MrExcalibur100 7,124 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 About to watch the whole game again. I initially missed the 1st half and watched only the 2nd half live. My impressions of the 1st half. We totally battered and destroyed them for 40 minutes. The 1st goal they scored was literally a fluke from nothing after Willian waited to recieve the ball and got dispossed. Iwobi tries to cut it back and it takes a massive deflection and falls kindly to the Armenian guy. Their 2nd goal was a good team goal and its hard to find were we could have improved. Maybe someone could have done a better job picking up Iwobi. Steve Mcmanaman's constant moaning about defending made it seem much worse than it was. If anything, I was a bit more concerned by the initial chances from cut-backs Arsenal missed. The superiority we showed over them in terms of just pure football reminded me of the 5-0 game against Everton. It was the best football I've seen vs a big 6 team since..............I can't really remember. Usually our wins in big games, virtually all of them in the last 6 years have come from counter-attacking efforts. This was a purely possession based footballing effort. The final possession stats was 63% CFC vs 37% Arsenal. We completed 719 passes to their 424. When was the last time that happened in a big game?! I don't even wanna know. Anyway, the 2-2 was totally against the run of play. I was listening to some Arsenal fans on youtube and just commentary on the game in general before I watched the 1st half and it sounded like we were dominant for 30 mins then Arsenal dominated for 15 but that sounds revisionist. We were all over them. Anyway, about to rewatch the 2nd half and post my thoughts. Also: Steve Mcmanaman is absolutely fucking unbearable to listen to on commentary. I really despise co-commentators that moan about everything in a game. It makes the game just uncomfortable to watch. Fucking bitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrExcalibur100 7,124 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Mcmanaman is at it again second half. He never gives credit to the attacking player. Everything positive in attack that happens for either us or Arsenal has to be the fault of a defender. It's just absurd. I've noticed that he loves to over-criticize Arsenal and hardlt ever gives Chelsea credit. He also does the same with City as well. He's a lot more sensible when he co-comments games for his beloved Liverpool though. For some odd reason he's pretty fair with United. Tired of these scouse wankers in media. Only one I like that is actually fair to us and is not biased at all is Carragher. And he actually knows a lot about the game unlike Mcmanaman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrExcalibur100 7,124 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 So I watched the 2nd half again. This one will be much shorter since unlike the 1st half I actually watched the 2nd half live. Basically it was extremely one-sided, I believe we averaged 74% possession in that half which is just brilliant to accomplish in a big game. Very Guardiola-esque. In truth, Arsenal lacked ambition. Emery was cleary wary of our attacking play and told his players to defend deep in a low block to try and hold on to the result. They only made 4 or 5 forays in our half in the entire 2nd half! All in all Arsenal only looked threatening for about 5 minutes in the 1st half from min 42 to 45 (+2) As pointed out in the live chat Kovacic was superb when he came on. No point talking about Hazard, we already know what he's about. After initially being unneccessarily pessimistic about the season i.e our lack of major investment in more signings, (in truth that was before we got Kovacic), a new striker and so on, I am really optimistic now just because of how we're going to play. We haven't had such an expansive coach literally since Vialli and Gullit. I'm really looking forward to this season now probably more than anyone in many many years. Sarriball makes me happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unionjack 7,531 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 What a Blue day! Just got home. Been a long night, Need some pain killers for a couple of bumps on me head but no biggie. All went well till half time. Bit of usual banter But then when Eden and Kova came on I went bonkers and they didn't like that but no ones goina to tell me what to do in my own home! But the game eh!! Yahoooya! Happy fpr Morata. He really needed that. Great assist from Dave again but gotta say it was the best thing he did all day imho. Willian started OK then after Pedro scored got into sulky emo mood. You can bet he was jealous and saw bench time coming again when Edens back. Shouldn't get the extension or payrise.And see him get mardy when the bench calls him. Pedro on the other hand played a blinder Sarri team suits him down to the ground.. We have our Callejon! Little sod didn't stop did he! Hes good at keeping the game moving instead of holding it up like William Good finisher, Unlike Willian hes got a hustle about him, Keeps the game moving along where as Willian takes too long thinking alloy of times.. Tho he does take a couple too many long shots for me. Barkley had a goodun. I know it was a shame to bring him off but it was Kovacic ffs!! But reclon Barkley will be a decent backup. Really don't kmow hen RLC or Cescy