Looks like he's straight out of the caravan park.Declan Rice really does have a face that needs a slap. I dunno what it is, but he just looks like a cnut.
Looks like he's straight out of the caravan park.Declan Rice really does have a face that needs a slap. I dunno what it is, but he just looks like a cnut.
Martinelli out is a relief for porro.
Arteta likes to crowd the centre so they will arrange down the wings.
Trossard is a tricky one and underrated.
Terrible to see that he must have lapsed again. Hoping that someone can get him help quickly.
I see a lot of people seemingly with amnesia about how we have approached the game at the Emirates in all these years.
Let's have it right, it was only under Jose, Nuno and Conte that we went there playing football that could be described as 'meek' or 'cowardly'.
Under Poch we absolutely took the game to them, most games we had more possession etc, the only issue is that we couldn't finish the job off for various reasons.
The issue is our record for finishing the job off there is grim, NOT our approach to how we play there (save for the last three visits where we have approached the game cowardly but also they have been IMPROVING in their level and quality as well).
All this talk of just wanting us to "play well", "have a go" is very much as though we are in the late 90s and noughtys when we were mid-table fodder and they were perenial title challengers when there was a massive gulf between the two sides. That gulf isn't quite there yet, but it would serve us well to show some respect to both them and us and not just go fully 'gung-ho' and be tactically astute, i.e. know when to keep it tight and know when to commit to attack.
This will be a test of Ange and i would hope he DOES tweak his approach as they are a much better side than in recent years when we couldn't win there even though we had the second best ever PL goalscorer.
Ok, rant over.
If we win or draw, i doubt that at this stage of our development under Ange (and his development as a coach in the PL) that any of us would really care given how things have been for both clubs over the last 18 months, so i hope Ange can be wily and pragmatic in his approach (and not being too stubborn like Bielsa, AVB or Conte).
COYS
Please
Re: the bolded part, totally agree.
It’s a fine line. I’m with Ange in that there’s no point abandoning our principles at the first sight of a tough game, as that just shows we don’t don’t really trust those principles, or perhaps that we don’t have the players to execute the plan.
But there’s also no point in being lambs to the slaughter if it turns out we’re getting ripped apart - so some pragmatism isn’t a bad thing either.
I just remember Roberto Martinez insisting on playing a certain way and getting Wigan relegated, then getting sacked at Everton for blindly sticking to a plan that wasn’t working.
Great, have your philosophy but you do also need a plan B, an understanding of your own players’ limitations and some understanding and respect for what the opposition can do.
NLD day is always a distraction to whatever I’m doing. Drives me mad
I think people also read too much into comments, there will 100% be a time to be solid and canny, I don't think Ange ever means lets just go out there and contribute to losing if it looks like thats whats going to happen just to honour the style. He is likely saying let us do what we do and let them also worry about us.
There is also no point turning up like sheep playing to your weaknesses because you are beyond scared of what they will do whilst giving them absolutely no reason to be scared of you. That seems equally silly and counter productive.
Re: the bolded part, totally agree.
It’s a fine line. I’m with Ange in that there’s no point abandoning our principles at the first sight of a tough game, as that just shows we don’t don’t really trust those principles, or perhaps that we don’t have the players to execute the plan.
But there’s also no point in being lambs to the slaughter if it turns out we’re getting ripped apart - so some pragmatism isn’t a bad thing either.
I just remember Roberto Martinez insisting on playing a certain way and getting Wigan relegated, then getting sacked at Everton for blindly sticking to a plan that wasn’t working.
Great, have your philosophy but you do also need a plan B, an understanding of your own players’ limitations and some understanding and respect for what the opposition can do.
Soloman, son, johnson would give us pace and allow us to sit a little deeper.