Dismal performance, win aside

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Originally Posted by Sir C

If we come up against Bayern, RM or Barcelona playing the way we are currently it will be embarrassing.

I don't even want to think about what's going to happen at the Etihad. Pep must be licking his lips.

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Ah well if you want us to play those at their own game then there is a simple solution. If we can get special dispensation to buy Doue, Alvarez etc now then great.

If not then we have to work with what we?ve got - which is limited.

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Originally Posted by 7sisters

That?s my problem with Arteta. He?s gone from fairly free flowing, quick on the break football to this pedestrian sludge in the space of two seasons, and with the added bonus of some expensive reinforcements.
Fully expect him to continue in this manner until the end of the season. He couldn?t change too much now, even if he wanted to. 3pts v Bournemouth gives us a 12pt cushion before City go to Chelsea on Sunday. Anything less than a win there should see us home and dry.
Not quite the victory procession run in of Champions past but we?ll all take winning ugly, as opposed to implosion.
As an aside. There was an abundance of unforced errors in that Madrid v Bryan game last night so I?m not completely giving up on big ears just yet either :-)

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That?d because opposition teams afforded us huge amounts of space. Now they do not and we don?t have the technical quality in those tight spaces.

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Originally Posted by Rich

That?d because opposition teams afforded us huge amounts of space. Now they do not and we don?t have the technical quality in those tight spaces.

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It?s a combination of factors, R. Zubimendi isn?t anywhere near as effective as an inform Partey. Odegaard?s way off the pace but this could be injuries. Arteta has yet to workout how to get the best from Eze and Saka, normally a Houdini of a player in tight spaces, just hasn?t turned up in the second half of the season, again, probably as a result of injuries.

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Originally Posted by 7sisters

That?s my problem with Arteta. He?s gone from fairly free flowing, quick on the break football to this pedestrian sludge in the space of two seasons, and with the added bonus of some expensive reinforcements.
Fully expect him to continue in this manner until the end of the season. He couldn?t change too much now, even if he wanted to. 3pts v Bournemouth gives us a 12pt cushion before City go to Chelsea on Sunday. Anything less than a win there should see us home and dry.
Not quite the victory procession run in of Champions past but we?ll all take winning ugly, as opposed to implosion.
As an aside. There was an abundance of unforced errors in that Madrid v Bryan game last night so I?m not completely giving up on big ears just yet either :-)

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But that is exactly the point. He had a go at winning the title playing free flowing attacking football and came unstuck. Whether that was injuries or whatever else is down to how you see it. But he has gone away, predicted how football will evolve and has come back with this approach. If he wins the league or the CL this season, then his approach will be vindicated.

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Originally Posted by PSRB

Gyokeres should never have been offside for the Zubimendi goal

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Very unusual, for him, as he's very rarely caught. I love that about him; it's because he's spent most of his career playing for rubbish teams where you don't get too many chances.

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Originally Posted by 7sisters

That?s my problem with Arteta. He?s gone from fairly free flowing, quick on the break football to this pedestrian sludge in the space of two seasons, and with the added bonus of some expensive reinforcements.
Fully expect him to continue in this manner until the end of the season. He couldn?t change too much now, even if he wanted to. 3pts v Bournemouth gives us a 12pt cushion before City go to Chelsea on Sunday. Anything less than a win there should see us home and dry.
Not quite the victory procession run in of Champions past but we?ll all take winning ugly, as opposed to implosion.
As an aside. There was an abundance of unforced errors in that Madrid v Bryan game last night so I?m not completely giving up on big ears just yet either :-)

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:-\ Remember the Anfield '89 run in.

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Originally Posted by Maravilloso Marvo

Was it playing badly though? I mean, I guess it depends on your benchmark for good and bad. It certainly wasn't free flowing, attacking football with the handbrake off. But if you think Arteta is going to play like that, with this team, at this stage of the season in a game like that, then you are setting yourself up for disappointment. I have no doubt that if Arteta wanted to go out all guns blazing, he could set the team up like that. It is a choice, and one based upon data and statistics that guides him to approaching games like this, or most games now at the moment, in a controlled manner with low risk. The more attacking you play, the more the risk increases and the more you fall into the hands of lady luck on the result.

If you think we're going to go to Maine Road in a few weeks and play ANY different to last night, you're dreaming. 0-0 all the way with the potential to nick a win. It's how he has approached all of the big games ALL season and it's how he is approaching basically every game now due to the importance at this stage.

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Well that was the first game in the CL this year that we have been that conservative. Munich, Atl Madrid and the rest of our CL games we played with a lot more adventure.

Watching PSG last, specifically their 2nd goal. I found myself thinking not how brilliant K-man is (he is) but whether any of our attacking players would have made that run, and if they had would the player on the ball have played that pass.

The answer to both questions is no, sadly. And it has nothing to do with tactics or team selection. Neither of those stops that run from being made or that ball from being played.

It has to do with mentality. And mentality is Arteta's responsibility.