4-0. Were we terrible or did Southampton get lucky or perform above their norm? We find out tonight.
It was typical Arsenal; there we were riding along on a wave of confidence and good form, the standard of play was at it’s pacy, intricate best, there was talk of title favourites then Wham (the noise not the wavy-haired boys from Essex) we get hammered by a team who were completely out of form. This is why I love the Arsenal 😀
The only additions to our squad which was beaten in December are Coquelin and Sanchez – will they make a difference? One would like to think so.
St. Francis Returns
Sean Long played a huge role in their win thanks to some awful refereeing and some weak defending. Today we must be stronger especially as S’ton are likely to give Charlie Austin his first game and that fellow is a nuisance.
Wanyama always does well against us, perhaps because it is his dream to play for the Gunners. My hope is that Coquelin is back to his best and manages to win the vital midfield battle.
My Team:
Cech
Bellerin BFG Koscielny Monreal
Ramsey Coquelin Sanchez
Ozil
Walcott Giroud
Nothing controversial here though perhaps you would pick Campbell ahead of Walcott given Theo’s poor form of late. I cannot see Elneny getting more than 20 minutes, can you?
The bench is becoming very competitive. Ospina, Gabriel, Chambers, Gibbs, Arteta, Ox, Campbell. Iwobi deserves a place but who gives way?
S’ton are in a fine vein of form having won their last 3 games including beating MU at Old Trafford – a famous win. Can they continue this run? In my opinion … No. The above team is very nearly our first choice 11 (Welbeck?) and on paper should triumph.
I am saddened to read of Rosicky’s injury. Having lauded his return in my last PM he lasted 15 mins. Better than nothing and at least he got a heart warming reception from the fans. Something to remember in his retirement.
And what of the transfer window? Some are disappointed, in which case, I suggest they look at our recent transfer policy. Mr Wenger is clearly satisfied with his squad and well he might be – we have a terrific squad with players coming through the ranks, players on loan getting experience prior to their promotion the the first team squad and purchases where necessary (Elneny & Cech). There are concerns about right back should Bellerin get crocked but in Flamini, Gabriel and especially Chambers we have adequate cover.
Or did some of you believe we would spend €80m on a striker? 😀
Sanchez looked hungry on Saturday. The chances he and Ozil can create, not just for themselves but for others, should propel us to victory, but in this topsy-turvy season I hesitate to make a prediction. Even so, I fancy us for three points.
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
Thanks raddy
A must win game yet again. I thought Wanyama was injured two weeks ago with a hamstring problem.
Well that’s the sort of Post we have come to expect of you, Danish Pastry, indeed to demand it – with its upbeat nuances, while sagaciously urging necessary caution not to take the Saints for granted, while reminding us of the delicious fare awaiting on the bench, if needed.
Bravo! 😀
Hi Kelsey, again.
Perhaps you can inveigle the Rasper to put up a banner saying YAMWG, with a translation underneath for those not in the know, saying, ‘Yet Another Must win Game’.
Not that it is repetitive and boring, or anything! 😀
Good read BR
Roadster,
The team roster you are suggesting is pretty good, and probably likely, but I would go 4 : 2 : 3 : 1.
My Biscuit Cream:-
Cech
Bellerin BFG Koscielny Monreal
El-Nanny Coquelin
Ramsey Ozil Sanchez
Giroud
Well I am fed up with the Camel man getting all the credit for tactical bollix, so I am re-establishing superiority over Corky’s plaything.
Those, such as your goodself, with finely attuned antennae will note that my system lends itself to the capability of an immediate ‘volte face’ should S’Hampton get too frisky.
So, Giroud will become the goal keeper, obviously, Rambo, Oz and Sanchez will be our back three, El-nanny and Le Coq will remain the pivots, the back four will become our playmakers and wingers, and of course Cech will become the devastating striker Micky has been looking for.
Brilliant in its breath taking conception, and will strike fear into the hearts of every
Arsenalopposition fan.Thank you – it was a mere trifle! 😀
Been under the bonnet and discover that 16% of views are made between 10.00 and 11.00 a.m. GMT, and the most popular day is Tuesday with 20% of the weeks views.
The time I understand but Tues?
no Raddy, not €80m, not at all. We do business in £, Geebs here 🙂 £50m striker would be nice, but £4m for who you call a nuisance guy, Charlie Austin even better.
I am anti Wenger now, so will not spoil your fun today.Thanks for the post.
RA. I like your team but feel that when we are at home we should have a more attack-focussed side. I can easily see the Elneny/Coq axis in games to come
Cech – Bellerin, BFG, Kos, Monreal – Ramsey, Coquelin, El Neny – Ozil – Giroud, Sanchez
4-3-1-2 set-up…
Now it could be that Campbell starts ahead of El Neny
Thanks Raddy, I think we must field our strongest 11 this game, in common with all our remaining EPL fixtures. But what is our strongest 11?
I quite like Redders’ team with the Coq/Neny axis. He’s accommodated Ramsey in place of Theo/Campbell – that will make us strong defensively and would probably be the team I’d field at home to Barca.
Erik
Not around to blog, but thank you for the great read. I’m inclined towards Joel starting on the right
Thanks, BR.
I wonder if Coquelin will play so soon after Saturday (and he got a bang).
Maybe Flamini will get a game and score a hattrick this time. 🙂
Cmon, you rip roaring Gunners.
Flamini a hattrick 🙂 🙂 Even Giroud has more of a chance than MF
———–Cech
Bel, BFG, Koz, Nach
Ramsey, Flamini, Ozil
Camp, Giroud, Sanchez
Ain’t going to be anything exotic tonight, tried and tested, that’s it.
Be interesting to see whom is closest.
Arseblog thinks Ox will start.
I have had a call from a very close friend who also supports Arsenal and they told me that my negativity is rather depressing the way I see things at the club at the present time and for that reason that person wont comment on here or my FB page,
That has given me concern and looking back at my comments some are done as jest and others are really the way I feel but nevertheless I will think a little more carefully when I post.
No need to guess who this person is as they have never posted on any blogs they aren’t a blogger.
