EFL Cup - Arsenal at Port Vale: Page 10 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

EFL Cup - Arsenal at Port Vale

Burnwinter

Tam We had a team of largely full internationals

That's really just our insane depth though isn't it? 7-8 starters were either second string or fighting not to be. The bench was all elite too, with a 15 year old the only exception. Starting Saka over Dowman was the only controversial choice, maybe Saliba if one really wants to push that line.

Edit: not really your point though, I get it.

Qwiss

Tam There's been speculation we were taking it easy to get through the game - I'd be shocked if that's the attitude Arteta has allowed to seep into the team

That's always been our attitude in the league cup under Arteta. Saka is the perfect embodiment of it., Arteta usually uses him in the LC and he always looks like he's trying to avoid getting hurt.

USArsenal

Qwiss why would this be about managing the game?

I meant managing our energy exertion and not getting injured.

flobaba

banduan they do have a shirt sponsor. It's Puma. Well camouflaged as the sponsor logo is for some reason the same color as the shirt itself.

QuincyAbeyie

flobaba sure, they have a kit manufacturer. But they don't have a "main" sponsor on the chest like we do with Emirates because it's their 150th anniversary.

Gurgen

First I thought they all just got a white shirt from mommy but then noticed they indeed have a logo and kit manufacturer which for some reason were put on the shirt with invisible font.

Don Pacifico

RowJimmy I think that's quite a blunt metric. If you think we've been consistent attacking force, then that's your opinion but the xG in our matches reflects my perception.

I don't think we've achieved an xG>2 in any match this season with the possible exception of Leeds, which was either just under or just over 2. When you look at open play xG for that match, I believe it was about 0.3. Against Leeds. That tells me we're struggling to create chances outside of set pieces, which isn't good enough if we want to win the biggest competitions.

That's my concern.

Gurgen

You are correct but we have basically been playing an entirely new attack this season.

Don Pacifico

Gurgen yeah, and that's what I'm hoping is the root cause. I remember 23/24 took a while to get going before we were consistently effective as a team, so I'm hoping the same is happening now. I'm nevertheless a bit concerned though as I did still expect us to be a bit better than this.

Meatwad

oh and for those wondering why they were booing saka. it had nothing to do with him being our best player. one of the things they were saying other than saka is a wanker is that they saw him cry on the telly, that was after missing the pen against italy. so there's your answer.

Sicario2

Meatwad lower league brain dead fans often boo the most famous opposition player.

Meatwad

Sicario2
even some port vale fans who are commenting on their forum (they are actual lower league fans so they would know how they're suppose to behave) were confused by the Saka booing.

https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/forum/topic/68334-match-thread-port-vale-v-arsenal/page/27/

All for gallows humour but why was Saka booed every time he touched it, met with chants of Saka is a banker and we saw you cry on the telly.

Particularly as the crying on the telly was for missing a penalty in the Euro final for England.

Nothing so strange as folk.

https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/forum/topic/68334-match-thread-port-vale-v-arsenal/page/28/

Not just you. I didn’t understand it either.

Though one could probably bet good money that some of those booing Saka for the entire game and mocking his response to a penalty miss in an England shirt are also the same folk who berate people for apparently not loving their country enough. So the groups of people in favour of - or even taking part in - painting roundabouts or hoisting up flag after flag are the same ones mocking one of England’s finest young footballers because he cared about playing for his country.

As Jim Morrison once sang: people are strange.

Just seemed strange as we will be cheering the boy on next summer.

Burnwinter

How many minutes have we had both Ødegaard and Saka on the pitch this season? Everything revolves around that in the end, their "relationship" is the league's most prolific in terms of traffic. I've come round to the view Eze should've started both matches we dropped points, but we need these two back to see our level against elite opposition.

Mirth

Meatwad you have to forgive them, news travels slowly in Stoke and they’ve only just learned that England lost the Euros in 2021.

Qwiss

A certain segment of fans at a lot of clubs still want to give him stick for that England miss.

Burnwinter

Imagine surveying the landscape of top flight football and deciding Bukayo Saka was the man you disliked. The perverse effort of it.

banduan

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