I’m not convinced Salah and Mane would have made any difference tonight. Our old nemesis ‘the low block’ pays no regard to our team-sheet.
People will rant about the starting midfield and they’ll be right when they claim a lack of creativity and guile but to a large extent the midfield did what was asked of it tonight. We controlled the game, kept a clean sheet and kept the ball moving, albeit against 10 men. Anyone expecting the midfield 3 to walk through Arsenal’s back line or play defence-splitting passes hasn’t been watching us closely for the past few years.
There were a number of problems. Trent was diabolical (maybe it was the covid). He and Robbo had no space to get in behind Arsenal’s back line so a massive part of our offensive game-plan was missing.
Jota and Bobby were starved of any decent service and Minamino proved once again he has no future at this football club.
Ox and Jones were lively when they came on and both should start at the weekend. I thought Matip was fantastic again and gave him MOTM along with Alisson for his save and …hmmm, will have to think about who else gets a vote.
The rest of January is going to be fucking brutal on that showing. I think Jurgen needs to seriously consider a change of formation until Salah and Mane are back.
Tie is still up for grabs, arsenal are nothing special but tbh I’m more concerned about not slipping down the table right now.
Bellingham looks incredible and could run the midfield for the next decade.
Thiago has been incredible for the past decade but is always injured.
Not as ridiculous as you make it sound
Who is going to mention the elephant at the buffet with a peshwari naan, two pickles and three samosas?
Yes, I’m talking about the thread starter!
Clearly the thread starting was deficient despite pre match confidence bordering on exuberance. Excuses will be made, bucks will be passed, there maybe grovelling, but someone will have to fall on his word and hand in his military honours. The 1922 committee may have to write each other letters or do a few selfies, but the culprit will have to face the music.
Also think Sancho is a cracking player. He just went to the wrong club
The problem with Trent is he can’t go past a player, where Neco can and until the change of both Neco & Jones, we had nobody that threatened to beat a man out wide, so we had no option but to try and penetrate through the middle.
Some people mentioned Trent having covid in the in-game thread, however this doesn’t stand up as Trent has been poor for 3 - 4 games in a row
Best midfielder who can’t get on the pitch.
He’s missed nearly half the games since he’s been here.
I don’t doubt his quality but he’s never available when we really need him.
The singing of Ronaldo has shafted Sancho
You dodged a bullet. My eyes still hurt from the Minamino miss
Ronnie does a mean karaoke of It’s Raining Men
AFCON just makes it worse, as we will no doubt see. Even without AFCON we are struggling to match Chelski and Citeh, or are you just happy with the status quo?.
He got a goal or assist in 3 out of the last 4 games, including a goal of the season contender. Our fans on this forum are ridiculously harsh on him anytime he drops his high standards.
Comparisons with Neco are just disrespectful given what he’s done for us over the last 4 years. Neco has shown flashes of potential. We wouldn’t have number 6 without Trent
Spot on. It’s like an uber enthusiastic mechanic nursing his prized car through various competitions. At some point the crankshaft is going to shear and the pistons seize.
They both can create a chance out of nothing, they create their own chances. Minamino for sure can not do that and I’m under the impression that Firmino is past his prime. Jota is wild, can be great or wild so to speak.
Strange question were did I give you that impression?
You sound like ARD, his overall game has been poor for 3 - 4 games, not a what I would call his normal level
Mane doesn’t create out of nothing. Salah yes. But you need space to be able to do this. Arsenal gave us none, which is to their credit.
It’s getting a bit weird now. Bellingham is nowhere near (currently) as good as people think. Nowhere near.
Well, I disagree about Mané. Salah can create his own space. Let’s agree to disagree.
In your previous tweet. I thought you were being sarcastic.
No not at all. 