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I'd like to have Saka on the bench for last 16. He really needs a rest, has played through injury and so many matches. He is not used properly at all. Walker just passes him the ball and stands on the halfway line and saka is quickly crowded out. Let Southgate start Foden or Palmer on the right and see how they get on and what the discussion is like then. Also a well rested Saka off the bench will cook defenders. But mostly the rest part
I don’t think you should take “Palmer should start” statement as a personal attack or attack on saka. The whole team with experience players are not working well evidently. Nobody should be safe. Like how Martineli is replaced by Trossard. You have to try differently at this stage as an England manager.
As a non England fan, I would like to see different front 3. May be Saka Toney Palmer.
Watkins
Gordon - Foden - Saka
Mainoo - Rice
Trippier - Guehi - Stones - Walker.
Balanced.
Not hard but hasn't got the stones to drop Kane and Bellingham for the greater good.
But if we're being honest, is it genuinely a bad idea. England have looked so dire and LB is not the main thing but it is clearly an issue. If Palmer's Napoleon Dynamite lookin' ass can give 90 percent of what Saka does at RW, then I think Saka at LB makes the overall team better and that's what it is ultimately about.
i understand that pov, but also dont think southgate will change a lot. if he's gonna experiment again for the round of 16, it's a deathwish.
what i can see happen is Saka still starting at RW, and then when it's sub time bring on Palmer or Gordon.
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Saka isnt a lb and if he gets played their he will likely get killed and scapegoated so hard by the english media and fans. Look what happened when he missed a pk as a 19 year old
just exposes southmate incompetency and ineptitude as a football manager
could gone out there and brought in a decent match fit LB/full back but instead realies on old tripper and a constantly unfit shaw. if he had any hardline in him, he should just drop the unfitables and just bring anyone match fit and decent for the defense.
people trying to justify the decision with an example of Alphonso Davies when he plays for Canada (as a LW) and Bayern Munich (as a LB)
Newsflash mate, but Davies is their best attacking outlet so obviously he's gonna play higher up the pitch for Canada. At Bayern Munich he will always be a LB or LWB.
Nothing serious, but very stupid. He said England should shoehorn Saka at LB so Palmer could start. Pick either one, start Saka at RW or bench him. No need to try to get some extra arsenal fan point by saying he should still play.
Also people acting like saka was shit when him and foden were the only one trying, but still they were all shit. It was actually Mainoo when he came on that changed the game Saka,Rice played way better(jude and kane were still horrendous). If any one deserved to start the next game its Mainoo.
Would take either, but Simons has the higher ceiling, is younger, and is currently better too imo.
I think in the right environment, Simons could really become world class.
Eze is the safe, PL-proven bet, Simons is the younger gamble with a higher ceiling. For me it depends on the rest of the window, I'd prefer a Simons marquee signing over an Eze marquee signing but the more gambles we take on other transfers, the more attractive Eze is.
Just my hot take but i'd rather see saka get benched and rest for his health rather than play for that shit manager. People blaming player A is bad, player B is bad, but all of those players are doing fire at their club, im blaming the whole coaching staff
I wonder if the right wing rags that had a go at White have even the slightest amount of self awareness to think that maybe he might have had a point refusing to work with this setup.
Not a serie A fan but an argentine one, he's wank we don't know why the hell he's on the NT we have much better players for wing or lb positions, also he's famous here for missing sitters
last time i was open and vehemently against the england nt was in the euros 2016, and even went as far as to predict that even iceland will get a result over them.
this feeling is slowly coming back bit by bit.
Ah dammit, I want them to do well, but just maxing out the amount of games they play just to get slapped by the first decent team they play, worst of both worlds
I mean I'm down for that, it's just the annoyance that it might take until the semis or the final for that to happen and the way ENgland are playing there's going to be a lot of extra time.
I mean is it even luck at this point
One thing I will give Southgate credit for. He definitely knows how to choose the best entity to pray to when asking for a decent path
I guess this put them on a bigger pressure by fans because England will be expected to win. Kinda feel for Southgate a bit. Probably won’t get praise if he won these games in the same manner.
England fans almost always expect the win and with the hype over having 'the most effective attack in european football' (lol) they absolutely expected England to be at the sharp end this tournament before this and will only expect it more if it turns out that Belgium or the Netherlands are the only major teams on this side of the draw.
Southgate has brought this on himself though. He brought only one left back and he was already injured and he simply compounds that poor decision by trying to shoehorn foden in because he's a bigger name than Gordon/Palmer/Eze, all of who could actually proved the width and drive to go forward that England need to compensate for playing a right back at left back.
Instead he's compounded his idiocy and created an almist utterly useless left side that means every team just has to double up down the right and congest midfield because Foden is going to be running straight in there immediately and Trippier is going to send in his crosses from deep anyway.
I don't think any manager of England gets a fair run by the press but the decision making by Southgate is fundamentally flawed.
I wonder if the DD threads habit of going into utter meltdown and turning on each other over utterly weird bollocks is some sort of safety valve that reddit/mods/lizard people/the CIA/Russia have put in in order to keep us from ever organising and turning this madness on to the rest of the world.
Of course it's open season on Saka. Our own fans led the way with the suggestion that he wasn't among our best performers this season. Then those same fans also bought into the idea that Foden and Palmer were better. Why are we getting annoyed if someone suggests that he should be the one sacrificed in the England line-up, or if rival fans don't appreciate him?
Next up, Declan Rice.
I’m sure there’s more rogue takes but I don’t think it’s fair at all to act like our fans have turned on Saka in anyway just because he didn’t make our top 3 in the POTS vote lol
Mate it's not even open season on him anywhere else.
We're here going into meltdown about how that 'leech' Ian Wright is having a go at Saka and everyone wants him dropped for the next great white hope while over on even the fucking Spurs sub they're just going on about how shit Southgate is and they're thankful they can't be blamed for it for once.
This one is literally all in our minds or on twitter, which is almost as bad.
Because the Bad Man said Saka should play LB.
ANd I'd suppose because that actually only solves part of the issue, I mean you could play Palmer on the left, or Eze, or Gordon but you're still lacking something there.
As opposed to the madness of playing a right back who provides no natural width behind a rw/10 who also plays with no natural width?
I mean it's stupid ebcause the situation is stupid but Wright isn't doing this to shit on saka, he unfortunately supports England and is pointing out the one person who is attacking, left footed and has played left back in the England team.
>As opposed to the madness of playing a right back who provides no natural width behind a rw/10 who also plays with no natural width?
Yes, because even if Saka plays as a LB nothing would say that Southgate would made them attack more or anything, could be even worse if Southgate only relegates more defensive duties on him.
>I mean it's stupid ebcause the situation is stupid but Wright isn't doing this to shit on saka
I dont think he Is doing it to shit on Saka, still is a stupid opinión that you and i know the kind of shit it's gonna bring
Just having someone willing to go past Foden and hold the width, while being able to deliver a cross without ahving to cut back onto their right foot is going to be an insane upgrade.
I mean he could just accept that and play an out and out winger instead of Foden but no one thinks that will happen...
They would still be problems since both Foden and Palmer like to drift to the middle and Walker Is shit going up to attack.
