Arsenal post match 4-3

[Podgeyrogers]

CS won't make such a mess of the subs again. It was a decision based on the scoreline and made in an instant. Possibly tellingly, he really didn't fancy King was the right choice for James. No need to crowbar Inheanacho into that game though, his time will come, possibly at home.

Pearson will be texting him next week.

So expect a 73 minute substitution!! 

[inckley fox]

Shakespeare suggested that instructions were ignored when one of the substitutions took place. He didn't specify whether it was the Amartey or Iheanacho change, but he did state that the logic of having Amartey on was for one of the midfielders to reduce Xhaka's influence on the game. You'd have to guess that it was either Ndidi or James that he wanted to advance a little, having previously been pegged back on the edge of their own box.

 

He's right to say that our failure to defend set pieces was the main problem. Fuchs, as good as he was further up the field, and Morgan were uncomfortable with balls into the box all game long. That needs to improve, or we won't only be dropping points to the likes of Arsenal.

 

Where I'd be critical of him is that this analysis ignores how we handed the impetus to Arsenal in the closing stages. I thought it was clear that Okazaki and James were tiring a good ten minutes before they were removed and, considering the ground they'd been covering, I think we could have retained the initiative by making changes - even if they had to be the same changes - a little earlier.

 

Equally, it might have helped to make these changes at the same time to avoid the fumbled attempt at changing shape, which only resulted in us being camped in our own box even more. I also think people are right in saying that Mahrez could have been taken off at some point. He'd completely neglected the physical side of the game to the extent that he was severely wanting for one of their goals and was surrendering a lot of possession rather than providing an outlet.

 

It's obviously silly to suggest that the subs themselves were to blame for the loss.

 

In terms of things to look at, apart from 'second phase' set piece defending, I think Morgan's and Mahrez's roles in the side need looking at. Whether that means improving them, or preferring Huth to Morgan / Musa, Lawrence or Gray to Mahrez, or bringing in new faces, I don't know.

 

As for positive lessons learned, I think we learnt that being without Drinkwater and his constant Hollywood-ball-over-the-top isn't necessarily a bad thing for our creativity. Maguire did well. Albrighton was excellent, and the Vardy-Okazaki partnership looks like a very good alternative to the presumably first-choice Vardy-Nacho partnership.

[Guest Col city fan]

24 minutes ago, Podgeyrogers said:

CS won't make such a mess of the subs again. It was a decision based on the scoreline and made in an instant. Possibly tellingly, he really didn't fancy King was the right choice for James. No need to crowbar Inheanacho into that game though, his time will come, possibly at home.

Pearson will be texting him next week.

So expect a 73 minute substitution!! 

I agree. I don't think he'll do the same thing again. Last night must have hurt him.

[l444ry]

26 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

I agree. I don't think he'll do the same thing again. Last night must have hurt him.

Thought that when he made dopey substitutions against Tottenham last season and lost 6-0 at home. The jury is out for me.

[Great Boos Up]

I'm not the best tactician I prefer the safe option of keeping the rhythm like for like, but I can see that the substitutions Craig made were press G for gamble hoping he'd be the hero. He lost our gain then then tried to keep the stalemate then went double or nothing.

Still annoyed a day later.

 

 

[justfoxes]

Are the Shakespeare out brigade starting to bubble away waiting to say

" I TOLD YOU SO !!"

 

We've got 37 games left and we showed we could play some bloody great football for the first hour or so, I think we'll be fine a couple more signings in the right places and we could probably end up on a high position in the table come may ?

 

This guy certainly gave a good description of Friday nights encounter !!

 

http://tbrfootball.com/4-interesting-stats-from-arsenals-opening-day-win-over-leicester/

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, l444ry said:

Thought that when he made dopey substitutions against Tottenham last season and lost 6-0 at home. The jury is out for me.

West Ham away was also a bit ropey. On the flip side, tactical change at half time v both atleti and Spurs worked. It was after we went 3-1 down that he lost the plot v Spurs. 

[Blue ROI]

2 hours ago, st albans fox said:

Incidentally, I don't think enough has been made of our inability to see our first half injury time. Going in 2-1 down would have been a hugely different scenario for wenger to deal with in the changing room.

 

 

We went 1-0 ahead at half time in the 2015/16 away game but we still ended up losing 2-1.

 

Going in ahead at the break last night was no guarantee of anything.

[st albans fox]

4 minutes ago, Blue ROI said:

We went 1-0 ahead at half time in the 2015/16 away game but we still ended up losing 2-1.

 

Going in ahead at the break last night was no guarantee of anything.

