Pre Match Pre Match - Villa (A) - Weds 19:30
- Thread starter Brizzle
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
Is Gakpo expected to be available for this?
Agreed think Szobs and Mac Allister need a rest, however I dont see Slot dropping both of them. I think the midfield will be Gravy, Jones. Szobs or Macca with one of them coming on in the 60th min. Endo might come on for Gravy too after 60-70 mins.
I think Bradley and Tsimikas will play with both TAA and Robertson rested for Man City.
Upfront Diaz, Nunez and Salah. Dont think Gakpo will start even when fit but will probably come on as well. I think Slot will go with Gakpo, Diaz and Salah against City.
I think Bradley and Tsimikas will play with both TAA and Robertson rested for Man City.
Upfront Diaz, Nunez and Salah. Dont think Gakpo will start even when fit but will probably come on as well. I think Slot will go with Gakpo, Diaz and Salah against City.
City have real Weds night too so I’m not too concerned about fatigue or playing not being up for it. Best side vs Villa.
I feel like Slot needs to throw a major curveball here. Maybe play a formation with 4 midfielders and 2 forwards and play on the counter, play Salah centrally or Trent at left-back – I think Emery is too good of a coach to go into a game against him while being predicable. Need to shake it up.
I’d prefer it if the players just concentrated, made some better decisions and were a bit sharper.
I don’t think changing the system does us any favours.
I’d start Bradley against Rashford.
I think @StevieM is right, The players just need to calm down and stop behaving like clowns.
Stop rushing and have more control. TAA not starting might help as it will reduce the number of Hollywood balls. Robertson not starting might reduce the number of times we get beaten down our left.
Tighten up those areas and our midfield wont have to keep covering for those 2.
Stop rushing and have more control. TAA not starting might help as it will reduce the number of Hollywood balls. Robertson not starting might reduce the number of times we get beaten down our left.
Tighten up those areas and our midfield wont have to keep covering for those 2.
Yep - we have lost something in our forward line. And that is the ability to hold the ball up. Every time we get the ball we seem to try and counter, or try and play a ball in behind that gives possession away. For a team that likes control, we rarely seem to force control onto our opponents through strict build up. We just hoof it back and seem to be happy trying to win second balls which is not good for energy conservation.
Gakpo was a huge miss against Wolves.
Agreed. So long as that best side includes Bradley and Tsimikas!
People are starting to build up this Villa side as they've done for every team we've played this season! They are a mid-table team we should be beating comfortably.
Last 6 Villa games :
Monaco 1-0 Villa
West Ham 1-1 Villa
Villa 4-2 Celtic
Villa 2-1 Spurs
Wolves 2-0 Villa
Villa 1-1 Ipswich
I’m not so sure…he was awful in the Derby game and Diaz on the left is much better than a Diaz through the middle..
That said, if he’s fit I’d rather start Gakpo midweek. Diaz is in need of a break.
Your point stands, but I found it interesting that Villa are closer to 3rd place than Arsenal are to us.
Problem is our other FBs when played haven't done great recently, includes Tsmi whom par a corner against Forest hasn't done anything to displace Robbo this year. If Gomez was fit, would have given him a go at RB against Villa.
On Sunday, Robbo under hit everything and Trent over hit everything.
On Sunday, Robbo under hit everything and Trent over hit everything.
We're idiots if we play Trent against Rashford, given Rashford has fucked him over for years.
----------------Alisson----------------
Bradley--Konate---VVD---Tsimikas--
--------Endo--Gravenberch----------
-------------Szobo-------------------
--Salah------Nunez------Gapko----
----------------Alisson----------------
Bradley--Konate---VVD---Tsimikas--
--------Endo--Gravenberch----------
-------------Szobo-------------------
--Salah------Nunez------Gapko----
Agreed. Maybe start Jones instead of Szobo as well. With Gakpo out I'd be tempted to just try Chiesa for 60 mins.
Yep rashford always has trent on toast. Rashford is hoping trent starts. Bradley handles rashford a lot better.
The Guardian’s running a piece about how Endo is Slot’s “closer” and how we’ve not conceded a goal in the league this season while Endo’s been on the pitch.
Sounds good, yeah?
Endo’s played 99 mins of Premier League football this season.
