OneMoSalah

We have to beat this Arsenal team. Leno, Saka, Tierney, Gabriel, Partey, Smith-Rowe, Aubamayang (has been shite this season) are really their only really good players plus Martinelli is promising. They’ve struggled and have a soft mentality. Whilst they have other decent/reasonable players the likes of Chambers, Holding, Nkeitah, Elneny, Ceballos, Cedric, Pepe aren’t good enough or consistent enough, as neither are they as a group.

It is lazy to be caught offside continuously when you have his speed tbf. As it was for Morata. He is improving against bigger teams though but the offside thing is frustrating as it cost us another goal v City as did Callum again afterwards also not seeing the line and adjusting his run with his pace. Particularly considering Dias and Laporte whilst arent slow aren’t exactly Usain Bolt.

I would start him again against Arsenal tbf. If you can play how he did v City then he can certainly do it v Arsenal.

Theres no confirmation re Ashley Young yet. It probably depends on Conte and what/if the club has new investors or owners or whatever. They have to reduce their operating costs by 15% apparently. Also on Kolarov, hes played like 7 games this season. He may as well not have signed him.

Lets be honest. If it was a penalty, wasn't a penalty who cares. That City team needed a win to win the PL. Which nobody is talking about. They can say its a different game the CL final, which is true but surely confirming the title at home is as close to as big a game as they’re gonna have this season to a cup final no? Plus if Hudson Odoi and Werner were able to stay onside it probably would of been 4-1. Second half was almost Conte esque when we won 3-1 at the Etihad tbf, just turned it around and looked the only likely team to win. Plus they are saying it wont be the same City team in the final, what about our 11? Gilmour wont start. Alonso wont start. Thiago Silva will definitely start. One of Jorginho/Kovacic will be in. Mount will undoubtedly start. Both teams have strong squads, who cares who played, both 11s should be capable of playing at a high level. They will not be looking forward to the CL final, Tuchel’s definitely the man to get a reaction and bridge the gap between the inexperience we have in the group against City plus you look at how everyone is responding to going behind, the spirit must not be underestimated compared to this group under Lampard. I wouldn’t even say City were that good first half either. Two mistakes. Plus they threw on Gundogan, Foden, played 2 strikers, had Sterling, Laporte, Dias, Ederson.... you’d think they played their under 23s by the reaction of some of these idiots in the media or on social media.

Excellent performance after a difficult game v Fulham. Well in.

What a turn around. If we play like we did 2nd half in the CL final we win. Simple as.

Christensen cost us that goal. No need to initiate first contact or just head it out for a throw or even concede the corner. Yes he hurt himself but still, made a mistake.

Mo Salah? Maybe my username will be more appropriate if it happens..... unlikely though. Cant see it.

Seen something that he is considering a 442 of sorts and hasn’t ruled out 433 or 4231 also. But I do agree re dont fix what isn’t broken, this 343, I still think we are probably much better playing it and much much closer to competing for trophies with it as opposed to going to a back 4 with whatever in front of it and in attack. It just suits the squad more. I think 3/4 quality additions in a few areas the summer with this squad already as well - as young guys like Mount, James, Hudson-Odoi, Havertz, Pulisic, being another season better off, guys like Christensen, Werner (if he isnt as bad as large parts of this season again), Ziyech (again like Werner, if he isnt as bad as large parts of this season), Rudiger, Kovacic also being in the 25-28 age bracket which is generally when players come in and around/reach their best/better/peak years - with this formation and manager, we will be better placed to challenge City than most next season. I just have a feeling. I mean we still have a lot to play for this season and could end up winning a double. Which will show people that this shape is the way to keep going with, absolutely.

