Unai Emery

[brontebilly]

It was 5 at the back with Cash pushing in, He set us up to counter attack and we had better chances in the first half than Spurs despite them having most possession.
The problem was that Watkins could not control the ball and Bailey reverted to the timid half arsed player we hoped we had seen the back of.
Also Spurs did what Luton did and blitzed us with aggressive pressing at the start of the second half and we folded.

I don't think either of their first two goals came from aggressive pressing though. After their best defender limped off we were favourites to go on and win. Thought Digne had a decent first half but he should stop that cross coming in for the first, Konsa simply can't let their forward get to it. Konsa has a nightmare for the second, you can't really legislate for that.

[Clive W]

Apparently we’ve conceded more goals than any other team in the 15 minutes after half time.  Which given we’re 4th is quite something.

Apparently 35% of the goals we have conceded have come in that 15 minutes

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I get the feeling Unai is over thinking it. Whatever conclusions he came up for today's formation were just wrong. He has to trust the players, especially when those players are Konsa and Torres. Our midfield, more than any other area has been so important to us improving, winning and superior performances. Losing Kamara shouldn't mean throwing away the blue print.

He went 3 in midfield because he does not believe we have 4 that can do it.

Who's the three, McGinn, Luiz and the shop keeper from Mr Ben - Youri Teilemans? In my book that's a two.

[adrenachrome]

Apparently we’ve conceded more goals than any other team in the 15 minutes after half time.  Which given we’re 4th is quite something.

Apparently 35% of the goals we have conceded have come in that 15 minutes

We are one of the teams that opposing managers must think I hope we play them at the right time.

When we are good we are very good, and can beat anyone.

Can't help remembering those seasons when we started and ended well, but sagged badly in the middle.

[ChicagoLion]

It was 5 at the back with Cash pushing in, He set us up to counter attack and we had better chances in the first half than Spurs despite them having most possession.
The problem was that Watkins could not control the ball and Bailey reverted to the timid half arsed player we hoped we had seen the back of.
Also Spurs did what Luton did and blitzed us with aggressive pressing at the start of the second half and we folded.

I don't think either of their first two goals came from aggressive pressing though. After their best defender limped off we were favourites to go on and win. Thought Digne had a decent first half but he should stop that cross coming in for the first, Konsa simply can't let their forward get to it. Konsa has a nightmare for the second, you can't really legislate for that.

They definitely upped their aggression from the start of the second half.
I think they had they had seen the videos and the stats.

[Steve67]

As Jon said on the match thread, Unai went 5 at the back because we din't really have the options in midfield to match Spurs today.  Desperately need a fully fit and firing Jacob Ramsey back or the team picks itself next week with Big Tim sitting next to Douglas Luiz.  Cash was absolutely awful today but wasn't on his own.  Not Unai's fault that Konsa, Bailey, Cash, Tielemans, Diaby put in less than average performances today.  Equally not his fault that Konsa and Lenglet allowed that little twat to get between them to knock home for the first.  Once the second went in and SJM got sent off, we gave us.  Unai set us up poorly today, but not sure there were many options.

[PhilVill]

I don’t think any coach can ever legislate for defending like that today.
Everything then goes out of the window and we have to chase the game and then McGinn has a head loss. Maybe, just maybe, Emery sees the players in training and can see what best fits the state of the squad.
I think Emery was let down today by terrible mistakes at the back and when you look at the bench and there’s not much there to change it. He’s not past criticism but he’s not let us down so far. Without him we’d be mid table at best.

That's true...but Cash/Konsa in that setup just doesn't work. We didn't need to see it proven once more again today.

It worked at their place.

Cash went off at half-time didn't he?

True. It was because it wasn't working that we changed and then bossed the second half. It should never be seen again but I think we'll see a solid 'uni style' rb arrive in summer so it's not got long to run anyway

[Demitri_C]

Nobody expects to win every game. I expect him to set us up to give us a chance though.

And we were at half time. Then mistakes cost us goals. As they always seem to do.

We offered virtually nothing going forward and looked like we were happy to play for a 0-0. Mistakes happened because the players were not comfortable with the system. The warning signs were there.

[Chris Smith]

Nobody expects to win every game. I expect him to set us up to give us a chance though.

And we were at half time. Then mistakes cost us goals. As they always seem to do.

We offered virtually nothing going forward and looked like we were happy to play for a 0-0. Mistakes happened because the players were not comfortable with the system. The warning signs were there.

That just seems nonsensical to me. Konsa decided to hold on to the ball for too long because he doesn’t like a back 5? If he’d been asked to play left wing then you might have a point but as it was he just fucked up playing in normal position.

[ROBBO]

We get caught too often through pissing around at the back.

[chrisw1]

We get caught too often through pissing around at the back.

'Pissing around at the back' is the exact style of play that got us to 4th in the first place.

But no, "FOWARD" and relegation battles is what we want.

[Brend'Watkins]

We get caught too often through pissing around at the back.

I don't think we do. We sometimes make it hard for ourselves but in general we're pretty good at it. Konsa's ball to Teilemans was a hospital ball.  Nobody would have been on his case if he just booted the ball up field which he should have.

[ez]

We get caught too often through pissing around at the back.

Yes. We pass it around at the back because we want the opposition to press but then we can't get out. The full backs get pushed all the way back into the corners. I was looking to see what pass was on but there was none. Everyone was marked.

[eamonn]

Dendoncker isn't even getting a look-in at Napoli, so his move seems a waste for all parties, all for the sake of saving a few pennies. I assume we can't recall him. I know he's not a saviour before anyone starts. But he's the best stopper we have/had with Kamara out.

Iroegbunam is way too raw and it would be unfair to expect him to be our lynchpin in the biggest two months of games we've had in years.

[Demitri_C]

Nobody expects to win every game. I expect him to set us up to give us a chance though.

And we were at half time. Then mistakes cost us goals. As they always seem to do.

We offered virtually nothing going forward and looked like we were happy to play for a 0-0. Mistakes happened because the players were not comfortable with the system. The warning signs were there.

That just seems nonsensical to me. Konsa decided to hold on to the ball for too long because he doesn’t like a back 5? If he’d been asked to play left wing then you might have a point but as it was he just fucked up playing in normal position.

How is that nonsensical? Konsa made a error playing rb which i have never felt he never looked comfortable with. Cash struggled on this role and i felt lenglet did too. Its also not nonsensical if you look at the match stats we created nothing. Bailey also struggled as this system didnt auit him. Seems perfectly valid points chris