Post Match Arsenal 4 Leicester 2

[FryattFox]

Our defence this calendar year has been performing at relegation-battle levels (both in terms of goals conceded and xGC). It's repeatedly shambolic.

We have missed a trick in signing a PL-experienced CB, especially if we're going to play three at the back and Cags is out of favour. Tarkowski, Mee or even Coady would have been very solid additions.

Fortunately, our attack is comfortably a Top-10 attack (both in terms of goals scored and xG), and so we'll be fine this season, despite all of the bed-wetting in this thread.

 

[Micky]

Can I please ask that we all fit a mattress protector asap because nobody wants a stinky piss ridden mattress (especially that moaning twat who posts on here).

#protectyourmattressesfrombedwetting

 

[bocadillo]

I mean, they had five weeks in preseason to get organised and this sort of thing constantly happens. Every defender doing something different.

Having a captain at centre-half would solve this.

Oh... wait!

 

[londonfox]

Our defence this calendar year has been performing at relegation-battle levels (both in terms of goals conceded and xGC). It's repeatedly shambolic.

We have missed a trick in signing a PL-experienced CB, especially if we're going to play three at the back and Cags is out of favour. Tarkowski, Mee or even Coady would have been very solid additions.

Fortunately, our attack is comfortably a Top-10 attack (both in terms of goals scored and xG), and so we'll be fine this season, despite all of the bed-wetting in this thread.

Mee or Tarkowski would have been very good additions. Some fans would have complained that they’re not young players with potential sell-on value, but they are exactly the sort of player we need. Because we need experienced players who can perform now. Rodgers talks about the inexperience of the team. Yet we only seem to sign (for the most part) young players or players with no Premier League experience. I know they’d both want more money than Smithers, but I’d sooner have either of them on a free than him.

We don’t have one leader on the pitch. And that includes our new captain. Individually and collectively we are a shambles at the back. In his 2 games this season Fofana hasn’t looked like a £10 million pound player, let alone an £80 million one. The lack of communication in defence is a joke and should not be acceptable at this level. The decline in standards from Ndidi is shocking. He’s not even a shadow of the player he used to be. Tielemans had a decent first half against Brentford but he was a ghost at the Emirates. Amartey should never be in a Premier League team. But to be fair, I can never say he didn’t give 100% which I can’t say of all our players. Vardy’s days are numbered. I know some don’t want to hear that but you’re being willfully ignorant if you don’t see it. The goalkeeping situation we find ourselves in goes back to when Ward extended his contract. We should have been planning on bringing in a new first-choice keeper then to eventually replace Schmeichel. Barnes’ recent injury record is concerning. But he and Maddison are the only creativity we have in the entire squad. And if Brendan is right that we have no wingers, then why the **** did we extend Marc Albrighton’s contract if he wasn’t to play him when we had no other wingers?

 

[Lako42]

New additions are the least of our worries.

We can't coach the players we've got.

Defensively we are pathetic.

 

[SilverFox]

I’m going to say something radical…

Be kind. We are all allowed opinions. There is no need to get personal.

 

[parafox]

I’m going to say something radical…

Be kind. We are all allowed opinions. There is no need to get personal.

What a wanker

 

[big_mac4824]

Before their fourth? goal, the ball was passed to him, and he just waited for it to come to him rather than meet it. They intercepted and scored. This is the kind of thing the some players from other leagues do (Soumare is like this too). They're not used to being closed down so quickly so they think they've got more time than they have.

Jeff that is a bit harsh on a player that has only been on the pitch around 10 mins, his overall play was positive and added energy to our game, interestingly it allowed Maddison to receive more of the ball and create things.

 

[big_mac4824]

Praet was laughably shit for thir 4th. He had no idea what was going on around him. Iheanacho played a blinder for our goal, after that he was back to his clumsy, clown like self. The rest other than Ward, who made a bad mistake, I grant you, I pretty much agree with.

We were weak both physically and mentally. We played some realy good stuff at times and I think the scoreline flattered them rather than us but we were so poor defensively it's unreal. We just didn't have any idea how to be organised at the back. We need a CB and a winger without doubt but I still say we are crying out for another striker. Vardy will get better I am sure but Iheanacho and Daka aren't the answer to any questions we have hanging over us; they're both shambolic for the most part.

Last week, I placed no blame at all on the players. This week, Rodgers needs to be tearing them a new one. They were making stupid decisions and getting some of the basics totally wrong. Despite this, I have seen enough in the last two games to know that we will be absolutely fine this season. I think we need to resign ourselves to 12th or so and continue our investment in infrastructure. The manager will be gone within a month I reckon, whether he walks or is pushed and I have no idea if this will be a good thing or not if I am honest. It does feel like something needs a change in direction though, either the management or the squad selection.

Could it be that the players do not think BR will be around for much longer, Perhaps that is why vestergard is hanging around? I agree I think we have enough strength in depth to be fine this season, I am still furious with BR for what he did in the Brentford game, had we have won that game as we should have, he would be under no pressure at all.

 

[Jeff]

Jeff that is a bit harsh on a player that has only been on the pitch around 10 mins, his overall play was positive and added energy to our game, interestingly it allowed Maddison to receive more of the ball and create things.

I don't see how it's harsh. Just stating a fact. He should have anticipated the Arsenal player intercepting the ball, but he didn't. How long he'd been on the pitch was irrelevant, it's the sort of thing players should be aware of all the time.

 

[big_mac4824]

I don't see how it's harsh. Just stating a fact. He should have anticipated the Arsenal player intercepting the ball, but he didn't. How long he'd been on the pitch was irrelevant, it's the sort of thing players should be aware of all the time.