This is true. Last season I felt he put an identity on Arsenal though, they played 4 at the back but it went to a 3 with the ball with Tierney sort of tucking in more like a left sided CB than Pushing on as a wing back. They weren’t breathtaking or had obvious quality but could play more direct if they wanted to with Aubamayengs pace and his tendency to drift out wide or play a bit more patient and shorter despite not having a huge deal of creativity in midfield. They had intensity and a structure that made them difficult to play against. I think now though he is on the way out. He just said 90% of his squad tonight have never played in a semi final... which is utter bullshit. Even more so considering they won an FA cup last season going through the process of playing quarters and semis to win. Likes of Aubamayang, Bellerin, Tierney, Willian, Partey, fuck even Rob Holding, all played tonight and have won trophies, playing cup finals and semi finals. Then even the squad in general, David Luiz, Granit Xhaka, Lacazette, hes got a lot of players in there with trophies and experience of these ties. Or in big games to know that they should do better. Just watching them tonight, chasing a goal to flip the tie basically, from like the 70th min onwards they gave away so many stupid fouls for balls they were never winning, like for me that was as big a sign as to how immature a team they are and how immature and out of his depth Arteta as a manager is. Young teams needs a manager and some senior pros to guide them and make up for the lack of experience or immaturity in their decision making at times. Be that playing some older heads or telling them to be a bit more smarter etc, Villarreal and Emery just used all their experience. They were desperate, so Villarreal just managed the game excellently, winning fouls, taking the hits knowing they were coming etc slowing it right down. My mate is an Arsenal fan and he said regarding tonights game for them and this is a direct quote from a group chat “Arteta’s arrogant belief in this slow backwards orientated passing style of football is predictably mind numbing and nothing like Guardiola who he is obviously dying to be like, should be learning his trade at a smaller club where the stakes aren’t as high” which has escalated now to the point where now he would take Sarri or Graham Potter in to replace him 😂 To be honest he was telling us last season he wasnt up to much and nobody listened... Tbf I fully agree. But you’d think even if this take over goes ahead or doesn’t, whoever the owner is would be doing their club an absolute disservice not sacking Arteta before its well too late. Its close enough. He may not have had huge money like other clubs but they have got players that are better than their league position reflects. 100%. Guys like Tierney, Partey, Leno, Gabriel, Aubamayang, Smith-Rowe, Saka, Lacazette, Bellerin... to be sitting 9th and only looking like its going to get even worse. It is incredible. 😂

Ive never seen a team chasing a goal to flip a tie give away so many stupid fouls than Arsenal. Araenal have stagnated after last season. Arteta went from someone who put his stamp on a team and got results to looking like one of the worst managers in the PL in 12 months. Wow.

Haha maybe. I just felt Liverpool would have more intensity and could deal with our energy more than Real would. I suppose those 2 legs though against most teams would be more than enough.

If its true they want to sell him after 2 seasons well that escalated quickly.... 🤣 The grass is never greener, as some might have warned before selling him (I am sure there was a handful who said it that going to Madrid whilst maybe he deserved it, it was dangerous) but even now personally I think this squad has the right characters and players to keep building around with the addition of a CF, a CM and CB instead of making unnecessary buys. Would go and say that he is close to being basically finished by what I have seen in the last 18 months - although writing someone of his talent off is dangerous but still, even at his worst for us that season with Hiddink he was better than what he has been at Madrid. I suppose the sentimental and nostalgic side of it will still attract people to the idea. I mean he’s 30 now. He’s not got that long left at the top level (even time at this rate). It would take a dramatic change in how he looks after himself and his attitude for him to regain the level he had before I think, I mean why do people think he probably had his best 3 seasons here as a player under 3 stricter demanding managers in Jose, Conte and Sarri? I think hes going to have a stinker at the euros as well if I am honest.

