Arsenal Post Match

[Dusic]

A game that at various points summed up our season. At times played well, and ultimately deserved a draw but we cannot do the basics to get one.

 

Their first goal was a tidy move but poor tracking and I think Cedric can do more to get to ball ahead of Aubameyang.

 

Second goal a stupod aimless pass from Yoshida that Cedric couldnt do anything with and then a spineless 'block' from Yoshida, turning is back. Let the ball hit you and its not a goal.

 

Third goal for me was Cedric again. Too weak at the back post. Clyne is small as well but was stronger and used his body much better.

 

Overall - too many weak links and Stephens at the end showed we don't have the temperament. He has now made it very hard to use 3 CBs in the next 3 games.

 

We are going down, deservedly so.

 

Reed should be ashamed at how he turned a dynamic squad into a bunch of one paced wallies.

[Batman]

i thought we were decent and at times, very good.

The players obviously fought for it out there. Today's defeat just highlights the need for Les Reed and Ralph to **** off out of the club.

 

Not bringing in a class CB in January and the utterly weird policy of sticking with Pellegrino for as long as they did. Just plain weird and will be the very reason we go down

[Ultimatt]

I've lost count the amount of goals we've conceded from headers against Cedric. And it's not even his fault. He's a small wing back. He wasn't conceding like that back when we had VVD/Fonte/Alderweireld. The fault lies with the CB beside him, Stephens. Each week we get picked on down our right side.

[stevy777_x]

Think i ve seen enough today to think that we will be OK.

I saw enough passion fight and attacking football to suggest we will start winning games very soon.

[trousers]

First game in a long while that our effort warranted a better return.

 

If we had 10+ games left I'd be quietly confident Hughes could turn things around, but probably too little too late at this stage of the season.

[Golac's Iron Gonads]

state the obvious and if we'd played like that the last 8 games we wouldn't be going down,

[saint77]

Passion ,fight and commitment shown for the first time in months

[Batman]

Think i ve seen enough today to think that we will be OK.

I saw enough passion fight and attacking football to suggest we will start winning games very soon.

 

we simply do not have enough games left. Just plain weird how we kept Pellegrino for so long who was clearly worse than useless

[Ultimatt]

Isn't this the same story every time we play one of the big 6? We play well and always lose by a goal. Then the next week we get trounced by a relegation rival.

[striker]

Thought Hughes put us in position to win

Our defending is just not to PL standards, no team could win consistently with our CB's

Like Long and Austin upfront

Seems like Gabbi and that other striker (I forgot his name already) are done here

Thought PEH played well, as did Tadic (a lot on the match thread would disagree there), but would have like to have seen Boufal.

For me JWP and Davis were pretty invisible

 

Oh yeah, and Stephens sucks. League One player in my book

[vectraman]

We didn’t deserve to lose today.

Played with some heart, made some chances, even stuck two away. Defensively though we are so fragile. That is going to cost us in the end. Arsenal looked average, got away with it though.

Gives me hope for the 6 remaining games if we play with the same conviction...

[Wade Garrett]

Thought Hughes put us in position to win

Our defending is just not to PL standards, no team could win consistently with our CB's

Like Long and Austin upfront

Seems like Gabbi and that other striker (I forgot his name already) are done here

Thought PEH played well, as did Tadic (a lot on the match thread would disagree there), but would have like to have seen Boufal.

For me JWP and Davis were pretty invisible

 

Oh yeah, and Stephens sucks. League One player in my book

 

Davis, invisible! Hardly his fault.

[saint77]

Thought Hughes put us in position to win

Our defending is just not to PL standards, no team could win consistently with our CB's

Like Long and Austin upfront

Seems like Gabbi and that other striker (I forgot his name already) are done here

Thought PEH played well, as did Tadic (a lot on the match thread would disagree there), but would have like to have seen Boufal.

For me JWP and Davis were pretty invisible

 

Oh yeah, and Stephens sucks. League One player in my book

 

Davis was invincible he didn’t play

[Colinjb]

Actually enjoyed the game today.

 

But of course: Plucky defeat.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Thought Hughes put us in position to win

Our defending is just not to PL standards, no team could win consistently with our CB's

Like Long and Austin upfront

Seems like Gabbi and that other striker (I forgot his name already) are done here

Thought PEH played well, as did Tadic (a lot on the match thread would disagree there), but would have like to have seen Boufal.

For me JWP and Davis were pretty invisible

 

Oh yeah, and Stephens sucks. League One player in my book

Davis!!!!!

