₦airaland Forum

Things are getting nastier and revealing here

@Blueraydick, here's my point.
I know they're not sacking Arteta anytime soon and because of that, most of us have toned down on our expectations unlike the Wenger days were we'll be looking/hoping to dominate the Liverpools, man citys, Chelseas and Man U's(and hoping for at least top 4).
Now we've lowered our expectations to hope that we'll dominate the likes of crystal palace, Aston villa, west ham and so on. But if after such insipid display ystdy(most of us opinions here) and you still think there's an improvement in that play and that we are undone by two costly mistakes, then I get the feeling from you that we should even reduce our expectations lower to the likes of Crystal Palace, Southampton and co. These are the teams we should be dominating.

Even tho I've lowered my expectations on this team, I don't want to reach that stage where with such an insipid display ystdy I'll start seeing positives. It's just as if we're present Newcastle or Norwich fans seeing positives in such a game ystdy. In fact, if we've played man city or Liverpool the way we played ystdy, I'll share in your optimism, not some sort of Crystal Palace biko.

Just my humble thoughts!

Tellwhat:
Hmmm. Maybe I need to watch this Pedri next time he plays because it's like I'm the only one who doesn't get the hype. The boy looked out of place in our match against Bayern and the few times I have seen him I didn't see anything impressive just the usual passing. I miss Arthur melo

I don't believe this boy can get a spot in man u starting lineup. I don't know Chelsea's current midfield. The only top team I see Pedri getting a spot is arsenal and Barca due Spanish influence.

How can Pedri be among the 30best players in the world 2021 yet has no legit meaningful impact in Barca this season. So when you look at Pedri you see someone worthy of a balon d'Or when players like Chelsea's GK Mendy didn't make the cut.

Well be like I done too talk about the boy. Hopefully he recovers from injury soon. I really want watch this boy again cause I no understand the 1billion release clause and balon d'Or nomination

No, I think you're expecting too much from him. Maybe he's overrated, you might not be wrong, but does he deserves the balon dor 30 list? Hell yes! For every Mendy that missed the list you called, I will name you 5 names that is not deserving of that list that is there without including Pedri.

Pedri is a central midfielder and not an Am(even tho that's his secondary position). A good coach will bench one of Fred or mctominay for pedri in that man u midfield. Even tho Chelsea have many CMs, he might struggle to get in there, due to many players there (jorg, kova, kante), but as a confident boy and the talent he have, an injury to kova can make him break in.

You're watching Pedri as some sort of Am or attacker. Watch him as a central midfielder and you'll appreciate the talent he is.

And lastly, please, stop using a player who played against Man city, Liverpool and Bayern to judge any player esp when the overall team is poor. No be every player be messi or Ronaldo

Spy360:
Gbam.

Lol... E dey sweet you ba.
Just calm down fest

Spy360:
You will offer me an unreserved apology for your no4.

Lol... It's pending for now.
I said maybe, so if I see run of games when we dominate opponents with partey and Xhaka pivots, I'll owe you an unreserved apology. I no fit use 1 game conclude

daveP:
We'd just be doing that stupid and rapidly useless left to right passing despite the numerous presence in the box. Personally i expect crosses into the boxes instead of those wingmen tryna find space to be doing pass and shoot. See how just their strikers kept interrupting the left to right crap and got uninterrupted, not even fouled till they enter our box 18. Shameful.

Very shameful indeed

BlueRayDick:
Nobody is talking about the useless Mike Dean that allowed McAthur to stay on the pitch having taking Saka out in that crazy manner.

McAthur practically kicked Saka who was on the ground while the ball was in the air. I believe players are expected to owe their fellow players a duty of care and not put them in serious arms way like McAthur did. Or is it until the affected player breaks a leg that the red card will be shown?

I wouldn't even blame Mike Dean sef, after all we're in a var era, I will actually blame var. I remember against crystal palace under Emery wen they won us 3-2 and Auba had a red card. Auba moved with a stamp and was given a yellow card, but var called the ref to have a review, and after the review Auba was shown a red.

Yesterday own was so blatant, how the hell did Var not call the ref to have a review on that. MacArthur wasn't even looking at the ball, he kicked hardly at saka as tho saka slept with his wife before entering the pitch. It's so so bad

BlueRayDick:
Here is an extended highlight of yesterday's match. Contrary to Ur opinion that we switched off after the first goal, watch and see that we still pushed the ball upfield in an attempt to get a goal. In fact it was in the final stages of the first half Palace started to really push for an equalizer after we had contained them really well.

