Kid Icarus

Having watched Verbruggen a fair bit, yes I would say that.

The one with the gun.

Best just to say I disagree.

There's a difference between that and saying the reaction to mild criticism has been incredibly touchy. Calling it OTT criticism being a good example of that.

Pawson is miles worse and is the worst imo, but Gillett is at the centre of a lot of controversy very often.

I'm really not a 'you're not allowed to say anything' person like, very much the opposite in fact, but the reaction to what is pretty mild and imo fair criticism of our approach and performance seems incredibly touchy.

And we didn't have to sell Isak, Yorkie.

We signed loads of players as well like.

It does, but I think more than anything the system wasn't working. The amount of times they were in tons of space and had overloads was daft in the first half. Also didn't help that Joelinton and Bruno were both really poor and their sloppiness massively limited our moments and periods where we could have been more in control.

Like I say, there's a medium ground that we were also nowhere near imo, particularly in midfield. I doubt anyone expects us to control possession against Arsenal, that's not what the issue is at all.

Yeah, technically, but if it were as clear cut as that in an otherwise solid performance I'd be with you, but it wasn't. As much as we were two set pieces away from a win, we were a handful of brilliant saves and missed big chances away from a thrashing. It was a performance that deserved to lose.

There's a middle ground between dominating and completely sitting back tbf, and I reckon it probably includes Bruno and Joelinton playing miles better than they did and at least having some controlled spells.

Thought he was good tbh

Honestly don't know what the joke posts are anymore

Like I said in the match thread, these backs to the wall defensive displays againt the top teams have a feeling of inevitability about them at the moment that I haven't felt in previous seasons.

He was absolutely brilliant until that minute where he completely lost his fucking mind.

Worst I think I've ever seen him play for us and Liverpool aside he's been poor this season. He seems to up his game under adversity, but without it he's been well off it, especially when pressed.

Sickening but i can't say we deserved anything tbh. It was another match that had a sickening feeling of inevitability about it throughout and we did very little to change it. Really poor approach and some real standout poor performances. Very disappointing performance and would have been if we'd drawn or won too. Pope: 8 (a 10 until he lost his mind twice) Thiaw: 8 Botman: 8 Burn: 8 Livramento: 8 Joelinton: 5 Tonali: 6 Bruno: 4 Gordon: 7 Murphy: 6 Woltemade: 8

Couldn't really have complained if we were a couple down and potentially a man down, so to go in 1 up is miraculous tbh. We need to play better though, we got better after the goal but our shape defensively was leaving so much space.

No way

This setup isn't working defensively like.

Hell of a shout that mind, I was convinced it was a pen.

That looks like a circa 2004 Sony Eriksson to me.

It's mad just how far this has suddenly been stretched as well. Like you say, 10 years ago would you have ever believed that Pep would park the bus against anyone, let alone Arsenal? I don't think I'd have even believed it 2 years ago, but now suddenly the trend is to be really flexible and treat every match uniquely, possibly because now the league is so strong? I dunno, Howe's been at it for a while as well, there have been tons of matches post 22/23 that we haven't pressed at all in, and tbh I don't mind it at all.