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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:08:19:22:25:32 by Padre Pio.

Leno 2 he’s not good enough on any level, even playing it out from the back

Chambers 2 he is so so so so bad. I think I’d go as far as saying he wouldn’t start RH for any other PL team.
White 3 looked poor. Very poor.
Mari 1 he’s like something you’d see in an old Bolton team. He’s too slow and lacks agility to play football at this level these days.
Tierney 4 ok

Xhaka 2 captain fantastic back to lead us to a 2 nill loss.
Lokonga 6 I thought he looked good.

ESR 6 he did well like lokonga. People overrate him like mad though.

Pepe 3 back to the old bad days of Pepe when people were extremely critical of him on here
Balogun 3 not good enough on this showing. Obviously not writing him off as he’s young but have to judge objectively at the same time.
Martineli 2 he was really poor.

No blame to Martinelli or Saka, they’ve only just returned. The rest can f.uck off

Quote:

Flava
No blame to Martinelli or Saka, they’ve only just returned. The rest can f.uck off

Harsh on ESR and Lokonga but I agree these players will let us down all season!

ESR and Lokonga did well

ESR did nothing of real purpose. just passed it off.

Theodore roosevelt - In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

Quote:

Flava
No blame to Martinelli or Saka, they’ve only just returned. The rest can f.uck off

Agree on Saka mate, but Martinelli went missing totally. Nice flick on, near post header and that was it.

I reckon the illness to our 2 senior strikers is something more than that.
But this should have been sorted before the season started.
It’s like the club is trying to Phuck itself at square 1.

Since the end of WW1, 1919, when the FA restarted its 4 tier football league, with Arsenal fc in the 1st div, there’s only ever been one club to have never been relegated from Div 1/ EPL.

Arsenal fc

Let’s keep making history

Quote:

karteta16
ESR did nothing of real purpose. just passed it off.

Agree. People just rave about him. I guess because he’s English/homegrown and now wears number 10 but like what’s he actually doing? I was his biggest fan before his loan spell and had big hopes for him but being objective now, he’s not good enough to be our number ten. He could yet become good enough but the pointless overhyping is also part of the reason we are in the mess we are in. Like the fact ESR is just a guaranteed starter in our team says a lot about where we are. He’s not Grealish or Mount.

Roy Keane said the same about Mason Greenwood recently. He said the guy has tones of ability and talent but now that’s all finished or at least should be. You now need to judge if he’s going to become a proper player and contribute. He needs to kick on and be that player this season when he plays.

The comparison is Walcott and how he was like 26/27 and we were all saying he’s got potential to someday be good lol

Quote:

weedz

Quote:

Flava
No blame to Martinelli or Saka, they’ve only just returned. The rest can f.uck off

Agree on Saka mate, but Martinelli went missing totally. Nice flick on, near post header and that was it.

I reckon the illness to our 2 senior strikers is something more than that.
But this should have been sorted before the season started.
It’s like the club is trying to Phuck itself at square 1.

Martinelli was scared to be benched by the dickhead...lol.. also Jardine didn't give him much game time in olympics n benched him quite a few matches out of match day squad didn't give him much confidence. He was benched against some of the better players likes of Malcolm n Paulinho but that's not the case here.
Arteta must have told him where he should be playing the only thing I see him when he dropped slightly deep wasn't getting into box...I'm still not 100% if that was the coach instruction thingy or his own decision.

Not going to disagree with those ratings.
(like reading last seasons. lol)
We really are in bad shape. Worse than last season.

"𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴."

Quote:

TheReMarkable

Quote:

karteta16
ESR did nothing of real purpose. just passed it off.

Agree. People just rave about him. I guess because he’s English/homegrown and now wears number 10 but like what’s he actually doing? I was his biggest fan before his loan spell and had big hopes for him but being objective now, he’s not good enough to be our number ten. He could yet become good enough but the pointless overhyping is also part of the reason we are in the mess we are in. Like the fact ESR is just a guaranteed starter in our team says a lot about where we are. He’s not Grealish or Mount.