He made a mistake granted and at this level he should not however, Soumare seemed to improve this pre season having learnt from last season, maybe we should see if Praet learns quickly and adapts I think he will?
TBH our entire midfield looked lack luster and devoid of ideas, playing Vardy and Madders together may not be the solution, for me Madders needs to be in the middle of the park orchestrating things, if it means Tielemens is to be rested so be it.

BR has some hard decisions to make and our next game will tell us everything we need to know imo.

 

[parafox]

BR has some hard decisions to make and our next game will tell us everything we need to know imo.

Bet you he won't start Iheanacho, even though our attacking play improved dramatically when he came on

I know he's a favourite whipping boy here and people are quick to point out when he makes a mistake (some of the same people who defend Ward's performances) but we're missing him when he doesn't play

 

[popillius]

Bet you he won't start Iheanacho, even though our attacking play improved dramatically when he came on

I know he's a favourite whipping boy here and people are quick to point out when he makes a mistake (some of the same people who defend Ward's performances) but we're missing him when he doesn't play

Okay. Let's dissect this.

Iheanacho has spent the best part of his entire time with us being absolutely ****ing awful. There have been numerous games, too many to count, when he has actually been of more comic value than footballing value. He is absolutely not the answer to any of our problems. He did well for the goal yesterday and then played like a complete clown again. He's is never, ever, ever going to be a decent PL striker.

Nobody defended Ward yesterday. He made an error and he will make more. It was a pretty indefensible one. Ramsdale, De Gea and a few more keepers had absolute howler moments yesterday. They aren't shite either. The difference is, suggesting he won't be any good after 2 games this season and a handful over the last few seasons in which, largely, he's been fine, is based on very little, unlike the miserable book of evidence we have with Iheanacho.

If Ward proves to be shite then so be it. Time will tell. Iheanacho has had that time and the jury is no longer out; he's simply not good enough.

 

[popillius]

Jeff that is a bit harsh on a player that has only been on the pitch around 10 mins, his overall play was positive and added energy to our game, interestingly it allowed Maddison to receive more of the ball and create things.

It was a completely stupid error that led to a goal. It simply should not happen. If Ward deserves criticism for his stupid error which led to a goal, so does Praet.

It would be interesting however to see Praet start and if that allows Maddison a little more freedom. The gap between our midfield and Vardy is far to big and we need to find a way to join up those stitches if we want the whole peformance to hold together.

 

[SilverFox]

I don’t get how you can be manager of Leicester off the back of our most successful period, with actual money to spend, and waste it on Daka, Soumare, et al… but not one or two wingers. Our attempts to fill that position have been bargain bin. I don’t get it. Daka, Soumare and Vestandpants were a combined £65m (or thereabouts). I’d have happily seen us go for one quality winger and a defender on loan until Wes was back.

 

[TommyK]

No idea why we did go into the loan market last summer for a center back. Said it before Vestandpants was a signing that made zero sense.

 

[Graz]

Good Lord, just seen the highlights now and think we're pretty ****ed.

Danny Ward made an absolute howler for their 3rd, but there's also absolutely no way he should've been done by the 1st - why the hell is off his line there? - and possibly could've better with the 4th as well.

Last week's second (I think) and Arsenal's 4th look like good finishes so you don't instantly blame the keeper, but on both I think he's too slow to react.

I hope the club are still considering a new goalkeeper if we raise funds in time.

 

[Brown Nose]

Good Lord, just seen the highlights now and think we're pretty ****ed.

Danny Ward made an absolute howler for their 3rd, but there's also absolutely no way he should've been done by the 1st - why the hell is off his line there? - and possibly could've better with the 4th as well.

Last week's second (I think) and Arsenal's 4th look like good finishes so you don't instantly blame the keeper, but on both I think he's too slow to react.

I hope the club are still considering a new goalkeeper if we raise funds in time.

My primary way of judging a keeper is how quick he is to dive. That fraction of a second makes all the difference.

Ward's reactions are just not quick enough for him to be anything more than a back up. I suspect that he knows this himself as he's spent most of his career happy to fulfill this role.

The reason I prefer Iversen is because he reacts quicker. He will make mistakes just like Ward will, but he'll make more saves.

I'm utterly bewildered at our seeming acceptance of Ward as our first choice. It's a decision that will cost us 4-5 places in the league on its own.

 

[popillius]

Good Lord, just seen the highlights now and think we're pretty ****ed.

Danny Ward made an absolute howler for their 3rd, but there's also absolutely no way he should've been done by the 1st - why the hell is off his line there? - and possibly could've better with the 4th as well.

Last week's second (I think) and Arsenal's 4th look like good finishes so you don't instantly blame the keeper, but on both I think he's too slow to react.

I hope the club are still considering a new goalkeeper if we raise funds in time.

Their third was a clanger. No doubt about it. The rest of them and both of Brentford’s goals were nothing at all to do with keeper error. Not a single poster, not one, would have been pointing the finger at Schmiechel for any of them other than the howler.

No one can defend him dropping the ball like a dickhead and gifting them a goal but blaming the poor bastard for every goal we concede is just ludicrous hyperbole.

 

[City Fan]

Their third was a clanger. No doubt about it. The rest of them and both of Brentford’s goals were nothing at all to do with keeper error. Not a single poster, not one, would have been pointing the finger at Schmiechel for any of them other than the howler.

No one can defend him dropping the ball like a dickhead and gifting them a goal but blaming the poor bastard for every goal we concede is just ludicrous hyperbole.

I tend to agree that he didn’t really do much wrong for most the goals he has conceded apart from the howler at the Emirates.

But at the same time, he hasn’t really done much right with them either. Has he even made a decent save yet?

I reckon stick you in goal and we’d have conceded the same 6 goals.