TwoPints Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Personally I thought Long and Wanyama had great games today. Pelle held the ball up well but clearly ran out of steam in the end. Mane disappointing and it shows the lack of depth when we have to bring Mayuka on. Alderweireld was superb (again) tonight. Hope he's back soon. With him and Schneiderlein missing for any length of time, that will be a big blow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 With Giroud bound to have come on, Koeman made a huge mistake subbing Toby for Mayuka. Gardos should have come on knowing that we'd soon have Giroud there to keep in check. Only he didn't sub Toby for Mayuka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Andre Marriner - what do you expect... professionalism? The guy is a prize tit. The bias he showed towards Arsenal tonight was so obvious it was embarrassing. Felt that way here too. Every single 50/50 and quite a few 60/40s in our favour went their way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Personally I thought Long and Wanyama had great games today. Pelle held the ball up well but clearly ran out of steam in the end. Mane disappointing and it shows the lack of depth when we have to bring Mayuka on. Alderweireld was superb (again) tonight. Hope he's back soon. With him and Schneiderlein missing for any length of time, that will be a big blow. Didnt a hamstring cause Alderweireld to miss the Swansea game and some after? Wouldn't be surprised if it's a similar case here. Strange time to do it and especially innocuous as he wasn't stretching or chasing the ball. Will be a big miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Played well against a good team who we made look pretty average. Ultimately though, we haven't got a squad nearly deep enough to get a top 4 finish and still 6th would be a brilliant effort. Now Tadic isn't managing 90mins we are seeing more of Mayuka who is just not up to it. Size of the squad is our biggest problem and we haven't even had an injury to Pelle or Forster yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M271 Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 @bigadamsport: #saintsfc Injuries; Cork - recurrence of ankle injury, Alderweireld hamstring & Schneiderlin's hip problem not ready for #MUFC on Monday Get Adam as our physio, he can predict injury status before assessment, medical rehabiliation etc... He's probably right though, unfortunately, but it is speculation all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Get Adam as our physio, he can predict injury status before assessment, medical rehabiliation etc... He's probably right though, unfortunately, but it is speculation all the same. I think he was just on about Morgan not being fit for Monday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Just checked, We only managed 1 shot on target the whole game And that was a long ranger Need to be miles better than that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 I think he was just on about Morgan not being fit for Monday That's how I read it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Just checked, We only managed 1 shot on target the whole game And that was a long ranger Need to be miles better than that And? A pretty meaningless stat which doesn't include the best chance of the night for either side (at least till we went to ten) I.e. Pelle's miss in the first half. Nor does it include Pelle's goalbound blocked volley and Long's chance, albeit the angle was tight. None of which are counted as on target but were decent openings. Agree though we need to create more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastic Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 well it looked better than sunday. Injuries are a big problem, but someone needs to step up and start scoring again... naming no names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Billy Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 On a train back from game. First half not too bad but not much threat on their goal apart from Pele missing an opportunity, but defence held firm and didn't give them many chances. Second half we were dissapointing and the only chances we had were ballooned over the bar. Injuries are now hitting us hard and could assist us in sliding down a few more places. What worries me is the sudden dip in form which for me started at the Villa game. We are desperately short of game changers on the bench and now with the injuries desperately short full stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Jeremy Wilson from the telegraph talks about the game Saying it was a good game and we played well but our squad depth (lack off) is now hurting us. Fears for us in December Feels we can beat anyone with our first 11 playing just have no where near the squad required for a serious top 4 challenge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Jude Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Personally I thought Long and Wanyama had great games today. Pelle held the ball up well but clearly ran out of steam in the end. Mane disappointing and it shows the lack of depth when we have to bring Mayuka on. Alderweireld was superb (again) tonight. Hope he's back soon. With him and Schneiderlein missing for any length of time, that will be a big blow. Pretty much agree with this...but also would add that Yoshida looked pretty solid tonight.. given the stick he gets... can we get on and sign Toby... looked very comfortable tonight in centre mid.. pleasantly surprised by the quality of his passing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Bones Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Well not the best way to start the morning but a great effort we can be proud of. Like most I'm beginning to worry about the injuries - Looks like January cant come quick enough. Here's hoping we can steal some points from United and get us back on winning ways again. Be interesting to read the Fraser Forster post after this one... Some fantastic saves tonight - deserved a clean sheet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Ronald says Played a lot better for an hour compared to sunday But after an hour we were not good enough and then going down to 10 men is hard with the quality of their players Forster was magnificent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Looking at motd I'd blame Fonte for that one. Handled it then chased it out of position when yoshi and Davis (?) were on it. Then his man scored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 (edited) http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/03/southampton-comfortable-skin-arsenal Southampton may have lost for the second time in four days, further evidence the brilliantly bold anti-gravity act of the opening four months of the season has hit its first patch of turbulence. But there was encouragement to be taken even in defeat at the Emirates Stadium where for the opening 75 minutes of a slow-burn, ultimately rather frantic 1-0 Arsenal victory Southampton were slick on the ball, physically robust and marginally the better team. For much of the opening hour though this was a match that illustrated Southampton’s enduring sense of balance as much as Arsenal’s familiar strengths and frailties. There is something hugely alluring about Koeman’s chop-and-change team, a uniformity of build and method, with every outfield player technically sound and quick to the ball. For most of the first half they made football look very simple, a matter of short passing, well-drilled movement and a cultured, if rather blunt-edged hulk of a centre forward in Graziano Pellè. Southampton will take heart from their performance in defeat here, just as the Premier League should treasure this team’s continued residency at the top end of the table. It is simply not possible for an upstart team to exist for long in the upper reaches in this league, not without an almost continual process of rebuilding. Money will not allow it. Other clubs’ squads will always be bigger: before long they will be bigger simply because they contain most of your best players. For now, though, and with Manchester United and Louis van Gaal next up, this excellent, orderly, rather stretched group of Saints march on. Edited 3 December, 2014 by trousers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Very unlucky indeed to limp away from the emirates without a point. Seven shades of sh*t kicked out of the team, I can't help thinking anyone playing us will see that as a game plan from now on knowing how thinly the squad is getting stretched, wouldn't normally have arsenal down as a dirty side but they did their best to look like one tonight. The only criticism I'd level at Big Ron was subbing Long off. 11 players on the pitch would probably have meant a point for us, when Toby hobbled off it was only ever going to end one way. Still gutted by the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsbridge Saint Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Dirty Arsenal. It's not the first time up there either. And we need stronger refs than Homer Marriner when Wengers **** kickers take it physical. That lunge by Cazorla that crippled Tadic was a straight red. Chambers was a disgrace with Alderweireld. Proud of the lads though, played well and battled to the end. Mane and Mayuka have to move on though - they added nothing and neither of them look like footballers. They struggle with first touches and simply don't have the technical ability to play at this level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HertsSaint Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 I thought we were much better than Sunday and good for the point until going down to ten. On what planet do Arsenal think it is acceptable having a convicted rapist / sex offender as their half time 'guest of honour'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smirking_Saint Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 Massive pat on the back for the shift put in by the lads. Still not impressed with Yoshida on for Cork. He clearly doesnt have faith in young Reed for the big games, though Toby is a good CM it has to be said, the only thing is his positioning isnt brilliant at top level, as expected from a good CB playing CM, but then Id argue it could be the same for Reed who is inexperienced. That move didnt lose us the game, we were still winning the midfield battle until he went off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoPints Posted 3 December, 2014 Share Posted 3 December, 2014 I thought we were much better than Sunday and good for the point until going down to ten. On what planet do Arsenal think it is acceptable having a convicted rapist / sex offender as their half time 'guest of honour'? Ummm... I'm a bit scared to ask, but who was the guest of honour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzzza Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Did anyone notice Clyne trying to deal with 3 Arsenal players lining up for the cross that Sanchez scored, yet Wanyama 'walking' back by the penalty spot !? A little more urgency might have helped with Toby & Cork off & 2 mins to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Ummm... I'm a bit scared to ask, but who was the guest of honour? I wondered this as well, who was this emirapist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Durman Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Graham Rix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny R Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 I thought we were much better than Sunday and good for the point until going down to ten. On what planet do Arsenal think it is acceptable having a convicted rapist / sex offender as their half time 'guest of honour'? It was shocking. Surprised he didn't get more stick, dirty skate ****. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucks Saint Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 (edited) On a train back from game. First half not too bad but not much threat on their goal apart from Pele missing an opportunity, but defence held firm and didn't give them many chances. Second half we were dissapointing and the only chances we had were ballooned over the bar. Injuries are now hitting us hard and could assist us in sliding down a few more places. What worries me is the sudden dip in form which for me started at the Villa game. We are desperately short of game changers on the bench and now with the injuries desperately short full stop. Just back from the game. Agree with most of the above but the "dip in form" was back the other way tonight. Against quality opposition we were a much better shape and quicker to pass again. Yes, little real threat up front, with Pelle blazing the best one, but we coped with Cork going off and no Morgan. The Ref had a shocker offering them a free run at kicking our players. Using our 3rd sub to bring on one our worst players was very questionable. Very proud overall but gutted Edited 4 December, 2014 by Bucks Saint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmacian_saint Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Looking