Once again, we’re here bemoaning dropped points in a game we should have killed off. We’re here wondering how Granit Xhaka can still be making errors in a system built to support his weakness. We are totally shocked how a refereeing decision can go against us, even with the support of a video analyst. We are pissed that we dropped needless points again.
Arsenal should have taken 3 points today. We should have buried Burnley after demoralising them in the first half. We didn’t. The big conversation point will be about Granit Xhaka. He controlled the ball in our penalty box after receiving it 8 yards from Leno’s line, he looked up, and played a pass to Chris Wood so perfect, the player barely needed to move to score. It was embarrassing, the 8th Xhaka error leading to a goal this season.
‘Unforced error’ has been the deadliest weapon in the oppositions attack for Arsenal since the Chelsea restart. We’re at the point now where it’s clear that the only way we alleviate the issue is to shift on the players that make them. Our main challenge is we don’t have the depth to do that at the moment, so it’ll be a next season thing.
The more concerning problem for me is the lack of goals. Before Christmas, we weren’t creating chances. Against Burnley, we had more big chances than shots on target. We hit the bar, the post, Pepe fluffed a stunning chance, whiffing the ball when a connection looked easier. It’s worrying how relaxed our players are in front of goal. I know Thomas Partey isn’t a striker, but a player of his quality should be keeping a shot on the edge of the box under the bar.
It’s also worth highlighting how bad our luck is with referees. Peters handled the ball in the box. By this seasons standards for handball, it was absolutely nailed on, but the VAR crew looked at it and took a hard pass on it. To make matters worse, the ref looked like he’d evened up things a little later when Pepe’s sublime volley was cleared by the same players shoulder. It wasn’t a penalty, the decision was correct… it’s just mad they spent that much time making sure they got the Burnley decision right, but not the easier decision for the earlier issue. At some point, someone at the top of the game has to make a decision, because the referees are still shit even with the best tools at their disposal.
When you combine fear in front of goal, with the mistake avengers, and you throw in bad luck… you’re always going to struggle.
… but, I will take positives from this game even if you hate it.
The system is working. It’s generating high quality chances, it’s largely limiting the opposition, the results will come. At this point, it’s clear that it’s a personnel problem and the backroom staff absolutely know this.
What fans won’t accept is this carrying on into next season. If Xhaka is the first name on the teamsheet in August, after all the data that supports an issue all the fans know, then you have to question Arteta. Our entire midfield needs a revamp. Ceballos isn’t the full ticket and we don’t have to buy him. Elneny is simply not good enough. Xhaka has great bits to his game, but the upside isn’t high enough to merit him continuing. He’s not young, he’ll never get better than this, errors are a feature of his game. That fact cannot continue to be ignored, and we have to see the correlation of him coming to Arsenal and our sharp decline as a force in English football.
There are lots of nice bits about the squad. We are controlling games now. Chances are coming from lots of places. There’s a lot of talent bubbling in the right areas. Plug the unforced errors this season and we’re 12 points higher in the table competing for top 4. Unforced errors like the Granit one today is a player thing. You can’t coach that level of dimness out of a player.
We really, really missed ESR out there today. It’s incredible how big his impact is on how we play. His off ball movement makes us harder to play against. His runs, his passing, his quick thinking… we missed it today.
The league is so done now. It’s all on Europa. It’s the only saving grace we have. Let’s see where to take it on Thursday.
Tune into the On-The-Whistle podcast with Johnny and Matt. It’s a good one. We debate the strengthening arguments for keeping Arteta and moving him on.
Spanish Dave, 16 shots, 4 big chances… nailed on penalty not given. Football was solid. 100% control again. A massive error cost us. Such snowflakery from you.