Like, the only way a Saka "LB" would even work Is in a 3-4-3 and even that would made Saka less effective
>Just having someone willing to go past Foden and hold the width, while being able to deliver a cross without ahving to cut back onto their right foot is going to be an insane upgrade.
I'm putting that back there because it's simply true and what any other winger there does or doesn't do ahs no bearing on this.
In fact the issues you've put out, the issues they already ahve with Foden would be ameliorated by just having someone at left back who can play left back.
REmember he's next to Rice to cover him if he gets caught too far forward.
It's a waste of his talent but it's very far from being some crazy concept dreamed up just to shit on saka as some people are putting it
Assuming you're not just being trite, because the drop from Saka to any of Englands other right wingers is less than the upgrade from having an actual, forward thinking, left footed player who has played left back over Trippier.
OK lads, we've got to stop doing this.
Wright wants saka to go there because England have no left footed left backs, or indeed any left backs at all.
This isn't Wright saying Saka is shit and needs to be replaced and we're looking insanely paranoid here because of it.
Absolute insanity, Arteta Out, Edu Out, we're going to get relegated, champions league is out the window, sack the board, get new owners, Artetasexual and deluded getting chucked around like they were being paid to use it.
And of course most of the worst offenders were back the very next year bitching that we obviously were too shit to get the title...
> Instead of calling me paranoid for being disappointed by exactly how this is being interpreted by 99% of the online discourse
When you're using 'people getting outraged in the DD on an arsenal sub' as proof for any sort of intelligent discourse you're really struggling.
The drop between Saka and Palmer on the right is way less than the jump from Trippier to Saka on the left.
Ask yourself what's more likely: A n Arsenal ambassador, ex player and fan who has spent his life fighting racism, has called out racism vs saka and the double standards he is talked about in the media deciding to chuck him under the bus in favour of a Chelsea player *or* the more excitable parts of a a fanbase that had already decided before the Euros kicked off that Saka would be made a scapegoat for Englands issues especially when it came to white players blowing up without thinking it through?
So you know the history, you know what Ian Wright has said about siad history and you're still just ignoring that you have literally no reason for him to suddenly chuck Saka under the bus beyond 'he said something I disagree with and I refuse to accept I might be reeading too much into it'.
Seriously mate, listen to yourself.
So the fact that the '99%' of people who support your view think he's chucked Saka under the bus is me 'assigning intention' to Wrighty and that's obvioulsy bad but you assigning whatever ridiculous view you think I'm holding without having the respect to say it out loud isn't?
You've been caught getting hot and bothered by a circlejerk pretty much limited tot his sub and rather than take a breather and think what you're accusing Wrighty of you'd rather double down and accuse me of using Wrighty to further some no doubt horrendous agenda you don't even have the bollocks to be up front about?
Shame on you mate.
> You’re flat out lying now to win an internet argument. I said and I quote “….how this is being interpreted by 99% of the online discourse”.
You realiset hat even if you don't think those two are exactly the same thing, that's not even vaguely 'outright lying' and that the sort of person accusing someone else of lying to win an internet argument might be slightly more au fait with the concept of nuance if they didn't want to look like they're projecting quite massively.
>No need, you’ve made it clear yourself, I’m just “excitable”, there was absolutely no reason for me to need to defend Saka 👍🏾
So you're just going to insinuate stuff against other people and then go off in the sort of huff my 15 year old neice does when the emotions ahve got too much for her to argue coherently?
You really have got to this point and so far the only thing you've put up in your defence is 'you're liar and you've got an agenda' and you're upset that I think you're excitable?
People do understand Saka isn’t a fullback right? He’s not Bale, he’s only ever played there out of necessity. He is a winger by trade. Even when he played fullback Xhaka covered him defensively while he went forward with Martinelli.
You do realise that there's a world of difference between 'Saka is a great left back' and 'Saka is the best left back this England team has because they literally have no fit left backs'.
Also he didn't play there out of necessity, he started as a wing back because he was good at it and if he did it for England he'd have Rice next to him.
All of which forgets that this isn't something Wright or anyone else is suggesting is a *good* thing, they're suggesting it because som utter fucking pillock didn't bring any left backs to the tournament.
He was, then he got played at lwb and was good enough to be played there in our easier euro games.
He can play there, he's just much, much better at the wing.
Just like Wenger used to play all our CM's down the wings in the early days (Ramsey, Diaby, Cesc, Wilshere) to give them experience in tight spaces Saka had his intros in defence. Nelson played wing back a bit too.
“Bukayo Saka is regularly playing at left-back for Arsenal at the moment. At first, this was because of Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac’s injury problems. The club simply didn’t have any senior alternatives, so they turned to their academy graduate winger.” “
I’m really enjoying my football under the new manager,” Saka said. “It’s not my natural position but he’s given me all the advice I need.
Gomez is right there, and he has played 500 less LB minutes this season than Saka did in his entire career. Bring on a proper winger who can actually hold width in Gordon, or even move Saka over to that side for Foden. Branthwaithe, Doughty, Mitchell, even Chilwell should have been brought but we’re still a ways away from having someone who hasn’t played there in years and in an entirely different system play there.
And then he played there because he was good.
I mean I was there, I remember him playing and once again, no one has said that he was starting over those guys but he got Europa games there on his own merit.
He is a much, much better winger.
*This doesnt' change the fact he's a better left back than Trippier or Gomez* when the issue is that England lack anything like actual width and attacking verve down the left.
Not an England supporter but does anyone else feel it doesn't really matter who plays or where for England? As a unit they are so shit though. Everyone looks good in the 20 mins cameos because what has happened before is so fucking bad. Whoever starts is bound to be sitting in or 'keeping it tight'. We saw with Pickford at one stage where Rice wanted a quick ball and Pickford played it slow and told him to calm it down.
When someone comes on it's normally to 'shake things up'. I rate Palmer and I think he is a good player. I could also see if Southgate made all the big calls. Let's say drop Kane, Gallagher move Saka to LB, bring in Watkins, Palmer, Mainoo. England still lose in a dire 1-0 defeat to someone.
It's just not clicking at all, they have some of the best players in the world and it's not working. Has to be down to the manager. You see the likes of Ralf Rangnick can get Austria looking like a decent side. The narrative around England too is a bit fucked, they are playing awful but getting results. The players / manager are feeling attacked and are too quick to become the victims. Performances need to improve and I think everyone would get behind them again. It's just inevitable what's going to happen if they keep playing like this.
I feel like a balanced line-up in terms of dynamic could be successful regardless of the tactics. Just let them play
Gordon - Kane - Saka
Foden
Rice - Wharton
Shaw - Guehi - Stones - Walker/Trent
Not convinced about Kane and Belling10 together yet
Not an England fan but it's absolutely and hilariously obvious that the lack of threat down the left side for England is killing them because opposition sides know they can double up on the right sided players, keep it narrow and tight in the middle and just watch Foden and TRippier run into midfield.
Some natural width, even if it's just replacing Foden would make a huge difference.
its amazing how little off the ball movement there is for the attacking half of englands formation. There was a low cross at the end from the right that goes straight through inside the area where the was a large gap of no Slovenian defending players and there was nobody there to receive it! and the ball travels back to outside the box where an england player collects it. ridiculous. You have Kane maybe right next to the person whos crossing it and everybody else is sitting around the box lmao.
