Arsenal at home Sunday 31st August 430pm

[danperkins]

You would have thought them losing their best defender would have been a massive issue with Saka and Odegaard gone but not even a blip

[Buzzo]

Yeah need some intensity in that midfield, we are getting bullied and out worked. Need that press in there.

A bit. They’ve not offered much either. Just players endlessly stood with foot on the ball looking for a forward pass and a way out of the press.

[peterbread]

I’d like to see more of Dom and Kerkez driving forward. Kerkez had one moment when he got a cross into the box. Use the energy of those two to try and get something happening.

[Kenneth]

After 2.5 games, I'm not vibing with our style of play at all. The passing at the back is brutal, the long balls are stupid and the general play is rushed and scrappy. I'm struggling to see what we're trying to get right because we have great midfield players and barely want to use them.

[RedReet]

Brutal spectacle, but we look solid enough at the back and shooting into Kop 2nd half when we'll no doubt improve. I'll take that.

[danperkins]

A bit. They’ve not offered much either. Just players endlessly stood with foot on the ball looking for a forward pass and a way out of the press.

Yeah spot on, I'd like us to be a bit more dominant at home though ve a team with 3 of their best players out. We need to do more, it's been a shocker to watch to be honest. I know we've got 6 points but there is zero cohesion in our side.

[fabinho]

Do we have a cooling off period for Wirtz?

[Kenneth]

A bit. They’ve not offered much either. Just players endlessly stood with foot on the ball looking for a forward pass and a way out of the press.

And taking ages at restarts. It's negative from both teams.

[RedReet]

A bit. They’ve not offered much either. Just players endlessly stood with foot on the ball looking for a forward pass and a way out of the press.

Neither midfield really in it. Mostly long balls and any intricate play either poorly executed or suffocated.

[Buzzo]

Yeah spot on, I'd like us to be a bit more dominant at home though ve a team with 3 of their best players out. We need to do more, it's been a shocker to watch to be honest.

Yep. Risk averse. Like watching Italian footy in the 90’s without the defenders being able to scythe players down and get away with it.

We’ve got to offer more - something a touch off with what we are trying to do tactically.

[danperkins]

They really have reverted to George Graham Arsenal.

[peterbread]

It feels like there is a huge gap between the attack and the rest of the team and they can’t really connect. Wirtz sitting in the middle but can’t do much as everyone is so far away.

[Kenneth]

Do we have a cooling off period for Wirtz?

If we swapped one of the three attackers for someone on the half way line and played him in the lampard position, he'd shine imo. Salah is so ineffective outside the last 18 yards that three up front and wirtz is too much of a midfield sacrifice and makes us try and bypass midfield buildup.

[Tatterdemalion]

They’ve seen penalties given from corners so their new tactic is to fall over. Merino has down about three times so far.

I find it really hard to believe - and yet the evidence is right there - that any self-respecting manager would instruct players to feign fouls to win penalties. Any half ethical player should refuse to do it. Bring back fouls for ungentlemanly conduct.

[ric.williams]

I find it really hard to believe - and yet the evidence is right there - that any self-respecting manager would instruct players to feign fouls to win penalties. Any half ethical player should refuse to do it. Bring back fouls for ungentlemanly conduct.

just wait til they bring Dowman on