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The case for the defence

Funnily enough though, I think that frame from the Arsenal game is just before Guendouzi shoots and Abemayang clips it past Lloris.
 
I can’t recall the last time we looked consistently like a solid unit. City and Liverpool are more organised and disciplined than us. I think the way they are playing we would do well to finish above 75 points.

I would start with picking Toby and Jan in every single league game when they are fit and offer them both new contracts and we can delay the search for their replacements for another year at least. I’ve seen no evidence in the last 18 months to suggest Sanchez can replace either.

Playing out from the back - I have no problem with deploying this tactic but when teams are on to it we just invite pressure on to ourselves. If you have the personnel to do it then great but Sanchez and Rose aren’t great on the ball and Lloris’s kicking is comedy value at times.
 
Jurgen the German said:
I can’t recall the last time we looked consistently like a solid unit. City and Liverpool are more organised and disciplined than us. I think the way they are playing we would do well to finish above 75 points.

I would start with picking Toby and Jan in every single league game when they are fit and offer them both new contracts and we can delay the search for their replacements for another year at least. I’ve seen no evidence in the last 18 months to suggest Sanchez can replace either.

Playing out from the back - I have no problem with deploying this tactic but when teams are on to it we just invite pressure on to ourselves. If you have the personnel to do it then great but Sanchez and Rose aren’t great on the ball and Lloris’s kicking is comedy value at times.
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I think Sanchez is very good but he needs more protection. He seems to be involved in more one on ones than his partners which is giving him less time on the ball and making him seem less composed with each passing game. If he gets more support from his fellow defenders and midfield we would probably see the Sanchez of 2 seasons ago.
 
I noted a couple of things from Sunday's game.

1 ) The Centrebacks need to organise the players around them at set pieces much more effectively. There was one Arsenal corner shown on the MOTD highlights where the ball was floated into the box and our entire team were drawn to it. A simple flick on then left 2 Arsenal attackers with a free hit at goal that they contrived to miss. Far too often we are caught on crosses and set pieces ball watching.

2) Sissoko and Winks lose their runners repeatedly in dangerous positions which usually leads to a chance for the opposition.

Plenty for Poch to be working on in the break.
 
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Benny_Lad said:
Zero pressure on the ball. Eriksen and one other ran away from Guendouzi. Had all day to pick the pass, essentially a training drill.
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Both Eriksen and Winks backed off when each of them had an opportunity to go and get tight on him and force him to either pass backwards or attempt to beat them and potentially expose Arsenal to a counter attack. It was a fantastic pass but we allowed it by giving him so much time and space to pick it.
 
Our defence has gone backwards the last 3 years.

Soon we will need a complete new defence and goalkeeper to get back to where we were 3 seasons ago. The players that are still here have gone backwards and the ones we have brought have not stepped up.
 
If Arsenal had given away 2 goals to Liverpool or City, they would have lost. Unfortunately give away two goals to us and you still have a chance due to the way we are defending. This needs addressing ASAP. It's the difference between the top sides and the rest.
 
Robspur12 said:
If Arsenal had given away 2 goals to Liverpool or City, they would have lost. Unfortunately give away two goals to us and you still have a chance due to the way we are defending. This needs addressing ASAP. It's the difference between the top sides and the rest.
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If Arsenal had given away those goals vs city or pool their fans would have accepted it. It’s a derby game. Their fans are at their most vocal for once and that shows on the pitch

Torrera last year stood out in that game but looked bang average ever other one as he ran like a mad man

It reminded me of when we were shot and Jenas would show his class in the one game that mattered and then Shrink back to normal every other game
 
Thats a good shout actually, hadnt thought of that myself.

I can see Guendozi has talent, but Im yet to see what the fuss is about, if you know what I mean?
 
I did re-watch a bit and in the first 10-15 we defended in the 4231 shape. Whilst Pepe and Abemayang sat narrow, pinning our fullbacks in, Arsenal lured the wide man in the our midfield three out and then slipped the ball straight through into one of their midfielders that had peeled off onto the wing. They did this a couple of times before Poch re-calibrated into a 442 defensive shape where we looked more solid.

A lot of teams now are either pressing with a front three and a following two or sitting deep in two banks of four. We press with a front two, which seems to be circumvented quite easily by the better teams and sit in a system that looks to counter but does not effectively cut out passing lanes. Not only that but there is no voice in the middle controlling the shape.

In short, we seem to be behind the times with our pressing shape and completely disorganised in our holding shape.
 
nayimfromthehalfwayline said:
I think he looks talented, but lacks identity.

The lad needs a job, a position, and needs to focus on it.

Right now he always just looks like a headless chicken to me.
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Bedfordspurs said:
He reminds me of the other French lad who played well sometimes for them but never had an identity .... Flamini. Solid player and busy not not good enough to step up.
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It's difficult to have an immediate identity in that midfield....the role he plays is often fire fighting but he has shown more than that, he has played decent vertical passes in transition for example.

And as i said originally he has only turned 20 in April, plus he only came from Lorient. Taking those things into account hes doing well (in the best league in the world :)) and has time on his side. He has much more upside than Flamini.

Just too add....i haven't seen any of the fuss, watched him in a few games and there is quite a bit to like about his game. Certainly has as much chance as eg Sanchez, Foyth at being a regular in a top prem team (if thats what the goons are:))
 
Robspur12 said:
If Arsenal had given away 2 goals to Liverpool or City, they would have lost. Unfortunately give away two goals to us and you still have a chance due to the way we are defending. This needs addressing ASAP. It's the difference between the top sides and the rest.
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Nope. It'll take 2 seasons.
 
I know Arsenal fans who think he is the nuts already, OTT IMO, but I dont disagree with you - there is something there.

Its just for me he needs coaching, and he needs discipline, and whether or not he gets that soon will probably dictate how well his career pans out.
 
nayimfromthehalfwayline said:
I know Arsenal fans who think he is the nuts already, OTT IMO, but I dont disagree with you - there is something there.

Its just for me he needs coaching, and he needs discipline, and whether or not he gets that soon will probably dictate how well his career pans out.
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They loved him from day one TBF.... I think it’s because he looks like a tramp

But the lad has potential that for sure
He may develop the consistency they need
 
Still suffering from the same issues as last year - weak full backs (as much as I think KWP has done ok) and zero midfield protection.

Other teams midfielders have so much time and space to pick a pass as the press isn’t there.

Plus the midfield/defence give the ball away in some awful situations, most the pressure has been self inflicted.
 
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