2025/26 Season

[red g]

Kickstarted

If we beat City on Sunday it should be

[peterbread]

Play the same team on Sunday. They have time to rest and recover. They’ll be flying and ready to go. They looked so good at both ends of the pitch.

[The_weatherman]

Seemed a different team today (didn't see Villa), more energetic, more purpose. Maybe our pre-season was much more difficult than we realize, so many changes and the tragedy at the start of it.

[The_weatherman]

Play the same team on Sunday. They have time to rest and recover. They’ll be flying and ready to go. They looked so good at both ends of the pitch.

Yeah, I agree. This is our first XI now, with the exception of Ali.

[Buzzo]

I think we have to acknowledge there are a load of games left to play this season.

Yes Arsenal are the in form team, playing well, and look formidable - but let’s see where they are in Feb March when the title is in sight. We know how hard it is to get across the line.

They are heavy favourites but as of today they’ve won **** all.

[BigChief]

Yeah, I agree. This is our first XI now, with the exception of Ali.

It felt like he was in goal yesterday.

[rudedog]

It felt like he was in goal yesterday.

Not sure about that - Mamas distribution is woeful - pretty much every kick went straight to Madrid player

[Doc_Piptorious]

Not sure about that - Mamas distribution is woeful - pretty much every kick went straight to Madrid player

Need to go to Specsavers, fella. He has a 78% pass accuracy overall for last night and the ones that went to Real players were, for the most part, when he booted it long downfield.

He made 166 passes last night. 129 completed.

37 passes went to a Real player, but of those 37 passes 27 of them were from long punts into the Real half.

He also played 12 successful long punts into the Real half.

So take the long punts out of it, 39 in total, that leaves 127 passes he made inside our own half and he was successful in 117 of them.


And the number of passes that went straight to a Real player in our first third? Only 4.


Far from woeful on the ball last night, and he very much only took risks with long punts.

[Angryred]

Not sure about that - Mamas distribution is woeful - pretty much every kick went straight to Madrid player

But he does have some boot though...he can kick it long so as soon as he can direct it to wide to our wingers, it's another tool to utilise.

[rudedog]

Need to go to Specsavers, fella. He has a 78% pass accuracy overall for last night and the ones that went to Real players were, for the most part, when he booted it long downfield.

He made 166 passes last night. 129 completed.

37 passes went to a Real player, but of those 37 passes 27 of them were from long punts into the Real half.

He also played 12 successful long punts into the Real half.

So take the long punts out of it, 39 in total, that leaves 127 passes he made inside our own half and he was successful in 117 of them.


And the number of passes that went straight to a Real player in our first third? Only 4.


Far from woeful on the ball last night, and he very much only took risks with long punts.

No specs needed as I was specifically meaning his long punts - I lost count the amount that handed possession straight back to Madrid so it’s good to see this backed up by the stats you posted. I knew the figure must be high but didn’t think it was as much as 27.

It must be super frustrating for the lads after they have worked hard to win possession only to watch helplessly as Mama blasts it straight back to the opposition, often under no pressure (a few times he managed to boot it straight to Courtois)

[Doc_Piptorious]

No specs needed as I was specifically meaning his long punts - I lost count the amount that handed possession straight back to Madrid so it’s good to see this backed up by the stats you posted. I knew the figure must be high but didn’t think it was as much as 27.

It must be super frustrating for the lads after they have worked hard to win possession only to watch helplessly as Mama blasts it straight back to the opposition, often under no pressure (a few times he managed to boot it straight to Courtois)

Just for comparison. Alisson, who is a great passer of the ball, managed an accuracy rate of 47.4% for his long passes in the league last season.

And that rate would be seen as being more or less at the top end when it comes to keepers so think you are being harsh on Mama's passing as very few in the game come close to Ali for long range passing. Got to judge Mama on his overall play imo rather than comparing him to a unicorn like Ali.


What Mama is doing this season is giving us Ali levels for short and medium distance passing and as such is allowing the back line to operate at their usual pace on the ball.

TBH I have no issues with Mama's long kicks. Most were attempts at setting a wide player away and they forced Real to keep a player or two back. If he is going to misplace a pass, it is better it happens in the other half.

[vlahka]

Yeah he was definitely not good at kicks. Most of his completed passes were to our defenders.

Its good to see the team finally pressing, something they refused to do all season until last game. Still 100% convinced Slot was telling them to conserve like he did near the end of last season. Now everyone even Salah were pressing and running all over the place. Thats what we've been missing.

[Charly]

Need to go to Specsavers, fella. [emoji14] He has a 78% pass accuracy overall for last night and the ones that went to Real players were, for the most part, when he booted it long downfield.



He made 166 passes last night. 129 completed.



37 passes went to a Real player, but of those 37 passes 27 of them were from long punts into the Real half.



He also played 12 successful long punts into the Real half.



So take the long punts out of it, 39 in total, that leaves 127 passes he made inside our own half and he was successful in 117 of them.





And the number of passes that went straight to a Real player in our first third? Only 4.





Far from woeful on the ball last night, and he very much only took risks with long punts.

The goalie made 166 passes in one game?

You sure about that?

Thats 2 a minute.seem like a lot

[Doc_Piptorious]

The goalie made 166 passes in one game?

You sure about that?

Thats 2 a minute.seem like a lot

Ahh you are right, I had hit the wrong filter on the OPTA page. Got more than one match.


But despite my figures now being incorrect, I will happily die on this hill and continue to refute what Rudedog says.


Interestingly it still kind of plays out the same. He misplaced no passes in our half and all his misplaced passes last night were from long kicks into the Real half.

Plus the majority of his long kicks were all into the same area in the Real half

[SB]

Ahh you are right, I had hit the wrong filter on the OPTA page. Got more than one match.


But despite my figures now being incorrect, I will happily die on this hill and continue to refute what Rudedog says.


Interestingly it still kind of plays out the same. He misplaced no passes in our half and all his misplaced passes last night were from long kicks into the Real half.

Plus the majority of his long kicks were all into the same area in the Real half

Specsavers fella