Xhaka completely switched off for Vardy’s goal, and Mustafi strolling about to give Vardy freedom of the box. It’s on Arteta if he keeps picking them.

First Walker pockets Auba, now Fofana. Just stick anyone on him full time and he can't do anything about it right now. Way to easy to shut him down, he's got to do better winning those individual battles. There's no amount of "tactics" that can solve it.

Lacazette really is a shame. He couldn't make anything work out there. He was fed the ball constantly and had so many chances to make something happen, but he just didn't.

Saka was great but he didn't finish either. He's a child, though, so it seems pointless to make much of it.

I really liked the system today. We got plenty of shots off, but we faded and couldn't claw our way back after a midweek European trip that took more out of us than it might have.

I thought, for the first 45 minutes, our pressing was very coordinated and very effective. We made things happen, controlled the game, and had a goal robbed from us by obviously corrupt VAR. Laca scores those early goals, and that's why he started. Eddie has been very poor, and putting him on was unlikely to change anything whether it was at 60 minutes or 80 minutes.

The midfield dominated the game, Luiz played some great passes out to Tierney, who had a few excellent deliveries. Forwards were slow off the line, were easily tracked, and when they did get a chance they fucked it up. Leicester got lucky, we got unlucky, and the result just didn't go our way.

I'm really not so sure that Arteta got this wrong at all. He played the 433 most of you are always baying for, and we took more shots and made more chances. None of them went it. Maybe Arteta is cautious and shit, or maybe most of us have no idea how to win a professional football match.

Coombs wrote:

I'm really not so sure that Arteta got this wrong at all. He played the 433 most of you are always baying for, and we took more shots and made more chances. None of them went it. Maybe Arteta is cautious and shit, or maybe most of us have no idea how to win a professional football match.

That's basically what I thought. We played the system that most wanted, not to perfection but it was more ambitious by a long way while the lack of movement and chance creation has been an issue for a long time. Maybe that's why everyone's extra upset

Xhaka and Ceballos spent most of their time wide left and right, so it wasn't a typical 4-3-3

Well there's also the issue we needed to add more goal threat to the squad, Laca clearly not at the necessary level and given Pepe hasn't been able to kick in with goals another goal scoring midfielder so that's hamstrung us as well.

Temo wrote:

Too many quarter-backs on the pitch, could have swapped out Xhaka or Ceballos for a more attacking player without losing much.

Expecting Lacazette or Auba to create anything through packed defenses is a waste of time.

Attack fell apart after Saka came off for Pepe. Cost of Arteta starting him on Thursday and I think underestimating his importance.

You don’t even have to swap them, just position them more aggressively on the pitch. Dani hugging the RW as RB cover and Xhaka doing the same on the left as LB cover just doesn’t compute to me. In effect we end up playing with one central midfielder and no passing options. Not a single one of those pretty little triangles in sight.

Mirth wrote:

Coombs wrote:

I'm really not so sure that Arteta got this wrong at all. He played the 433 most of you are always baying for, and we took more shots and made more chances. None of them went it. Maybe Arteta is cautious and shit, or maybe most of us have no idea how to win a professional football match.

That's basically what I thought. We played the system that most wanted, not to perfection but it was more ambitious by a long way while the lack of movement and chance creation has been an issue for a long time. Maybe that's why everyone's extra upset

The problem is we have become found out tactically and we have no plan B, just like for like subs.

We really missed out on Aouar.

Looking back, Arteta should have rested more players for the Europa League game on Thursday.

Why did he play Luiz, guy is 33/34 and shouldn’t be playing 3 games in a week - no wonder he got injured today. We spent £30m on Saliba we should be playing him. How else is he going to learn?

Some questionable decisions from the gaffer.

goon wrote:

Temo wrote:

Too many quarter-backs on the pitch, could have swapped out Xhaka or Ceballos for a more attacking player without losing much.

Expecting Lacazette or Auba to create anything through packed defenses is a waste of time.

Attack fell apart after Saka came off for Pepe. Cost of Arteta starting him on Thursday and I think underestimating his importance.

You don’t even have to swap them, just position them more aggressively on the pitch. Dani hugging the RW as RB cover and Xhaka doing the same on the left as LB cover just doesn’t compute to me. In effect we end up playing with one central midfielder and no passing options. Not a single one of those pretty little triangles in sight.

Looked to be the case from the start of the 2nd half that Ceballos was told to be further up and more central. Main problem was that he was just shit. He would've run the game if he was in the mood. 

Mirth wrote:

Coombs wrote:

I'm really not so sure that Arteta got this wrong at all. He played the 433 most of you are always baying for, and we took more shots and made more chances. None of them went it. Maybe Arteta is cautious and shit, or maybe most of us have no idea how to win a professional football match.

That's basically what I thought. We played the system that most wanted, not to perfection but it was more ambitious by a long way while the lack of movement and chance creation has been an issue for a long time. Maybe that's why everyone's extra upset

Did you guys not stop where Xhaka and Dani we’re positioned for most of the game? There’s no way anyone on here had that in mind.

Sicario wrote:

Mirth wrote:

That's basically what I thought. We played the system that most wanted, not to perfection but it was more ambitious by a long way while the lack of movement and chance creation has been an issue for a long time. Maybe that's why everyone's extra upset

The problem is we have become found out tactically and we have no plan B, just like for like subs.

We really missed out on Aouar.

Give Wilshere a punt until Jan? I think Partey makes Xhaka redundant from now

GooneriC wrote:

Jed wrote:

Why the hell are we still being forced to watch Mustafi btw? Nobody can tell me Saliba isn’t a better option than that bloke. Fofana kept Aubameyang in his back pocket today and he was considered a lesser talent than Saliba at Saint Ettiene. What’s going on?

He isn't as good in training?

We got robbed then. £30m.

Temo wrote:

goon wrote:

You don’t even have to swap them, just position them more aggressively on the pitch. Dani hugging the RW as RB cover and Xhaka doing the same on the left as LB cover just doesn’t compute to me. In effect we end up playing with one central midfielder and no passing options. Not a single one of those pretty little triangles in sight.

Looked to be the case from the start of the 2nd half that Ceballos was told to be further up and more central. Main problem was that he was just shit. He would've run the game if he was in the mood. 

That’s definitely part of it, he had a horror show. But I’m just not sure it helps when the positioning of the players is so weird. The passing options are either backwards or long cross field balls.

Oh fuck it, I agree with Jones and Coombs. Giving up on players before they've had their debut now

Temo wrote:

Sicario wrote:

The problem is we have become found out tactically and we have no plan B, just like for like subs.

We really missed out on Aouar.

Give Wilshere a punt until Jan? I think Partey makes Xhaka redundant from now

Wilshere ship long gone my friend.

Swap Elneny and Partey today and you would have sworn it was the same player.

Jed wrote:

GooneriC wrote:

He isn't as good in training?

We got robbed then. £30m.

You haven't a clue and neither do I as to what the story with Saliba is.

I think everyone has said, including Arteta vaguely that Saliba need more to be ready to start games for us. Which really don't make sense given that his similarly less experienced partner is already Leicester's best defender immediately after signing in their last 2 matches.

I wonder what's the story behind letting Saliba play u23 football exclusively and not include him in any of our squads at all.