So this is where we win or lose the league - we have good players who haven’t played loads of minutes - Tsimikas, Bradley, Quansah, Endo, Harvey & Chiesa have played less than 600 minutes in the EPL (Gomez has too for reference, but he’s dead, and Jota broke through the 600 minute barrier yesterday.)
The latter 3 haven’t broke 100 minutes yet.
Now, there’s reasons, injuries, form, fitness, attitude - whatever, but they’re not bad players, they’re not whiny bitches gurning about not getting playing time, and they’re getting picked in the squad regularly so they must be physically fit.
They may not be match fit - which poses the question of how you get them match fit when you’re not playing them in regular games?
So, here we are, the run in - I’m going to say the same as I did last season, it’s about how our fringe players step up and who hits a rich vein of form at the crucial time - I’m looking at you Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliot and epically you Freddie Cheesie - that’s who wines us the title - Ali, Virg, Gravy, Macca & Mo have been on form all season- they’ve done their bit.
Arsenal aren’t relying on their key players to pull off a title challenge - they can’t, they’re mostly fucked.
That’s where Slot has to learn quickly - EPL is relentless - playing a consistent team is great, until it isn’t and rotation is great until the players coming in aren’t in form.” When you need them to be.
It’s tricky, but changing systems or style of play isn’t the way, particularly you’ve been drumming patterns of play into players all season - now’s the point you probably have trust players you haven’t played much and trust that your coaching works.
Sounds good, yeah?
Endo’s played 99 mins of Premier League football this season.
So this is where we win or lose the league - we have good players who haven’t played loads of minutes - Tsimikas, Bradley, Quansah, Endo, Harvey & Chiesa have played less than 600 minutes in the EPL (Gomez has too for reference, but he’s dead, and Jota broke through the 600 minute barrier yesterday.)
The latter 3 haven’t broke 100 minutes yet.
Now, there’s reasons, injuries, form, fitness, attitude - whatever, but they’re not bad players, they’re not whiny bitches gurning about not getting playing time, and they’re getting picked in the squad regularly so they must be physically fit.
They may not be match fit - which poses the question of how you get them match fit when you’re not playing them in regular games?
So, here we are, the run in - I’m going to say the same as I did last season, it’s about how our fringe players step up and who hits a rich vein of form at the crucial time - I’m looking at you Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliot and epically you Freddie Cheesie - that’s who wines us the title - Ali, Virg, Gravy, Macca & Mo have been on form all season- they’ve done their bit.
Arsenal aren’t relying on their key players to pull off a title challenge - they can’t, they’re mostly fucked.
That’s where Slot has to learn quickly - EPL is relentless - playing a consistent team is great, until it isn’t and rotation is great until the players coming in aren’t in form.” When you need them to be.
It’s tricky, but changing systems or style of play isn’t the way, particularly you’ve been drumming patterns of play into players all season - now’s the point you probably have trust players you haven’t played much and trust that your coaching works.
Interesting but when he has played on the pitch in cup games with longer minutes we have though right. I like Endo but physically he does seem to get bundled over a lot, he was although unlucky yesterday, habit of giving away free kicks in key areas.
I think it's crucial that we make the minor tweaks when we need to, in both lineups and during games. Taking off Konate yesterday was the right decision, bringing on Endo was the right decision. We've not seen enough of it and you can see what a difference it can make. Both made important contributions in closing out the game and that's good for their confidence, so when you have to pick them they're not "cold". Everyone had an off day against Plymouth, but a few of them have then put in good performances since - Quansah and Endo have both looked better of late (Endo always does to be fair). The only concern with Endo is his Milner-like tendency to give away soft fouls in dangerous areas, but at least he gets stuck in.
This season there are are many teams that are either 'mid-table level' (with a chance of Top5) or are genuine Top 5 level ! It's up to you to decide which it is 😉
I don't understand Slot's lack of use of endo. So many games he hasn't brought him on to give us that extra bit of protection. I was surprised he finally used him at a decent time yesterday. A least he offered some bite in midfield.
Not without reason, though. The problem is that we’ve recently made each opponent seem like prime time Barcelona. It doesn’t seem to matter where in the table the opponent is.
Everton at the very least outplayed us, as did Wolves. Only team that I recall almost blowing away was Spurs and even then we contrived to ship 3 goals.
That said, Slot and the players have identified the problems and one hopes they actually sort them out.
