09 Dec 2025 22:52:44
I fancied us big time to result tonight, so I'm very disappointed and as I said in an earlier post, I think we will struggle against Everton.
Anyway, a good result could easily turn this bad patch around. ?.
09 Dec 2025 23:42:43
Everton not easy but if we manage to keep 11 men on the pitch our recent home form has been pretty good I expect a win .
Didn't see any of the Bournmouth game but at least we kept a clean sheet.
Defensively we really miss Colwill and the goals recently have been entirely preventable with the exception of the 2nd Leeds goal.
The side he puts out on Saturday will be interesting my guess is that he will pick something like this
Sanchez, Cucurella Chalobah Fofana Josh, Santos James Fernandez Palmer Estevao Neto.
10 Dec 2025 09:05:34
Problem is maresca is not learning. Get rid of him! Same boring football. No changes to tactics,
10 Dec 2025 10:48:42
The end of the season will b ether time to judge if EM has learned anything.
10 Dec 2025 11:23:25
Few successful managers don't have some games - often quite a high percentage - when their teams play relatively boring football eg passing along the back line a lot but when they do this the side grinds out a win. Often the side was built around ensuring as solid a defense as possible and considerable continuity in terms of who selected to play in it even if more rotation up front. Somehow winning makes 'boring' football seem attractive if especially some years later when exact games forgotten.
Most CFC's successful managers like Mourinho's and Conte's EPL winning sides were like this. Conte changed to a back 5 after defeat at Aresnal and went on to win the EPL. a Mourinho side famously still holds the recoird for fewest gioals conceded - 15 (think current Arsenal side unlikely to match it) - in the EPL.
Ancelotti's 2009-10 CFC perhaps most continually entertaining. But what a side/squad that was and with what a manager. Cech, Terry, Ashley Cole, Carvalho as defenders. Ballack, Lampard, Mikel, and Essien as midfielders. Drogba, Anelka, Malouda and Kalou as attackers. I thing Drogba got high 30s in number of goals that season plus Malouda and Anelka c 15 each. Leaders and winners all over the pitch. As many of us will recall we scored 103 goals in the EPL that season.
Presuma hat this is what Vision 2030 is attempting to emulate but by getting there over many seasons. Sadly we still look a pretty long way away from this at the moment. Still many of us have thought we have been making slow progress in the right direction. Because in a hit and miss way they are trying to invest in/gamble on youngsters who will mature into the battle hardened top quality international warriors required to succeed on multiple competition fronts. So will we get there by 2030 at least if not before? Can only still hope so.
10 Dec 2025 12:02:53
JBS, I enjoyed your post enormously.
Over the last twenty years we have brilliant seasons, average seasons and really poor seasons. Over the last fifty years the vast majority of seasons have been disappointing at best.
I think Jimbo has made a fair point that last summers signings have not so far made a worthwhile contribution. That is very disappointing for the club, fans and manager but it’s far to soon to right any of them off.
10 Dec 2025 19:47:16
Tom, obviously too early to write anyone off yet. However, apart from Delap we have paid significant fees for young players: it’s not as if we’ve done a
Bournemouth or Brighton and dug out potential talent for peanuts.
I agree with you about Garnacho like many others I didn’t want him and nothing I have seen has changed my mind.
You mentioned that we have injuries suspensions: last weekend Bournemouth had 6 or 7 injuries and 3 players suspended.
10 Dec 2025 21:31:05
Jimbo we are in agreement. All teams have injuries and suspensions and therefore changes are required.
For me it’s not about rotation, it’s about are other players good enough or playing well enough replace knows players.
Arsenal have been forced to make changes tonight and they are winning at the moment. If you win no isn’t a problem with rotation. For me it’s just highlights other issues.