More Questions Than Answers Ratings v Villa
By Matty Sadler
November 9 2020
Embarrassing evening and a reality check after last week. The scoreline didn't flatter Villa at all. They shot out of the blocks, were unfortunate to have an early goal disallowed and were simply just the better side throughout.
Barkley and Grealish (fantastic - boy I wish we'd signed him!) were great. We're crying out for players of their ilk.
The defending for the first goal was particularly infuriating as Holding, Bellerin and Willian seemed to just stand around waiting for Barkley and Grealish to decide how they wanted to split us open, and then we let a low ball travel across our six yard box.
That is a side set up to do a job against bigger sides like Man United. When we have to play more as protagonists (an Unai Emery term) against sides like Villa, we produced nothing - absolutely devoid of ideas with a big gap between our two defensive midfielders and frankly inept attack. It is genuinely concerning how much difficulty we have creating chances. Something has to change. I mentioned on Thursday about the possible switch to a back four with another midfielder in there.
Willian and Lacazette were offensively bad. Not offensively bad as in they were bad in an attacking sense, offensively bad as in I am offended. Maybe look at Aubameyang through the middle and getting that third midfielder in there? Worth considering...
Looking at Arteta tonight I'm afraid. What was done to try to turn things around tonight? Substitution were just like-for-like - physically unimpressive forward for physically unimpressive forward, mercurial winger for mercurial winger.
More Questions Than Answers
How about looking at the system? Willock not being in the squad was a mistake for me, but I guess leaving him out was easier than having to leave one of say, I don't know, Ceballos or Xhaka out?
RATINGS:
Leno - 5. Don't think he was really at fault for any of them but at the end of the day he conceded three. Good save off Grealish.
Holding - 4. Struggled. Seemed like our right hand side was targeted.
Gabriel - 5. I can't fault him massively to be honest but again he's been part of a defence that conceded three.
Tierney - 5. Put some good crosses in and Villa's attacks mostly came down our right. Looked frustrated at times at lack of options ahead of him.
Bellerin - 4. So-so going forward but really struggled with Grealish/ Barkley/ Targett.
Elneny - 4. Reality check. Positioning wasn't great and thought he looked physically weak a few times.
Partey - 5. Not our worst player in the first half. Went off injured. Hope it isn't a bad one.
Saka - 3. Possibly the worst I've ever seen him play. First time I've seen him look like he hasn't fancied playing in a position. Nothing came off for him.
Willian - 2. Poor on the opening goal. Lashed two wild shots miles off target. Took a few strange short set pieces. Wasn't concentrating. Half asleep. Awful showing.
Lacazette - 2. Missed our best chance of the first half. Complained about being fouled a lot. That was it. Hardly involved.
Aubameyang - 4. Made two good chances for Willian in either half but was quiet otherwise. Really upsetting seeing him stuck on the left out of form in a side not creating chances.
Subs:
Ceballos - 4. Tried to get things going but couldn't.
Pepe - 4. Came close with a chance when he first came on, but that was it.
Nketiah - 3. Not much point throwing him on when you aren't creating anything in the first place.