Well no Casemiro. Interested to see not just who Ten Hag picks but how he sets us up tomorrow. McFred looking likely which is a bummer. No Martial so does he play Wout? I'd quite like the idea of foregoing a CF and playing instead with a false No. 9 so we control the midfield. No doubt Arsenal are playing well. I'd be happy with a point and then look forward to a decent run of games.
Just to point out, when we stuffed Arsenal at home, Casemiro only came on for the last ten minutes to close the game out. Just saying. I'd say Fred and Eriksen as a midfield pair, and I agree with you the Weghorst is a plan B. Felt a bit like we played plan B before plan A against Palace. Front three is Garnacho, Rashford and Antony for me, although would love to see Sancho appear. Bruno at 10.
Practically no one gives us a chance of winning against the gunners. Possibly not a bad thing as Utd have not lost the habit of not getting the predicted result. Just like no one gave Utd a chance of even a point against City and everyone thought Utd will easily roll Palace over. I can’t wait for this match. Without Casemiro we’ve got a v.tough battle but I am hopeful we’ll give them a good game. Fred, McTominay Eriksen and Fernandes in midfield with Rashford and either Garnacho or Antony upfront. The key is to fight until the 95th minute , even when/if we fall behind.
This is being wise after the event. Most fans and pundits made us favourites. If you really wanted to be at the top, you surely need 3 points on a regular basis from mid table sides such as Palace. Nearly achieved it but for a great free kick in the last minutes of injury time.
It's not wise after the event at all, it's an honest view of where we are at and acknowledging that Palace are no walkover team. We are vastly improved on last season but still a way off a level where we should expect to win every game. Hope to yes but never expect it and accept that some teams will prove a difficult opponent.
Yeh I have to say I never felt Palace would be an easy game. I even posted that at the time on the match thread. There's more to it than Palace being **** or good. It's about our goalscoring ability against well organised teams who will naturally adapt their game to stifle us when we're not as prolific at scoring atm. Btw there'll be more teams like that to come.
Anyway, absolute piss poor defending for that equaliser, school boy stuff. Not sure what AWB was doing wandering around in the wrong full back position, but he certainly did **** all to pick up his man. We've been decent bar that. We really have to look to win this, a draw would be great for Arsenal.
Fred would be a 100% improvement on McShit right now. Got a feeling he'll take Eriksen off before though.
We've had a defensive shocker here, but their whole attacked stemmed from McTominay giving the ball away in an attacking situation. Again. He's just the weak link every time he's on the pitch. He should have gone for Fred, we've hardly had the ball since that substitution happened. Assume Antony went off to try to close out the draw and it's backfired.
Apart from the dropped points there isn't too much to be concerned about. We have shown that we can go toe to toe with the top teams and make them work hard for any points that they take from us - a far cry from just one season ago. We are obviously light in terms of a few positions on the field but we look set for CL qualification rather than tussling with Everton for 6th. One more window and I believe we'll be there.
Arsenal deserved the win. But they're 3 years ahead in terms of team building. And given this is Ten Hag's first season, the progress we've made is brilliant.
Yeah, we're well ahead. McTominay needs replacing, we need to buy a centre forward, we need a right back to compete with AWB and we also need a keeper to compete with De Gea. We also need Sancho back and firing, and the likes of Martial and Lindelof allowed to leave. Not too far off a genuine tilt at the league though. I still think we should go full tilt at League Cup and Europa league this season. And see how the FA Cup pans out.
A lot of people out there expected us to be steamrollered by the Arse today, the fact the ETH put together a good game plan, albeit we lost, is another endorsement of his appointment. The guy has vision and the balls (and now the authority) to see it through and, as Chief says, a few additions in the summer and a good pre-season and I reckon we'll be good to go. Those days of being worried about the outcome of games seem to be over -at last.
I should add to that that Eriksen won't last much more beyond next season, tops. I don't mean he'll croak it or owt! But we need that position looking at as well. A few in our yoot could fit the bill though. Although must say if we get CL, we should be competing for Bellingham.
Bellingham or that twat De Jong if it ever happens. I think a good depth in squad is needed and we should capitalise on our youth. That includes Garnacho but also Diallo, Laird and a couple of others.