Cheers raddish for a brilliant Postry. And now for some tactical bolleux 🙂
I think Southampton under koeman are one of the newish breed of close down high press teams. In the EPL they go into the mix with Pochettino’s spurs and Klopp’s Liverpool as decent sides (not great sides) that play this style.
I really feel we have struggled to get to grips with these sides playing this style over the last few years which worries me. Even when we have ground out some sort of result in these games (over the last 2 years) you still ended up feeling we looked 2nd best in the game.
Barca and Guardiola’s Bayern also play this way but are on much higher level with better players, so it is more understandable if we struggle with them. Those others though are in reality inferior to us on paper. We struggle because they play that style of game and we haven’t worked out how to negate it.
This quick closing down, high press, win the ball back high up the pitch, works best when the majority of play is in front of them in our half and the space is compressed i.e 20 outfield players in our half. This leaves less room, space and channels to play the ball out. To do this effectively the opposition want to play a high defensive line themselves and for us to adopt a deeper defensive line.
Their high defensive line leaves space behind it and is the chief weakness to that style to rapier counter attacks, and getting them on the turn frequently where they can’t organise their defensive shape as well and resort to more last ditch defending (see Utd at home). As such these teams will be worried about pace and would far rather see a slower striker up against them ( can you see where i am going here 🙂 ). The more pace you have (i.e from either side and up top) the bigger problems you cause.
A slower CD also tends to see us play our defensive line deeper so being able to more comfortably hold a higher defensive line shifts all the outfield players to more central areas so if they do win the ball back with a quick press it is not in quite so dangerous an area.
i don’t know who AW will choose (although I have a suspicion) but some of these games we have struggled in have seen us line up with Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez behind Giroud. Only 1 true player with pace and therefore much easier for them to negate the one threat and enforce their high press game.
I would say the BFG, Giroud and Ramsey to the right have been a consistent feature in our struggles in these types of games. Coincidence or not? Having said that the return of Le Coq and sanchez should prove important and in reality Southampton are the most inferior (player wise and high press effectiveness wise) of the 3 EPL sides I mentioned.
This game though and the Spuds in a month could tell us a lot. The master of the close down high press game is arriving next season in the EPL at a club with money to spend so I feel if we want to show that we can compete with them next season we need to start now by showing we can overcome and be more dominant in games against the lesser teams that play this way, and are in fact inferior to our team man for man.
Tonight is just a matter of containing their pressing…They are gonna come and press our midfield and try to get us on the counter once they got the ball back. We need to pass the ball quickly, spread the field and have good movement off the ball…Hence, my inkling to play El Neny who showed some decent ability to get away from pressing opposition…
I say a good 3-0 win would feel good but I think we will concede 1 so it will be a hard fought 2-1…Giroud and Kos to score for us
Take no notice, Kelsey, a friend is a friend – and they should take the rough with the smooth – otherwise you have to ask if he/they really are friends?
I only know you thru the blog, but my reading of you is that you are an emotive person, and rather than obsequiously hide your views, you say it like you see it. 🙂
Of course the price you pay for that is you can unintentionally upset people who are equally passionate – but with a different opinion.
Life can be a beach. 🙂
Kelsey – really?? I am shocked. You have right to feel the way you do and if anybody questions it, I suggest they look at the recent performance and results. I feel very negative too and will challenge any happy clappy Arsenal fan, step outside!
let’s guess anyway – chas?
That was an interesting point of view, GB, and I was nodding along at first until I realised ‘where you were going’ without mentioning a name.
So in the hope of a personal entente cordiale, (fat chance, I suppose) I will try and respond in kind.
It is accepted by all, that the way to defend is to roll with the attacker’s punch and then hit him with a quick counter-attacking jab.
So too with football. We Gooners should know that all too well, as for example, Ferguson’s teams were happy for us to throw everything forward at them, lose the ball and get hit with a quick counter thru Ronaldo and Rooney.
OK, so far. It is equally true that we are nowhere near as deadly in the pacey counter attacking department as we were in the days of Henry, and, as a team, rely instead on quick, intricate passing to achieve the same end.
Then you and I, GB, start to move apart in our views.
The implication of your comment is that an unnamed player has not been given licence to counter-attack, and that has been to the detriment of the team.
If I am reading you right that player has appeared in 19 starts and 7 substitute appearances in all games, including the Premiership, the FA Cup, the League Cup. and the Euros. Of those appearances 17 were in the 23 Premiership games so far, and of which only 3 goals were scored.
I suspect we are having a conversation of the deaf, 🙂 because I just cannot understand the point being made.
There are more and more bloggers, even on here, who think that the unnamed player has lost a yard of pace, does not directly run against opposition players, and instead only makes short passes to team mates after checking back and who’s poor run of form seems to coincide with the increased number of quotes he seems to make about Arsenal’s direction.
To parody the words of the Monty Python crowd ‘that is a dead duck, a deceased parrot’. That parrot could score more goals than 3 in 17 appearances. 😀
Not that I know who we are talking about – obviously. 🙂
I think I can say this, without causing offence – the much maligned Ollie has started, or come on as a sub, in all Premier games, and scored 12 goals, and 18 in all competitions.
The unspoken one has scored 5 in 26 games in all competitions.
Next. 😀
I am pleased that Yasmin Fortune has signed his first professional contract with us. There are those who think he may well be a better player than the Queen of Adelaide, which I doubt, as I am a big fan of Jeff, but if it is true – that can only speak to the young guys potential.
What do you think RC?
No Redders, not necessarily about one player specifically, although I know who you are referring to :).
This is a more general appraisal, although, alongside other players, it does bring said player potentially into the argument, but not exclusively, more as part of a bigger picture.
For instance tonight we could go with Sanchez up top with, from left to right, AOC, Ozil and Iwobi lining up behind him. That is just one potential example.
I have often said that I don’t think that said player is actually quite a 1st choice in said position anyway, but just questioned why has he seemingly been removed as an option and also questioned how people are appraising said player? Is it a fair and relative appraisal and comparison?
In said players appraisal of what he is and isn’t and what he can and cannot do I have just asked for more clarity on the evidence to back these views or opinions but rarely get a response after asking said question.
