Essential The Official Football (Soccer) Thread - Will Arsenal bottle it again?

[Liu Kang]

So Rodri injuring himself really exposed them

If they can't hold the ball in midfield then their whole gameplan crumbles as they do not have strength there to compensate. And without that control in midfield, they can't create chances and score either. So that flaw cutting both ways damn.

Seems like they are also riddled with injuries though so that doesn't help but Rodri really was the corner stone.

@Yayo Toure , who are yall looking to replace Rodri ?

 

[SCORCH]

Same thing happened to Cole Palmer. When you're winning as much as City was there's no real reason to push through youth like that.

Tbf, they did try to convince Palmer to stay but he wanted out because he didn't believe the pathway was for real. Same thing has happened to Chelsea several times over the years.

 

[frush11]

First time he touched the ball all 2nd half

 

[SCORCH]

So Rodri injuring himself really exposed them

If they can't hold the ball in midfield then their whole gameplan crumbles as they do not have strength there to compensate. And without that control in midfield, they can't create chances and score either. So that flaw cutting both ways damn.

Seems like they are also riddled with injuries though so that doesn't help but Rodri really was the corner stone.

@Yayo Toure , who are yall looking to replace Rodri ?

Kovacic.

 

[Ukbrotha]

They are starting to remind me of the Yankees. Just throwing money at their problems when the solutions are right there in front of them. But it's only one season so I would expect them to reload and we'll see what happens then

They will probably sort it but it would cost them way more than it would have.

 

[DapMeUp!]

Just seen the score

 

[Liu Kang]

That's what it is really. Rodgers and Onana been bossing. We've seen so many teams do it. Arsenal, Villa, Liverpool, and other's have just out muscled City. Without Rodri and a healthy Ruben Dias they have no steel. Gundogan is old and hasn't been the same, KDB is old and can't stay healthy, Haaland gets no service, Bernardo Silva doesn't have the freedom he used to, and Foden was exposed this summer as a system player that can't create for himself either.

Sure things run their course, but I think also they just been found out. The entire Premiership's quality has risen, especially in the tactical side of the game.

I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner but I guess with Rodri it couldn't really happen. If pressing comes but the ball already left lol

Age definitely caught up to Gundo, he was transparent today. I think Foden was ok and Kovacic so so. But Bernardo doing a better job in midfield than Gundo is a terrible look. I'm wondering how their midfield will look after winter.

At the very least, they need a strong box to box player and Rodgers is that kind of player and yall say he was in their academy smh

 

[Black Magisterialness]

Tbf, they did try to convince Palmer to stay but he wanted out because he didn't believe the pathway was for real. Same thing has happened to Chelsea several times over the years.

True. But all things considered, he was right. Pep wasn't going to push him through unless he was forced to. If you have a healthy Rodri and KDB you're not seeing Rico. But more than that, he's too in love with his system. He could have been future proof with Foden as a wide 10 on the left and Palmer a wide 10 on the right, Rodri/Kovacic double pivot. But there wasn't even the possibility in a change of system or personnel to fit him.

This City is a perfect example of a bully that never learned how to fight. They got hit in the face one good time and now they can't recover.

 

[Lakerman0834]

Phil foden exposal is beautiful to watch. Idiots in here thought he was better than Jude

 

[SCORCH]

Foden all afternoon

 

[Liu Kang]

Kovacic.

I knew you would be here hating on dude

 

[SCORCH]

Foden all afternoon

@Kunty McPhuck it's happened again.

 

[Roid Jones]

City are cat food status

 

[Nero Christ]

You just know every PL team is licking their chops at their chance at City

 

[Black Magisterialness]

I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner but I guess with Rodri it couldn't really happen. If pressing comes but the ball already left lol

Age definitely caught up to Gundo, he was transparent today. I think Foden was ok and Kovacic so so. But Bernardo doing a better job in midfield than Gundo is a terrible look. I'm wondering how their midfield will look after winter.

At the very least, they need a strong box to box player and Rodgers is that kind of player and yall say he was in their academy smh

Bernardo is at his best when he can roam, and he can't do that as much when the middle of the park is as porous as it is for City right now. I think Kovacic is one of the most gassed players in the game right now, I do not rate him at all.

But Foden to me has no excuses. I remember the argument was between him and Saka...and you look at what Saka did with no Odegaard and no real striker this season and it's night and day. BTW that's Phil Foden's FIRST PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL. Meanwhile, Saka leads the league in assists.