The Official Arsenal - 14 x FA Cup winners thread - Vol 4
Discussion
Glassman said:
To be fair to Mustafi he stepped up his game after the howler. He was a liability all the way up to that back pass. Did ok after the sending off I thought.
Sums Mustafi up.Capable of looking like a very accomplished defender, but also nailed on to produce one or two moments of absolute calamity every single game. In his position, the impact of the later generally leads to goals being conceded.
The previous Chelsea game on the 29th was a great example- generally looked very assured, right up until the moment he decided to back off all the way from the half-way line without making a challenge leading to the conceding of the goal that lost the match. For the second Chelsea goal yesterday he had plenty of opportunity to make the tackle/foul near the half-way line but instead let Abraham run all the way to the byline to win the corner. His role in the first goal needs no comment, other than to note that it's the latest in a long history of woeful attempted backpasses since he's been at the club- almost his signature move if you will.
He's played enough games now (too many), across 4 different Arsenal managers for anyone to see that this is not a recoverable situation. Unfortunately given Arsenal's current CB situation, we'll be watching groundhog day plenty more times before an opportunity (hopefully) arises to finally move him on.
He clearly works exceptionally hard and seems to have a great attitude, but the kinds of errors he consistently makes is not something you can coach out of a player at his age in my opinion. I (sometimes) think if he had a better range of passing he could be better utilised in midfield- he puts a proper shift in, his tackling is generally a lot better than Xhaka's (admittedly a low bar to clear), and he's a very decent aerial threat at set pieces. Sadly his poor positional discipline and calamitous decision making are major obstacles whatever position he plays!
You could see he’s mentally broken after the first goal. He almost facepalmed himself. I almost felt sorry for him. Also I think to give Luiz a straight red was pretty harsh given the challenge on Abraham would have struggled to get a yellow card anywhere else on the pitch.
Still defensive woes aside we made a decent attempt at showing some cahunas as a team and actually played better with ten than we did with eleven. As has been said Xhaka is better suited to a centre back, Saka had a great game given what he was up against. Bellerin looked dead on his feet a few minutes prior so where the goal came from god knows. And Martinelli, what a run for the goal and most important a composed finish. More worrying, Pepe and Lacazette couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo currently, and we’ve got two more games without Yang, hopefully one against Bournemouth in the FA cup on Monday?
Still defensive woes aside we made a decent attempt at showing some cahunas as a team and actually played better with ten than we did with eleven. As has been said Xhaka is better suited to a centre back, Saka had a great game given what he was up against. Bellerin looked dead on his feet a few minutes prior so where the goal came from god knows. And Martinelli, what a run for the goal and most important a composed finish. More worrying, Pepe and Lacazette couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo currently, and we’ve got two more games without Yang, hopefully one against Bournemouth in the FA cup on Monday?
Cupramax said:
You could see he’s mentally broken after the first goal. He almost facepalmed himself. I almost felt sorry for him. Also I think to give Luiz a straight red was pretty harsh given the challenge on Abraham would have struggled to get a yellow card anywhere else on the pitch.
Still defensive woes aside we made a decent attempt at showing some cahunas as a team and actually played better with ten than we did with eleven. As has been said Xhaka is better suited to a centre back, Saka had a great game given what he was up against. Bellerin looked dead on his feet a few minutes prior so where the goal came from god knows. And Martinelli, what a run for the goal and most important a composed finish. More worrying, Pepe and Lacazette couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo currently, and we’ve got two more games without Yang, hopefully one against Bournemouth in the FA cup on Monday?
Aubergine only has one more game to sit out i.e. Bournemouth FA cup (he missed Sheff Utd & Chelsea already), he's back for Burnley awayStill defensive woes aside we made a decent attempt at showing some cahunas as a team and actually played better with ten than we did with eleven. As has been said Xhaka is better suited to a centre back, Saka had a great game given what he was up against. Bellerin looked dead on his feet a few minutes prior so where the goal came from god knows. And Martinelli, what a run for the goal and most important a composed finish. More worrying, Pepe and Lacazette couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo currently, and we’ve got two more games without Yang, hopefully one against Bournemouth in the FA cup on Monday?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51126529
BBC said:
Aubameyang will miss Saturday's home match against Sheffield United and Arsenal's trip to Chelsea, as well as their FA Cup fourth-round tie at Bournemouth.
Luiz was sent off for "denying a goal scoring opportunity" rather than the amount of force used...although Mustafi had recovered and was on the line so Luiz wasn't the last man, and Leno was meandering back too, but the chances of us getting a sympathetic ref or VAR decision this season seems to be nil.I was surprised Bellerin even started let alone made 95 mins, but Naitlin would never have taken that shot.