Defensively carried? I would have to disagree. I think Jorginho more than held his own out there defensively also tonight. Otherwise the whole team performance wouldnt have been so strong as particularly second half we really kicked it up a notch, you need both CMs to do the dirty stuff. Kante maybe looked like he was getting more in peoples faces but Jorginho was booked on the 14th minute (his only foul all game IIRC) so whilat walking a potential tightrope, to still have made the game high amount of 6 interceptions and 2 tackles which was more than Kante’s 5 inteceptions and 1 tackle, shows he did more than hold his own imo. Yes Kante was excellent tonight no doubt but also this was hugely to the fact he made 3 key passes and carried the ball very well on top of his interceptions and tackle as well as being heavily involved for both goals. I think, much like the Matic-Kante partnership with Conte, this Jorginho and Kante partnership only works so well when both players play well in there. Lets not forget they played a 3 in there tonight Madrid with Casemiro, Kroos and Modric and bar an iffy bit in the first half when he got booked, you couldn’t really say Jorginho put a foot wrong. I get people are always split on him but don’t think theres anyone who could say he was a passenger or carried tonight. Not a chance.

We debating it prior to the game after Fulham regarding would he go with Kai or Werner but he played both from the start and ultimately, if we had put the ball in the net for the second goal or for a potential third goal or maybe even a fourth goal much earlier when we had the chances, people would of been praising the selection. Plus I think the effect Pulisic had from the bench was helped by Madrid being a bit weathered, he was fresh legs, they’d just spent however long chasing Werner running in behind him. So either way if it was Pulisic or Werner coming in I think they’d of both had the same effect personally in the way that they’d have affected the game. Both are different players but both have real pace and either way Ramos, Militao, Nacho wouldn't of wanted to see another fast player coming in regardless of who it was. As you’ve said you want the players to start to make an impact, as well as the players coming from the bench if its required. Thats the sign of a strong squad. Even Azpi at RWB and Christensen on the right of the three with Silva and Ruidger. I mean what did Hazard do? Or Farlan Mendy? Not one selection of the team he made tonight played out badly. People complained v West Ham having Azpi at RWB. And also that we played 3 CBs and Azpi at RWB in the first leg.

Got the booking and maybe first half there were wee moments but thought majority of his game was a top performance. Kante gets a lot of the credit tonight but don’t forget that Jorginho played very well tonight, got a game high 6 interceptions, won 2 tackles, made 1 clearance. Also played 4 long balls whicu all 4 were accurate and 1 through ball which again was accurate through balls on top of his usual assured and good use of possession rarely misplacing passes. Was booked for how ever long also. He showed real discipline and also leadership throughout.

Didnt give Hazard an inch. Near perfect performance.

Proper defender. I think he loves defending more than dancing around with the ball as if he’s a midfielder which so many CBs seem to do now.

Real Madrid was definitely the better team to draw than Liverpool. Wheres @Azul at... hate to say I told you so but I told you so 🤪

Think either way, whatever your opinion was about him starting or him coming off the bench, we still created 6 clear cut chances.

Wonder where Madrid go from here. Obviously they have a chance for La Liga but really Zidane going back hasn’t really propelled them back to what they want to be on the European stage.

Absolutely. Did it in big games in the PL tbf to him but struggled in the European ones for us. But this sort of thing was frustrating here. Was always he didn’t play with a top LB or a top CM or a top CF etc. when he was here. He’s got that in an abundance at Madrid despite their aging players.

Last few games now he's starting to come into a real rich vein of form. Let's hope it continues. Looks simplistic at times but as I said before for me, he's very similar but also a much more technically proficient and intelligent version of Thomas Muller 4/5 years ago. What is it they used to call Muller? Raumdeuter? Interpreter of space? In the final third, Kai just gets into spaces where you maybe don't think there is any. Or he makes almost near CF like runs off the ball despite being more of a attacking midfielder. Just needs to add a ruthless streak to his game.

For sure. But Kante is an absolute monster of a player for us. People always say he lets us down with the ball or that he couldn’t play higher up the pitch under Sarri but even tonight and the previous game, how many recoveries and duals did he make or win over the two legs. Or how many times did his dribbles open up space for us?