Roy Keane said the same about Mason Greenwood recently. He said the guy has tones of ability and talent but now that’s all finished or at least should be. You now need to judge if he’s going to become a proper player and contribute. He needs to kick on and be that player this season when he plays.

The comparison is Walcott and how he was like 26/27 and we were all saying he’s got potential to someday be good lol

I agree he's overrated by our fans. He was the best of a bad bunch tonight though. I said last season when he signed a new contract that we need a new number 10 and I'll stick with that.

ESR best position will be as an attacking midfielder. He hasn't got the final pass in him to play as a 10.

Number 10 is a big thing in football a man who leads, creates, scores n distributes. That's a big shirt to wear, well Jack Wilshire wore no 10 at Arsenal for few seasons n I don't see Smith is any worse compared to him at his age although Wilshire was better dribbler than Smith.

Quote:

Gunnersingh1

Quote:

TheReMarkable

Quote:

karteta16
ESR did nothing of real purpose. just passed it off.

Agree. People just rave about him. I guess because he’s English/homegrown and now wears number 10 but like what’s he actually doing? I was his biggest fan before his loan spell and had big hopes for him but being objective now, he’s not good enough to be our number ten. He could yet become good enough but the pointless overhyping is also part of the reason we are in the mess we are in. Like the fact ESR is just a guaranteed starter in our team says a lot about where we are. He’s not Grealish or Mount.


Roy Keane said the same about Mason Greenwood recently. He said the guy has tones of ability and talent but now that’s all finished or at least should be. You now need to judge if he’s going to become a proper player and contribute. He needs to kick on and be that player this season when he plays.

The comparison is Walcott and how he was like 26/27 and we were all saying he’s got potential to someday be good lol

I agree he's overrated by our fans. He was the best of a bad bunch tonight though. I said last season when he signed a new contract that we need a new number 10 and I'll stick with that.

ESR best position will be as an attacking midfielder. He hasn't got the final pass in him to play as a 10.

Agree with ya GS.
If ESR did what he did tonight and those around him, played as good, we would be taking home the 3 points.
Him Lokonga and Taveres were the only ones to play to an acceptable standard.
I’m a bit more positive about ERS’s final pass.
He’s got quick feet, as was seen in some of those one-twos tonight.
You’re right in that he’s not a natural #10 or striker, but his intelligence is fine, top-draw.
He’s one of those rare types who see it happening before it happens.
Because of how poorly our club is being run, and how poor our squad actually is, a lot is being expected from players who are nowhere ready to be 1st team starters, age/experience wise.
Did ya know that when Old Trafford was built in 1910 or there abouts, The @#$%& went over 50 yrs before they won a title apart from promotion back into the 1st div?
Maybe we’re going for the record.

Since the end of WW1, 1919, when the FA restarted its 4 tier football league, with Arsenal fc in the 1st div, there’s only ever been one club to have never been relegated from Div 1/ EPL.

Arsenal fc

Let’s keep making history

Quote:

SandyB
Number 10 is a big thing in football a man who leads, creates, scores n distributes. That's a big shirt to wear, well Jack Wilshire wore no 10 at Arsenal for few seasons n I don't see Smith is any worse compared to him at his age although Wilshire was better dribbler than Smith.

Wilshire had much better players around him to combine with. ESR does not.

Leno - 6 -
Most saw only the goals, but not the saves he made that kept us in the game. He is still a top goalie in EPL playing behind a Defensive Unit in disarrayed.

Chambers - 3 -
Square peg in a round hole playing in a 4-3-3, which brought out the worst in him.
No pace, lack positional awareness, easily brushed aside.
And his main attributes as wingback in driving along the bye-lines to help out Pepe, and swings in accurate crosses were not there due to his defensive role as a pure defensive RB.

