EPL: Arsenal vs Chelsea - Sun. Jan 24th, 4:00pm

[GDeep™]

Bash Wenger for not signing top players in the summer, and having average starters today, but I'm not sure how much you can bash for in the actual game.

You go a man down in the PL very early, you're dead.

 

[Jaywood Mac]

I could tell from the 1st minute of the game that the team was in ***** mode. Someone said it earlier that in these games its like the team was smoking blunts before they went out as that's exactly what it looks like.

 

[Gooner_girl14]

I could tell from the 1st minute of the game that the team was in ***** mode. Someone said it earlier that in these games its like the team was smoking blunts before they went out as that's exactly what it looks like.

I think that's just the effect Chelsea have on us. That's the only way I can explain how Per, a World Cup winner and the most experienced player in our squad (but also the slowest player ever), was left in a position where he chose to make a desperate lunge barely 20 minutes into the game.

 

[Gooner n Proud]

We give the ball away too much! Pisses me off!

 

[Aevi]

I think that's just the effect Chelsea have on us. That's the only way I can explain how Per, a World Cup winner and the most experienced player in our squad (but also the slowest player ever), was left in a position where he chose to make a desperate lunge barely 20 minutes into the game.

That's another thing.

If Per were to commit this tackle to preserve the point after, say the 70th minute where we can hold on with 10 men, then by all means it can be the right decision.

But he did it at the 18th minute, leaving us with 72 minutes to hold onto the point. Being 0-1 down with 11 men during that period would have been preferable.

 

[Hunta]

We give the ball away too much! Pisses me off!

Some of the play between Flamini and Ramsey was league 2 standard, Flamini belted it at Özil at one point from about 3 yards.

 

[GDeep™]

I think you let Costa go and hope Cech saves you, given how early in the game it was.

 

[GDeep™]

I'm begining to think we've got some bottlers in the team btw.

Never subscribed to the 'bottle theory' before, but I maybe am now.

 

[Gooner_girl14]

That's another thing.

If Per were to commit this tackle to preserve the point after, say the 70th minute where we can hold on with 10 men, then by all means it can be the right decision.

But he did it at the 18th minute, leaving us with 72 minutes to hold onto the point. Being 0-1 down with 11 men during that period would have been preferable.

Yep, and maybe Cech would have been in beast mode and saved Costa's shot anyway

But for Per to make that hopeless tackle, knowing it would definitely get him sent off... I have no words

 

[Hunta]

I'm begining to think we've got some bottlers in the team btw.

Never subscribed to the 'bottle theory' before, but I maybe am now.

Mertesacker, Koscielny, Cazorla, Özil, Walcott and Arteta are the main culprits for me.

Mertesacker and Koscielny have never played well against Chelsea, both absolutely **** themselves every game against them, I remember Per in that 5-3 game, disgusting performance.

 

[Gooner Zig]

Tbf Theo has played many good games vs Chelsea

 

[TakeChillPill]

We've been riding our luck with Ramesy and Flamini in midfield, the wheels were going to come off at some point, let's be honest. It's just the fact that the league is absolutely dire that we're still in the title race.

The good thing is we're still in the mix. Let's just hope we have a fully fit sanchez, coq back and no more serious injuries until the end of the season.

Also no Merts for the next 3 games will give allow for the Gab, Kos partnership, which I think has the potential of being the best in the league and will allow us to play a higher line.

The one thing that really absolutely pisses me off about wenger is that he only changes things when he has no choice but to do so. Iwobi and Chambers were very good agains sunderland in midfield. Surely Chambers could've done a better job in midfield than flamini over the last month or so.

 

[Gooner n Proud]

I'm trying to stay positive, but our usual collapse in the second half of the season seems to be in full swing. I'm hoping that Wenger will panic buy after this loss and that he too realises that this is his best chance in years to lift that trophy again.

