Anyone else's signal for this match stuttering over the last 10 minutes or so? Trying to figure out if it's my cable or NBC.
Cue the rollicking post-match talk by Mikel. p.s. Nice how NBC cuts away just as Arsenal players are confronting Maupay after the whistle blew.
I'm laying the blame today at the midfield. They just don't do enough. Not enough to feed the attackers, not enough to stifle opposing attacks, not enough to lead the transition. Just too slow, too methodical, too predictable.
Emi Martinez isn't bad but he's no Berndt Leno. If Leno was in the game I think we probably get the draw.
So that pretty much affirms no Europe next season, right? So sell Auba and Laca and just brood youth for the future.
They don't drive at all. Like, I feel like every pass to a midfielder means stop, control, look up, then do something. A more dynamic midfield takes passes in stride and goes forward. Xhaka is the most glaring example of the problem, but Guendouzi and Ceballos aren't far behind. Defensively, they're just way too slow to react to things, which compounds their collective bad habit of drifting out of position.
Yea, it's a whole midfield that all do the same thing. Pair that with the obsession of the cb's playing in back and forth. You just end up doing nothing and then the other team just shreds you in 3 passes. It's so static and bland. All the other team has to do is stand there and arsenal wouldn't do anything.
Fcuk this team, the owners, the stadium and everyone over the age of 25 in the playing staff pathetic joke, Imsell the club to that African dude and fcuk off the entire staff
Ramsey on one leg is more dynamic than this midfield. Why not give Maitland-Niles a chance. He at least has shown a willingness to get into the box.
If we're convinced we can run with existing/signed center backs (minus Luiz and Mustafi) then I'm fine with this, but 1 of them had better be a full time starter. Can't afford another Pepe situation. . . . In hindsight today would've been a good day for Torreira.
Didn't see the match, only the "highlights". I'm embarrassed by (most of) the players. Just embarrassed . . . not an easy group to pull for.
Ozil has not produced either the assists or goals we expect from him, but I believe that offensively Arsenal are still a better team when he is on the field. He provides the link between defense and offense that Arsenal’s other midfielders struggle with at times. Arsenal’s possession has intent when he is on the field. Something their possession struggled to find today. IIRC In the last few games Arsenal played before the stoppage, Ozil had at least two or three hockey assists, when he played teammates in behind before they provided the final assist. My thesis has at least nominal support from the statistics. In the league games Ozil has played, Arsenal have averaged 1.5 goals/game. In the league games he hasn’t played, they have averaged 1.17 goals per game.
I don’t disagree with what you’re saying, but next Ozil it seems like AMN has been next in line for Arteta’s doghouse club.