Arsenal

[rossdapep]

Only 5 teams have scored fewer than them in CL

 

[Finchyid]

Saw it.

Pissing myself laughing, Rio kept winding him up lol

Keown is the most deluded pundit out there by a mile lol.

I would say Smith is not far behind

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

Arsenal Mania they want him gone He's turned them into an expensive Stoke!

 

[tommo84]

While I’m enjoying their fans being brought down a peg, I’m not celebrating any demise yet. They started last season with a similar issue in scoring goals but still managed to go up a few gears after Christmas. With Odegaard returning they might yet do the same again.

Also, City have got a genuine issue if their injuries don’t clear up. City don’t have the depth they once did and Rodri is a huge miss for the rest of the season. As long as Arsenal are within 8 points of City I won’t rule them out of getting back into the title race. Liverpool have been very good so far but I still think they’ve got tougher challenges ahead, so I don’t quite trust their 7 point lead over Arsenal either.

It’s a much tougher league this year though, and currently old Lego head hasn’t stood up to the challenge. Long may that continue.

 

[spursfan77]

Which part of staying inside the technical area does not understand?

I am assuming it is because he doesn’t give a fuck and thinks he’s above the rules. The regularity that he does it would suggest that. Before the season he was citied as someone who needed to improve their behaviour by the PL so I hope after last night they keep more of an eye on him.

 

[GMI]

This is a gently amusing article on the current state of affairs down the road.

Arsenal have lost their fluency and Ødegaard’s return won’t solve it all | Barney Ronay

Although unlucky in Milan Arsenal have forgotten how to score away from home and are looking to returning captain

www.theguardian.com

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

I can’t wait to go above them and/or Chelsea on Sunday. Preferably “and”.

 

[Marty]

I really do wonder how much fixes itself for them when Ødegaard is back properly fit. It has felt like this sort of slump has been coming for a while but what will be interesting is if they snap out of it when their talisman returns or whether they'll continue to be up and down and Stoke 2.0 the same degree.

It feels like their season hinges entirely on one player.

 

[thebenjamin]

I really do wonder how much fixes itself for them when Ødegaard is back properly fit. It has felt like this sort of slump has been coming for a while but what will be interesting is if they snap out of it when their talisman returns or whether they'll continue to be up and down and Stoke 2.0 the same degree.

It feels like their season hinges entirely on one player.

hopefully he injures himself straight away and they spend the rest of their lives waiting for a return that never happens

 

[ever]

It’s the principle of it too though. Sets a horrendous example to the grass roots where intimidation and interference are genuine problems.

This!

I'm a grassroots coach for an under 11's team and its shocking how much the kids throughout the league are picking up little tricks in how to break up play for a break and opposing coaches with their wandering out of their bench area.

it will have a detrimental effect on the leagues 10 years down the line

 

[rossdapep]

I really do wonder how much fixes itself for them when Ødegaard is back properly fit. It has felt like this sort of slump has been coming for a while but what will be interesting is if they snap out of it when their talisman returns or whether they'll continue to be up and down and Stoke 2.0 the same degree.

It feels like their season hinges entirely on one player.

It'll probably go somewhere to making them create more.

I'd say though that they hadn't been particularly impressive against Wolves, Villa and Brighton before he got injured.

Whether that's cause Arteta was making them more rigid or because they just hadn't got into a flow but it felt to me like he had prioritised strong defensive base.

I actually think their bigger issue is the flanks.

2 centre backs at full back is going to take away some offensive threat as none of them are a threat at crossing particularly.

Yesterday against Inter they had zero technical creativity to break down the Inter defence and still had 4 CBs plus Merino on the pitch - none of whom can break lines which is why Inter were happy to sit back and defend.

So Odegaard probably gives them a spark but I'm not sure it's enough

 

[Trix]

This!

I'm a grassroots coach for an under 11's team and its shocking how much the kids throughout the league are picking up little tricks in how to break up play for a break and opposing coaches with their wandering out of their bench area.

it will have a detrimental effect on the leagues 10 years down the line

I can tell you now mate it gets worse as they get older. Many coaches that have been with the kids since they were U8's are largely at Mourinho levels of instructing shit-housery by the time they get to U18's.

 

[TheChosenOne]

I can just see the Arsenal players and management at London Colney practicing their dark arts.

1)
Take a tumble when an opponent is close to you anywhere on the pitch
2)
Keep constant checks on the time, halfway through each half go down to give your team a comfort break
3)
The current corner trick is working quite well / Line up the 5big boys at the far post and just as the corner kick is taken all of you storm into the box barging everyone out of the way.

Trust the chicanery

 

[Kingellesar]

4) Pick the ball up if it approaches you on the sideline and stand right next to the pitch to attempt to put off opposition players

I really hope they continue this bad run of form, wonder how the media will spin it, probably claim they had an injury crisis unlike any other team in history.

