Ivan Toney is always a tricky customer but we should see them off easily.
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Desperately hope you're right because losing that one then losing to Liverpool would be a huge momentum killer
I feel confident we can defeat Liverpool if they don't bottle it. We are playing better than them. Sp**s on the contrary, I just hope Arteta learned from his mistakes against ManU and the presence of Partey change everything.Even if we lose both those games, you’ll see us bounce back again. Something I doubt by the way.
The fundamentals are clear to see now. I said it before the Brentford match, that if we control the ball and move into different phases of play at the needed times, we will have enough to do the job against both Liverpool and Sp**s, at home.
Of course this is football and anything can happen on the day. There are also much finer margins amongst the top six. But technically and cohesively we are one the best in the league right now, along with City, by some distance.
I feel confident we can defeat Liverpool if they don't bottle it. We are playing better than them. Sp**s on the contrary, I just hope Arteta learned from his mistakes against ManU and the presence of Partey change everything.
Being honest the game is going to be very interested. I am not from England so I don't feel that rivalry people from London feel against Sp**s. They are meh for me. So I don't hate them. I am interested in watching the game in tactical level.There was some drop off when Lokonga came on against Brentford. You can see he doesn’t have the positional and spatial awareness that TP5 has. Not ideal but we can remain functional to some degree. We would ideally need TP5 now and hopefully Elneny back after the World Cup again.
As for the Sp**s game, I think Arteta will adjust for that one. What we know is that Sp**s cannot fully function if they are denied space. They deliberately concede possession for this and use the counter attack like no other.
I do expect us to push up and squeeze them in parts, but I also see us changing our shape a bit to ensure we have the numbers needed to deal with their threat in behind. For example we remember how we dropped to 5 at the back in defense last season at home to Liverpool, with Martinelli and Saka operating as wingbacks. This completely nullified Liverpool for the game, until the second half produced those two moments of brilliance.
Tactically I respect Conte’s management, he will be well set up to stop us from breaking then down, combined with enough outlets for the turnover ball. But I also think Arteta has the plans to nullify their threat and pull their block out of shape.
Being honest the game is going to be very interested. I am not from England so I don't feel that rivalry people from London feel against Sp**s. They are meh for me. So I don't hate them. I am interested in watching the game in tactical level.
I wouldn't high press against them, but at the same time I wonder if he is going to go the same way as he did against ManU like Pep does and sometimes loses because of it, specially in UCL.
There was some drop off when Lokonga came on against Brentford. You can see he doesn’t have the positional and spatial awareness that TP5 has. Not ideal but we can remain functional to some degree. We would ideally need TP5 now and hopefully Elneny back after the World Cup again.
From an over 8000 messages member in their forum:On reflection: we played very well, they were certainly not at their best, the sombre atmosphere helped us and it was the perfect game for uncle Partey to return - he is a very calming influence.
Consensus on a Brentford forum I browsed was that we are the best team they have faced in a very long time. Im certainly not deranged enough to think we are anywhere near Man City’s level though.
From an over 19000 messages member in their forum:"I have never seen us dominated at home like that for 65 minutes since we were promoted to the PL. Was that because Arsenal were so good or Brentford so bad, probably a bit of both. This game will not define our season, they will finish top 4 imo. Having said that Thomas was unable to do anything to change the tide, and we continue to concede goals at an alarming rate. Hopefully out of our system for Muff, but that is one big kick up the arse."
From an over 23000 messages member in their forum:Or southampton or Brighton away?
Arsenal are good. They were a little hard done by in their one defeat. They look like the nearest title contenders to City at the moment. I don’t think there was any lack of effort on our part just a few errors ruthlessly punished and a worldy of a third which was always going in even if Raya hadn’t taken a step to the right first. We miss Norgaard and it’s not as easy for Janelt to deputise as it was in the Championship, particularly against a top team. Let’s not beat ourselves or each other up over it.
It was disappointing to have posed so little goal threat but that’s in the context of having scored freely all season. There are several teams who are doing that week in week out even against teams well out of the top 6 reckoning.
From an over 1000 messages member in their forum:We lost to a very good team
No shame in that
On to the next one…
Arsenal were more physical than last season. Arteta said he realised that was previously lacking in his team. They were also good at time wasting and sh*thousing and the referee let them get away with it.
That said, they were better organised, keener, more skilful and more creative. We could not get near the ball for large parts of the game. When Arsenal lost possession they quickly regained it.
Think G.Jesus made huge difference. Watching him and watching Lacazette is huge difference.
Its unbelievable we forced ourselves watched him play in that system last season. At least he doing well now back at lyonLike upgrading from a beached whale to a lithe cheetah
Not that well besides end-product.Its unbelievable we forced ourselves watched him play in that system last season. At least he doing well now back at lyon
Yeah he been used in box at lyon he just there to finish the chances still yesterday he missed big chance against psgNot that well besides end-product.
A lithe cheetah with the strength of a LionLike upgrading from a beached whale to a lithe cheetah
The agenda against him wierd they need to stop.
Saliba possesses something that can be easily overlooked but has been crucial in our improvement. He isn’t just calm under pressure, he is able to draw attackers on to him and take 2/3 opposition players out of the game with a pass/interception/carry when pressed on a regular basis.
Is it risky? Yes but his technical base level and ability to control the ball with either foot as well as knowing what’s around him gives him a huge advantage. Scary talent for 21.
Obviously, I don't want us to lose two in a row but I also think it's not something we can afford to do especially vs clubs with the same objectives. I saw a stat that last season we lost consecutive games on four separate occasions including three in a row twice. The evidence from past seasons is that we can slump hard and i want us to break that cycle this season. We need to get something from both matches as we rather threw it away vs Utd. It's likely to come down to tactics and solving the annoyingly persistent issue of inadequate chance conversion.Even if we lose both those games, you’ll see us bounce back again. Something I doubt by the way.
The fundamentals are clear to see now. I said it before the Brentford match, that if we control the ball and move into different phases of play at the needed times, we will have enough to do the job against both Liverpool and Sp**s, at home.
Of course this is football and anything can happen on the day. There are also much finer margins amongst the top six. But technically and cohesively we are one the best in the league right now, along with City, by some distance.