***Treble Winners v Arsenal Official Match Thread***

[Original Dub]

As pep said, they've conceded the fewest chances and scored the most goals.

It's not a travesty.

Let's see what happens over the next 9 games

[stupot]

Thought Gvardiol was quality today, comfortably our best player. Rico did really well when he came on. Total makeshift defence and I don't think Ortega had a save to make. He drove me mad on the ball though hanging on to it far too long and then invariably playing it left and behind Kovacic.
All our creative players created nothing unfortunately although Jack looked good when he came on

[carl_feedthegoat]

Thought Gvardiol was quality today, comfortably our best player.

Quality ? what quality was that then ? no crosses and he just stops and passes backwards....fuckall quality to talk of as far as doing his job is concerned.
And as for being our best player..everyone was shit , including our manager who just cannot beat a top 5 team this season.

Bobb should have started as it became obvious after the first 20 mins what kind of game it was going to be -Haaland needs to be dropped IMO...hes become a lazy cunt who has , it seems, developed an attitude of 'if the ball doesn't come to me 5 yards out I'm not going to do anything ' and ill add to this , he cannot control a ball for toffee.

Shockingly bad today.

[johnny crossan]

Gvardiol had a shocker. Every ball he played forward was misplaced. Doesn't understand that you have to play players in,when they run into space. The only time his passing was ok was when playing it backwards today. Also his control was poor losing the ball a few times. He managed a couple of good tackles though.

As for Doku, well, he just doesn't have it does he.

Sorry by your judgement of Gvardiol in this game is way off the mark. He played well,

This, I think you're in a minority of one Zuri.

Two but that doesn't include me. Our best player by a distance.

[Nick]

Drop haaland. Alvarez up top weds

[Nick]

And remember the only time haaland has looked possessed was away at Luton the other week which if I remember was a game after he was surprisingly subbed.

Him and kev think they are unsubbable imo and I'd have rather taken both off over phil yesterday (yes Phil was shit too but he's more likely to pop up with a goal over kev)

Still fuming

[sheblue]

Drop haaland. Alvarez up top weds

Can't see pep doing it. But many would understand if he did.

[Outcast]

Now the frustration has subsided, on reflection we still have a punchers chance to snatch the league. Come to think of it, vermins and Arsenal are in the form of their lives and are only few points ahead. Pep needs to fix our shortcomings sharpish otherwise we'll be relying on luck rather than form.

The likes of Bobb and Lewis deserve more starts, they're certainly talented and are hungry for success, I'm starting to think our senior players lack that burning desire after all the success they had. The signings we made are not good enough to challenge our first 11 which lead to certain complacency

[stupot]

Thought Gvardiol was quality today, comfortably our best player.

Quality ? what quality was that then ? no crosses and he just stops and passes backwards....fuckall quality to talk of as far as doing his job is concerned.
And as for being our best player..everyone was shit , including our manager who just cannot beat a top 5 team this season.

Bobb should have started as it became obvious after the first 20 mins what kind of game it was going to be -Haaland needs to be dropped IMO...hes become a lazy cunt who has , it seems, developed an attitude of 'if the ball doesn't come to me 5 yards out I'm not going to do anything ' and ill add to this , he cannot control a ball for toffee.

Shockingly bad today.

Quality yes as nearly everyone on here has said and everyone coming out of the stadium. What did Saka their golden boy do and he beat the full back and got into the box a number of times which is more than Foden did.
You're obsessed with not beating a top 5 side Liverpool haven't beaten us or Arsenal and are top. We lost to a freak deflection away at Arsenal or we'd be unbeaten against them as well.
Why was Pep shit by the way, he made 2 attacking substitutions to try and win the game. We can't win every game, it could be an important point come the end.

[zabbadabbado]

Difficult game with key defensive players out.

Personally i don't think it was as bad of a result as some are making out. Candle waivers have to play Rags next. As shit as the Rags are, they like to turn up for the big fixtures. Important we get a result against Villa.

Nobody played well.

Special mention on Haaland though, he is starting to irritate me big time. His movement, or lack of it, is fucking shocking. Yeah i know he has scored 29 goals this season, i don't know what i am talking about. Yet we have not won against any of the top 5 side this season. Taken 4 points this time around to last season 16.Just not doing enough in the big games, goes missing far too much, proven by the Stats..I personally feel like he is treading water before his inevitable move to Spain. Which might come quicker than some realise. I think he is already at Madrid in his Head. Should have been subbed for Bobb or Alverez yesterday. If he is not willing to move about a bit. Then we need to sub him for someone who will put at least a shift in.The Haaland of last season dragged defenders all over. This season he hides in plain sight waiting for a Ball to feet.. Aguero was twice the player he is.If he thinks the Madrid fans will accept these types of performances he is going to be shocked. Even when Kun wasn't scoring he was always probing. Moving, around causing problems, not just fucking stood there.


