Ange ball ruthlessly exposed today then ?

[John Bunnell]

Arteta ball ruthlessly exposed today then?

[Peter]

Arteta ball ruthlessly exposed today then?

Thus has been coming since the first half hour. In the end we've been well beaten and outplayed.

Can't believe he waited so long before he changed anything.

[redgunamo]

Arteta ball ruthlessly exposed today then?

Not really. We played well in the first period but we HAD to score; that's been the case since ever

[Peter]

Not really. We played well in the first period but we HAD to score; that's been the case since ever

I'm afraid Emery worked us out at half time and Arteta didn't do anything to change things. Jorginho should have been on by the hour mark.

[redgunamo]

I'm afraid Emery worked us out at half time and Arteta didn't do anything to change things. Jorginho should have been on by the hour mark.

It was watching endless test cricket on the telly as a student that showed me. Bannister, Boycott, Benaud et al. Catches win matches, they always said. The whole team works so hard all day long to create opportunities, that not taking them when offered is practically a capital offence.

Now, let me just ask you this: You're a cricketer, a batsman; would you tolerate a hapless, ****-handed, butter-fingered slip cordon in YOUR team? Would you?!

Well, it's the same in the soccerball, innit. As Thierry said the other day, when everybody (me) was clamouring for more and better strikers. We don't need anybody, he said. We just need to take our chances because when we don't, we're so good that that's the ONLY time we struggle.

[Peter]

It was watching endless test cricket on the telly as a student that showed me. Bannister, Boycott, Benaud et al. Catches win matches, they always said. The whole team works so hard all day long to create opportunities, that not taking them when offered is practically a capital offence.

Now, let me just ask you this: You're a cricketer, a batsman; would you tolerate a hapless, ****-handed, butter-fingered slip cordon in YOUR team? Would you?!

Well, it's the same in the soccerball, innit. As Thierry said the other day, when everybody (me) was clamouring for more and better strikers. We don't need anybody, he said. We just need to take our chances because when we don't, we're so good that that's the ONLY time we struggle.

True. We were great for 30-40 minutes and using Havertz to run behind from deep did work. He just couldn't finish them off. We should have gone in front and gone in at half time in control.

Had we done that arteta might have changed shape earlier in the second half. It really worries me that he watched villa's control of the game grow through the second half, he saw us escape repeatedly, and he did nothing. That result was an hour jn the making and when it came it was no surprise.