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Newcastle United 0 - 1 Arsenal - 11/08/19 - post-match reaction from page 18


BlueStar

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The players were up for it and worked really hard. Everything else was poor. We won't see that effort in many more games this season, and when the effort decreases we'll get stuffed by most teams as the "tactics" will be more exposed.

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Was curious to see the differences between last year and this year's games against Arsenal at home.

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49223797 - 2019

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/45456658 - 2018

 

This year we had 2% more possession(36% vs 38%). Same shots on target as last year 2 for us, 2 for them. So not freaking out yet. Think we're just plain better than some teams. Strikers will get firing. Hopefully Saturday 3pm.

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We were completely outclassed, and were lucky to not be behind at the break, as both Mkhitaryan and Aubameyanh could have, and probably should have, scored.

Don't know why people are defending Bruce and his tactics, or lack thereof. We created next to nothing and they were the better side pretty much the entire game.

 

We definitely weren't outclassed in the first half like, that's just rewriting history to suit an agenda. Aye arsenal could've scored a couple, but we hit the post and Joelinton flashed a header just wide of the post, it was pretty even tbh. Bruce's subs threw the second half into chaos but even then arsenal weren't great and Dubravka didn't have much to do.

 

This is in no way a defence of the manager btw as his subs undoubtedly cost us the game, but let's not pretend we made them look like Barcelona.

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Was curious to see the differences between last year and this year's games against Arsenal at home.

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49223797 - 2019

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/45456658 - 2018

 

This year we had 2% more possession(36% vs 38%). Same shots on target as last year 2 for us, 2 for them. So not freaking out yet. Think we're just plain better than some teams. Strikers will get firing. Hopefully Saturday 3pm.

 

Arsenal's team was miles better last season!

 

Cech

Bellerin

Mustafi

Sokratis

Monreal

Guendouzi

Xhaka

Ozil

Ramsey

Aubameyang

Lacazette

 

 

 

 

Leno

Mornreal

Sokratis

Chambers

Maitland-Niles

Xhaka

Guendouzi

Nelson

Willock

Mikhitaryan

Aubameyang

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Guest neesy111

Weren’t we also in the middle of a bad run then too after a host of stinking fixtures?

 

This was our first game of the season, ‘new manager bounce’ with £80m worth of attackers available for selection.

 

It was like around the 4th/5th game of the season last year.

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This is going to be a very unpopular opinion on here but, much to my surprise, i thought we looked- tactically- relatively good against Arsenal in the first half. We honestly did look quite drilled with our mid block pressing just after the half-way line and doing well retaining the shape while retreating to a flat low-block when Arsenal's attacking play sped up (and were able to get through the lines). Our compactness off-the -ball did go some way to limiting Arsenal's chances in that first period.

 

The one  stark criticism you could make is that our 3-5-2 formation, with our full-backs lying so deep, meant that in order to cover their over/underlapping full backs and wingers our midfield pairing had to go wide to cover, leaving a lot of spaces in the middle for a good passing side to exploit. This is where Rafa's 5-2-2-1 shone out of possession; you had Almiron and Perez covering these wider areas so the team kept its defensive shape a lot better during transitions. Much like we were under Rafa at times, we were quite poor in possession and our attacking play was quite predictable really; it was dependent on Almiron breaking and trying to pull the defenders away to make space for Joelinton (who did very little wrong with his limited service) .

 

The second half was tactical shit-show though in parts. The shape changed when Willems was brought on; you could be generous and say this was because he didn't have a lot of time to train with his new team-mates, or you could rightfully slate Bruce for not effectively communicating his role to him before he came on. Ritchie's naive pressing in midfield was also comical, and meant we were always exposed in the transition as he was never where he needed to be. He was literally just chasing the ball and getting pulled all over the field.

 

All in all it wasn't a terrible performance. Yes, it wasn't the strongest Arsenal side but they were tactically very astute and had the benefit of working under a system and manager for a longer amount of time. I'll be very interested to see how we fare against a Norwich side who are very well-drilled offensively, but maybe lack the defensive nous at this level to consistently keep clean sheets.

 

 

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I mean mid block and low block are two separate team tactics, so I’m not sure what you’re getting at in all honesty?

 

Well yes and no; in different parts of the play you obviously have to shift your defensive block.

 

 

Y2gMTiX.png

 

This is from the first 2 mins and that's a very high press.

 

 

That's true (and there's nothing wrong with a very high press, Liverpool do this with great success), there was quite a high press during goal-kicks and throw-ins in their defensive third. What's your point? I'm just trying my best to have a balanced discussion on tactics and, by your own admission you didn't watch the match.

 

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Completely disagree McCormick. It smacked of SB getting them fired up 'Give the crowd something to get behind' and, when that wore off, there was fuck all else to back it up, either system or strategy wise.

 

I thought he did Longstaff a major disservice playing him where he did.

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First half felt like hard work papered over the lack of a plan and organization. Second half was second half.

 

Yep :thup:.

 

We'll get annihilated as least 6 times this season. Probably by more than 4 goals. The signs that Rafa's drilling/discipline is wearing off are already apparent tbh.

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That's a fair assumption too. First half though I saw enough of our play off the ball to suggest that there was some defensive organization and understanding going on.

 

Completely agree with your second point.

 

Felt to me like we were quite well organised in the first half and that was probably more due to the players assuming the positions they did under Rafa, and that worked well as they are all well drilled in those methods. As soon as Bruce started having to make off the cuff decisions with subs, it all went to shit. Having that bizarre subs bench didn't help either, but that was all self-inflicted by Bruce himself.

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Finally got round to listening to the TF podcast; mental gymnastics all over the place and that’s before they got onto the Charnley via Edwards propaganda. Thought for thought what’s been published this week by the club, transparent as fuck.

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Finally got round to listening to the TF podcast; mental gymnastics all over the place and that’s before they got onto the Charnley via Edwards propaganda. Thought for thought what’s been published this week by the club, transparent as fuck.

 

Do the same people still do it? They were adamant last season that it would be basically the end if Rafa walked.

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Finally got round to listening to the TF podcast; mental gymnastics all over the place and that’s before they got onto the Charnley via Edwards propaganda. Thought for thought what’s been published this week by the club, transparent as fuck.

 

Do the same people still do it? They were adamant last season that it would be basically the end if Rafa walked.

 

Yup. The same ones who eulogised last season.

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