DCJonah Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Just now, OutByEaster? said: I really hope he doesn't, I think if he does we'll lose. I think if we play 4-2-3-1 we have a chance, if it turns into 4-1-4-1 I think we're done. I might be remembering wrong but didn't mcginn push forward more at their place? I just can't see arsenal pressuring us the way the last two games have so I can see mcginn get more room and time. We'll see when the game starts i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-R Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Some of the comments and people expecting us to do better are crazy. I for one never thought wed be where we are this season, dont know how any of us could of even imagined us doing this well. While it gets annoying losing I also understand it does happen and were also a premier side taking shape again. We cant be expecting our lads, our first eleven lads to do brilliantly when we cant even make effective subs for a start. Were also playing an incredible amount of games in no time at all given the fact weve had covid in alot of the players. We do really have to be patient with this season and of course we never want our lads to lose but if they do I dont think we can criticise to much given the circumstances that they have been through. I hope they win but after west ham and some games before you can see the tiredness kicking in now and we dont have the players to make decent changes and rest our starting eleven. The only way I say is sacrifice some games and bring in youth to play some games we would of struggled in to rest our players, give them a breather. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted February 6, 2021 Moderator Share Posted February 6, 2021 Just now, DCJonah said: I might be remembering wrong but didn't mcginn push forward more at their place? I just can't see arsenal pressuring us the way the last two games have so I can see mcginn get more room and time. We'll see when the game starts i guess. For me the problem is that if McGinn pushes forward, it leaves a big gap in the midfield - Barkley won't cover him, it's not his game and it's a lot to ask Nakamba to cover for two - it McGinn gets forward and our fullbacks push on, the likes of Saka and Pepe will rip us to bits as soon as Arsenal get the ball. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratvillan Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Let's face it, we can argue about team selections etc, but realistically 7 of the team pick itself, back 5 and jack and ollie. This means theres only ever 3 mid and 1 winger up for grabs. We've 3 wingers, traore is probably better than trez and el ghazi, but rotation will happen. In midfield there's luiz, mcginn nakamba, ramsey Sanson, barkley. Sanson needs to settle in, ramsey needs sub time, so it's really 2 out of the first 3. I really dont get how people can be so up in arms when 1 gets dropped - I don't there's much difference between the three of them tbh. The one that surprises me is Barkley, ive not been massively impressed of late. I think we'll find he had covid, and had it bad. He looked like a bloke playing 5 a side on a stag do weekend, in the West Ham game. I wouldnt have started him today. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Suprised Luiz is the one dropped. He has been better than mcginn and Barkley. Lets see how this unfolds but i think its a mistake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villa87 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 If Barkley did have Covid I have no idea why he has been playing as much as he has especially considering him coming back from injury. He is inconsistent so he is due a belter of a game!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 2 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said: For me the problem is that if McGinn pushes forward, it leaves a big gap in the midfield - Barkley won't cover him, it's not his game and it's a lot to ask Nakamba to cover for two - it McGinn gets forward and our fullbacks push on, the likes of Saka and Pepe will rip us to bits as soon as Arsenal get the ball. I think Sanson would make us far more balanced Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 5 minutes ago, DCJonah said: Mad that you can see it but professional coaches, with state of art technology tracking these players can't. Who to trust. So difficult to decide. Well in your case you would probably trust Smith to take your misses out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted February 6, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted February 6, 2021 Nakamba is an interesting selection. Would have liked to have seen Sanson in this one as Ginny looks knackered but in Deano I trust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villa 59 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 I'm baffled why Barkley is in the line up ahead of Luiz and Sanson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Just now, foreveryoung said: Well in your case you would probably trust Smith to take your misses out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 3 minutes ago, Stratvillan said: Let's face it, we can argue about team selections etc, but realistically 7 of the team pick itself, back 5 and jack and ollie. This means theres only ever 3 mid and 1 winger up for grabs. We've 3 wingers, traore is probably better than trez and el ghazi, but rotation will happen. In midfield there's luiz, mcginn nakamba, ramsey Sanson, barkley. Sanson needs to settle in, ramsey needs sub time, so it's really 2 out of the first 3. I really dont get how people can be so up in arms when 1 gets dropped - I don't there's much difference between the three of them tbh. The one that surprises me is Barkley, ive not been massively impressed of late. I think we'll find he had covid, and had it bad. He looked like a bloke playing 5 a side on a stag do weekend, in the West Ham game. I wouldnt have started him today. Sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 18 minutes ago, nick76 said: Maybe he wasnt right for the game for whatever reason, a knock or something. Do we know he was dropped rather than for another reason? Yep, good point and you could well be right. Bit of a boring prediction thread if everyone just says ‘let’s wait and see’, though Dean doesn’t get much wrong IMO so I hope he’s vindicated again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted February 6, 2021 Moderator Share Posted February 6, 2021 1 minute ago, villalad21 said: I think Sanson would make us far more balanced I think we could play with three out of McGinn/Nakamba/Luiz and Sanson and let Traore and Grealish just attack - but I don't think Smith wants to set up that defensively and just play on the break, it'd be a big change of mentality and we've been successful being a bit more expansive than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villa 59 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 28 minutes ago, Nigel said: Smith always says he speaks to the players before hand to judge fitness. He knows more than us! Maybe, but we can all surely see that Barkley is unfit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleedClaretAndBlue Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Smith 2-0 Arteta in the head to head Lets see how it plays out today, tough game but we have enough if we turn up. Need Barkley and SJM to feel they have to repay Smiths faith today because both have been Off colour of late Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted February 6, 2021 Moderator Share Posted February 6, 2021 2 minutes ago, Villa 59 said: I'm baffled why Barkley is in the line up ahead of Luiz and Sanson. I'm not so much - I think he plays a different position to those two - I think if we dropped him his direct replacement would be Grealish or McGinn. I hope that makes sense, given that both are already playing - just that Ross and those two play really different roles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 8 minutes ago, Dave-R said: Some of the comments and people expecting us to do better are crazy. I for one never thought wed be where we are this season, dont know how any of us could of even imagined us doing this well. While it gets annoying losing I also understand it does happen and were also a premier side taking shape again. We cant be expecting our lads, our first eleven lads to do brilliantly when we cant even make effective subs for a start. Were also playing an incredible amount of games in no time at all given the fact weve had covid in alot of the players. We do really have to be patient with this season and of course we never want our lads to lose but if they do I dont think we can criticise to much given the circumstances that they have been through. I hope they win but after west ham and some games before you can see the tiredness kicking in now and we dont have the players to make decent changes and rest our starting eleven. The only way I say is sacrifice some games and bring in youth to play some games we would of struggled in to rest our players, give them a breather. The problem is people believing we have to win every game in order to get Europe They've added the pressure themselves rather than just enjoying the season for what it is 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Be interesting to see how involved Targett and Cash can be in the offence today. Saka and Pepe are scary fast and if our full backs are too high up we will get punished. Bellerin is not great but he's really fast and will be helped out by Saka who is just as fast so work again cut our for Grealish. Would not surprise we if he and Traoré swap sides. Would be nice if Barkley could be up for it today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 9 minutes ago, Villastine said: Some interesting comments here! We have to rotate so 'rested' might be more accurate than 'dropped' I know, I love that I keep hearing we about rotation but then as soon as a player is rotated, it’s called dropped in a negative fashion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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