The College Dropout

It's not 35m net spend. It's 35m accounting loss on football.

Under Rafa we stay up if he’s hired 3 games earlier. It took him awhile to get in the groove but by then it was too late. Did we lose 1-0 to Man City by an Aguero goal where Aguero was offside the entire time? I hated the SMC reign from early. You can tell we did lots of silly passing in training but that was it. That smile was a bluff. He never got a tune out of the players. Couldn’t motivate them. Bruce and Pardew were definitely worse coaches but as managers, their emphasis on morale, team work and just being affable with the players meant they never truly lost the dressing room (until the end for Bruce) and could get a tune out of them with a bit of confidence. SMC could never generate any team spirit and momentum into a run of results. Players never bought his bullshit.

Read somewhere Liverpool didn’t like how he had exclusively played a back 5. Arne Slot looks a great modern coach. Likes youth. Doesn’t mind focussing on coaching and tactics and leaving transfers up to others without complaint. Tactically flexible.

Good moves. I tend to wait u too late in the week to make transfers even if it’s the same ones I want to make earlier. I do think Salah, Palmer & Haaland is achievable for many. Not me though. I also want Cunha and Salah. Actually not so hot on Salah but Haaland isn’t worth the money atm and tricky fixtures coming up.

It’s v. viable. I got a number of other issues to deal with. TAA, DCL & Foden and only 2FT. Solanke is a rank killer too. Massive haul. Glad it’s this week as ownership must have declined a lot. I’ve had 3 consecutive top 10 finishes in the NO league (did I mention I won last season?) but not been able to get it right.

Aye he’s absolutely world class imo. And Hall was excellent. I just wanted to point out that Livra had less support and gave his winger absolutely nothing. Which is why I give him the edge in the MOTM stakes. The commentator gave it to Hall because Saka is better which is absolutely fair too.

I like this 424 attack. Only issue is the front 4 don’t combine a lot. Our play is heavily Bruno dependent. It all goes through him. I wonder how we would look with Tonali in his position and he in Longstaff. IMO he might have to sit more alongside Tonali. Team is built to hit Bruno all the time. Willock off the ball and high does so much good for the press and allows Isak to amble around more and save his delicate legs. Compounds my thought that Martinelli vs Livra was a key battle that Arsenal lost. Arteta said ‘get em Gab!’ And he absolutely did not.

Thought he was slightly better than Lewis today. One thing I’ve probably only fully appreciated is Gordon doesn’t provide the cover as the Joe’s - nowhere near. Gordon is great at winning it high but he doesn’t always come all the way back like the Joe’s do. Point is Livra was really left 1v1 with the Arsenal wingers and they got absolutely nothing. Livra just locked them down. Gordon helped but not like the other side. Obviously Saka is better than Martinelli but Saka did have some joy going on the outside and there was more of a 2-man job on him at all times. That created space on the other side for Martinelli who didn’t have the ability to take advantage because Livra.

We didn’t get Livra from Chelsea. Their academy is top 2 in the country.

Reece James is an ultimate technician. He’s a blend of both Hall’s ability on the ball (and better crossing), Livra’s athleticism and a footballing IQ that has seen him play effectively at RB, RWB, CB and DM/CM at an elite level. The comparison to Livramento on the ball (and I love Livra) is disrespectful to James. on Hall he showed great defensive nous at the end of last season. I thought at worst he would rotate with Kelly but I and many others never thought Kelly would entirely displace him. Hall is a far more talented player - you can see that instantly.

Aye and he’s going to have more ropey games. But he’s shown he can play at this level. Similar to Livra whose has had a slow start to the season. He can perform.

It was obvious at the end of last season when he got in the team that Hall was ready for a lot of minutes this season. He looked immense in those last half dozen games. Had he had a run a little earlier he may have gone to the euros imo. That run was caused by the injury crisis but I think it changed Howe’s view of Hall.

Think most people here prefer that. It’s wor Eddie that seems hesitant.

That aggression and sharpness was back today. That’s the magic of this squad you know. Aggression, first to the punch, quickness of mind and body.

Aye. Fairly early goal. Good finish too - not a super high Xg chance that. From there Arsenal pushed but didn’t create much. We didn’t create much either ‘game state’.

Against lower blocks definitely. The way we play we are hyper dependent on Bruno’s touch and dribbling ability to ease pressure in defence which Tonali can’t do. Agree Longstaff almost plays for Bruno. You need a runner I’ll run. You want a 1-2 here, you attack - I defend. Tonali still trying to figure out how he fits in.

Took his goal well. Got his swagger back. why can’t he play for 90 minutes though? Done again by 75 minutes. Having someone else lead the press from the front does give him another 15 minutes in the legs tbf. And makes the press more effective.

ATM we lose a little something with Tonali & Barnes. With Barnes I think it’s off the ball intensity and lack limited all round game. With Tonali it’s more there’s something Longstaff adds that I can’t quantify or articulate. Maybe it’s just the relationship with Bruno.

I agree with this. But there also changes that I think are positive long term and increased confidence. Joe’s on the left offensively and defensively gives us Great balance. The relationship is A1. Gordon and Tino on the right showed some positive signs. Longstaff and Bruno works in a way that can’t be ignored. That 442 press is better than whatever other press we’ve been trying this season. The relationships helped us play better football overall.

LOL. I do think it’s easier to setup well tactically defensively than offensively. Biggest tactical shift was the OOP press which was impressive. Otherwise going back to old working relationships and more importantly attitudes got us the win. Arsenal biggest issue is they only have one route to goal without Odegaard. And they were off it physically and mentally. We beat them to the punch time and again which is crucial. All wingers lost their individual battles. They looked good at 0-0 I thought. But once we scored they didn’t have answers. Last 20 went to that 451 shape that invites attack after attack that I really hate. But Arsenal didn’t have any inventiveness to take advantage and our lads gave it 100%. Bodies on the line etc. That low block 451 no press, is hard on our players mentally and physically and needs them to be right up for it to work.

Aye. Thinking back to last season and the issues Burn had. I do think he suffered from not having the Joe’s infront. And Hall benefitted from their protection.

Always great 1v1. Good performance.

Transition monster. Pressing monster. Great relationship with Joelinton.

Interesting and effective mix of going back to old ways and introducing new elements. Big Joe, Little Joe combination down the left. Longstaff in midfield. No Tonali. dark arts. Aggressive. First to the ball. But also more of a 442 shape off the ball worked a lot better. Allowed us to press higher. Less pressing from Isak but Joe’s pressing so high helps us.

Good performance this.