For instance one of the things I always ask is that when stats are being looked at in comparing said player with another said player, is are they viable and comparable stats? It is no good comparing how quickly 2 cars get to Birmingham if one sets off from central London and the other sets of from the Watford gap services.
What I am saying really is in the stats comparisons, is this for both players playing in the same position? Further questions could be raised over appearances stats, which to me can be misleading at times and often minutes played is maybe more relevant.
Once again though that can only be truly relevant if the other factors are the same, in this case the position being played by the two players. Some variables can massively mislead in stats comparison and in this instance I would say that comparing 2 players operating from a different position is a massive variable.
Maybe just me though? 🙂
Thanks for the prematch Raddy, I must admit I thought the next game was Saturday (my fault for being in the mire of tax return season and leaving it all a bit late)…..anyway the fact we are playing tonight explains Saturday’s selections more clearly.
Flamini to start tonight in my opinion, Coq only had his first 65 minutes on Saturday, Flamini is better as a starter as he can get into the game from the off, asking him to come on to a full pace game when Coq’s lack of match fitness becomes an issue is a big ask.
As for the rest of the team I would go with Campbell and Alexis to compete with Southampton’s work rate, and a midfield of Ramsey and Flamini to complement that.
Up top Ozil pulling strings and Giroud to finish.
In light of recent comments I am finding it very hard to hold my fingers from typing something Peaches Mum wouldn’t approve of.
So trying to keep it clean…..Charlie Austin…..i must have missed the long line of clubs queuing up to sign him…..wonder if is knee is considered a problem? Fast? No. Good touch? Maybe. Stats? These are last three seasons league games
Austin Shots per goal : 6.4, assists per game : 0.1
Our boys:
Giroud Shots per goal : 5.8, assists : 0.15
Walcott Shots per goal : 7.2 assists : 0.13
Selected others:
Aguero Shots per goal : 5.4, assists : 0.22
Kane shots per goal : 6.2, assists : 0.07
Lewandoski Shots per goal : 5.9 assists : 0.15
Messi Shots per goal : 5.1 assists : 0.4
Ronaldo Shots per goal : 5.9 assists : 0.5
I’m happy to research others for you, you may like to yourself…..whoscored.com has the info, you just have to go to history and detailed tab and change filter to totals, you can then divide shots by goals……i’d love for you to be able to identify a player with better stats than Giroud who another club wants to sell……i’m guessing most clubs have access to these stats too, so as not many moved in the transfer window my guess is not many out there.
As for us not being entertaining……seriously? We have spent the last I don’t know how many years being accused of being pretty boys with no appetite for a league title as we try and play the beautiful game….the minute our pretty football drifts away our own fans want to criticise a lack of entertainment…..seriously, you must be having a laugh?
End Rant……..
Ahhh me and RA letting stats do the talking rather than watching the game…….heres the thing GB, yes Theo doesn’t get the opportunity to start up front, so if we are using stats to judge shots per goal must surely be a good one? As that negates the where is he playing argument and is replaced with the was he right to shoot argument…..and either Theo is very bad at choosing when to shoot, or he is not as good a finisher as Ollie. Either way neither “excuse” for his stats above help his cause particularly, especially compared to a non centre forward like Messi…..who gets 5 times as many assists and takes far more chances.
GB @ 3:07
See, we can agree on some things – altho my team (above) calls for Giro, but the guys you mention are fine too. 🙂
And @ 3:12
I also see your point here too, and frankly I have no idea of how one approaches an analysis of variable positions and how the team is set up, or what the manager’s instructions are.
Exile made a strong assessment of the attributes of each player this morning – and (without wanting to be provocative) it seems Giro with his physique allows other players to be brought into the game, ruffles the feathers of the defenders, heads goals and assists others, and can anticipate goal scoring positions. Theo on the other hand, can offer pace – which I just do not see since his operations and injuries.
So, what can we say?
Well, there is one statistic that sticks out a mile – Theo has scored 5 goals in 26 appearances, and Giro has scored 18 goals in 33 appearances.
As a fan, I am only interested in what has happened – not in what may happen – and Theo was given a number of games at CF, with Ollie on the bench – and the fact Wenger rarely plays him there means it was unfortunately something of a failure.
sorry gie / ra. know you have come back. Just off out will read and reply later.
Today’s game is dicey(are there any that is not?). But I believe the Arsenal possesses the firepower to eke a victory. Coquelin since a year now has become one of our most important player but is he ready to start today’s game? I don’t think so. He came out unscathed in the match against Burnley but he was short of his best. He still needs more time to be fully fit. So, he should not start.
On the argument over Walcott, I want to say on the basis of his performance against Chelsea alone he should sit on the bench. Though BFG has been fingered as the main culprit, if the duo of Theo and Flamini had raised their game when necessary, there is no way we could have ended with no points. It really sound off key when people keep talking about the pace he brings to the game. As far as I am concerned aside in flashes, Theo’s pace hasn’t been of any value to the team as he continues to falter in the basics. His passes and decision making, control have all been poor and that is detrimental to the results. Wenger opted for his pace when we went a man down but what was the outcome? Even Campbell has surpassed him in total contribution to the team. For Arsenal to truly win the league this season, every player must start working his socks off. An incredible winning streak is needed to sustain our push for the title. This is more important than any tactics.
I just read up on Joel Campbell and he recently had his contract extended to 2018 and Wenger is keen to extend it further so does that mean someone is leaving or is he adding fire power options to our forward line.The Gnabry loan deal didn’t work out and I believe he is being loaned out again.
Eddie, no one from here,I promise you.
i don’t believe you Kelsey 🙂 was it DidIt ?
GB
“can you see where I am going here”
Nope, no idea whatsoever at all 🙂 🙂
Kelsey,
You are always up to date and up to the minute — except Joel signed the contract extension last summer — it’s age you know! 🙂
Micky
Ssh, we have calmed him down, and he is having a snooze now – don’t wake him – it will only start him off again. 🙂
Great stats from GIE proving the FP is as good as Kane etc.