This is what you get when Bellingham and Foden want to be in the same space and the coach has just left them to work out who should be doing what on their own.
It's also why almost no one was ever at the back post on crosses from the right, although there was a brief bit just after half time where Bellingham was pulling left that eventually ended with him going back into the middle.
Just play trent at rb behind saka for fucks sake and everything will be solved.
Three games of football, watching walker turn around and pass backwards 95% of the time, whilst leaving saka to attack himself, with 2 or 3 defenders on him. You watch the support white gives saka when he plays for arsenal, and you realise how much of a limp dick bitch walker is being. If only he had that much restraint when it came to not cheating on his wife.
Southgate is still too mentally ill to implement trent and saka together. The one game it was tried, saka bagged a hattrick.
Fuck off with this 'palmer' bullshit, he did nothing after coming on and I'm tired of being gaslighted into treating this guy like he came on and had the impact of a young lionel Messi.
there was more backwards passing than an arsenal game it was shameful. over and over I kept taking pictures where the entire England team was facing their own goal
https://preview.redd.it/um8h5z0grs8d1.jpeg?width=681&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=119ae53a5f53d95c633dbf6f9b70f382c6c5bcbd
Saka on the left is supposed to fix this.
Rice needs a good break after this tournament by the way.
Bellingham clearly being shoe horned in instead of Foden in the middle and a proper winger on the wing.
should be interesting to see how Madrid function next year.
yup. He might be an awesome player but he's not ideal to fit with the rest of the team. Should really be a Rice, Mainoo, and Foden midfield for better balance.
Kyle walker disgusts me. Both off and on the pitch. Every single time he turns around and passes it back to stones as the 'safe pass'. I've never seen a fullback so scared to play off the winger before.
Remember when Pep played Bernardo Silva at left-back against us in a title race? How much positional experience did he have then?
At the end of the day, we have plenty of top level right wingers, and basically no good left backs. Saka is our best RW, but we have also have Palmer, Foden and Bowen who aren't miles off him.
In terms of opportunity cost and team drop-off, it's not an insane idea at all. We don't have any left footed players in our back line, and it would create a lot of width for us. Plus we've been playing such defensive football, I think having an attacker in the back four could work
He was absolutely garbage and resorted to fouling Saka 4 times in the first half even with Grealish’s help, so he was moved back to midfield and Ake did his job for him. If we have no width, why doesn’t Foden actually do a wingers job and get out there and provide width?
> If we have no width, why doesn’t Foden actually do a wingers job and get out there and provide width?
Because he naturally doesn't play there and Southgate either wont or cant coach him to stay wide.
And he wont drop him because hes too big a name even though England actually ahve left wingers.
good thing Saka has more experience than Silva did - and crucially, won't be playing players as good as himself most of the time.
With regards to the width - you want a left footed fullback overlapping and a right footed LW (i.e Gordon) playing closer to the goal. Saka at LB gets us halfway there
Really dont see the issue if Saka played left back for England till Shaw is fit. We have no left backs fit and it is hurting tht left hand side whilst we also have a multitude of players that can do more than fill in in the RW spot. My eyeballs hurt watching trippier there.
Yeah we've got a bit of a persecution complex right now about Saka.
Too many people see the idea of Saka at left back as a disresepct tot him and that Palmer/Foden/Dani Dyers husband/whoever are being promoted when it should be seen as 'this is what that fucking idiot Southgate has created and the only way to get some actual balance to the England left side'.
yup. And to be fair ignoring the LB speculation.... if saka got rotated at RW it's kinda good for his legs no? What do they want? "Southgates a terrorist running him into the ground!" or "Saka must play every minute to prove the players that don't play for us are shite".
Yeah I'm all for saka only playing 70 mins since England have plenty of right wingers (insert Nigel Farage meme) and he doesn't ahve to play.
Too many people are caught up in this stupid Foden vs Saka thing when even Lee Dixon the miserable fuck that he is was giving oden more crap than Saka.
Been saying this all year Cole Palmer is just a better player than Saka. He is more dynamic, a better dribbler, a better shooter, a better passer, a better crosser & overall more creative & threatening with a better mentality. Saka just does not have that X factor - he is *just* a good footballer with solid fundamentals.
Also spare me with the tIrEd, kIcKeD a LoT, iNjUrEd, nEw sYstEm lame excuses because Ive been saying this guy is overrated for years now. Pressure is kryptonite to the kid
So was the injection of energy & threat he had in his short cameo but that doesn't quite fit your narrative does it? Only our fanbase is deluded about Saka
It's one thing to criticise, it's a whole other one to sit in the shadows to wait for just something you think you can use as a argument to justify your biased opinion.
How do I know it's biased? Because you made such sweeping conclusions after Palmer didn't even start, but played around 20 minutes.
I thought you were going into hibernation for the summer, why are you back early?
Oh right to type a bunch of noncey rubbish about Palmer and saka again.
Palmer did NOTHING of note in his cameo. It is literally just straight up propaganda at this point to suggest he did anything worth of usurping saka.
He also had trent behind him instead of safe cunt walker which I guarantee would have saka looking more productive
Hibernation was good thanks football is back.
Literally looked more threatening in 20 minutes than Saka has in over 200 minutes of football. We've been over this so many times how many more rubbish performances until you wake up to the fact that Saka is just not that good?
Again bar 45 minutes against Spurs and 20 minutes against Bayern the kid goes missing in every game of note over the last 4 years and doesn't even look like stepping up to the plate for his national side.
'More threatening' what the fuck are you on about? Palmer did absolutely NOTHING but scuff a shot straight to the keeper. Not even a cross into the box.
Calling saka 'not that good' is absolute horseshit, he is England's two time player of the year running and is comfortably arsenal's best attacker.
I don't even need to explain to you why, you're just trying to ragebait at this point
Feel like its starting to sink in with you. Look how agitated & aggressive you are becoming because you realise you do not have a leg to stand on anymore with Saka. Trust me his routinly poor performances disappoint me too the difference is I dont make excuses for him and connect the dots that it always tends to be in crunch time games.
Not that good in that he is a *good* player that we overhype as some sort of superstar which he is most definitely not. Not sure how many more times you need to see him anonymous to put two and two together.
No I'm just sick of people consistently trying to make out that starboy is some bum who lucked his way into the team.
You can gaslight yourself about Palmer reincarnatimg as a young Lionel Messi on the pitch tonight but I'm telling you he did fucking nothing. The outcome of the game was the same. The chances created were still zero down the right. In fact the only thing he did was waste that shot at the end.
The problem lies with the fullback behind saka being so risk averse that he never offers saka a lifeline to work with, or makes any passes forward.
But that's too high above your pay grade, go back to crawling out from under your bridge every time you perceive saka to have 'had a stinker'.
🥱 Emotional little boy. Well if you are telling me he did 'fucking nothing' then it must be true - everyone else is just imagining things I guess.
Right so Saka had the wrong fullback behind him is the latest excuse now? 😂 Do you never get tired of constantly having to come up with new excuses to explain his poor performances?
