Match Day Thread Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur 2016/17 Official Match Thread

In other words, you're not being very objective. It may have taken a contentious post to highlight this point but we got there in the end

 

Well, no-one is going to be completely objective when it comes to their own teams as personal biases always get in the way. It works both ways, though.

Anyway, in the post, I clearly stated that the referee wasn't the reason why we didn't win the game and that we weren't at the races. So not sure why you're so bothered about my perception of the referee, who I still felt gave some big decisions in your favour.

He was poor, but our performance wasn't good enough and that's the main problem.

 

Great day for us NOT! Chance to go top, but instead we end up 4th !!! I feel the "bottle" rattling somewhat.

Liverpool thrashing Watford 5-0 as I type!

 

Spurs dominated the game in terms of controlling the flow. They shut down arsenals attacking play but this spurs team have mastered the press, they bully and dominate virtually every team they play. The squad, the young players, high fitness levels - it is the Pochettino way.

Arsenal fans can't expect their players to match spurs when tottenhams entire training set-up. tactics are perfected to dominate games so arsenal fans need to accept every time you play spurs, they will bully your team.

Teams like Arsenal need to develop a style, a plan b to counter tottenhams tactics - compare your attacking players to tottenhams, you have a bigger squad, more attacking talent, more options but you can't deny, wenger struggles against Pochettinos tactics.

 

We've literally already discussed the tactical and personnel choice by Tottenham and how that physicality effected the game. Not sure why you are talking as if arsenal fans are somehow ignoring this aspect of the game? I guess you just didn't read the thread before posting?

 

You are sensitive and defensive, to be expected but again you're bouncing from thread to thread taking comments to mean something they don't, as I never said all arsenal fans are ignoring this aspect of the game.

If you read my comment and take your time, you will understand I'm offering my view on the game overall, the tactics and my take on wenger struggling against Pochettino, - many arsenal fans watching the game would have wanted the team to match spurs (which is normal) but same as the game last season, spurs dominated and controlled the flow.

It would be interesting to know how Wenger and his team discuss tactics when preparing to face teams like spurs.

 

"Arsenal fans need to accept" etc.. Is language that suggests the fans on here aren't accepting or discussing the points you are attempting to raise. Which we clearly already had. Which is why I asked if you just hadn't read the thread you are replying to.

Constantly calling me sensitive makes you sound a little...sensitive

 

afctw - I'm enjoying the man flirting but lets move on from the sensitive comments, as we may attract the wrong type of attention.

 

I think Spurs got their tactics right, but I don't think Wenger doesn't know how to play against Pochettino. I think we also set up well today, but we just weren't at it to be honest. We did well in the first half to expose some of the gaps along their flanks as they were playing a back 3, but in the 2nd half we just faded and didn't have the energy to push for a winner.

 

You could argue I'm being harsh towards Wenger, as its very difficult to counter the press, especially against a team like spurs who spend 5 days a week obsessed with mastering the system.

or you could argue considering Wengers football intelligence, the attacking players at his disposal and his experience, he should counter the system, so I'm wondering if he and his coaches even discuss how to counter spurs? That may seem laughable to suggest they don't have these discussions but maybe Wenger is that one eyed with his tactics/training.

 

I think it's a myth that Wenger and his team don't discuss how to deal with the opposition. That said he does prioritise Arsenal's own style over play over what the oppo might bring to the game. In my opinion, rightly so. I don't really want to see Arsenal play like Mourinho's teams when they just try and stifle the opposition. I'd rather see us try and play expansive attacking football and win the game on our own merits. Obviously though, it doesn't always come off.

I thought we got our tactics right today, Spurs played a press, so we tried to hit them quickly down the flanks, that was the right way to approach the game. We came up short today, because we just weren't really at the right energy level in the 2nd half to kill the game off.

 

Sorry, can't call a spade a spade here obviously.

 

You guys definitely tried to press us today, particularly in the first half. The trouble was having the extra centreback meant that most of the time we were either still able to work our way past it, or we had the extra man to allow us to slow things down and keep possession at the back. You did force errors a couple of times though. As you say, second half, you lost the energy, probably because your players aren't suited well enough to it.

It's a big stretch to say Wenger got the tactics right, you were at home against a side struggling to score and didn't look very convincing. If you guys had spent the game on the front foot and just couldn't find a way past our defence then it'd be fair enough, because defensively we are still very good, but that wasn't the case. Most of the game we were pretty comfortable and overall we gave as good as we got(personally I thought we edged it).

It was a very entertaining game though

 

What Spurs did well was to have a back 3 with the two fullbacks dropping back to make a 5 when we had the ball. Dembele did well in MF to stifle our creative midfield, especially Ozil and overall that frustrated our attack.

I thought we got our tactics about right, but we didn't have the energy to execute it for the full 90 mins. No team edged it in my opinion, both teams had about the same about of chances to win it / or lose it. A draw was the right result in the end, although it's probably more disappointing for us.

 

You were coming out with the same stuff when we drew with middlesbrough so I assume you don't think very highly of guardiola either?

When we win you say nothing, if we lose or draw it's back to blame Wenger for everything, same old Arsenal etc... Never any elaboration on your points, just nothing or Wenger blaming.

 

We've been unconvincing in five of our six league home games...no change today.

I thought it was a rather dull game, spurs out of form in general, Arsenal out of form at home in the league.

 

Being top in November has very little significance. We both need Liverpool and Chelsea to run into a little bad form (as I hope we've been through already) and try to take advantage if and when that comes.

 

Its not the usual bottle here in play,because nowadays regardless of our on pitch performance we do not look like we are going to lose,reminds of fergie teams from 08 to 13 and ofcourse the old arsenal teams like from 01 to 05.

We ****ed up because of the form of the teams going into the game,because our strategy of waiting to suck them in the initial 20min or move to attack when chunks in their shape or concentration appear rather than going gung ho from the get go and be countered worked brilliantly and we had a half time lead and then drawing fron there when at home is why we ****ed up.

But if we get the 3 points against Jose,all is well if we dnt then we can start worrying about the usial bottle as usual.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

So Spurs, presumably the weaker team in your opinion, played you guys away, with a number of injuries(we get to use this excuse of once! ) and deservedly draw. Yet you think Arsenal got the tactics right?

 

It doesn't have to be great quality to be an entertaining match. I thought it was played at a good pace, had plenty of chances at either end and had a real fiesty edge to it. Don't know how you thought it was dull.