Theo on the other hand …
I’m not disagreeing with the basic tenet of these comments but GB is correct to point out that stats in relation to football are unreliable as there are too many other parameters that cannot be factored in.
Personally I have been won over by Giroud (apart from one or two recent performances) and do think he is our best option up front for most games. But I also agree that to get to the next level we would need a top striker with more of the full skill set 🙂
I thought GB’s explanation of the pressing game and our struggles against teams who use it well was very interesting.
Of course you did, Raddy. 😀
Sorry, just back. Thanks for the stats info GIE.
I think the shots per goal gives us a better idea GIE but is still not fully ideal in my mind. Sorry and I don’t wish to be pedantic or considered dogmatic with this, just that it still doesn’t fully present a proper clean and clear comparison to me.
A wide player will invariably get different types of chances to a through the middle striker. Maybe they will not be such good chances. I would propose that the shots a wide attacking player takes are more often likely to be speculative or from more difficult angles.
That is one key reason I find it hard to compare a player that often plays wide with occasional chances up front, to a player that plays that role only. I do kind of feel that trying to compare Walcott overall statistically with Giroud is like trying to compare De Bruyne with Aguero.
Also the likes of Messi and our own Sanchez are world class specialists in the goal-scoring wide position. They have a skill set that Walcott doesn’t have from wide. However, unless I am reading it wrong, those stats would seem to indicate to me that Giroud is better than Lewandowski. Would Giroud keep him benched? He is also superior to Ronaldo in one part of it as well.
My main assertion has always been that when given the chance up front Walcott made a good fist of it. Not perfect I grant you. Why then is he not playing there at all in any games anymore. He gave us a hat-trick at the end of last season, the critical lead in the F.A cup final with a well taken goal and a MOTM (the sublime Sanchez aside) against Utd when he didn’t even score.
It is possibly that last bit that influences me more GIE. You see, for me, I largely thought we played our best and most fluid football with a quicker striker up top. For me it is not really about a Walcott vs Giroud argument. In truth I am not sure either are first choice striker material and would look more towards Sanchez or Welbeck potentially.
It is more about a general argument of whether Arsenal play better (and more crucially can develop and progress further) with a slower more traditional British type CF or a quicker more mobile CF. Personally I feel with the slower striker we alter the way we play (the way we want to naturally play that is) and our approach and build up play in attack is slightly at odds with our other players abilities and therefore doesn’t bring out the best in our other top attackers, and as such the fluidity in attack of the whole team is less effective.
I think Giroud has great merit in the squad and is likely the best around for the type of striker he is. He can mix it up a bit, in certain games, and give the opposition something new to think about fro the bench. I don’t though think he is a first choice striker that will see us reach our full potential and progress to a higher level.
Giroud has been with us almost 4 years. We have 3 other main options for striker in Sanchez, Walcott and Welbeck but AW has rarely taken the opportunity to try them with any conviction. There also seems to be little inclination to bring in another top striker. Reading between the lines that says to me that AW is happy with and considers Giroud the top striker we need, otherwise he would have either promoted another to first choice from within, or gone on to the open market to bring someone in.
Last Summer is recently RA 🙂
Sorry RA, honestly not banging the Walcott drum and defending him. That comment was about our strikers position in general, but yes it includes references to said player.
Raddy, just watch us thump Saints in an all round superlative attacking display with Ollie up top and Rambo at right midfield, just to put the knackers on my argument 🙂
Being rather stubborn I would go with the one swallow argument and still say I will remain unconvinced unless it then works against Spuds and allows us to at least give a good account of ourselves against Barca.
Teams in……
…………..Cech
Hector..Gabriel..Kozzer..Nacho
……..Flamster..Rambo
Campbell…..Ozil……Sanchez
………..Giroud
Subs
Gibbs, BFG, Walcott, Ox, Chambers, Coq, Ospina
So thats looking a bit more like a good bench isn’t it……who misses out when Santi, Jack and Danny are available……you know it occurs to me injuries might be a good thing to keep players happy…..
Any team news? I’m having s nightmare, signal failure on the line, only just caught the train 😦
Yes
Mertesacker dropped.Flamini starts. Kos and gabriel together and El Ninny not in squad because HE’S INJURED and this is no wind up
GoonerB, perhaps as Giroud is now 30 he is more hopeful of someone like Akpom stepping up to the plate and not costing millions? Or Sanogo of course…..or maybe he knows who is next and when he will be available 😀
Could be GIE, anyway good debate, thanks for taking the time. Could you wake up RA and Chas for me on your way out 🙂
You don’t rate Danny Throughthemiddle Welbeck do you Exile 🙂
No Austin for Saints…also injured, Elneny’s injury listed as a knock on PremierInjuries.com….and currently being assessed which I guess means it happened in training?
Funniest thing I just read was 5 things to know about Elneny No. 1 He is not injury prone…….. oh well
Crystals
If that’s true, and El Nino really is injured, then it is actually quite funny
Youth Forwards:
Mavididi, Malen, Willock, Crowley, Fortune, NKetiah, Akpom, Silva, Maitland-Niles — plenty of kids coming thru- and we will buy more youngsters too like the two Nigerian kids.
The future is good – the future is Arsenal. 😀
I actually do Micky…..i think he has the raw ingredients to be a top striker, needs a bit of work on finishing and to be a bit more aware in given situations, but physically he is more of a fit than the name who sparks a thousand debates 😀
Exile
I know I shouldn’t laugh, but all it took the poor Egyptian was one Arsenal training session 🙂
Exile
Welcome to The Purists Club 🙂
Ha ha, we can’t even say his name anymore. The One who has been by-passed by Joel, aka Sign Da Ting 🙂
Ahh, yes Ollie GIE, the name who sparks a thousand debates 🙂
Maybe Theo could become a super sub like that scouse fella, was it Fairclough?
Mince on in the 70th. Bag a brace. Bath.
GB – eh – what – er – oh yes, it’s AA.
Now look GB – Umm, I am officially admitting defeat – watching a bloke you really like banging his head on a brick wall because – erm – well – I dunno why — but he is —— well. it means I cannot carry on.