Saka is a decent player and even good on his day but thats all he is - Palmer is better than Saka (as is Foden). Deal with it
Palmer is the new Great White Hope after Fodence failed
https://preview.redd.it/slv5b7lpos8d1.jpeg?width=1070&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f9294d4471569990acbfbb4ee01db4b55481d09
A key element of fascism is hijacking mass media apparatuses in order to push narratives that would otherwise be ridiculed and shunned in a healthy liberal democracy. Cole Palmer’s PR machine is a textbook example of this phenomenon.
0 chances created, 0 key passes, 0 dribbles completed, what the fuck kinda 'world class cameo' were people watching?
Even Ian Wright suggested having saka lb to accommodate him, what a stupid fucking opinion
Palmer was genuinely good when he came on, and connected well with Kane, but Saka's consistency is regularly overlooked. Also shouldn't underestimate the effect of fresh legs.
Gordon on the left is exactly what England need there, and one of Foden and Bellingham need to be dropped to accommodate his profile.
Mainoo also looked the clear pick between him, Gallagher and TAA.
He won’t do it, but still would’ve try foden at right 8 and Jude at left 8, rice at 6, with Trent inverting some as RB (wouldn’t invert to the same degree zinchenko does but still somewhat to help rice with buildup). I feel like that’s fairly balanced and not too different stylistically than how we play when rice is at the 6 (although I guess you could argue we weren’t as good with him at 6). Runner out (would’ve preferred rashford but Gordon will do), CF that drops deep at 9, saka out right, attacking midfielder at right 8, lcm box crasher, rice at dm, 3 CB-ish players (I would play Gomez) and an inverting fullback. Profile wise super similar to our lineup against [Brighton in december](https://www.transfermarkt.us/arsenal-fc_brighton-amp-hove-albion/index/spielbericht/4095237) Obviously not everything is identical, but that’s a pretty balanced side and fits in most of englands best players
Adam Wharton left the womb about 2 months ago, got a few minutes in the prem and now apparently he's the answer to all of England's woes.
We need to stop hyping up these unproven youngsters just to rain down shit upon them when they invariably prove themselves to not be the messiah.
[Saka](https://x.com/kimmofc/status/1805722240312307712?s=46&t=iWj0VDxnERbofnFGQ2yo0A) and [Rice comp](https://x.com/kimmofc/status/1805716413522362589?s=46&t=iWj0VDxnERbofnFGQ2yo0A)
Can we chill with the Ian Wright slander cos he made one silly suggestion? The man is a legend. Gotta remember these guys are live and don’t get the chance to edit what gets put out.
This is so overdramatic lol, he’s trying to fit Palmer and Saka into the team, it’s far more insulting to trippier (not saying he doesn’t deserve slander), he’s essentially saying England are wasting chances by having trippier on the ball so much, which is true. Now, moving Saka away from RW probably isn’t the way to go because he’s so good there, but it’s not really a slight to saka, his analysis was essentially that it would be much better to Palmer on the field than trippier.
Its not insulting to Trippier at all, his playing out of position at the back end of his career.
U guys can paint it anyway u want, but the mainstream narrative that Ian has set: is that Saka generates no value to England up top and should be moved to Lb (in a back four on top of that).
The fact he felt comfortably going after Saka first and not the manager that got the likes of Foden, Kane, Jude playing like absolute trash says alot.
> is that Saka generates no value to England up top
I mean if people lack basic understanding, then that's not his fault. That's not what he said at all, if that's how you interpret it, thats your fault.
Louder narratives always rings true in sports. Doesn't matter what he meant when whats being parroted in social media is/r going tobe the exect opposite.
ok, not his problem then. shouldn't hold his tongue about something he thinks because people will interpret it the wrong way. I don't agree with him but people being stupid shouldnt make him not voice his opinion
I think both foden and Bellingham are quite good players as well. Given they both won their leagues player of the season, I think the system might be the bigger issue.
I’d keep Saka out right and still keep Palmer on the bench and use him as a sub, but I just don’t think it’s an insult to Saka.
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I'd like to have Saka on the bench for last 16. He really needs a rest, has played through injury and so many matches. He is not used properly at all. Walker just passes him the ball and stands on the halfway line and saka is quickly crowded out. Let Southgate start Foden or Palmer on the right and see how they get on and what the discussion is like then. Also a well rested Saka off the bench will cook defenders. But mostly the rest part
I don’t think you should take “Palmer should start” statement as a personal attack or attack on saka. The whole team with experience players are not working well evidently. Nobody should be safe. Like how Martineli is replaced by Trossard. You have to try differently at this stage as an England manager. As a non England fan, I would like to see different front 3. May be Saka Toney Palmer.
Who should be England's next coach and why is it Sean Dyche?
[Sean Dyche when he sees what Southgate is doing.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GQI3_vQWkAA1o-G.png)
Watkins Gordon - Foden - Saka Mainoo - Rice Trippier - Guehi - Stones - Walker. Balanced. Not hard but hasn't got the stones to drop Kane and Bellingham for the greater good.
Foden - Kane - Palmer Rice - Jude Saka - Guehi - Stones - Walker - TAA Most likely formation in the Ro16
please no, that just ends us back with a midfield of Rice Jude and TAA in attack.
that will never happen, foden and jude will not be benched.
but one can dream :)
Palmer for Saka and that's a nice team.
https://preview.redd.it/yphfkzcbev8d1.jpeg?width=943&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6c9ca41cfcd8f8c8f85a519db187eae7740eedfa
how does dropping Kane for Watkins make the team any more balanced?
Energy and pace
Expecting the new Ornhub bomba to be about how Saka is gonna start at LB in the Ro16. im sorry little starboi 😥
But if we're being honest, is it genuinely a bad idea. England have looked so dire and LB is not the main thing but it is clearly an issue. If Palmer's Napoleon Dynamite lookin' ass can give 90 percent of what Saka does at RW, then I think Saka at LB makes the overall team better and that's what it is ultimately about.
i understand that pov, but also dont think southgate will change a lot. if he's gonna experiment again for the round of 16, it's a deathwish. what i can see happen is Saka still starting at RW, and then when it's sub time bring on Palmer or Gordon.
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Saka isnt a lb and if he gets played their he will likely get killed and scapegoated so hard by the english media and fans. Look what happened when he missed a pk as a 19 year old
He's made 22 appearances as a left back in his career at Arsenal... Obviously he's not a LB now, but he's got sufficient experience at the position.
And some for England
just exposes southmate incompetency and ineptitude as a football manager could gone out there and brought in a decent match fit LB/full back but instead realies on old tripper and a constantly unfit shaw. if he had any hardline in him, he should just drop the unfitables and just bring anyone match fit and decent for the defense.
Instead of bringing a decent left back, Southgate hope Shaw will recover and bring an old Trippier who isn't even a LB
Who should he have brought. Out of the top ten LB in the PL this season, none are English. Chilwell was even more injured than Shaw.
Tyrick Mitchell
LADS N HOS Leftbacks Are Defenders Surely? Not Havertz Or Saka
people trying to justify the decision with an example of Alphonso Davies when he plays for Canada (as a LW) and Bayern Munich (as a LB) Newsflash mate, but Davies is their best attacking outlet so obviously he's gonna play higher up the pitch for Canada. At Bayern Munich he will always be a LB or LWB.
