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Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

smallsnc

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2017
699
1,237
Just don't want Aubamayang to be given any space or chances. He has frightening pace and Wembley is a biiiiiiggg pitch.

The surroundings may be big, but the pitch is the standard size for the PL. Just happens that WHL had a smaller than standard size pitch. We have adjusted to the size and now, IMO, our fitness levels are making it a positive instead of a negative.
 

smallsnc

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2017
699
1,237
But we already beaten Dortmund twice, and I think Dortmund is better than the scums.

Not to sure about that, Dortmund have been a right mess this season. They have had good attacking options, but the rest of the team, especially through the spine, CM, CB and Keeper have really been bad.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,986
81,913
Not to sure about that, Dortmund have been a right mess this season. They have had good attacking options, but the rest of the team, especially through the spine, CM, CB and Keeper have really been bad.

Think they played something like 5 teenagers against us as well.
 

Mate

Well-Known Member
Dec 9, 2006
1,570
3,859
But we already beaten Dortmund twice, and I think Dortmund is better than the scums.

They were going through a bad spell under Peter Bosz, who got sacked in December. So whilst we played well, they were a level below they're usual. Aubameyang also scored 1 and had a goal wrongly called offside, so he still carried a threat despite this.

This will be a much tougher game with Aubameyang still in his honeymoon period. The key to beating them (as per normal) is to shut down the midfield and prevent any service to their front line.
 

Roynie

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2007
3,116
3,882
Form barely counting in the derby is a complete fallacy. When we were shit, we lost most games. As we started to reach parity with them, the derby record showed improvement. And recently, in the last three years, it's been in our favour apart from in the reverse fixture this season. We'd gone six league games unbeaten against them before that match.

The better side in the better form will usually win, derby or not.

The part emboldened is absolutely right. We have also been steadily improving over the last few years. What worries me now is that they have signed a very good, and fast, striker. They are coming back into form and we have had a habit of getting it wrong at the wrong time. We now have all of our players back from injury and hopefully on Wednesday Poch will play those of our player who are more in need of getting match fit, whilst keeping the momentum going.

To go 7 points ahead of them at this stage of the season will be huge. If we do that I think we will finish 2nd or 3rd at the end of the season.
 

Jenko

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2004
5,290
4,157
It’s funny how a lot of us are forgetting the 1st half against Liverpool.. For the majority of that half, we were a mess. Constantly passing back to Hugo, he kept clipping it wide and putting our FB’s under pressure with bad passes and the fact they were marked. We did the same away to City, and it screwed us up, Liverpool just didn’t make the most of it.

So, if we play like we have for the past 1&1/2 games, then we’ll do well. Play like we did 1st half on Sunday, and we’ll be in the brown stuff.

We didn't play badly in the 1st half really. Liverpool just harassed and gave 100% and closed down the space all over the field. Most teams would have been 2 or 3 down by half-time or would have burnt themselves out trying to compete as well as them, but spurs just passed around turn for the most part and only got into trouble occasionally.

In the 2nd half we looked did much better because Liverpool had burnt out and couldn't close the gaps as well, so our passing game had many more options and we took control. Liverpool had nothing left bar a Salah wonder goal and if the game were 100 minutes we would have won. We should have won.

Our mentality is good. Davinson learnt a lot but the others were great.
 

Dillspur

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2004
3,747
9,926
The surroundings may be big, but the pitch is the standard size for the PL. Just happens that WHL had a smaller than standard size pitch. We have adjusted to the size and now, IMO, our fitness levels are making it a positive instead of a negative.

I beleive the Wembley pitch is bigger than standard UEFA/FIFA regulations, I think we even requested the dimensions to be the same but were denied
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
They were going through a bad spell under Peter Bosz, who got sacked in December. So whilst we played well, they were a level below they're usual. Aubameyang also scored 1 and had a goal wrongly called offside, so he still carried a threat despite this.

This will be a much tougher game with Aubameyang still in his honeymoon period. The key to beating them (as per normal) is to shut down the midfield and prevent any service to their front line.

Sorry but that’s nonsense. When Dortmund came to Wembley they were top of bundesliga had win their first 6 matches and had best record in Europe. Their season fell apart after we beat them.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
The part emboldened is absolutely right. We have also been steadily improving over the last few years. What worries me now is that they have signed a very good, and fast, striker. They are coming back into form and we have had a habit of getting it wrong at the wrong time. We now have all of our players back from injury and hopefully on Wednesday Poch will play those of our player who are more in need of getting match fit, whilst keeping the momentum going.

To go 7 points ahead of them at this stage of the season will be huge. If we do that I think we will finish 2nd or 3rd at the end of the season.

Arsenal are coming back to form, really? Wasn't long ago they got completely turned over by Swansea, it seems like that result and performance has been completely brushed under the carpet because they signed some good players and they dicked Everton who were shocking themselves.

They've won 3 out of 13 away matches for a reason, their GD is -6 on the road for God's sake lol
 

Roynie

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2007
3,116
3,882
Arsenal are coming back to form, really? Wasn't long ago they got completely turned over by Swansea, it seems like that result and performance has been completely brushed under the carpet because they signed some good players and they dicked Everton who were shocking themselves.

They've won 3 out of 13 away matches for a reason, their GD is -6 on the road for God's sake lol

Granted I am looking at their most recent games which were at home, but before Swansea that beat Chelsea in the EFL semi-final and the Palace 4 - 1. Unusually for me I just have a bad feeling about Saturday's game, so I'll shut up for now Obi wan!
 

Dillspur

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2004
3,747
9,926
@tiger666

Wembley 115y long 79y wide

Fifa pitch size for cat 4 stadium:

Between 70 and 80 yd wide and between 110 120 long

So it is on the larger side of fifa regs
 

tiger666

Large Member
Jan 4, 2005
27,978
82,214
@tiger666

Wembley 115y long 79y wide

Fifa pitch size for cat 4 stadium:

Between 70 and 80 yd wide and between 110 120 long

So it is on the larger side of fifa regs

No idea where you're getting those figures from. The standard pitch size is 105m x 68m. Wembley has capacity for a 105m x 69m pitch, reduced for our season, as far as I'm aware, to the standard 105m x 68m. We applied to have it reduced to our old WHL size of 100m x 67m but it was obviously refused.

http://www.90min.com/posts/5168449-...to-make-the-wembley-pitch-smaller-next-season
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
Was Wembley reduced ? I think we asked to have it reduced to standard and that was declined. So from 69m to 68m. I may be wrong but that’s what I remember.
 

Mate

Well-Known Member
Dec 9, 2006
1,570
3,859
Sorry but that’s nonsense. When Dortmund came to Wembley they were top of bundesliga had win their first 6 matches and had best record in Europe. Their season fell apart after we beat them.

Maybe on the home game but they definitely weren't themselves when we went to Dortmund. I recall it being quite a casual win without us being at our very best.
 
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