Too much fannying around at the back against low blocks.

We need to get the ball into the wingers feet quickly, not this "to me-to you" stuff all the time.

I think that is fair comment. Today everything he did was hurried and rushed.He seems to have lost composure as someone up thread mentioned.

We’ve drawn 5 games before our last 5 champions league KO games.

You could almost make a decent team from injured players. It’s killed the season amongst other things.
Calafiori, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, White, Jorginho, Merino, Havertz, Jesus.

I thought the same and this has happened many times this season. We have had many games as well where players just did not want to take responsibility and just kept making backward and sideways passes. People can complain all they want about injuries but this has been far from a great season in the EPL.

I think he got it wrong in that he should have gone full blown reserve team ; no chance of catching Liverpool .

What if Rice had picked up a bad knock our Champions League campaign would have taken a severe dent .
We might have been fortunate Palace have an FA cup semi as they probably also had an eye on avoiding injuries .

Jesus Wept ...is Saliba a slow learner or what ...? a carbon copy of Real Madrid ; what annoys me he doesn't castigate himself ; he just stands looking f**&^%%$%$ stupid .

Shave off that drippy arty farty goatee and go get yourself a cayenne pepper , curry powder , battery acid enema .

You should have worked in HR. It would have given people some straightforward feedback.

And a lot of those are the same pattern: taking the foot off the pedal when we are ahead against a decent mid-table side.

Our defense is very good, but in the premier league trying to hold onto a lead for 60 minutes is not a great plan. You'd think we would have learned that by now. We've conceded leads, what 14 times now?

We play the ball around without any real intent, the opposition gradually realises that they don't have to play in a low block and start pressing and playing through us. It doesn't help when the likes of Ødegaard, Trossard, and Sterling keep losing the ball and we get caught high up the pitch.

I thought Martinelli also had a poor game. His decision-making in the final third was woeful.

Except we haven't nailed down CL qualification, let alone 2nd, and we keep dribbling away points. Next week we play Bournemouth sandwiched between the PSG games. If we'd banked 3 points last night we could have afforded to rotate in the Bournemouth game. Now we cannot, given that we play Liverpool and Newcastle next. Even Stn away on the last day of the season isn't quite a banker.

Saliba has played an awful lot of minutes this season and may be a bit jaded. It's no excuse, but it could explain his recent outbreak of doziness. Both of his mistakes have come at times when we weren't really under much pressure late in the game when he was probably thinking of a nice warm bath. Also, the one last night was at least partly due to collective dithering. That kind of fooling around is going to go wrong sooner or later.

Are Merino and White injured?

Arteta said they picked up a small knock so weren’t even on the bench last night

I see Eni Aluko is talking nonsense again. I totally understand she has had some terrible online abuse and the way Joey Barton attacked her was uncalled for (the guy is just worthless), but she doesn’t seem to realise how out of tune her comments are. Most sensible and rational people would tell her she’s not getting opportunities as a pundits because fundamentally she is not a good pundit - at any level.
She moans about it not being fair because she’s black and a women, but open your eyes because there are plenty of women and people of colour who are fantastic presenters and pundits in football who get chances because they are good at their job.

And now to top it all off Aluko has had a pop at Ian Wright saying he’s blocking female pundits from getting work in the women’s game and is hogging all the jobs. Talk about not reading the room. The general response I’ve seen has been wholeheartedly supporting Ian Wright, there are not many high profile men (if any) who have done more to promote and support the women’s game in this country. Worth noting that Wright is also currently paying out of his own pocket for the treatment and physio of a female player out with an ACL because her club withdrew or couldn’t afford the cost.

So Aluko doesn’t deserve the senseless abuse but she definitely does deserve to be criticised for thinking she deserves chances she’s not good enough for, having a ridiculous sense of self entitlement and lack of self awareness and for blaming her problems on anyone but herself….and choosing the worst person possible as a target. It is hard for anyone to see it in themself but she really does come across as quite unlikable- maybe she should consider that may also have something to do with her lack of employment in public facing tv roles

I agree 100% with everything in that post. *falls off chair*

Let's hope that Merino's at least is minor. Partey, Jorginho, and Merino all potentially out is not healthy. A Rice/Ødegaard/Zinchenko midfield might be a bit lightweight.

We've just half hearted drip by half hearted drip given the title away to Liverpool.

While they've done very well, for the last few weeks there's been very little pressure on them.

It's why I still question the mentality of so many of the team; apart from Jorginho and Raya a bit, I don't see many true leaders in the team.

I think it's time to relieve Ødegaard of the captaincy; apart from waving his arms about a lot, and pressing really well, as captain you don't get the sense that the rest of the team take him seriously enough. I think he's just too nice. Give it to Rice next season. Maybe that will relieve the pressure on Ode so he finds his mojo again.

