Arsenal / playing the ball back (1 Viewer)

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Watched most of the Arsenal game last night and was thinking about the amount of time wasted during the game playing the ball back/keeping possession, even when having the ball near the oppositions' area/in the opponent's half. The ball often being retained, 30 seconds has passed and ends up their own goalkeeper. Never remember playing football like that in lower level football and not much in lower level league football. Fully understand it if you have the skill set, are a couple of goals up and wanting to suck the life out of the opposition, but why do it when you need to get an equaliser? I think it is due to being overcoached, and is surely against the natural instinct of anybody who has ever played football. Drives me mad!

 

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[skybluedan87]

That was us for at least a the first half of the season then we'd lose possession and conceded a goal nearly drove me crazy. MR finally cottoned on and started lumping it forward soon enough for us to pick up enough points and stay up. Don't get me wrong possession is nice but CH losing it and conceding sloppy goals wasn't worth the trade off.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Arsenal are just a really boring team to watch who make the same mistakes over and over. They need to stop trying to emulate Man City because they don’t have the personnel for it.

Either way, Guardiola has adapted to be able to play more direct too when it’s needed.

 

[Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon]

They're a founding member of Europe's Greediest Bastards Club, of course they don't want to share the ball!

 

[no_loyalty]

The worst Arsenal team in the last 20 years according to Martin Keown, no place in Europe for them next season. They should have stayed in the European Super league.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

He is the kind of manager who will quote the boring ball retention stats even when they have been hammered, the game is easy get the ball in the opposition goal and keep it out of yours

 

[skybluesam66]

The worst Arsenal team in the last 20 years according to Martin Keown, no place in Europe for them next season. They should have stayed in the European Super league.

best 12 in Europe. My arse! Struggling to be in top 12 in England