AFC Forever Sometimes people are deliberately dishonest because of their agenda. Same thing happened when we beat Leicester. The fact is poor finishing, bad decision making and abysmal VAR lost us 2 points. How so called fans can’t be pissed off about that VAR decision is beyond me because it’s not the first.1: Did Arteta miss a sitter in the first half? No, Saka 2. Did Arteta make a decision not to clear the ball? No, Leno/Xhaka 3. Did Arteta miss a sitter in the 2nd half? No, Pepe. 4. Did Arteta refuse to award a blatant handball? No Friend… Read more »
look at the video for burnley’s goal, how on earth is leno not blamed for that?
can he not see the opposition players will close xhaka down?
this is xhaka he’s passing to, turning circle of a tanker.
i can blame xhaka for that goal too but leno can see more of the pitch than him when the pass is played.
All jokes aside, what is behind all these bad VAR decisions we’ve been getting? Is it bad luck, betting syndicates or bias? It can’t be anything else can it, it’s happening too often.
OCGooner, China, The issue is why players always follow that instructions and never try to deviate from it. Is it because the players lack the situational intelligence to adapt? Is it because they are so fearful of their manager, they do not use their own judgement? In that case, then it’s on the coach who create an environment where full compliance is rewarded more than talent. My take is that it is a combination of both. For example, Willian stays in the team ahead of both Pepe and Martinelli, because both are maverick who will do their own things. So… Read more »
I think much of today was down to lady luck not shining on us. There were enough ‘so nearly’ moments. However, the goal we gave away is unforgivable. It’s not just the fact that Xhaka reminded us once again how shit he can be (just like watching Mustafi – you almost think he’s ok then another brain fart) but that we have these stupid tactics in the first place. Leno had no business passing it to him in the first place when he’s right in front of the ball. We need much faster and further ball from the keeper to… Read more »
Thorough, not sure what Emery has to do with Olympiacos, Arteta was in charge for those games. Bottom line is the manager always takes ultimate responsibility for results, if we just blamed the players managers would never get the sack.
pedro we are not getting results we should be getting.
what are you trying to excuse by pretending the football is pretty? it’s not even fucking pretty football, we’ve seen pretty football at this club before, so much so that we could take it for granted.
this mess we are currently observing isn’t even close to producing the type of football we saw in elite purgatory.
also how does arteta get all these people to make excuses for him like he’s bergkamp or something?
this guy ain’t shit.
“Such snowflakery from you.”
What does that even mean?
@winthorpe
“Leno has committed more errors leading to goals in his time at arsenal than any keeper in the league”
If it were true. But it’s not – Pickford, Lloris, Begovic, Dubravka and De Gea have all made more in that iirc.
London, you can see highlights on the Sky website including both handball incidents.
Andy.
Exactly the point I was trying to make. Twas a mistake adding Auba against Olympiacos.
It’s so true ,our midfield cant boss a game for more than 20 mins. Xhaka is very average one trick pony Partey has nice touches and technique, he is too slow though, he needs mobile players around him to exchange quick passes, create space and move the ball forward Guen could have been an option! Leno should have known better passing to xhaka, but I wouldn’t blame him for the goal, the experienced midfield general had enough time and space to do anything other than that Fuck up, well at least he’s apologised, that progress! Laca sub didn’t change Burnley… Read more »
Thorough, the difference was Emery had us conceding more shots on our goal than any other manager. Against transition, we was so open other teams could get at our back line far too easily. Watford had 30 odd shots at our goal not long before Emery left. Emery had some weird tactics without the ball, even the players admitted he confused them. Not surprised I couldn’t understand 80% of what he said.
London gunner
March 6, 2021 18:09:41
——————
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9j5e998GH0
Pedro you are such a spin merchant, in your world everything is toasty, in the real world we are 10th and going down.