Mustafi just needs to find another club, he's not that bad going forwards, and can occasionally defend, but ffs does he drop some clangers that are basic defending 101 and never far from a headless chicken moment,
RacingPete said:
I also think the red was harsh and thought the double whammy had been stopped for penalties. But he was the last man as it never includes the goalie, and you could class that Mustafi had taken that role on the line.
Just had a look at the vid and as I thought first time Leno wandering back, with Mustafi on the line, Leno had time to get back but was on penalty spot as Luiz took him out which as you say doesn't help with the last man. Oh well he'll get a rest for Bournemouth, wonder if Holding and Sokratis will start for the cup match...There were a few things in that game that had me shouting at the telly. if it wasn't the ref, the absence of VAR intervention, it was their fans. Like when Abraham was down 'injured' the abuse the Arsenal got (for not kicking the ball out) was like Chelsea of old; Arsenal playing to the whistle. Yet, when Chelsea knicked the ball back they didn't exactly Row Z it. They carried on and Abraham suddenly realised he could actually stand up.
Like someone hitting the mute button, the booing and jeering stopped.
Like someone hitting the mute button, the booing and jeering stopped.
Oh good grief just seen the ref / VAR combo for tonight- Atkinson & Dean. No doubt to show balance and that VAR is not a crock of s
t they will "make up for" Soton not getting a pen v Spurs by giving at least 2 to Bournemouth and a red for Holding for added je nais se quois after a tiny tap. Ba-humbug!!
t they will "make up for" Soton not getting a pen v Spurs by giving at least 2 to Bournemouth and a red for Holding for added je nais se quois after a tiny tap. Ba-humbug!!Wonderman said:
Oh good grief just seen the ref / VAR combo for tonight- Atkinson & Dean. No doubt to show balance and that VAR is not a crock of st they will "make up for" Soton not getting a pen v Spurs by giving at least 2 to Bournemouth and a red for Holding for added je nais se quois after a tiny tap. Ba-humbug!!
Just needs Clattenburg ref punditting for the full gamut of tt they will "make up for" Soton not getting a pen v Spurs by giving at least 2 to Bournemouth and a red for Holding for added je nais se quois after a tiny tap. Ba-humbug!!ttery
Cupramax said:
Wonderman said:
Oh good grief just seen the ref / VAR combo for tonight- Atkinson & Dean. No doubt to show balance and that VAR is not a crock of st they will "make up for" Soton not getting a pen v Spurs by giving at least 2 to Bournemouth and a red for Holding for added je nais se quois after a tiny tap. Ba-humbug!!
Just needs Clattenburg ref punditting for the full gamut of tt they will "make up for" Soton not getting a pen v Spurs by giving at least 2 to Bournemouth and a red for Holding for added je nais se quois after a tiny tap. Ba-humbug!!tteryLooked nasty. Any kind of Achilles injury and he's done for the season. So Luiz, Papa and a half fit Holding for the second, busier half of the season, with Granit as emergency cover. Hmmm. Tricky one.
Anyway, another good performance. Just need the results in the league to pick up. Performances good but results not quite following so far. Still some hope for this season in my eyes - FA cup and Europa are realistic(ish) targets (hopefully someone will take care of Citeh and Liverpool for us!).
Anyway, another good performance. Just need the results in the league to pick up. Performances good but results not quite following so far. Still some hope for this season in my eyes - FA cup and Europa are realistic(ish) targets (hopefully someone will take care of Citeh and Liverpool for us!).
Glassman said:
When Mustafi was st, he was st. Never got injured.
Arteta comes in and we see some signs of improvement in his play, evident in his performance last night. Even the away fans were chanting his name last night.
He gets injured with a season ender.
Unbelievable.
This entirely, I know it was only Bournemouth but he was popping long balls about like Pirlo last night, possibly one of his best games for us. Arteta is clearly having an impact on the entire team. Also the youngsters are showing Pepe up currently. Saka and Martinelli were superb, although Nketiah was pretty quiet other than his goal so can’t really knock him for that. The formation of Xhaka dropping into left back while Saka charged forward seemed to cause B’mth huge problems in the first half, but again we tried to hold on to what we had in the second half and very nearly paid for it.t, he was st. Never got injured. Arteta comes in and we see some signs of improvement in his play, evident in his performance last night. Even the away fans were chanting his name last night.
He gets injured with a season ender.
Unbelievable.
If Mustafi has done his Achilles we really need to go out right now and buy someone.
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