SAKA DELIVERS GOLD

by .

Ok, let’s get the bad things out the way first. There are two issues from yesterday’s game.

The first one was that buried in the selection, was Auba. Our only fit striker, he is imperative to our strategy because we don’t create many chances and he’s the most clinical sharp shooter in the world at the minute… so why would you risk him away at a bang average German team in the first game of the group stages?

Emery made the same mistake last season in the group stages when he over-played first teamers, that had a knock-on effect and saw us battle through two very lethargic months. It was so bad he had to lower the intensity in training to bring back some freshness.

Europa League is a pub version of Champions League. It’s not important compared to the league. It is a HUGE advantage that Arsenal can theoretically rest players midweek, while our rivals have to battle hard with a first-team squad in a comp they can’t rest players in until much later in the group stages.

We shouldn’t be taking risks. If we lost Auba yesterday, we’d be in deep shit. That wasn’t a smart move and it’s worrying that Emery is making panic decisions like that because it shows he hasn’t learned from last year. Europa League should not be a primary strategy for CL this season, because it’ll be a coin toss final again, potentially against a very good team.

Bad shit, part two.

We really struggled defensively yesterday. We were open, we gave them space and we conceded 26 odd shots against a very average side. People can rightly talk to the quality of the shots and how they were lacking from Frankfurt, but from where I was watching, the reason the shots were so bad was down to shoddy technique versus a lack of openings.

The midfield was non-existent.

We signed a defensive midfielder in LT and we prefer to play him in a more advanced position. We have Xhaka, on the FBI most wanted list for crimes against football, stinking out the place with mistakes, poor positioning and fear. Then it’s a total mixed bag what the other player in the trio does. If the captain can’t lead, how can you expect kids like Willock or Ceballos to make a difference?

Emery is out of tricks. He doesn’t know how to make his midfield work. This is very worrying.

ANNNNND ONTO THE GOOD STUFF.

The kids did alright, didn’t they?

I thought Emi Martinez was an absolute rock in goal. He was decisive with the short passing, making correct decisions under pressure, not falling into the ‘PLAY IT SHORT EVEN IF THE PASS IS SUICIDE.’ I thought he was very light on his feet, he made some special saves and was always alert to danger (because it was everywhere). He had arguably his strongest performance to date… he looked far more solid than Leno has this season.

Willock also had a good game. He runs with the ball like a machine, he fights for every challenge and he’s decisive with his passing and shots. His goal was a joke, but at least he was there taking the shot when he had limited options. Very Frank Lampard of him.

Finally, the main man of the night… Saka.

I have been purring about him for a while. He did not disappoint. My intel was CORRECT about him starting.

What a little gem we have there. He is incredibly quick, his movement is hard to track. He prods, he pokes, he accelerates, he drops… he is a very tough player to deal with.

Most important thing for me is this: He stood up when we needed him.

We were an utter shambles in defence, it would have been easy to sink into the melee, but he shone brightly and made that his moment. His goal was composure beyond his years, his two assists were also lovely to watch.

I think the person most concerned with that game will be Reiss. Saka was so much better than anything we’ve seen from the more senior wide man. Same can be said of Pepe as well… this is the sort of internal transfer Wenger was banging on about for 15 years!

ESR also had some good moments, but I think he’s a little further behind in minutes and form than then others. Still, he didn’t let himself down, so no shame there.

Overall, a very fun game. Our transitions in attack were much better. Saka is clearly the new Dembele for Auba, so we’ve had a win there. The main grey cloud is always going to be the absolute mess we have in midfield.

The theory that Emery likes a tall DM seems to have merit… our manager sacrifices quality for inches… a sorry situation if ever I saw one, especially when you consider the height of the best DMs in the world at the minute.

Those midfield issues, if they remain, will have Emery fired by Christmas. He has to pivot.

P.S. For all the folk that said my attack on Emery’s communication skills was unfair… this is Saka on Freddie.

“He helps so much. Sometimes when I don’t understand what the coach [Emery] is trying to communicate with me, I have a better communication with Freddie. He speaks better English”

When you ponder why Emery’s ideas aren’t translating, sometimes you need to channel a bit of Occam’s Razor… simplest answer is usually the most boring, but it’s starting to look quite obvious, right?

See you in the comments. xx

Most of this pod still holds relevant.

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Receding Hairline

Goal disallowed then an equalizer….oops

Chris

What a screamer by Maddison!! 2-1 Leicester

HillWood

Great goal by Maddison

Bamford10

Great goal from Maddison. Good to see Spurs go down.

WengerEagle

Poch going to have a meltdown in the post match presser.

From 2-0 up to having the goal chalked off and now 2-1 down, after throwing away a 2 goal lead in midweek in Greece.