I disagree. Completely different scenario last night. They felt aggrieved by a dodgy pen that afternoon at the break. Coming off at half time losing last night having taken a first min lead could easily have prompted jeers from the crowd, many of whom didn't want the manager to stay.  wenger and his players would have felt under a lot of pressure in that dressing room and could have made some poor tactical decisions. First half added time is not like the final ten mins of a game. A side losing doesn't throw caution to the wind. It should be fairly straightforward to manage that couple minutes and hold onto  the advantage. 

 

 

[Dr The Singh]

2 hours ago, Col city fan said:

I agree. I don't think he'll do the same thing again. Last night must have hurt him.

Amertey for james was a good decision.  Not bringing in a defender and bringing Nacho on was simply rubbish

[Callabinho]

4 hours ago, fuchsntf said:

So You get upset and easily brainwashed when Arsenal fans come knocking....

Another thing...where the fk c do you get the idea that Arsenal had a weakened team..Their top 16 players,

are good enough for any PL 1st team....Though we had a decent team out, wecare the ones that were at a disadvantage,

We could argue not our best team..major buys injured..!!

Arsensl at home, first game...can tear you apart, they didnt but one seen they had goals in them..then they bring on

Ramsey and Giroud......

Historically, traditionally I hate Arsenal, but I dont get blurred vision, nor quote silly generalisations.

Arsenal have far better technical players than us, and probably next to Bayern, Barcelona, play close knit football

around the box, and can pull 2-3 goals back Quite easily, when they Conistently knock around the oppos penalty area.

Even with the good performance, our middle defence has not the quality Nor technique to keep a pecking Arsenal at Bay.

Draw the line 10-12 meters before the box, then maybe..!! and only maybe.

Result hurt, so close but so far away...I see no point in 1st game tears, or Tirade.

Top game, to watch, more enjoyable than expected. Game plan Nearly  worked, without Iberro, we had no

Sub who could hold the line...

What are you flapping on about? Everyone knows when Arsenal are rattled they go to shit....and the intricacies of their play in around the final third isn't brilliance, it's hot potato because they fumble and fart around with it trying to score the ultimate goal....and top 16 players what does that mean? We won the premier league but a few seasons ago, but should be content with a gutsy 4-3 defeat to the perennial bottlers Arsenal..... 

 

We twice took the lead but to throw it away, Ramsay and two others didn't find space in the area because they are world class, they did so because we let them....

 

It was disappointing because we took the lead twice, and couldn't hold onto it....against anyone that's not good enough. Leave ourselves that open against any team in the league and they will score goals....

[Guest Col city fan]

55 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Amertey for james was a good decision.  Not bringing in a defender and bringing Nacho on was simply rubbish

Christ. The number of people who claim that Shakey's subs (any of them) were 'good decisions'.....

Were we not winning and then ended up losing?

None of the last 20 was good. It was awful. That's why we lost.

I really did hope I'd read some better sense on here this season. After one game, I can see I'm not going to.

[SecretPro]

9 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Christ. The number of people who claim that Shakey's subs (any of them) were 'good decisions'.....

Were we not winning and then ended up losing?

None of the last 20 was good. It was awful. That's why we lost.

I really did hope I'd read some better sense on here this season. After one game, I can see I'm not going to.

Your irrational hatred of Amartey is getting quite boring. 

[Guest Col city fan]

5 minutes ago, SecretPro said:

Your irrational hatred of Amartey is getting quite boring. 

As is this type of repost, to be honest.  We were 3-2 up, looking pretty ok. We made changes. We lost.

Its not complicated.

[HighPeakFox]

20 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

As is this type of repost, to be honest.  We were 3-2 up, looking pretty ok. We made changes. We lost.

Its not complicated.

Correlation is not causation (necessarily)

[bpfox]

i believe the reason we folded was the fact we could not hold on to the ball, we dont have that type of midfielder who can hold the ball up and create time and space. if u keep giving the ball back u will get burned. we need to buy a CM player who will keep the ball.

[ajthefox]

1 hour ago, Dr The Singh said:

Amertey for james was a good decision.  Not bringing in a defender and bringing Nacho on was simply rubbish

Not sure what point you're making but that never happened.

 

Shakes brought Amartey on for Shinji on 70 and Nacho on for James on 80. They were both pretty poor decisions in my book.

 

Nacho for Shinji on 70 to get some impetus back in our attack and push Arsenal back a bit and then Amartey for James late on for fresh legs to help a late push from Arsenal would've been far better moves to make imo. Not saying they definitely would have worked, but we were ok until Shinji came off and from that point on they looked bound to score.

