I fancied goals today across the match, but it took a while to get them. Worth waiting for when they came though - both quality.
Here are my ratings:
Schmeichel: 6 - Struggled with his handling of the wet ball today, although his experience allowed him to adjust accordingly.
Ricardo: 8 - So comfortable technically. Unfortunate for him that there’s so much competition for the Portuguese right back slot.
Evans: 9 - Masterful in his reading of the game. Knew when to intercept, when to drop off, when to play offside and when to step forward with the ball and make the play. Lots of viable candidates today, but he’s my choice for our MOTM.
Soyuncu: 8 - Looks like some of Evans’ experience is rubbing off on him as his reading of the game is improving. Calm and not daunted by an opposing front line that could strike fear into a youngster.
Chilwell: 8 - Made some effective driving runs and also used judgement well to cut off some Arsenal counters.
Perez: 6 - Not bad, but lost possession too much in the first half, mostly through going down too easily under Arsenal challenges and sometimes just getting swamped. Improving generally though.
Tielemans: 8 - Has he been described as a Rolls Royce of a central midfielder yet? Well, he’s a Rolls Royce. Fantastic pass for Vardy’s goal and looked comfortable dictating the game against European opposition.
Ndidi: 7 - Interesting tactical point as Emery appeared to have set up to keep him quiet. With Ozil in a false 9, it seemed that his job was to occupy Ndidi and prevent him from influencing the other strikers. It was an interesting strategy and one that was effective at first, but didn’t last,
Maddison: 8 - Demonstrated some excellent control in tight positions that Perez needs to learn from. Also, I’ve been calling for him to do more first time in matches, so his finish was a particularly delightful development.
Barnes: 7 - Had an ineffectual first half, but got more involved in the second and managed to get involved opening up the Arsenal defence. To repeat myself over and over though, he needs to work on his defence and when to help out: He left Chilwell to deal with two men on 2 or 3 occasions.
Vardy: 8 - A massive threat with another quality, first-time finish. Also made 90% of the KP c**p ourselves when he went down awkwardly on landing from an aerial challenge.
Gray: 8 - Proving increasingly effective and putting in more consistent effort than we’ve ever seen from him previously. Dare I ask whether he’s turned a corner?
Praet: 8 - Just goes about all midfield duties really effectively. Unfortunate not to be in the starting 11 but provides great depth in that position.
As for Arsenal, I’ve mentioned earlier the funky formation with Ozil in a False 9, and what a day it is when a team like Arsenal come not to outplay us with possession football but to stifle us and counterattack, and we still break them down and win.
They gave us a decent game for about 60 minutes, but the phrase “glass jaw" comes to mind. The first goal stunned them, the second knocked them to the canvas and they didn’t get back up again.
Player ratings vs. Arsenal
posted on 10/11/19
How can anyone suggest that Dunge’s favours steady and conservative over maverick and inspirational? Ridiculous! His favourite player of all time is Andy King for goodness sake. A player who DM will agree has flair the club hasn’t quite outgrown.
I actually think Schmeichel did a good job today and that the ratings for the CBs are a tad generous - although they both had solid games. I actually thought N’didi had a slightly better game than Tielemans. He was often our driving force from midfield, but should really have scored.
It was one of those games when four or five different player could have got the MOtM. There wasn’t a 9 out of 10 anywhere, but plenty of 7 or 8s. I’d actually have given it to Vardy who so often stretched play with his selfless running and pressing - and got the first goal of course. Maybe an 8.5 for him and an 8 for Maddison.
posted on 10/11/19
When I started writing, I honestly expected to give the MOTM to either Maddison or Tielemans. Both were very strong in the middle of the park and both provided bits of quality for a goal. But rating Evans, I was reminded of just how well he went about his whole game today.
There were 4 or 5 candidates for the accolade that I wouldn’t argue with.
PS: I now accept that the club has outgrown Andy King.
The midfield 3 we have, plus Choudhury and Praet, are superb. I can’t see good reason to include a 6th choice centre mid in the 23.
posted on 10/11/19
I’m quite happy with your MOTM choice Dunge. Our back 4 had to play very well yesterday dealing with Arsenal’s fast breaks and talented front 3 with virtually no support.