Also arsenal didn't wait till 70th minute before we started attacking, in fact we pushed the first attack in the early part of the second half. Like I rightly said, the errors put us at a disadvantaged position and it was fighting spirit of the rest players that helped us salvage one point.How u say u don't see this still baffles me. I understand we have high expectations for this team o, but then we should not just exaggerate situation of things in that match


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_UwJZuWARE

Okay, I'll watch it and give you feedback

Lol... It's about to go down.

Na to just mark register follow thread, before some tsunami clean up the actions

BlueRayDick:
I do tell people, perception is not reality.

What most of u are doing is just thinking and hoping any team we face will allow us run over them like push overs and we enjoy 95% - 5% possession like this is some Arsene Wenger invincibles 2.0.

As regards Ur second paragraph, what if I tell u we actually played and we're undone by those two mistakes? Attached are screenshots of arsenal vs Tottenham and Arsenal vs Palace. If u look closely well, u will see we had more possession against Palace, had more possession against Palace and we even had better passing accuracy. I watched both matches and I can tell u beyond the stats Arsenal's win was made possible by that Tottemham's midfield that has attributes of a perfect market ; free entry and free exit. Nuno played himself and our attackers were able to get balls to score. Vieira on the other hand put up a good fight more than Nuno did in the middle and that saw him sharing the spoils.

How can u not see Auba that was busy sliding tackles to win the ball, running back to join the defence line and then he's back upfront running at their keeper trying to press him for the ball?

I'm impressed with their showing yesterday because it was not just the normal dross football they played against dem Brighton, Brentford, Norwich etc. Pepe has improved a bit and can still get better.

Lol... I'm not even saying we should get 95%-5% or sort. What I'm saying is that, if we want to become top 6, we need to dominate teams(esp average) the way we did after conceding that 2nd goal. To me, the stats ystdy favored arsenal cos we were now dominating after the 2nd goal. I believe we have different opinion to how we perceive ystdy game sha, cos all wetin I see na so so dross game till we conceded the 2nd goal. And it came after the 70min. Meaning we just played a serious game in 20min or less

No urgency, no drive, no determination.
Nothing!.
Not for lack of player's desire, cos i can see they wanted the win, but lack of coach tactics

iamoyindamola:
There's no way xhaka will change what happened yesterday
We scored and parked the bus immediately in the 9th minutes
Arsenal are known for attacking not defending, I actually thought we would go out blazing hot after the goal.
That match still they pain me I no go lie
I'm still trying to figure out the caution approach against ayew and banteke.
It would have been worse if zaha was there, only callagher and eduoard were the threat
The mistakes were result of the stupid play from the coach, same way Leno will be stupid like his coach to pass when not to

I tell you, that match still dey pain me I no go lie.

Why I'm giving Xhaka benefit of doubt in this team is that we have good defence and a good Am. Xhaka is good at recycling the ball and diagonal passes, while also an aerial threat in winning balls. Maybe we might not be outplayed like that ystdy. To be sincere, I just want to see Mo-partey pivot

Barryseal:
You saw Xhaka at the Euros? If that Xhaka showed up for consecutive seasons, he will be right up there in the conversation.
Pepe struggles with basics, it's not a surprise really because he was training as a goalkeeper in his teen years in Paris. I don't know if New castle will be interested in getting him and Aubameyang next season.

Lol... I saw Xhaka in euros. While I'll be happy to have that Xhaka consecutively at arsenal, that won't still make him a world class player maybe highest a top player. Like I said, world class player is too much a standard for him.

As for Pepe, nothing wey person wan tell me again, Lille don scam us big time. I read he started as a goalkeeper but to me, that doesn't mean. Some people started as a defender and have made it big as a striker (drogba, lewy). If only we fit just shop the guy go Newcastle by January then call Nelson back, e better. Saka, Nelson, ESR and martinelli jostling for the wings

Tellwhat:
Bro our midfield isn't as effective anymore.
So you really think this Pedri will get a spot in Bayern? Man city?. Starting lineup in man u or is it Chelsea. How many top teams can Pedri walk straight into their starting lineup

This same Pedri played full match Vs Bayen Munich yet looked like a duck out of water. His performance was far from impressive. I don't believe that a player like ansu fati will play that match and not make a meaningful impact with or without goal

Can you please tell me the match that makes you rate Pedri so much..only thing I will say this dude has is passes; that tiki taka passes

