Fucking hell Bukayo, that header in the first half was scandalous in the first half.
And I’m sorry, but responsible for both goals we conceded today as well.
Probably his worst performance in an Arsenal shirt to date, despite the goal.
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His timing, crossing and shooting were horrendous also
83 not out
Should have been subbed off when Odegaard went off. He’s going to play every game, isn’t he? Champions League and Premier League. That would be mismanagement
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Had a stinker today by his standards.
Its not really an excuse but as I’ve rewatched the first goal a few times I think the fault is at least partly Partey’s (and a product of him being relatively new to that RB/DM role).Saka obviously needs to look before he passes but I’m 99% sure that wasn’t a missed pass to White, he just expected Partey to be in that space where the RCB is supposed to be and never imagined Partey would have vacated that space like he did.
The inverted fullback needs to know when to go into midfield, basically when to switch from 4-1 in our back five to 3-2, and the whole side needs to understand the conditions under which that happens so that everybody can adjust themselves. Partey just went rogue on this one I’m pretty sure. He and White end up switching positions, which is fine, but then Partey needs to hold back on moving into the CM role unless we are very secure since now he would be vacating a CB position. Yet he just jumps into midfield which not only leaves a huge gaping hole but also leaves Saliba and Kiwior too far on the other side of the field since they thought they were playing in a four man line.
Edit: I have no idea what Saka is doing on the second goal though. He doesn’t contest the ball but instead of trying to help block the shot he basically gets out of the way and opens up the space for Palhinha to hit it into the far corner. If he had just stood still he would have blocked the shot.
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To blame Partey for Saka giving the ball away is quite astonishing for me
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Weird time for awards
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Saka gave the ball away and takes primary responsibility but Partey should have been standing in precisely the space where he passed it.
Partey made a mistake in moving into midfield when he did. That didn’t have to lead to a goal but I think if we want to understand what happened on a complex level it can’t just stop at “Wow, Saka fucked up huh.”
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Actually, I agree Partey made a mistake but not with his positioning. He should have passed it o White in the first place, he didn’t, he passed it to Saka and Saka should have then passed it to White, and be also didn’t.
It was a collective fuckup from Partey and Saka but Saka’s was the biggest one because that backpass pass he made was genuinely awful.
Not the firs time he made such a mistake deep either. It’s ironic that he made a similar mistake in the Fulham game last year when he attempted a cross in our box, putting Gabriel under pressure that led to Mitrovic scoring.
Just some things that Saka needs to iron out. Those type of lob passes in your box are like begging gor trouble.
Had it not been Partey it could have been White.
If thats the way Mikel wants to play then its Saka’s job to not put the ball where they are not going to be standing.
They train every day on this, Saka would know the RB moves inside, to put the ball there makes it his error
Im not having this as Partey’s error
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It’s precisely because they train when and how to change shape that Saka would assume Partey is still at RCB. You just don’t move inside in that situation where Partey has switched places with White and we are being heavily pressed. It leaves a gaping hole in the center of the defense. Zinny wouldn’t have done it in hundred years.
Still Saka’s fault to pass the ball to a space without looking to make sure the RCB was actually in that space.
But Partey absolutely made an error there as well.
We will never know when Partey is asked to move inside or not, we will never know what they train and what they dont, to suggest otherwise is nonsense.
Id go with Partey being an experienced professional footballer and so if he did that, its because he was asked to.
It’s definitely a collection of errors.
Partey for choosing that moment to step into midfield.
Saka for passing it blind. Probably the biggest error out of the three.
Ramsdale for taking his eye off the ball and anticipating a cross rather than a shot and then being unable to save a relatively tame effort.
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If you watch is enough then you see that Zinny is very careful about choosing when to move positions. You see the same thing with a player like Stones at City, who is moving out of a CB slot. I’ve never seen either one do what Partey did.
Partey is new to this role and screwed up. To deny it is nonsense but you do you.
I do, ive also seen Zinchenko go on marauding runs across to the other side of the pitch so wouldnt exactly say he is careful.
We have different opinions on this which is fine.
Personally I think there is to much slack being slung Parteys way just recently because he is being asked to play RB. I actually like the idea of it and can see why Mikel has implemented it.
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I agree completely on Partey in general and definitely wouldn’t argue for giving up on that completely. I like that we can play with him at RB sometimes and the combination of him and Rice in midfield.
Not liking the way he has this status above everyone else
No one should be above being subbed off, he did cross the ball to Rice for his goal but it sends the wrong message especially when Martinelli had a very good game and you just knew it’d be him between the two that would get hooked.
Saka was incredibly poor throughout the match and Dalot handled him far too easily, not only that he missed an absolute sitter as well.
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