Can anyone tell me what he brings to this team, very dissapointing, jogs around looking busy, no enthusiasm, never looks interested, must be better out there for the money.
In hindsight he hasn't been good value for money just because of the fit in our side, not his ability. He was used to playing a certain way with short passes and lots of posession in offensive areas in a good side but Silva expects pressing and high work rate from the 10. It's not his game. Will have to see if things get better next season for him. I hope his injury that caused him to leave the pitch isn't serious.
Quote from: South Coast White on May 02, 2026, 08:07:31 PMCan anyone tell me what he brings to this team, very dissapointing, jogs around looking busy, no enthusiasm, never looks interested, must be better out there for the money.
He is doing what Silva wants him to do. If he wasn't he wouldn't be in the team.
Smith-Rowe worked tirelessly. He was one of our better performers today.
I thought he wasn't one of our worst players today, so I'm surprised he was singled out.
Actually thought ESR was one of few who were trying to make things happen. Real shame he got injured at the end.
I'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
Quote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:26:48 PMI'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
The reason for a back pass is 99% because there is no one forward to pass to, I suppose he could hit it forward and hope.
Quote from: alfie on May 02, 2026, 09:29:55 PMQuote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:26:48 PMI'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
The reason for a back pass is 99% because there is no one forward to pass to, I suppose he could hit it forward and hope.
...or in fact carry the ball forward using his assumed skills?
Quote from: alfie on May 02, 2026, 09:29:55 PMQuote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:26:48 PMI'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
The reason for a back pass is 99% because there is no one forward to pass to, I suppose he could hit it forward and hope.
Or turn and run with it
I felt terrible for ESR today. Humiliated by his former club on their patch, then hobbled off injured looking miserable.
His former comrades will be celebrating a league title while god knows what's going to happen at Fulham this summer.
Quote from: alfie on May 02, 2026, 09:29:55 PMQuote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:26:48 PMI'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
The reason for a back pass is 99% because there is no one forward to pass to, I suppose he could hit it forward and hope.
Alfie,
The whole system of play is not suitable for our players and i do not think the players enjoy it.
The midfield is often overall overrun which hits the back four far too early.
As for the flanks, when we lose the ball the wingers do not tuck in swiftly enough to pick up their markers.
When the full back loses the ball, he should come inside and head for the centre back spot, and the centre back comes out to jockey the opponent towards the touchline and delay the cross, whilst players get back behind the ball.
That way it restores the depth and balance to restore the shape and creates the depth in defence.
Which forces the opponent to either delay or centre the early ball which should be meat and drink to our centre backs. Or he recycles the ball to the other side to have a go that side.
However, by then we have restored the shape to two banks of four with a sweeper as last man.
The shape has been restored with minimum damage.
Yesterday that did not happen because Arsenals quick one touch passing movements and ten yard balls to feet looked as they they had 12 players, because they work harder on and off the ball with a far higher tempo than us. Our movement is far too cumbersome and the Centre Forward become isolated.
When the strikers do not score it puts more pressure on the defence to not concede, and when the defence concedes cheap goals because they get hit by attacks too early, it puts more pressure on the forwards to score.
Also we do not pass the way we are facing often enough.
Marco Silva, stood in the technical area looking like a little boy lost, no pro activity only minimal reactivity.
He had another bad day, because the players don't buy into this formations, and he has no answer to it and stood there expecting a bad result and settled for it, that is surrender and capitulation by the one person the first person the players look to.
Where is the adrenaline, both his and the players hearts are not in it often enough.
That is happening almost every week now we are second best.
Yesterday we were second to the ball far too often.
Is there a question mark against the overall fitness.
The bottom line is the buck stops with Marco Silva all day long.
ESR has changed his game so much to fit Marco's system. I've always thought he's much better off the LW drifting inside into space.
Marco just wants his 10s to run and chase. He wants the quality to come from the wings. Anyone who plays 10 for Fulham isn't needed to make things happen they are needed to have a good engine and press. That's not ESR even though he does try.
The Ovation he gets from Arsenal Fans tells me we are not getting the player they've seen at the Emirates Stadium.For what reason I don't know.
Quote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:33:27 PMQuote from: alfie on May 02, 2026, 09:29:55 PMQuote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:26:48 PMI'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
The reason for a back pass is 99% because there is no one forward to pass to, I suppose he could hit it forward and hope.
...or in fact carry the ball forward using his assumed skills?
When there are several Arsenal players in front of you, where do you go except back, Arsenal players were doing that all the time, no way forward go back and start again, it's just they had better players to do that.