at motd I'd blame Fonte for that one. Handled it then chased it out of position when yoshi and Davis (?) were on it. Then his man scored. The only reason for that being Yoshida can't anticipate the attacker's movement for his own life's sake. Something Jose himself is usually fairly good at. If he trusted Yoshida to deal with Giroud he would've stayed in position. Saying that, there were like another 4 Saints players in the box so someone should've closed down the CBs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Graham Rix Cheers. That made an interesting google search, I wasn't aware of that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Durman Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 I left when Alderweireld went off. The writing was on the wall. How lucky the big teams are and where's the protection for our players from the ref? I think Tadic was also feeling the effects of a bad challenge. We didn't deserve to lose. Alderweireld was magnificent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoPints Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Graham Rix Oh yea, I remember him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Saint Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 On train back from the game: Forster did very well and couldn't do much about the goal It's a huge worry if we lose a CM, an area which we thought was well covered, with a CB Yoshida had one major ****-up which we were lucky not to lead to a goal We didn't really create an awful lot of chances....if Pelle gets suspended, when rather than if, we have no backup...our squad is looking perilously thin... Fullbacks were excellent tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Durman Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Whilst Koeman cannot know that a player will get injured in the last 10 minutes, you do run the risk when you use all 3 subs. This decision cost us the game tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintSteve Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Sunday's ref was just incompetent, but tonight Marriner was so biased it was embarrassing.. it was a case of, Arsenal playing until they scored.. we are not allowed to be in the top four. Apart from that. if we had taken our two gilt edged chances we would all be happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Saint Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Sunday's ref was just incompetent, but tonight Marriner was so biased it was embarrassing.. it was a case of, Arsenal playing until they scored.. we are not allowed to be in the top four. Apart from that. if we had taken our two gilt edged chances we would all be happy. Would you expect any less from Mariner after the humongous rickett he dropped sending off Gibbs instead of Oxo, the bloke shouldn't be anywhere near an Arsenal game but then with Old Mother Riley at the top of the refs it's no surprise. All this mithering about the depth of squad, the way we have been dealt a crappy hand regarding our midfield losing 3 midfielders in the space of 2 games is a pretty rum deal, there are not many teams who could cope with their midfield being decimated like this: should be interesting to see how the pack gets shuffled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_Abroad Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Worst part of tonight's loss will be the endless posts and threads about Jack Cork's injury costing him the Ballon d'Or. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Duckhunter Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Worst thing about game was driving to work straight afterwards ( on nights this week) and listening to Solent. I'm sorry , but Dave merrington is clueless and we have some ****ing idiots texting in, I despair . I finally switched off when Dave started moaning that Ron should have left cork on to see if he could run it off . Excuse me you geriatric northern twt, that's exactly what did happen . He went down minutes before he finally had to come off. And some of the texts FFS. As for the game . I thought Toby was magnificent in both roles, he's differant class, I'll be amazed if we can pick him up permanently . Forster had his best game for us and defensively I thought we had a good shape and game plan. Obviously going down to 10 will always be a blow, doubly so if you've got Mayuka & Mane on the pitch and someone as immobile as Pelle up top. It also gave them a boost and lifted the crowd. I don't get the Maya moans, thought he was ok. Maybe Ron thinks him and Jose know each other better than chucking Gardos into a new pairing, and maybe he thinks Read a bit lightweight for the required role . Worry that Pelle maybe a bit of a flat track bully. Certainly struggled again against international defenders. Long's attitude was fantastic again, and the two full backs played well. I didn't think arsenal went out to kick anyone or nobble anyone, I saw 2 committed sides battling hard and a ref slightly out of his depth. No shame in losing sun or weds, and that doesn't change just because of a quirk in the fixture list means they're back to back . Our season was always going to be defined by results against the also rans , not arsenal away or city home . There's not many who thought we'd have 26 points by new year , let alone dec 4th. So we need to keep some perspective here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Played well against a good team who we made look pretty average. Ultimately though, we haven't got a squad nearly deep enough to get a top 4 finish and still 6th would be a brilliant effort. Now Tadic isn't managing 90mins we are seeing more of Mayuka who is just not up to it. Size of the squad is our biggest problem and we haven't even had an injury to Pelle or Forster yet. Don't get this criticism of Tadic. Carzola was lucky not to get a Red for the lunge at his ankle and didn't even get a Yellow FFS. Long & Cork were hobbling in the 1st half, hope keeping Shane on as long as we did hasn't made his knock any worse. Again, Cork gets taken out by a high tackle & the ref gives nothing. Appalling display by Marriner. My only concern was bringing on Mayuka for Long, SURELY with the chance of a point in the bag we bring on Harry Reed for that last 15 minutes, at least he has shown more Midfield nous. Long has learnt his role well and his defensive work is as good as some of his chasing & harrying but a lightweight Mayuka? Just don't see that ever working. Thought it was a good performance, overall and Barasti was packed last