I believe you're underestimating pedri. For your information, teams like man u and Chelsea will be happy to have Pedri in their starting 11

iamoyindamola:
Xhaka and jourginho I no know who useless pass.
They can't do their basic job right

Lol... They're same brothers from different mothers

Maybe, just maybe, Partey and Xhaka understands each others game that we aren't aware of yet cos this dominating wey anyhow teams dey dominate us, e no just gel

Barryseal:
Xhaka is not a bad player. If he stopped those errors leading to goals and needless cards, he would have been a world class player. Partey can play as a Dm but he is not a Dm.
Our midfield 3 going forward should Elneny, Partey and Odegard

Lol..Even if Xhaka stop the errors leading to goals and the unnecessary cards, he won't still be a world class player. I think the way we're saying this "world class" sef, we're setting the standard too low.

As for the bolded, I agree with it. Till it disappoints, let's just start with it, cos I'm sick and tired of seeing our midfield dominated and Pepe playing crap

Barryseal:
Unpopular opinion, MO Elneny should be the natural replacement for Xhaka. He never looses the ball at the base of the midfield, though he is criticized for making too many safe passes instead of playing vertically but I will take those safe passes than the Sambi and Partey like turn overs leading to goals.
Recall Elneny vs Man utd at Old Trafford last season? Arteta must find a way to bring him back from cold.

Lol... It's not really unpopular tho.
That's what I was thinking also, instead of playing Odegaard at CM, why not play Elneny at DM then Partey at Cm?

It's even funny we're even talking about Xhaka replacement after how most of us here don't want to see him . Truly, sometimes, you don't know what you have until you lose it

Roland17:
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace: Arsenal outcoached and outplayed

Brighton 0-0 Arsenal: Arsenal totally outcoached and outplayed

Arsenal 3-1 Spuds: Spuds outplayed and outcoached

Burnley 0-1 Arsenal: Arsenal outplayed and outcoached

Arsenal 1-0 Norwich: Norwich outcoached, Arsenal outplayed.

Man City 5-0 Arsenal: Arsenal outplayed, outcoached and outclassed

Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea: Arsenal outplayed, outcoached and outclassed

Brentford 2-0 Arsenal: Arsenal outplayed, outcoached and outclassed

After 8 games and nearly 800 minutes of football, we have scored a paltry 7 goals and conceded 12 goals

If you still think Arteta should be coaching this team, then YOU are part of the problem.

If thus far, you remotely see any improvement or hope for Arsenal under Scamteta then YOU are part of the problem
#ARTETAOUT

In hulk's voice

#YOUOUT.

BlueRayDick:
What most people fail to acknowledge in football is that for every action their is a reaction ( sometimes equal, sometimes non proportional). Arsenal started the match dominating Palace ; while they were trying to get their mojo Arsenal scored before the 10th minute. It's only normal for Palace to push us back and try to get a goal themselves. This they did really well and we had to soak that pressure as much as we can. Committing most of Ur players to attack whip leaving Ur defenders at the mercy of their physical front men is foolhardy if u ask me.

Palace will not just allow u to keep playing them around while u keep banging in goals, they will surely try to catch u on a counter . The fact that Partey was always caught out of position didn't help matters either. I remember someone saying it seems Partey needs Xhaka more than Xhaka needs him seeing how poor he was in the match.

Now at the resumption of the second half we went all out gun blazing as most fans wanted, but two costly mistakes we were trailing before we grabbed a late equalizer.

The things I will fault Arteta for was pairing Odegaard and Partey to play in the middle, bringing on Lokonga for Saka instead of replacing him with Martinelli and maybe not reading the game well enough to counter Vieira's game plan like Brighton did to us.

Anything apart from that my hand no dey there

If we can't make palace to do the bolded, then make we kukuma just dey expect 10th-12th position come end of season na.

The way you're saying it, it's as if we played well but were undone by 2 chief mistakes. While I agree the mistakes caused their goal, but any neutral fan will see that they're deserving of it. They balled us, pressed us and forced us into making mistakes and above all possessed us. What we're just doing is pass to me I pass to you ball. No urgency, no creativity, no fight till after we conceded twice. It was only wen at 80min Vieira wanted to see out the game by putting in defenders that's when arsenal know they'll he serious..

To be honest, I didn't see any fight in the team, I wasn't impressed with their fighting spirit (medicine after death), Auba lost esp the 2nd half, Pepe underwhelmed, midfield collapse.

