The gap in of itself no, I don’t care if we finish one point above them or thirty points above them, well aside from the fact that the latter is more likely going to see us in a higher league position.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac76
Printable View
The gap in of itself no, I don’t care if we finish one point above them or thirty points above them, well aside from the fact that the latter is more likely going to see us in a higher league position.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac76
So you do then? :haha:Quote:
Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn
Do I care if we finish above them or not yesQuote:
Originally Posted by Mac76
Do I care how much we finish above them not really. If we finish one point above them and they finish in third and we finished above city in 2nd on goal difference, that albeit very unlikely scenario would satisfy me just as much as finishing thirty points above them.
Odegaard has gone off injured for Norway.
At least a twisted ankle by the looks of it, if not worse. :rose:
FFS! Our players are made of glass! We are going to get tonked on Sunday.Quote:
Originally Posted by McNamara That Ghost...
We really have let our squad get too thin. In some ways I’d prefer he missed out on the NLD than against City (although ideally I’d rather he missed neither).Quote:
Originally Posted by McNamara That Ghost...
I think (unpopular decision) that we should try playing Havertz and Jesus as a front two, or failing that play Saka in the hole and Jesus wide right.
We need to park the bus against spuds and try to hit them on the break
We have no chance of winning at Spurs without Rice and Odegaard I’m afraid.
We can if, as i say, we forget about trying to control the game and instead sit back and try to hit them on the break - it'll completely dumbfound them if we do that :lol:
Last year Spurs had plenty of the ball, particularly second half, and did nothing with it. Were it not for a Raya brainfart and a silly pel they'd never have got back in to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac76
yes exactly, i qute enjoyed seeing us trying to score on the break v Brighton and we take a take that kind of pragmatic approach we used when winning the FAC we can get through this period.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
There's no reason why we shouldn't do the same v Citeh either
I think with City that was a fait accompli regardless of who we had fit, the problem as I see it is that Odegaard would himself be the key cog in launching any kind of counter attack. However nil desperandum (apologies for the French and Latin it’s totally unacceptable) I think this is where Jorginho’s passing ability could be useful.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac76
It was silly of us given Odegaard was kicked about by Brighton, not to send a sick note to the Norwegian national team but we are where we are.
Not sure, I'd have to watch back but at least one of them was a punt forward by Raya to either Havertz or Martinelli, not sure if Odegaard was involved in the other but we've plenty of players who can play a good ball forwardQuote:
Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn
True, but playing that system is not just dependent on the goals you can score on the break but being able to get the ball out and play it forward even if that attack breaks down to relieve the pressure on your defenders.
For me this is feeling a bit like Karma for riding our luck with players - Saliba and Big Gabby; Saka, Odegard and Rice last season. Our squad looks exposed now for being too thin. We have failed to ensure we have adequate cover for Odegard - and even got rid of the 2 players with the profile to do so - ESR and Vieira. If past history is anything to go by, Odegard will bnow be out for weeks, and this could see our title challenge over by November. Bad times.
Not sure Arteta will trust Nwaneri to play the Odegard role while he is out - more likely he will drop Havertz into MF and play Jesus up front - if Jesus is now fit - is he?
There's an air of despondency around our club ATM.
Not sure about Jesus - is he ever really fit thees days? we do seem to have a habit of picking up crocks
I actually have no aspirations for this season title-wise, as you say we've got away with it a bit over the last two season (Saliba injury in 2023-23 notwithstanding) and while I'm not as down on the transfer window as some, I do think one of ESR or Vieira had to stay, plus Arteta's refusal to rotate much spells doom with a squad as thin as this.
I'm trying to follow my own advice not to be obsessed by having to be perfect to better Citeh, but we have not clicked yet (and do not seem to have carried our form of last season into this one), and these key injuries (not to mention Rice's suspension for the NLD) are body blows for our thin squad. It's easy to start thinking that last season might be the high point for this team rather than something we are going to improve on...
There does seem to be amongst the fanbase but at the moment it seems to be largely based on what people think is going to happen rather than anything that has happened.Quote:
Originally Posted by IBK
I’m not too worried about defensive cover as we have that coming out of our ears. But the totally unjust suspension of Rice, plus the injuries to Merino and Odegaard do bring my critique of buying too many defenders at the cost of neglecting other positions into sharp relief.Quote:
Originally Posted by IBK
For the games against Spurs and City it’s about working out what’s more important, winning these games or not losing them and at this stage of the season I think it has to firmly be about the latter. I don’t think if we draw both games it would be fatal to our title aspirations, it would mean more that we remained unbeaten despite clear injury problems and managed to escape two of the hardest fixtures we will play this season. How long Odegaard will be out for is a matter for speculation at this stage, it’s fair to say he will miss the NLD and it would be foolish to risk him against Atalanta even if he was fit, beyond that who knows.
But really it’s going to have to be about safety first, get those two games done with and hopefully have as many players available as possible for the really tough week that’s happening in November (away at Newcastle, away at Inter and away at Chelsea back to back). Arguably our only really tough game on the road after Christmas is at Anfield, so if we keep ourselves by hook or by crook in contention possibly with an eye to January recruitment (dependent on financial circumstances, it’s hard to deny we spent a fuck load on players in the three windows between summer 2022 and summer 2023) we could be ok.