will get much time. Kovacic!! OMFG! Told you he will be the dogs dangleys!! Hes like a Eden but that can defend too. Will be amazing for us. And will let our wee baldy man to drop back and help out when needed back there more. But want to keep WBM option to go forwards more open cayse I still see him as a real B2B'er.. Alonso What more can we say about him eh!?. Cracking going forward but just not got enough defense in him. But once we start defending as a team he will come in handy. You can understand why RM want him. Hes like that bad girl at school you fancied. Hot as fuck but crazy as a big bag of crazy things.Every time you finished with her she would climb thru your bedroom window and talk you round again! Thats how I see Alonso. Even Captain Obvious can see why RM want him. And Eden!! Fuckin excellent seeing him on form and having fum. Cant wait for him and Kovacic starting. I see them making a good little relationship. T'Boa would get jealous. Like Sarri said its gonna take some time to get up to speed and the lads working as a unit instead of forgetting where they should be and acting like individuals but I'd rather we won 3-2 than 1-0 Goina to be a fun season I reckon with a odd bump here and there.!! Wasn't this excited before we got Sarri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellzfresh 7,229 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Peak Sarriball right here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyalBlues 4,050 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Just watch the match after 22 minutes, and I have witnessing the worst part of the game, in the first half. Very much like a preseason match to me, you know the mistakes that we made. We're not there yet obviously. We can get better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 4 hours ago, kellzfresh said: Peak Sarriball right here Hazard should have probably scored that and that chance in the final minute of the game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FabHazard 655 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 We need to sort out this cutback problem...All the sides in PL will be using same attack after this match.. We were excellent for the first 30 minutes and lost our heads after 2-0 I think Barkley and Willian's positioning was off during that stretch .....Luiz and Ruidger should be more smart especially when Arsenal are using same type of attack...Central Midfielders cannot always track back as they will press high...So Luiz and Rudiger should have stepped up and limited the shots... We were much more in control in the 2nd half..This is how we should play.... Kovacic and Hazard coming on was too much for them..They were linking up so good.... Hazard should have scored a goal ..He should be more ruthless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellzfresh 7,229 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unionjack 7,531 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 10 minutes ago, kellzfresh said: Well Dick (Emery) did tell him he wanted him to step up so you should of expected him to be good! Oh wait!............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideshow Luiz 2,310 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 1 hour ago, kellzfresh said: Ozil makes Fabregas look like a great player! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unionjack 7,531 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 7 minutes ago, Jason said: Ozil makes Fabregas look like a great player! Hes sadly gone down the pecking order for backup. I would put Kovacic in as a Jorgi or Kante backup any day. And wouldn't complain at all about Barkley being 1st backup to Kovacic. He had a good day yesterday. Not sure when RLC or Cescy is going to get any time tho.h Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!Hazard! 3,394 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 This one piece of play I remember really well from last night. Look at the positions of our players! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio8 736 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 lucky result, the defensive phase was orrible sarri needs to drop out luiz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unionjack 7,531 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 3 minutes ago, Antonio8 said: lucky result, the defensive phase was orrible sarri needs to drop out luiz Hes always been a brainfart. but one with a good pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alabama 1,992 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 5 minutes ago, Antonio8 said: lucky result, the defensive phase was orrible sarri needs to drop out luiz Far from lucky result... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio8 736 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 14 minutes ago, Unionjack said: Hes always been a brainfart. but one with a good pass. I hope not to see him anymore in the defensive line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio8 736 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 15 minutes ago, eemanyooel said: Far from lucky result... imho both the teams could win the match or draw, they missed many unbelievable chances to score sarri's teams don't suffer like that, need time to improve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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