A team built with almost zero individual brilliance. Saka is close, but we had better players than him in our banter era.
Trossard has individual brilliance, not so much like a Ronaldinho but he pulls things out his ass and he is still pretty skillful.
14 points in the last 6 games. Not bad when you consider Manchester City also dropped points. The only thing that may hurt us in the end is our failure to capitalise on two occasions if Manchester City / Aston Villa capture 3 points whilst we draw games.
I know we have extended our gap to 7 points, but when are we going to see consistency in our game, central attacking play, high ratio of shots on target, kill of games early? The underlying issues and bad habits are clearly there. How long can we get away with this?
It’s frustrating but the gap has been extended, even if it’s by a point.
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Could be Villa. Unai can go on a run, he’s capable of it. Are we going to keep up with performances like this?
Before anyone tries to make this seem like a one off remember Liverpool AND Wolves AND Villa AND Sunderland AND United away AND Forest.
Consistently shit performances.
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I would agree at first… But when I look at the bigger picture, thinking we really have a good shout at winning the CL too, and that there aren’t many better teams in Europe than us atm…
…maybe it’s just the general state of football now.
Not many impressive teams/players in the game atm.
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We have PTSD from City going on mega runs in 2023 and 2024.
I am hoping this is a different City
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I’d like to remind you of his first season here and how it ended…
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Unai already went on a run. Then we slapped him 4-1.
They won’t keep it up.
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This IS a very different City, no question.
But I have a much bigger PTSD from US, throwing away the points in all of these very winable games. We are our worst enemy atm.
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If we get to 1st February with a decent lead I will be happy
For me the performances tell more than just the results. Forest away was a carbon copy of Liverpool at home. It betrays a mental weakness that has crept into this team. We looked like Wolves for 70mins of that game.
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No such thing as an easy game in the PL anymore…we just need to keep going.
A 7 point lead at this stage of the season is good. Onto Man Utd!
Yeah they seem to be on the up, more points dropped here we go. By Feb we likely be level on points with those cheating scummers.
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Come on. The Liverpool game aside we have been great at the Emirates all season. United went out full of emotion at home today against their city rivals. They’ll come to the carpet like little mice.
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We can beat Utd at home. I can’t see them deploying a low block against us. We just need to remain strong defensively and take our chances. Win this and it sets us up for our next run of games.
If they play more open like they did today then it’s better for us.
Bruno will have a chance at some point, let’s hope the rat misses.
I didn’t get to watch the full match today, and I’ll catch the highlights, but it sounds like we were up against a typical low block Dyche-ball today.
It is worrying that we cannot find a consistent solution, but one method that helps us is nicking a set piece and the game opening up for us.
By design, Arteta loves the players to switch play across the flanks with a precise long ball or our inverted wide players to drive in, then key players get double teamed and we default to the dreaded horse shoe. More vertical central play and clinical forwards would help loads..but it means taking more risks which I can see Arteta doesn’t like
Next Sunday before we kickoff I expect our lead to be down to 1 point (Villa) and 4 points (City). Pressure will be on then.
On the contrary, they actually beat us at our own game. Winning duels, 50/50’s, more energy, better drilled. Carbon copy of Liverpool at home.
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