Ndidi did well buy you are right to call out Barnes and Perez for their lack of tracking. There was one moment where we let Bellarin (I think it was him) stroll up to our box unchallenged to have a pop at goal.
As I said on another thread, we were lucky Arsenal were so poor today. If I looked at that I would be looking to exploit it.
When Praet came on he changed all that for me and we took total charge of the game and owned them. For me I’d consider playing him instead of Perez next game to see if we can maintain our forward play but protect the back 4 more.
I honestly can’t think who I’d give MOTM to. I’ll go Vardy simply because his goal was so crucial, and because Joby said it.
posted on 10/11/19
Nothing much to argue about with your ratings Dunge, certainly not the MoM for Evans who snuffed out a number of dangerous situations with his reading of the game.
Barnes needs some heading practice.
Praet - shows how far we've come when we have a player of his quality on the bench.
I'd give Ndidi an 8, absolute beast of a player. His tackling and determination created the opportunity for our second. There was also another incident where he made a tackle but didn't control the ball, saw the potential for a dangerous Arsenal break and charged forward to make another tackle and knock the ball into touch, in the process flattening Maddison who was in the way!
Slightly worried about saying this, but Gray looks as if he may have turned a corner, actually looking far more effective now as he's using his attributes to create opportunities - Brendan's influence again? Hopefully he will continue the improvement.
Vards - a real heart in mouth moment when he went down and stayed down. The relief around the stadium when he trotted back on to the pitch was palpable.
It's a great indication of how far we've come when a team like Arsenal set up to try and nullify our threats. I assume the three at the back was intended to give David Luiz some protection against Vardy.
They looked really dangerous going forward and could have had a couple of goals with better finishing/timing of runs. Also capable of errors at the back, which explains some of their results recently. I'm not sure how much more time Emery may have given the expectation levels - presumably top 4 as a minimum?
posted on 10/11/19
Can’t disagree with any of that Nuneaton. So I won’t.
posted on 10/11/19
Cags stats from yesterday
100% tackles
100% clearances
100% aeriel duels
93% passing
What a player.
posted on 10/11/19
Oh and 100% Cruyff turn leaving Lacazette chasing shadows 😂
posted on 10/11/19
comment by ArroinLestah (U22188)
posted 32 minutes ago
Oh and 100% Cruyff turn leaving Lacazette chasing shadows 😂
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Yes that was funny.
posted on 10/11/19
comment by ArroinLestah (U22188)
posted 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
Cags stats from yesterday
100% tackles
100% clearances
100% aeriel duels
93% passing
What a player.
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Crazy really, actually selling an £80m defender improves your defence!!
posted on 10/11/19
Thanks for your weekly ratings Dunge, I always look forward to it so I can gauge if other ‘like minded’ City fans saw the game the way that I did.
I went into this game expecting it to be a ‘banana skin’ for us (which tells us a lot, normally we are a banana skin for Arsenal).
When the teams were announced many of us were thinking that Emery had set up to nullify us and with them playing 2 up front I was nervous to say the least.
I have to applaud the club and both sets of supporters for the respectful way that they honoured the fallen of our country.
Obviously the conditions were not perfect for the players but maybe helped a brisk passing game.
I actually thought that Arsenal played well in the first half and shaded it.
Kasper had a couple of dodgy moments but I am willing to blame the conditions (including the shanked pass out of play that was 10 yards from a blue shirt)
What yesterday taught us all is patience, and boy was it worth it.
I thought the introduction of Gray was instrumental of increasing pace to run at the Arsenal tiring defenders.
We have all been frustrated by DG but I have to compliment him on his ‘David fairclough’ super sub appearances recently. Long may it continue.
Perez had a frustrating game, seemed to allow himself to get outfought for the ball too easily and too often for my liking.
I also have to say that Harvey (while young and still learning) did not offer enough for me. The very odd spark but he was not at his best.
I can’t disagree at all about Evans Dunge, I thought that he made the game look easy yesterday and that’s the sign of quality. Our defence is looking more solid than we can remember, which is funny as so many people warned us that Brendan wasn’t renown for implementing a defensive culture.
Maybe they were wrong.....
Anyway we go into the International Break in second after the Man City game this afternoon.
All is good in the world.
UTF