EPL: Southampton vs Arsenal | Sat 26th Dec | 19.45

[kopzilla]

We got suckered into Southampton's game plan last night - Wenger once again outfoxed by Koeman. In hindsight, we should have played some ropa-dope style keeping it tight and not giving them room to run into behind.

It was a passive, ineffectual display against a team that had a clear game plan - there was only one way that we were going to get back into that game & that was up the tempo on the passing & the tackling. Neither happened until we were 3-0 down.

We have lost count of the times we have been done by managers who outsmart us on the pitch...some of these managers are now in the championship or wherever they are now...but at the end of the day Wenger manages to finish above them at the end of the season.

However is is very disconcerting to see such a celebrated manager be beaten like that....

 

[BBF]

We have some fluke fans that i really can't stand them, after City game they were 100% sure we gonna win the title after the southampton game they gave up and want wenger out.

I mean seriously this is football you won't win every game.

Fans can't be happy after beating our main rival?

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Fans can't be happy after beating our main rival?

i didn't mean that i was very happy too but the way they acting after yesterday and give up about winning the title and want wenger out that i just can't understand.

 

[skip spence]

Didn't watch the game and I'm happy about that, sounds like a train wreck. It was coming though, the team we've been putting out recently really isn't very good, no wonder they've been shown up at last. If we can get 6 points the next two games, however scrappy the result, I'd still be happy about the festive season. Really need those early Jan weeks to regroup, hopefully get some players back and 1 or 2 quality signings in. Not gonna win the league with this midfield.

 

[Rex Stone]

I'm the one that needs to chill out?

And bounce back is the most unoriginal phrase in the world, if we're talking about who's more original here. You obviously have no idea this forum has been laughing at the players for months for saying 'we will bounce back'. We're fed up of the bouncing.

Don't take it so damn personal man, it's a joke.

Personal?

Well tbf haven't they bounced back? We're in 2nd place ahead of all our rivals and only behind Leicester who's bubble may have finally burst.

It's hardly last season.

 

[Furious]

Of course people are mad, we got smashed 4-0 by a pub team, who had lost their last 100 matches. Had Wenger done what was required we would've walked this league.

I don't care that our rivals are worse than us, we're not them ffs. We're doing worse than what we expect of ourselves, that's the only barometer worth using.

 

[tap-in]

Of course people are mad, we got smashed 4-0 by a pub team, who had lost their last 100 matches. Had Wenger done what was required we would've walked this league.

I don't care that our rivals are worse than us, we're not them ffs. We're doing worse than what we expect of ourselves, that's the only barometer worth using.

What happened at Christmas? You are talking far too much sense today!

 

[kopzilla]

The City game could've easily been a disaster for us had they taken their early chances and changed the course of the game. Main difference is that we were playing at home, naturally grew in confidence as the game went on and created chances. Away from home we've got no chance and Southampton exploited our porous midfield the same way City did to great effect. No pressure on the ball from midfield allowed Shane Long ( who frankly is a championship striker at best) to play on the shoulder of our defenders and it was a disaster for us every time. The fact that Flamini was hauled off for Chambers says it all really. The midfield was a leaking wreck and Flamini/Ramsey are way too indisciplined to be taken seriously.

We have had generous amounts of luck in some games...the fact that we have scored first has helped us grow in confidence.

It is infuriating that we barely tested their keeper..more annoying than the fact that we conceded 4 goals.

 

[Furious]

What happened at Christmas? You are talking far too much sense today!

Wait what? When do I not talk sense?

I'm the epitome of talking sense, not knee-jerking, and always being bang on the money. I'm Furious Styles for a reason.

 

[tap-in]

Wait what? When do I not talk sense?

I'm the epitome of talking sense, not knee-jerking, and always being bang on the money. I'm Furious Styles for a reason.

I wasnt implying that you normally talk nonsense, hence the I just found myself liking 2 of your posts so thought I'd comment.

 

[OG J0E]

I missed this game to watch Interstellar with the family and saw the highlights just now.

**** we got rekt.

 

[tap-in]

I missed this game to watch Interstellar with the family and saw the highlights just now.

**** we got rekt.

Yep, leaving the planet was a good move on your part!

 

[celestis]

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

That black hole in that movie has a lot in common with our defense yesterday.

 

[redanddread]

i think it was going all according to plan until they scored a world class goal out from nothing. at that stage we will have to be open and attack them and that mean they will counter attack us.

True but it wasn't like our attack was anything too potent & once again we fell into the trap of being too exposed at the back. There's got to be some balance - this game was so reminiscent of so many of the awful games that we've played over the last 7-8 years. Toothless in attack & vulnerable on the break & weak at set pieces. All our weakness exposed in one night again.

 

[Rex Stone]

We have had generous amounts of luck in some games...the fact that we have scored first has helped us grow in confidence.

It is infuriating that we barely tested their keeper..more annoying than the fact that we conceded 4 goals.

Well they had generous amounts of luck for their first 3 goals?

Most teams who win big games get lucky. Were Chelsea complaining after winning the CL in 2012 or Utd after all their jammy wins under Ferguson? Of course not.

 

[redanddread]

We have lost count of the times we have been done by managers who outsmart us on the pitch...some of these managers are now in the championship or wherever they are now...but at the end of the day Wenger manages to finish above them at the end of the season.

However is is very disconcerting to see such a celebrated manager be beaten like that....

It's a simple tactic but we don't know how to counter it. Fergie loved to use it against us - lob the balls deep over our centre halves and make them turn & the harry them them with quick dogged players. We didn't know where & when to press. It's a tactic that Wenger better find a solution to

 

[TheGlitch]

Of course people are mad, we got smashed 4-0 by a pub team, who had lost their last 100 matches. Had Wenger done what was required we would've walked this league.

I don't care that our rivals are worse than us, we're not them ffs. We're doing worse than what we expect of ourselves, that's the only barometer worth using.

So you are ignoring that this is topsy turvy league and that anyone can beat anyone? City thought they done what required, chelsea thought they done what required so did manunited but we sit on top the whole fuq of them. There is walking this fuqing league get that out the head come back to reality, yeah let it bite you for a second. That even if we had sign messi and benzema we could have lossed yesterday. 4 nil is sour but we are above that.

 

[Rex Stone]

It's a simple tactic but we don't know how to counter it. Fergie loved to use it against us - lob the balls deep over our centre halves and make them turn & the harry them them with quick dogged players. We didn't know where & when to press. It's a tactic that Wenger better find a solution to

No he didn't. He'd let us overcommit playing short passes into Cesc in the middle of the pitch.

He'd put two guys on him who'd either intercept or tackle and then quickly get it out wide to their wingers and counter on us.

 

[redanddread]

No he didn't. He'd let us overcommit playing short passes into Cesc in the middle of the pitch.

He'd put two guys on him who'd either intercept or tackle and then quickly get it out wide to their wingers and counter on us.

yet another way to burn us..........ugh & another way to hit us on the break.