Are you NOT entertained?
*throws empty can at wall
The Europa has delivered again. Peak entertainment in a world of MANY choices. Arteta’s Arsenal do not know how to lose. Three wins out of three. This is how we do it.
The starting 11 drew the usual grumbles. It was quite senior, there weren’t many kids, and it felt a little bland.
Things didn’t start well. Lots of possession, terrible in the final third, same as usual. Then Leno fired a long pass out the back, Molde found Martin Ellingson, he then picked out the bottom corner from 25 yards. Not a distance you expect Leno to be beaten from, not a good look for him… again.
We always had too much for them. In fact, we had so much mental sauce, we did the school playground equivalent of asking Molde to ‘stop punching themselves.’
Yep, we extracted TWO own goals. The first came when Xhaka found himself the further player forward, he waited for Eddie to run past him, he then hit a low cross at Willock who forced Haugen to finish it for him. Outrageous mind games.
The second goal was more Willock. He played a one-two with Xhaka, tripped, kept his composure, the ball dropped for him, he controlled it, fired it across the box and Sinyan accidentally bundled it in. Unreal humiliation.
Nicolas Pepe continued the good time with a goal of his own, this time from Saka, the low cross to penalty spot was perfect for the Ivorian to sweep across goal.
The final goal of the game was for MOTM, Joe Willock. Nicolas Pepe, in the middle of the pitch, fed a central ball into a run from the left, Joe controlled it and smashed the ball into the top corner. Wonderful.
So what did we learn?
Errrm, well, we can create when we fancy it? We were depressingly awful in the final third in the first half, but we still managed to come out of the game with 16 attempts, with 5 on target. The interesting thing is the system isn’t the problem… the problem is that our players are just very out of form when it comes to being decisive in the final third.
Nicolas Pepe scored a goal and had an assist, but he didn’t really look like he was a cut above the Molde players. I thought Willian looked poor again. He just doesn’t look like the efficient machine he was at Chelsea.
The player who looked really interesting was Joe Willock. He isn’t clinical with his final ball or pass yet, but he is always in the right position. That’s 75% of the battle. Composure comes later. He had a great game, he ran hard, fast, and he never hid. If he can translate that into the league, we really have a player on our hands.
So overall, not much to learn against a bad team, but at least we won convincingly, and a player we’re all interested in put on a show.
Right, see you in the comments!
Pepe *couldn’t* deliver
There are a lot of rumours circulating that Arsenal are interested in Szoboszlai who plays at
RB Salzburg.
He would apparently cost less than half what Lyon are demanding for Aouar.
Arsenal need to add creativity in midfield and switch in due course to a more offensive 4-3-3
formation.
It will be interesting to see what transfer business Arsenal are transacting in the New Year
and in particular what decisions are being made by Sokratis and Ozil.
Useroz
I’m well aware of that.
🍺
Let’s have a wee bet.
MU lose today at Everton, OGS is sacked before the end of the week.
Any takers.
How can you go to church each week and then end up voting for Trump?
One of the crazy things about the States is that every other building is a church of some sorts and every other TV station is selling you religion.
What does that say about the great US of A?
“If the educated vs country folks argument stands, it follows c.70% of US white male aren’t that educated!?”
It means that most of those white guys went to college and spent all their time drinking beer with other white guys.
To our American posters, just saying it as it is.
Don’t take it personally.
We’re fcuked up over here but not quite as much.
Graham63
Actually, someone I know very well voted for Clinton in 2016 and Trump in 2020.
Now that’s a sicko.
Religion is free and a choice.
In the States, you pay for the privilege.
Most of the priests are raking it in.
Should be renamed The Gullible States of America.
By the way, I love visiting the States.
The most advanced and yet, at the same time, the most backward country on this planet.
Religion is big business just like football. Our supreme leader on le grove is the equivalent of John Hagee for religion.
Spirituality is a different thing.
Why is it a surprise to anyone that a president who denies science is popular with churchgoers? Science has been a nemesis of the church as far as the church has existed. It’s an expected result to be honest. The current US is a prime example that even though we have lots of technological and scientific advances as a society compared to whatever point in history you want to use as comparison, people still largely remain simple and fragile and extremely susceptible to fearmongering. The human psyche still remains one that makes its conclusions based on fear more than anything… Read more »
Other than the two goals in a 2019/20 Europa game, Pepe’s goals generally weren’t game changing. He added a goal when it’s 2 – 1 up. That’s good and put the game beyond Molde practically but am sure we’d appreciate his contribution much more if he equalised and/or got us the lead. At least that’s what fans would expect of a £72m player. Time to adapt, confidence etc ‘reasons’ would only go ao far and for so long. Again, at a £72m fee, Pepe can’t really blame the fans for lacking patience. Though erratic in my view, a quoted £25m… Read more »
*didn’t* command
A ‘gunt’ is what you find on extremely obese women it’s where their gut is that big and over hanging it blends in to their cunt.
