Sarabia

[WickedWolfie]

I need a cold bath every time I think about you, baby.

Eewww..... Get a room!

 

[OLDGOLD]

I need a cold bath every time I think about you, baby.

I think you need specsavers....

 

[OLDGOLD]

Eewww..... Get a room!

I'm not that kind of boy Wicked!

 

[North West Wanderer]

I also think you know nothing about soccer sometimes, so I guess we're equal.

you’re calling it soccer, so i’ll walk away there and take the moral victory.

 

[North West Wanderer]

being in the premier league?

so we are congratulating him for keeping us up and ****ing off?

 

[North West Wanderer]

I mean you had a show on TV called Soccer AM until 6 months ago.

But I know most don't call it soccer it there. I go back and forth, I don't stop and think while I'm typing. Sometimes it comes out football, sometimes soccer. Usually during American Football season, I end up saying soccer more by default.

that’s a fair point and when it was a good show no one battered an eyelid. when it went ****….

 

[Hawkguy]

that’s a fair point and when it was a good show no one battered an eyelid. when it went ****….

No idea, I never watched it, haha.

I think you need specsavers....

I'm guessing that means glasses? I've never heard specsavers in my life, haha.

 

[loppers86]

so we are congratulating him for keeping us up and ****ing off?

yes. without him we would be going to Rotherham on Saturday.

(everyone knows his departure was engineered either intentionally or otherwise by the club, as a
money saving exercise).

 

[Aimless Balls]

This one threw me. He should take my username.

https://x.com/btownley/status/1731318931271422384?s=46&t=BZbomR_BZPSMALYCf8z8dw

 

[Poztin]

This one threw me. He should take my username.

https://x.com/btownley/status/1731318931271422384?s=46&t=BZbomR_BZPSMALYCf8z8dw

I thought at the time, how the hell does a Spanish international play that ball?!

 

[The Clock]

This one threw me. He should take my username.

https://x.com/btownley/status/1731318931271422384?s=46&t=BZbomR_BZPSMALYCf8z8dw

In Comms thread yesterday
@ Hawkguy -
“He passed to open space, but Doherty didn't move so it looks like he passed right to an open area for Arsenal. He fully expected Doherty to go to the open space.”.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

In Comms thread yesterday
@ Hawkguy -
“He passed to open space, but Doherty didn't move so it looks like he passed right to an open area for Arsenal. He fully expected Doherty to go to the open space.”.

Given that Doc isn't even in shot as the camera scans left that seems a tad optimistic / generous.

 

[VancouverWolf]

No idea, I never watched it, haha.

I'm guessing that means glasses? I've never heard specsavers in my life, haha.

You will.
They‘ve already opened many of their planned 200 stores in Canada. I bought a pair yesterday. Always used LensCrafters before but they overcharged…….now they have some competition at long last.
I think I saved about. $400 on one pair.

 

[theweave]

This one threw me. He should take my username.

https://x.com/btownley/status/1731318931271422384?s=46&t=BZbomR_BZPSMALYCf8z8dw

He also played an excellent ball not long after

 

[Cokeym]

Should play more centrally, similarly to Odegaard for Arsenal yesterday with a winger on his outside.

 

[Kashmire Hawker]

Pure technique and class…. That will be up there for goal of the season easily even though it is only November

Garnacho annoyingly said hold my beer with his out of this world Overhead Kick, which unsurprisingly won PL Goal of the Month.

Still, Pablo’s was an absolute corker.

 

[WolfLing]

Garnacho annoyingly said hold my beer with his out of this world Overhead Kick, which unsurprisingly won PL Goal of the Month.

Still, Pablo’s was an absolute corker.

I always think goals like Sarabia's are better than an incredible volley personally.

Sarabia's required a perfect touch, and a finish, so more things that could go wrong. Whereas a volley is just about timing, and just about anyone could get it right at some stage!

It's why most of my favourite goals of all time are all multi-touch goals, like a lot of Le Tissier's, Gazza's Euro 96 goal and Neves's volley.

That said, an overhead kick is an overhead kick. The timing to get that right is incredibly difficult, let alone from the distance Garnacho scored from. Deservedly wins goal of the season I think.

Still not better than Trevor Sinclair's though, which is always missing from the 'PL best ever overhead kicks' as it was in the FA Cup. The pace of the cross, the distance out, the power he got on it - incredible.

 

[wolfslair]

Garnacho annoyingly said hold my beer with his out of this world Overhead Kick, which unsurprisingly won PL Goal of the Month.

Still, Pablo’s was an absolute corker.

was a peach of a goal

 

[Streathamwolf]

I always think goals like Sarabia's are better than an incredible volley personally.

Sarabia's required a perfect touch, and a finish, so more things that could go wrong. Whereas a volley is just about timing, and just about anyone could get it right at some stage!

