Arsenal - Crystal Palace. Saturday. 20 Jan, 12:30 UK Time.: Page 15 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Arsenal - Crystal Palace. Saturday. 20 Jan, 12:30 UK Time.

Coombs

Claudius it just wasn't all that fun to watch. Subjective, I know, but it was broadly dull, and we exhibited all the same old problems. The Palace (non)performance was a bigger part of the story than anything we did, imo.

Fair enough if you enjoyed it. I got bored at 3-up and could barely pay attention.

Clrnc

Coombs I got bored at 3-up and could barely pay attention.

I wish every single Arsenal game is like this tbh. We would coast to the title

RocktheCasbah

Coombs think Palace approach with 5 at the back didn't really help proceedings. Even when we went 1-0 up, they seemed content to keep things as they were, keep it tight and try and nick something. It was only really in the second half that space opened up and we could introduce a bit of velocity to proceedings. There were definitely some occasions - at least two I counted - where we baited therm onto us when playing out from the back, managed to get out and then fucked up a pass in(to) midfield with a lot of space in front of us. That execution will come.

It wasn't the best performance and I'd tend to agree that 5-0 was flattering, but it was about as comfortable an afternoon as we could have wished for.

By the way, Arsenal need to give me a season ticket - I've been to two games this season and seen two 5-0s!

Big Willie

Coombs Fair enough if you enjoyed it. I got bored at 3-up and could barely pay attention.

Ok that I can't get behind.

At first I'd have agreed prior to the first two headers our performance was pretty similar to other games where we'd just not get into any decent positions to make the keeper work. It's one of those ones where you'd wonder where the goal will cone from if not for a set piece which on this occasion we did.

But at 3-0 up the sideways and slow vertical passing complaint isn't an issue for me. I hate when we can't score the goals to put us in a positive game state but once we're there, especially so when we are 3 goals up, I'm happy to controllball the fuck out the opposition even without any penetration.

Big Willie

RocktheCasbah There were definitely some occasions - at least two I counted - where we baited therm onto us when playing out from the back, managed to get out and then fucked up a pass in(to) midfield with a lot of space in front of us.

Noticed that too. There were times where we were playing super risky at the back but got ourselves out pretty well. If we can keep doing that well then that'll give us opportunities on the break, albeit giving chances away when we fuck them up. I'm happy to make that trade off so long as we pass quick and direct as soon as we break that press. If we end up slowly getting up the pitch when we do break the press then I don't think it'd be worth it.

RocktheCasbah By the way, Arsenal need to give me a season ticket - I've been to two games this season and seen two 5-0s!

Given my record I think I need to be the first one to be given a permanent seat at the stadium, flights included. But yeah, your recent form should get you a temporary spot in the first team next to me. 😁 Nice one though man. Glad you enjoyed it.

Gazza M

I get what coombs is saying. that performance was the same we've seen all season. set piece goals and minimal open play action, also helped by palace being laughably poor. maybe the magnitude of the scoreline eases our mental block around finishing chances, but I came away feeling largely unenthused about the performance tbh. extrapolated out over a season, what were doing right now sees us finishing 3rd or 4th at best

'didn't have to get out 2nd gear'. we're incapable of getting out of 2nd gear, I think is the issue at hand. yet to be convinced we actually have another gear. looks like meticulously designed, inescapable, perpetual cruise control

Burnwinter

Yeah, the criterion for doing a false dawn properly at this point is pretty simple: we'd need to construct a few really artful, triangulating goals that take in three or four forward players, and do that against organised defences.

Even individuals showing flashes of brilliance wouldn't do much for me at this point.

Not interested in these false false dawns …

Clrnc

Saw some of the comments above saying Rice had his worst game and didn't understand why.

Saw this video and thought maybe that comment had a point. But nothing new tbh just him not really passing well between the lines which has been mentioned to death

Qwiss

Clrnc bit harsh IMO. He was pretty solid, I think this is just a typical reaction to too much hype in his first half of the season. He's mostly given us 7s and 8s with people saying "9 every game" now he's had a couple of 6s and people are complaining about things that have been part of his game all season. Those arrows for passes forward between Palace players could be drawn in any game, even his best ones. If Palace had been better and Rice had the chance to make a couple more tackles people would be raving about his performance again. He was fine in this game, others took more of the limelight but thats ok. Maybe its even good, if Rice is having to be the star it probably means you are under more pressure.

banduan

He did not have a stinker. He did not have a great game. He did pretty much all he needed to do to win and all that was needed was a 6/10 performance (not dissing him, this was true across the board).

Big Willie

That one two with White stood out but in general I don't mind Rice playing the way he did when we're up by a few goals. I didn't think he was that bad at all.

However at 3-0 up I was ok with that safe passing gamr. It's complete controllball. Sideways passing without risking balls through the lines works when we're up, but gets frustrating when we are level or behind. Rice is a great player, but a different type of player to Partey or even Jorginho requiring a different type of set up.

Also although controllball works when we are up it would be nice if we used those situations to really crank up the goalscoring as there will be space between. Thats why when Jorginho came on and was more vertical in his passing we scored a couple from open play.

daredevil

Jorginho isn't a perfect solution, and is liable to getting overrun in midfield, but he's got to start in Partey's absence. We are desperately lacking vertical passing. I don't think it's by design that we play more controlled with Rice in there, but rather just a capabilities issue. As soon as Jorginho or Partey is in there, we play forward quicker. Unless, you want to tell me they are both defying Arteta's instructions...

Big Willie

daredevil i actually agree with that, it's a point people were making when we were signing Rice, especially when he was being touted as being perfect to replace Partey as the 6. In order to have Rice as the 6 we'd have to revamp our style prerry much. Partey is pretty much technically one of the best two way CMs the league has seen, albeit far too infrequently.

Jorginho himself isn't able to do a lot of the stuff Partey does but he passes it forward and quickly. Rice is Xhaka like when playing in the 6. He has a great range, and can spray it left and right all day, but quick incisive passing vertically without there being loads of space isn't their strongest abilities.

FEBravo

Qwiss Exactly. He's also the type to step up his game when needed. It wasn't needed in this one, he was probably bored as well and just carrying on punching in and out. which is all that was required.

Doc

Zinchenko helped a bit in that sense but the overall creativity factor was lacking in midfield

On plus side Jesus looks like he may be starting get into form.

Qwiss

Doc yeah Zinchenko played well. Great pass before the first corner.

lorddulaarsenal

We won 5-0 without coming off the bridle and yet every player was deemed to have a stinker

Claudius

lorddulaarsenal 😀

banduan

People gotta realise that sometimes the other team just does not turn up and you don't have to do much.

Burnwinter

Weird, it was only Thursday or Friday, after an appeal, that Gabriel's second goal versus Palace was actually credited to him.

https://www.premierleague.com/news/3868439

Would've been absurd if it weren't but eh.

Big Willie

Burnwinter glad it was finally sorted. Thought it was fucking idiotic to give it as an own goal otherwise every goal where the keeper got a hand onto the ball or where there was a failed attempt to clear off the line should be counted as an own goal. Luckily we're not at the point where a goal is awarded only to whoever got the last touch regardless of whether it was already going in or not.

Mirth

Burnwinter Y'know I'm just starting to think there's no big conspiracy, the refs are just genuinely crap at their job and don't understand the rules.

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