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Christiansmith said:
We have to thank Lee Mason for making the title challenge more interesting.<laugh>

But having said how can he carry on with his job which is only as a VAR when either he is really stupid or like Arteta said he simply doesn’t understand his job? Agree with Arteta on the latter. What’s worse is the overall VAR is led by Neil Swarbrick who made that horrendous error with the soucek clear handball and penalty. How can he lead and guide others when he himself doesn’t seem to understand the job?
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I was siding with Arteta until I saw the goal yesterday. I have since concluded that Arteta is a moron! The goal was on 74th minute. Without VAR, that goal will stand in every match played. I couldn’t even spit it. Granted, it would be binary for VAR as they draw those virtual lines. But surely Arsenal defenders have only themselves to blame for that goal. They were all over the place. Furthermore, Arsenal had enough time to nick another goal but they failed!

Arteta is being a punk by drawing all attention to VAR when it is really his team crumbling before his eyes. He is deflecting from their own failures.
 
cytrax said:
I was siding with Arteta until I saw the goal yesterday. I have since concluded that Arteta is a moron! The goal was on 74th minute. Without VAR, that goal will stand in every match played. I couldn’t even spit it. Granted, it would be binary for VAR as they draw those virtual lines. But surely Arsenal defenders have only themselves to blame for that goal. They were all over the place. Furthermore, Arsenal had enough time to nick another goal but they failed!

Arteta is being a punk by drawing all attention to VAR when it is really his team crumbling before his eyes. He is deflecting from their own failures.
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There were 2 offsides in that passage of play though.

The ref just missed it!
 
cytrax said:
I was siding with Arteta until I saw the goal yesterday. I have since concluded that Arteta is a moron! The goal was on 74th minute. Without VAR, that goal will stand in every match played. I couldn’t even spit it. Granted, it would be binary for VAR as they draw those virtual lines. But surely Arsenal defenders have only themselves to blame for that goal. They were all over the place. Furthermore, Arsenal had enough time to nick another goal but they failed!

Arteta is being a punk by drawing all attention to VAR when it is really his team crumbling before his eyes. He is deflecting from their own failures.
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tbh offside is supposed to be factual with drawn lines etc. It doesn’t really matter whether Arsenal or Brentford deserved a goal or not. I don’t think anyone could argue against offside in that situation. In fact the first one could be argued at a stretch but no one surely could argue against that Norgaard one who crossed the ball for Toney to score.
 
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Christiansmith said:
tbh offside is supposed to be factual with drawn lines etc. It doesn’t really matter whether Arsenal or Brentford deserved a goal or not. I don’t think anyone could argue against offside in that situation. In fact the first one could be argued at a stretch but no one surely could argue against that Norgaard one who crossed the ball for Toney to score.
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Since when has calls in football been based on empirical analysis that yield infallible outcome? We know that’s not the way it works.

Yes, refs should do better. But Arsenal deserved what they got in that game and Arteta is clutching on straws like a clown long after the game. The result has very little to do with the offside call and he wouldn’t offer two points back if it were the other way around.

I actually hope they lose tonight because of his whiny attitude. lol
 
Treble said:
Yeh funny weren't it.

Anyway after the result tonight, Arsenal have blown it.

City will go on and win the title now.
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Shame as I didn’t want anyone to get 3 points. A draw would have been better but Arsenal for all their supposed great team play are full of defensive mistakes .
 
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glazerfodder said:
With the full Arsenal wobble making a return, if we keep up our present form we could be in with a decent shout - what a result that would be for ETH in his first season, that said, top 4 is a good result for us..
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I’ll be made up if we make top 4. And as soon as possible. All the end of season tension is bad for my health. Anything on top is a bonus.
 
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Securing top 4 should not be the focus at this juncture when considering the teams in 4th place and beyond. Granted, the title will be a long shot with Arsenal 8 points ahead, but chasing the top 2 should be the focus as opposed to trying to secure top 4 finish.

If we finish the season strongly in good form against the run toward 2nd place, it will bold well for the fight into the next season.
 
Hell of a week coming up though.

Play Leicester tomorrow, then Barca 2nd leg on Thursday, followed by the league cup final on Sunday.

I'll just be glad to make it through the week and hope we can win all those!
 
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Treble said:
Hell of a week coming up though.

Play Leicester tomorrow, then Barca 2nd leg on Thursday, followed by the league cup final on Sunday.

I'll just be glad to make it through the week and hope we can win all those!
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Really tough week and each match is crucial and indicative .

leicester: keeping up with the top 2 in the premiership and keeping the chasing top 4 pack at bay.

barcelona: staying in the competition and overcoming the toughest opposition in it.

newcastle: first trophy for a while and potential milestone for the team.
 
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Christiansmith said:
Really tough week and each match is crucial and indicative .

leicester: keeping up with the top 2 in the premiership and keeping the chasing top 4 pack at bay.

barcelona: staying in the competition and overcoming the toughest opposition in it.

newcastle: first trophy for a while and potential milestone for the team.
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One down! Two to go!
 
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The fans were amazing for that Leicester match. Just simply amazing! Great to see the place buzzing again and even the neutrals must be enjoying the show at the Theatre of Dreams.
 
I enjoy seeing the side show that Haarland has become for City. It is always about how many goals he should score and how many he has scored. He literally offers nothing else if he doesn’t get the goals. Weghorst arguably offers more to the team.
 
That's a hell of an argument!

As centre forwards go, Haaland is on another planet to Weghorst. Whether he suits uber genius Pep's 'system' is another story, but him not having scored for a while doesn't lessen his obvious ability.

Up to them to work it out, not actually that arsed.

Weghorst, however, should be plan B for us at best. Nothing more. Great effort, but I'd rather he be a sub.
 
Chief said:
That's a hell of an argument!

As centre forwards go, Haaland is on another planet to Weghorst. Whether he suits uber genius Pep's 'system' is another story, but him not having scored for a while doesn't lessen his obvious ability.

Up to them to work it out, not actually that arsed.

Weghorst, however, should be plan B for us at best. Nothing more. Great effort, but I'd rather he be a sub.
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Oh yes, there is no doubt that Haarland is a wonderful striker.

The line that I’ve highlighted there is the point that I’m trying to make. Simply having an all out best striker in the world is certainly not a prerequisite to winning trophies. While it certainly helps, it has become more important to have players that are effective behind a striker and a striker than doesn’t just put them in but is able to do more than scoring. We’ve seen this trend over recent years. In Haarland, it is more about his records than the total cohesion of the team to produce and win with back to the wall. He didn’t make Dortmund world beaters, as an example. That is what I believe City has lost this season in particular.
 
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