Premier League | Stoke City vs Arsenal | 19/08/2017 | 17:30 BST (16:30 UTC) | BT Sport

[gonner4life23]

Well actually we can field players in their natural positions, Wenger just chooses not to do so because he's scared to drop certain players, for example Bellerin even though he's woefully out of form.

 

[Mo Britain]

Agree with you on this one. ATM,we have Kos and Mustafi as the only experienced CB's at the club who might be able to play every game and even Kos' fitness is suspect. We need to rebuild CB but that's for another transfer window

"Another transfer window". It's always "another transfer window". What happened to the £100 million war chest?

 

[mavelous]

People saying that the season is over or they are writing this year off after 1 loss

Nah, no need to be cute. It's 13 years, people don't need a one loss at stoke to see where this is heading

 

[redanddread]

I haven't read any of the posts on this thread post match but if they re anything like the headlines that I'm seeing in the media then I'll give it a miss.

Let me just say that we didn't deserve to lose that game. We outplayed Stoke on their own patch but they defended with consumate skill and a good smattering of luck. It was a great example of how hard it is to break down 10 men behind the ball - but we did, time and again but alas couldn't find the finish.

The error that led to the goal will hopefully be the NAIL on the head for Xhaka - two games and two errors leading to goals. Unfortunately, his teammates couldn't bail him out this time. He compounded the error rushing after the lost ball, leaving space in behind him and the rest is history. It's an area of his game that he needs to work on ASAP.

Had we correctly been given a penalty & scored, this game would have been a different story.

TBH, I'm not worried by this result in the slightest. The team has good synergy going forward and has lots of attacking options. As always we need to be extra tight on defense but being an overly attacking team, there always will be one or two issues. Saying that, Stoke never really troubled us bar the goal.

The season is early and this loss won't make one iota of difference as long as we tighten up in key areas. I feel good about this team and will feel much better once Koz & Alexis are back. You wait & see.

I was dismayed and aghast to hear Keown & Gerrard dismissing Özil after the game - they were totally off target there but it's typical English analysis and sums up why England will never win a World Cup when tackles & graft are held in higher esteem than skill and artistry.

 

[GeorgiaGunner]

People saying that the season is over or they are writing this year off after 1 loss

They have 10+ years of history that say these (very same) problems will see the season pass without a title, or even a respectable title push. That's a far more defendable outlook than thinking something will be magically changed.

 

[BobP]

They have 10+ years of history that say these (very same) problems will see the season pass without a title, or even a respectable title push. That's a far more defendable outlook than thinking something will be magically change.

Exactly.

The reason why people are already weary is because its the same results season in season out.

 

[Makingtrax]

I haven't read any of the posts on this thread post match but if they re anything like the headlines that I'm seeing in the media then I'll give it a miss.

Let me just say that we didn't deserve to lose that game. We outplayed Stoke on their own patch but they defended with consumate skill and a good smattering of luck. It was a great example of how hard it is to break down 10 men behind the ball - but we did, time and again but alas couldn't find the finish.

The error that led to the goal will hopefully be the NAIL on the head for Xhaka - two games and two errors leading to goals. Unfortunately, his teammates couldn't bail him out this time. He compounded the error rushing after the lost ball, leaving space in behind him and the rest is history. It's an area of his game that he needs to work on ASAP.

Had we correctly been given a penalty & scored, this game would have been a different story.

TBH, I'm not worried by this result in the slightest. The team has good synergy going forward and has lots of attacking options. As always we need to be extra tight on defense but being an overly attacking team, there always will be one or two issues. Saying that, Stoke never really troubled us bar the goal.

The season is early and this loss won't make one iota of difference as long as we tighten up in key areas. I feel good about this team and will feel much better once Koz & Alexis are back. You wait & see.

I was dismayed and aghast to hear Keown & Gerrard dismissing Özil after the game - they were totally off target there but it's typical English analysis and sums up why England will never win a World Cup when tackles & graft are held in higher esteem than skill and artistry.

So refreshing to read a calm, rational and unbiased analysis of the game.

 

[tcahill]

I haven't read any of the posts on this thread post match but if they re anything like the headlines that I'm seeing in the media then I'll give it a miss.

Let me just say that we didn't deserve to lose that game. We outplayed Stoke on their own patch but they defended with consumate skill and a good smattering of luck. It was a great example of how hard it is to break down 10 men behind the ball - but we did, time and again but alas couldn't find the finish.

The error that led to the goal will hopefully be the NAIL on the head for Xhaka - two games and two errors leading to goals. Unfortunately, his teammates couldn't bail him out this time. He compounded the error rushing after the lost ball, leaving space in behind him and the rest is history. It's an area of his game that he needs to work on ASAP.

Had we correctly been given a penalty & scored, this game would have been a different story.

TBH, I'm not worried by this result in the slightest. The team has good synergy going forward and has lots of attacking options. As always we need to be extra tight on defense but being an overly attacking team, there always will be one or two issues. Saying that, Stoke never really troubled us bar the goal.

The season is early and this loss won't make one iota of difference as long as we tighten up in key areas. I feel good about this team and will feel much better once Koz & Alexis are back. You wait & see.

I was dismayed and aghast to hear Keown & Gerrard dismissing Özil after the game - they were totally off target there but it's typical English analysis and sums up why England will never win a World Cup when tackles & graft are held in higher esteem than skill and artistry.