Look, you are right – Theo is effing wonderful, the best CF in Arsenal, in England, in Europe, even the whole sodding Universeand — and he has been treated shamefully – so you can stop banging your head on that brick wall.
Remember whatever they say, you know, things like — ‘make a bad assessment and keep repeating it over and over again, in the hope it will be proved correct is crazy’ – you are NOT crazy – just —— you know — a little strange! 😀
And don’t take any notice of the Rasper – he is crackers too! 😀
FACT: The Gunners have scored in the last five minutes of each of their last five Premier League home games against Southampton
so it’s 85 minutes behind LB’s sofa 😉
I’ve totally discounted the previous Southampton game. It simply wasn’t fair. We do not do Boxing Day.
Whatever you say,Micky I feel really positive about tonight.
Redders, you are the master teaser/twister/manipulator 🙂 I thought those bits earlier would explain my position. Let me repeat :
For me it is not really about a Walcott vs Giroud argument. In truth I am not sure either are first choice striker material and would look more towards Sanchez or Welbeck potentially.
It is more about a general argument of whether Arsenal play better (and more crucially can develop and progress further) with a slower more traditional British type CF or a quicker more mobile CF. Personally I feel with the slower striker we alter the way we play (the way we want to naturally play that is) and our approach and build up play in attack is slightly at odds with our other players abilities and therefore doesn’t bring out the best in our other top attackers, and as such the fluidity in attack of the whole team is less effective.
Now after your 7.28 I will have to start my explanation all again. I am beginning now and will have it with you by tomorrow morning 🙂
Don’t quite get the bench. Do we really need Per and Callum, as opposed to an Iwobi
Anyway, enough of that, off to the stream
Come on you Gunnnnnners
campbell on, Walcott warming the bench, interesting
Totally agree, GB – right with you!! 😀
Have we scored yet?
spurs 1-0 up already
almost RA, almost
One again we’re failing to deal with their high press and our passes are going astray 😦
why can’t we start on the front foot,opening minutes the saints are controlling the game,we are playing like a the away side
We have forgotten how to start fast.
COYRRG. Get a grip
that was real class by ozil
What? Are you saying we are doomed, Rasper?!
Noooooo – if only they had listened to GB and put thingy at CF. 😦 😦
So many misplaced passes, should they be allowed to play in green? Campbell just passed it directly to one of them??
How did Forster save that?
Referee Mason having his normal useless game
We need to feed our boys some steak, getting outmuscled all over the pitch.
I’m not joking about the green, from where I’m sitting it’s pretty good camouflage
We need a walcott on the pitch 😉
spurs 2-0 up, ffs
They’re just so much stronger than us 😦
Our little, skilful midgets, Rasp? Surely not!
Shoild get to see second half. Whats happening now though
It’s not to do with height RA, it’s strength and determination
I wish someone had dropped the M-bomb earlier today, if I knew Mason was ref I wouldn’t have even bothered getting hopeful of a win.
now don’t be a doomer Kelsey 🙂
all is fine and dandy, we are still on target to win the league
Gie – do you think Mason laced our players’ drinks with sleeping pills?
We’ve been poor so far, yet even so, we should be at least one up
good news – Leicester v pool is nil all too 🙂 we are still within a chance
I think it has been a very interesting game. Southampton playing very well and proving their home win was no fluke.
Flamini is having a shocking game – poor passing, poor tactical decisions and throwing himself into tackles. The sooner Coquelin returns the better.
Mason having a stinker – how on earth has Long not been carded after 3 really nasty fouls
Before reading Rasps comments, I was going to say how awful their away strip is.
Mesut is other worldly as usual. Such a joy to watch.
Ramsey and Flam not good enough today. So far.
I think we are playing fabulous darlings 😉
Shit a brick, just realised that if we lose, Spurs will go above us 😦
Highly unacceptable that would be
Crystals yer great woofta
If its any consolation, then your hair looks simply stunning tonight 🙂
Right, here we go again
Come on you Gunnnnners
ooops, leicester are winning 😦
Really exciting. Can we beat Forster who is having an outstanding game?
So according to the Bbc text updates Forster is unbeatable and now players are clearing off the line too.
Coquelin gets a yellow without touching the ball 👀
Spuds go above us if we do not win! Bugger.
we need Santi back, badly!!
only he can save this season from being a disaster
And as for Wenger pacing up and down angrily on the touchline – why didn’t he buy a striker during the summer? Ey, why?
good night. too angry to watch the last minute.
Afobe scored the winner for Bournemouth.
Oops – Palace v Bournemouth still playing — 8 p.m. kickoff.
Why did we go charging forward, stop, wait and it then pass the ball backwards so often?
We were so much better in the second half .
Forster had a brilliant game and cost us two points. The double save from Theo, the one from Ozil and twice from Og, plus the off the line from Sanchez. On another day we would have won easily.
Another clean sheet for Cech
Oh dear
Their GK has a blinder whilst everyone else wins. Great stuff! Football really pisses me off at times.
I think it’s safe to say that Erik drinks from beginning to end, and as a result life simply gets better and better 🙂
Motm Lee Mason for Southampton. The reason we looked better second half is because the referee actually called some fouls in our favour instead of ignoring them.
Even then he allowed Southampton to get away with more physical contact, time wasting, and even facilitated that himself with being ‘precise’ with the positioning of our free kicks.
I don’t care about the title or the win more than I care about the game, and the referee today was playing for a team rather than acting as fair arbiter and that is something that always pisses me off when it happens.
For the second league game in a row, we have an appeal for a handball penalty ignored by tv, who deem it does not even warrant a replay.
I’m now sure we won’t win the title. It is 2008 all over again, and the refs will simply not let us win it, and all the talk will be about how Arsenal should have bought more players.
Ok FGG, here’s the doomer version of your interpretation. We didn’t shoot very accurately 🙂
Shard,
The ref didn’t fail to score from 16 shots on goal!
Whatever the ref did, we still should’ve won the game.
Fair to say Fraser likes playing us
Crikey Exile, that’s a bad stat
It means every other team Forster plays against shoot better than us 😦
I’ll stop and go to bed now 🙂
’till dawn, and we begin with a slider for sure 🙂
fgg
Yes and no.