It must be nice and warm in your little bubble
Premier League refs are corrupt and have been for a long time. They serve the interest of clubs like ManU and Liverpool who have social networks that easily pay off these refs and their families without direct trace to the clubs. Arsenal is willfully naive and will continue to suffer in the hands of these corrupt refs. Xhaka is not good enough for a club that wants top honours; Arteta is not ruthless enough, he will not win big trophies with a weak attitude. When Pep was appointed at Barca, he was a ruthless dude to his players and cleared… Read more »
Biggles
You’re right
The article i read was over a year old
Still though, he makes a lot for a supposed elite gk
Ishola, Xhaka may drop deep to collect the ball, but the manager does not have to devise his plan around that. If the CB is able to take the ball and pass it then the midfielders receive the ball 15 yards further up. If the goalkeeper kicks it longer to the fullback, then again the play restarts 20 yards further up. Arteta deliberatedly starts deep to try to suck the opposition and bypass the press. The problem is that we do not have the players to consistently and safely do that. Xhaka never receives the ball on the half turn,… Read more »
emery can have us concede more shots on goal and finish higher up the table?
must be witchcraft
Being an Arsenal fan is way more stressful than being married ! 😬
Earnest only he knows.
Calling me a snowflake is ridiculous, it would be nice to get reasoned argument occasionally.
We finish 10th that’s regression in my book.
Biggles,
That stats is true.
From the last two years, Leno has the worst stats out of the top 5 European league in term of goalkeeper errors that directly lead to goals. On average he commits one such mistake every 7 games.
This year, despite deGea, Allison, Loris best effort in the league to wrestle that award from him, he is still ahead of them.
The worst is that the field players with a worst statistical record is also an Arsenal player: Xhaka.
Valentin That is the way Xhaka plays. He likes to come short to receive the ball because he feels it gives him more time and space but on occassions the opposition will deny him that time and space even in deep areas. So then it becomes a question of Arsenal cutting Xhaka out of the equation more than enough times in build up play. If they do that what would be the purpose of Xhaka in the side? I thought one of his main purposes was to receive the ball deep to initiate first phase possession as registas do. We… Read more »
AFC.
The difference is that as shitty as Emery was, and I actually think he was pathetic, he’s still a lot closer to top 4 than your supposedly generational Arteta.
What does that tell you?
You wanna pretend football is no longer a results game?
So I was correct?
emi was sold for this. would 100% be higher up the table with him in the squad.
maybe villa wouldn’t be ahead of us.
Pedro – the only snowflake here is u n ure band of libtard minions – you’re a fukkin disgrace – n ur blog is heap of marxist drivel
We have so many average joes , plus overpaid semi retirees.
Watching Aston Villa, Wolves , WestHam they are all shifting the ball faster and better than us.
We were in a hole but it’s just getting deeper
Did anyone see Martinez’s super save.
Pedro has already told us that this team plays in a way to accomodate Xhaka.
Short passing from deep from keeper/defender to Xhaka is one of those accomodations made to him.
wait till u see the arseholes now – “Pedro daddy – there he is – thats the guy Steven Berg we were telling u about !!! ban him now daddy – then tuck us into bed so we dont have nitemares!!”
Arteta has been quoted as saying he doesn’t mind players making mistakes as long as they play at the back his way.
Can’t make it up.
@winthorpe You’re still right that it was daft. Leno isn’t perfect, but he’s not the biggest problem we have – we aren’t an Alison away from the European Cup, and Leno isn’t quite Karius either. The big question is *why* Leno plays it to Xhaka. Obviously it’s not going back to Mari (who should have played a different ball to begin with) or Tierney who was under pressure and gave it to Mari. Woods being close and in the line to Luiz and Chambers explains why he didn’t do that. So it was Xhaka or a punt. And I think… Read more »
Steven Berg
————–
If you don’t like it here then fuck off.
Watched it again. The post saved it.
Valentin,
Excellent point. We’re not there in training to see it in play, but inferring from game situations I think that Arteta, while I think he is a good coach overall, is succumbing (due to his inexperience) to forcing a style that we cannot always execute, because we don’t have all the players yet to execute it. Making things non-negotiable (WE WILL PLAY THIS WAY ALWAYS) and thus not giving the flexibility to modify depending on the in-game situation. I think it’s making his rebuild take longer. Again, it’s inexperience. Hoping he figures it out soon.
