Pizy

It's funny reading all the quotes from Mou and the Spuds players. Shows what a small club mentality they have when they are essentially treating a 0-0 park the bus special as some sort of massive step for them. 😂 Two big games in a row for them where Mou set them up like a double decker, played in hopes for a mistake from the opponent, and then when City obliged let Kane or Son take advantage. It worked to perfection against City because they had no central midfield and were tactically stupid just allowing Kane the freedom of the park. We on the other hand have Kante, Kova, and were set up brilliantly. Kane and Son were just about invisible and didn't even get a sniff of a chance. Lets see if those tactics can carry them for a whole season. I have my doubts. They're still totally dependent on Kane and Son remaining fit. And Kane gets injured every season.

A 6'4" striker who struggles to head a football.

Mount was fine. Kova was a bit redundant since we knew Spuds would let us have the ball. He's effective when we play a pressing team where he can use his ball carrying in tight spaces. He's a bit useless when we dominate the ball.

This is what happens when you play 2 midfielders who are basically useless as goal threats in Kante & Kova. They get the ball in space over and over and can't really do anything dangerous with it. Tammy hasn't been poor by any means but that half was a perfect demonstration of why I wanted Giroud to start. We're pumping cross after cross in there against a packed defense. Giroud would be getting on the end of some of these since he's stronger than Tammy.

It's a huge game, yes, but I'm not putting such mega importance on it as some of you seem to be. Only reason I'm "worried" is because we have an extremely tough set of fixtures and fixture congestion coming up and a loss here would get it off to a terrible start. It's not as though this is a make or break match. A loss isn't devastating (league position wise, that is) and a win, while amazing, won't take us well clear of the chasing pack or anything. This is a normal big match not a "shit yourself with nerves" big match.

Don't think Pulisic will be thrown back in here. Only real question for me is whether it's Tammy or Oli up top. I'd give it to Giroud, tbh. Spuds will likely play pretty deep waiting to spring the counter meaning their box will be packed with defenders. We need Oli's muscle and aerial prowess. Tammy will get bullied by Toby A & Dier. Midfield 3 of Kante, MM, and Havertz. Ziyech, Chilly, and Reece with a steady supply of crosses into Giroud and Timo getting after Auerier and trying to force him into one of his characteristic mistakes. Then we can bring on Pulisic or CHO to run at their tired legs since they just played Thursday. Hopefully it has been hammered into Reece in training this week to be very physical and constantly switched on against Son. For me it's more important to stop him than Kane because I trust Kante and Mount to make HK's life difficult in that #10 area. I'm confident but expecting a Mourinho special where he sucks the joy out of this one and makes it a dour spectacle. Let's see if our boys are ready for a physical slugfest.

From Alaba's perspective it would be a strange move for him since Chilwell is our undisputed starting LB. But from Frank's perspective it would be a briliant signing. He could rotate both Chilwell or Silva easily without any big drop in quality. For the right price I'd take him in an instant. Dramatically improves our depth in defense with his versatility and pedigree.

Our energy levels dropped pretty dramatically during that last 10-15 minutes of the half. Jorginho, Kova, and Mount were bossing it until then but then Rennes raised their intensity and none of them could really get a touch. I would make a couple of changes and bring on fresh legs. Bring Havertz and Ziyech on soon.

This should be 3-0.

Yeah, I definitely think Timo should've been rested and only brought on if we are chasing the game.

Leeds were awesome when it was 11 v 11 and playing great, free flowing attacking football whilst Arse were horrendous and looked like Tony Pulis's Stoke. Now since it has been 11 v 10 Arse have somehow looked significantly better going forward and have been more dangerous. Will be a terrible result if Leeds don't get 3 points here. Chance after chance wasted.

Most promoted sides at least have something about them that you can point to as a positive. Fulham look like a bottom of the Championship side. Embarrassing. As for Everton, I still think they're pretenders. They play good football and will do well against the shite of the league but they don't have the quality to challenge for the top 4. And despite him scoring loads of goals I don't particularly rate Calvert Lewin. He's a tap-in merchant in the same mould as Gabriel Jesus or Chicharito. He has nothing else about him, really. Just a hard working penalty box predator.

Pep already has that resigned look on his face like he wants the season to hurry up and be over so he can bring Messi in next summer. This era of players looks like it has gone totally stale. They can still dominate the ball and will always be dangerous in flashes but they simply aren't the same lethal assassins that they were. As for Spuds, I hate to say it but they appear to be legit. They look a lot like the good José sides of the past where they're rock solid at the back and ultra clinical up top. Hope Kai & CP10 are back for next weekend. Don't think we'll make it nearly as easy on Spuds as City did today. And Kante + Mount won't simply allow Harry Kane the freedom of the entire center circle to orchestrate everything from deep like Rodri did.

This would've been the absolute perfect match for the aggressive runs of Pulisic. Newcastle are parking the bus but we're still finding joy down the flanks. He would've been highly effective here. We need our wide players to be more forceful in the second half. The pace of our attacks was a bit too slow most of the time.

Tammy has been horrendous. Can't control the ball to save his life and giving it away left and right.

Wow. That was a Torres esque sitter missed. Timo looks extra sharp with his movement and runs but not so much with his finishing.

Just looking at the league table and see that Arse have a negative goal difference and have only scored 9 goals this far. 😂😂😂 Arteta's Arsenal side is literally the opposite of Wenger's. In all the biggest games against the top teams Arteta plays ultra-negative, Mourinhoball and grinds out flukey wins. Then they choke against teams they used to feast upon.

Wtf was that from KDB? 😂 Looked like he missed it on purpose it was so bad.

Another Mane dive for a penalty. Maybe it was the camera angle, but I didn't see any contact?

ZIIIIIIYECH!!!!!!!!!!

Good response to going down a goal but not a particularly great performance. All of our attacking danger was via the flanks. Tammy and Timo didn't get much joy. I realize he is well used to playing out wide, but for me Timo hasn't looked comfortable there in a Chelsea shirt. And he is also starting to look fatigued which is understandable. That Pulisic injury really fucked us. Timo could've rested ...

Ziyech's left foot is RIDICULOUS, man!

This is why the hype about Everton was vastly overstated and premature. Their defense is awful. Any combo of CB's they have is poor, Coleman is poor, and Pickford is shit. They're a decent team but nothing more. As usual. Probably finish between 7-9th. Anyways, I can't fucking stand Bruno Fernandes. He's quality, no doubt, but he's such an unlikable, diving, moaning cunt. Really hate the bastard.

Werner out for the second half? 😑😑😑

Ref fucking over both sides here. This guy come from some 6th tier league somewhere in Eastern Europe or something? He's abysmal.