Have you seen the gunt on that?
Gunt of sf is a whiny American with a hard on for DT.
Hope that clears things up for some of you sheltered folk
Szoboszlai is good enough for me. YT clips aside, started watching some of RBL games and am impressed with what’s on display especially in recent Europe games. Szoboszlai is kinda our dream, ideal version of ESR but one who has the build, more pace, better dribbling, more consistent passing range and importantly can shoot from anyway around/in the box! Also appears to be able to spend more time on the pitch than sick bench. If really at €25 to 30m range buyout it’s a steal even in. Covid market for a 19yo. Edu is reportedly onto it and Szoboszlai’s agent… Read more »
Super thats gross. Seen some on YT unfortunately… like it took 6 to 8 strong men to get him off the ‘bed’ (i’d say ,stage) in order to transport him to a hospital visit. Sorry scenes really.
Btw, RB Salz sold Haaland and Minamino last January too at rather modest fees.
Hopefully no smoke without fire and Edu can pull it off in Jan.
With Szoboszlai’s performance this season, i’d think competition will be much higher in the summer TW. Grab him asap.
Before Arsenal even consider buying players like szoboszlai, there must be discussion on whether Arteta is willing to change his system to include another offensive player… Even in the last window, the signings of Mari and Cedric and possibly even Willian could be signings that were not needed due to the fact that Gabriel was brought in and AMN is more than capable of playing at right full/wing back.. The signings of Partey and Gabriel ànd the return of Elneny have given the team a backbone at last. The previous summer window we bought Pepe apparently against the manager’s wishes… Read more »
One point on Pepe is that our fitness/ strength guys really need to work on his build. His legs are like matchsticks and that must be detrimental. To make it in the Prem he needs to put on another 2 /3 stone of muscle and get those legs built up. Then I think we would have a player
Northbanker
If I translated your stone age measurements of weight correctly you want him to put on 12-18 kg of muscle? Seems realistic…
I would like to see Saka, Eddie, Willock and Gabriel Martinelli to be out front 4 in two years time. They all need to gain at least 5 more lbs and be stronger physically.
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12125530/graeme-souness-manchester-united-players-are-to-blame-for-poor-situation-not-ole-gunnar-solskjaer If anyone needed further convincing Souness and his ilk are stuck in the past just read his rationale for some of today’s managerial issues: “That’s why I stopped being a manager a long time ago, you can’t demand it from them anymore. Instead, you’re asking them. I think at the end of every sentence you end up having to say ‘Please’ today. ‘Please can you run a bit harder… please can you be more aggressive… please can you give everything’. “They were givens, and that should be a given! You’re at a big football club at United, you never… Read more »
Pepe is not going to make it at this club. His build is less of a concern for me. You can put on muscle. My bigger concern is his personality. I wouldn’t even say attitude because i don’t think he’s lazy but he just doesn’t look like he has any sort of aggression in him which I think you need. Even when he scores he looks almost apologetic or embarrassed half the time. He is an impact player at best and even then, I think he will impact less and less games. Can any ok me honestly see him being… Read more »
Pierre,
Difference between Ozil and James Rodriguez is one of these guys actually has an interest in still playing football.
There is always value to be had when a player is willing to take a hit financially and take a step down in order to still play football.
Souness had to ask what a low block was not long ago when he became irritated by Alex Scott’s mere presence in the studio. I mean why isn’t she back at home in the kitchen anyway?
Northbanker wants Pepe to compete in Mr Universe under Arsenal colors.
Chris
Is a bit odd having the likes of him in the studio when he’s so disgusted with the modern game. Am loving that he’s being a shield to Ole though haha long may that continue.
Sky want and always have wanted a dominant ManU and Liverpool. If you look at the current ManU squad and Manager and you’re honest:
OGS – at best an average manager
Squad – a real shambles or a handful of good players with lots of overvalued, overpaid players who range from being talented with a bad mentality to just not very good.
To correct that is huge job that’ll take several years to accomplish – Sky can’t have that it doesn’t make for good TV viewing easier to just have a gobby soundbite.
Cc
You feel it would be complete if he had a Northern English accent and just said
“When I were a lad”
LG should get behind any campaign to #SaveOle.
OGS is a dead man walking and no amount of studio nonsense from former United players is saving his job.
Looks like it will be Poch
ok I probably over-egged the total muscle gain but rather than get fixated on the quantum you hopefully get the drift. The guy seriously needs to put girth on his thighs and calves (without neglecting upper body strength) to become a stronger player. And on the point of attitude, well if he has the mindset to do that, nagged or otherwise, then he will have the attitude to perform
Strength or lack of is part of the Pepe issue, the other part is that playing as an inverted winger with such a poor right foot will simply not work.
