it, makes me think he's done for awhile and unless Saka makes a miraculous recovery, we might be looking at Max starting Sunday! Frankly I wouldn't mind that if his body's up for it... he was good in tonight's cameo, as he's been other times as well We were pretty lucky tonight. They hit the woodwork at least twice. Mosquera's tiny little push gave the ref a PK decision to ponder (even if it was a blatant dive). They were inches from equalizing with the last kick of the game, which at the very least would've been a fitness disaster. Even though the stats show a fairly close, if low volume game, it felt like we generally had the better of the game. Our defense was credibly well organized. BUT of course we're still impotent in attack. We created some chances but just could not buy the goal we needed to make the game safe(r). In the end, nice of course to advance, but sadly our play just doesn't bode well for winning either trophy remaining, especially this one I think, as we look at facing one or two teams that are a whole lot stronger than Sporting were.
The back to back semi final while factual, I feel like I'm being gaslighted. Being prepared for no final or loss in a final and possibly no title. As if we will win the 'back to back CL semis' trophy. We were clearly the best team in Europe at one point this season. Semis seemed a given at the time. We are visibly struggling. Had we gotten the same draw as other clubs in the CL, we'd likely not get here.
i guess that's the problem. You guys are already assume we will lose both the CL and PL so this means nothing.
Huge assumption that City will drop points towards the end of the season. Unless the teams they're playing are fighting for european places, that won't happen.
not to mention @mebeSajid needs to consider that there is an assumption from him that they won't drop any points. Data uses assumptions.
I don’t have faith in us holding up our end, especially since it looks like Saka is effed. But City will drop points.
Yes. Even with our issues of both form and injury, Pep is still terrified of us. It’s going to be dire as a visual spectacle, but they aren’t going to maul us.
Hmm... seems y'all could use this... https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/citeh-vs-arsenal-epl-19-apr-2026.2138460/