Steve Hills

Lifetime member of Arsene Knows Brigade.
Life pessimist Arsenal optimist. ST Holder at The Arsenal

#ittakesguts for Crohns & Colitis awareness

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Jermain Defoe today became the 87th player to have gone on to win a trophy after leaving Tottenham in the time since Tottenham last won a trophy.

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Assume Howard Webb, with the aid of Michael Owen, will talk us all through that David Coote video explaining how he sees it differently to the rest of us. Coming to a TV channel near you soon - sponsored by Sky Bet no doubt

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Liverpool were clear with 8 to play last season.

There's so much left of this season.

Buckle up.

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Rice and Saka to sit out the internationals please.

Odegaard might benefit from some minutes 😐

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Odegaard magnificent- the press is 100 times better with him. He was knackered final 15 but still so much intelligence and technical quality.

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

So, Liverpool still on par with last season. City now 3pts worse and we're still 4pts worse from the same fixtures last season.

Another tricky away game done.

Table only takes shape in January, still well in the race but now need to string wins together

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Merino played well off the bench.

Structure of the team looked so much better back to the Partey-Rice-Odegaard and then Merino for Rice.

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Jesus was so poor off the bench, has an inability to stay upright. Infuriating

Would rather see Nwaneri pace and directness.

[Frankie Leonard @fleonard04_]

weirdest save I’ve made ever 🤣

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

City and Pool on par with last season while we're 4pts worse.

What does that all mean? Nothing really but i was bored

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

After 10 games last season

Spurs 26
Man City 24
Arsenal 24
Liverpool 23
Villa 22

After 10 games this season

Liverpool 25
Man City 23
Arsenal 18
Villa 18 (*9 games)

Spurs 13 (*9 games)

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Points from corresponding fixtures last season

Liverpool 25
Man City 23
Arsenal 22

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Happy Invincibles Day.

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Liverpool on course for back to back quadruples.

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

@Gooner_Echo3 Trossard plays purely for his goal threat IMO.

Havertz and Saka are the only regular scorers.

But often Tross without the goals can be ineffective.

We desperately need another creative player to open teams and not rely on a Saka cross

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

It does feel by playing a CM at RB and a RB at LB we are already complicating things even before the game has started.

Is it just a way of shoehorning Partey Rice and Merino in same team?

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Are we out of the title race? Its only November so there's such a long way to go but we have to improve quickly or it will be too late.

Stating the obvious

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

We've lost Odegaard and changed shape and moved players around and it hasnt worked.
We've ground it out but there's been a lack of fluidity and players not at their usual level.

Gotta get back to what works with someone playing Odegaard role and not moving all the pieces around

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Partey inverting from RB AND Timber doing the same from LB doesn't work, one needs to provide width and support like White at RB.

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

We're crying out for a settled team and players in position.

White at RB and that partnership with Saka.

A midfield that functions.

A regular LB.

Injuries in the main have prevented that

[Steve Hills @Merse10]

Martinelli running head down to nowhere is tiresome and easy to defend.
He needs to find gears. He needs variety. Cant just to to rely on pace alone.
Waiting for the penny to drop.

*He wasn't alone in being poor today but these are no new faults