^This

Well said my good sir. Can't believe people have lost their sh**t over this match. Only frustrating thing to me was Wenger's defensive selection, a problem easily remedied actually playing players in their right positions.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Thank goodness for Calendars because when I watch Arsenal it is like watching a repeat of the same horrible episode of some crappy soap opera over and over and over again. Buy new content Netflix!!! Oh wait, it's a live channel.

My god, I am so bored of this.

 

[Mark Tobias]

^This

Well said my good sir. Can't believe people have lost their sh**t over this match. Only frustrating thing to me was Wenger's defensive selection, a problem easily remedied actually playing players in their right positions.

Bore off. How many times are you going to say things like this before you realise it is the same every season. 'We dominated possession but were unlucky'... Wenger quote if ever there was one.

 

[tcahill]

Bore off. How many times are you going to say things like this before you realise it is the same every season. 'We dominated possession but were unlucky'... Wenger quote if ever there was one.

Come on, we created easily enough chances to wallop Stoke, in their home ground. Without Sanchez. With Danny bloody Welbeck as a CAM. With Bellerin playing a position he's never played in his life.
Both in the Leicester game and this game it was the defence that let us down, due to Wenger's stupid selection.

I made no reference comparing us to other seasons, but you have to admit that in previous seasons we've looked far worse when we've lost (with proper defenders playing too).

 

[Lookin' for a new Baby]

Come on, we created easily enough chances to wallop Stoke, in their home ground. Without Sanchez. With Danny bloody Welbeck as a CAM. With Bellerin playing a position he's never played in his life.
Both in the Leicester game and this game it was the defence that let us down, due to Wenger's stupid selection.

I made no reference comparing us to other seasons, but you have to admit that in previous seasons we've looked far worse when we've lost (with proper defenders playing too).

I love your optimism. 1. If you don't score you don't win, nor do you deserve to win. 2. Wenger keeps playing people out of position, if he won't change, results won't change.

 

[Jae]

They have 10+ years of history that say these (very same) problems will see the season pass without a title, or even a respectable title push. That's a far more defendable outlook than thinking something will be magically change.

I'll have that and I completely understand the point of view, but this is one of the reasons we get crucified and laughed at by all the other fans in the league, we throw our toys out of the pram when it doesn't go our way.

This was part of the reason we were so poor last season, negativity at the club had an impact on the team.

I HATE it when we lose as much as most people but judging by (some) of the comments on suggest that people only want to support us when we are winning.

It's the season ticket holders I feel sorry for.

 

[BobP]

I'll have that and I completely understand the point of view, but this is one of the reasons we get crucified and laughed at by all the other fans in the league, we throw our toys out of the pram when it doesn't go our way.

This was part of the reason we were so poor last season, negativity at the club had an impact on the team.

I HATE it when we lose as much as most people but judging by (some) of the comments on suggest that people only want to support us when we are winning.

It's the season ticket holders I feel sorry for.

A loss in itself is never the catalyst for widespread negativity, you have to contextualise it.

Fans aren't negative because we're not winning. Fans are negative because we lose the same way year in year out.

 

[Jae]

A loss in itself is never the catalyst for widespread negativity, you have to contextualise it.

Fans aren't negative because we're not winning. Fans are negative because we lose the same way year in year out.

People should probably stop supporting us until Wenger leaves then

 

[BobP]

People should probably stop supporting us until Wenger leaves then

I've considered it.

That man will bring nothing but anguish and embarrassment for Arsenal supporters.

 

[redanddread]

I've considered it.

That man will bring nothing but anguish and embarrassment for Arsenal supporters.

Bro, the guy's won 3 FA Cups in the last 4 years, How embarrassing is that.

 

[tcahill]

I love your optimism. 1. If you don't score you don't win, nor do you deserve to win. 2. Wenger keeps playing people out of position, if he won't change, results won't change.

I think you missed my point. I agree results won't change if Wenger doesn't change his selections, and we certainly don't deserve to win if we let in easy counters from the likes of Stoke and Leicester.

My point is that we are attacking well despite our mix and match first XI, and consequently, that if Wenger decides to actually play players in their positions (and use some actual CBs ffs), we would easily be winning these games.

 

[redanddread]

Bore off. How many times are you going to say things like this before you realise it is the same every season. 'We dominated possession but were unlucky'... Wenger quote if ever there was one.

You're equally entitled to your opinion but it's honestly how I saw the game. We didn't play poorly & we look better in attack than last season for sure.

It was interesting reading Joe Allen's take on the game in of all places the Stoke Sentinel.

Arsenal didn’t have a bad day we just held firm, says Stoke star Joe Allen
Read more at http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/arse...0489404-detail/story.html#kByXcBohEpeVDzi4.99


Let me tell all of you, what is a bore. It's the same bloody moaning and throwing of toys out of a pram after every loss. All rationality is lost and the same moaning is heard ad nauseam, regurgitated like bad food. That's the real bore M8. This forum's become a ****ing joke.

 

[BobP]

Bro, the guy's won 3 FA Cups in the last 4 years, How embarrassing is that.

Getting ripped apart by Bayern 10-2 in the premier club competition.

Finishing 2nd to Leicester on 71 points.

How embarrassing is that?