Klaus wrote:

Coombs wrote:

Think Arteta just realized they're not posing any real threat and we might as well come out a bit.

I think that sums it up too. I think it might be a valuable lesson for him to see so clearly that it yields results when we let go of the handbrake.

In fairness Sheffield United are the most pointless team in the league. Fulham possessed more of an attacking threat.

I like the swagger that ceballos is now playing with. He does have a decent ability to keep up through the 90 for better for worse

Mirth wrote:

Klaus wrote:

I think that sums it up too. I think it might be a valuable lesson for him to see so clearly that it yields results when we let go of the handbrake.

In fairness Sheffield United are the most pointless team in the league. Fulham possessed more of an attacking threat.

Sheffield are decent defensively at least, Fulham are awful both ways.

Gabriel starting to build confidence in his passing, playing through the lines. He's been good today

Love Gabriels reverse balls.

Get in boys! This back 4 and front 4 and Dani should be starting all games from now. Time to get a rhythm going.

Imagine 2 players with Ceballos on-the-ball ability in the center of the park. No Xhaka or El Neny. Things really accelerate

Klaus wrote:

We're down to a four-man defence right now as near as I can tell.

we were the whole match.

Willian much better when he receives the ball deep.

Klaus wrote:

Mirth wrote:

In fairness Sheffield United are the most pointless team in the league. Fulham possessed more of an attacking threat.

I agree, but it just begs the question why we didn't try more sooner.

I think it's as simple as game state. They're more dangerous and we're more susceptible when their energy is higher and our slow mids and Luiz can be got at. As the game wore on, that threat diminished, and Arteta for once made his move early and it proved effective.

Klaus wrote:

We're down to a four-man defence right now as near as I can tell.

It happened imediatelly after Pepe was subbed in and Willian moved to the middle.

banduan wrote:

Klaus wrote:

We're down to a four-man defence right now as near as I can tell.

we were the whole match.

Nah there was a clear line of 5 along the back until Pepe came on.

Klaus wrote:

banduan wrote:

we were the whole match.

That's definitely not what it looked like to me. Just watch Tierney right now, how high he pushes up. This is basically a 4-4-2.

4-4-facking-2 is the original latin

Tambourine Man wrote:

Willian much better when he receives the ball deep.

I originally thought he’d be a counter attacking midfield option for us. Team quality really shining through second half

Coombs wrote:

Klaus wrote:

I agree, but it just begs the question why we didn't try more sooner.

I think it's as simple as game state. They're more dangerous and we're more susceptible when their energy is higher and our slow mids and Luiz can be got at. As the game wore on, that threat diminished, and Arteta for once made his move early and it proved effective.

Also don't expect much changes to the system over the next few fixtures - we can go back to 4-2-3-1 once we finish with Man Utd.