night - each of Forster's saves brought the entire pub out of their seats - inc the lads watching the other games on the multiple screens. #wemarchon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Still no idea why Mayuka gets given any game time at all: http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/players/profile.statistics.html/emmanuel-mayuka#clubsTabsAttacking got to be the most amazingly underwhelming premier league profile ever.....no goals, no assists, 7 shots, 3 offsides. = TALISMANIC SIGNING Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Just like last year. We should have learned this lesson in the summer. Its not bad luck. Its what happens when games come thick and fast against good teams and in the colder weather. LOL. You think the club can afford to have another two £10-5m quality central midfielders mooching around just waiting for injuries. Get over it. We're not Chelsea, we will never have a 24 man mega squad. That's the lesson you should have learned last summer. S hit happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/03/southampton-comfortable-skin-arsenal They can't wait for us to lose. Or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whelk Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 They can't wait for us to lose. Or something. Phil Neville and Hamann were also complimentary on MOTD although Lineker dared suggest again we might be punching above our weight. Getting fed up with us never getting praised by TV or papers ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david in sweden Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 (edited) Last night's result came as no surprise to the generations of fans who've seen us " snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (or a draw at least)"... in this North London fixture over the last 40 years. The Emirates (and previously Highbury) have been notorious under Wenger, as a stadium which has it's own version of " Fergie tid ", and " friendly " referees, who freely book opponents, whilst allowing the home side to foul and go unpunished. One or two fouls last night, on Tadic and Long in particular, were noting short of criminal. After the heavy (but well-defined) criticism of recent performances; (Villa and Man.City) I felt quite proud of our approach to the game, that at times we were equal to - or even better - than the mass dominating midfield that people are so used in games at the Emirates, the only problem was our poor finishing in a game where we knew that we'd have very few chances. Surely few would deny that Fraser Forster showed some of the goal-keeping qualities that we hoped his £10 million fee would bring, and was worthy of MOM - despite the final result. Sadly our reliance on Pelle as our lone striker, brings back memories of Ron Davies in the late 1960's who, after being sussed out by opposition defences, was triple-marked by tough defenders who proceeded to maim him, although he was brave enough to play every week - even though not 100%. The honeymoon period is over for Pelle, and he will find that life in the Prem. will not become any easier, and someof the Prem's less skilful defenders may yet succeed in injuring him on some future occasion. Our weaknesses are now clear to see. Our "regular " side is, IMO still good enough to match most sides in the Prem. but a glance at the bench shows out real Achilles heel. Whereas Arsenal were able to leave TWO international strikers on their bench ..our bench lacked both skill and experience at this level. A mix of foreign imports who play more internationals than Prem. games.... and promising youngsters who would hope to blend into a successful side rather than being subbed. for our injured stars. The tide will turn I'm sure, but not until our injured players are back playing 100% , by which time " lucky Arsenal " may be back in the Top Four again. Edited 4 December, 2014 by david in sweden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 All this mithering about the depth of squad, the way we have been dealt a crappy hand regarding our midfield losing 3 midfielders in the space of 2 games is a pretty rum deal, there are not many teams who could cope with their midfield being decimated like this: should be interesting to see how the pack gets shuffled. This. Morgan, Wanyama, Cork, JWP, Davis, with Alderweireld (we now know), Tadic and Reed as emergency cover in those spots. There's our midfield options. We're not going to ever have an infinite squad, that kind of cover is all we can reasonably expect. If we sign someone in January it will be in anticipation of someone going - ie we may sign someone we think is better than Cork in Jan, and/or to replace Morgan in the summer. We're are never going to have a squad that can calmly cope with three or four key absences in one position. Chelsea and Man City would struggle with that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
for_heaven's_Saint Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Fwiw I thought Long was outstanding last night. Never stopped running and looked exhausted when he came off. He's got to play against the big teams just for his work ethic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Fan CaM Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/03/southampton-comfortable-skin-arsenal Excellent review. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom28 Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Koeman is a. Erly good manager but what a mistake to take Long off and leave 2 wild cards on inMayuka and Mane. Ok great to gamble on a break away, but Long had done really well and we didn't need to roll the dice You obviously weren't at the game. If you were, you'd have seen that Long was absolutely shattered. He never stopped running and by the end his legs had gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yuki Posted 4 December, 2014 Share Posted 4 December, 2014 Fwiw I thought Long was outstanding last night. Never stopped running and looked exhausted when he came off. He's got to play against the big teams just for his work ethic. Outstanding at running but poor on the ball. Maybe those who weren't at the game wouldn't have seen but Long was 'gone' about 5 mins before he came off, stopped tracking runners and just had to come off. Mahuka is crap, but hardly like Ron had a stack of options. He had to take Long off and Mayuka is all there is so can't see why anyone would say it was a poor sub. It was the only real sub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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