Once the referee is tilting the field, everything else is irrelevant. We should have won the game, but we probably would have won the game if the referee didn’t stop us playing for 50 mins out of the 90.
I’m not interested in putting blame. I just call it like I see it. We had the chances to win. We didn’t. Only one individual wasn’t doing his job to the best of his ability…or maybe he was.. and that was Lee Mason.
thanks, Eric, for the post, and Rasp for yesterdays
Thats about the only positive. Sorry knot ear, but some part of 1st half and all of 2nd.
feck feck feck
Bellerin the only other half positive. 😦
Shard I have sympathy with your view on Mason i don’t necessarily buy that all the refs are corrupt, but I do indeed know Mason doesn’t like us, I have never seen him ref a game in which we play with an even hand, every niggle foul from the opposition gets the full play on signal and the “stop play acting” look while every tackle from us gets a whistle. Just on stats some things don’t make sense, admittedly I haven’t seen the fouls…but
Foul count 11 plays 19
Booking count 2 plays 1
James Ward Prowse commits 5 fouls…no yellows, Romeu 4 none, Long 4 none no totting up then?
Thats why if I’d known Mason was the ref I would have not bothered.
With away fixtures at Everton, United, Spurs and City it’s important to win all your home games and hope to pick up enough results away.
The results today are a massive kick in the teeth.
Difficult to stay positive looking at a 5 point gap and our fixture list.
Gutted, but I live in hope.
GIE
I don’t want a rehash of the ‘all refs are corrupt’ thing. In any case my view is that all refs are susceptible to corruption because there is almost nothing in the system that prevents it, and a lot that makes it almost likely.
But this has nothing to do with us winning the game or drawing it. It bothers me when referees decide, or try to decide, the result. Because that is entirely contrary to the idea of sport. Results become basically immaterial. And today was one of those days that makes me question my desire to invest my time, money and emotions in football.
Our next 2 fixtures are Bournemouth away and Leicester home. We have to win them both.
and the next two ….. Barca home and away 😛
other games dont count, hmmm
now, shtum
Our finishing wasn’t clinical. If the shot is good enough the keeper doesn’t save it. Once again the team is less than the sum of its parts. I have absolutely no idea why. We don’t want it enough and get tight when a shooting opportunity arises. All 3 of the team’s above us are performing at a higher level. Either we improve or they have a slump, otherwise it’s 4th place for us and 19 years stored up crowing from those down the road 😦
For those that need some positivity after that, the next few rounds of fixtures give us a chance to get back in the race.
City v Leicester
Bournemouth v Arsenal
Tottenham v Watford
Arsenal v Leicester
City v Tottenham
IF we win both games we are right back in it.
But in a weird way FGG its much easier for us to win away……teams can’t sit deep.
And if you are going to win the league you need to pick up points away from home as well, and enough of them.
If you can’t stay positive this season you really shouldn’t be following football, three weeks ago we were sitting a few points clear of others and that situation has turned, so what it can turn back.
Whilst we have played Liverpool away, Stoke away, Chavs home and Southampton, Spuds have had Leicester, Sunderland, Palace and Norwich, hardly the difficult run (they lost to Leicester)
“And today was one of those days that makes me question my desire to invest my time, money and emotions in football.”
Yep, and just to make things worse it was freezing at the game, still at least I am at home and not on the train back to Nottingham. Now that is a journey I would not like to be doing after a game like that.
Arsenal 0 Southampton 0
And the less said about that the better.
Voila, the match report.
I’m guessing the results over next 2 weeks will be:-
City beat Leicester
Arsenal beat Bournemouth
Spurs beat Watford
Arsenal beat Leicester
City draw with Spurs
That would leave the table as:-
City. 51 pts
Arsenal. 51
Leicester. 50
Tottenham. 49
So, yes, GiE, we should stay positive and things can definitely change quickly.
Fingers crossed!
Hehehe thats the spirit FGG, I just did a stats summary of the run in:
Opponents position in table as at now, and in brackets the home games:
City
Top 8 – 6 (4)
Middle 6 – 3 (2)
Bottom 6 – 5 (1)
Spuds
Top – 5 (3)
Middle – 5 (2)
Bottom – 4 (2)
Leicester
Top – 4 (1)
Middle – 6 (3)
Bottom – 4 (3)
Arsenal
Top – 4 (1)
Middle – 5 (3)
Bottom – 5 (3)
For added info everyone else faces Chavs in their run in.
I knew I came on here for a reason GiE!
Those stats have cheered me right up 😀
Basically, what you’re saying is we just need to win all our remaining games!!! 😂😂😂
COYG!
I said way back that we have the away game run in from Hell and we would have to get max points from all home games to have a chance……1 point from the last two !……just not good enough !……we have some decent players, but our manager is way off with tactics, until we play a pressing game with quality players we wont win the league. GoonerB hit the nail on the head in saying we struggle against the pressing teams and when we have beaten them, we have been very fortunate and less than convincing !……a lesser team on paper will beat us with better tactics…..Wenger is way behind the times, pretty football may win the odd cup, but it will never win the league !
I would bite your hand off for 4th place now and the Spuds above us as long as they dont win the effing thing !…….wait until Guardiola spends 100`s of millions in the summer and gets them pressing as well !…….a title is light years away !.
Anyone who seriously thinks we are going to win the league is in cloud cuckoo land.
I dont care what the AA technical coaches think, all I know from experience is that a super fit player/athletes will run all day long !….I know 35+ year old runners doing 5 and a half minute miles over half marathons who would shame footballers and dont give me all that….” it`s different with sprints and turning etc` “…..they all know how to play football, they have been doing it for years, get them working on endurance speed work !. It`s not something I have just come up with !….I`ve said it for years !.
I know Eddie likes the Spud manager and I cant disagree, if he worked our so called better players as hard as he works the Spuds, we would be top and no one on here will change my mind on that !.
