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GWT: PL Matchweek (mostly) 6

YNWA14

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
S E P H said:
Pepe is becoming an absolute joke of a signing, makes perfect sense that Bielsa's tactics made him into a 80 million pound player.
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Pepe had the benefit of playing in a weaker league on a team that focused everything through him. I think he's similar to Coutinho in that way; he's a very talented player, but needs the team to be focused through him almost entirely, however he's not good enough to be that guy for a top team. It's just a very different atmosphere at Arsenal for him, and I don't think he's adjusting well (not sure he has the game IQ to do it, and his game is somewhat predictable). I don't think it had anything to do with his limited time with Bielsa.

Also I had no idea Under had gone to Leicester. I'm so out of it lately. Tuned in just in time to see the Vardy goal...Leicester looked good and Tielemans continues to impress with his range of passing. Leicester have built themselves quite the little squad. I think they'll challenge for top 4 again.
 
AB13

AB13

Registered User
Apr 29, 2019
6,998
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Rob said:
Top 4 might be unrealistic for the Gunners this season. Top 7 is doable.
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We should win the Europa League or at least reach the final. But top 4 will be hard, for a club which once had an excess of creativity a lack of creative players will cost us.
 
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AB13

AB13

Registered User
Apr 29, 2019
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hatterson said:
Seems a little early to say this before the CL drop downs are known and given that Arsenal aren’t even clearly the best English team in the competition.
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No, but Arsenal, Tottenham and maybe Milan are the only teams in the tournament right now that are capable of winning it. Spurs and trophies usually don’t go hand in hand. Looking at the UCL groups, only group D and H seems capable of a third place EL contender on paper. The Europa League is unbelievably shit this year.
 
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Blender

Blender

Registered User
Dec 2, 2009
51,426
45,314
AB13 said:
No, goals conceded is definately more realible. Teams have different defensive styles that can be effective in different ways, some teams invite the opponent to shoot as long as they don’t play a pass through them, which can lead to a poor xG. I do not think Kepa was that bad either, he was below average but Chelsea allowed too many dangerous chances, not all of which are registered highly by xG because it is flawed. Wait and see until the end of the season.
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I'm going to have to completely disagree with this. As someone who has watched every Chelsea game and is very familiar with Kepa's stats, he was absolutely terrible last year.
 
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bleedblue1223

bleedblue1223

Registered User
Jan 21, 2011
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Blender said:
I'm going to have to completely disagree with this. As someone who has watched every Chelsea game and is very familiar with Kepa's stats, he was absolutely terrible last year.
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And from this Chelsea fan that was not nearly as down on him in his first season as you, Kepa was downright awful last season. It got to the point where his confidence was blown to smithereens and he'd be caught in cement more often than not and not even make an attempt at a save. Compare that to Mendy who goes fully outstretched with his long frame and makes saves that Kepa never would have. With Kepa, the Man U game would've been 2 or 3-0, with minimal fault to the defense.
 
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Blender

Blender

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Dec 2, 2009
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bleedblue1223 said:
And from this Chelsea fan that was not nearly as down on him in his first season as you, Kepa was downright awful last season. It got to the point where his confidence was blown to smithereens and he'd be caught in cement more often than not and not even make an attempt at a save. Compare that to Mendy who goes fully outstretched with his long frame and makes saves that Kepa never would have. With Kepa, the Man U game would've been 2 or 3-0, with minimal fault to the defense.
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I thought he was bad in his first season, worse than some other people thought I know, but I didn't think he was so bad that he had no chance at improving. After last year I just want him off the team.
 
bleedblue1223

bleedblue1223

Registered User
Jan 21, 2011
51,907
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Blender said:
I thought he was bad in his first season, worse than some other people thought I know, but I didn't think he was so bad that he had no chance at improving. After last year I just want him off the team.
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Just saying, you thought he was bad, and I thought he was closer to average, at least good enough to safely be in the top 4 without having to hope for teams around us to flounder. We are on same page for how he was last season. In Blues goalies terms, his first season was Jake Allen, and last season was Patrick Lalime.
 
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robertmac43

robertmac43

Forever 43!
Mar 31, 2015
23,467
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Need a win today for Brighton, huge 3 points on the line. Veltman draws in at CB and Ben White moves to CDM after his great performance there in the derby last weekend.
 
robertmac43

robertmac43

Forever 43!
Mar 31, 2015
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Brighton look amazing today going forward/West Brom is not strong in the back.

Lamptey is such a fun player to watch as well!
 
S E P H

S E P H

Cloud IX
Mar 5, 2010
30,992
16,503
Toruń, PL
James made a great point on AFTV yesterday (recommend the Gooners to watch that video) that Liverpool faced similar issues as Arteta did when he first started out that both clubs looked like shite and lost games they should've won. Maybe yesterday's loss was part of a process, but I absolutely HATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE how much of the rubbish wasn't sold or just loaned out. I have no problem with Arteta trying new aspects out there, but then he plays Mustafi instead of Saliba and that right there makes zero effin' sense.

I suggest that Arsenal will look a lot better with Martinmessi comes back, but I also think some Arsenal fans are deluded to think that Kroenke will spend the same amount that Liverpool did to get their players. We might end up being a 6th to 8th place club for the next six years at this rate and just the overall slowness in buying players in and shipping the rubbish out. Furthermore, I very much worry about our forward because they have the potential to be a very big weakness a couple years down the road when Auba slows down, Lacazette not scoring chances he should, Pepe doing nothing when coming on as a sub or starting, and Nketiah looking like an absolute nothing prospect. Besides Martinmessi and Saka, we legitimately have nobody in our system - as of now - who will be able to play as a CF.

Lacazette started off good against the lower opponents, but he hasn't done anything since then and Auba looks completely neutered on the wing. Against United, I suggest we gotta try a 4-4-2...

Lacazette - Aubameyang
Saka - Ceballos - Partey - Pepe
Tierney - Gabriel - Junk - Bellerin
Leno
​
Ceballos and Partey almost play like as a diamond formation where Ceballos is a #10 and Partey is a #5 when we have the ball and then two banks of four when we lose it.
 
AB13

AB13

Registered User
Apr 29, 2019
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During the first 5 minutes, Burnley already have had about 3 double headers, 1 long throw and 5 crosses or something. Only non English native speakers in the squad are Gudmundson and Vydra. Proper brittish football,
 
AB13

AB13

Registered User
Apr 29, 2019
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Spurs' build-up play is so bad it's unbelievable. They simply always hoof it and lack patterns of play. They're shit without space in transition for their individual quality to bail them out.
 
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