We've got to stop making excuses for ESR. Last season it was all about him needing a season to bed into Silva's formation and that this season we would see the best of him.
It hasn't happened, What does ESR bring to the team ?
He's had very few decent performances BUT has played for us in PL 68 games, many of them for less than 90 minutes, so is there a stamina problem ? For an AM his goal return is poor, his assist rate is poor.
I haven't seen anything that makes me think for an Attacking midfielder he is anything else but an average player. Where as we need someone pivotal in that position.
Is it Silva's fault for playing him in the wrong position or is it ESR himself ? who doesn't want or can't play in that position.
Quote from: alfie on May 03, 2026, 11:10:17 AMQuote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:33:27 PMQuote from: alfie on May 02, 2026, 09:29:55 PMQuote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:26:48 PMI'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
The reason for a back pass is 99% because there is no one forward to pass to, I suppose he could hit it forward and hope.
...or in fact carry the ball forward using his assumed skills?
When there are several Arsenal players in front of you, where do you go except back, Arsenal players were doing that all the time, no way forward go back and start again, it's just they had better players to do that.
Agree. The Arsenal press was very good yesterday, forcing our players to play safe.
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on May 03, 2026, 08:56:50 AMQuote from: alfie on May 02, 2026, 09:29:55 PMQuote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:26:48 PMI'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
The reason for a back pass is 99% because there is no one forward to pass to, I suppose he could hit it forward and hope.
Alfie,
The whole system of play is not suitable for our players and i do not think the players enjoy it.
The midfield is often overall overrun which hits the back four far too early.
As for the flanks, when we lose the ball the wingers do not tuck in swiftly enough to pick up their markers.
When the full back loses the ball, he should come inside and head for the centre back spot, and the centre back comes out to jockey the opponent towards the touchline and delay the cross, whilst players get back behind the ball.
That way it restores the depth and balance to restore the shape and creates the depth in defence.
Which forces the opponent to either delay or centre the early ball which should be meat and drink to our centre backs. Or he recycles the ball to the other side to have a go that side.
However, by then we have restored the shape to two banks of four with a sweeper as last man.
The shape has been restored with minimum damage.
Yesterday that did not happen because Arsenals quick one touch passing movements and ten yard balls to feet looked as they they had 12 players, because they work harder on and off the ball with a far higher tempo than us. Our movement is far too cumbersome and the Centre Forward become isolated.
When the strikers do not score it puts more pressure on the defence to not concede, and when the defence concedes cheap goals because they get hit by attacks too early, it puts more pressure on the forwards to score.
Also we do not pass the way we are facing often enough.
Marco Silva, stood in the technical area looking like a little boy lost, no pro activity only minimal reactivity.
He had another bad day, because the players don't buy into this formations, and he has no answer to it and stood there expecting a bad result and settled for it, that is surrender and capitulation by the one person the first person the players look to.
Where is the adrenaline, both his and the players hearts are not in it often enough.
That is happening almost every week now we are second best.
Yesterday we were second to the ball far too often.
Is there a question mark against the overall fitness.
The bottom line is the buck stops with Marco Silva all day long.
I agree with you, people having a go at ESR all the time, but it's a style of play that Silva has introduced that does not sit well with his type of play, he was brought up on quick fire short passing, and we have no one on the same level as him. Silva has him as the main player doing the press, so he is running around all over the place, there is literally nobody else doing that, it's no wonder he is knackered after 60 minutes, unfortunately some just like to dig out players without looking at the big picture. I am surprised how silva has gone from leading and pushing the team to someone out of ideas.
I have always liked him but, his time is up, time to move on.
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on May 03, 2026, 08:56:50 AMQuote from: alfie on May 02, 2026, 09:29:55 PMQuote from: ron on May 02, 2026, 09:26:48 PMI'm surprised that he is so highly thought of by some on these pages. His one-touch football often featuring a back pass is far less than is required. Whenever he tries to keep possession he finishes up losing it and finishing on the floor.
Perhaps it's the fear of £34m wasted that encourages the belief.
The reason for a back pass is 99% because there is no one forward to pass to, I suppose he could hit it forward and hope.
Alfie,
The whole system of play is not suitable for our players and i do not think the players enjoy it.
The midfield is often overall overrun which hits the back four far too early.
As for the flanks, when we lose the ball the wingers do not tuck in swiftly enough to pick up their markers.
When the full back loses the ball, he should come inside and head for the centre back spot, and the centre back comes out to jockey the opponent towards the touchline and delay the cross, whilst players get back behind the ball.
That way it restores the depth and balance to restore the shape and creates the depth in defence.
Which forces the opponent to either delay or centre the early ball which should be meat and drink to our centre backs. Or he recycles the ball to the other side to have a go that side.
