but we do seem to be trying to hang on in most games or riding our luck.
When Gabriel went off it was almost like we were playing with 10 men.
Our squad depth is awful.
hopefully we can make it to january and still be in the mix.
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but we do seem to be trying to hang on in most games or riding our luck.
When Gabriel went off it was almost like we were playing with 10 men.
Our squad depth is awful.
hopefully we can make it to january and still be in the mix.
Arteta coaches in a very precise fashion and this is added by consistent selection. Having to constantly change every area of the starting eleven is very disruptive and it is causing issues with our organisation and rhythm.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
This is the downside of arteta's approach. It is overly reliant on a small group of players.
I’m beginning to get ( irrationally ) fed up with Timber. This is like buying a Ferrari and finding out the gearbox is farked and it’ll only allow you to poodle about at 40mph.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
I'm not surprised we pick up injuries when snide ****ers like Van Dijk and Nunez are allowed to foul at will without punishment. Though I think Nunez did eventually get booked after his 10th or so foul.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
Scousers... :shudder:
If our back 4 is BW-Willy-Gabby, Cala then the 2nd choice is Tomi-Timber-Kiwior-Zinny which isn't too shoddy given all bar Willy, Gabby and Zinny can play 2 or more positions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
Dec-Mik-Ødin are covered by TP5, Jorgy and Ethan. And B-Kai-Gabby by Jesus-Leo-Raheem.
The trouble is that we have so many injuries - despite all these decent defenders, we ended up with TP5 and MLS at FBs, that neither Raheem or Jesus are looking that good, and Ødin's replacement, having got rid of ESR and Fab was intended to be introduced gradually over the course of the season as opposed to covering Ødin being out for months at the start of the season.
I still think young Ethan should be trusted with more mins. But I want to see the Dec-Mik-Ødin MF.
Also, Gabby M looked much better when he had GX playing left-8 all the time. Mik offers that, with added height and much better defensive ability. If him and Cala can learn to do on the left what BW and Ødin do with B, then we should be ok. But the injuries aand red cards have really cost us.
Dunno about this; isn't it football lore that successful teams are a small, tight group only to be tampered with on the odd occasion your centre-back was found dead drunk in the gutter in the small hours on matchday, meaning you have to bring him off for five minutes at the end to be replaced by a promising youngster who is not quite ready yet but has been knocking on the door and, in any case, needs an appearance-bonus cheque to resolve his gambling commitments?Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
I quite enjoyed the Kai/van Dijk "coming together". Football is always a better place when the Germans and the Dutch are at each other's throats.Quote:
Originally Posted by IUFG
We've got one of the best squads in world football - for ****'s sake grow a pairQuote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
But the second best in England....Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis Anaconda
Indeed - not that much we can do about it. Though they are having injury problems of their own ...Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
Yes, I spotted that. I think everyone is going to have them, off the back of a long international summer and in the middle of what looks like a far busier schedule than usual. (Maybe it is just the extra CL games, but are there also more international breaks than usual?)Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis Anaconda
It's all confusing it I think one break in September, October and November has been the norm for a while now, but it does feel overbearingQuote:
Originally Posted by Peter
The two extra CL games makes a big difference, and not a welcome one. New format is ****!Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis Anaconda
I think for us it isn't so much the number of injuries as the individuals who are injured. Losing Odegaard is huge, losing Saka for even one game has a massive effect. You simply cannot cover players as good as that. We always had the same issue with Vieira, Henry, Pires. Its the cost of having great players.
I think we struggled more when Adams was out (in earlier days). Sacrilege I know - but some of best results came without Vieira (including Anfield 2001-2002 and Inter 1-Arsenal 5 - and Gilberto was on the bench for that)Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
I suspect there's going to be a few teams who'd normally top their group not make top 8 and a few who won't even make the knockout rounds.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
How the **** do you remember that?!! :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis Anaconda
Partly my obsession for getting Ray Parlour (who started both those game - with Edu against Inter and with Gio at Anfield before he was sent off and then Kanu) the recognition he deserves. Also it's me...Quote:
Originally Posted by PSRB
I do remember Kanu in midfield :hehe::hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis Anaconda
That sending off was ****ing ridiculous. Another Arsenal player being made an example of by a complete and utter ****er of a ref.
Dudek and Henchoz both committed professional fouls as well in that game. Never been more annoyed (well maybe one game but I want to give IUFG as rest). Durkin came out after the game and patronisingly said "Not every foul is a red card" - arseholeQuote:
Originally Posted by Peter
He also said 'anyway, there is too much diving in the game'. In other words, once he'd seen the replay and realised he got it horribly wrong, he reverted to a broader argument about the nature of the game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis Anaconda
****ing piece of ****. He was lucky he refereed in the same era as graham poll. Every fan of every club has a graham poll story