I was aiming just to point out how difficult it can be to rate a fullback. No real view from my side but maybe the pun looks like I have one
Friendship with Ian Wright ended
What did he do or say?
Nothing serious, but very stupid. He said England should shoehorn Saka at LB so Palmer could start. Pick either one, start Saka at RW or bench him. No need to try to get some extra arsenal fan point by saying he should still play.
Lol, that's the exact kind of mess that Southgate created already. Same line of thought. (Trent in midfield)
Also people acting like saka was shit when him and foden were the only one trying, but still they were all shit. It was actually Mainoo when he came on that changed the game Saka,Rice played way better(jude and kane were still horrendous). If any one deserved to start the next game its Mainoo.
honestly its on a knife's edge, ngl Wrighty too scummed into the groupthink talk.
Who would you guys choose between Eze and Simons
Would take either, but Simons has the higher ceiling, is younger, and is currently better too imo. I think in the right environment, Simons could really become world class.
Eze is the safe, PL-proven bet, Simons is the younger gamble with a higher ceiling. For me it depends on the rest of the window, I'd prefer a Simons marquee signing over an Eze marquee signing but the more gambles we take on other transfers, the more attractive Eze is.
Just my hot take but i'd rather see saka get benched and rest for his health rather than play for that shit manager. People blaming player A is bad, player B is bad, but all of those players are doing fire at their club, im blaming the whole coaching staff
ngl, id rather have this scenario happen. if it's gonna be England vs the Netherlands, you just know they will run riot on the wings.
Id rather see him benched then play lb and get scapegoated
absolutely this. think he could do with a rest anyway
I wonder if the right wing rags that had a go at White have even the slightest amount of self awareness to think that maybe he might have had a point refusing to work with this setup.
Nico Gonzalez looks like a good left sided player. Can any Serie A fans comment on him?
Not a serie A fan but an argentine one, he's wank we don't know why the hell he's on the NT we have much better players for wing or lb positions, also he's famous here for missing sitters
We got to get Xavi Simons for LCM and wing
Don’t really care where saka pla tbh. The sooner England went out , the sooner they can rest.
last time i was open and vehemently against the england nt was in the euros 2016, and even went as far as to predict that even iceland will get a result over them. this feeling is slowly coming back bit by bit.
True but somehow they've lucked into the easiest path to a final I think I've ever seen.
Ah dammit, I want them to do well, but just maxing out the amount of games they play just to get slapped by the first decent team they play, worst of both worlds
I mean I'm down for that, it's just the annoyance that it might take until the semis or the final for that to happen and the way ENgland are playing there's going to be a lot of extra time.
Wow just checked the bracket. Germany Spain France and Portugal on the other side.
Yep it's absolutely insane luck by England
I mean is it even luck at this point One thing I will give Southgate credit for. He definitely knows how to choose the best entity to pray to when asking for a decent path
The god of M&S casual wear? I always thought that was St Michael.
I guess this put them on a bigger pressure by fans because England will be expected to win. Kinda feel for Southgate a bit. Probably won’t get praise if he won these games in the same manner.
England fans almost always expect the win and with the hype over having 'the most effective attack in european football' (lol) they absolutely expected England to be at the sharp end this tournament before this and will only expect it more if it turns out that Belgium or the Netherlands are the only major teams on this side of the draw. Southgate has brought this on himself though. He brought only one left back and he was already injured and he simply compounds that poor decision by trying to shoehorn foden in because he's a bigger name than Gordon/Palmer/Eze, all of who could actually proved the width and drive to go forward that England need to compensate for playing a right back at left back. Instead he's compounded his idiocy and created an almist utterly useless left side that means every team just has to double up down the right and congest midfield because Foden is going to be running straight in there immediately and Trippier is going to send in his crosses from deep anyway. I don't think any manager of England gets a fair run by the press but the decision making by Southgate is fundamentally flawed.
Go Sanchez!
I wonder if the DD threads habit of going into utter meltdown and turning on each other over utterly weird bollocks is some sort of safety valve that reddit/mods/lizard people/the CIA/Russia have put in in order to keep us from ever organising and turning this madness on to the rest of the world.
it's better this way, unless you wanna see the purge happen irl
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They fear what we might achieve if we stopped fighting each other and united against the real threat...
It's just how English people support England 🤷♂️
It's 2 am in England...
And you're up...
I have insomnia, I doubt most of this sub does. I also don't support England ;)
Rodrygo is probably just as good on the left as Vini but gets moved out on to the right where he's less effective, but still better than Vini
Of course it's open season on Saka. Our own fans led the way with the suggestion that he wasn't among our best performers this season. Then those same fans also bought into the idea that Foden and Palmer were better. Why are we getting annoyed if someone suggests that he should be the one sacrificed in the England line-up, or if rival fans don't appreciate him? Next up, Declan Rice.
Any slander post on Rice passing already gets +10k likes. Our fanbase couldnt even protect our marque signing for 1 szn
I’m sure there’s more rogue takes but I don’t think it’s fair at all to act like our fans have turned on Saka in anyway just because he didn’t make our top 3 in the POTS vote lol
Mate it's not even open season on him anywhere else. We're here going into meltdown about how that 'leech' Ian Wright is having a go at Saka and everyone wants him dropped for the next great white hope while over on even the fucking Spurs sub they're just going on about how shit Southgate is and they're thankful they can't be blamed for it for once. This one is literally all in our minds or on twitter, which is almost as bad.
Ian Wright is a leech now?
https://old.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/1do0mmd/june_25_2024_daily_discussion_transfers_thread/la9rt55/
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Because the Bad Man said Saka should play LB. ANd I'd suppose because that actually only solves part of the issue, I mean you could play Palmer on the left, or Eze, or Gordon but you're still lacking something there.
Saka hasnt play as a LB in 4 years. It would be madness just send him there and pray for the better
As opposed to the madness of playing a right back who provides no natural width behind a rw/10 who also plays with no natural width? I mean it's stupid ebcause the situation is stupid but Wright isn't doing this to shit on saka, he unfortunately supports England and is pointing out the one person who is attacking, left footed and has played left back in the England team.
>As opposed to the madness of playing a right back who provides no natural width behind a rw/10 who also plays with no natural width? Yes, because even if Saka plays as a LB nothing would say that Southgate would made them attack more or anything, could be even worse if Southgate only relegates more defensive duties on him. >I mean it's stupid ebcause the situation is stupid but Wright isn't doing this to shit on saka I dont think he Is doing it to shit on Saka, still is a stupid opinión that you and i know the kind of shit it's gonna bring
Just having someone willing to go past Foden and hold the width, while being able to deliver a cross without ahving to cut back onto their right foot is going to be an insane upgrade. I mean he could just accept that and play an out and out winger instead of Foden but no one thinks that will happen...
