HT. 1-1. We've had 69% possession and 3 shots. They've had 31% possession and 6 shots. We're not making the most of our territorial advantage. We're also too static. We need to pull them out of position more and create space. Everything is in front of them. Why can't we play Havertz as the focal point up top, Jesus out wide and then take Trossard off (who isn't a touchline winger so idk why we keep playing him there) for Nelson, who can create 1v1 situations and is a lot more direct? This would create more chances than we are currently.
I mean, blatant handball for their goal but whatevs. All our forwards have to do is breathe near a Lens defender and they fall over crying and get fouls everytime. But the minute a blatant handball is made, he lets it go. Homer ref...
Didn't look obvious until I saw the replay. In this instance, can't blame the ref. VAR should have intervened. Really poor from them to not spot that.
Almost 2-1, but Trossard’s shot isn’t hit with enough power and it gets scrambled clear near the line. Unlucky.
I mean, that’s just not a free kick for Lens. Tomiyasu wins the ball fairly and the player flaps and goes to ground. Awful decision.
2-1 Lens. We’ve not got going this half at all. So sloppy and cumbersome in possession. Not tested them enough at all. Awful.
Nelson, ESR and White have come on. They should have all been on so much earlier. Yet again, reactive subs from Arteta.
FT. 2-1. Not good enough at all. Rice was the only one trying to push forward and the rest of the midfield were so passive. No-one was trying to stretch them or get in behind and they were comfortable defensively in the second half. All they had to do was defend in a low block and then hit us on the counter because, yet again, Zinchenko is a liability defensively and their winner came from attacking his side. No-one tracked the runners. Monopolising possession doesn’t mean we’re having a good game. Havertz again. Passenger. Offered nothing. This is looking more and more like an absolutely clanger from Arteta. Offers no dimension to our play whatsoever. What the hell was he thinking in signing him? Joke.
Arteta has done exactly what we said was the wrong thing to do with Saka. If we could see it coming why the **** couldn't he? Weird
I can understand why Arteta started Saka - we need that pace especially without Martinelli in the side. But was it worth it? ..No. Was it stupid?.. Yes. Fabio Viera was ****ing atrocious. He lost every battle and did nothing useful.Smith Rowe deserves more game time - he's clearly the better option.
PSV and Sevilla both dropping points to each other. We really should be winning the next three quite easily so we can then have the group won before final match.
Our away record in Europe in general under Arteta isn't good enough. Just doesn't seem like he's got the balance right between how to set up at home and away. We have Sevilla away next on MD3. We absolutely need to win that game. But I don't trust us to perform as we should away from home in Europe, so I'm not sure what to expect.
Also, can we please use ESR more? He always looks a threat when he comes on and offers so much more than Havertz.
Would really like to see ESR get a run in the team. He’s got so much talent, he just needs to build his confidence and consistency, which will only come with a run of games
We really have to be finishing chances - we had double that of Lens. We take 1 in 5 good chances They take 2 in 2 Not possible to win games away if you are not clinical. Also Raya is worrying me. 2 games now where he's been under pressure and two bad mistakes have costs us. At 1-0 we were cruising and totally dominating the match. The crowd had been silenced totally. Then Raya steps up with the worst decision and execution I could possibly imagine. You simply don't play a cross field ball as a keeper when you are 30 yards out of your goal. Sorry but the only reason to drop Ramsdale is if we were bringing in an elite talent. Raya doesn't look like it, so I am just not getting why this has been done - and Raya looks tiny! I didn't realise he was so short for a goal keeper. I dread the idea of him battling with Haaland.
