alexf

Never lacked the physical attributes, but has often lacked the mentality to be a top player. Can be a frustrating watch sometimes when you know he has the ability to do things like that run 2nd half or when he smashes in the odd goal from 25 yards. But then most of the time make strange odd sessions in the final 3rd. It is what it is at this point. We've done well to get as much use as we have out of him considering how useless he seemed early on. Not his fault we have failed to upgrade his position for so long.

The amount Carragher and Neville get to commentate on their own teams all the time is ridiculous.

I think Trippier is cooked. I've noticed it in most of his games now since last year. He used to play really aggressively and it made up for his lack of speed. Maybe because his legs have truly gone now or it's a mentality thing, but he backs off massively now to protect himself being in exposed but that has a knock on effect. It goes under the radar because of Popes error, but you can see on the 2nd goal, he is backing off Danny Simpson style and allowing too much space. It happened for a chance before then aswell. It's sad to see because he was so good for that period after he joined. Haven't even mentioned the absence of his attacking play anymore too. I hope it's mentality and lack of form, but I suspect it's probably more physical and he's just not up to it anymore which has inturn destroyed his confidence.

Don't like the camera panning to them each game now. Gives me flashbacks of the Ashley era when it was him with Llambias or Bishop in the crowd, looking like the evil overlords casting a grey cloud over everything. 😅

Looked good last week so this was a surprisingly shit return to the form from previous games. Wasn't the output. Everyone can have poor games, as did most today. But he looks like he has a visible strop on in comparison.

The two go hand in hand. They spent absolute fortunes on first team, academy, infrastructure, managers etc. This allowed them to win a few league titles and cups with the likes of aguero, company, Silva etc. They had a dip just before Pep arrived but, the fact they were even able to attract Pep in the first place was down to money. He has been amazing but he has been well remunerated I'm sure. Not to mention he has been able to assemble a squad and pick up pretty much anyone he wants since he arrived. Everyone wanted Haaland but no one else was affording that Salary he's on. Etc.

On the ball he's looking good. Seems like the tactic often is to work the ball to him most the time when we play out the back. So good to see Eddie and team have trust in him on the ball to build the attacks. The problems are out of possession. He gets caught out often and pretty much every player he has faced so far has beaten him 1v1 quite comfortably. With the next closest player to him being Burn the issue is compounded. You could see Semedo's body language change when he saw Burn and Hall ahead of him knowing he could go around them. I think we have to persevere and let him learn by playing as he will only get better with time. Alternatively we switch Tino back to Lb like we did at times last season (which in certain games I would like to see if we need to be more defensive) But that isn't ideal for Tino or Hall's development. He plays very similar to Luke Shaw. However Shaw always had really good pace, which Hall unfortunately lacks. But on the ball he has a lot of qualities.

The link up with Schar for the future back to Gordon chance was lovely. Two quality footballers combining.

Yeah he's one of those players, where as soon as he moved into that pocket of space, I was practically already celebrating before he hit it. If he can add variety to his game by going on the outside aswell, so he isn't easy to defend then he's a massive asset. I think the only thing we can do is play both him and Gordon and let them rotate during the game. It's not ideal if they both don't want to play on the right. But they are too good to leave out of the starting 11. Only negative is it means we only have Murphy and Almiron as wingers to bring on to change things if it's not working. But I think that's better than potentially pissing off Gordon or Barnes by benching one of them.

Arsenal fans are such hypocrites. Gabriel's shove on Romero was fine and Romero just needs to be stronger. But Joelinton shoving Gabriel was the worse foul of all fouls last year. Make your minds up lads. Also going on about us and the "dark arts", yet as mentioned yesterday. They just seem to take free kicks and throw ins where ever they please.