"So Aluko doesn’t deserve the senseless abuse but she definitely does deserve to be criticised". That's exactly the issue, isn't it? The internet age doesn't do 'constructive criticism' at all well, either in terms of handing it out or receiving. Grievance, anger, hysteria and very short news cycles are its currencies.

True. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties is campaigning to get the social media companies to turn off the algorithms that fuel the outrage. I agree with them. Mind you the old line we learned at school "sticks may break my bones but names can never hurt me"

Yeah that would be what’s called a line in the sand. Not going to help his confidence either.

You either sell now, bring in a replacement and slowly phase out or persevere

The truth is despite his dip in on the ball productivity he’s still usually the player whose mobility breaks the high press. He’s quick, moves it fast and drops deep. Without that I think we would have a major issue in building attacks from the back. There isn’t a player in our squad like him in this respect. Plus he leads our own press.

It’s tricky because his attacking form has dipped but he’s still central to the way we play.

Fair point, apart from him moving it fast. I don't think he does that enough.

Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed it's just a (rather prolonged) temporary dip in his performances.

I don’t think she deserves to be openly criticised for her poor punditry as a matter of principle (all subjective of course) but when she starts blaming and criticising others then there is a right of reply where people can correct what she’s saying and if that forms some criticism coming her way then I think that is fair.
Of course the comments section under social media posts is not the place for rational conversation but you can post anything on social media and face a barrage of abuse no matter your content.
With what I’ve seen over the years from Aluko I don’t think she would be able to sit down with a rational person who points out the flaws in her argument, I just think she’s too far down the rabbit hole to consider it might be partly down to her.

I saw a bit Carragher did where he’s talking about wanting to see Ødegaard in more No.10 type positions, between the likes and I agree with him. He drops deep and drifts wide right to get on the ball more and get more time on the ball.
I think the signing of a deep lying playmaker could make a difference to him not needing to come so deep.
Ødegaard still tops the league for progressive passes in the final 3rd and other such metrics, but the eye test never quite looks as good.

In short. I think if we bought more technicians in to the team the burden on him would be less and he could flourish in higher positions

I disagree a bit. :) there was a stat the other day where Rice, Saka and Ødegaard had played together 9 times this season. Understand your frustration but injuries with our squad this year have been erratic all over the place. Let’s not forget the dire squad that Arteta inherited and constraints of FFP which Arsenal seem to be the only squad adhering to. Also, the players we wanted/needed/targeted decided on destinations elsewhere. Not Arsenals fault. This summer is the one on which to judge and the frontline is the only area that needs help. Let’s see.

Not wrong there Decaf. The media are consumed with absolutes and social media fed information that agrees with their biases. America is the most obvious but it’s popping up all over the place. Even the Liberals in Aus are entering the election with the same bollox rhetoric. I wish i could hear a politician actually speak with ideas and an actual plan to achieve the objectives they crap on about. So sad but at the same time the general populace will just to vote with what they hear as promises, etc.

I don’t understand why so many people are stating with such certainty that PSG have been the best team in the champions league. Of course they’ve had some impressive wins but no more than any other semi finalist.
PSG lost 3 group games, finished 15th in the table, got lucky drawing Brest in the play off round, lost a game to Liverpool and lost a game to Villa. So lost 5 games so far. Scored 30 goals in 14 games.
Arsenal have lost 1 game. Inter have lost 1 game. Arsenal have 30 goals in 12 games.
Barcelona have lost two games, but have also looked vulnerable defensively.

For me it’s absolutely fine to pick one of the 4 who you think are the best team, most impressive team or team you think will win - I think the semi finalists are well matched - the betting reflects this. My problem is going so unequivocally heavy on one team when nothing we’ve seen really backs that up certainly no more so than any other semi finalist.

I’d say Arsenal and Inter are the two with less fire power but are better defensively and haven’t shown much vulnerability so far.
PSG and Barca are similar, better going forward than defending, capable of winning games on a ‘well score more than you’ attacking mode but both have had big scares to nearly be knocked out. PSG needed penalties and were 1 goal from a rampant Villa of being taken to extra time there. Barca nearly threw away a 4-1 lead v Dortmund.
Arsenal beat Real Madrid twice and put 7 past PSV. Inter have only conceded 5 goals all tournament and knocked out a strong Bayern team.

It’s all very evenly poised and yet I keep hearing PSG are the standout team across the whole competition.

RM was strong favourites against us, and we knocked them out without much difficulty

Now they are talking up PSG. So be it. The truth will be on the field.

Why do you care? Is it not better for PSG to be favourites than us? It pust the pressure on them.

Gosh didn't realise that. Puts our injuries into perspective.

Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth has all the big prem clubs chasing him and seems certain to move this summer. £50m release clause that crucially can be paid in 3 installments. We're interested, as are Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle.

