The 2021/22 Season

Pretty much. We can't even link the team together properly. Defence fails to pass to midfield. Midfield is non-existent so it can't link to attack. Attack easily gets stopped because of how aggressive Brighton's pressing is. We have no structure.

Our left side is getting destroyed. There is no one to cover Tierney's runs so as a result Tierney just stopped making runs forward. Sambi has a long long way to go because the game is passing by him. Odegaard, ESR, Auba all invisible but not their fault in all honesty.

Ben white surprisingly has been our most solid player.

Brighton away is fast becoming like the worst ground for us to go to

2nd half can't be any worse right?

last few minutes were good. Players like ESR and Saka on the ball can still produce something.

Knew this would be a hard game because Brighton are good structurally. They don't have a lot of quality but the way they press and build-up play is impressive.

Arteta has to tweak a few things to get control of the game because right now 0-0 is looking like a great result lol.

Gabriel has been our most solid player, White's passing has looked suspect at times...

Can't believe im saying it but we're missing Xhaka here. He is an idiot, but he brings a midfield presence to our team. He links the defense and our transition play most of the time, and he either gives a good forward pass or he gives the ball away because he is slow and an idiot... but i guess until we get a better midfield partner for Partey, we will have to do with that gamble when he is fit.

Not given up on Lokonga yet obviously because he just came to the team as a young signing, but he seems lost out there for now. Drifts too much. I don't know whether it's due to Arteta's instructions or just his innate game. Covered for Tierney when Tierney went forward in the beginning of the game, but since Brighton took control of the game, he's been all over the place and the game passes him by like RG said.

Auba and Odegaard were nowhere to be found in that half. This feels like a Lacazette type of game. We need to get Saka and Emile more on the ball in the second half if we want to make something happen.

Can't blame too much on Auba as he rarely had any service. Although he should have anticipated the last cross better.

Auba's first touches have been abysmal, m8

It's a tough game for Auba because we've not had control and can't give him chances. He's having to fight for aerial balls and anything he manages to win is pointless because we've not been alert to 2nd balls either.

Unfortunately the sort of the situation that shows all his limitations.

Odegaard has been poor, though. Can't control anything at the moment.

Yea his worst match by far.

Love Ramsdale. What a keeper.

Keeping a cleansheet here is incredible.

White-Gabriel is becoming a good partnership. Extremely solid today.

Lucky to get a point.

Too many players with poor performances. Contrast Cucurella's performance for Brighton to our players and the difference in effort and determination is stark. Felt like a few players out there were waiting for something to happen, rather than trying to make something themselves.

Laca instantly improved our hold up and link up play when he came on. The sub should have happened sooner. Our best chance game after that, Saka playing in ESR. ESR should have played in Pepe immediately there, just a sign again of how immature he is in positions like that when he has time to make a decision.

But yea, i'll take that point. Feel like the conditions impacted our natural game the most. Brighton sort of becoming our bogey team.

So why does it seem as though Ramsdale will not catch the ball or have the ability to kick it to anyone. Saka was invisible and Arsenal is happy for a point against bha.

I think the only hope we really have is Kronke loosing his lawsuit and being forced to sell.

If only there was something Arsenal could do about this frustrating situation ... struggling to think what it could be... it's a real puzzle

Hapless_Hans wrote:If only there was something Arsenal could do about this frustrating situation ... struggling to think what it could be... it's a real puzzle

Shave Arteta's crock pot of a head?

The good thing about yesterday is the reminder that a well structured team with grit and determination does not need any world class players.

Too many players having a bad game together is happening too often for us. Auba. Odegaard. Lokonga. Partey. Pepe all were not at their best. We were really lucky to get a point. The team that played last week was not the team that played yesterday.

^^not trying to excuse the players and manager, because it is so Arsenal at this point to put on a good show one week and look lackluster the following week... but like i said i believe the conditions played a big role in that. Gusty winds, watery soaked pitch isn't a good scenario for free flowing football for any team. Brighton's only form of attack was pressing us in our own final third, forcing turnovers and that Cucuroach fella rinsing poor Tomiyasu who got his proper British football christening yesterday.

so yea Brighton adapted to the elements a bit better and outworked us in some parts of the field, except for Emile, Gabriel and White who put in proper shifts as well.

El Gunner wrote:^^ Gusty winds, watery soaked pitch

Good thing that is a rare occurrence that we wont see for atleast another week.

Team to play Palace tonight:

(4-1-4-1) Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Pepe, Smith Rowe, Partey, Odegaard, Saka; Aubameyang

Let's see how experiment #2 goes with the pivot

It's been shocking since the goal.

For some reason we've gone into a deep block with half-arsed pressure. Playing like we're the minnows going to a big team protecting our early goal rather than trying to build on the lead.

I don't understand what i am watching here?

It's not even a compact block. Palace have been popping the ball right through the middle of it. If they were any good we'd be in serious trouble.

Don't understand these tactics at all. We have more quality than Palace, so why aren't we using it to control the game? Why surrender control of the game on a 1-0 lead?

Auba chasing everything down... WATTBA

prime Artetaball after we the first 15-20 minutes of the game lol... terrible stuff just sitting back as if the game is over.

formation looks more like a 4-2-2-2 with Odegaard next to Partey and Emile up there alongside Auba. But why? If Tierney isn't bombing forward enough to create overlaps and triangles, our only other option is for Emile to drive the ball forward with his burst of pace and runs... so drop him deeper.