There’s no good time to have injury problems, but this is the worst fucking time. It doesn’t necessarily have to be fatal though
Well yes, that’s kind of obvious given we’ve only played three games and are unbeatenQuote:
Originally Posted by Letters
The sense of despondency is that we are having to play extremely hard away fixtures back to back with key players missing. Frankly my attitude is if we draw both those games that would be an excellent showing (and if i’m honest given we are in September and not April, that would have been my view before we lost Merino, Rice and Odegaard)
It’s fair to say though, I’m not looking forward to these games. Not one bit
You are right - but its funny how 'gut feel' can often be proven right. Something is a bit off with our team so far this season. Rice hasn't looked right - and I'm not sure his advanced position has done anything for us. Teams have been able to play through us in a way that was near impossible last season. We have not controlled games as we are used to. We have relied on individual moments of genius for our goals - where previously there was usually a team purpose in doing so - and this is never a strategy that works over a sustained period. Villa and Brighton have shown that our high press has been analysed and can be worked around...and yet again our 'transformative' signing was injured at the starter's gate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
I'm not suggesting that this situation is necessarily terminal, but it's not the best start...
I know I'm repeating what I've said above but we need to go back to Arteta 1.0 and do the defend-deep-and-hit-on-the-break thing
as people say draws at the toilet bowl and at Citeh aren't bad results
All I'd say is that people were saying the same at this stage last result. We were getting results but people were saying we hadn't clicked and wringing their hands. I would note that we beat Villa away which we didn't last year, so there are some reasons for optimism too.Quote:
Originally Posted by IBK
all fair - I wonder if people are feeling a bit of title-chasing fatigue and in a way don't want to be stressed about it all season, so would rather it was settled early? :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
In terms of performance, I’d say we are definitely performing better than at the same point last season but at the same time especially if we take the game against Villa, we were lucky and reliant on David Raya to an extent. For me last season especially the first three games, there was something almost chaotic about the way we set up. This season, it’s more just low energy…I found the way Rice and Partey couldn’t deal with the high press set by Watkins and Rodgers to be a little alarming, but I think a possible solution there is just shuffling the pack.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
I think more of a balance could have been found between defence and attack after going down to ten men vs Brighton. But these are more quibbles than massive concerns, my massive concern is being without our first choice midfield for the Spurs game, and potentially being without a key player for a long time. A lot of the apocalyptic despair is redolent of the schismatic histrionic repository that Social Media is….but I think there is justification for being concerned shall we say
I feel like Jorginho should be able to add some stability in the middle in place of Rice but we have nothing like an Odegaard replacement. It will be a square peg in a round hole whatever happens. Partey really needs to show some of that 22/23 form now, rather than the cardboard cut out he’s looked like so far.
It’s not even just Odegaard’s ability on the ball but the fact that he leads the press so effectively, it takes a huge chunk out of the things we actually do quite well as a team. Not looking forward to the next 2 weeks at all. I think Atalanta away will be trickier than we expect too.
yes exactly you'll never get a replacement for his skillfulness but there should be someone to fill in for the job he does in chasing down etc - tbf and not sure it was either ESR or Viera, despite what I said above - we need someone with a good engine who can do that job and harry the oppositionQuote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
The best bet for aimless running and hounding down defenders left in the team is Havertz. I know Arteta would never try this , but this is the most balanced attacking lineup we have without Odegaard and Rice:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac76
Martinelli............Trossard/ Jesus............Saka...
..............................Havertz ..........................
...................Jorginho.........Partey
(Sterling as the only sub to any of the front 3, no proven sub for Havertz and one of the 20 CBs as a sub for the DMs )
Won't bother with the defenders.
This was all brought on by a failed transfer window which I rated Arteta 2/10 for actively weakening his side. I wish I could go back and actually give him less now.....honestly I really hope he doesn't sign that new contract.
Fabio Vieira is injured, so whether we should have kept him or not has been rather rendered academic :lol:
I am gutted that Saka is starting for England. That would be all we need to lose him for Sunday. Fuck International football.Quote:
Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn
Ake stretchered off for Netherlands, so this shit happens.
Also I'm not that disheartened for us, it's not like how it used to be in these big games. The 8-2 team. :lol:
If we lose 8-2 on Sunday I will fucking hunt you down :threaten:Quote:
Originally Posted by McNamara That Ghost...
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Chippy
I would 8-2 be Maccy if that happens
It'll be fine.
Odegaard out for three weeks minimum apparently
Even the clumsy sod who nobbled him apologised
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Both teams will be wearing their away strips in the fixtures this campaign, after (referees' body) PGMOL and Premier League ruled that our 2024-25 home kit features too much white, thus clashing with Tottenham's traditional colours," Arsenal said on Tuesday. Hmmmmm
Arteta has signed a new deal.
Needs to deliver a league title in this term or it’s probably time to move on tbf.
We all know that is not going to happen this season. 2nd or 3rd this season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
I don’t know for definite that we won’t win the leagueQuote:
Originally Posted by Chippy
I’m pretty confident we won’t finish lower than second. Simply put we have a better squad than Liverpool