RIP our PL season
You know the worst part? Isak's goal wasn't that special. It was just a cross and a header. Gabriel doesn't get it because he's not a Mexican jumping bean.
Everyone is carrying something and exhausted because we've already played so much football. I'm sure they're all jaded because on pure merit we shouldn't be 5 points behind City.
It was a pretty well-weighted cross, tbf, and a decent finish, but Raya needs to do more and the cross shouldn't have been allowed in the first place.
That's what I mean, it's not a worldie like Leicester's second. It's just that none of the events leading up to it should have occurred.
By the way, over the course of this season we have the 6th highest xG — we've played an extra game than every non-Newcastle team cuz we're at the start of the weekend as well. Defence is also only 7th best in terms of xG conceded but I'm willing to let that slide given the red cards and injury stuff.
Just not good enough.
According to Cannon Stats' stats on 11v11, we are defensively better than City and slightly worse offensively. But you wouldn't know it watching us today. https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F949d5c4f-ab20-402e-8b28-adc2dd85e81c_2557x2673.png
I would love for a mathematician to tell me how it's possible that we seemed completely outnumbered in midfield but also Martinelli and Saka were constantly being triple-teamed whenever they went forward.
Also, Nwaneri was kinda fucking invisible this game, ngl. He's 17 so I don't care that much but I get why he's not starting now.
It's great to see him given more minutes and I don't want it to stop. But, he is still incredibly young and he's sitting in Ødegaard's position, which is a physically intense and demanding role alone, let alone filling in for our best creative and attacking player.
It was never going to be an exact like for like, of course and he's still learning. But, although Newcastle were dangerous at times, they mostly sat deep and behind the ball and absorbed pressure and hit on the counter. It looked like they were largely fine with taking a 1-0 win. They also congested the midfield, which made it harder to pass through.
So, it was going to be a tough ask for Nwaneri to help break down the defence, which I think Ødegaard helps us do. I also feel like we missed Calafiori's ability to switch the ball across field. It looled like there was space down the right a nice lofted Calafiori pass would have helped for a nice break down the wing that was never used as an option.
Hopefully everyone shuts the fuck up about him being the solution to our problems. Just like people wanting Trossard to start because he was getting goal returns.
Yeah, I of course wanted to see more of him and I think he can play a role for us. But, it was difficult to see him as the answer to all our questions.
The answer is just to hope our luck shifts or chances just fall our way more often and our players remain fit and healthy long enough for us to hit our stride again.
I wonder if the intensity of the last two seasons, as well as the fixture list is finally taking its toll on the players.
He’s not the Messiah, (but) he’s a very talented boy.
It took him some time to get into the match. Given that the passing was pedestrian and conservative, there wasn't much he could do. He was in pockets of space and our players weren't even attempting to find him. Don't get me wrong, he misplaced some passes, but I'd argue bringing him in earlier would've been more beneficial to both him and the team.
11:30pm kickoff for me. Decided not to stay up late which was a wise decision. Although, I probably would have snoozed off well before the end of the match.
My aspiration that we would hang in there at least until the next international break doesn’t look good but we can still have a turnaround before Christmas and thereafter, especially getting Ødegaard back soon. 🤞
I’m trying to exist inside a healthy space between these two Alexander Pope quotations:
Hope springs eternal in the human breast/the hearts of Arsenal supporters
Blessed is the man/Arsenal supporter who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed
Where to start? I'm so annoyed.
It's on us at this point. Fucking disgrace after failure after disgrace. How do you hope to win the league if you can't even win a match in 3?
Our attack looks impotent without Ødegaard, our midfield gets run over with Trossard up front for some reason, our defence changes literally every game cuz nobody can fucking stay fit. At this point we might as well hope for 4rsenal again cuz that's what this season is shaping up towards being. Can't keep a clean sheet, can't score, what are we even doing here?
I am fucking pissed off at this club. How can I not be when we've regressed so much from the past two seasons? I understand why — injuries, refs, whatever — but it's just not even fun to watch this season compared to expectations. Feeling like I should just go back to expect nothing and be happy with fourth.
I think we need a better and natural striker. Also Ø as soon has he can. Wish Arteta does something in the Christmas window or make arsenal's attacking lineup to be more clinical. Set pieces ain't alone gonna help us for long, it just merely increases the chances.