[WigstonWanderer]

1 hour ago, ajthefox said:

Not sure what point you're making but that never happened.

 

Shakes brought Amartey on for Shinji on 70 and Nacho on for James on 80. They were both pretty poor decisions in my book.

 

Nacho for Shinji on 70 to get some impetus back in our attack and push Arsenal back a bit and then Amartey for James late on for fresh legs to help a late push from Arsenal would've been far better moves to make imo. Not saying they definitely would have worked, but we were ok until Shinji came off and from that point on they looked bound to score.

You might be onto something there. Perhaps it was the order in which he did things that confused the players. They certainly seemed unsure of positioning, particularly that one with about 4 unmarked Arsenal players on our left.

[fuchsntf]

2 hours ago, Col city fan said:

As is this type of repost, to be honest.  We were 3-2 up, looking pretty ok. We made changes. We lost.

Its not complicated.

We would of lost if we didnt make changes, Shinji and James were on their Last legs.

If Shinji could of held on for another 10, we might of squeezed it...

This is not a dig at you, but posters are forgetting who and Where we Were playing.

Arsenal may struggle to win the league, but have been until last season a Fixed top 4.

I dont believe for a minute we looked OK when they came in sniffing distance of our box,

They still had an easy  flow about them. We never looked like stemming that flow in the last 15minutes, our midfield couldnt hold up or onto the ball, Its a  shame we couldnt break down

Their driving moves, over longer periods, we havent a midfielder that can hold up play long enough, we have short periods..thats it.Shinji /ndidi/ DD can break up play, but I see no one

Who can create when winning the ball. Albrighton,Fuchs can pounce On mistakes, and clean up, from the back. I like James, but I dont see him as a holding creative midfielder, though on the frontfoot he too has a good range of passes.without one...

Our CBs will always come under consistent pressure from the top 8 teams...Plus the Burnleys and WBAs can always rip us one...It seems we can counter attack, but only with single shot,

We need repeaters...

[HoustonFox]

I really want to watch the game again to look at it with a critical eye, but it was so heartbreaking, I'm not sure I can. 

 

I am still of the opinion that there was logic to Shakey's decisions, but the execution on the pitch was not what he wanted.  Why was Ndidi pushed the furthest forward when he is our best DM? Amartey the same, he is clearly a breaker up of play but seems to be told to roam forward, I feel for the lad, I have big feeling we are changing what we bought him for.  Kingy would have been a calmer head when we went to 5 IMO. 

 

it's so sad that the game was there for the taking but at the same time, the game was there for the taking. At the emirates. We never get anything from Arsenal, it seems to be our lot in life, so I'm not going to be too disheartened, despite being as annoyed as anything.  

 

Let's see what we do against Brighton, this to me is the big test.  Friday was bonus points, we nearly go them but didn't. If we don't get anything at home on Saturday, then I'll begin to be worried.

[erlee]

On 8/12/2017 at 06:44, NotTheMarketLeader said:

Is there any fool out there who can defend Mahrez tonight, and Shakey for keeping him on the pitch? 

maybe he thought he was playing for Arsene/Arsenal

[drofmor55]

The only time  i feel confident we can defend a  set piece is when Ulloa is on the pitch (and to a lesser extent Huth)...Kasper great shot stopper that he is doesnt command his box , and Morgan great blocker of shots that he is, is weak in the air defensively, he just doesnt seem able to jump !

 

Would like to have seen Chilwell as one of the substitutions against Arsenal, very comfortable on the ball and would have been able to hold onto it to relieve some of the pressure. Would have taken Mahrez off put Albrighton on the right and Chilwell on the left.

Wouldnt play Chilwell at left back though. too lightweight

[seenitall]

On 11/08/2017 at 22:58, Arriba Los Zorros said:

Why do you only ever post when we lose? Utter ****ing depressive moron

I can give you happy clappy if it floats your boat - not sure I'm a moron but if constantly reading drivel about how good we are when we aren't gets you high, you may be - besides you don't have to read it - why don't you find a forum where everyone agrees with you all the time?

[seenitall]

On 11/08/2017 at 22:59, Webbo said:

STFU. It was the first game, away at Arsenal and we scored 3 goals, Disappointing but hardly a disaster. 

Poor end of last season and bright but vulnerable start to this - team looks good tactical decisions look shakey.........will refrain from posting until game 9 when I will either be right or happy

[Kitchandro]

Shay Given on Goals on Sunday saying Shakey should have shut up shop instead of bringing on Iheanacho.

 

I guess Foxes Talk will fervently disagree