I guess it's just location of injuries and load build-up for us now. Merino/Kai available for longer this year and there's likely a freshness up top. Madueke, Ode, White fitter we'd have less exhaustion in those spots. Cala too. Even Mosquera getting injured for like 3 months.
Feel in a minority but I thought we were pretty good value for a win there. Sure we only scored the corners but it wasn't a game we were *only* going to score corners. Questions over mentality etc v fair in second half, but first half was great
Kinda where I am. Think in previous, less football-heavy, years we may have got away with it, but CL game increases combined with PL evening out has squashed any chance of “luck” fitness-wise
I like this site for moping, feels like you can actually put emotion in without fear of some guy calling you a fucking moron for daring to have opinions
'Selling the soul to win but not even winning' might be the saddest possible outcome and frankly it makes so much sense why fans in-stadium and online are so terrified of any little (or in this case, fucking massive) stumble.
Feels, to me, like we've shedded so many outward emotional edges that now fans have nothing to buy in to, and the players are still (fairly) feeling the weight of everything and it arrives in outbursts.
Presenting as cold + clinical but still with that "we've gotta prove ourselves" shakiness
The additions/changes have been basically wholesale, so rather than small additions to push over the line, we're instead getting a new group of guys having to get this mentality right first try - without the goodwill of feeling like that same Arsenal 22/23 team
Always felt a bit 'ship of theseus-y' about Arteta's Arsenal. Thing with the old LFC side finally getting it over the line was a core band of players battling together with small additions, to avoid the failures of the past and keep pushing themselves, but AFC don't have that...
Best in the business. If I'm ever in a mood about Arsenal, Tom reliably reframes my thinking - and not in a LinkedIn way either
I like this RHS quite a lot. I wouldn't be against seeing this trio more often, if only so I can see Ethan released from boot cleaning duty
My nails and loved ones beg to disagree
I'm not sure any site needs my vibes this year, its pure angst and fear
4/ Any feedback very appreciated, and I truly hope this is helpful for people who fancy looking into this stuff 🫶
3/ It might be a little patronising at points, but that wasn't the aim. I wanted to make every decision clear so those without the time to figure out themselves could follow.
The end goal is getting conversations a little richer and less "lets look at this one corner routine"
2/ Aim of this will be to keep it as a live document; if my process changes, I can edit; if people hate bits, I can edit; if there's not enough detail,.. you get it.
There is also a Part 3, worked example in development, but I wanted to get this out before the job kicks in again
1/ I often get asked how to get started in set-piece analysis and what tips I'd give, especially with the lack of guides online. So I've spent the last two weeks trying to fix that exact problem with this piece below
medium.com/@setpiecesic...
Often forget I have this account, but I'm back quickly to say:
I did another pod about set-pieces! It's not about Arsenal, too!
The long-awaited* sequel to my deep dive on Utd's set-piece woes, but with a much happier spin this time round
*don't check
If only he'd consider that we'd use those leftover wages for his statue 😔
Where does Osimhen sit in this sort of ranking (if he's in there)?
Last min set-piece preview I’m sure everyone was clamouring for ⬇️ Both teams neatly conceded their 10th of the season last week (~33% of their total conceded!)
Also, Myles was 2 when we last played at the Ems in a UCL semi final 🙂
www.squawka.com/en/features/...
Elite from Ahmed, really interesting to see how this trend plays out with the boom of set-piece coaches
ffs I had things I wanted to do today
Please read and make the holiday sabotage this piece required worth it for me
It felt like some sick joke, a real reminder of my place in the tactical hierarchy of the pod
One for the Geordies (and the masochistic LFC fans):
I had a look at Dan Burn's seemingly inevitable header, and just how inevitable it really was. How well did Newcastle set it up? How badly did LFC stumble into it? And, most importantly, how is Dan Burn that tall? www.squawka.com/en/features/...
Making actual use of Ødegaard's limited whip + depth by shifting the blockers 10 yards up, and not worrying about the 'run from back to front' stuff - Merino has always been an elite front-post aerial attacker too, showed it at RSO.
Very happy with those adaptations from Jover
Definitely definitely - lot of stupid layoffs and interplay from Trossard in-particular. It's got some cyclical logic to it which is always fun
Also agree, had this argument with myself. Our tactics from those direct FKs (layoffs to Rice, Tross) would imply we don't really want static situations there
From my experience/research, this is correct. Central spaces not being accessed + focus on wide creation with Saka-Ø-White e.g. means the rate of central FKs in the last 2 seasons especially has been awfully low. Perhaps also the con of having physical machines in the middle?