The positives today: Pope's shot stopping. Schar - back and hitting long rangers. Gordon - looking electric at times. Barnes - showing great form again. Willock - back fit and making a difference. The negatives: Burn - was getting too tight too often and being turned and exposed easily. Hall - off the ball feels like a real defensive weakness. Gets beat 1v1 very easy. Longstaff - couldn't find a teammate to save his life most of the time. Murphy - decision making most of the day was poor. Pope - kicking as usual very poor. So a mixed bag really. Great that we are 10 points from 12. But you can see loads of room for overall improvements. Hopefully the form players will play their way into the starting 11. Feel like Barnes and Tonali have already and maybe Willock fitness permitting. Probably means we'll start playing better but losing. So this "poor form" can stay if we keep winning as far as I'm concerned

Almost an absolute worldie after beating two players. Frustrating that our two most dangerous players at the moment prefer to play in the exact same position. Was obviously quieter 2nd half due to position change, but his energy and workrate was back today. Much more like last season Gordon. 👍

Yeah thought he was covering well defensively early doors. Maybe cus Bruno was abit off it physically today and he needed to. But yeah you can see the difference Willock makes to the side when he plays instead. I think Joelinton would be better served as a later substitute if we need to see out a game and just need him to be a destroyer breaking up play and doubling up on the wings etc that we know he's so good at. Obviously that all depends on Willock staying fit.

Bruno's lack of mobility is really an issue when we get countered against. Especially in combination with Burn, Longstaff, Schar and to a lesser extent Hall. We are so slow when we get turned around. Doesn't help when Longstaff can't find a team mate all half. Gordon individual moment of brilliance the only threat going forward. Isak is wasted in this team at the moment. Without anyone near him to link with he's not the elite player he can be. He just looks like a weak target man which is not his game.

Never noticed how bad arsenal are for stealing yards on throw-ins. Comes from Arteta aswell, every time the ball goes out he's grabbing it and giving it to his players no where near where it was. There was one about 5 mins ago that was inside their own half and then by the time Timber threw it he was half way inside the spurs half Then he had the nerve to complain about spurs doing the same thing.

Yeah done nothing wrong there. Porro just play acting because he lost possession and normally those sort of actions lead to slipping off the ball and kicking the player. Shouldn't have been a yellow.

I'm not saying Eddie did. I'm saying the hype around him, helped Palace believe they could quote ridiculous sums. I'm glad we walked away, even though it means we got no one. The criticism isn't that we didn't pay what was required, it's that we haven't identified any viable alternatives to Guehi.

Seeing this, just reminds me how subtly SKY just reinforces the narrative that it's all about just a few teams. Got man u players in there multiple times, arsenal, liverpool and Chelsea basically. Same with the other intro posted further down. I guess they were always trying to tell us that the premier league is just about the top 4 (now 6)

Was consistent in my belief he wasn't worth anywhere near what they were asking for during the summer. At fault for both goals yesterday. He's in the "good" bracket of Premier league defenders but he's not worth anywhere near what it would have cost to get him. All that hype in the summer from the media for a few England performances, where if you go back and watch them, he really didn't do anything outstanding. People were just grasping at any positives to take from the games...one of which is that the untried Maguire replacement didn't completely shit the bed.

Only natural the press are going to sensationalize everything. We used to be the laughing stock of the league for various "dramas" even pre-Ashley. But recent years we have been run extremely professionally, so they have had nothing to feed off. So if they sniff out the slightest issue that could help try and unsettle our quality manager so that we are less of a threat to their beloved cartel. Then they will take it.

He did look good. Final product aside. But he was terrorising that full back. A good F you to Gareth. However we haven't really seen any of that in black and white so far this season, so let's hope this is the final game sharpness he needed in order to start his season properly now.

They also admitted they had jack shit evidence on Tonali if he had pleaded not guilty, and only investigated because he had come to them first. So bodes well for Paqueta that this will likely drag on and on and eventually lead to nothing. Probably very sensible to deny everything.

Can't leave Son up against anyone but Tino either. He's the only player he hasn't gone past so far.

Those three on bookings need to be careful 2nd half. Might impact what subs we make. Particularly Joelinton. Can't afford to go down to 10.

Looking like the Everton version of Gordon at the moment. Not sure if it's fitness or not wanting to play in the right, the liverpool rumours from summer but no where near the energy and desire we've come to expect. Let's hope for a better 2nd half.