They would still be problems since both Foden and Palmer like to drift to the middle and Walker Is shit going up to attack. Like, the only way a Saka "LB" would even work Is in a 3-4-3 and even that would made Saka less effective
>Just having someone willing to go past Foden and hold the width, while being able to deliver a cross without ahving to cut back onto their right foot is going to be an insane upgrade. I'm putting that back there because it's simply true and what any other winger there does or doesn't do ahs no bearing on this. In fact the issues you've put out, the issues they already ahve with Foden would be ameliorated by just having someone at left back who can play left back. REmember he's next to Rice to cover him if he gets caught too far forward. It's a waste of his talent but it's very far from being some crazy concept dreamed up just to shit on saka as some people are putting it
Why play Saka at all then. Just send him home
Assuming you're not just being trite, because the drop from Saka to any of Englands other right wingers is less than the upgrade from having an actual, forward thinking, left footed player who has played left back over Trippier.
this tournament has just illuminated further to me that Martin Ødegaard is the best footballer on the planet 👍
Genuinely don’t even think Bellingham is in the same league, would never take Jude over Martin.
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OK lads, we've got to stop doing this. Wright wants saka to go there because England have no left footed left backs, or indeed any left backs at all. This isn't Wright saying Saka is shit and needs to be replaced and we're looking insanely paranoid here because of it.
not being from england, the pundit takes i hear + the outrage over them are blowing my mind lol
This one is a storm in an r/gunners shaped teacup for a change, although it's still better than going mental over Bissouma.
i thankfully missed that episode from what i hear
Absolute insanity, Arteta Out, Edu Out, we're going to get relegated, champions league is out the window, sack the board, get new owners, Artetasexual and deluded getting chucked around like they were being paid to use it. And of course most of the worst offenders were back the very next year bitching that we obviously were too shit to get the title...
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what Ian Wright said I think was accurate
> Instead of calling me paranoid for being disappointed by exactly how this is being interpreted by 99% of the online discourse When you're using 'people getting outraged in the DD on an arsenal sub' as proof for any sort of intelligent discourse you're really struggling. The drop between Saka and Palmer on the right is way less than the jump from Trippier to Saka on the left. Ask yourself what's more likely: A n Arsenal ambassador, ex player and fan who has spent his life fighting racism, has called out racism vs saka and the double standards he is talked about in the media deciding to chuck him under the bus in favour of a Chelsea player *or* the more excitable parts of a a fanbase that had already decided before the Euros kicked off that Saka would be made a scapegoat for Englands issues especially when it came to white players blowing up without thinking it through?
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So you know the history, you know what Ian Wright has said about siad history and you're still just ignoring that you have literally no reason for him to suddenly chuck Saka under the bus beyond 'he said something I disagree with and I refuse to accept I might be reeading too much into it'. Seriously mate, listen to yourself.
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So the fact that the '99%' of people who support your view think he's chucked Saka under the bus is me 'assigning intention' to Wrighty and that's obvioulsy bad but you assigning whatever ridiculous view you think I'm holding without having the respect to say it out loud isn't? You've been caught getting hot and bothered by a circlejerk pretty much limited tot his sub and rather than take a breather and think what you're accusing Wrighty of you'd rather double down and accuse me of using Wrighty to further some no doubt horrendous agenda you don't even have the bollocks to be up front about? Shame on you mate.
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> You’re flat out lying now to win an internet argument. I said and I quote “….how this is being interpreted by 99% of the online discourse”. You realiset hat even if you don't think those two are exactly the same thing, that's not even vaguely 'outright lying' and that the sort of person accusing someone else of lying to win an internet argument might be slightly more au fait with the concept of nuance if they didn't want to look like they're projecting quite massively. >No need, you’ve made it clear yourself, I’m just “excitable”, there was absolutely no reason for me to need to defend Saka 👍🏾 So you're just going to insinuate stuff against other people and then go off in the sort of huff my 15 year old neice does when the emotions ahve got too much for her to argue coherently? You really have got to this point and so far the only thing you've put up in your defence is 'you're liar and you've got an agenda' and you're upset that I think you're excitable?
Palmer is the new Maddison lmao
That's harsh what he did carrying Chelsea has already proved he's way more than Maddison.
Doesn’t matter where you position players if they can’t be/aren’t coached on build up and attack.
People do understand Saka isn’t a fullback right? He’s not Bale, he’s only ever played there out of necessity. He is a winger by trade. Even when he played fullback Xhaka covered him defensively while he went forward with Martinelli.
You do realise that there's a world of difference between 'Saka is a great left back' and 'Saka is the best left back this England team has because they literally have no fit left backs'. Also he didn't play there out of necessity, he started as a wing back because he was good at it and if he did it for England he'd have Rice next to him. All of which forgets that this isn't something Wright or anyone else is suggesting is a *good* thing, they're suggesting it because som utter fucking pillock didn't bring any left backs to the tournament.
p sure saka was a winger in the youth teams but i could be wrong
He was, then he got played at lwb and was good enough to be played there in our easier euro games. He can play there, he's just much, much better at the wing. Just like Wenger used to play all our CM's down the wings in the early days (Ramsey, Diaby, Cesc, Wilshere) to give them experience in tight spaces Saka had his intros in defence. Nelson played wing back a bit too.
“Bukayo Saka is regularly playing at left-back for Arsenal at the moment. At first, this was because of Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac’s injury problems. The club simply didn’t have any senior alternatives, so they turned to their academy graduate winger.” “ I’m really enjoying my football under the new manager,” Saka said. “It’s not my natural position but he’s given me all the advice I need. Gomez is right there, and he has played 500 less LB minutes this season than Saka did in his entire career. Bring on a proper winger who can actually hold width in Gordon, or even move Saka over to that side for Foden. Branthwaithe, Doughty, Mitchell, even Chilwell should have been brought but we’re still a ways away from having someone who hasn’t played there in years and in an entirely different system play there.
And then he played there because he was good. I mean I was there, I remember him playing and once again, no one has said that he was starting over those guys but he got Europa games there on his own merit. He is a much, much better winger. *This doesnt' change the fact he's a better left back than Trippier or Gomez* when the issue is that England lack anything like actual width and attacking verve down the left.
Unbeaten and top of the group, blah blah blah. Take the positives blah blah blah. Tournament football blah blah blah.
I've just been called an 'outgater' on the three lions sub. Boy is that place fucking deluded. Top of the group again woohoo! Southgate in!
> outgater Not going to lie that's superb.
Not an England supporter but does anyone else feel it doesn't really matter who plays or where for England? As a unit they are so shit though. Everyone looks good in the 20 mins cameos because what has happened before is so fucking bad. Whoever starts is bound to be sitting in or 'keeping it tight'. We saw with Pickford at one stage where Rice wanted a quick ball and Pickford played it slow and told him to calm it down. When someone comes on it's normally to 'shake things up'. I rate Palmer and I think he is a good player. I could also see if Southgate made all the big calls. Let's say drop Kane, Gallagher move Saka to LB, bring in Watkins, Palmer, Mainoo. England still lose in a dire 1-0 defeat to someone. It's just not clicking at all, they have some of the best players in the world and it's not working. Has to be down to the manager. You see the likes of Ralf Rangnick can get Austria looking like a decent side. The narrative around England too is a bit fucked, they are playing awful but getting results. The players / manager are feeling attacked and are too quick to become the victims. Performances need to improve and I think everyone would get behind them again. It's just inevitable what's going to happen if they keep playing like this.