White- 3
Bullied by Toney. Can't win headers.
Arteta forgot that Graham Potter played Ben White in a Back-3 with 2 giants backing him up.
Play 3-5-2 to get the best out of Ben White.

Mari- 3
Slow and poor on the ball. His form deteriorated rapidly and not the player he was in the first season with us. Certainly not suitable to play in 4-3-3.

Tierney- 6
Can't defend but got forward well. Always got aught out of position high up on the pitch.
He does not have that Clichy Engine to go box-to-box all day long.
Can he be trained to run like a Duracell Bunny all day long?

Xhaka - 6
Our only accurate long passer to the flanks.
He can't control the game single-handed without synergy with Lokonga to function as Double Pivot in 4-3-3.
He can't up the tempo when they are no runners on the flank, no overlapping wingbacks and no off-the-shoulder running from Gabi and Balogun.
Tell me, how many players can play one-touch, one-look, one-pass football like Fabregas?
And will these players like to play for Arsenal FC now, even if we can afford to pay his transfer fees?

The only player available is Odegaard, if Real Madrid is willing to sell him.

Lokonga- 6
Done ok as a debutant, but needs to hit gym.
Like his movements, his vision but need experience to develop his tactical awareness.
When you are good, you are not too young.
Early days yet and can improve to play as MIDFIELD UNIT with more playing time in the team.

Pepe-3
Dreadful. Did go past his marker once with Brentford double-team he instant he received the ball.
The reason is that there is no overlapping wingback for him to slip the ball through the double-team; nor midfielder running instantly in passing channel for him to pass he ball when double-team was pouncing on him.
That is, no "triangle" at right flank for a hapless Pepe to pass the ball; always left alone to face 2 or 3 defenders on his own.

Smith Rowe- 5
Much ado about nothing with eye-catching runs and shimmy.
Where is the end products?

No tactical awareness to help out Pepe at right flank and open up himself to receive instant pass from Pepe when he was tightly marked by 2 or 3 defenders.
That is what a No. 10 all about.
The fulcrum of the team to dictate plays in final third, that vision to find space and passing channels opening up when 2 or 3 defenders pounced on a team-mate and anticipated the return passes with Brentford defenders caught out of position marking Pepe.

I see him more as a right winger to create chances for the team like Roberto Pire.
If only he can scored like Pire.

Martinelli- 3
Be fuddled by Arteta tactical formation, and simply did not clicked at all in the team. Like playing in a Sunday pub kickaround.

Balogun- -3
Not ready to play for us at all.
Like Willock, will not develop under Arteta.
Needs to be loaned.

Saka- 6
Looked bright, brought energy and team instantly played quicker and with purpose with him on the pitch.
We missed him as a starter.

Tavares- NA

"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” Saint Thomas Aquinas

All week I've been worrying as I didn't see where the goals and chances were going to come from, but wow.

Aubameyang and Lacazette dropping out with a mysterious illness, Xhaka going from the verge of being sold to captaining us in our first game of the season, Torreira posting pictures of himself and his family at Disneyland at half time, Willian arsing about in the gym on the day of a game (though admittedly both surprised and glad he wasn't in the squad), Pepe not having a clue when to dribble and when to pass, Leno just awful on both goals...

Only positives were Lokonga showed flashes and I thought ESR was bright. He, Tierney and Saka played some decent stuff between them at times. Nowhere near enough though.

Frank was spot on pre-game about Toney bullying our CBs physically. That's my big issue with Mari. He must be so easy to play against. Gabriel returning will add the right physical balance and aggressiveness to the defence, so hopefully he is back soon.

Not fair on Martinelli and Saka being rushed back from summer tournament football because we have nothing else. Also felt for Balogun finally getting on a Premier League pitch in the worst Arsenal side in my lifetime.

