*Official* English Football Season 2016-17

[Uppercut]

They go so lethargic for long periods of games, and have done for almost a year now. Even in the West Ham game there was 30 mins of relying on Koscielny to do a ton of really good defending. I have no idea why that happens. Are they unfit? Bad shape without Santi?

 

[Ikki]

They're not all naturally disciplined like Sanchez, and Wenger doesn't desire it of them as he is not that kind of manager. It is why IMO that his time is over.

 

[anil1405]

The've spent so much over the years and yet the player they need the most right now is Cazorla.

 

[Cabinet96]

They go so lethargic for long periods of games, and have done for almost a year now. Even in the West Ham game there was 30 mins of relying on Koscielny to do a ton of really good defending. I have no idea why that happens. Are they unfit? Bad shape without Santi?

Yeah I noticed they looked dead on their feet yesterday and Özil looked ridiculously sluggish against Everton as well. I wonder if the fact we don't really systemically control games means the players have to work harder to achieve the same outcomes as the other top teams. Either way it's a massive concern because if you're not brilliant structurally you need to absolutely maximise the amount of time when your best players are in great physical shape.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Holy ****

https://streamable.com/u5m8m

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah I noticed they looked dead on their feet yesterday and Özil looked ridiculously sluggish against Everton as well. I wonder if the fact we don't really systemically control games means the players have to work harder to achieve the same outcomes as the other top teams. Either way it's a massive concern because if you're not brilliant structurally you need to absolutely maximise the amount of time when your best players are in great physical shape.

Yeah possibly, but to me it looks more like the lethargy is causing you to not systematically control games, rather than the other way round. Structure is important but control usually comes from out-fighting teams, which you almost never do. The phrase that keeps coming to my head is ye olde English cliché "they're second to every ball".

Would be interesting to see how often they end up with possession after goal kicks, for example. They're a very small team and without Cazorla shuttling, a lot of plays end with the ball going back to Cech, and Cech going long.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Another boring merseyside derby. Barkley should have seen red there.

 

[Cabinet96]

The only quality Koeman and Ashley Williams have is ruining Arsenal's seasons every year.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The only quality Koeman and Ashley Williams have is ruining Arsenal's seasons every year.

Good one to have as it keeps lots of us on here entertained.

 

[Uppercut]

How **** were Everton second half? Incredible levels of turd. Deserved to lose to a goal exactly like that. Mike Dean with an absolutely blatant bottle too.

 

[Niall]

dreadful match, but Liverpool deserved the win ultimately.Second half from Everton was very grim.

He'l probably score a shedload in his next few games, but lukaku isn't really a big game player and this is his level.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

A couple of hours of my life lost to boredom there. Liverpool thoroughly deserved the win. Everton were and are crap, not sure how Arsenal lost to them last week.

 

[GIMH]

That was utterly ****

 

[Furball]

dreadful match, but Liverpool deserved the win ultimately.Second half from Everton was very grim.

He'l probably score a shedload in his next few games, but lukaku isn't really a big game player and this is his level.

Lukaku is rotten.

 

[Niall]

Rotten is a little cruel, but as I said before this is his level, most certainly isn't world class and wouldn't enhance any serious title contenders anywhere.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Don't think he is helped being so isolated and them just hoofing it up to him all the time. Not a player who would get in at Chelsea, City or Arsenal though.

 

[Uppercut]

Lukaku is pretty good. For his age he's ridiculous. I think part of the problem is that he looks like he should be a good target man, but he's really bad at it.

He reminds me of Higuain stylistically. Looks to go in behind a lot despite not being that fast, likes making runs outside defenders and getting shots away early, scores ****loads of every type of goal. Everton sometimes play to him as if he's like Drogba, and he just isn't.

 

[Cabinet96]

Lukaku actually being bad despite scoring tons of goals because of his first touch or whatever reason is one of the more annoying standard opinions in the Prem.

 

[Uppercut]

Lukaku actually being bad despite scoring tons of goals because of his first touch or whatever reason is one of the more annoying standard opinions in the Prem.

Very good strikers just always attract constant heavy criticism for not being world class ones. Olivier's Law.

 

[GIMH]

Very good strikers just always attract constant heavy criticism for not being world class ones. Olivier's Law.

I think it happens right down the leagues too (comparatively).