It's why most of my favourite goals of all time are all multi-touch goals, like a lot of Le Tissier's, Gazza's Euro 96 goal and Neves's volley.

That said, an overhead kick is an overhead kick. The timing to get that right is incredibly difficult, let alone from the distance Garnacho scored from. Deservedly wins goal of the season I think.

Still not better than Trevor Sinclair's though, which is always missing from the 'PL best ever overhead kicks' as it was in the FA Cup. The pace of the cross, the distance out, the power he got on it - incredible.

Fabulous, although Pele's overhead in Paris was as good but under much greater pressure!

 

[WolfLing]

Fabulous, although Pele's overhead in Paris was as good but under much greater pressure!

More pressure than a 4th round FA Cup tie against Barnsley?! Doubt it.

 

[AndyWolves]

I always think goals like Sarabia's are better than an incredible volley personally.

Sarabia's required a perfect touch, and a finish, so more things that could go wrong. Whereas a volley is just about timing, and just about anyone could get it right at some stage!

It's why most of my favourite goals of all time are all multi-touch goals, like a lot of Le Tissier's, Gazza's Euro 96 goal and Neves's volley.

That said, an overhead kick is an overhead kick. The timing to get that right is incredibly difficult, let alone from the distance Garnacho scored from. Deservedly wins goal of the season I think.

Still not better than Trevor Sinclair's though, which is always missing from the 'PL best ever overhead kicks' as it was in the FA Cup. The pace of the cross, the distance out, the power he got on it - incredible.

I'm sure i heard / read Trevor Sinclair talking about that goal. He basically said he was too knackered to run much anymore so tried an overhead kick instead!

 

[Fenrir_]

Thought he was our best player today while he was on. Always moving into space, looking to make things happen, needed to get the ball to him more rather than take him off

 

[Pagey]

As soon as he went off, I thought game over. Thought he looked the most likely to create something today.

 

[Sketchead]

Obviously a good player given the level he’s played at, and he’s our best player on the ball. Always think he’s most likely to create a chance.

The issue is with our formation really, with so many defensive players starting, we really need our front three to have pace, but Sarabia doesn’t so it all looks so disjointed and ponderous. Not his fault. Think he’d be really suited to playing in a 4231, with three other attackers around him for him to work with.

We should be figuring out how to ensure he gets much more of the ball and that our attacks go through him.

 

[Tring Wolf]

Obviously a good player given the level he’s played at, and he’s our best player on the ball. Always think he’s most likely to create a chance.

The issue is with our formation really, with so many defensive players starting, we really need our front three to have pace, but Sarabia doesn’t so it all looks so disjointed and ponderous. Not his fault. Think he’d be really suited to playing in a 4231, with three other attackers around him for him to work with.

We should be figuring out how to ensure he gets much more of the ball and that our attacks go through him.

Completely agree. Today it was calling out for a simple change to take one of Bueno or Toti off and go:

Sa
Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Toti/Bueno
Lemina, Gomes
Bellegarde, Sarabia, Hwang
Cunha

 

[Redhillwolf]

Really starting to find his feet in the Prem I feel. Was miffed when he took him off on Tuesday when he’d been our best player and again today! When Neto is back having both in the team with the way Cunha is now playing too will be mouthwatering!….just hope our manager allows them to play and express themselves!!!

 

[JadeWolf]

Probably been our best player this week, not quite sure it was the right thing to take him off. It’s a nice problem for Gary to have but he’s going to have to find a way to get Neto, Sarabia, Bellegarde, Hwang and Cunha all in the team.

 

[Ned]

He was the only real hope we had of unlocking them today. It was a shame he came off but he’s shown that he’s an important player for us.

 

[Chris H]

Probably been our best player this week, not quite sure it was the right thing to take him off. It’s a nice problem for Gary to have but he’s going to have to find a way to get Neto, Sarabia, Bellegarde, Hwang and Cunha all in the team.

I don’t think he needs to figure out how to get them all on together, but he does need to figure out how to rotate them effectively to be fluent and able to create chances for the full 90 minutes.

One thing Lopetegui did last year was make best use of the squad over 90 minutes using the 5 subs effectively. Feels like we’ve gone back to trying to play our best XI and react in game.

 

[Perton Wolf]

Bizarre how we brought him off, only player with a spark on our team going forward.

 

[theweave]

I don’t think he needs to figure out how to get them all on together, but he does need to figure out how to rotate them effectively to be fluent and able to create chances for the full 90 minutes.

One thing Lopetegui did last year was make best use of the squad over 90 minutes using the 5 subs effectively. Feels like we’ve gone back to trying to play our best XI and react in game.