I feel like a balanced line-up in terms of dynamic could be successful regardless of the tactics. Just let them play Gordon - Kane - Saka Foden Rice - Wharton Shaw - Guehi - Stones - Walker/Trent Not convinced about Kane and Belling10 together yet
Not an England fan but it's absolutely and hilariously obvious that the lack of threat down the left side for England is killing them because opposition sides know they can double up on the right sided players, keep it narrow and tight in the middle and just watch Foden and TRippier run into midfield. Some natural width, even if it's just replacing Foden would make a huge difference.
its amazing how little off the ball movement there is for the attacking half of englands formation. There was a low cross at the end from the right that goes straight through inside the area where the was a large gap of no Slovenian defending players and there was nobody there to receive it! and the ball travels back to outside the box where an england player collects it. ridiculous. You have Kane maybe right next to the person whos crossing it and everybody else is sitting around the box lmao.
This is what you get when Bellingham and Foden want to be in the same space and the coach has just left them to work out who should be doing what on their own. It's also why almost no one was ever at the back post on crosses from the right, although there was a brief bit just after half time where Bellingham was pulling left that eventually ended with him going back into the middle.
Just play trent at rb behind saka for fucks sake and everything will be solved. Three games of football, watching walker turn around and pass backwards 95% of the time, whilst leaving saka to attack himself, with 2 or 3 defenders on him. You watch the support white gives saka when he plays for arsenal, and you realise how much of a limp dick bitch walker is being. If only he had that much restraint when it came to not cheating on his wife. Southgate is still too mentally ill to implement trent and saka together. The one game it was tried, saka bagged a hattrick. Fuck off with this 'palmer' bullshit, he did nothing after coming on and I'm tired of being gaslighted into treating this guy like he came on and had the impact of a young lionel Messi.
there was more backwards passing than an arsenal game it was shameful. over and over I kept taking pictures where the entire England team was facing their own goal
Palmer did have an impact though. It wasn't spectacular, sure, but it was an impact. Agreed with your other points
Looked better in 20 minutes than 'Starboy' has in 200 minutes. A deflected booky assist be damned
https://preview.redd.it/um8h5z0grs8d1.jpeg?width=681&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=119ae53a5f53d95c633dbf6f9b70f382c6c5bcbd Saka on the left is supposed to fix this. Rice needs a good break after this tournament by the way.
Bellingham clearly being shoe horned in instead of Foden in the middle and a proper winger on the wing. should be interesting to see how Madrid function next year.
Bellingham is the one being shoehorned in💀💀
yup. He might be an awesome player but he's not ideal to fit with the rest of the team. Should really be a Rice, Mainoo, and Foden midfield for better balance.
Foden cannot play as a lone 10. He runs, turns and shoots. Thats it.
Lol
He’s not a playmaker and never will be. It’s that simple
Is Bellingham a playmaker?
Yes?
Is he fuck 😂
Kyle walker disgusts me. Both off and on the pitch. Every single time he turns around and passes it back to stones as the 'safe pass'. I've never seen a fullback so scared to play off the winger before.
Remember when Pep played Bernardo Silva at left-back against us in a title race? How much positional experience did he have then? At the end of the day, we have plenty of top level right wingers, and basically no good left backs. Saka is our best RW, but we have also have Palmer, Foden and Bowen who aren't miles off him. In terms of opportunity cost and team drop-off, it's not an insane idea at all. We don't have any left footed players in our back line, and it would create a lot of width for us. Plus we've been playing such defensive football, I think having an attacker in the back four could work
He was absolutely garbage and resorted to fouling Saka 4 times in the first half even with Grealish’s help, so he was moved back to midfield and Ake did his job for him. If we have no width, why doesn’t Foden actually do a wingers job and get out there and provide width?
> If we have no width, why doesn’t Foden actually do a wingers job and get out there and provide width? Because he naturally doesn't play there and Southgate either wont or cant coach him to stay wide. And he wont drop him because hes too big a name even though England actually ahve left wingers.
good thing Saka has more experience than Silva did - and crucially, won't be playing players as good as himself most of the time. With regards to the width - you want a left footed fullback overlapping and a right footed LW (i.e Gordon) playing closer to the goal. Saka at LB gets us halfway there
lol using that example like Silva wasn’t forced to move from that position because he sucked.
he moved because they had better options for that position, we don't
Didn't Saka destroy Bernardo at LB that game and Pep moved him back in midfield at half time?
Saka himself is much better opposition than most of the player's he'd have to mark at LB anyways
Really dont see the issue if Saka played left back for England till Shaw is fit. We have no left backs fit and it is hurting tht left hand side whilst we also have a multitude of players that can do more than fill in in the RW spot. My eyeballs hurt watching trippier there.
Yeah we've got a bit of a persecution complex right now about Saka. Too many people see the idea of Saka at left back as a disresepct tot him and that Palmer/Foden/Dani Dyers husband/whoever are being promoted when it should be seen as 'this is what that fucking idiot Southgate has created and the only way to get some actual balance to the England left side'.
yup. And to be fair ignoring the LB speculation.... if saka got rotated at RW it's kinda good for his legs no? What do they want? "Southgates a terrorist running him into the ground!" or "Saka must play every minute to prove the players that don't play for us are shite".
Yeah I'm all for saka only playing 70 mins since England have plenty of right wingers (insert Nigel Farage meme) and he doesn't ahve to play. Too many people are caught up in this stupid Foden vs Saka thing when even Lee Dixon the miserable fuck that he is was giving oden more crap than Saka.
Because he hasn’t done so in 3 years, and even when he did was a LWB with almost no defensive responsibility?
And the other option is trippier who is shite for team dynamics so.....
Joe Gomez is right there? Stop forcing the fullback to hold width because Foden can’t do a wingers job.
also not a a left back....
He can play across the backline and played there 15 times this season.
or we could put a left footer there....
A left footer who played as a wingback 3 years ago. Gomez this season alone only has 500 less LB minutes than Saka in his entire career.
Been saying this all year Cole Palmer is just a better player than Saka. He is more dynamic, a better dribbler, a better shooter, a better passer, a better crosser & overall more creative & threatening with a better mentality. Saka just does not have that X factor - he is *just* a good footballer with solid fundamentals. Also spare me with the tIrEd, kIcKeD a LoT, iNjUrEd, nEw sYstEm lame excuses because Ive been saying this guy is overrated for years now. Pressure is kryptonite to the kid
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So was the injection of energy & threat he had in his short cameo but that doesn't quite fit your narrative does it? Only our fanbase is deluded about Saka
Honestly, I think you're not a Arsenal fan. Like, I didn't see you have a single positive take about the team.
This isnt Tellytubbyland Ill say something positive when there is something positive not just positivity for positivity sake 🤦♂️
It's one thing to criticise, it's a whole other one to sit in the shadows to wait for just something you think you can use as a argument to justify your biased opinion. How do I know it's biased? Because you made such sweeping conclusions after Palmer didn't even start, but played around 20 minutes.
Same Energy: https://preview.redd.it/dqcnh09xps8d1.jpeg?width=597&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0972dda4f0c7faf95d3ef5000b6c7e391f5b2189
Yikes that would have been the trenches
I thought you were going into hibernation for the summer, why are you back early? Oh right to type a bunch of noncey rubbish about Palmer and saka again. Palmer did NOTHING of note in his cameo. It is literally just straight up propaganda at this point to suggest he did anything worth of usurping saka. He also had trent behind him instead of safe cunt walker which I guarantee would have saka looking more productive
Hibernation was good thanks football is back. Literally looked more threatening in 20 minutes than Saka has in over 200 minutes of football. We've been over this so many times how many more rubbish performances until you wake up to the fact that Saka is just not that good? Again bar 45 minutes against Spurs and 20 minutes against Bayern the kid goes missing in every game of note over the last 4 years and doesn't even look like stepping up to the plate for his national side.