Today has just killed me, we should have won easily,
Arteta continues to die on William and xacka hills
Pepe martinelli and saliba will be burnt never to be seen again, its simply jot good enough
fanny
—–
I’ll fuck off when Im ready yih libtard
@Valentin
The planetfootball article I quoted names from is only 13 days old. Maybe something being counted different.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/14254553/premier-league-statement-arsenal-penalty-var-burnley-handball/
it’s funny cause anyone with some common sense knew that the result against leicester meant nothing in practice and that the only barometer would arrive when we hopefully beat burnley.
can’t beat burnley once over the season.
shameful.
i’m clueless as to how arteta keeps his job. been clueless since december.
AFC Forever Did Arteta miss a sitter in the first half? No, Saka 2. Did Arteta make a decision not to clear the ball? No, Leno/Xhaka 3. Did Arteta miss a sitter in the 2nd half? No, Pepe. 4. Did Arteta refuse to award a blatant handball? No Friend did. 5. Did Arteta churn up the pitch? No Burnley did. . 1st . Are you seriously suggesting the reason we drew the match because Saka missed a sitter in the first half ? nd. Arteta selected the line up , prior history would tell you Xhaka is an error prone… Read more »
Not biting my lip. The football is decent under Arteta and a massive improvement to Emeryball. He has been let down time after time by stupid individual errors, some absurd VAR decisions. We have looked good overall, I wonder if half of the posters in here actually watch the games rather than see the results/table and start ranting “Arteta Out”. I understand at the same time that there will be errors made by players and not every decision is going to go our way but have handed goals to teams from pure stupidity and we have had seriously horrendous VAR… Read more »
Lol, can’t believe the ferocity in which Xhaka has been defended on this site previously.
“Arteta deliberatedly starts deep to try to suck the opposition and bypass the press. The problem is that we do not have the players to consistently and safely do that. “ Agree. Posters complaining Leno chose a risky pass to Xhaka instead of hoofing it up the pitch want to have their cake and eat it too, kinda. Partey took exactly these kind of chance in the build up for our first when his one two with Xhaka and the ball to Willian took five Burnley players out of the play. Xhaka was surrounded by three Burnley players when he… Read more »
Unlucky today and I can see why Arteta has been picking xhaka it’s because up until last week he was playing really well
Well the Xhaka is a terrific footballer bandwagon didn’t last for more than 2 and half months. It has always been clear he is this player. A player that has no awareness of his surroundings and has no ability to drop a shoulder to beat a press. If passing is your only tool to get out of a press then you are in trouble as a CM. But today’s was not because he couldn’t drop a shoulder or his speed and agility. It was don to his lack of awareness and his average ability of passing incisively. He could have… Read more »
unreal, so our goalkeeper is not smart enough to choose a different option when the one he’s considering is being closed down by 2 players who are less than 4 metres away from him?
really?
flapianski was held to higher standards than this ffs.
Is it Steven Berg or Steven Burk ? Maybe it’s a typo, I cant work it out. I always love these sort of posts. Here’s my tip Steven just post emoji’s the write word is obviously problematic. Don’t give up.
A win is always better than a draw – but on this occasion where would it have gotten Arsenal? A place in the CL? No chance. Into the Europa? Closer, but highly unlikely. So why all the fuss? In fact, writing off the nigh impossible may help us focus on a good bet.
Winning the Europa is well within reach. It’s not like the PL where ten Clubs have an advantage over us with points in the bag or games in hand. It’s even-steven.
