TRO
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This is certainly not a criticism of Emi, on the contrary.....but we have come to rely on him too much. imo. I think when he is out, it's as much a indictment on our defence, as it is on Olsen. Sure there is no comparison.....but defenders should be protecting, better than they do. At the level we are at now, talented shooters will score from outside the box.....they have to be closed down, and challenged......The goalie should be the LAST line of defence, not the only line of defence, and Emi has saved us too often, for my comfort. Emi is exceptional, and we have come to expect, too much imo......A goalkeeper as talented as Emi should be winning the clean sheets award, not Raya......that IMO is down to who is in front of them. However...I will choose to say, why Goalies play out from the back with short passes directly in front of goal as opposed to playing to the side, I simply don't know......Raya was a perfect example of a donut, who nearly blew our away win( supporting Arsenal on the day) Any feisty presser, can easily, create a turnover and score.....its an unnecessary risk imo. I cringe when Emi does it too.
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I am not so sure....The crucial stats were not for good reading, even before Emi's exit.....and my eye test on the night, suggested, they was gradually working their was back in to the game, without much resistance, even at us 2-0 up.... We have seen this before. Chelsea was winning the possession battle all through the game.....and after their first goal, the inevitable was arriving.....Gallagher and Caceido had the freedom to dictate. Look, they are entitled to an off night.....The season is not the issue, we all know it's been great....and we are hugely grateful....but I would be amazed, if that performance, (and the detail of it) does not resonate in Unai's mind, when he makes plans for the summer recruiting. When Unai says "I want more".....That is a euphemism alright.
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Jas, we have had an unbelievable season.....but we all went down to support the team against Chelsea, not expecting such a passive display, from the midfielders. Not a man in the ground, would have expected a 28-30% possession Stat......On the night, it was poor.......and to be accurate, we would not have had the season we have had playing like that..... That performance was not reflective of the season as a whole, we all know that. Some say, they are out on their feet....but it seems to some fans, we are better, with more momentum, when we play 3 games in a week, with a 3 day rest......so I am not sure, the mitigation put forward, about energy, is accurate......it could be, but events leave me, unsure. We can only talk about the game, when it's a "Ratings and Reactions" thread....We all know how good Dougie has been, and we can all remember, back to before Kamara arrived....when he struggled with McGinn in the pivot, in some games. Dougie is not a dedicated no 6 imo, and certain aspects of his game is highlighted, like staying on the ball, when we have feisty opponents, happy to challenge for the ball, with conviction....Dougie wants time, and he doesn't have it against teams like Chelsea. He is to be applauded imo, for being deployed in a role, he always gets put in to, when the DCM gets injured or suspended....The fact we only have one experienced one, is a glaring issue in my book....and the long term injury to Kamara, has highlighted the plight. Dougie is a wonderful player, when he is played in the role he is best suited too......I cringed a bit, when I knew he was playing in that game, because I suspected, what actually happened...he was overwhelmed. I accept, that a number of players are playing in not necessarily their best position, due to injuries.....but, personally, I feel some are struggling with not having a quality dedicated CDM to hold things together.....and give them ( the players with guile)a platform to play from. We can all see how Rice, has given a platform to the Arsenal creative players, to concentrate on their job and we are all well aware of the miss City feel when Rodri is out..... Guimaraes has a similar effect with Newcastle. ....We need at least one more holder in the middle. I don't mean just a stopper.....I mean a quality, midfielder, who can attack and defend with equal aplomb.
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I agree. It wasn't a prudent signing, was it.
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Such an honest and accurate rendition. spot on.
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I think as another poster pointed out.....he thinks he has more time on the ball in the 6 role, than he has in the 8 role.....Dougie is not a 6, he has just been deployed there, through a lack of dedicated alternatives. I wouldn't call it bottle jobs.....I would say, our only way to win games is primarily through attack, meaning we just have to score more than the opposition......We do not have sufficient personnel to consistently hold on to leads. The games we have won, and won well, have been through attacking prowess.....We don't win ugly, because we can't.....we don't have the players for that. when you are aiming high, like we are, you need a broader church of player profile....I am hoping in forthcoming windows we go some way to rectifying that. When folk say, we are down to the bare bones, through injuries, it's not the complete story for me.....I think we have been lacking defensive IQ, Particularly in midfield, for quite some time....and in some games, it shows more than others.
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I don't think we have the options in the squad for it..... we can't bring anyone on, to help with it, because they don't exist. sure we have Tim, but is he ready for this level? To just have Kamara.....is a weakness in the squad IMO
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it's not just the press. Its runners too. We struggle to stop opponents running at us, one on one....The defensive IQ is lacking in midfield.
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I'll say it again.....we don't have the profile of player in the middle to help us with those teams.....They just run through us. We have been plugging gaps, with attack minded players , in defensive roles, for yonks.....we need to fix it. Unai talks about consistency, and his pursuit of it......the type of midfielder, I am referring to, would help with that. He has worked miracles, with what we have in terms of profile....the next phase, needs strength and power in midfield, adding to it.
