Match Reaction v Villa (home)

[Marc Overmars]

First thing to do is get Lacazette and Willian out of the team, it’s a joke how ineffective these 2 are as an attacking threat. I would bring in Pepe and Ceballos. Pepe can be a bit amateurish at times but can still make things happen and most importantly is capable of scoring goals from nothing. I’m not a huge Ceballos fan but he tends to see passes others don’t, which makes him the best of a crap supporting bunch in the centre of the park.

Put Auba in the centre and gear everything towards laying chances on for him. I can’t believe how much of a passenger he’s been this season, an absolute waste of the one guy who can make the difference for us.

[Letters]

Put Auba in the centre.

Definitely agree with this. He's completely ineffective on the wing and that's not his fault, it's not the right place to play him.

[Globalgunner]

Auba in the middle is another myth. Laca spent most of the match in the centre battling Villa midfielders. Auba always plays on the wing as far as I can recall especially with Dortmund where he made his name. Henry was a winger who could play centre,, he dovetailed with Pires because they actually knew how to play football. Auba is a good footballer but he is not the difference maker we dream he is. He wont battle big CBs, he cant dribble. If he cant run behind the defence, he cant score. He is not that guy.

[Marc Overmars]

Auba on the wing is another myth. Laca spent most of the match in the centre battling Villa midfielders. Auba always plays on the wing as far as I can recall especially with Dortmund where he made his name. Henry was a winger who could play centre,, he dovetailed with Pires because they actually knew how to play football. Auba is a good footballer but he is not the difference maker we dream he is. He wont battle big CBs, he cant dribble. If he cant run behind the defence, he cant score. He is not that guy.

Most strikers get their goals running in behind the defence anyway, it's bread and butter for them. For whatever reason the service has dried up this season and now he can't get a sniff. If he was missing sitter after sitter (like the French Heskey is) then I would lay the blame at his door, however it feels like he's barely even in positions to have shots at goal anymore. We know he can deliver, even with limited service, however this team is now completely devoid of any guile and strikers like him who feed off that will inevitably be left to rot. This is why I want Laca out of the team because I think he's just a lump of crap taking up the areas Auba would be better off operating in.

[Marc Overmars]

https://www.premierleague.com/stats/...al_scoring_att

According to this, Auba and Laca have only managed 10 and 9 shots respectively. In 8 games, so a little over 1 shot a game! Blunt as fuck.

There is something fundamentally wrong with how we’re playing. It’s too rigid and methodical to the point where we can no longer create chances and our strikers for one reason or another can’t even chance their arm at goal often enough.

[Globalgunner]

Most strikers get their goals running in behind the defence anyway, it's bread and butter for them. For whatever reason the service has dried up this season and now he can't get a sniff. If he was missing sitter after sitter (like the French Heskey is) then I would lay the blame at his door, however it feels like he's barely even in positions to have shots at goal anymore. We know he can deliver, even with limited service, however this team is now completely devoid of any guile and strikers like him who feed off that will inevitably be left to rot. This is why I want Laca out of the team because I think he's just a lump of crap taking up the areas Auba would be better off operating in.

Maybe but how did Watkins get his goals yesterday? He battled and he was precise. None of which applies to Auba or Laca. Goals are created by the team not individuals unless your name is Messi. This team, this coach cant create viable goal opportunities. They play like strangers. ball comes in, no one to get in on it. Basic incompetence. This is what you get when you hire a nobody. What is his football philosophy?. Does anyone know?. Does he?. Willian misses the target completely from 6 yards out. Eddie comes in and is worse than the player he replaced. This is a motley crew of average players shepherded by a novice.

[selassie]

just saw this on twitter: "It's actually six hours and 26 minutes since Arsenal last scored a goal from open play in the Premier League."

That's sackworthy even for a manager of a club fighting relegation. The fact we are supposed to be a top 6 club. Laughable.

[selassie]

First thing to do is get Lacazette and Willian out of the team, it’s a joke how ineffective these 2 are as an attacking threat. I would bring in Pepe and Ceballos. Pepe can be a bit amateurish at times but can still make things happen and most importantly is capable of scoring goals from nothing. I’m not a huge Ceballos fan but he tends to see passes others don’t, which makes him the best of a crap supporting bunch in the centre of the park.

Put Auba in the centre and gear everything towards laying chances on for him. I can’t believe how much of a passenger he’s been this season, an absolute waste of the one guy who can make the difference for us.

I agree with this but I don't think it will happen. He will likely replace Laca with Nketiah and keep Willian in the team. He loves Willian, I'm not even sure why, Willian adds nothing to this team right now, absolutely nothing.

[Letters]

https://www.premierleague.com/stats/...al_scoring_att

According to this, Auba and Laca have only managed 10 and 9 shots respectively. In 8 games, so a little over 1 shot a game! Blunt as fuck.

There is something fundamentally wrong with how we’re playing. It’s too rigid and methodical to the point where we can no longer create chances and our strikers for one reason or another can’t even chance their arm at goal often enough.

Ozil must be laughing his tits off.

[selassie]

I know we have to give Arteta time, however, I just dont feel he is good enough for Arsenal. We needed someone with more experience. We are miles away from the top 4, bloody miles. None of our players would get into the Spuds team, let alone the strikers. Spuds, City and Liverpool in the mix to win the league this year, just to make it even more depressing. FFS.

I am starting to think the same TBH, the early signs were promising but we have progressively got worse as an attacking team. With the talent we have up top it's totally unacceptable that we can't even create chances from open play. Yes Laca is on the slide, but surely we have enough with the likes of Auba, Saka, Pepe, Nelson & Willian. How has it even come to this? It's like we have just improved in one area and totally regressed back to that story state in another area, it beggars belief.