As AFC stated, these big factors contributed to today’s loss. He’s not outright saying “Saka cost us the game”. He played a part in it by not finishing an easy opportunity to score – As did Pepe not making contact with the ball. Today’s points drop does not lie with the manager. We should have been 3 up before Xhaka’s gift, we were harshly done by VAR again, Pepe couldn’t make contact with the ball which was an opportunity most left footed attacking players would be praying for every week. It does not lie with Arteta. It just doesn’t. As… Read more »
Why is Xhaka still here? Arteta convinced him to stay last winter when he was one foot out of the door to Herta Berlin. We could have had shot of him and some money but we had to endure another infuriating year of Xhaka talking himself up as a leader, tolerating his mistakes and poor judgement. Do you know what Xhaka is? He is a yes man. A security blanket that makes Arteta feel good about himself. The sad truth is that a manager who genuinely cared about the football club we all love, would have seen a long time… Read more »
Suicide ball from Leno. No other way to describe it.
What was Xhaxa going to do it that facing his own goal, in the penalty box, forwards swarming around him eight yards out? Leno isn’t the sharpest.
Peak Maradona would have struggled to get out of that one.
Brilliant point blank save from Emi there.
Europa it is then! We should not be scared of any of the teams left in it. 7 games to a trophy & the champions league. Let’s have it!
We just don’t have the personnel to play out from the back
if the system dictates then play the wide men not the guy a
few yards in front of you with two players close by.
William playing better but his legs are gone that pace away from
a player has gone constantly defenders catch him .
The midfield is impotent for regular goals
and ODEGARD IS NOT THE ANSWER I just don’t
See him scoring on a regular basis.
Pepe returned to form a total enigma.
Yeah Leno has to see the danger, all the avenues were shutdown by Burnley’s press. If he had just lobbed it over Xhaka Partey was free in the middle to start an attack.
“a reason we’re playing well is because of Xhaka, Luiz, and Willian.”
Worst comment I’ve seen on here. Even Don won’t come up with that shit
Willian that has been nonexistent this season is A REASON we’re playing well? Two Assists in a game really does erase a year of mediocrity.
Btw for those trying to keep up, we’ve gone from Arteta masterclass as he drops toxic ex Chelsea duo to the above.
“Peak Maradona would have struggled to get out of that one.”
Partey did for our opening goal.. It’s not that hard if you good.
For all the people that have been shouting ‘Xhaka has been good of late’ do you remember this article?
http://7amkickoff.com/index.php/2020/07/22/what-arteta-has-done-to-xhaka/
Not ruthless enough when leading and playing too casual was my main conclusion disregarding everything else. Also team sitting too deep against a Burnley style team
Re Xhaka. Can’t do shit but play him till the end of the season unfortunately.
If he’s somehow a starter for us next season you know who to blame. At least he stayed error free for a dozen or so games. Progress.
“Suicide ball from Leno. No other way to describe it.
What was Xhaxa going to do it that facing his own goal, in the penalty box, forwards swarming around him eight yards out? Leno isn’t the sharpest.”
Hit it first time with his right to Luis who was in acres of space.
the podcast title must be a grief.
what arguments are there for arteta?
Doesn’t get more depressing than this. Absolute shit show. Slow, lethargic, arrogant. Error after error after error. How many fucking times did we give possession away!!!I fucking hate watching our useless shit. Bless you Pedro…you see some positive.
I would love someone to explain to me what is the worst that can happen by the keeper clearing the ball. Better still, someone tell me how many times we have played it out from the back and we have built the play and it has led directly to an attack for us, let alone a goal! The risk and reward to the whole strategy seems massively unbalanced. I’m not saying we should never do it, but the amount of times we have invited pressure on ourselves when it could have just been cleared past the half way line is… Read more »
James wood.March 6, 2021 19:12:13
We just don’t have the personnel to play out from the back
James
Even stranger then that he sells the very keeper who facilitated our best period of playing out from the back.
SWG
Pep said: “It is my responsibility to get the team into the final third. It is the players responsibilities to make it count”
Maybe that’s why he has an Aguero and Gabriel Jesus instead of an Auba that’s gradually becoming a problem.
And I know I’m gonna get stick for that, but imagine this season we had a fit Vardy in place of Auba, would we be 10th?