And obviously not spending £100M on a striker didn`t help !. hahaha
There was some kind of stat on the radio today, something about the bottom six clubs in the EPL and the top six clubs in the Championship spent more money than the top six in the EPL !……….basically it was saying that the really big money comes into the EPL next season and the bottom clubs dont want to miss out by being relegated and the top clubs in the Championship want to get in the EPL for the money !…….shame our Mananger didn`t think on the same lines as in……we were near the top ( well at one point ! ), lets spend the dust gathering money to stay there !.
Like it or not, if Wenger cant win it this season when Chavs, Dippers and Manshafter are relatively poor and two of the 3 favourites now are Leicester and Spuds….. then he has to go, we are not getting any better apart from a couple of cup wins and lets face it, anyone has a chance to win them…..Wigan and Portsmouth come to mind !.
Yes, I sound pissed off, but what is there to get excited about ?…..certainly not our last 4 game relegation form !.
I love the irony that we drop to 4th on groundhog day !. hahahahahaha
Should have added to my stats above that we play all three as do City, Leicester and Spuds already played twice, oh and Cith and Spuds play Liverpool.
Cockie can you explain how the press of Southampton beat us tonight? We had 20 shots according to stats, and according to Rasp good chances that were poorly finished (or gave the keeper a chance to save) so how exactly was the press effective?
All it takes is two passes and your free of it, in the games we haven’t done well against the press were Spuds and Southampton away. The key to us beating the press is Santi, because unlike Flamini and Rambo he very rarely gets caught in possession and more often than not moves the ball on quickly and accurately.
My first and last football comment today.
If you’d have said to me that at the start of Feb we would be two points behind Man City, I’d have taken that.
The problem for us is momentum. We have none.
This is now our worst run over 4 games for the last two seasons.
Oh well, we’ll just have to start building a run at Bournemouth now.
fatgingergooner says:
I’m guessing the results over next 2 weeks will be:-
City beat Leicester
Arsenal beat Bournemouth
Errrr, stop right there 😦
Ok, I knew things were grim, but when LB makes comments like that, it is doom time.
Right Chas
Exactly how miserable are you?
Erik will be feeling dreadful after all that Lambrusco, while Eddie and Crystals will be along shortly, so our window for a humorous pic or two is narrow
I know it’s bad, but I’m not miserable at all.
It matters to me little, if we win, lose or draw. 🙂
ha ha ha
Do you think some will take the view that cat vids on an Arsenal site after a night like yesterdays is inappropriate?
Why should I be embarrassed about following ‘Emergency Kittens’ on Twitter?
Morning All
Well if I continue in the way I am known to express myself I am apparently a doomer but others who can be far more critical than me don’t even get a response.
I actually thought apart from the now familiar juttering start that we were very unlucky to not win and there is no doubt that their keeper was on top form.
I don’t have the technical knowledge of others such as GIE and there is no doubting our stamina but I feel every game we play we are getting more and more predictable that I can see the next move before it happens and therefore if I can see it so every team we play will have a plan to stop us which in recent weeks has led to no wins in four vital matches whilst the other contenders march on despite dropping the odd point here and there.
We really either don’t have a different way of playing or AW will not alter things dramatically.You decide.
We will know in the next month if we are still in with a shout of the title or (dread to think) in a battle for forth yet again.
The margins in so many games are getting finer as the seasons roll on.
I don’t usually get involved in a discussion about refs but in the first half he showed a definite bias against us.
I am not going to critisize any one player only to say the Kos/Gabriel partnership is not as good as I thought it would be.
It now becomes very much a mental thing for all of the top 5 either to sustain winning or getting back to winning, and we all know which category we fall into.
Did you go last night and how does Ant react to a stinker. Indifferent? 🙂
No, and he is brilliant at just shrugging it off.
That’s a very balanced comment, kelsey.
Most unlike you. 🙂
Wow, you mean no side effects at all? Like, I’m stopping at every junk food outlet between here and Nottingham?
Heck, maybe his way of releasing doom vibes is to move on to healthy snacks 😦
Very bad to bottle things up 🙂
Looking at Rasp’s League Position widget, we were 4th after 14 games and 1st after 19, so other teams must have similar drops in form.
Yeah, I know, clutching at straws.
Chas at 7:15
Spoil sport. I was hoping we’d ignore Kelsey as long as possible, and he’d develop an enormous grudge
Oh well, mooooorrrrning Crystals 🙂
I don’t think either of us bottle things up but just realise that wallowing in a slough of despond is far more unhealthy.
Let it go, move on, OGAAT. 🙂
hello Deer 😉
Hello Duckie
Oh no, there’s another wild beast I’d eat 🙂
Chas some people think I am a complete idiot who made a fortune others just think I am a simpleton who only wants Arsenal to lose. I am no Peirs Morgan. I honestly believe that some of the things Wenger does is absolutely baffling and it all started when Dein left the club.Why he did is an entirely different debate.I rest my case.
That’s more like it.
🙂
Are you a Libra Chas as you seem to sit on the fence quite a lot 😉
Bloody nora, I’m off for one of those blood test at 9:30 where you can’t have sugar or milk in yer coffee
What a foul beverage it is in its natural form
(Crysatls, I said foul, not fowl)
Is that cholestral,Micky ?
kelsey
You wouldn’t want to know how I really feel. 🙂
Domino sell 50 million pizzas a year in the UK and they have the highest fat content of any pizza on the market,so be warned.
Don’t eat takeaway pizza.
Crystals
I don’t know. I think they check for loads of stuff including cholesterol, which I am too high but I refuse to take the pills
Should have said, ‘I don’t eat takeaway pizza’.
i have no idea how you lot can be laughing today, disgusting
where can I buy a black and red scarf?
Making pizzas at home is fun
I remember doing it first with the children when they were about 8, and saying they could shove on top anything they liked. Oscar had marmite cheese and sweetcorn and boy it was excellent
I’ve developed a simple no yeast base, so none of that poofing up crap. Mix, roll, done.
Wish I could post some pics from my telephone camera, as I have some pizza ones from a week ago or so
I’ll send them to Chas 🙂
Morning, Eddie, oh light in my darkness. 🙂
Not got them photos yet
Morning all, I’m not talking about football today either, has anyone got a post on any subject as in football we can put up?
stop it chas, it is beyond joke
Foster played against other teams and S’ton lost
Referee cost us 2 points – yeah right, what about wininng us 1 point by ignoring the handball?
