**Official** English Football Season 2023/24

[GIMH]

Tight offside there. Arteta will have a paddy again.

Goal all day for me

 

[grecian]

Saka just needs a rest imho.

 

[Pothas]

Annoying. I know loads of teams seem to have it at the moment but our injury situation is pretty ridiculous.

 

[Furball]

A few hours ago, my mate was predicting that Ramsdale would have an absolute shocker standing in for Raya this evening. That looks remarkably prescient of him right now.

The whole thing around the Arsenal keepers is boring as ****. Arsenal's defence wasn't good enough last season and Ramsdale was a big part of that.

Whether or not Raya is the answer, it doesn't change the fact Arsenal were right to replace Ramsdale.

 

[Skipper Pup]

Alison doing his best impression of Onana today.

He had a poor moment or two but also pulled off a couple of unreal saves.

We probably lose that by 2 or 3 goals without him. Mad game.

 

[Skipper Pup]

The whole thing around the Arsenal keepers is boring as ****. Arsenal's defence wasn't good enough last season and Ramsdale was a big part of that.

Whether or not Raya is the answer, it doesn't change the fact Arsenal were right to replace Ramsdale.

Agree with your overall point but Ramsdale didn't cost them the league. That dip towards the end was largely due to Saliba being out. They were almost good enough and that gap wasn't Ramsdale in goal, imo.

That said Arteta has handled this situation so poorly and that's why its continuing to get attention. It will inevitably be the first thing people point to if/when they drop out of the title race.

Ramsdale isn't helping his own case but Arteta should have shut this down from the very beginning.

 

[duffer]

Yeah, we went down like a lead balloon once Willy got injured. It's a dependency we have no solution for.

 

[sledger]

It's not just him alone either, his partnership with Gabriel is also key. Saliba would be the worst to lose in isolation, but either of them being out would be dire.

 

[duffer]

Gab would be easier to find a suitable backup for though.

 

[sledger]

True. Wouldn't have been so bad if Timber hadn't done his ACL either. The first choice back 4 with Kiwior, Timber, Tomiyasu and Partey as back up options is pretty decent imo.

 

[Skipper Pup]

It's not just him alone either, his partnership with Gabriel is also key. Saliba would be the worst to lose in isolation, but either of them being out would be dire.

Saliba is the only guy in that back 5 that is genuinely close to being world class.

He's irreplaceable.

I think Arteta has missed a trick not playing a double pivot of Partey and Rice, would have allowed for either Odegaard or Havertz in a more advance role. Instead he's shoe-horning Partey into the defence and then having to rely on Jorginho in midfield hasn't worked. Rice holding with two 8's only seems to be effective against the bottom half sides.

Now of course Partey is upset with his role in the squad and angling for an exit. Just so much unnecessary disruption to a squad that was right on the verge of winning the league. Arteta has basically done a Pep and over thought it, imo.

 

[Furball]

If Arsenal aren't trying to sign Toney in January then they're doing it wrong.

 

[Aidan11]

Terry Venables has died aged 80.

 

[Tom Flint]

True. Wouldn't have been so bad if Timber hadn't done his ACL either. The first choice back 4 with Kiwior, Timber, Tomiyasu and Partey as back up options is pretty decent imo.

*Tierney better than all of them when fit imo. But was injury prone at celtic so can't complain too much. Incredible player though

 

[sledger]

He's decent, but he's essentially a traditional wingback and Arsenal have seemingly ditched those nowadays.

 

[Furball]

That's one way to silence a crowd.

 

[Aidan11]

What a goal.

 

[Furball]

He's decent, but he's essentially a traditional wingback and Arsenal have seemingly ditched those nowadays.

Nah, old biscuit hips plays on the left of a back 3 for Scotland. Could quite happily play on the left of a 4 that turns into a 3 in possession with the right back going forward IMO.

 

[sledger]

Nah, old biscuit hips plays on the left of a back 3 for Scotland. Could quite happily play on the left of a 4 that turns into a 3 in possession with the right back going forward IMO.

Fair enough. Arteta just doesn't fancy him in that role then I guess.

 

[sledger]

What a goal.

Spectacular but he totally shinned it lol

Edit: ah actually he didn't tbf to him