EPL: Arsenal v West Ham - 9/8/15, 13:30 - SS1

[SA Gunner]

I refuse to blame the manager , any formation should have beaten the Hammers today if they were up for it .

It was the problem of us going behind, and not reacting to it properly. Instead of being patient, maintaining our shape and taking advantage of them losing their shape, we went into kiddie mode, i.e. gung ho rubbish.

Im particularly disappointed with the naievity from Ox for example, you have made that mistake before (running with your head down in crucial areas) yet you do it again... when we are trailing. Such examples show that we are not mature enough yet.

But the positive from this game is that it shakes us up from the start. We tend to wake up and play a better game, and I expect this team to respond accordingly.

Its not just players we need, its a change in mindset and approach to the different situations.

 

[GOONER1991]

Absolute nightmare of an opener. I can't believe it happened again. At least this season, we don't have a CL qualifier to contend with!

We need to right the wrongs of this swiftly and really hit Palace hard. Don't let this set the precedent for our season.

Alexis - Unfair on him, he clearly shouldn't have been brought on in those circumstances. Clearly not match ready, as expected.

Cazorla/Özil/Ramsey - Failed to control the midfield at any point today. Balance was completely off.

Coquelin - Was in "Alex Song" mode. Playing Hollywood passes all over the shop - usually out of play.

Cech - Let's be honest, that was an absolute nightmare of a debut.

 

[SteveEvets]

I have hope as Ox is like a hybrid, and is listed as a midfield players so I'm hoping Wenger sees it that way.

The fact he demoted Ox to RB in a match we were chasing 2-0, favouring this Giroud target man stuff instead of a front three of Walcott, Sanchez, Ox suggests to me that at least one player with no pace is required at all times for Wenger to be happy.

 

[North5]

Comical knee jerk reactions on here as always I see...

It's not knee jerk when wenger is using the same tactics that cost us a title shot last year in a 2-0 defeat on the opening day at home to a mid table side.

Zero balance.

 

[gunner4lyfe]

I was watching the pundits at half time on sky sports. They faulted Kos and Cech.

Kos lost his marker for the first goal and didnt close down the ball for the second. Although everyone was literally walking for that second one because Mert could have tried closing it down as well

 

[MaraDon]

 

[ChampagneFootball]

Also, no idea why he didn't have Ox on left wing, Ramsey on right wing and Cazorla in the centre of midfield the second that he saw James Tomkins was at right back.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Whose job is it to get the players up for it? The manager surely?

Really? Why can't grown men with like 100k per week get them self up for a game against **** side like West Ham?

You really expecting Wenger to babysit them?

 

[qbs20]

Well we lost the opening game in 2013 and found ourselves top of the league on new years so this isn't the end of the world.

I think the players were up for it, though they were too eager which clouded their judgement leading to a few misplaced passes and some bad decision making.

One of the major issues is obvious, get an upgrade on Giroud. His confidence seemed shot to pieces today.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

All pre season. Pre season means nothing.

i know but at these game we played much better the player were focused and take the seriously unlike today.

 

[Rex Stone]

What are you talking about. Özil was one of the only attacking players busting a gut to get back late in the game when they were hitting us on the counter.

Lol he put im two airy tackles. He was hardly Stevie G.

The rest of the time he stood with his arms in the air moaning. Didn't exactly sprint for the loose balls either.

 

[Liam Spencer]

Having missed the game I wouldn't be the best person to judge but I dare say even if I watched it this would be another game when Ozils genius was incompressible to the average punter. Can any of our resident super analysts enlighten me?

'With the exception of a couple of chances the Ox created, Özil literally created the remainder of our chances.' - Tom9, Özil thread.

But as you know, he was **** as usual, however, it is easy to fantasize about the chances that he created.

 

[Bigbludfire]

Well.. That was a ******* shower of sh*t.. Totally unacceptable performance..

And w*f is Payet doing at ******* West Ham!

There's to much cash in PRL when a player of his standards chooses to play for a club like that..

Premier Rupee League?

 

[David Smith]

Ox is far better on the right wing than the left. He rarely plays on the left.

 

[Proof]

I can't ****ing believe that Giroud and Tomkins were allowed to come back into the game after they were left motionless on the ground.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

My computer living it last hour... Sad times. But I will smash it into the wall when I read Mertesacker post match interview.

 

[GOONER1991]

Debuchy is a horrible right back. I liked him when we signed him, but he has looked completely out of sorts when he's played. Missed Bellerin today.

I pray Chamberlain stays fit this season.

 

[celestis]

Whose job is it to get the players up for it? The manager surely?

Nah , at the start of the season with our best chance to win a title ? You can get up for that you need selling .

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Also i said that many times at home games play natural winger even if mean dropping Cazorla or Mesut.

 

[Plutarch]

Well, I'm used to Arsenal letting me down, but this does feel like one of our bigger disappointments. After our pre-season optimism, we really crashed and burned today.

 

[stiiphunn]

Debuchy is a horrible right back. I liked him when we signed him, but he has looked completely out of sorts when he's played. Missed Bellerin today.

I pray Chamberlain stays fit this season.

That's harsh. Most of us were pretty happy with his performances during the first few months of last season. He was doing really well. Yes, he was **** today and to call him a horrible RB is wholly undeserved imo.