Why Arteta went with Havertz at striker, what we saw in the press and the block, and how the attack looks moving forward. Plus Rice, Timber, Saliba, and more.
I’m sort of new to watching football so not all of the stuff you’re writing makes sense to me, but I greatly enjoy learning a little bit more every time you post.
This snippet was a big takeaway for me in this piece: "Here was Ramsdale’s distribution, which was solid but a little fizzy and imprecise when directed long towards Havertz"
The previous piece you wrote about David Raya ties into this for me. Elite level distribution will turn defense into attack rather than just ease pressure which is what fizzy, imprecise distribution can do.
Also did you note how high Ortega went up sometimes to knit play...outside his 18yd box, I wonder if that's something you'll see frequently with Raya i.e. a willingness to push higher up than Ramsdale (Ramsdale even notes this in his Tribune piece - how high up Arteta wants him playing).
If this is Ramsdale's response to just *hearing* that we're thinking about bringing in some competition, I can't wait to see what happens if Raya ever gets picked ahead of him.
I’m sort of new to watching football so not all of the stuff you’re writing makes sense to me, but I greatly enjoy learning a little bit more every time you post.
I really appreciate that. Let me know if there's ever any shit that gets too wordy or obtuse and I'll do a better job of communicating it.
"This eagerness to find vocabulary that makes football more difficult to understand pisses me off."
https://theathletic.com/3981374/2022/12/08/juanma-lillo-world-cup/
^ I genuinely read this piece once every couple weeks. Then, if I'm out of line, I head to the mirror and slap myself.
This snippet was a big takeaway for me in this piece: "Here was Ramsdale’s distribution, which was solid but a little fizzy and imprecise when directed long towards Havertz"
The previous piece you wrote about David Raya ties into this for me. Elite level distribution will turn defense into attack rather than just ease pressure which is what fizzy, imprecise distribution can do.
Also did you note how high Ortega went up sometimes to knit play...outside his 18yd box, I wonder if that's something you'll see frequently with Raya i.e. a willingness to push higher up than Ramsdale (Ramsdale even notes this in his Tribune piece - how high up Arteta wants him playing).
Billy, you do great work. This was a joy to read.
If this is Ramsdale's response to just *hearing* that we're thinking about bringing in some competition, I can't wait to see what happens if Raya ever gets picked ahead of him.