No excuses stand anymore.
Rasp
I’ve got to leave in 10, not back till 10, so cannot help
I’d suggest Arsenal pizza recipes and why the choice of topping/base.
Who’s making excuses? – not me.
Fingers in ears, tra la la la la 🙂
Actually one comment on last night. That nippy Saints player who chose not to take a dive and a certain penalty when tackled by Easter
Massive well played to him
ha ha ha superb pics
Too much football for me, Micky.
For that reason – I’m out.
chas – I wish you did, I would eat you alive then!!!
go on, fight
Morning Rasp
Morning Eddie
Now where’s the wine soaked Mr Positivity?
Oh Chas, put up my daughters pizza. In email
Morning Mickey, it’s only a game of football 🙂
Ok, that’s it, Chas gon salon. Wenger out 🙂
Morning Fellas,
Hi Kelsey, @ 7:24
Have you thought of taking up a new career as a barrister?
You have a brilliant style of arguing a case – and made me laugh on an unhappy day.
Kelsey on Football:- – “some of the things Wenger does is absolutely baffling and it all started when Dein left the club. I rest my case.”
Kelsey as Barrister:- – “some of the murders he commits are baffling – it all started when he had a cup of tea. I rest my case.
No arguing with that! 😀
I love all the foods that are bad for me, so I have a constant battle to resist them and eat healthily, I could eat all of that pizza on my own right now 😦
you don’t wanna listen, but i will tell you anyway!
Wenger is brilliant at bringing talent up, at doing ‘his’ best with would be’s and not exactly world class players. I loved his for it during the austerity times and several years after.
But name me our 3 best current players. Who are they – Ozil, Sanchez, Cech. World class, proven, expensive. Why the old oaf doesn’t buy us a striker?????!!!!! Pay some effing money that the fans put in the coffers, return the flipping favour that kept him in top paid job for 2 decades
He should not be allowed to carry on. I really want him out.
Chas @ 7:57
I can see a face in that there pizza.
No wait, I think it is a reflection – downcast, unhappy, probably football related and hungry. 🙂
Chas @ 7:50,
Janus on the left?
That is my daughters pizza. Nice.
Impressive looking pizza !……..probably better at tactics than Wenger !…..and I bet that pizza would have spent £100M on a striker !
Wenger Out !
Pizza In !
motning all. nice batner.
where is the doom? been there done that. onwards and upwards. 😦
The results were frustrating last night, but I don’t have much of an issue with how we played and I still think we finish in the top 2.
Morning All,
I am with Didit.
Last year I was diagnosed as having high cholesterol. (around 8.2 on the richter scale). I read loads , took stuff that they said would help, cut out fatty foods, stopped eating cake and even cut down on my wiine intake.
Then I thought …. this is silly, better to just enjoy my life and if it finishes a few years early, so be it.
I went back for a blood test last month and my cholesterol had halved to 4.2!!
Micky,
I read your comment re pics to Chas earlier, so I suspected the origin of the pizza lay in the Didit Household.
My comment re the face in the pizza still holds good. 🙂
On the other hand, I was rather hoping that the silver painted thumbnails were Chas’ – mmm nice! 😀
Well done Rddy but you have aged 10 years in 2 😉
my cholestral was checked last week and is now 3.5, though I am not pregnant, just increasing BP following our team.
I think you should use my first comment as todays post,so you get the lowest amount of hits of all time.
Arsenal Throw Away Title Chance Yet Again 😉
Morning all. It seems it is Pizzagate part deux this morning.
I have a feeling that many will not want to discuss anything Arsenal or AW related his morning. I think a lot will run for cover which I wish didn’t happen because to get the Yin and Yang going we need all the regular contributors from those more negative to those more positive.
Kelsey put up a top comment at 7.05 and one I am inclined to agree with.
I am somewhere in betwixt most views. On one hand I recognise that we had a more difficult run of fixtures recently (say compared to Spuds). As such the league title is still on and there is till reason to feel hopeful. Have a look at GIE’s input and predictions from late yesterday.
On the other hand I would say that we don’t take care of our own business well enough. I get that the ref was awful and agreed. This would have influenced the balance of the game to some degree. Not enough though for me that we shouldn’t have been able to overcome Southampton at home with the team put out and the players available to us. The referee thing has now also been used too much to explain away poor results.
I get their keeper had a blinder and that it was just one of those games. The problem is that every season we, more so it seems than any other team, seem to drop points against teams whose keeper has his best game of the season. Now I would look at why this happens so often and wonder if there is something about the way we attack that is slightly different that gives a keeper a better chance to put in these performances.
Unfortunately we just don’t seem to take care of our own business and look at our own failings and weaknesses. That needs to be done first before we start portraying ourselves as some unlucky put upon club.
Couple of meaningless diagrams for you.
GoonerB
Just as a matter of interest, when was the last time we failed to score because the oppo keeper had a worldy?
Fabianski for Swansea last season?
All teams have days when the ball just won’t go in, it’s just that you remember ours because they are games that you’ve actually watched? 🙂
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34025306
Right, last one from me for the day.
Hopefully give some a chance to add the Yang to my Yin. 🙂
I don’t understand how those who like to constructively criticise can recognise
that the ref was bent
that Forster had a brilliant game
we created more than enough chances to win by 2 or 3
but still want to have a pop at management for
lack of tactics
lack of signings
thinking Giroud is a striker ( 🙂 – amazingly it didn’t seem to be him that was culpable last night).
Aren’t you simply
a) reacting to the result and the fact we didn’t score or
b) simply carrying on seeing things with your own confirmation bias?
Cage rattling? 🙂
Right, I’m stealing comments to make a post …. so there …..
….. New post …….
Chas
I just re ran a lengthy replay and as I said before we were unlucky on another night we might have had 4 or 5 but there is something missing especially the way we start games and many a pass is wayward which never used to be the case,one of the beauties is seeing our fluidity which isn’t as it was.
I honestly think to a degree we are cursed 😉