Why We Lost

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

I'd like us to play tighter

We gave them so much space to play in and then punished us for it

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

I'd like us to play tighter

We gave them so much space to play in and then punished us for it

I agree. I think we allow the play to become too stretched, too easily. We need to be more compact both when attacking and defending.

 

[PaddyG]

We didn't press them enough I thought, made it look too easy for them to play.

And decision making in the final third when we had the ball.

Wasn't a disastrous performance. Arsenal played quite well.

But I thought they were there for the taking, it was next goal wins at 1-1 really, we missed our chances, they took theirs.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

I agree. I think we allow the play to become too stretched, too easily. We need to be more compact both when attacking and defending.

Part of that reason was due to the fact that Mirallas seems to have been given instructions to stay high up the pitch and not worry about any defensive duties. It meant that McCarthy was being dragged out of the position to try and help out Coleman and it left us short in the middle.

Clearly it didn't work and Martinez needs a rethink on this, for a start Mirallas isn't clinical enough when this tactic comes off and we gain nothing from it.

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

Part of that reason was due to the fact that Mirallas seems to have been given instructions to stay high up the pitch and not worry about any defensive duties. It meant that McCarthy was being dragged out of the position to try and help out Coleman and it left us short in the middle.

Clearly it didn't work and Martinez needs a rethink on this, for a start Mirallas isn't clinical enough when this tactic comes off and we gain nothing from it.

McGeady's comments about Martinez telling him he didn't want him to track back, would back that up mate.

I think it's a dumb tactic. You can't have anyone in the side who's somehow exempt from working for the side when we haven't got the ball.

You only have to look at the best side on the planet at present and see how hard even the likes of Robben now work, to see what utter folly that is from Martinez.

 

[royalbalou]

We didn't press them enough I thought, made it look too easy for them to play.

And decision making in the final third when we had the ball.

Wasn't a disastrous performance. Arsenal played quite well.

But I thought they were there for the taking, it was next goal wins at 1-1 really, we missed our chances, they took theirs.

The way we played was almost the complete opposite to the way we did on our last visit. The lack of pressing was playing right into their hands and had me concerned from the first minute.

A few poor performances(Robles and especially Pienaar) and we'd have had to be bloody lucky to get anything from the game.
Maybe I expect too much...but we went down with a whimper imo

 

[tommye]

moaners gonna moan
haters gonna hate
blame monkeys gonna blame


it's just how it is

 

[TraffordBlue]

We didn't win because on the day Arsenal were better than us, and the few chances we did get we didn't take. Against sides like Arsenal away you only get 1 or 2 great chances if that and Barkley's miss was the turning point. We were pretty awful before the equaliser but showed character to get back to 1-1. We were slightly on top when we got the Barkley chance and he had to bury that. It's the same old story with us in these games. I'd say only Liverpool took full advantage of our injury crisis and absolutely hammered us.

We could have given it more of a go the other day but we showed them far more respect than we needed to and in the end fell well short. In contrast to the league game where we dominated the first half. But even in that game we didn't have the ruthlessness that the top teams do.

We wasted chances at Spurs (Osman), Chelsea (Mirallas), Arsenal in the league where Lukaku got a chance at the end. At key moments you have to put teams away. Take the derby at Goodison for example as well, how many times did we have chances to bury them? I know they had good chances too but we could have won that about 8-6 if both teams had put away their chances.

 

[deipnosophist]

And imagine you are a Citeh fan.

Trying to rationalise being beaten by Wigan two years on the trot after spending gazillions....

Rationalising those TWO results is beyond the ken of even deep thinking rationalisers, let alone your average City fan lol

 

[FTY]

Arsenal scored more goals than us.

 

[micknick]

We didnt take our chances. If Barkley scores to make it 2-1 they have to press us instead of us pressing them and they hit us on the break.

 

[Loz]

IMO we lost because our two front wide men were forced to play inside to help barry and McCarthy out when arenal were rampant in midfield - it left Baines and Coleman totally exposed at the back three of the goals came down baines side as he had no cover from the aging SP!

I think this does largely summarise what was wrong with our tactics. Pienaar needs to be rested for a while as he is too slow, breaks down our own attacks and doesn't cover enough on the left. The fact that our wide players got sucked into the middle to help out was only then made worse when our only genuine goal threat (Lukaku) had to keep moving out wide to get the ball. We need him in the box, not out wide looking to lay it off for other, less potent, attackers.

 

[davek]

Nah, don't agree Dave. We were shocking for the first half an hour, but once level we had those 2 fantastic chances to take the lead, which would have buoyed our confidence and made the atmosphere toxic and nervous around the Emirates, we don't know what would have happened had we taken one of those 2 glorious opportunities.

They dominated the first half; we were competitive for about 35 minutes in the 2nd half...so, fair enough, we were 'in it' during that time. That said, I was never convinced we'd get a result on the day.

It's got nothing to do with lack of players and the board.

It's very simple though:

- On the day Arsenal wanted it more than us.
- Our full backs were not as dominating as they can be.
- Crazy decision to play Joel when Jags was out. Howard's experience would have helped the defence when their normal leader was out.
- Pienaar slows our play down, he can't run anymore, constantly falls over, underhits his passes and makes silly free kicks because he is slow.
- Martinez not getting the subs on soon enough. They did not have enough time to change things. I for one would love for McGeady to get the nod ahead of Pienaar for the next game. He has not gotten a proper chance, yet some people are already writing him off.

If Moyes had done that I'd have been queuing up with others to condemn it. Consistency dictates Martinez should get the brickbats for that stunt. It was an appalling decision. There's loyalty and then there's stupidity. Something tells me though that if he had to make the decision again he'd do it.

 

[LTblue]

We lost because we didn't play as well as I think we can and Arsenal played near enough at their best. Not much more too it. We'll probably beat Arsenal at Goodison but they were the better team on Saturday.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

They dominated the first half; we were competitive for about 35 minutes in the 2nd half...so, fair enough, we were 'in it' during that time. That said, I was never convinced we'd get a result on the day.



If Moyes had done that I'd have been queuing up with others to condemn it. Consistency dictates Martinez should get the brickbats for that stunt. It was an appalling decision. There's loyalty and then there's stupidity. Something tells me though that if he had to make the decision again he'd do it.

What I don't get is, why didn't he just play Howard in the cup and then let Robles play this weekend?

Why risk Robles in a one off game?