Reports we're still looking to add a goalkeeper, a midfielder and a forward before the window shuts. I'd like a right back as well but I'll be grateful for anything at this stage. We need more G+A output. Find it odd us being linked with a CF while we still have 5 on our books. Maybe Aubameyang and Lacazette's mysterious illness could lead to a departure...

I don't blame the players. The team looked under prepared, especially the defense.. They just didn't look sharp for the first 45..they woke up in the second half but again got undone by a set piece where they had no plan on who was going to do what when the long throws comes in, again a sign of something that was not discussed before hand and planned for.

I was happy with the team that started considering what we have. Ben white definitely looks a poor signing and i dont mean his pace, but how he was easily shrugged off for that shot from the right side in the first half.

Id much rather watch this same team learn and get better with Saka replacing Martinelli and Martinelli and Balogun taking turns to play CF turn than watch Auba and Laca in this team.

We would have looked better if anyone with even slight bit of pace, even Nelson started at RB ahead of Chambers. AMN would have been ideal but he does not want to play there . Pepe had a poor game, but I now feel he's more suited to where he ended the game. Probably has the best shot in this team right now and will be able to create space and shoot. Gets into good positions peeling off defenders compared to Laca and Auba who always run towards the far post.

I thought the criticism of ESR is harsh.. The opposition midfield was poor and he pretty much got the best of his marker every time. The final ball pbm was more about a lack of coordination ( no pre planned patterns to break defenses) so it wasn't surprising it got better when saka came on, someone he has played with a lot.

Xhaka i thought was okay compared to how he normally plays.

This is the kind of game where we can't give cheap goals away so the defense let us down big time.

Laca and Auba have been playing together for 3 years now, not to mention their overall experience at this level.

Id still rather Balogun and Martinelli rotate there instead of Laca and Auba who are refusing to make any runs in the channels in or out and will never ever head the ball properly.

I thought Tierney was poor and too predictable with his crossing.

The reason he got so much on the ball is because the entire setup was designed to create space for him to cross but his opposite number hardly let anything happen.

Brentford ' biggest weakness was a slow midfield, but they have decently quick and sharp back 4.

Which is why ESR kept turning them so easily.

A false 9 like Pepe in the last 10 min and a midfield overload would have created bigger pbms for them.

If you see most of our best chances came by directly ripping them in the center and spreading side, but nothing came off once we went wide because their wide men and CBs were very good defensively and matched us for pace.

Arteta gets a 0 from me. Extremely poor and under prepared team.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:08:14:10:26:46 by CazOnARola.

This result should not have been a surprise to anyone who watched our pre season games.

Slow ponderous passing, no tempo, no real threat.
Receiving the ball and moving backwards.

This is Arteta's arsenal and it's litterally like this every game. It's just that sometimes they take the odd chance.

Quote:

CazOnARola
I don't blame the players. The team looked under prepared, especially the defense.. They just didn't look sharp for the first 45..they woke up in the second half but again got undone by a set piece where they had no plan on who was going to do what when the long throws comes in, again a sign of something that was not discussed before hand and planned for.
I was happy with the team that started considering what we have. Ben white definitely looks a poor signing and i dont mean his pace, but how he was easily shrugged off for that shot from the right side in the first half.

Id much rather watch this same team learn and get better with Saka replacing Martinelli and Martinelli and Balogun taking turns to play CF turn than watch Auba and Laca in this team.

We would have looked better if anyone with even slight bit of pace, even Nelson started at RB ahead of Chambers. AMN would have been ideal but he does not want to play there . Pepe had a poor game, but I now feel he's more suited to where he ended the game. Probably has the best shot in this team right now and will be able to create space and shoot. Gets into good positions peeling off defenders compared to Laca and Auba who always run towards the far post.

I thought the criticism of ESR is harsh.. The opposition midfield was poor and he pretty much got the best of his marker every time. The final ball pbm was more about a lack of coordination ( no pre planned patterns to break defenses) so it wasn't surprising it got better when saka came on, someone he has played with a lot.

