Jake

If only he'd consider that we'd use those leftover wages for his statue 😔

Where does Osimhen sit in this sort of ranking (if he's in there)?

How set-pieces can win a Champions League semi-final for both Arsenal and PSG Arsenal take on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday, and set-pieces could prove vital.

Last min set-piece preview I’m sure everyone was clamouring for ⬇️ Both teams neatly conceded their 10th of the season last week (~33% of their total conceded!)
Also, Myles was 2 when we last played at the Ems in a UCL semi final 🙂

www.squawka.com/en/features/...

Elite from Ahmed, really interesting to see how this trend plays out with the boom of set-piece coaches

ffs I had things I wanted to do today

Please read and make the holiday sabotage this piece required worth it for me

It felt like some sick joke, a real reminder of my place in the tactical hierarchy of the pod

How Newcastle's Dan Burn hit Liverpool with a sneak attack in Carabao Cup final Dan Burn opened the scoring for Newcastle in their 2-1 Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool. Set piece expert Jake Fox breaks down the goal.

One for the Geordies (and the masochistic LFC fans):
I had a look at Dan Burn's seemingly inevitable header, and just how inevitable it really was. How well did Newcastle set it up? How badly did LFC stumble into it? And, most importantly, how is Dan Burn that tall? www.squawka.com/en/features/...

Making actual use of Ødegaard's limited whip + depth by shifting the blockers 10 yards up, and not worrying about the 'run from back to front' stuff - Merino has always been an elite front-post aerial attacker too, showed it at RSO.

Very happy with those adaptations from Jover

Definitely definitely - lot of stupid layoffs and interplay from Trossard in-particular. It's got some cyclical logic to it which is always fun

Also agree, had this argument with myself. Our tactics from those direct FKs (layoffs to Rice, Tross) would imply we don't really want static situations there

From my experience/research, this is correct. Central spaces not being accessed + focus on wide creation with Saka-Ø-White e.g. means the rate of central FKs in the last 2 seasons especially has been awfully low. Perhaps also the con of having physical machines in the middle?

Four reasons why Arsenal have stopped scoring from set-pieces Arsenal have struggled to score from set pieces recently. But why are the Gunners on such a barren run, given their previous success?

www.squawka.com/en/features/...

Did some more writing (I long for the days without strict word-counts)

Bournemouth the league's most influential side this season imho

Nah I'd agree. Real shame we haven't got the depth to let him feel his way back in either

That end-product stuff is... yeahhh. Not great. Felt a lot worse when we had that gap of no Ethan and no Saka to bail out on that side too. I do think his build-up stuff and general IQ has been top in this match (which it also hasn't been reliably this year)

This first half is one of Ø's best recent performances but it happens to be unfortunately complemented by everyone else's worst

Didn't manage to catch the game midweek but now giving it a rewatch: Insane but not surprising how everyone focused on the Ødegaard miss, rather than on the fact he's the only reason we didn't completely roll over in the first 20 minutes

Anyways!

We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over 💯😤🔥

Do you consider Ayden Heaven to be too woke of a CB or not woke enough

Pot Shot Tots #2: The King (Wilshere) Is Dead, Long Live The King (Tommy SETS) The Pot Shot Podcast · Episode

Also under severe pressure, he wobbles and loses that technical base (see vs LFC u21s). Do think he's got potential to rise alongside better teammates though, which has been lacking in u21s.

For a really good discussion, I'll plug Tots Ep2

open.spotify.com/episode/3qfI...

A shame to lose him but I'm lower on Heaven than most. Growing physicality but inconsistent with using his size, and despite his *elite* qualities IP, he was always such a risk OOP next to Saliba. Aerially pretty weak too.
Without that physicality, his pathway at AFC was always a doubt

We did another pod! We were happy about Arsenal (mostly)! We talked about transfers!

Use it to pass the time before having to watch another Emery game

After finding out my job start date was pushed to next week, Towells has mercilessly forced me to record a pod tomorrow.

So I got the S̶c̶o̶o̶b̶y̶ Thoobi Gang back together (cc @setpiecesicko.bsky.social @eulenberg.bsky.social) to do a bonus ep reviewing the Spurs game and discussing the transfer window…

Pretty happy with this ep, scuffed mic quality and all.

Think now I’m beyond the rage at opportunities missed, I’m trying to be a lot more understanding of how we missed them. Manas also bails us out of vibing our way through a tactics pod 🙏🏻

Do wonder how much of a premium we paid simply not to have him lock the title for City for a decade (and I say that as an out-and-out Rice lover)

Taking Aim: Declan Rice's Double-Pivot Partner Scouting for the best fit alongside our No. 41

My thoughts on Zubimendi for the @potshot.bsky.social Substack back in July.

If you can't tell, I adore him.

potshotpod.substack.com/i/146862505/...

Some selected stats to complement this excellent thread:
- Lowest itl for attacks centrally
- 2nd lowest itl for shot % outside of box
- Midtable for OutBox and PenArea shots despite 3rd itl for total goals (big 6yd/SP bias)
BONUS - lowest LHS shots itl
All from whoscored

(Why) Are we insistent on doing short interplays for LHS free-kicks at all ranges? Stuff like Øde in the first half mentally seems to happen a lot and for v little benefit compared to "just getting it in there".

please do my long overdue work for me xox

Even then I have some doubts about his actual defending. Hoping its a matter of gelling and getting some routine in his playing time, but right now it's a lot of half-arsed duels and fairly standard passing