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al_pacino

woo
Feb 2, 2005
4,569
4,105
Just watched disallowed goal for the first time and I think it's almost a correct incorrect decision. If you are following the rules it looks like it should stand but Xhaka is interfering with play.

It's almost impossible to get the offside laws right and they are definitely an improvement from years ago but they aren't quite there.
 

Laboog

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2020
654
1,243
Just watched disallowed goal for the first time and I think it's almost a correct incorrect decision. If you are following the rules it looks like it should stand but Xhaka is interfering with play.

It's almost impossible to get the offside laws right and they are definitely an improvement from years ago but they aren't quite there.
I know if it was ruled out against Spurs, I'd be pissed. Xhaka was too close to the GK but I doubt that was being saved.
 

yankspurs

Enic Out
Aug 22, 2013
41,883
71,188
Eh for what? Or is this a joke?

He hasn't been exceptional for a long time. He really is a weird one, to get the best out of him you really need to build your team around him. He is at his best when he is dictating play from deeper areas IMO, but with a style of football and the players need to trust him to do that.

He is a complete luxury player, with the way arsenal are at the moment I don't see how he can turn things around. He has never really set the world on fire and more importantly he has never been too consistent.

But anyway what arsenal miss is a strong manager who can control the egos in the squad. The problem is not the individual talent but the mentality. They need steel, I can see what Arteta wants to do, but they are really going to struggle with that squad.

Many saw Arteta as the next big thing but I couldn't see it. He is new to management and for someone like that to get a job that big was ridiculous.

He still might make it work but arsenal, utd and Chelsea are all taking huge risks with unproven managers.

Anyway my tip for the season is that west ham will finish above them. Arteta to be sacked and they are back to square one.

They are following a similar route to united but spending less money. A scattergun approach to signings and managers alike since Wenger.
Because there is no creativity or a #10 in that side. They have strikers and flat track bullies that can do a bunch of step overs.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,392
Whilst you are essentially true about good teams being built from the back, I do believe as a coach it's easier to come in and focus purely on defensive structure, positioning and getting players behind the ball. Allardyce, Pulis, etc were all good at doing that and adding stability to a team but were poor at getting their teams in the attacking aspects. They'd then hide behind how little they conceded as a way of proving how good they were as a coach. The key to a better coach is when they are able to make their team more of a threat yet keep the defensively stability.

Compare Arteta to us under Poch in his second and third season. Poch didn't improve us defensively by getting us to be compact and by getting players behind the ball, he made us press and play higher up the pitch, keeping teams further away from our goal. That is more skilled coaching.

Arsenal have been absolutely toothless so far under Arteta, very much like we were under AVB. As an Arsenal-man he would have known all about the defensive issues over the years but I do wonder if the biggest issue was structure or if it's just having incompetent defenders at the club. Then, has he played too much importance on the defensive structure and organisation whilst not considering how it may effect their creativity?

I'm not writing them or him off but I do think there is a big chance he'll fail as he'll struggle to get them to be both good in attack and defence, as sometimes coaches are only really effective at one or the other.

As @Shadydan rightly points out, how long will Arsenal fans accept defensive toothless football if they aren't getting results? I'm not saying he needs to go hung ho, but I think he's using a back 5 as a mask because he doesn't know how to organise his defence (or trust) in a 4 in such a way that stops leaking goals. It'll be interesting to see if they go to a 4 now that they have Partey, if they don't I expect them to continue struggling offensively.

I don't personally think they've had a quality centre back since Vermaelen. That's a long time for the same issue to be holding you back.
 

al_pacino

woo
Feb 2, 2005
4,569
4,105
I know if it was ruled out against Spurs, I'd be pissed. Xhaka was too close to the GK but I doubt that was being saved.

Probably not but an attacking player really shouldn't be able to be marking the keeper in an offside position and not be interfering with play. The rules don't say that at the moment and they have plenty of other issues to be getting on with to have more clarifications on offside.
 

DJS

A hoonter must hoont
Dec 9, 2006
31,261
21,760
Noticed defending legend Mustafi came on as sub too.

Seems kinda odd Arteta has bombed out Socratis as he seemed far more solid a player?

And Saliba who was being hailed as best thing ever and given 4 shirt is again nowhere to be seen after they failed in loaning him out.

They do some weird stuff there nowadays.
 

TheChosenOne

A dislike or neg rep = fat fingers
Dec 13, 2005
47,876
49,711
Noticed defending legend Mustafi came on as sub too.

Seems kinda odd Arteta has bombed out Socratis as he seemed far more solid a player?

And Saliba who was being hailed as best thing ever and given 4 shirt is again nowhere to be seen after they failed in loaning him out.

They do some weird stuff there nowadays.

For me this was the turning point. Said so in the PL thread last night.
 

Ionman34

SC Supporter
Jun 1, 2011
7,182
16,793
It's whether Xhaka was interfering with Schmeichel and blocking his line of sight, replay's suggested that he wasn't.
I had to laugh when I saw Wright and Shearer banging on about this. When the ball is crossed, you can clearly see Xhaka prevent Schmeichel from moving off his line centrally, forcing schmeichel to go around him towards his front post. Had he not done so, Schmeichel is perfectly positioned to make the save. Xhaka is in an offside position so, because he has obstructed Schmeichel from that offside position, and jumped over the ball to let it go in, he's effectively obstructed Schmeichel.

I believe that is the reason it was disallowed and was the correct call.
 

ikky

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
8,951
21,262
Wtf?! Why are some arguing it’s not offside, it was against Arsenal so even if it was the wrong decision it was a great decision. :LOL:
 

FibreOpticJesus

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2005
2,789
4,991
Just watched disallowed goal for the first time and I think it's almost a correct incorrect decision. If you are following the rules it looks like it should stand but Xhaka is interfering with play.

It's almost impossible to get the offside laws right and they are definitely an improvement from years ago but they aren't quite there.

Nope it was a goal. Var mess it up again. Goalkeeper would never have saved it.
 
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