Xhaka i thought was okay compared to how he normally plays.

This is the kind of game where we can't give cheap goals away so the defense let us down big time.

Laca and Auba have been playing together for 3 years now, not to mention their overall experience at this level.

Id still rather Balogun and Martinelli rotate there instead of Laca and Auba who are refusing to make any runs in the channels in or out and will never ever head the ball properly.

I thought Tierney was poor and too predictable with his crossing.

The reason he got so much on the ball is because the entire setup was designed to create space for him to cross but his opposite number hardly let anything happen.

Brentford ' biggest weakness was a slow midfield, but they have decently quick and sharp back 4.

Which is why ESR kept turning them so easily.

A false 9 like Pepe in the last 10 min and a midfield overload would have created bigger pbms for them.

If you see most of our best chances came by directly ripping them in the center and spreading side, but nothing came off once we went wide because their wide men and CBs were very good defensively and matched us for pace.

Arteta gets a 0 from me. Extremely poor and under prepared team.

All these are nice n good...the points with come when Auba n Laca are back. Also, Saka will go to right as per usual Arteta team. Martinelli will get some game time from the bench as sub on the left also ESR will be on the bench as sub n club will sign Odegaard or someone in his place. That's how points come in Arteta's world. End of the season 8th-12th finish.

Quote:

SandyB

Quote:

CazOnARola
I don't blame the players. The team looked under prepared, especially the defense.. They just didn't look sharp for the first 45..they woke up in the second half but again got undone by a set piece where they had no plan on who was going to do what when the long throws comes in, again a sign of something that was not discussed before hand and planned for.
I was happy with the team that started considering what we have. Ben white definitely looks a poor signing and i dont mean his pace, but how he was easily shrugged off for that shot from the right side in the first half.

Id much rather watch this same team learn and get better with Saka replacing Martinelli and Martinelli and Balogun taking turns to play CF turn than watch Auba and Laca in this team.

We would have looked better if anyone with even slight bit of pace, even Nelson started at RB ahead of Chambers. AMN would have been ideal but he does not want to play there . Pepe had a poor game, but I now feel he's more suited to where he ended the game. Probably has the best shot in this team right now and will be able to create space and shoot. Gets into good positions peeling off defenders compared to Laca and Auba who always run towards the far post.

I thought the criticism of ESR is harsh.. The opposition midfield was poor and he pretty much got the best of his marker every time. The final ball pbm was more about a lack of coordination ( no pre planned patterns to break defenses) so it wasn't surprising it got better when saka came on, someone he has played with a lot.

Xhaka i thought was okay compared to how he normally plays.

This is the kind of game where we can't give cheap goals away so the defense let us down big time.

Laca and Auba have been playing together for 3 years now, not to mention their overall experience at this level.

Id still rather Balogun and Martinelli rotate there instead of Laca and Auba who are refusing to make any runs in the channels in or out and will never ever head the ball properly.

I thought Tierney was poor and too predictable with his crossing.

The reason he got so much on the ball is because the entire setup was designed to create space for him to cross but his opposite number hardly let anything happen.

Brentford ' biggest weakness was a slow midfield, but they have decently quick and sharp back 4.

Which is why ESR kept turning them so easily.

A false 9 like Pepe in the last 10 min and a midfield overload would have created bigger pbms for them.

If you see most of our best chances came by directly ripping them in the center and spreading side, but nothing came off once we went wide because their wide men and CBs were very good defensively and matched us for pace.

Arteta gets a 0 from me. Extremely poor and under prepared team.

All these are nice n good...the points with come when Auba n Laca are back. Also, Saka will go to right as per usual Arteta team. Martinelli will get some game time from the bench as sub on the left also ESR will be on the bench as sub n club will sign Odegaard or someone in his place. That's how points come in Arteta's world. End of the season 8th-12th finish.

And Arteta will be gone by then.