EPL | Arsenal vs Southampton | Sat 23rd Nov | 3:00pm

[DJ_Markstar]

The penalty was soft too.

Soft because most refs simply ignore shirt-pulling in the box, and because Mertesacker didn't throw himself to the ground maybe. But it was definitely a penalty by the rulebook, and seeing how blatant Fonte was pulling Merte's shirt and his resigned reaction after Clattenburg gave it I wouldn't even call it soft. We should have had a penalty earlier when Cazorla was tripped in the box anyways.

Letter of the law says pen, but if we saw them given for every shirt tug, we'd be seeing rugby scores every week! Typical Arsenal--when we get a bit of luck on a decision, it's the ******* right one anyway! Back to being arse fked next week as payback now, no doubt.

Never said lucky, I said soft. You've already explained why, too

To be honest, rugby scores would be apt when that is a rugby style tackle.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Apart from his goals today Giroud also helped us defending set pieces good performance from him today in my opinion.

I understand some people might get angry with him cuz the lack of goals but i'm sure he will score alot of goals this season.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Giroud has definitely moved up a level this season. He's winning everything in the air, out-battling beastly CBs on the regular and scoring more too.

Awesome ;D

 

[GG8]

I literally just came back from a week trip with my school. Missed the game. The only thing I know is that we won 2-0.

Can someone sum up the game and tell me how we played?

The more I see this the more puzzled I become. What on earth was he doing, numerous opportunities to put the ball dead.

Giroud loves that left peg, was sure he was gonna roll that in with inside of his right.

 

[GG8]

Giroud has definitely moved up a level this season. He's winning everything in the air, out-battling beastly CBs on the regular and scoring more too.

Awesome ;D

Yep. Great to see.

Hoping Theo can start getting on to the end of some of these balls Giroud is winning in the air. At minute he is either taking them down or trying to put them to the chest or feet of all our midfielders.

Winning little knock ons for Theo to run in behind on could be lethal.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Giroud has definitely moved up a level this season. He's winning everything in the air, out-battling beastly CBs on the regular and scoring more too.

Awesome ;D

Yeah I agree, I reckon our attacking combination play on a whole has moved up a level this season. It'd be easy to say "oh it's 'cause we signed Özil" but the likes of Giroud, Rambo, Rosicky, Wilshere and Santi have all improved their short passing in and around the box.

 

[GG8]

Giroud has definitely moved up a level this season. He's winning everything in the air, out-battling beastly CBs on the regular and scoring more too.

Awesome ;D

Yeah I agree, I reckon our attacking combination play on a whole has moved up a level this season. It'd be easy to say "oh it's 'cause we signed Özil" but the likes of Giroud, Rambo, Rosicky, Wilshere and Santi have all improved their short passing in and around the box.

Familiarality. Plain and simple, those 5 have now been playing together for 15 months. This time next year Özil will be tearing this league apart playing with these guys.

Santi hasn't been the greatest over the last few games, he will always have accurate passing and great feet, but you want being more penetrative and committing players.

 

[La Sagna]

I also missed the game, and the reports on Giroud's performance are wildly conflicting. They vary from dogsh!t to fantastic. I'll have to have a look myself.

:shock:
I missed the United game but he looked the best I've seen for a while. Very good flick ons dominant on set pieces defensively and took his two chances well

 

[jones]

Letter of the law says pen, but if we saw them given for every shirt tug, we'd be seeing rugby scores every week! Typical Arsenal--when we get a bit of luck on a decision, it's the ******* right one anyway! Back to being arse fked next week as payback now, no doubt.

Not every shirt tug is a penalty though. It's strangely a very common argument that "we'd regularly see cricket scores blah", when in fact we see far more stonewall pens denied than soft ones given (excluding dives).

The one today was blatant (although I was surprised that Clattencunt actually gave it), it probably also helped that Mertesacker wasn't having any of it and was shouting his lungs out to the ref, unlike Santi who had a clear penalty denied because nobody (including himself) complained to the ref.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Some people just have a hate on for Giroud. Its like a phobia, completely irrational.

 

[Floating]

Giroud was excellent today. He dominated their defenders, held up play well, ran himself into the ground as usual despite picking up a couple of knocks, helped out defensively, and scored two goals. Not sure what else you want.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Giroud was excellent today. He dominated their defenders, held up play well, ran himself into the ground as usual despite picking up a couple of knocks, helped out defensively, and scored two goals. Not sure what else you want.

Didn't score from 30 yrds or on a run beating 4 players.

 

[Rain Dance]

Giroud was excellent today. He dominated their defenders, held up play well, ran himself into the ground as usual despite picking up a couple of knocks, helped out defensively, and scored two goals. Not sure what else you want.

Didn't score from 30 yrds or on a run beating 4 players.

waiting for "Fluke goal and penalty goal don't count"

 

[Jury]

The one today was blatant (although I was surprised that Clattencunt actually gave it), it probably also helped that Mertesacker wasn't having any of it and was shouting his lungs out to the ref, unlike Santi who had a clear penalty denied because nobody (including himself) complained to the ref.

I think Per profited off the back of his midweek goal against England.

Was it just a coincidence that he scored against England the other night, and Clattenburg was so quick to notice his shirt getting pulled today, as if very aware that defenders might be trying that bit harder to stop him this time?

 

[Jury]

Giroud was excellent today. He dominated their defenders, held up play well, ran himself into the ground as usual despite picking up a couple of knocks, helped out defensively, and scored two goals. Not sure what else you want.

Didn't score from 30 yrds or on a run beating 4 players.

waiting for "Fluke goal and penalty goal don't count"

Giroud obviously needs to add 25 yarders to his game. He doesn't score from outside the box anywhere near enough. It's just not on.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Funny that, Theo should add that too. Also, Szczesny doesn't do enough Cruyff turns for my liking, and Kieran Gibbs has no idea how to pull a pint.

Our whole club is a shambles.

 

[Rain Dance]

true, but I think he is instructed to keep long shots to a minimum. Remember he did try a 40 yard chip in his first match (against Southampton was it?) and gradually he stopped doing any shooting moves outside the box

 

[Floating]

Funny that, Theo should add that too. Also, Szczesny doesn't do enough Cruyff turns for my liking, and Kieran Gibbs has no idea how to pull a pint.

Our whole club is a shambles.

 

[redanddread]

A solid professional job today, the likes of which we could have done with over the last few years. What I like about this team is that they are comfortable defending without the ball. They don't get opened up like our previous teams. There is a confidence, maturity and know how in this squad and it showed today.

Against the bigger teams, they're finding their feet still IMO but the win in Dortmund and the manner of the narrow defeat at OT will strengthen this team. Our team is still growing.

Southampton never had a sniff really for all the pressure they put us under.

 

[Jury]

true, but I think he is instructed to keep long shots to a minimum. Remember he did try a 40 yard chip in his first match (against Southampton was it?) and gradually he stopped doing any shooting moves outside the box