What do you guys find most frustrating about the way we play? A lot of it has to do with the personnel we have available but at the same time there is very clearly some directives.
Number one being 'Don't lose the ball'. And what does it lead to? Players in forward positions always passing ball backwards rather than looking to play forwards. Okay we are defensively stronger, but it's so boring.
But the biggest thing I'm annoyed by at the moment is the one touch pass back to the player that passed you the ball. Don't we seem to do this so much nowadays? Its been grating on me for a while but I've endured as there are instances where it is the best choice.
Yesterday, a key example where it is not was when Holding? passed the ball to Bellerin who was between the lines with noone within his perimeter. He was in a great position to turn and drive at their defence. What does he do? Instantly pass back to Holding, he didn't even think about turning.
In this defensive mindset I wouldn't be surprised if the centrebacks get more touches in a game than an AM like Smith Rowe
Frustrating Play?
posted on 15/1/21
We have absolute no width. Apart from Tierney who is able to provide a cross or run against a defender there is absolute nothing.
Teams that come to the Emirates need only to stand stable in defense and counter. Preferable over Bellerin's side. That's it basicly.
posted on 15/1/21
Our front 3 are very poor. They have no attacking patterns and are a big reason why we struggle to create much.
Yes the MF is obviously a major cause but the front 3 are, when combined together, the poorest of the top 8
posted on 15/1/21
Arteta's "with DL" strategy is to bypass MF to a crossing position (aka NOT FOR 4-2-3-1). Pretty much wasting the 5 man MF which should be doing the job DL hogs. At first I may have said Arteta just didn't trust the CAM position. But since it's been done to ESR too now. I gues we're just back to this "I categorically refuse to do anything like Arsenal Wenger did!" thing he seems to have going on. The man is apparently SO obsessed with avoiding the Wenger comparison, he even refuses to execute a formations attacking strategy correctly, in the most basic of ways.
He begrudgingly swallowed a 4-2-3-1 formation because he had to to save his job after falling on his face. But he's not Wenger so he's going to execute the formation his way, not the damn near perfect way Wenger did Best hope he's a management genius in there somewhere because if he ain't, we are STUFFED! Destined to inevitably be undone by a manager more concerned about being seen to do things "His way" than he is about winning games or the fortunes of this club and it's players.
There is enough talent in this squad to comfortably handle most of the teams in the league. It just requires the manager to pick the right players, get over what appears to be his ridiculous obsession with stomping on anything Wenger and execute the god damned formation as it was supposed to be done. If he was so desperate to be alikened to Pep instead of Wenger, then he shoulda feckin well stayed at City until Pepe left. Instead of stealing his wardrobe and taking the Arsenal job
posted on 17/1/21
The original question was the play. So the play I find most frustrating is the slow build up attacking. Xhaka and Luiz seem to be the worst culprits for this as we saw when they were both back in the side on Thursday. Its not so much what they do as the influence they have on the team which slows everything down and allows the opposition defence to get back and organised before we attack their box. The midfield seems to need the defence out of the way and not pressuring them so they have time to pick what they will do. Any pressure on them and back the ball goes.
While Gabriel is probably our best defender I dont think he works as well with other defenders. Holding and Mari just seemed to work so well together in or recent good run. Mari out, Luiz in and back to the dross again.
And why does this happen? Because the managers pick the same players game in game out despite the fact the results show it isnt working. A crucial aspect of this is that it takes time to adjust. When a player is injured the team can normally carry on without them for a few games with little effect but if it goes on too long you see the drop in form as a result of them being missing. Its the same with dropping a player who is influential, it needs a bit of time to adapt.