Draw PL: West Ham United 2 - 2 Arsenal | Sunday, April 16 | KO: 14:00 BST | Sky Sports

@A_G

Spoiler: And look who we play next, ffs...

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I think it's about time someone else stepped up & created the Matchday threads.

The burden has proven too big for @Riou and the last two results prove my point.

I'd not reinstate @Oxeki he's doing stellar work keeping us apprised of the mental state of both Sp**s and United fans

#Oxekibackin. We can check the mental state of our rivals on May 29th. Whatever it takes to win.

 

[Sebastes]

The team does start parking the bus and stop pressing after they take a lead. Is this all on Arteta? In the past I have seen him encouraging players to press forward while we've dropped into the parked bus. The pressing game we've played this season is extremely physically demanding. I don't think it's surprising the players want to take a rest by dropping deep after taking a lead. I think we need more bite in the midfield, like 2 regens of Vieira or Petit or Gilberto to break up the oppositions counter attacks.

I don't know if it's all Arteta. I've said long ago as well that it's a recurring problem and I know from my own experiences that it's easy as a team to become a bit scared. Now having seen it continue and Artetas reactions over the last couple of games I actually do think it's more tactical than anything else. He seems to be very content controlling possession and lowering the tempo very much and only reacts when we actually give something away and by then it's usually too late to really shift things. Of course it can be tiring, but we've seen this team this season come at opponents all game and not showing signs of fatigue. I'm pretty sure this is a very clear instruction, but the team can't really execute it too well for whatever reason and instead falls behind in tempo, duels and overall initiative etc

 

[Synical]

I feel horrific today

Dont want to do anything or read anything

What a way to blow it

After the racial abuse Saka suffered I honestly don't care about that. I'm more upset about that

 

[MikeVinna]

I feel horrific today

Dont want to do anything or read anything

What a way to blow it

Same here. Absolutely gutted. Giving up a 2-0 lead like that is depressing.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Not gonna make you feel any better but if Gabriel had left that player to score it is a fair bet VAR would have disallowed it for the Rice handball. For some weird permutation of the rules, VAR couldn't get involved for the handball as it panned out. I don't pretend to understand it for a moment.

This is the way.

 

[Diesel]

Why did Saka miss the penalty? Holding
Why did Partey attempt that stupid sombrero on Rice? Holding
Why can't Ramsdale save a penalty? Holding

The answer's always Holding for some.

Having holding being dragged outta position constantly definitely creates chaos.

 

[SomGooner]

Is this what put Saka off?

View attachment VIDEO-2023-04-17-19-11-26.mp4

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Not gonna make you feel any better but if Gabriel had left that player to score it is a fair bet VAR would have disallowed it for the Rice handball. For some weird permutation of the rules, VAR couldn't get involved for the handball as it panned out. I don't pretend to understand it for a moment.

This is the way.

Watching MNF and I’ve just seen that the throwing that lead to their equaliser was TEN YARDS further forward than when the ball went out of play.

Sometimes you need a serial whiner in your team like Fernandes or Suarez who’s onto the referee about every little thing.

 

[SomGooner]

Arteta is also feeling nerves, maybe that’s why the team is collapsing because they can feel their leader’s nervousness.

His substitutions were both terrible in the last two games on so many levels that it’s not even funny.

I’d thought he learned from his howler at OT but sadly it doesn’t look like it.

He needs to exude calmness…I don’t care whether he takes acting lessons or poker as a hobby, but he needs to show that he’s under control.

 

[TakeChillPill]

Not gonna make you feel any better but if Gabriel had left that player to score it is a fair bet VAR would have disallowed it for the Rice handball. For some weird permutation of the rules, VAR couldn't get involved for the handball as it panned out. I don't pretend to understand it for a moment.

This is the way.

I saw the hand ball too. Wtf VAR. It's bs.

 

[Riou]

It hit Rice's stomach then bounced onto his arm, very harsh to give a freekick for that.