He'd be No.1 choice at Chelsea and Newcastle and 3rd choice at Arsenal and Liverpool.

He's a bit of a unicorn CB, can play right and left, is two footer, cultured on the ball but 6ft 5". He's only just turned 20 as well.

Reports are Chelsea are favourites and that makes sense, they'll probably throw the most money at him as well as their need is greatest.

For us it will depend what we do with Kiwior I guess

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-arse ... /verein/11

This is a good graphical display to show the injuries we've had

Compare it to Liverpool's chart
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-live ... /verein/31

I think at this top level and stage of the competition the idea of pundits making teams favourites for a competition or tie would have little to no affect on the pressure professional footballers feel. It is the semi final of the CL - the pressure is already there.

I don't 'care' about being favourites or not per se - just calling out what I consider to be ill informed media pieces which have little factual basis. Punditry is generally in the pits because no one challenges each other with quantifiable statements. You watch something with 4-5 well known pundits and one says PSG have been the outstanding team of the tournament so far and no one even to just play devils advocate says 'but they've lost 5 games......how about Inter who have only lost 2 and only conceded 5, do we consider the best defence is better placed to win a KO tournament rather than the best attack......is there a case that PSG are more vulnerable as we saw v Villa when they nearly crumbled'.......would punditry not be far better to have discussions like this rather than a blanket statement with no reasoning other than 'feels' and emotion?

There could easily be the scenario where at the end of the season we haven't won anything but....
Liverpool are prem champions
City fa cup winner
newcastle league cup winners
man u or spurs - europa league winners
chelsea - conference league winners

We'll be told by everyone that we have to sack Arteta and fans of all those clubs will tell us they have had better and more successful seasons than us. If success is measured on trophies alone then its unarguable. I'd take issue with Chelsea because they're only in that competition because they were so poor. that comp for them is pretty much them winning the fa cup with no prem or champions teams allowed to enter.

Football is treated so black and white currently, win or fail. no room for discussion and context. The reality is the line between winning and losing can be and often is very thin. So when (and it has to be when) Arteta wins a big trophy for us those people who swing so far the way of he's a failure would have to do a complete 180 on their argument and brand him an all time brilliant winner. Last season was literally Son scoring a 1v1 away from us being champions. I realise sport has no time for an unlucky loser but it will make it all the more sweet when we do win something big

I’d be more concerned about Odegaards form if he was playing like this with a proper striker in front of him. Who has he got to play a quick ball into, nobody.

Great lines.

If the clubs listen to idiotic supporters you get stuck in the vicious cycle of sacking your manager once a year and dropping down the league table.

Since Saka came back from injury he's started 3 of a possible 7 matches, we won them all - Madrid (twice) and Ipswich. He didn't start the 3 games we dropped points in (everton, brentford, palace) - the only other game he didn't start was Fulham where he came off the bench and scored the winner.

If he had been fit all season we'd be very close to Liverpool. If Saka had been fit all season and Salah had been out for the same time Saka had then ours and Liverpool's position would be reversed.

We are 12 points behind them with a game extra played. You can keep making "what if" arguments, but when it comes down to it, Liverpool are better than us. They are on target for 90+ points...something we have not done.

Indeed. It is noteworthy that he looks better when Saka is on.

I'd agree that we are short of being a 90 point side. We are far too prone to producing the sort of stodgy performance we produced against Palace, even with a fully fit squad. For a team with such an excellent defense and keepers, we also have a habit of conceding unnecessary goals.

https://x.com/Gravitygunner14/status/19 ... 9676339399
This is the frustration with Martinelli, hes a head down dribbler, here he should take a touch get his head up and square it to Saka who is ahead of his man. I'm not sure you can coach out the head down dribbling style now

That was awful. Taking it outside was inexplicable.

Of course they have been better this season, the only measurable thing we have is the results and the table. But our season does need some context and discussion. Simply saying we are not good enough is fine but we've shown when our better players are available we produce better results, same as every team, and this season more than any in Arteta's reign we've suffered hugely from injuries and Liverpool have had the biggest bill of clean health ever experienced by a premier league champion. The stats show the availability but obviously can't tell us what the results would have been with/without injuries - that's where discussion comes in.
The same argument can be made for a few teams, Forest have been excellent but they have been able to play virtually the same 11 every week - they are over performing. Spurs I think are a better team than their league position (as funny as it is) but we have to admit they have also had horrific injuries this season particularly in defence.
With Liverpool we saw in 22/23 season, they dropped off from a 92 point season to 5th place and a 67 point season - this corresponds to the injuries they had that season
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/liverpo ... GB1%262022
and in 20/21 season they only got 69 points following up on their record breaking 99 point champions season - look at the horrendous injuries here
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/liverpo ... GB1%262020