Match Reaction v Man Utd (home)

[selassie]

He was a bit scruffy at times but the same could be said for many today. I believe United are the best team we’ve faced this season because we didn’t look anywhere near as polished as we usually do. That was down to their pressing and midfield.

No doubting his ability though. I think he’s a pretty unique player and it was a masterstroke signing him. Clearly a huge leader too, just embodies everything you want from a player mentally.

Top post as usual MO, I agree.

Zinchenko is a top class player IMO, huge leader too as you said and a player with a great mentality, a will to win. What he adds to this team is unique, the inverted full back role he plays, regularly sees him in Midfield linking play with Partey, Xhaka and Ode. Zinchenko is world class on the ball, rarely gives it away, beats the press with ease and he is a great dribbler. He is a top top player, in the kind of mould of someone like Philip Lahm or Joshua Kimmich.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Still struggling to understand the level of Zin worship, yes he can be good but also he fucked up loads of times today and each time it's when not just him but other Arsenal players are out of position, so it puts us in a mess

A 6 for me

I don’t rate him at all, as a full back he is sub par but he contributed brilliantly to our attacking play yesterday

[Mac76]

.

rarely gives it away,

He gave the ball away 5 or 6 times yesterday and as I said before it's often in areas where we can least afford it. Not saying he isn't a good pick, or denying what he brings, but let's stick to the facts shall we?

Arsenal overall were below par, especially in the first half, but made the win happen with a better second-half performance

A very astute sub at HT btw, with White on a yellow up against Rashford

Ram kept us in the game a few times, notwithstanding a mix-up with Tomi for their second.

Meanwhile Gabriel is excellent

Ram - 7.5
White - 7
Tomi - 7.5
Saliba - 7.5
Gabriel - 8
Partey - 6
Xhaka - 7.5 (great cross for the Eddie header)
Odegaard - 7.5
Zin - 7.5 (up from my 6 of yesterday )
Saka - 8
Martinelli - 7.5
Eddie - 8
Trossard - 7.5
Holding - (was fine but not on for long)

[HCZ_Reborn]

The most significant trait for me is that this team seems unshakable. They’re so confident in their own ability it’s incredible to watch. Any set back is always met with such a positive response. They’re a young side but they deal with adversity better than the majority of experienced Arsenal players have over the past 15 years.

I’ve wanted Arteta out at various points in his tenure but he’s building something very worthwhile at the moment.

Arteta still doesn’t have my confidence but in fairness that’s more about me than him, I just plain don’t like the guy….I couldn’t warm to him in a furnace. I’m still forever waiting for the other shoe to drop with our results, so I’m massively surprised with how well we are doing…pleasantly though.
I think a time may come where I have more faith in his ability as a coach (at the moment still very much feel that we are performing in-spite of him rather than because of him) but can never see myself liking him as a person….never felt that way about Wenger or Emery. But doesn’t matter, I don’t need to like him…at the moment it seems he’s doing a fantastic job

[selassie]

He gave the ball away 5 or 6 times yesterday and as I said before it's often in areas where we can least afford it. Not saying he isn't a good pick, or denying what he brings, but let's stick to the facts shall we?

Arsenal overall were below par, especially in the first half, but made the win happen with a better second-half performance

A very astute sub at HT btw, with White on a yellow up against Rashford

Ram kept us in the game a few times, notwithstanding a mix-up with Tomi for their second.

Meanwhile Gabriel is excellent

Ram - 7.5
White - 7
Tomi - 7.5
Saliba - 7.5
Gabriel - 8
Partey - 6
Xhaka - 7.5 (great cross for the Eddie header)
Odegaard - 7.5
Zin - 6 (a bit harsh, but it's what I said yesterday )
Saka - 8
Martinelli - 7.5
Eddie - 8
Trossard - 7.5
Holding - (was fine but not on for long)

Stick to what facts? What have I said that is a lie?

Zinchenko is a unique player, whilst his job is to defend because he is a left back he is given license to roam from that position and essentially play as an additional midfielder. That's how I judge him, because that is his specific role. Just like I judge Tierney as a pure full back and not some inverted full back.

I think what Zinchenko brings to the team is priceless, look at his heat map for yesterday's game, look at his contributions.

Why did you rate Zinchenko as a 6? As our worst performer, you rated him below White which is laughable.

[Mac76]

You said he rarely gave the ball away and that certainly wasn't true yesterday

And yes i should have given him maybe a 7.5 but i said 6 yesterday so was sticking to it

But i'll change it now...

Yes i saw the heatmap and it's impressive but his passing needs to improve and he needs to stop fawdling on the ball, he did it against Spuds too

[Marc Overmars]

How do people feel about the Cup game at City this week?

I would personally mix it up a little bit. Certainly start Trossard and Tierney. Maybe bring in Elneny and Smith-Rowe too.

Too many changes could mean a hammering but I do feel like we need to start thinking about prioritising the league now, especially with the EL back soon.

[selassie]

You said he rarely gave the ball away and that certainly wasn't true yesterday

And yes i should have given him maybe a 7.5 but i said 6 yesterday so was sticking to it

But i'll change it now...

Yes i saw the heatmap and it's impressive but his passing needs to improve and he needs to stop fawdling on the ball, he did it against Spuds too

I meant he rarely gives the ball away in general.

on your rating!

Yeah he makes mistakes, but he adds a lot more positives than negatives!

[selassie]

How do people feel about the Cup game at City this week?

I would personally mix it up a little bit. Certainly start Trossard and Tierney. Maybe bring in Elneny and Smith-Rowe too.

Too many changes could mean a hammering but I do feel like we need to start thinking about prioritising the league now, especially with the EL back soon.

Yeah I would mix up the team a bit. I would like us to rest or at least put on the bench the likes of Saka, one of Partey or Xhaka, one of Saliba or Gabriel, Ramsdale and both White and Zinchenko. Would definitely start Trossard, Smith-Rowe and Elneny too if he is fit, if not Sambi-Lokonga.

Yeah we just need to make sure we don't get a hammering if things go left. Priority is absolutely the league, followed by Europa.

[Mac76]

How do people feel about the Cup game at City this week?

I would personally mix it up a little bit. Certainly start Trossard and Tierney. Maybe bring in Elneny and Smith-Rowe too.

Too many changes could mean a hammering but I do feel like we need to start thinking about prioritising the league now, especially with the EL back soon.

I was thinking about this too, mix it up and then if we lose it doesn't mean anything psychologically as it's not the same team we'd put up against them in the league.

I'd personally bring quite a few people from what we have on the bench - Trossard, Tomi, Holding, Tierney, Vieira and also Elneny and ESR