Mikel Starteta Wars: Phase IV - A New Cope

[fute]

We need a director of football. A real one. Klopp had one. Pep had one. Ancelotti has one (yeah i know. lol)

Nobody can do it alone. And when they do, you don't see silverware, just the ceiling.

 

[Gooner Zig]

I'm not familiar with them but it's been a theme since early last season where he's gone too far in that direction.

I can understand some of the rationale for it like pacing ourselves earlier in the season to have the legs to go on runs like City have after Christmas etc. but he's overdoing it and it's also the case that when you don't play your football for long periods and get accustomed to this overly cautious grinding sideways game, it's not so simple to just turn your flowing football back on.

We're now in a position where we've got to go in the other direction and be maybe more aggressive than we would otherwise to try to make up ground.

Yeah agree with all that but I will say that post international break we've been pretty good; that Fulham result was the first game we've dropped points in and we were inches away from taking all 3 pts. I think this handwringing over "open play" goals has been a bit much and is mostly driven by results based analysis. There's no way in my mind that we would be gnashing our teeth in this way had we beaten Fulham. Moreover, the performance at least statistically speaking was really good - you run that game back another 9 times we likely win 8 of them.

 

[Batman]

Yeah agree with all that but I will say that post international break we've been pretty good; that Fulham result was the first game we've dropped points in and we were inches away from taking all 3 pts. I think this handwringing over "open play" goals has been a bit much and is mostly driven by results based analysis. There's no way in my mind that we would be gnashing our teeth in this way had we beaten Fulham. Moreover, the performance at least statistically speaking was really good - you run that game back another 9 times we likely win 8 of them.

Yeah it's just that the margins are so small now that dropped points are magnified. Overall we haven't created or scored enough this season, even if we acknowledge the injuries we've had. It just feels extra frustrating when we're not able to take advantage of Liverpool slipping up.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Yeah agree with all that but I will say that post international break we've been pretty good; that Fulham result was the first game we've dropped points in and we were inches away from taking all 3 pts. I think this handwringing over "open play" goals has been a bit much and is mostly driven by results based analysis. There's no way in my mind that we would be gnashing our teeth in this way had we beaten Fulham. Moreover, the performance at least statistically speaking was really good - you run that game back another 9 times we likely win 8 of them.

On top of that there is no other predictor of getting regular wins than performing well on the pitch, I'm not sure what else you can do other than batter your opponent? Like what are we asking for really?

We did batter Fulham but didn't put the ball in the back of the net enough, there's not really any accounting for that at the managerial level, players need to take responsibility for missing sitters like TPiddy did from a few yards out etc.

 

[Rasmi]

Yeah agree with all that but I will say that post international break we've been pretty good; that Fulham result was the first game we've dropped points in and we were inches away from taking all 3 pts. I think this handwringing over "open play" goals has been a bit much and is mostly driven by results based analysis. There's no way in my mind that we would be gnashing our teeth in this way had we beaten Fulham. Moreover, the performance at least statistically speaking was really good - you run that game back another 9 times we likely win 8 of them.

The performance was very solid and controlling. The issue is you never really saw Leni pulling bunch of saves or Fulham defending for their lives. It was us controlling everything and lacking real urgency. Both Havertz and Jesus kept leaving the centre halves and going wide or coming short. The two CBs had little pressure. That’s why people don’t rate our attack as highly. Our strikers are incapable of really doing much against CBs. Despite all the ball I never left with the impression what a game Leno, Bassy or Diop had

 

[Gooner Zig]

The performance was very solid and controlling. The issue is you never really saw Leni pulling bunch of saves or Fulham defending for their lives. It was us controlling everything and lacking real urgency. Both Havertz and Jesus kept leaving the centre halves and going wide or coming short. The two CBs had little pressure. That’s why people don’t rate our attack as highly. Our strikers are incapable of really doing much against CBs. Despite all the ball I never left with the impression what a game Leno, Bassy or Diop had

We put up 2.0 xG vs Fulham, the highest xG they've conceded all season at their ground while we conceded 0.1 xG which was by far the lowest Fulham have accrued this season. Fulham aren't a team that give away many chances to any team they've played thus far at Craven Cottage. I agree it would have been nice to give Leno a bit more to think about but it is what it is, we troubled them greatly from set pieces, Partey had a shocking miss which should have won us the game. I'm not saying everything is all roses but imo folks have got carried away with the "open play" stuff.

 

[Trilly]

We put up 2.0 xG vs Fulham, the highest xG they've conceded all season at their ground while we conceded 0.1 xG which was by far the lowest Fulham have accrued this season. Fulham aren't a team that give away many chances to any team they've played thus far at Craven Cottage. I agree it would have been nice to give Leno a bit more to think about but it is what it is, we troubled them greatly from set pieces, Partey had a shocking miss which should have won us the game. I'm not saying everything is all roses but imo folks have got carried away with the "open play" stuff.

I stand by the open play stuff purely because I don’t see us creating enough at times and open play is the source for something like 80% of goals.

I get the impression that we didn’t really trouble Leno hence why Nelli being offside gets overanalysed. We’re at the level where we shouldn’t need to look at xG numbers to know if we’ve challenged a team like Fulham’s goalkeeper.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

We put up 2.0 xG vs Fulham, the highest xG they've conceded all season at their ground while we conceded 0.1 xG which was by far the lowest Fulham have accrued this season. Fulham aren't a team that give away many chances to any team they've played thus far at Craven Cottage. I agree it would have been nice to give Leno a bit more to think about but it is what it is, we troubled them greatly from set pieces, Partey had a shocking miss which should have won us the game. I'm not saying everything is all roses but imo folks have got carried away with the "open play" stuff.