[OldNick]

Oh and their first goal, why didn't slide in, he surely eould have had a better chance of getting the ball

[redkeith]

Only saw the 2nd half, but there was a lot more commitment on display today, and we worked Cech more than any othe keeper this season. Cedric and Tadic were much better today, and JWP was looking forward more often, rather than playing safe and backwards.

 

It was a shame that Long couldn't lift that ball over the defender when Austin was free in the middle at 2 2 , but if we can keep that belief, there is a small chance that we might pick up a win somewhere. Mind you , I can cope with the despair, it's the hope tha kills you.

[Micky]

Good performance, deserved at least a point. I know that Stephens is this seasons fall guy, but when you're literally having the shirt ripped from your back I can forgive him the reaction.

 

Showed fight, determination and some application as well, unfortunately though it's far too little too late.

 

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[striker]

Davis was invincible he didn’t play

 

Ha ha well that explains that. I had a brain fart, not my first one. Meant Romeu.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Passion ,fight and commitment shown for the first time in months

 

This, hope it continues

[Chez]

Thought we were decent. Its been a long time since Ive typed that about us. The way we played today showed the folly of Hughes not packing out our midfield in the previous two games and choosing hoof ball over control. The good thing is he adapted and learned. Wonder if he can squeeze just that little bit more out of the side.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Ha ha well that explains that. I had a brain fart, not my first one. Meant Romeu.

 

So you were suggesting Romeu was invisible, almost as stupid as the original Davis comment,

Watch the game and comment on facts not what you imagined

[Greenridge]

Ha ha well that explains that. I had a brain fart, not my first one. Meant Romeu.

 

Romeu's job is to break play up. He did that throughout the game.

[stknowle]

Think i ve seen enough today to think that we will be OK.

I saw enough passion fight and attacking football to suggest we will start winning games very soon.

 

Agree but the nub of the problem is we've left it too ****ing long. FAR too ****ing long. We haven't got time to wait to "start winning games very soon" we need to win them NOW. Anyone with a 5th of a brain and zero footballing knowledge could've seen that Pellegrino wasn't up to it months ago. Yet instead of making the painfully obvious change we decide to give him January and the opportunity to buy the most pointless anti-footballer I have ever seen in Carillo like it was the only thing missing in his masterplan and it would all come good.

[davefoggy]

Unlucky to lose, much more passion and desire. Losing Stephens for 3 games is a disaster, and why the hell wasn't Wilshire sent off???? Not enough games for Hughes to save us, should have been brought in in October or December latest, was obvious to all us lot that change was needed

[RedArmy]

Dress it up any way you like. The important facts are we got 0 points against arsenal reserves.

Not good enough.

[Baird of the land]

Summed up the season really.

Another nail in the relegation coffin. In a game against a somewhat weakened Arsenal where a point was very much within our grasp we flatter with some nice football but when it comes to the toughness to hold onto a point we go like jelly defensively. Third goal was awful, Tadic getting owned by Iwobi, stephens getting caught unable to reach the header, cedric weak as baby at the back post. Even worse is that we'd been let off from a virtual carbon copy five minutes earlier when Wellbeck shanked over from a yard out.

I like Stephens but hope he gets fined. I'm all for passion but being an idiot and leaving up with limited centre back options for 3 games isn't good.

Midfield and attack deserve to keep their places against chelsea. Romeu was much better than he's been much of this season and Long was fantastic.

[Batman]

Romeu's job is to break play up. He did that throughout the game.

 

and didnt get a yellow, thankfully!

[eurosaint]

A game that at various points summed up our season. At times played well, and ultimately deserved a draw but we cannot do the basics to get one.

 

Their first goal was a tidy move but poor tracking and I think Cedric can do more to get to ball ahead of Aubameyang.

 

Second goal a stupod aimless pass from Yoshida that Cedric couldnt do anything with and then a spineless 'block' from Yoshida, turning is back. Let the ball hit you and its not a goal.

 

Third goal for me was Cedric again. Too weak at the back post. Clyne is small as well but was stronger and used his body much better.

 

Overall - too many weak links and Stephens at the end showed we don't have the temperament. He has now made it very hard to use 3 CBs in the next 3 games.

 

We are going down, deservedly so.

 

Reed should be ashamed at how he turned a dynamic squad into a bunch of one paced wallies.

 

Unfair to criticise Stephens for the red IMHO, anyone would have reacted to having their shirt ripped off their back and it was hardly violent conduct, he only pushed him away !

