Conjo

Why are these two teams so incredibly boring to watch? It's a final, and I haven't even considered putting it on, and won't unless it goes to penalties as I know it'll be time wasted I'll never get back.

Amen. It's absolutely crazy to talk about Howe getting sacked. By all means critisize/discuss some of his decisions, but this is our guy. The problem/difference for Howe is he did too well last season in a way Arteta showed progression, while we have regressed this season (in terms of league position) which is optically worse. If Arteta got 4th in his first season, then 8th, I'm not sure he'd necessarily be at Arsenal today (and it would have been a mistake by Arsenal if they did let him go in that scenario).

There's probably more to it, but two things that has contributed to this, I think, is 1. the most obvious one - injuries and 2. other teams raising their intensity against us to counter/nullify our approach (or get revenge? ). There has been quite a few times this season I've been thinking the opposing team out-newcastle'd us, not only yesterday.

Isak was pretty much static alone up top waiting for us to break against Arsenal for the first 30 minutes of the game and got subbed on the 62nd or 63rd minute(?) so basically played ~30 minutes of normal football which should be manageble considering he trained a few days before the game.

Difficult to say with him only playing one game since the LC final if there's any noticable difference in command of box, shot stopping and passing/kicking compared to Dubs, but one thing that was easy to see is that he's better at sweeping than Dubs. Wouldn't mind if he got a few more chances to prove himself, and of course, if he does well, becomes our 2nd choice keeper.

Ah right, gotcha but doesn't that mean that whether he would get a longer sentence (additional time over the current period left to serve or start from 0 once current ban is over) is up to Fifa then, not the FA, meaning bigger likelihood of no additional time, unless bets has been placed after Tonali was notified of the completed investigation by the Italian FA?

When do you think we doubled down on Howeball? All our major signings bar Gordon are someone I'd not typically class as a high intensity/pressing type of player.

It's not like the Italian FA would give him a heads up that they are investigating him, or have I missed something? If he's completely oblivious that there's an ongoing case, why would he stop doing what he's doing? If the English FA punishes him 10 months or less, which ends up extending his current ban, his ban from the Italian FA should not have been valid for club football in the UK, only Italian club football and international duty.

It was clear from the start of the game that our plan was to sit tight, frustrate Arsenal and try to hit them on the break. Problem was their press was so good that we never got the ball moving forward, and from the endless play outside our box and all the corners conceeded, they scored a lucky goal. What surprised me a bit was that after going one down, we continued to sit back, as if there was no plan for what to do if we went behind (unless the plan was that we do the same even if we go one down). We've shown a very good ability to get back in games the last few weeks, but it was almost as if we were caught sleeping ourselves by our own tactic to try to get Arsenal to sleep

1-0 since Dan Burn came on.

Isak Hope we could set him up for chances like that more often

Really? I didn't read the match thread after the line-up got posted, but the week before that the vast vast (vast) majority were still expecting this due to the inbalanced midfield.

Only positive, I guess, is that it's only 2-0? One goal from us and it could turn momentum in our favor if Arsenal gets nervous about protecting their lead.

It's not good enough, I agree. Prefer not to go into doom mode over it though.

But they are still playing almost every minute of every game because we have nobody to sub in so they can't play with the normal intensity. Besides that, the main issue is our midfield where 2 of Willock, Joelinton and Tonali would start.

Of course

Still half a team out with injuries. Get some perspective

he's clearly not, but wtf is he supposed to do with 3 fit cm's & Willock hardly ready to play?

Mein gott... Was hoping we would try to press Arsenal higher after going down 0-1.

Have a good feeling about this. Arsenal going all out to get an early lead. They must worry if they have the condition to play at our tempo the longer the game goes on due to the CL game midweek.

Howe really going for it with that line-up

Brendan Rodgers the manager over there these days?

I'd prefer Livramento personally, but I won't kick up a stink if it's Burn, as he's shown plenty times he can handle Saka just fine. Saka doesn't have the scary pace of Ogbene, Elanga or Semenyo, which seems to be Burns biggest cryptonite so it's not as big a worry for me as the previous games of ours.

Burn has played Arsenal 4 times since coming here. Arsenal has scored 2 goals in total. 1 by Ødegaard, 1 own goal by Schar. Saka played in all the games. Scenes when Burn pulls Saka out of his back pocket at the final whistle.