 

[E17yid]

I can tell you now mate it gets worse as they get older. Many coaches that have been with the kids since they were U8's are largely at Mourinho levels of instructing shit-housery by the time they get to U18's.

I heard one coach tell his son (Who was on his team obviously)

“If you take that prick out I’ll get you a Macdonalds”

the kid took said kid out, turned to his dad and said

“Is that alright?”

8 years old these kids. lol. The scary thing is that is one of the more tame stories I have at grassroots level.

it’s better at academy level as, in my experience, parents all STFU at the training ground coz they know the club coaches will tell them to shut up. They also don’t have refs in training ground matches and just let the kids foul to toughen them up. For the most part anyway, they kinda just let the kids ref themselves.

 

[ever]

I can tell you now mate it gets worse as they get older. Many coaches that have been with the kids since they were U8's are largely at Mourinho levels of instructing shit-housery by the time they get to U18's.

thankfully that shit dosent work with me, if the kids act billy big balls i bench them, if they are unsporting they do laps. thankfully the club and parents are in agreement, at this level its supposed to be fun

 

[Trix]

I heard one coach tell his son (Who was on his team obviously)

“If you take that prick out I’ll get you a Macdonalds”

the kid took said kid out, turned to his dad and said

“Is that alright?”

8 years old these kids. lol. The scary thing is that is one of the more tame stories I have at grassroots level.

it’s better at academy level as, in my experience, parents all STFU at the training ground coz they know the club coaches will tell them to shut up. They also don’t have refs in training ground matches and just let the kids foul to toughen them up. For the most part anyway, they kinda just let the kids ref themselves.

I find it bizarre that Refs and officials are constantly monitored and mentored at grass roots level but coaches do a piss easy course that could be done in a couple days and are then just left to get on with it. I've been involved with youth football for 20+ years and I'm yet to hear of anyone who didn't pass a level one coaching course. Too many coaches pass this course and are then given free reign to shout at kids(often their own) and they aren't really teaching them anything.

My personal view after being involved for over 2 decades with youth football at varying levels and positions is that all coaching courses should be paid for by the FA. On top of this they should be assessed annually and given feed back on how they can improve their sessions and a refresher course should be mandatory just like the first aid part of the course is.

I also don't believe the course should be a one size fits all which it currently is. There is a huge difference between coaching 5 year olds than coaching under 18's yet it all comes under the same level one course and accreditation.

 

[Trix]

thankfully that shit dosent work with me, if the kids act billy big balls i bench them, if they are unsporting they do laps. thankfully the club and parents are in agreement, at this level its supposed to be fun

Glad to hear it mate.

 

[E17yid]

I find it bizarre that Refs and officials are constantly monitored and mentored at grass roots level but coaches do a piss easy course that could be done in a couple days and are then just left to get on with it. I've been involved with youth football for 2 decades and I'm yet to hear of anyone who didn't pass a level one coaching course. Too many coaches pass this course and are then given free reign to shout at kids(often their own) and they aren't really teaching them anything.

My personal view after being involved for over 2 decades with youth football at varying levels and positions is that all coaching courses should be paid for by the FA. On top of this they should be assessed annually and given feed back on how they can improve their sessions and a refresher course should be mandatory just like the first aid part of the course is.

I also don't believe the course should be a one size fits all which it currently is. there is a difference between coaching 5 year olds than coaching under 18's yet it all comes under the same level one course and accreditation.

I didn’t even know grassroots coaches at under 10 and lower had to do any course to be honest but I like the sound of your suggestion. Makes sense.

Grassroots, in general, whether it be refs, coaches, the kids, in my experience, tends to be an absolute shit show but I only watch under 9 so maybe it gets better as they get older. As you say, Its totally different coaching 8 year olds compared to 17 year olds. Though, having said that, like school, one of the biggest challenges in coaching is dealing with kids at different levels of ability and trying to accommodate everyone. Luckily my kids team is very good and they’ve done the groupings this year where we won’t get put up against kids who can barely kick a ball. It means we play the same 4 teams over and over again which is boring but it is what it is.

Anyway, fuck Arsenal.

 

[Trix]

I didn’t even know grassroots coaches at under 10 and lower had to do any course to be honest but I like the sound of your suggestion. Makes sense.

Grassroots, in general, whether it be refs, coaches, the kids, in my experience, tends to be an absolute shit show but I only watch under 9 so maybe it gets better as they get older. As you say, Its totally different coaching 8 year olds compared to 17 year olds. Though, having said that, like school, one of the biggest challenges in coaching is dealing with kids at different levels of ability and trying to accommodate everyone. Luckily my kids team is very good and they’ve done the groupings this year where we won’t get put up against kids who can barely kick a ball. It means we play the same 4 teams over and over again which is boring but it is what it is.

Anyway, fuck Arsenal.

To be fair mate they've usually filtered themselves out by the time they've hit their teens. The good players generally all end up at the same clubs.