yep, we may need to move some players off the books to be ableto afford anyone decent - or as you say, Edu may have to work some magic with his negotiations.
Not sure how it will affect the transfer funds available. but the recent longer term deals that players have signed would help us with ffp and should provide more wriggle room for Edu.
Well, that was pretty limp. Not sure what’s going on at the moment. We seem to have lost our edge in defence and attack. I’m sure there is a signing out there that would help but I’m not sure it’s the full answer the team needs.
Limp indeed. Boys looked tired with no willingness to push through it. 2 games in 3 days really hurt, but this waqs fulham who had conceeded 9 and scored 0 in their last 5 games after two 5-0 wins. Once we scored we simply shut down. Not gonna win the league with performances like that. Has to be said we need a striker. Our top goal scorer is Saka, who lives on the wing, Nketiah is equal but doesnt seem to be getting the starts and in all honesty I dont think he's gonna score more than 10 a season, after that is Jesus on 4, then our midfielders kick in. 9 goals between our two strikers is poor. Salah has 12, Watkins (Villa) has 9, Sterling has 5 and his team are 10th. January windo needs to be filled with a genuine goal scorer - we havent really had one of those since the Henry or Giroud days.
After quite a good performance at Liverpool it feels a little surprising our season has totally collapsed so quickly. Are we back in a scrap for 4th already?
Limp indeed. Boys looked tired with no willingness to push through it. 2 games in 3 days really hurt, but this waqs fulham who had conceeded 9 and scored 0 in their last 5 games after two 5-0 wins. Once we scored we simply shut down. Not gonna win the league with performances like that. Has to be said we need a striker. Our top goal scorer is Saka, who lives on the wing, Nketiah is equal but doesnt seem to be getting the starts and in all honesty I dont think he's gonna score more than 10 a season, after that is Jesus on 4, then our midfielders kick in. 9 goals between our two strikers is poor. Salah has 12, Watkins (Villa) has 9, Sterling has 5 and his team are 10th. January windo needs to be filled with a genuine goal scorer - we havent really had one of those since the Henry or Giroud days.
Whoever said it was limp hit the nail on the head. I watched the last fifteen minutes and it would be one thing if we were hammering at their defence but couldn’t quite breach it, but that wasn’t the case. Fulham looked far better and more likely to score again than we did. I think Trossards cross that sailed over everyone and out for a goal kick in about the 94th minute summed it up.
Limp indeed. Boys looked tired with no willingness to push through it. 2 games in 3 days really hurt, but this waqs fulham who had conceeded 9 and scored 0 in their last 5 games after two 5-0 wins. Once we scored we simply shut down. Not gonna win the league with performances like that. Has to be said we need a striker. Our top goal scorer is Saka, who lives on the wing, Nketiah is equal but doesnt seem to be getting the starts and in all honesty I dont think he's gonna score more than 10 a season, after that is Jesus on 4, then our midfielders kick in. 9 goals between our two strikers is poor. Salah has 12, Watkins (Villa) has 9, Sterling has 5 and his team are 10th. January windo needs to be filled with a genuine goal scorer - we havent really had one of those since the Henry or Giroud days.
Aubameyang won a golden boot with us.
forgot about that, but the point remains, we dont have a golden boot winner in either Jesus or Nketiah.
That was one of our worst performances in ages. We just couldn't string passes together in the final third. Poor decision making. Nketiah had an open run at the near post for a Martinelli cross in the first half but held back for the cut back - which is what you'd expect from the opposite winger or the arriving midfielder...just weird. That said, you put Haaland in for Nketiah last night and I'm not convinced it changes the result. It was just insipid. I actually thinking losing Xhaka from that left 8 has had a much bigger impact than we thought. That left hand side just hasn't been anywhere near as productive as last year. Havertz is getting better, but the combinations just aren't there.
Agreed, Wrighty was discussing that at half time, not having a strong left footed player alongside Rice has hurt the distribution that Martinelli gets, Xhaka almost always looked left, I would have though having the LB slot into that position would solve that but it doesnt seem to have so far, we are very heavily focussed on getting the ball to Saka, which is fine but when he is getting double teamed we need to be able to find the other side of the pitch.
Have to do something different for Liverpool. I’d like to give ESR a crack at the left 8 role and give Trossard a start at LW. I’d also be inclined to start Jesus at RW and Nketiah through the middle. Really mix it up and see how we go.
So interestingly Kai Havertz is left footed. But in this spirit I think the injuries to Timber and Tomiyasu has had a knock on impact which has stopped trialling Zinchenko in that spot...theprof
Agreed, Wrighty was discussing that at half time, not having a strong left footed player alongside Rice has hurt the distribution that Martinelli gets, Xhaka almost always looked left, I would have though having the LB slot into that position would solve that but it doesnt seem to have so far, we are very heavily focussed on getting the ball to Saka, which is fine but when he is getting double teamed we need to be able to find the other side of the pitch.
So interestingly Kai Havertz is left footed. But in this spirit I think the injuries to Timber and Tomiyasu has had a knock on impact which has stopped trialling Zinchenko in that spot...theprof
Agreed, Wrighty was discussing that at half time, not having a strong left footed player alongside Rice has hurt the distribution that Martinelli gets, Xhaka almost always looked left, I would have though having the LB slot into that position would solve that but it doesnt seem to have so far, we are very heavily focussed on getting the ball to Saka, which is fine but when he is getting double teamed we need to be able to find the other side of the pitch.
I thought he was a lefty, perhaps it's just that Kai doesn't look to utilise the left wing as often as Xhaka did? It could be at the request of Arteta or just they way the team is playing - the focus of attack seems to be very dominated by Saka at present.