Bojangles
Just tell me where to sign up.
Marc
https://mobile.twitter.com/hashtag/saveole?lang=en
Pepe might not be able to bulk up without looking top heavy. Some guys are limited by their genetic make up and can’t bulk up their legs.
Evander Hollyfield had an upper body of a heavyweight stuck atop the waist and legs of a middleweight.
A top heavy footballer is not something that’s particularly desirable.
Mahrez is also lightweight and no one is crying out for him to bulk up.
Really difficult to know which way I want the Everton – ManU match to go.
Bore draw would probably be best for Arsenal though.
Without Richarlison, Everton’s attack is not the same.
AI “Difference between Ozil and James Rodriguez is one of these guys actually has an interest in still playing football.” I was talking about their Style of play and how it shows that there is still room in the modern game for this type of player. Which of course you knew, but you thought you’d be clever by bringing up a point that isn’t even correct as Ozil has played more games thañ james in the last 2 seasons, but that would be just plain stupid for me to think that Ozil has more interest in playing football than james… Read more »
Bench Pogba and play Mata and not van de Beek, what a move from OGS.
Everton scores
I’d prefer Manure draw this so Ole is kept in the job.
Calvert-Lewin will win all the headers against Manure’s CB’s.
1 – 1
1-1, stop the counting err, end the game now.
Pogba is shit most times I’d have any of our central midfielders over him. He might be the most talented midfielder in the league but a bit like Pepe he lacks (consistent) application.
Shaw is getting pretty good with his crosses.
Ole’s time surely coming to an end?
But if Utd get their managerial oppointment right, for example Poch or even Nagelsmann, then it could be trouble for us all again.
Best hope they continue to mess up the in this department.
As I write this I see Bruno has equalised 1-1.
Edu wanted Partey. Edu wants Szoboszlai.
I think it’s fair to say he reads Le Grove and has been following mine and Freddie’s player recommendations 😁
*mess up in this department.
Yeah we need a line breaker. Maybe even two. Dominic Szo would be a brilliant signing.
Think that Aouar is going to RM, so he’s off the radar now.
Fernandes comes to play this game. He is everywhere.
Everton are vacant ahead of their CB pairing. That’s twice a player has moved from 20 yards out, to 8 yards out and been covered by nobody.
Who is their defensive midfielder? Because he isn’t.
Utd playing to save Ole, it would seem.
Ole is more serious this game. Normally, he is just relax sitting there and day dream. This time, he stands on the sideline and very much involved mentally.
Both Edu and Arteta have publicly say something to the effect that they communicate over potential new signings etc. So if Edu is really making an approach to Szoboszlai safe to assume Arteta has been consulted and both in agreement. And Vinai (+CFO) would have sorted the finance side of things. Even with the new found partnership , assuming it works out, of Partey and Elneny, there still little potency in the final third. Almost a trial and error approach. We sorely miss that attacking MF or creator player as much as the Partey MF signing. Ozil came close but… Read more »
If we could replace Laca by Calvert-Lewin, our attack would be much stronger.
Strangely a win for ManU isn’t a bad thing – unlikely they’d sack OGS after a win and it’d be a good time to replace a manager going into an international break.
I haven’t seen Szoboszlai play but my default position is to back who the managerial team in the players they go for.
What I will say is if we were to get him in Jan it tells me 2 really positive things – the club is being intelligent in it’s transfer planning activating a release clause before the summer when other teams could be in for him as well and the Kroenke’s are backing the club financially.
Everton’s GK is a joke.
Pickford….
EVERY time I see him.
Pickford the Merseyside Retard.
That was a pen.
I’m running out of words to describe Pickford.
That wasn’t a good tackle by Maguire there.
He was offside though. Otherwise…
Maguire had a little push on pickford before the challenge though? Still stupid. Also this play after the whistle means you can basically assault someone without punishment lol
Fernandes is really in the mood to fight.
Nelson
Obviously means it can’t be a pen but it doesn’t matter if it’s a red card offence.
Goals scored first half better action second half, odd match.
And Cavani scores
#saveOle
Da fuck is this VAR guys doing
Mike Dean again the man is demented.
Ruining the game, only his ego matters
Mike Dean is an absolute disgrace.
VAR has to be suspended until the fit and proper persons are in control.
A total farce.
What’s he done now?
What’s he done now?
Disallowed a Leeds goal for no reason whatsoever.
The only thing that surprises me is that people are surprised when he makes a ridiculous, monumental, beyond reason cock up.
This Leeds 16year old goalie is having a very bad day.
The FA are only there to serve themselves and their cosy existence.
Mike Dean answers to nobody only his pal Riley
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