Marko

Oooooh another away day woe for Poch and Spurs. They’re just as bad as us this year

Dissenter

Spurs fans have that nice sing about VAR
They had been the greatest beneficiary of VAR….until today.
Poch needs to shut his gob.

Dissenter

*nice song

Dissenter

Spuds always have that bit of luck though.
Now they have a one man advantage because of Madison’s injury

Batistuta

Lolz Spurs, very typical

Dissenter

That’s bad management from Brendan Rodgers
When a player is that injured, you pull them off.There’s no need to exacerbate an injury.

Graham62

Imo it’s come to the stage where Emery needs a translator.

I’m finding his press conferences and interviews practically impossible to understand.

Manuel made more sense.

After years of switching off from Wenger’s rhetoric, it’s got to the stage with Emery, where I’ve already had enough.

Dissenter

Spurs have been in near relegation form in the last half-season

raptora

Brenda > Emery lol

Cesc Appeal

Listen to Spurs fans bitch about VAR now!

Leftsidesanch

Always a good day when Spurs lose.

Cesc Appeal

Palace game aside Spurs are basically living on fortune

Graham62

Spurs have been blessed with VAR usage….. until today.

Leftsidesanch

Gotta say though I thought Son was just about on, and no I’m not channeling my inner TR7 here 😉

Dissenter

Off-side-is Off-side when reviewed by VAR
However there is still some objective arbitrariness about these lines. Who draws the lines?

Dissenter

*offside not off-side

Trask

What a thrilling game. Leicester hands down play better football than us.

Sure they are a bit open at the back but that midfield sure helps out a lot.

We need two players like Ndidi in our MF. Dude just gobbles up ground relentlessly and wins a lot of possession.

Spurs goal should have stood but who cares

What a strike by Maddison BTW

Batistuta

Spurs have been in very very horrible form and you get the feeling their fans have just about had it patience wise with Pochettino, has to win a trophy this season to stop a vast majority from getting on his back

Trask

Raptora

Really I would not mind Brendan for a year or two as we wont me winning anything major in that period.

He would atleast play good risk/reward football and seems good with young players which would advance their development for the next manager to take us to the next level

TR7

I have said it before and will say it again Lloris is the most overrated GK in the world. He is not even average, let alone being good.

Leftsidesanch

Spuds winless in their previous 9 away games, I wonder how much this is mentioned.

United winless away since the PSG victory.

Much will be made about us though, most of it by our “own”.

Danny

So much joy and pleasure when The Cunts lose, may it continue.

Marko

Who draws the lines?

The most biased man on the most biased computer known to man I suppose.

Trask

Lloris did not play

Cesc Appeal

The Mail asking was it ‘right to call a marginal offside as offside’.

That’s a question that answers itself.

Really love watching the media when their beloved Spurs lose or suffer.

Bamford10

New post.

Plato

“Spuds winless in their previous 9 away games, I wonder how much this is mentioned”

Don’t let facts ruin a good story, anything derogatory against poch is an automatic bin.

One can only imagine what this place would be like if we go 9 games away without a win

Pierre

Graham “I’m finding his press conferences and interviews practically impossible to understand.” Just about every comment you make these days about Emery is replicating my comments of a year ago. The difference being is that I took continuous abuse for being the first ( with GOH) to highlight the faults of Emery including tactics , formations , selection policy , incoherent press conferences and his pathetic antics on the touchline. And now 95%+ on le Grove agree with me which brings a smile to my face, and yes I will feel smug about it in the knowledge that I was… Read more »

Redtruth

Pierre
“The difference being is that I took continuous abuse for being the first ( with GOH) to highlight the faults of Emery including tactics , formations , selection policy , incoherent press conferences and his pathetic antics on the touchline.”

Sounds like Wenger

Dissenter

There’s a shellacking of the ages going on at the etihsd
City beating Watford 5-0 after 17 minutes

Just goes to show how pathetic we are.

EdTheRed

You mean City that lost to Norwich, who are currently losing to Burnley, which we have beaten.

Just shows how silly is to take on singular result to prove your point.

I’m amazed no one’s asked for Sheff Utd manager yet.

terraloon

Freddie We have no idea yet the wage expenditure will have been for year ending 31/5/2019. So what do we know? Well the last figure we can rely on is the £240 million shown in the last published accounts which was for the period ending 31/5/2018 That PEA signed on 31/1/2018 so only 4 months of his payments from Arsenal were shown in that £240 million figure. It’s reported he is on a basic wage of £10million + wages. https://www.spotrac.com/epl/arsenal-f.c/payroll/ I suspect that ASTs predictions for the year ending 31/5/2019 will be reasonably accurate so as Valentin suggests a sizeable… Read more »

Trask

CA

He is going with the diamond mate.

I would be shocked if he did otherwise.

Dude is on safety first mode rn. Will go with tried and tested instead of playing a young winger 《martinelli perhaps as I think Nelsin is a waste of gametime》