Like the one those idiot Liverpool fans wouldn't shut up about for ages at The Emirates, when the ball rolled off Gabriel's chest and got his arm...both weren't handballs.

 

[avenellroad]

Is this what put Saka off?

Nah he’s mentally tougher than letting some neanderthal chanting b******s get to him.

He tried to hit the ball with a bit of lift the way Kane does whereas all the pens he’s scored for us have all been close to the ground. Probably something technique related… all will be forgotten when he sticks away the next one he gets.

 

[Tomb Bombadil]

Maybe not physically but possibly mentally. We have been leading the whole season and have already had to pull out some desperate last minute wins against Bournemouth, villa and utd. You exert a lot of emotion in such games, it was one of my concerns, given there were still so many games to go. IMO whilst they have stayed on course and continued to win, most of the 2nd half of the season has been a struggle, it hasn’t come easily.

I would say the bigger problem is that we don't play as good as we where playing pre world cup. We had some games where we were not so convincing. Often we had luck on our side and scored at the right time or didn't concede a goal. Last Match West Ham had de luck on their side and got a draw.

 

[SomGooner]

Saka should’ve never interacted with a Kardashian.

That woman put a curse on our ️ boy. He hasn’t been the same since their FaceTime session.

There’s a reason why the Kardashians are undefeated.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Saka should’ve never interacted with a Kardashian.

That woman put a curse on our ️ boy. He hasn’t been the same since their FaceTime session.

There’s a reason why the Kardashians are undefeated.

I never even thought about this

I had a terrible feeling when she was at our game.

 

[MartiSaka]

Saka should’ve never interacted with a Kardashian.

That woman put a curse on our ️ boy. He hasn’t been the same since their FaceTime session.

There’s a reason why the Kardashians are undefeated.

It's a combination of this and the big salary upgrade curse at arsenal. Although it's yet to be officially done, just the final negotiations and verbal agreement have already cursed his game. Has anyone managed to beat the big salary upgrade curse at arsenal, can't think of anyone.

 

[MartiSaka]

I would say the bigger problem is that we don't play as good as we where playing pre world cup. We had some games where we were not so convincing. Often we had luck on our side and scored at the right time or didn't concede a goal. Last Match West Ham had de luck on their side and got a draw.

Yeah agree and it is starting to get tiring for the players having to pull it out of the bag so late on a semi frequent basis. Appeared to be little reaction after they came back, unlike every other game this year.

 

[Mohamed7]

Also I think people need to put this theory of midweek games tiring teams out into the bin.

Tiring wasn’t the issue but the likelihood of injuries to our key players. We don’t have the bench quality to play on multiple fronts. But, the damage was already done by the time we got out of it. Our key players had no business playing that crap cup. We lost both Saliba and Tommy in there.

They would have been so helpful in the run-in. I am sure we wouldn’t have dropped four points if we had them available. Just hope we get Saliba back tomorrow and the reminder. He’s perfect for our style and has the composure in that matches.

 

[Sniper Mik]

Tiring wasn’t the issue but the likelihood of injuries to our key players. We don’t have the bench quality to play on multiple fronts. But, the damage was already done by the time we got out of it. Our key players had no business playing that crap cup. We lost both Saliba and Tommy in there.

They would have been so helpful in the run-in. I am sure we wouldn’t have dropped four points if we had them available. Just hope we get Saliba back tomorrow and the reminder. He’s perfect for our style and has the composure in that matches.

I agree but I was talking about West Ham playing Conference League, not about us.

 

[Ljonin]

Nah he’s mentally tougher than letting some neanderthal chanting b******s get to him.

He tried to hit the ball with a bit of lift the way Kane does whereas all the pens he’s scored for us have all been close to the ground. Probably something technique related… all will be forgotten when he sticks away the next one he gets.

Don’t think he’ll get another one. Think it’s Jesus from now on