I see Kean has commented on his general all round play also.


Not a disaster yesterday, we go again. Pep has got to start subbing those that should be subbed, and playing those like Bobb that deserve minutes. Bobb is our long term future. Committed for the next few years..

[zuricity]

Drop haaland. Alvarez up top weds

Can't see pep doing it. But many would understand if he did.

If Villa put eleven in their box like Arse did , or other teams do , then swapping Haaland für Alvarez will bring nothing.

[zuricity]

Gvardiol had a shocker. Every ball he played forward was misplaced. Doesn't understand that you have to play players in,when they run into space. The only time his passing was ok was when playing it backwards today. Also his control was poor losing the ball a few times. He managed a couple of good tackles though.

As for Doku, well, he just doesn't have it does he.

Sorry by your judgement of Gvardiol in this game is way off the mark. He played well,

This, I think you're in a minority of one Zuri.

Two but that doesn't include me. Our best player by a distance.

By a distance ? , rubbish, Rodri was the best of the bunch yesterday, never gave up at all , searching and probing to open up the defense.

[ayrshireblue]

At times Alvarez will bring a bit of chaos to the attack by hitting a shot from outside the box, too often our attacks are slow and predictable with no off the cuff movements. Everything is well rehearsed and if the opposition are well drilled we have to just keep recycling the ball, this is where it becomes obvious that Guardiola is telling the players not to swing in a cross from out wide but instead move defenders out of position by moving the ball across the pitch. Personally, I wish we would take the predictability away from our game, our players are better than theres to a man, and be prepared to lose possession. There were a few times yesterday when Rodri looked to be lining up a shot only to take another touch and by then he was closed down.
Haaland needs to work harder on his hold up play, first touch and passing. Great finisher, although at times this season his misses have been shocking, but his general play isn't anywhere near where it should be.

[salford city]

Drop haaland. Alvarez up top weds

Can't see pep doing it. But many would understand if he did.

If Villa put eleven in their box like Arse did , or other teams do , then swapping Haaland für Alvarez will bring nothing.

Disagree, at least Julian has a touch on him. The ball just pings off Haaland in the main. Bad day at the office yesterday but if Kev isn't on it then neither is Haaland and we have Foden wasted out wide.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Thought Gvardiol was quality today, comfortably our best player.

Quality ? what quality was that then ? no crosses and he just stops and passes backwards....fuckall quality to talk of as far as doing his job is concerned.
And as for being our best player..everyone was shit , including our manager who just cannot beat a top 5 team this season.

Bobb should have started as it became obvious after the first 20 mins what kind of game it was going to be -Haaland needs to be dropped IMO...hes become a lazy cunt who has , it seems, developed an attitude of 'if the ball doesn't come to me 5 yards out I'm not going to do anything ' and ill add to this , he cannot control a ball for toffee.

Shockingly bad today.

Quality yes as nearly everyone on here has said and everyone coming out of the stadium. What did Saka their golden boy do and he beat the full back and got into the box a number of times which is more than Foden did.
You're obsessed with not beating a top 5 side Liverpool haven't beaten us or Arsenal and are top. We lost to a freak deflection away at Arsenal or we'd be unbeaten against them as well.
Why was Pep shit by the way, he made 2 attacking substitutions to try and win the game. We can't win every game, it could be an important point come the end.

His job is to get down the line and cross balls into the area - he didn't do it.....that's his job ( or it should be his job ) and he offered nothing as far as a goal threat is concerned ............he played the game without being dispossessed ( apart from one that he managed to get back) for the first time since we bought him.


Obsessed with beating a top 5 team ? yes I am fuckign obsessed with beating a top 5 team as there is fuckall chance of winning a premier league trophy with that stat stapled to us.....its no good beating lesser teams if we cannot beat the top 5 teams is it .

PeP should have hauled off Haaland for the start of the second half and I doubt anyone else would have disagreed. Bobb should have come on as well.

There was no way those same 11 players were going to suddenly start playing like they wanted to win the game in the second half.

