CaseUteinberger
Established Member
Country: Sweden
Good post. Agree with it from start to finish!My input because I can't revisit the forum again today.
First half I thought was good disciplined display, and it was important not to concede early. Second half was a joke. Sp**s came out and wanted it more. We came out half asleep, not prepared and that goal was coming, they just had more intensity.
- I thought Bellerin was very good. I thought Monreal was OK.
- Kos and Mustafi were very shaky. Kos didn't lead or take control and Kane was able to bully them in the second half, get in-between them and nobody took control defending crosses
- Cech made some good saves but was shaky on the ball. Offers encouragement to the other team when they see your keeper is pissing about with the ball
- Wilshere had good moments but was slightly off the pace having been ill recently. Xhaka/Elneny are clearly not good enough. Elneny can't do the Darren Fletcher job (that he used to do against us for United). He doesn't have the aggression, strength or leg power. And he doesn't offer a lot on the ball. Xhaka was Xhaka. Completely out of his depth further up the field. He's not sharp enough or quick enough on and off the ball to play further up or as a box to box
- Özil was pretty poor for his standards but he was out on the right
- Mhki let the occasion get to him. It was a bit like when Mourinho pulled him off against City in the derby. He was poor. Had a chance in the first half to play it across goal and Auba would have had a tap in but got it badly wrong.
- Auba was on the shoulder and had good movement but got caught offside a couple of times. Always dangerous with his pace but doesn't offer much in the build up
- Iwobi was very poor when he came on. Doesn't seem to be quite getting it at the moment in terms of the level he needs to be at when he's called upon.
- Lacazette should have done a lot better with both chances. The volley wasn't easy, but he should have at least kept it down and got it closer. Even if he volleyed that into the ground it might have gone in. Second chance, he should have buried that. Nearly identical to the City game but he didn't have any confidence in himself for either chance.
It's clear now there wasn't enough legs in today's line-up. Özil, Xhaka, Wilshere, Mhki, Elneny....they don't have enough pace, acceleration or power. IMO today, Alexis and Walcott on either wing, with Cazorla/Coquelin in the middle is a much more balanced team to compete but oh well that team's gone now. We still need a couple of attacking midfielders for either side I think or one that can play out wide on both sides, a top defender as well as a DM and another central midfielder to hopefully replace Xhaka/Elneny.