Watching Arsenal fans during this match, the wailing and gnashing of teeth that Arsenal did not score many more goals in the 2nd Half was LOUD. They probably deserved one more on aggregate, but also Gunners fans are SO desperate for goals. - ThreadSky

mixedknuts.bsky.social • 42 days ago

Watching Arsenal fans during this match, the wailing and gnashing of teeth that Arsenal did not score many more goals in the 2nd Half was LOUD.

They probably deserved one more on aggregate, but also Gunners fans are SO desperate for goals.

Comments

daidenarsenal.bsky.social•42 days ago

It's as if the attackers have been programmed to decelerate once they reach the opposition box. But mostly, our shooting and heading at the goal have been awful.

jackstorry.bsky.social•42 days ago

Linked to today’s Transfer Flow but pretty funny Arsenal are set to drop £50m on Zubimendi (a position where they are doing fine) which probably rules them out bidding for Isak (who is literally the player who would transform them into title winners, in my humble opinion).

timmyblocks.bsky.social•42 days ago

For Zubimendi you have to look at the fact Partey and Jorghino are leaving in the summer. It just stings that the news leaked after those 2 terrible cup performances.

jackstorry.bsky.social•42 days ago

Yeah, there is logic to it. I just think if I were Arsenal I would sign a less elite player in that position and make sure I had the ability to offer Newcastle £110m-£120m for Isak.

Not that I want Isak to leave or we’d be guaranteed to accept that. But if I were Arsenal I’d want a shot.

fplhedgehog.bsky.social•42 days ago

I think given the events of the past week the tension at 2-1 was very real and the constant squandering of clear openings exacerbated that hugely. I don’t think that happens in the same way if we make it 3-1

naphtor.bsky.social•42 days ago

TBF, there were a fair number of promising positions that turned into nothing because of bad decision making / last ditch blocks, etc. Those wouldn't show up here I guess.

mixedknuts.bsky.social•42 days ago

That does happen in most matches too. We just ignore it when moar balls go into the net.

naphtor.bsky.social•42 days ago

Yeah agree. Just think that's what much of the wailing was about last night (on my sofa, at least!)

jimmacfly.bsky.social•42 days ago

It’s true but it’s football, these happens every game. 2-1 is the 4th most common scoreline .. 7 the top 10 ones have maximum 3 goals, that is actually the top 7.

Football is a game of missed chances and blocks/saves by the defense.

nateroberson.bsky.social•42 days ago

I, for one, am rather glad they didn’t score more against our two baby midfielders playing as center backs. And our Cruyff-passing goalkeeper.

giantgooner.bsky.social•42 days ago

What struck me, and hardly for the first time this season, is that Arsenal struggle to convert territorial dominance into clear cut chances. That was at its most extreme at 0-0, if you just looked at the race chart you wouldn’t see that Spurs were completely pinned back early in the game

jpmc99.bsky.social•42 days ago

My dad was late last night, got in after 20 minutes. He sat down and I said "genuinely this is the first time Raya has touched it" and within a minute it was 0-1. I couldn't believe it; nearly kicked him out. We were HAMMERING them at 0-0, just didn't create a thing.

I'm aware how mad that sounds.

lgambrose.bsky.social•42 days ago

I'd go further and say the disparity between dominance and actual chances was larger here than probably any other game this season. So many instances of not making the final pass or getting a shot away quickly enough, the game wasn't remotely close and imo the xG doesn't really reflect it at all.

milquetoast-man.bsky.social•42 days ago

I wonder if there is a relationship between the club’s Goldilocks approach to recruitment and the players’ Goldilocks approach to shooting. Are we a perfectionist club? Perfection being the enemy of the good?

130delmar.bsky.social•42 days ago

I was struck by how often in promising positions, the attacker's actions were focused on opening up an angle for a pass rather than a shot. Doesn't show up in stats because it's the move-before-the-move but we just didn't look...hungry(?) for the shot

130delmar.bsky.social•42 days ago

Add that into the bias for control and generally slower pace of transition and the team isn't well set up to capitalize on those moments when opposition defense isn't set. Still feels slightly...overcoached

daidenarsenal.bsky.social•42 days ago

Completely agree with all of your thoughts. I have no tactical understanding whatsoever, but I couldn't help but notice the reticence to provoke broken play or play quick passes near the opposition box. It's as if they're programmed to decelerate as they approach the opposing box to assert control.

mixedknuts.bsky.social•42 days ago

I don't entirely agree with that? The cup losses had large aggregated xG numbers, just no goals.

I think maybe bc other teams seem more efficient this season in a different style, our brains are a bit warped.

giantgooner.bsky.social•42 days ago

Definitely agree with you on the cup games. I’m thinking more broadly - but of course it’s just off my (frequently flawed) memory, I don’t get to look at a lot of football data anymore

craptor.bsky.social•42 days ago

I definitely think arsenal and their players have been bad at getting shots off from dangerous possessions. It just strikes me that outside of trossard there's a lack of willingness or ability to get shots off quickly or from tight spaces. When they do shoot it's very telegraphed.

craptor.bsky.social•42 days ago

Kai specifically strikes me as someone that has clunky shooting mechanics and a big wind up. The best ball strikers all seem to be able to get the ball out from under their feet and shoot in a very fluid/quick motion when dribbling or after receiving a pass.

timmyblocks.bsky.social•42 days ago

It's hard to look at those 2 cup games and compute the XG to actual goals mentally. I know that XG is better at larger data sets, but seeing how many big chances and total XG we had, and not finishing anything really just blows me away.

adogwynn.bsky.social•42 days ago

Can’t speak for others (and I’m not sure I think we should have scored many more goals), but the main frustration for me was the lack of incisiveness. We bungled a lot of dangerous opportunities.

adogwynn.bsky.social•42 days ago

The one that boggles my mind is when Sterling just jogged in the 1H when he would’ve been through on goal if he had at any point decided to sprint.

jonagon.bsky.social•42 days ago

Personally, I’m less bothered by finishing and more by the decision making in the final third. I feel we often pick the wrong passes which leads to worse or no shots

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