The play or the players?

[einar]

How many of you are satisfied with the way we played yesterday?

[Jayesh87]

2nd half we were good but sadly it was 45 mins to late so obviously i wasn't satisfied yesterday.

[lfc4ever]

Keeps hands firmly down, but not with just yesterday.

Predictable is an over used word recently, but I can't think of a better word to describe our current playing method, and the other top 4 can easily nullify and snuff out any attacking threat we pose, we are unable to put the oppositions back 4 on the retreat and create anything worthwhile to get the crowd excited, a wonder goal from SG & Xabi perhaps, but no excitement when player X gets the ball and you wonder "is this it?" leaning forward hoping not to miss something.

[bazza76]

bit of both for me, well against arsenal that was the case anyway

[Red_Al_77]

We are a predictable side. We have a game plan which does not incorporate flair and the unexpected because we don't possess that. When you see Crouch on the team sheet you know what to expect. We played within our limitations. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manure are just better than us as results have proven over the last 2 1/2 seasons. Until we have players that can do the unexpected we'll never challenge consistantly. We'll of course win the odd game but those six games a season aginst the top three...well 9 point would be nice. Best we've managed is 4.

[Kopite_Colin]

We are a predictable side. We have a game plan which does not incorporate flair and the unexpected because we don't possess that. When you see Crouch on the team sheet you know what to expect. We played within our limitations. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manure are just better than us as results have proven over the last 2 1/2 seasons. Until we have players that can do the unexpected we'll never challenge consistantly. We'll of course win the odd game but those six games a season aginst the top three...well 9 point would be nice. Best we've managed is 4.

We don't have enough attacking edge / ability in our front 6 players. Probably only Kuyt & Gerrard would retain their places at present if we had more quality in the squad. We've suffered becuase of Bellamy & Crouch's lack of goalscoring ability and Gonzalez's and Pennant's lack of ability / form and Xabi's inability to score enough goals from CM.

Quality is the operative word, and we STILL don't have enough of it in key areas to compete at the highest level. I really fear for us against Barca with the way things are at the moment. For us to have any chance, we need to goalscorers in and a winger who can beat a man. (And I don't mean SWP for £10m)

[fatistuta]

We kepy Arsenal to 4 shots on goal over 90mins.
If not for unbelieveable errors it would be another clean sheet.
The effort was definatley there.
We played untill the final whistle.

I'm ok with the above.

I'm not ok with the fact that we resorted to punting the ball repeatedly into the box Bolton style, but it was desperate times.

I don't think it was as bad as some make out, but it could have been much better.

Look at it this way.
Arsenal backed off deeper and deeper and resorted to hoofing the ball to Van Persie and Henry in a Gerard Houllier counter attack style.

Very un-Wenger like.
Not many teams make Arsenal resort to this.

[BtN]

I've got to agree with the majority , we're far too predictable.

[alunevans]

How many of you are satisfied with the way we played yesterday?

i felt we had all the pressure and hardly any of the class. it was a bit huff and puff with no real creation.

i'm not happy with the way we play as i think it limits our effectiveness.

three things i'd like us to do

a) keep the ball predominantly on the deck
b) keep the ball MOVING
c) move off the ball

none of that happens enough for my liking at the moment. its hard to defend against a side who move the ball quickly.

do we still do the five a side and the two touch practice matches in training i wonder?

[einar]

i felt we had all the pressure and hardly any of the class. it was a bit huff and puff with no real creation.

i'm not happy with the way we play as i think it limits our effectiveness.

three things i'd like us to do

a) keep the ball predominantly on the deck
b) keep the ball MOVING
c) move off the ball

none of that happens enough for my liking at the moment. its hard to defend against a side who move the ball quickly.

do we still do the five a side and the two touch practice matches in training i wonder?

Finally.

[alunevans]

We are a predictable side. We have a game plan which does not incorporate flair and the unexpected because we don't possess that. When you see Crouch on the team sheet you know what to expect. We played within our limitations. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manure are just better than us as results have proven over the last 2 1/2 seasons. Until we have players that can do the unexpected we'll never challenge consistantly. We'll of course win the odd game but those six games a season aginst the top three...well 9 point would be nice. Best we've managed is 4.

i'm not convinced we need someone who can do the unexpected as much as we need a TEAM of players who can move the ball quickly and who run off the ball and use intelligence to make space for each other.

obviously players who can do the unexpected would be great, but if you put them into a team that doesn't move the ball quickly we'd just become a one man team waiting for that one wizard to save us with a bit of magic.

i think we should be looking for a different way of playing and add the wizards into that, rather than hoping for a wizard who can carry the rest of them.

defending against a side who can do the simple things quickly is phenomenally difficult and for me is more of a priority.

[einar]

i'm not convinced we need someone who can do the unexpected as much as we need a TEAM of players who can move the ball quickly and who run off the ball and use intelligence to make space for each other.

obviously players who can do the unexpected would be great, but if you put them into a team that doesn't move the ball quickly we'd just become a one man team waiting for that one wizard to save us with a bit of magic.

i think we should be looking for a different way of playing and add the wizards into that, rather than hoping for a wizard who can carry the rest of them.

defending against a side who can do the simple things quickly is phenomenally difficult and for me is more of a priority.

Well put.

[bazza76]

I've got to agree with the majority , we're far too predictable.

Its strange really.
Because thats what Rafa is all about, being unpredictable, using as many different types of players and possibilities as he can, long ball, short ball, wing play, crosses. And we find ourselves being too predictable?. Not to mention formations and squad rotation.

[Kopite_Colin]

Maybe we're just predictably unpredictable.

[bazza76]

Maybe we're just predictably unpredictable.

Id say more Unpredictably predictable