At some point we have to come to the realization that part of the problem is just that this is the way football has gone. You look at the way port vale played it off the ball it was essentially our off the ball system.
Liverpool were home and they played more defensive than us. And city were ultra defensive. How many big mangers out there just open up and leave holes. Big Ange? Get him in?
When teams just defend it's incredibly hard to break them down. Jose did it to peak Barca the best team in history(or at least top 3). We did it to city when they were at their peak we just sat super deep they created hardly and we knocked it Auba. They weren't creatively flat at that point. They were just against a low block and their was no space.
Lyon are the only team that I've seen recently that play with less control. I watched them when I was there week before last. Complete shit show. They went a goal up. Then the opposition overloaded a flank they weren't set for it in transitions so they got picked apart with the extra man on defensive transitions. Lost 3-1. Couldn't get any control on the game and just fell apart.
I think arsenal fans have forgotten what that feels like.
When I work in football 10 years ago, not in England. The manager had just competed the highest FIFA coaching badge it thinks it's the international coaching badge not sure. But it was more than they needed for the role they had at a top club. And one of the drills to show players how important it is to be compact was to have an numerical advantage on the attacking side and have the other side just sit deep and not come out. And set a stop watch. And after an hour of them not scoring you blow the whistle.
When the coach did it at the club, there was no goals in an hour and the coach wasn't expecting any. I think people have to realize how hard it is to break down a low block.
No manager has an easy solution to a low block just the elite players who can play in super tight spaces make the difference people like Saka or Salahs.