You're not concerned already? Difficult to see where the next goal is coming from at this point let alone win. Unless we get lucky with a penalty or howler there doesn't look to be another in the squad. Season on the brink of total collapse and we're a meme for everyone else again.
That was a great start to the new year. Watched that before first day back at work, then went to leave and fudgeing car wouldn't start so now waiting for AA. There might have been some swearing heard by neighbours.
We are wearing our special all white kit at home for the first time on Monday morning.
A fantastic initiative, and one the club truly cares about with the work they do in the community towards the campaign.
The shirt is a worthy message but have we played one game with it without being humiliated? Every time we just end up a meme for "trying to look like Real Madrid" and the message gets lost.
I think we are seeing a combination of arteta’s lack of growth is his tactics and not being able to get the most out of players, and players lacking confidence. This is definitely a rut now. We have a bit of a break now. Hope it can be used to reset and get some freshness into our play.
Definately Arteta's focus on playing one way is hurting us, I think some player combinations aren't working as well, but also the lack of using any rotation - much like last season, Arteta has his favourites and seems to nrefuse to utilise the rotation of the squad. This could be down top lacking confidence in those outside the top 11 + subs??
Try hoping off social media for awhile, less memes to wind you up and less money in Zuck's pocket.ajc28
Buffon II
We are wearing our special all white kit at home for the first time on Monday morning.
A fantastic initiative, and one the club truly cares about with the work they do in the community towards the campaign.
The shirt is a worthy message but have we played one game with it without being humiliated? Every time we just end up a meme for "trying to look like Real Madrid" and the message gets lost.
So I froze my bollocks off in Row 12 in the corner in the North Bank last night and was reminded about how average the conditions can be sometimes for match-going fans. Aside from the weather, tube strikes were planned to begin mid-match, meaning getting home would be a bastard. They were called off at the 11th hour. However, stations were still shut, and they couldn't get the Piccadilly line back up and running again. Took forever to get home, and I'm sure travelling fans would have struggled to get to their connecting trains and been better off on a bus or driving. I just don't understand why they didn't bring kick-off forward to ensure the game was over before the strikes began.
Overall it was good to be in the stadium and see it live, while being so close to the pitch. Saliba is so much more impressive in person, and Ramsdale looked back to himself. Rice is amazing yada yada. First half seemed to work better for us as they kept Kiwior wide and Jorginho & Rice played as a double pivot in attack. Changing that broke the rhythm.
We also looked dead exciting each time we got in the box, but we couldn't deliver that final killer ball.
We also look utterly lacking in confidence in our shooting. Kai's free header, Odegaard's shots hitting the woodwork etc etc.
The referee also seemed to give nothing our way - not that it changed the result but it meant Liverpool had no cards on them with a lead to defend so they could rack them up.
Bit of overreaction imo. Talking about Arteta being sh*t and the season being done is all a bit silly. Not much needs to change, just a bit of chilling out from us fans I reckon! We are dominating games just the same, if not more, and overall playing very very well. We are better defensively this year than last, we have a ton of possession in great positions on the pitch, we're just lacking the goals at the moment. Agree on the need for an out and out goal scorer to help solve this problem. It was supposed to be Jesus but injuries and a lack of finishing have not seen him deliver what we wanted this season. Nketiah is useful but doesnt look like the prolific scorer we are after. In lieu of a purchase, I quite like the idea of Trossard in a false 9 role. Keep calm lads, the results will return if the performances remain at this level. Title race and Champions League still well on, even if the last couple of league results have damaged us quite badly. Crystal Palace and Notts Forest next, then a huge return match at home against Liverpool.
That’s right, our xg has been ridiculous the last 6 games. We just haven’t had someone on the end to put them away and some unlucky finishing. There is enough out there to suggest we aren’t done in the league or CL. But we need some different brought in to change up the attack. Problem is, I don’t know who that player is, and other than Tony, we haven’t been linked with anyone.
Accounts I read last time we pursued him seemed to think he feigned interest in Arsenal so that he could get more out of Juventus who he was really after.
Regardless of whether that’s true or not I’d take him. He’s a big lad, young, and his goal tallies speak for themselves.
He burned Edu and co pretty badly during his move to juve. I’d be surprised if they were talking to his people again. Also, while he was a machine at florentina(?) but that hasn’t regularly been seen at juve. I see it as a bit of gamble on talent and attitude.
Cajones sacked by Forest Green after only 6 games.
Unsurprisingly, he was a total c*nt. The way he blagged players after matches was wild. Hopefully, Bellerin's ownership stake meant he could be involved in the decision.
Transfer news is so thin on the ground, it's depressing. Cedric to Turkey seems about right, a meagre free and the wages gone would be ideal. Mika Bierworth has been recalled from Hearts and is likely going back out elsewhere. Seems a bold and ambitious move, especially when they're Heartsbroken about him leaving...a good sign!
Cajones sacked by Forest Green after only 6 games.
Unsurprisingly, he was a total c*nt. The way he blagged players after matches was wild. Hopefully, Bellerin's ownership stake meant he could be involved in the decision.
They're heading for back to back relegations so they best start making some better decisions sharpish.
Cracking win today. We were good. Palace were terrible. Here's hoping we kick on. It's good to have Jesus and Zinchenko back. The latter's return gives hope the money down the back of the sofa will go towards an attacker rather than another fullback. Japan need to draw or win their next game to progress in the asian cup - I'd love a loss to get Tomiyasu home sooner!
We have a real opportunity in this next round to gain some ground on our rivals if we can get the win over Nottingham.
Aston Villa are at home to Newcastle while Liverpool are at home to Chelsea. There’s a reasonable chance of Newcastle or Chelsea nicking a result which would be huge.
