mcdowell42 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 27, 2023 12:00 pm
Rough crowd here today
I think we're all hung over and still feeling the Frustrations (Ooooh err missis
) after yesterday's debacle.
talking of which
All players make mistakes, yesterdays ‘Horrorshow’ was initiated by Saka; a ypung player and rising football star who on many occasions has pulled us out of the mire, so as angry as I felt I couldn’t bring myself to blame him. And whilst some fans said it was all down to Ramsdale being out of position, he was in the position most likely set by Arteta the coaching team when the team are (supposed to be) in the motions of beginning an attack, so it wasn’t his fault, also the Fulham player looked like he actually ‘miss-kicked’ the ball, whether that added to the goal is debatable.
The conceding of a goal so early (this appears to be becoming something of a habit btw) put everyone in a Panic, suddenly any confidence they may have had when they entered the field of play just drained away, with passes from everyone going astray, challenges (even 50 / 50) being lost and within a minute the team was in disarray and any “plan’ went out of the window.
And just as we did so the opposition also saw this and suddenly realized that the unlikely result of a Win for them was very much on the cards.
By half-time I was thinking ‘we could play another 90 minutes and never score, Fulham were defending really well, the usually Loud Support of the home fans had also fallen deathly quiet, the loudest sound/s being the Crashes of Thunder.
It took a penalty to get us back on even terms; Yes it was a nailed on penalty, but when Saka picked up the ball I must confess I was thinking “Noooo! Not Saka” he was still having a very poor game and I still think as Brilliant as he is as a player he is Not a penalty taker.
So Arteta having set up the team to play this new Possession based system; which to the best of my understanding is supposed to make the defence more secure and the transition from defending into attack quicker more fluid although in its early stages; for me just isn’t working. Partey at LB is never going to work, Zinchenko (once again) gave away possession as at LB, which lead to their 2nd goal, Zinchenko is No Defender – (I think he could play a mid-field defensive position IF he has a decent LB behind him – But with Timber out and Tierney on loan there is no one) Also Kiwioir is no RB/LB. He looks Very Nervous anytime the ball goes near him (Not a Good Sign), every time the ball came to him he took a few steps forward then passed the ball back inside, thus no chance of mounting a Left Flank attack, with no inter-play with Martinelli and no over-lapping etc. In all honesty I don’t know why we bought him.
Talking of buying players, now comes the Havertz question? I heard a Goooner on 5Live last night saying that Havertz was bought because Arteta wanted him ‘at the heart of the new (possession based) system’. Well if that’s true it is not working.
Arteta will succeed or fail this season, some saying last season’s finishing at 2nd was an abberation; because the scousers and the chavs and manure were all in mid-flux of changes (which all clubs go through) and whilst like the majority on here I want him to succeed, yesterday’s game reminded me of Wenger when we had some amazing players, but some were ‘Square pegs in round holes’ ie: Partey, Kiwior, Zinchenko.
His success or failure will for me depend on whether he can be adaptable enough to listen to advice (critical or not) and see when something isn’t working. If he is stubborn like Wenger he will crash and burn, but it is We who pay the price.
The next few games will show us I guess? But if we continue in this fashion and end up dropping points needlessly, then the tide of opinions will begin to turn. For me I hope he can be adaptable & fluid and turn it around. The loss of Timber may well be a bigger blow than we all first imagined.
#COYG
I sure lack the intelligence to understand that.