However, by then we have restored the shape to two banks of four with a sweeper as last man.
The shape has been restored with minimum damage.
Yesterday that did not happen because Arsenals quick one touch passing movements and ten yard balls to feet looked as they they had 12 players, because they work harder on and off the ball with a far higher tempo than us. Our movement is far too cumbersome and the Centre Forward become isolated.
When the strikers do not score it puts more pressure on the defence to not concede, and when the defence concedes cheap goals because they get hit by attacks too early, it puts more pressure on the forwards to score.
Also we do not pass the way we are facing often enough.
Marco Silva, stood in the technical area looking like a little boy lost, no pro activity only minimal reactivity.
He had another bad day, because the players don't buy into this formations, and he has no answer to it and stood there expecting a bad result and settled for it, that is surrender and capitulation by the one person the first person the players look to.
Where is the adrenaline, both his and the players hearts are not in it often enough.
That is happening almost every week now we are second best.
Yesterday we were second to the ball far too often.
Is there a question mark against the overall fitness.
The bottom line is the buck stops with Marco Silva all day long.
Almost all of the best games that I can recall under Silva has had lots of movement in attack, fake runs, pressing, a drive and an energy to it. But most of the squad is not really fit for that high energy game and it only seem to come true under very specific conditions and with a specific constellation of players that click in for the right mindset for that day.
Mostly we end up slow, passive and reacting instead of instigating, and that energy sets as a mold throughout the players.
We desperately need a high energy instigator in the middle, someone to spur the rest on, a loud and energetic captain type, in my opinion.
ESR a bit of an enigma for me. Just not sure how good this player really is. Thought he had fairly good games v Villa and Liverpool. This game v Arsenal, just not very impressive. As others have pointed out, not sure what his role is or is supposed to be. I do know this, dribbling forward, he has to be one of the slowest players on the pitch. Seems his value will only be in final third, making quick short passes with teammates until someone can present themselves as being open for that goal scoring opportunity. Just not sure this team is really set up to do that, at least on a somewhat regular basis. Right now, his only value seems to be more on defending, which, to his credit, he has contributed.
Quote from: WindyCity on May 03, 2026, 04:49:50 PMESR a bit of an enigma for me. Just not sure how good this player really is. Thought he had fairly good games v Villa and Liverpool. This game v Arsenal, just not very impressive. As others have pointed out, not sure what his role is or is supposed to be. I do know this, dribbling forward, he has to be one of the slowest players on the pitch. Seems his value will only be in final third, making quick short passes with teammates until someone can present themselves as being open for that goal scoring opportunity. Just not sure this team is really set up to do that, at least on a somewhat regular basis. Right now, his only value seems to be more on defending, which, to his credit, he has contributed.
You have made the point, we are not set up to play fast short range passing, but that is not ESR's fault, it's how Silva wants to play.
When he first arrived the play down the left with iwobi/nelson and Robinson was excellent. We don't seem to play like that anymore .
I think he tries hard but that's not what he was bought to do . He needs to do more with the ball . Now this can be because we don't have anyone making forward runs beyond the striker , hence no goals from midfield . But there are many times he plays the ball first time backwards when in acres of space , maybe he doesn't get a call but he should be aware . When he is presented with one on one with a full back he has to take him more , that's what he is there for . All our wingers with the exception of maybe Kevin are guilty of this .
I'm sure there is a player in there and would love to see the one that at times has threatened to break out .
I can't remember anything that ESR had done in a game since we signed him
Quote from: AJW48361 on May 03, 2026, 11:03:20 AMThe Ovation he gets from Arsenal Fans tells me we are not getting the player they've seen at the Emirates Stadium.For what reason I don't know.
Of course we're not.
Last season at the Cottage he had a chance to score inside the box but passed it to a marked player,didn't want to score against them.
They are his love,and he still wants to be at theirs,it's obvious.
There's a thread on a different offensively minded player every week at the moment, and at this point I think we really ought to park them all until October when we've likely had chance to see what a team under a new manager will do with fresh ideas, because at this point it looks like Silva is leaving. Our forward play has fallen off a cliff into parkerball territory and the players are following the managers tactics, which seem to be more about containment than actually taking the game to other teams. Our creativity is through the floor and we don't play particularly penetrative football so I don't know how you can fairly judge any of our attacking players when they're getting no help from the system or one another.
If you watch any other PL team, they get themselves into positions to shoot from open play, whereas with us it seems to be 80% of the time we recycle sideways and put in a cross with the other 20% being the odd occasion we actually break at pace and manufacture a decent oppportunity