ESR big miss today also !
Through
I agree. Aubameyang is a problem
Instantly look more threatening when Lacazette came on
Yes WINDTHORPE AGREE.
But as we know there are keepers and there are keepers
some are organised some like LENO ARE NOT.
Martinelli installed a confidence something Leno is not capable of.
Matt
What was your reaction when Partey was asking for the ball from Leno with a Burnley player hanging around, and then again when he started weaving pretty patterns bringing it up the pitch under pressure after Leno gave it to him?
Winthorpe.
Our attack looks better with Lacxa, especially this year. However, Arteta doesn’t seem to see that. As amazing as Aguero is, Pep is gradually phasing him out. Ffs a player can’t be mint forever. A coach should be able to spot the gradual decline and handle accordingly..
I 100% agree on Auba lads. He’s been shambolic since signing his deal but again I can see why we put the contract in front of him after his displays last season
Tom
Answer the question if you can? Doesn’t matter who is receiving the ball in our own box. What is to be gained from it? To try and do it regardless of the pressure or the situation is insanity.
Tbf, a lot of the hoofed balls up field are lost and come back at us. The playing out from the back is extremely nervy to watch with our players but I guess it’s a sink or swim situation as we wouldn’t have much ball from these situations as we don’t have the height and strength to hold the ball up – when the ball went long today we ended up losing the aerial dual and it coming straight back at us – can’t be doing that all game!
‘Plug the unforced errors this season and we’re 12 points higher in the table competing for top 4’. Not your finest thought, Pedro. If you plug our unforced errors then you are ignoring everyone else’s unforced errors. The only comparison is to look at how many unforced errors in dangerous positions we have made compared with the rest of the league. I don’t know the stats on that but I’m sure Liverpool would still be higher than us if we cancelled out each other’s unforced errors. The error was a combination of our style of play and unreliable players. Let’s… Read more »
SWG
Like I said, there are time where playing it out from ten back is the right thing to do and times when it isn’t. We don’t seem to be able to make those choices and playing it out is attempted in situations when it really shouldn’t be.
Pedro think you’ve lost me with the playing well due to Willian, Xhaka and Luiz. Willian has been horrific this year and assists int recent games doesn’t change that.
Matt Partey created the only goal for us today by taking massive chances at the back , by first asking for the ball from Leno under pressure and then dribbling out of it with Xhaka’s help. The point I’m making is Arteta wants this, and the players aren’t doing anything other than trying to execute his instructions. Martinez fan boys go over the top with the Leno criticism but there’s no doubt Emi was better at dinking the ball over the top to bypass the press ,so if that’s your preferred style , then selling him was a mistake. Arteta… Read more »
Xhaka has taken over discussions today. However, Arteta made so many brain dead decisions which we’re not even talking about eg playing an overweight and/or unfit Chambers when we have two right backs ahead of him.
Bad result but well played – bad luck to have missed the chances we missed at the end
I was neutral regarding Arteta – just want Arsenal to do well but now really pro Arteta. Playing well – balance in our team . The bench also stronger
Tom Completely agree that it all stems from how Arteta wants to play. That has clearly been the case since he took over, but as others did including yourself have said, if he values that so highly then you need the right players to do it, particularly the keeper, who he had and sold. I am no Xhaka fan and of course he it was his mistake that led to the goal, but personally I think Leno should never have given him the opportunity to make that mistake in the first place. Of course you can take it all the… Read more »
More worrying for me is Odegaards scoring record
it really is very poor.
I just don’t see him as the attacking mid we are looking for..
Attacking mids are supposed to score goals.
Matt
My point to you was that unless you were screaming at the screen for Leno to kick it long when Partey was asking for it when we scored, it’s hard to make the case Leno should’ve kicked it long when Xhaka asked for it.
The ball to Xhaka wasn’t suicidal, just risky. And had he passed it one touch to Luiz , we wouldn’t be talking about it now.