I will give Foden a pass for this game as he was obviously jaded because that absolute clown Southgate fucked him up with so many minutes playing for England.

[blues2win]

Quite a few players played decently yesterday. Akanji Dias Rodri and yes Gvardiol were very good. Playing quicker when you’re faced by a massed deep block just means giving the ball away. We had a couple of decent chances. If one had gone in we’d be having a different conversation. On to Wednesday.

[zuricity]

Drop haaland. Alvarez up top weds

Can't see pep doing it. But many would understand if he did.

If Villa put eleven in their box like Arse did , or other teams do , then swapping Haaland für Alvarez will bring nothing.

Disagree, at least Julian has a touch on him. The ball just pings off Haaland in the main. Bad day at the office yesterday but if Kev isn't on it then neither is Haaland and we have Foden wasted out wide.

Last game he started he was subbed off ( against Liverpool ) because his touch was way off, giving the ball away all the time, which , admittedly is unusual for him. It was as if his national team mate Mac Allister had got to him at the start of the game. He was woeful .

[salford city]

Drop haaland. Alvarez up top weds

Can't see pep doing it. But many would understand if he did.

If Villa put eleven in their box like Arse did , or other teams do , then swapping Haaland für Alvarez will bring nothing.

Disagree, at least Julian has a touch on him. The ball just pings off Haaland in the main. Bad day at the office yesterday but if Kev isn't on it then neither is Haaland and we have Foden wasted out wide.

Last game he started he was subbed off ( against Liverpool ) because his touch was way off, giving the ball away all the time, which , admittedly is unusual for him. It was as if his national team mate Mac Allister had got to him at the start of the game. He was woeful .

Agree but I'd counter that Pep was playing him out wide. Put Haaland there and I guarantee he does not even touch the ball in that game. There can be no argument as to who is the better all round footballer. Alvarez up top links the play and works the defence harder than Haaland will ever do against 11 behind the ball merchants I'd have hooked Haaland for Alvarez at ht yesterday

[PeterParker]

We can't win them all, fellas.

We looked off all season. It happens, last year we provided one of the best football I've seen from a club and I am not even biased.
We are in a far better position I've expected us to be, to be honest.
Any pot will do for me.

[ayrshireblue]

Thought Gvardiol was quality today, comfortably our best player.

Quality ? what quality was that then ? no crosses and he just stops and passes backwards....fuckall quality to talk of as far as doing his job is concerned.
And as for being our best player..everyone was shit , including our manager who just cannot beat a top 5 team this season.

Bobb should have started as it became obvious after the first 20 mins what kind of game it was going to be -Haaland needs to be dropped IMO...hes become a lazy cunt who has , it seems, developed an attitude of 'if the ball doesn't come to me 5 yards out I'm not going to do anything ' and ill add to this , he cannot control a ball for toffee.

Shockingly bad today.

Quality yes as nearly everyone on here has said and everyone coming out of the stadium. What did Saka their golden boy do and he beat the full back and got into the box a number of times which is more than Foden did.
You're obsessed with not beating a top 5 side Liverpool haven't beaten us or Arsenal and are top. We lost to a freak deflection away at Arsenal or we'd be unbeaten against them as well.
Why was Pep shit by the way, he made 2 attacking substitutions to try and win the game. We can't win every game, it could be an important point come the end.

His job is to get down the line and cross balls into the area - he didn't do it.....that's his job ( or it should be his job ) and he offered nothing as far as a goal threat is concerned ............he played the game without being dispossessed ( apart from one that he managed to get back) for the first time since we bought him.


Obsessed with beating a top 5 team ? yes I am fuckign obsessed with beating a top 5 team as there is fuckall chance of winning a premier league trophy with that stat stapled to us.....its no good beating lesser teams if we cannot beat the top 5 teams is it .

PeP should have hauled off Haaland for the start of the second half and I doubt anyone else would have disagreed. Bobb should have come on as well.

There was no way those same 11 players were going to suddenly start playing like they wanted to win the game in the second half.

I will give Foden a pass for this game as he was obviously jaded because that absolute clown Southgate fucked him up with so many minutes playing for England.

Carl, when do our full backs get down the line and cross? Walker very rarely does it on the right. I don't agree with why Pep tells the players not to do it but I'm not going to criticise a player for doing what the manager tells him, I'd rather criticise the manager for telling him not to do it. We have Haaland in the box so there is no reason not to be firing crosses in to him although I think that heading is another weakness to his game.