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We have a very poor centre midfield

Bentaleb is a very good talent from the little I've seen from him. I'm not knocking him today, he didn't have a great game, but two men at The Emirates, it's a big ask. They didn't get the same help from Ade who looked shattered after Wednesday.

I really do think Capoue should have played today. Doesn't make sense to me
 
Am I the only one who thought Bentaleb was one of our better players? Better than Rose, Chiriches, Eriksen, Lennon and Adebayor, and maybe Walker (just for being partly at fault for their first goal).

He was certainly better in possession than any other player - showed for the ball more, showed more composure on it, and passed more accurately. Defensively he was bypassed at times, but that's almost inevitable if playing with two strikers at the Emirates.
 
I thought that, 1st half, the tactics were ok -- let them push up, win the ball from them with their men ahead of the ball and break hard. Eriksen missed, Lennon f**ked up his touch and that kinda summed it up. The team was doing ok, but the wide players for us were utter sh1te today. It happens I suppose, as they have been two of our best players lately.

2nd half, we were still in it but Rose than made a massive error and that was that.

Was disappointed with the team once they went 2-0 down; why is Dawson taking a short roll-our from lloris with 10 mins to go, 2-0 down in a cup tie? Surely, get him up there and start going direct at that point?

Also, imo, we didn't get enough crosses into the box -- was a bit AVB-esque the way we kept going out wide, then coming back inside, across the pitch, inside again etc. We've scored some good goals lately from crosses (Utd and Southampton come to mind) and yet we hardly bothered with them today.

I'm going off topic, so yeah...I don't think our centre midfield is poor, I think they are pretty good.
 
We dont have a poo midfield its just that Arsenal's is better......certainly they are more cohesive and understand each others games....we have a lot of work to do before we can match their fluid one touch passing and excellent pressing....it isnt luck that they seem to always have a passing option or that two players are quick to press our man on the ball.....its decent coaching drilled into them for a long time.........
 
elltrev said:
Am I the only one who thought Bentaleb was one of our better players? Better than Rose, Chiriches, Eriksen, Lennon and Adebayor, and maybe Walker (just for being partly at fault for their first goal).

He was certainly better in possession than any other player - showed for the ball more, showed more composure on it, and passed more accurately. Defensively he was bypassed at times, but that's almost inevitable if playing with two strikers at the Emirates.
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I wholeheartedly agree with you, for me, this was the only positive that I could take from this game.
 
elltrev said:
Am I the only one who thought Bentaleb was one of our better players? Better than Rose, Chiriches, Eriksen, Lennon and Adebayor, and maybe Walker (just for being partly at fault for their first goal).

He was certainly better in possession than any other player - showed for the ball more, showed more composure on it, and passed more accurately. Defensively he was bypassed at times, but that's almost inevitable if playing with two strikers at the Emirates.
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82 passes from Bentaleb today at 93% accuracy, the most attempts and highest completion rate out of all the players on either side today, not too shabby for a youngster making his first start in the senior team =D>

 
So, going by that, he made more passes then anyone and had the best pass ratio too. Very impressive.
 
But they all went backwards. He done well, but it was not what we needed from that area of the pitch. I love that a youth player is making his mark on the team, I really do but not at the expense of a player which could have brought something much needed in that midfield today
 
Thought Nabil was comfortable on the ball and rarely gave it away.....There was too many sideways passing for my liking though.......he could have taken more risks with his passing....mind you its not like the movement in front of him was decent.
 
Nigeyman said:
Thought Nabil was comfortable on the ball and rarely gave it away.....There was too many sideways passing for my liking though.......he could have taken more risks with his passing....mind you its not like the movement in front of him was decent.
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He was good on the ball, but not so much without it.
 
WestBerkshire said:
A very poor midfield? Be more inclined to say a very injured midfield. Some people on here make me laugh
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Sorry mate, but none of the players we have injured have that forward drive, or dribbling/passing of a modric or a huddlestone. MAYBE Paulinhio, but any of the others aren't as good as those two.

That season we got fourth, Modric and Huddlestone did it for me.
 
Orbital said:
Sorry mate, but none of the players we have injured have that forward drive, or dribbling/passing of a modric or a huddlestone. MAYBE Paulinhio, but any of the others aren't as good as those two.

That season we got fourth, Modric and Huddlestone did it for me.
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Modric and Huddlestone must have played midfield together for about 5 of those games that season.
 
Orbital said:
Sorry mate, but none of the players we have injured have that forward drive, or dribbling/passing of a modric or a huddlestone. MAYBE Paulinhio, but any of the others aren't as good as those two.

That season we got fourth, Modric and Huddlestone did it for me.
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Modric played on the left that season till about 5 games to go
 
But yes I do totally agree it's come back to my argument I always say levy year after year sells out best players and replaces with inferior but let's be honest there's a big gulf in class between bentaleb and Sandro/paulinho
 
Jordinho said:
He was good on the ball, but not so much without it.
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agreed......but I will let him off because he is a little wet behind the ears.

Yep not playing Capoue looks like a mistake.......not that I know his fitness levels...
 
Jordinho said:
He was good on the ball, but not so much without it.
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Problem is Capoue might've done a better job off the ball but on it he's not exactly impressed. Could've played both but then you most likely neuter us further forward as a result.
 
Mumorn said:
Modric and Huddlestone must have played midfield together for about 5 of those games that season.
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Mumorn - we beat Chelsea and Arsenal with those two in centre mid. At the sticky end of the season as well, and not some spawny, new manager boon win, like against United just now.

Do you think we will do that now?
 
Orbital said:
Mumorn - we beat Chelsea and Arsenal with those two in centre mid. At the sticky end of the season as well, and not some spawny, new manager boon win, like against United just now.

Do you think we will do that now?
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That probably had more to do with Modric than Huddlestone ... hence why one is playing for Real Madrid now and the other is at Hull - not that I think Hudd is a poor player.
 
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