I’m sure want never happens in training is Arteta taking Leno aside telling him to treat Xhaka and Party differently when passing the ball to them.
what never happens*
We had a whole week to prepare for this game. Burnley, with a squad far less talented than ours, had a tough game in midweek and we still failed to beat them. I’m tired of hearing excuses week after week. Our team is average at best which is confirmed by our position in the table. Arteta’s obsession with Willian makes no sense, particularly when talented players like Martinelli and Balogun are ignored. A decent manager would rotate our players more efficiently and play our promising youngsters on a more regular basis. Until then we’re lumbered with a blundering buffoon in… Read more »
Tom To be honest, I can’t think of the pass to Partey that you’re talking about so I can’t say whether it was the same situation. If Leno played it to Partey 8 yards from our goal line and there were Burnley players in and around him then my preference would have been to clear it out. As I said, sometimes playing out from the back will work out for you, but when it doesn’t you lose possession in the worst area of the pitch. At least if you clear it and give possession away, it’s in a much less… Read more »
A bit like reading a Guardian review of the budget, you know what you’re going to get from Pedro on Xhaka. Clearly Leno at fault for that as much Xhaka. Other than the not taking the very presentable chances we made, the biggest issue for me was the reversion at times to a slow tempo. With Burnley playing in the week we had to push things more than we did. For that I do pin some blame on Xhaka who does slow things down more than needs to,, particularly when he doesn’t have an easy option with his left peg.… Read more »
Villa drawing, Leicester currently losing. This feels like the latter years of Wenger when we could never seem to take advantage of other teams dropping points. Mind you, that was when we were in a top four race.
Not every Leno error is something Emi wouldn’t have done. Emi also played a lot of passes like Leno’s to Xhaka tonight, it is risky yes, but it is a part of the game the team wants to play. Emi used to hoof the ball only when we were hell bent on protecting leads, none of the other times
The difference to the performances when laca
Starts and when he does not is massive.
Great shape to the attack when laca starts.
He is a proper CF who can hold up the
play and brings others into play.
Auba gives very little presence at CF and
The play is very disjointed like today.
Oodegard not offering much either. ESR and
Laca have start on Thursday along with Saka..
Auba or Pepe for the final spot up top.
Defenders are taught to pass to their goalkeeper dominant foot and to move to an angle where he can easily clear with that foot. If the goalkeeper make a mistake, the blames is then shared between both. Defenders should not make such passes and goalkeeper should still be able to handle it. The reverse should also be true, especially when attempting to play from the back. Goalkeeper must know their teammates dominant foot. Xhaka is left footed, so if you pass to him on his right foot, he won’t be able to make a one touch pass to a teammate.… Read more »
Midwest
No he didn’t.
What fascinated me so much about Martinez was his calmness and knowing when to pass and when to hoof it. I can’t ever remember him putting any of our players in danger by a mindless insistence on playing out from the back.
Other than the not taking the very presentable mg chances we made, the biggest issue for me was the reversion at times to a slow tempo.
Sarge
This is it. It is hard to defend Arteta when we are so ponderous with the ball for large periods of the game
It doesn’t work properly unless we have players who can go through the gears in a heartbeat or have olayers (like bellerin and auba) who are so limited in the ball and if they can’t find the simplest of passes just turn over possession
martinez never passed it to one of our own players when they had the whole opposition attacking line barreling down on them, he hoofed those all the time.
i remember that being talked about as what was so refreshing about martinez, that he would disregard the managers instruction to keep the goal safe.
leno can’t do that.
Leno is not intelligent, that is obvious.
For a top goalkeeper to keep putting his own players under unnecessary pressure is tantamount to stupidity.
We play out from the back as if we’re in a funeral procession. Leno is culpable for this slow build up. He takes too long to decide what to do. He is an accident waiting to happen.
Arteta needs to sort this out.
By the way, Ryan is a better option.