Yep - tbf this is the way we are set up to play against a side like City… we sat back, didn’t have a lot of outlets and it was easy for them to snuff us out… it took some special individual moments or a couple of very nice passes, but we didn’t put ourselves in that sort of position near frequently enough. Flaccid set up and performance on a day when you figure, when better to go right at them?
BTW, Ruben Dias looks a baller - was always in the right place and can scarcely recall putting a foot wrong.
The thing is, turning up and trying to go for it away at City is normally a recepie for disaster, and we’ve had quite a few disasters against them so I kind of understand why our approach was so rigid.
After a loss there’s a range of emotions to feel like heartbreak, embarrassment and others but today was pure frustration.
Incredibly annoying to lose in this fashion against a Man City that looked beatable. I love Arteta but what the hell was that? Everything we’ve done well stems from him but the lack of aggression and urgency is stemming from him here aswell.
The most annoyed I’ve been at a loss. What a missed opportunity. He did it to himself. Needs to regain more of that urgency he showed at times last season.
I would agree 99% of the time… but they were starting new defenders, were without Laporte, KDB, and Gabriel Jesus, and Aguero when he is just coming back from months off lay-off… expected more from us, especially in the final 30 when we had absolutely nothing to lose.
Arteta opted for the counter against City which most teams do. And we had a few opportunities in the first half in which we had the chance to counter but whenever the ball reached Willian or Auba, they blew it.
Yes Arteta has been conservative in this match but I don’t think he told Willian to not control any ball that came his way to release Pepe/Auba and I don’t believe he told Bellenderin to do some clown defending for the goal
Yeah I agree. Have no idea what’s going on with this team, one day we seem to have a plan and play a certain way, next it’s a disjointed performance from what looks like 11 randoms they found in the local park.
We’ve been way too conservative in all of our games, and as is evident this season, fortune really rewards the brave. Villa, West Ham, Leeds, Everton all teams that have been going for it and getting results. Despite the 9 points in 15, our performances have been dreadful.
Semantics. He didn’t do that. No one in the centre to play into. Auba tried a pass in and Willian didn’t even have a clue to look for that pass. He was the furthest forward most of the time, so defo more CF than false 9. It was a ridiculous decision. I back Arteta most of the time, but this decision has been one of the most frustrating. And what really posses me off is that he stuck with it after HT when he could’ve adapted. Because it clearly wasn’t working.
This. It almost seems like he was giving his former mentor a life line, by setting up like this and not making any changes when should have. The players didn’t really look motivated and I’m still not sure why Partey wouldn’t start and why Willian was play as CF. This was dodgy as fuck to me or as my mother in law would say feh!
This. It almost seems like he was giving his former mentor a life line, by setting up like this and not making any changes when should have. The players didn’t really look motivated and I’m still not sure why Partey wouldn’t start and why Willian was play as CF. This was dodgy as fuck to me or as my mother in law would say feh!