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Spot on.....It needs to be fixed as a priority, in the summer.
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We need a bit outfield too.
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I think you are right.....but I think we have to rely on him, a bit too much.....the fact we do, should illuminate other areas to strengthen.
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That's not my point......my point is, how do we expect to be ambitious with one recognised holding player in the squad?.....that's not injuries, its forward planning.....when it comes to wingers, we seem to be unlimited as to how many we want? I agree, Unai has no options, he has to fix that in the summer......but he has to bring in more players in midfield who can hold things together, and contain, in the times of need.....players who can stay on the ball, and resist a challenge. We have games, like the last one where some players are painfully lightweight, in the challenge.....we need strengthening there. I think with the profile of our squad, I don't know how we have done what we have....but I don't think, we can keep doing it. Other teams have had unprecedented injuries too....it's a hard fought, arduous league.....all the more reason, why a few more quality, durable players are needed.
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I agree. For what ever reason, there was some poor individual performances. I was strange to me that our possession stat was alarmingly low, for a home game.....Gallagher and Caicedo was allowed to dominate us. Dougie uncharacteristically seems to be struggling to stay on the ball....his dwelling on it, makes him a target for the presser. The foul on Carlos is a worry, because many think it wasn't......For me, it was blatant, and obvious. If that is not a foul, I don't know where the game is going, and the referee should have called it without VAR. Chelsea for me, was by far the better side, but in my opinion, we allowed them to be....too many players "off it" In the cold light of day, in view of the above....it was a good point.....and on the basis of such poor officiating, we was lucky to get away with a cancelled goal......what and indictment, us feeling guilty, for a legitimate call. Maybe Chelsea should have won on the balance of play.....but not illegally, Poch needs to factor that in to his thinking.
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Yes there is. They run at us....and we don't have enough players, comfortable with that scenario. bar from a handful, all our players are attack minded, they haven't got the natural nous, for stopping opponents....I mean clean skillful challenges, and turn overs, where we come out with the ball..........how many times do we see half hearted attempts to seize the ball...its passive. Kamara was a break from tradition..... we have been short of this type of player for years. We play with one ( with defensive nous) the other one, is more suitable to attacking, but is deployed there......some teams have 2 and a few spares in the squad. We simply cannot contain games, going in to the lead, without the necessary skill set, to do so......deploying attack minded players in defensive duties, is the main problem IMO.
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The signs were there in the first half...its was coming, all around me, said it's coming. You simply cannot play that passive, and expect to win anything. You have to compete in this league.....and that does not mean retreating in to a low block, and yielding territory, it means going after opponents with conviction. I get the mitigation of injuries, and too many competitive games, but we have to remember, we went out of the domestic cups early......and the cup game against Chelsea, had overtones of that second half, where they played through us once again...so what do we learn? I am not expert on player energy, so if we are running on fumes, we need more players to rotate.....and those players we need, need to be able to compete, as a pre-requisite......if we keep, citing energy as a issue, our ambitions will be curtailed. My concern is..We have some talented players, who don't seem to like traffic and when the going gets tough, go missing, they become passengers.
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How can we play like we did against Arsenal, and then muster that sad show. Unai often talks about consistency is his aim......I think the summer recruiting, consistency, will be foremost on his mind. We some players in the squad, who can negate the threats of opponents, and nullify their enthusiasm and intensity....and regain the initiative, when we lose it.
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when teams have a sniff, that we are not on it......by not pressing, not being first to the ball or not challenging......that's when their confidence grows, and we have seen in so many times, where we have literally invited teams back in to the game. We can blame the keeper all we like, probably because Emi has bailed us out so many times........the issue is in midfield. We simply don't have enough players in the squad, who can hold a 2-0 lead......players who can contain, and nullify, ours are inconsistent.....and every one of them has an attacking bias.....without Kamara, the only defenders we have are in the back four. We are crying out for another holding midfielder.
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when all you can offer is a 28% possession stat at home.........I would say that's a magnificent point.
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yep.
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I think you are assuming/ hoping, that Spurs "stand off" in the way we did......Chelsea was good, because they was allowed to be.
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I think he might be already.
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That used to be like a shopping list, I had from my mom, when I was a kid.......took me 6 hrs to go shopping.
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I must confess, how I have been one of those fans, educated by him on energy conservation....and many other things. I have always taken it for granted. I am also enlightened, by his reference to projects.....saying winning the next game, plays a huge part in the project, so that's always his main focus. He has allegedly told the owners the here and now, is the main project, without winning the long term never comes. I think he makes an excellent observation. The here and now, creates the long term......Consistency is what Unai, always talks about, and it is that, that takes us to the holy grail......There will be no final destination of sorts, without winning. As every day passess, Unai Emery, shows instances, where he is so aware of what is required, to take us to the top......it is that, that makes us realise, that the long term, will be our destination....and the man knows how to get there. Sure things still take time, but winning games are the building blocks, to our final destination of consistent top 4. What a manager.
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The Billionaires Boys Club eh!
