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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 6:24:00 GMT
I still think the midfield wasn't the issue. The mentality of the whole team in that opening 30 minutes was pathetic. No pressing, no heart, no desire and no answers to a blistering Arsenal side. Schneiderlin in there wouldn't have made a difference in my opinion. You could have brought him on at half time but it was pointless. Arsenal had eased off and we were dominating the ball like we were supposed to. I'd like to know the last time a team had 62% of the ball away at the Emirates.
It's probably only the 2nd time Arsene has out done a big team tactically in years, they did a very similar job to City last season when they beat them 2-0 at the Etihad.
Funnily enough, out of all the big games last season we were the least impressive against Arsenal. Played well away at City despite losing and spanked them at home, beat Liverpool home and away and were unlucky to lose away to Chelsea. Away to Arsenal we could've been 3-0 down after 30 minutes also, the exact same thing happened last season but De Gea made some superb saves and they were very poor in front of goal, we saw out the opening half hour and were winning comfortably before Giroud made it a nervy finish, we lost at home in the FA cup and the home league game was a write off.
It's something the manager is going to have to look at rectifying anyway, we need to pay them back when the game at Old Trafford comes around.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 6:59:02 GMT
Of course it wasn't just the midfield, it was the entire team, it just so happens that Arsenal are strongest in that area and it showed up there. Stand like fucking statues and any BPL team will take you to the cleaners. VG will be as puzzled as the players and fans.
The only theory I can come up with is this possession game can lull you into a false sense of security if you do reasonably well with it, but I've never seen that level of passivity in this VG side and he said he hadn't either, so I'm not sure that really stacks up.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 7:28:05 GMT
It's competitive sport, sometimes there just isn't an explanation to a bad performance, we just weren't at it on the day and for how poor we were, they were outstanding for half an hour. Plenty of teams start matches sluggishly and don't get caught out, we deservedly got punished for how much we were lacking early on.
I just think you've got to say we were outplayed, it happens from time to time. In fact our next opponents did a very similar job on us last season. Everton flew out of the blocks and were 2 up after 35 mins, eventually winning 3-0. We weren't at it and they were. Simple.
At this point, it just goes down as a bad day at the office. We've been great ever since the Swansea defeat and I'm expecting us to dust ourselves off and come back fighting after the International break. If we go and drop point in both the Everton and City games then maybe there's something more to worry about.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 7:50:18 GMT
I hear you but what baffles me is they knew Arsenal would be well up for it and still no response, that concerns me on a few levels.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 8:06:19 GMT
As you say it's been pretty rare under LVG that we've seen a performance like this. Even if we've not been good going forward we've still been solid and compact, giving away few chances. I'd be more concerned if it was a regular thing, or if it continues after the break.
Just imagine what it's like to be Mourinho. You're watching last years champions performing like this every week. :lol:
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Post by spens1 on Oct 5, 2015 8:22:07 GMT
oh yeah, the entire midfield was awful
btw, i need to correct myself on the fellaini thing, fuck the flog off in january, that was such a bad half of football from him, no seriously, that might have been the worst thing moyes ever did to us, bringing this tree in for 30 million.
we aren't winning the premier league lets be honest, but if we get 2nd place i would be happy, we aren't of that quality yet, its pretty obvious, we are a season away.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 8:26:04 GMT
Fellaini was one of our most effective players in the 2nd half. At least I thought so anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 8:27:23 GMT
To get the most out of Fellaini you have to play him like Moyes did at Everton when he scored 17. That's not happening so he's surplus, I'd cash in too while the value is still high .
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 8:32:52 GMT
People complain when we use him to our advantage though. I still think he's a useful player to have in the squad. I'd start him at number 10 vs Everton actually. He can't possibly do much worse than Rooney.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 10:06:48 GMT
I'm sorry but I had to laugh.  |
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Post by Dave on Oct 5, 2015 11:13:26 GMT
There are huge holes in our midfield, the space the opposition get is frightening, we've got away with against most teams but the top teams will punish you. Soton could have been 3-0 up in 30 mins as well, Wolfsburg scored early on and we all know what happened yesterday, something needs to be done to rectify it.
Everton and City will have been watching what's happened and we cannot go into it like we have previous, if we aren't up for it straight away then sit back as a unit and soak up the pressure until we grow into the game.
We need to respond if we are going to be title contenders, hopefully the international break gives them time to refresh and we get some players back, ready to go again.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 11:30:35 GMT
I don't think the holes in midfield get closed by simply swapping Schneiderlin for one of the others though. I actually think the problem lies in the formation. There would've been no shame in playing Schneiderlin and Carrick as 2 holding midfielders yesterday with Schweinsteiger slightly further forward of the 2 and going 4-3-3. Or even going back to the formation of last season, have Schneiderlin or Carrick holding with Fellaini and Schweinsteiger in front. Despite us doing well this season I still can't quite fathom why he's changed the formation after how well it was starting to work towards the end of last season. I think it has a lot to do with Rooney. You can't play him as a number 9 anymore and nobody wants to see him in midfield so the only position for him is number 10. That pretty much does away with an out and out 4-3-3 formation. Best case scenario is to drop him. He's been shit and I'm tired of waiting for him to find form. He's not scoring goals, he's not creating goals, he can't retain possession, he's too slow and he can't even get around the pitch as much as he used to. My ideal front 6 right now injuries permitting is: Schneiderlin Herrera Schweinsteiger Mata Martial Young There's no way it's going to happen though as LVG's captain must play.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 11:32:51 GMT
Having said that, there's no guarantee that even with that front 6 Yesterday, Arsenal wouldn't have started the game just as positively and us as sloppily.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 12:05:49 GMT
Exactly, you can't legislate for not turning up mentally.
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Post by Mani Khatra on Oct 5, 2015 12:32:40 GMT
You know Paul Merson and Charlie Nickolas are going to be fucking unberable when soccer saturday comes back after the break
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