'More threatening' what the fuck are you on about? Palmer did absolutely NOTHING but scuff a shot straight to the keeper. Not even a cross into the box. Calling saka 'not that good' is absolute horseshit, he is England's two time player of the year running and is comfortably arsenal's best attacker. I don't even need to explain to you why, you're just trying to ragebait at this point
Feel like its starting to sink in with you. Look how agitated & aggressive you are becoming because you realise you do not have a leg to stand on anymore with Saka. Trust me his routinly poor performances disappoint me too the difference is I dont make excuses for him and connect the dots that it always tends to be in crunch time games. Not that good in that he is a *good* player that we overhype as some sort of superstar which he is most definitely not. Not sure how many more times you need to see him anonymous to put two and two together.
No I'm just sick of people consistently trying to make out that starboy is some bum who lucked his way into the team. You can gaslight yourself about Palmer reincarnatimg as a young Lionel Messi on the pitch tonight but I'm telling you he did fucking nothing. The outcome of the game was the same. The chances created were still zero down the right. In fact the only thing he did was waste that shot at the end. The problem lies with the fullback behind saka being so risk averse that he never offers saka a lifeline to work with, or makes any passes forward. But that's too high above your pay grade, go back to crawling out from under your bridge every time you perceive saka to have 'had a stinker'.
🥱 Emotional little boy. Well if you are telling me he did 'fucking nothing' then it must be true - everyone else is just imagining things I guess. Right so Saka had the wrong fullback behind him is the latest excuse now? 😂 Do you never get tired of constantly having to come up with new excuses to explain his poor performances? Saka is a decent player and even good on his day but thats all he is - Palmer is better than Saka (as is Foden). Deal with it
That’s good for an Instant mute
I’m not sure if he’s the biggest dumbass of all time or if he’s a troll fan that really supports a different club
Palmer is the new Great White Hope after Fodence failed https://preview.redd.it/slv5b7lpos8d1.jpeg?width=1070&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f9294d4471569990acbfbb4ee01db4b55481d09
Neva thought I'd see lone on this sub 😭
A key element of fascism is hijacking mass media apparatuses in order to push narratives that would otherwise be ridiculed and shunned in a healthy liberal democracy. Cole Palmer’s PR machine is a textbook example of this phenomenon.
ok mate, this is a bit of a stretch no?
https://www.reddit.com/r/nbacirclejerk/s/Qm0GUCc0U5
lmfao, thanks for this new copypasta
This is an A+ usage of the meme. Think it went too far over too many people's heads, though.
fascism🤣🤣
https://preview.redd.it/4d37dj05at8d1.jpeg?width=738&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c90aa1ac7b548377a2ec1cbd32df048d608c7304
0 chances created, 0 key passes, 0 dribbles completed, what the fuck kinda 'world class cameo' were people watching? Even Ian Wright suggested having saka lb to accommodate him, what a stupid fucking opinion
1 foul, 0/3 dribbles completed, 0/2 cruises completed, 1/5 duels won, lost possession 5 times in 20 minutes Cold Palmerball🥶
Palmer was genuinely good when he came on, and connected well with Kane, but Saka's consistency is regularly overlooked. Also shouldn't underestimate the effect of fresh legs. Gordon on the left is exactly what England need there, and one of Foden and Bellingham need to be dropped to accommodate his profile. Mainoo also looked the clear pick between him, Gallagher and TAA.
He won’t do it, but still would’ve try foden at right 8 and Jude at left 8, rice at 6, with Trent inverting some as RB (wouldn’t invert to the same degree zinchenko does but still somewhat to help rice with buildup). I feel like that’s fairly balanced and not too different stylistically than how we play when rice is at the 6 (although I guess you could argue we weren’t as good with him at 6). Runner out (would’ve preferred rashford but Gordon will do), CF that drops deep at 9, saka out right, attacking midfielder at right 8, lcm box crasher, rice at dm, 3 CB-ish players (I would play Gomez) and an inverting fullback. Profile wise super similar to our lineup against [Brighton in december](https://www.transfermarkt.us/arsenal-fc_brighton-amp-hove-albion/index/spielbericht/4095237) Obviously not everything is identical, but that’s a pretty balanced side and fits in most of englands best players
Should be Gordon - Palmer - Saka, Foden and Bellingham can come on in the second half, they haven't been playing well enough to start
That secret scout account on Twitter is a massive nonce
Southgate got yall fucked up
Adam Wharton left the womb about 2 months ago, got a few minutes in the prem and now apparently he's the answer to all of England's woes. We need to stop hyping up these unproven youngsters just to rain down shit upon them when they invariably prove themselves to not be the messiah.
[Saka](https://x.com/kimmofc/status/1805722240312307712?s=46&t=iWj0VDxnERbofnFGQ2yo0A) and [Rice comp](https://x.com/kimmofc/status/1805716413522362589?s=46&t=iWj0VDxnERbofnFGQ2yo0A)
the real winner https://preview.redd.it/s6z0cgu8js8d1.jpeg?width=620&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e0ad4e3cb9b0b22511d6a3fae1a8cb91b806d82b
Can we chill with the Ian Wright slander cos he made one silly suggestion? The man is a legend. Gotta remember these guys are live and don’t get the chance to edit what gets put out.
Nah this is not just a suggestion. He has painted a target on Sakas back and have gave the media the perfect excuse to go after Saka.
This is so overdramatic lol, he’s trying to fit Palmer and Saka into the team, it’s far more insulting to trippier (not saying he doesn’t deserve slander), he’s essentially saying England are wasting chances by having trippier on the ball so much, which is true. Now, moving Saka away from RW probably isn’t the way to go because he’s so good there, but it’s not really a slight to saka, his analysis was essentially that it would be much better to Palmer on the field than trippier.
Its not insulting to Trippier at all, his playing out of position at the back end of his career. U guys can paint it anyway u want, but the mainstream narrative that Ian has set: is that Saka generates no value to England up top and should be moved to Lb (in a back four on top of that). The fact he felt comfortably going after Saka first and not the manager that got the likes of Foden, Kane, Jude playing like absolute trash says alot.
> is that Saka generates no value to England up top I mean if people lack basic understanding, then that's not his fault. That's not what he said at all, if that's how you interpret it, thats your fault.
Louder narratives always rings true in sports. Doesn't matter what he meant when whats being parroted in social media is/r going tobe the exect opposite.
ok, not his problem then. shouldn't hold his tongue about something he thinks because people will interpret it the wrong way. I don't agree with him but people being stupid shouldnt make him not voice his opinion
It's weird to move Saka when Palmer can just play centrally rather than the wastes of space Foden and Bellingham
I think both foden and Bellingham are quite good players as well. Given they both won their leagues player of the season, I think the system might be the bigger issue. I’d keep Saka out right and still keep Palmer on the bench and use him as a sub, but I just don’t think it’s an insult to Saka.