This is the difference between stats and your own eyes.
I don't know how we reach xG 2.0, but I remember that we haven't created much against Fulham.
Saliba's goal, Saka's disallowed goal, Partey's header, that's all.

 

[Gooner Zig]

This is the difference between stats and your own eyes.
I don't know how we reach xG 2.0, but I remember that we haven't created much against Fulham.
Saliba's goal, Saka's disallowed goal, Partey's header, that's all.

Saka's disallowed goal isn't included in the xG because it was ultimately flagged as offside.

 

[Rasmi]

Saka's disallowed goal isn't included in the xG because it was ultimately flagged as offside.

Fulham vs Arsenal live score, H2H and lineups | Sofascore

Fulham Arsenal live score (and video online live stream) starts on 8 Dec 2024 at 14:00 UTC time at Craven Cottage stadium, London city, England in Premier League, England.

www.sofascore.com

Saliba 3rd min corner 0.23
The goal Havertz 0.23 + Saliba 0.86
Partey header 0.25

That’s 1.57 xgoals from 3 corners. People may not know the goal was counted as 2 incidents totaling xgoal of 1.09.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

Fulham vs Arsenal live score, H2H and lineups | Sofascore

Fulham Arsenal live score (and video online live stream) starts on 8 Dec 2024 at 14:00 UTC time at Craven Cottage stadium, London city, England in Premier League, England.

www.sofascore.com

Saliba 3rd min corner 0.23
The goal Havertz 0.23 + Saliba 0.86
Partey header 0.25

That’s 1.57 xgoals from 3 corners. People may not know the goal was counted as 2 incidents totaling xgoal of 1.09.

Saliba's corner in 3rd minute is 0.33, and I don't even remember this one.

Partey header is 0.25.

So, Saliba corner 0.33+goal (0.23+0.86)+Partey header 0.25, in total 1.67.

Too little for title contender against good midtable team (Fulham) in must-win game.
No urgency, no intensity, no energy.
As if Arteta didn't motivate them enough.

 

[Sammy1887]

New corner routines tonight

 

[Riou]

Did anyone see his pre Monaco game press conference?

Was asked again about being too reliant on set pieces...

"You see set plays and open goals like this (picks up two small bottles of water on the table) but I see them like this (picks up a larger single bottle of water on the table) everything is together"

...I wonder if the water bottles being on the table were pre-planned by him

 

[Red London]

@db10_therza @Batman I joke but I do understand what you guys are saying even if I don’t quite agree with the scope/importance of it.

I don’t think it’s a big deal that a manager gets his players to buy into his tactics, I’d immediately sack him if that wasn’t happening.

As for the fans reconnecting with the club again I don’t think that’s anything special, fans are fickle, all you need to do is win.

Is it that black or white though? Some managers don’t manage to get the players to 100% buy into their tactics. It’s a very grey area. Not always where they are 1000% bought in or they’ve lost the dressing room.

A manager might come in who don’t get the same tune out of the players but are given time which proves to be a waste.

The grass isn’t always greener, sometimes the current manager actually can be the person who takes you to your goals (if the team is still 100% committed).

1 or 2 of the wrong managerial appointments in a row and you’re back in the abyss squad wise.

 

[outlawz]

It's 50/50 on here.

I don't believe this but it's come to my attention that some title winning ex pro's swear by this. I think at the start of the season teams are a lot more optimistic and stubborn as it's all to play for.

In any macro training programme you ramp up intensity so you peak at a specific time in the programme. You don't play at maximal intensity from game one and then think you can sustain it throughout the season.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

We put up 2.0 xG vs Fulham, the highest xG they've conceded all season at their ground while we conceded 0.1 xG which was by far the lowest Fulham have accrued this season. Fulham aren't a team that give away many chances to any team they've played thus far at Craven Cottage. I agree it would have been nice to give Leno a bit more to think about but it is what it is, we troubled them greatly from set pieces, Partey had a shocking miss which should have won us the game. I'm not saying everything is all roses but imo folks have got carried away with the "open play" stuff.

 

[Rasmi]

In any macro training programme you ramp up intensity so you peak at a specific time in the programme. You don't play at maximal intensity from game one and then think you can sustain it throughout the season.

You can’t pre plan in football when your team will peak. There is so many things you can’t control. You don’t know who will be fit or off form the time you plan to peak. That’s why you take one game at a time and focus on the now. The excuses some of our fans are coming with are getting crazier. I prefer the ole refs are conspiring against us rather than we are not giving our all on so we can save energy.

 

[Trilly]

Saliba's corner in 3rd minute is 0.33, and I don't even remember this one.

Partey header is 0.25.

So, Saliba corner 0.33+goal (0.23+0.86)+Partey header 0.25, in total 1.67.

Too little for title contender against good midtable team (Fulham) in must-win game.
No urgency, no intensity, no energy.
As if Arteta didn't motivate them enough.

And that’s why it’s always stats + the eye test.

The funny thing is I didn’t even watch the game but I could just tell from how much criticism Nelli got for the offside that it wasn’t a game where we had many clear chances. It’s always been the way on A-M and always will be.

We are ranked something like 15th for open play xG over the last six games. Our set pieces shouldn’t be the only thing keeping us afloat, they should be the difference maker.

 

[Riou]

I thought Jesus bottling even going for the ball when he thought the keeper might hit him, was way worse than Martinelli being offside to be honest.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

I thought Jesus bottling even going for the ball when he thought the keeper might hit him, was way worse than Martinelli being offside to be honest.

Martinelli's offside was so marginal. It's one of those ones where there is no actual advantage and not what the rule is intended to prevent at all.