What do you mean historical collapse in second half of tge season? History displays that its the second period of the campaign wgen we thrive!

 

[Gooner_girl14]

What do you mean historical collapse in second half of tge season? History displays that its the second period of the campaign wgen we thrive!

Oh yes, thrive to secure a CL place ops: this season though we're in with a title shout

In the last six seasons, we are the only team to be top at New Years day and not lift the trophy. Let's hope we don't fade again..
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/...chweek19-new-years-day-bpl-leaders-stats.html

 

[redanddread]

Bash Wenger for not signing top players in the summer, and having average starters today, but I'm not sure how much you can bash for in the actual game.

You go a man down in the PL very early, you're dead.

The red card was the conclusion of some diabolical defending. 18 minutes in and already Costa is one on one with Per and no one else in sight. Per trying to play Costa offside with Koz behind him. Then a blind lunge into Costa as the last man.

Same **** in the CL final - defense all at sea good through ball and a defender/Gk over committing and leaving the team with one arm tied behind their back for most of the game.

It's all about setting up situations that favour you & Costa is smart at that and we're not smart enough to not let it happen.

It's why Mourinho shat all over Wenger because it's in the details and Chelsea manage the details better than we do - furthermore we don't have the quality of player (at least today we didn't) to combat the basic errors that we tend to make against the top teams.

I don't have to recount the number of times we've shot our self in the foot in big games - this was just another case of not managing the finer details in the game & paying the price.

 

[TakeChillPill]

This bottling issue that we have definitely stems from the manager there is no doubt about that. And i think there is one big underlying reason for this.

Wenger prefers style over substance. For Wenger winning isn't everything! How you win is actually more important! The fact that wenger wasn't happy with the way we won the F.A Cup back in 2005 say's it all.

When that pure ruthless win at all costs attitude isn't embedded in the team. Complaceny sets in, as well not having the right mental attitude to deal with a high pressure situations. We all know our teams over the years don't relish being on the big stage when the stakes are high.

The fact that the most talented English team in a generation only one 1 title and an F.A cup (invincibles) say's it all. That Wenger team should have won at least the 2 league back to back and the CL.

 

[redanddread]

The team has heart - we can take heart from that but it has needed to be smarter for a long time & today it fell short in that department yet again.
Furthermore, there was a real lack of quality in certain positions.

Theo was cack & Özil was soft - two of our main attackers that couldn't punch themselves out of a wet paper bag if need be.

At least Flamini hustled even though he was all over the shop.

We really are a team of son-in-laws and until Wenger addresses that we'll get found out by harder & grittier teams - we're soft but we do try.

 

[bojed]

This bottling issue that we have definitely stems from the manager there is no doubt about that. And i think there is one big underlying reason for this.

Wenger prefers style over substance. For Wenger winning isn't everything! How you win is actually more important! The fact that wenger wasn't happy with the way we won the F.A Cup back in 2005 say's it all.

When that pure ruthless win at all costs attitude isn't embedded in the team. Complaceny sets in as well not having the right mental attitude to deal with a high pressure situations. We all know our teams over the years don't relish being on the big stage when the stakes are high.

The fact that the great English team in a generation only one 1 title and an F.A cup (invincibles) say's it all. That Wenger team should have won at least the 2 league back to back and the CL.

Take a chill pill.

 

[Saikung]

I've always said Ramsey needs to be more disciplined but i realised things would've been better if he makes the right passes and make the right decisions.

He makes so many energetic runs, great, but he makes the wrong pass, a pass to the opposition or he dribbles too much.

Ramsey and flamini combo wont get you the title.

 

[SuperGoon]

I'm begining to think we've got some bottlers in the team btw.

Never subscribed to the 'bottle theory' before, but I maybe am now.

Did you watch the FA Cup final against Hull?

We did absolutely everything in our power to bottle it and give it to Hull. Most of that squad, deep down, are bottlers.

Santi and Koscielny excluded.