True but Lopetegui often picked the wrong team. Could do with Gary picking it and Lopetegui making the changes

 

[Chris H]

True but Lopetegui often picked the wrong team. Could do with Gary picking it and Lopetegui making the changes

I’m not sure he picked the wrong team so much as planned to make the most effective use of the players over 90 mins. He was only able to make such effective subs because those players weren’t starting, it was often as though he aimed to finish the game with his favoured XI for that game.

I think with 5 subs now it’s less about your best XI and more about maximising the effectiveness of 14 or 15 outfield players over the 90+ minutes.

If you’re good enough to put a team away in 60 minutes you can pick your best XI and then rotate. We’re a team who are unlikely to have a game sewn up inside an hour, so we need to ensure we have the ability to change or continue to hold a game right to the end.

That was something Lopetegui was pretty good at, it’s something we’ve been pretty good at doing this season too and are one of the best teams for picking up late goals and points, but the last couple of games we’ve been less effective with our subs and O’Neil needs to work on that.

 

[Sketchead]

True but Lopetegui often picked the wrong team. Could do with Gary picking it and Lopetegui making the changes

Don't think that's true. One thing Julen did really well was the idea of having 'starters and finishers' rather than having a set starting XI and subs, if that makes sense. We used to look very dangerous off the bench later in games. Admittedly the squad then was stronger than it is now so it was easier to do.

 

[theweave]

Don't think that's true. One thing Julen did really well was the idea of having 'starters and finishers' rather than having a set starting XI and subs, if that makes sense. We used to look very dangerous off the bench later in games. Admittedly the squad then was stronger than it is now so it was easier to do.

Apart from the games where we got absolutely thumped?

 

[Sketchead]

Apart from the games where we got absolutely thumped?

We've been thumped this season as well, e.g. Brighton at home, Arsenal away (2-1 but could've conceded at least six), Liverpool second half wiped the floor with us. As we're a bang average club on and off the pitch, that's what happens from time to time.

You can't tell me you think our Gary utilises his squad better, which is what I was commenting on.

 

[theweave]

We've been thumped this season as well, e.g. Brighton at home, Arsenal away (2-1 but could've conceded at least six), Liverpool second half wiped the floor with us. As we're a bang average club on and off the pitch, that's what happens from time to time.

You can't tell me you think our Gary utilises his squad better, which is what I was commenting on.

Gary has a weaker squad so you'd be comparing apples and oranges. I think he gets more out of the players left though. Hwang, Cunha, Ait Nouri, Lemina Neto all massively improved under him

 

[Wonder Boyo]

Don't think that's true. One thing Julen did really well was the idea of having 'starters and finishers' rather than having a set starting XI and subs, if that makes sense. We used to look very dangerous off the bench later in games. Admittedly the squad then was stronger than it is now so it was easier to do.

I think the summer clearout and our thin squad is really impacting on us, especially since Neto and RAN have been injured. I don't think GON trusts the wider squad too much and I can understand why given the performances of Fabio and Sasa. Doyle is the only one I think he could have used more.

Imagine, if like Lopetegui, he had Neves and Nunes available to rotate with Lemina and Gomes, or Jimenez and Costa to come on or when Cunha needed a break. When Hwang is tiring I'm sure he'd love to bring Adama on too to bring some pace into the team. Lopetegui had all of those options (as well as Collins, Moutinho) and this is why Lopetegui threw the towel in, the squad was weakened in the summer with no sign of quality coming in. Yet we expect GON to still do at least the same things with the squad that Lopetegui did, even though Lopetegui himself knew he couldn't and left because of it.

 

[Hawkguy]

Obviously a good player given the level he’s played at, and he’s our best player on the ball. Always think he’s most likely to create a chance.

The issue is with our formation really, with so many defensive players starting, we really need our front three to have pace, but Sarabia doesn’t so it all looks so disjointed and ponderous. Not his fault. Think he’d be really suited to playing in a 4231, with three other attackers around him for him to work with.

We should be figuring out how to ensure he gets much more of the ball and that our attacks go through him.

That would suit him ideally. Right behind Cunha. Honestly, Cunha looks more like a number 9 with Sarabia playing because he knows Sarabia has the vision to get him the ball.

 

[Hawkguy]

Completely agree. Today it was calling out for a simple change to take one of Bueno or Toti off and go:

Sa
Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Toti/Bueno
Lemina, Gomes
Bellegarde, Sarabia, Hwang
Cunha

I think Toti was horrendous yesterday.

The issue becomes though that RAN is coming back soon, he's offensive minded and our CBs are Mertesacker levels of slow. Makes 4 hard.

 

[JadeWolf]

That would suit him ideally. Right behind Cunha. Honestly, Cunha looks more like a number 9 with Sarabia playing because he knows Sarabia has the vision to get him the ball.

Potentially we could play 4-3-2-1 with Cunha and Sarabia behind a striker. But then where do you play Neto and Hwang?!