If we can't dominate crystal palace without Zaha or Eze, is it Leicester, Aston Villa, west Ham or sort we'll dominate?? E no make sense na

iamoyindamola:
That's my point why close shop after a goal, same approach against Burnley
I also noticed we play well in the first half but I guess today's goal came to early na why Baba decided to close early

Na wetin dey pain me.
Once We score one goal, even eyimba go start to press us. How we wan take see top 7 sef if we can't dominate from beginning till ending all these kinda team?

My thoughts on the game

1... We can't break or dominate teams who are good at pressing esp pressing from the front. Arteta haven't drilled this guys how to do quick passes and positional discipline to avert good press reason why we're making mistakes. We're just done for from good pressing teams

2.. Our passes and transitional play is damn poor and slow. I mean once we have a counter, the first thing we do set the tone and build the counter is not quick forward passes or running with the ball, instead the first thing we do is passing back. Like we pass back to our own half even wen we're on the ascendency to attack. Mehn, who does that?. Worst part is that it's laborious and slow.

3... I've been saying it times without number, we need a winger that can beat a defender. Pepe have proven he's not effective at such while Saka best wing is Pepe's wing. Aside the buildup to Auba's goal and the last minute cross that lead to the equaliser, I don't see anything noteworthy Pepe did. More so, martinelli reminded us the urgency we needed in our play cos he seems to be the only one who's fast with the ball.

4... Maybe what davep says is right. Just like pogba, partey needs xhaka to unlock him. Maybe both Xhaka and partey has each other's key to unlock themselves . Like the only match which we've dominated at least an entire half is just the Spurs game and that's the only game in which Partey and Xhaka started together this season.

macjireh:
hope ur heart was not in ur mouth at d 73rd minute Arsenal should have even lost

Lol... I bin just dey vex. The weyreys were even happy dey drew sef

BlueRayDick:
Let's all forget two players lost the ball in critical position on the pitch to gift them two goals....let's blame the coach for the goals conceded

Lol... If that's the only fault in the game, we'll blame the players, trust me!.

Everything was just wrong from arteta. Playing poorly and winning 1-0 is just papering over the crack. Infact, this draw and Brighton even paper over the crack self. We've been playing poorly aside Tottenham game and if not that our defence is good, na consistent lose we for dey lose.

Tho, partey and Sambi get fault, but mehn we were playing as if we should close shop immediately that first goal. It's so bad!

Roland17:
Baba, I have been preaching this gospel for 2 seasons now! Arteta is horrible to put it kindly.

Lol... It's so bad!
Like wetin him dey use one week do?

Nothing.

This guy is bad abeg!

daveP:
He lacks a plan to break down a resolute compact defence where the opponents don't care about possession. He just doesn't know how.


Two players he never hoped are worthy to be in his XI for crappy reasons saved the day

I tell you... Once defence park bus or both defence and midfield are very solid, then it's over for us.

Seriously, we'll just be another Moyes under Everton strolling but this time strolling between 7-10th consistently

BlueRayDick:
E dey happen.

Lol.... Yeah

iamoyindamola:
He get caution approach
Why should we be cautious of waste banteke and ayew FFS
We weren't even caution of kane last time out

Cautious approach deh better, this one na fear fear approach.

Score one goal and sai gobe

BlueRayDick:
I'm really impressed by the die-hard spirit of exhibited by the guys this night.

Auba was bursting of energy from start to finish., Pepe despite still being haunted by his poor ball control / first touch still played really really well.

Ramsdale did everything right and could've conceded more goals if he wasn't in the form of his life. Martinelli deserves to play more, even if I don't know who he should bench.

It’s unfortunate the only system Auba and Lacazette can both start is for Auba to play on the wide , if not I would’ve preferred them to always play together .... their chemistry is always there

Surprised how I disagree with most of your points except that of ramsdale and Martinelli

Make we no deceive ourselves...
Nothing Wey Arteta fit do to carry us go top 6

Him no get attacking pattern one bit

Fine last gasp cross by Pepe to force in the draw by White and lacazette handiwork

iamoyindamola:
Pepe is a foool
Why dive when you still have control of the ball
Stupid useless waste of fund

Lol... Reason I dey tell Roland say make match finish before we fit comfortably hail am

patrickmuf:
Hehehe I just dey hail you.

Lol...
I just dey vex for here

Mehn, our transition of play is damn too slow and positional discipline too poor.