[Micky]

Ha ha well that explains that. I had a brain fart, not my first one. Meant Romeu.

Well that's another brain fart of a comment as well, both of them ran themselves into the deck, both were very good.

 

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[hypochondriac]

A game that at various points summed up our season. At times played well, and ultimately deserved a draw but we cannot do the basics to get one.

 

Their first goal was a tidy move but poor tracking and I think Cedric can do more to get to ball ahead of Aubameyang.

 

Second goal a stupod aimless pass from Yoshida that Cedric couldnt do anything with and then a spineless 'block' from Yoshida, turning is back. Let the ball hit you and its not a goal.

 

Third goal for me was Cedric again. Too weak at the back post. Clyne is small as well but was stronger and used his body much better.

 

Overall - too many weak links and Stephens at the end showed we don't have the temperament. He has now made it very hard to use 3 CBs in the next 3 games.

 

We are going down, deservedly so.

 

Reed should be ashamed at how he turned a dynamic squad into a bunch of one paced wallies.

I don't think it summed up our season at all. I haven't seen us perform this well for probably the large majority of the season. I thought we weren't great defensively but we actually posed an attacking threat for once.

 

If we do go down this highlighted who we need to rebuild the team. If possible keep romeu, jwp, long and Austin.

[kwsaint]

We are still going down, but at least we put up a fight today. Looked well organised and at least gave it a go.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

I don't think it summed up our season at all. I haven't seen us perform this well for probably the large majority of the season. I thought we weren't great defensively but we actually posed an attacking threat for once.

 

Agreed

[benjii]

Unlucky to lose, much more passion and desire. Losing Stephens for 3 games is a disaster, and why the hell wasn't Wilshire sent off???? Not enough games for Hughes to save us, should have been brought in in October or December latest, was obvious to all us lot that change was needed

 

Losing Stephens for three games is a blessing, not a disaster.

 

And Whilshere wasn't sent off because you don't get sent off for pulling a shirt in midfield. Obviously.

[benjii]

I don't think it summed up our season at all. I haven't seen us perform this well for probably the large majority of the season. I thought we weren't great defensively but we actually posed an attacking threat for once.

 

It summed up our season because we have thrown away leads to soft goals from ****e teams several times.

[Hamilton Saint]

This one was on TV here.

 

Superb effort shown for the entire match. Our performance in the second half was excellent. We almost deserved a point, but defensive frailties did us in.

 

I thought Cedric, Tadic and Long played better than usual. Lots of good passes from Tadic.

 

The midfield played the whole game with purpose and forward momentum—lots of direct one-touch passing, rather than the usual aimless dithering sideways and backwards.

 

Would have been wonderful to get a point, but at least the team finally showed a lot of guts and confidence. Where did that come from?

 

It seemed clear that Hughes picked a team primarily with those players with the best attitude—those willing to make an effort.

 

We just might survive, based on today's performance. COYS!

Edited 8 April, 2018 by Hamilton Saint

[beatlesaint]

Losing Stephens for 3 games is a disaster

 

it really isn’t

[Wes Tender]

We were the better team for much of that match. Had we managed a draw, it wouldn't have raised too many eyebrows. Marriner didn't do us any favours, but then he never does, especially when we play a glory team. He ought to have sent Wilshere off too, the cheating little turd. Stephens has been a liability in defence, so thank God that Yoshida is back, although we can't play three at the back now. Altogether a much better performance from the team and a real rarity with both strikers scoring. Hopefully Long's confidence will be boosted so that he goes on a mini-run in the final matches. Good to see that Austin is still a natural poacher, even when not fully match fit. Simms is worth a run out for the extra dimension he gives us. With Lemina back, we should be able to shore up the midfield to give greater cover for the defence, although it is abundantly clear that it has been the inaction of the board in not signing replacements for Fonte and then V-VD that has contributed to the situaion we find ourselves in now; that and the criminal lack of action regarding not getting rid of the clown in the New Year.

[Batman]

Losing Stephens for three games is a blessing, not a disaster.

 

And Whilshere wasn't sent off because you don't get sent off for pulling a shirt in midfield. Obviously.

 

kind of agree. as long as we dont lose Yoshida/Hoedt in the mean time.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

So Stephens is the new scapegoat.... Got to be one I suppose, it's the forum mob way...

[simo]

Keep it up lads and we'll be ok

[LaptopSaint]

If we play like that against Bompey, Leicester, Everton and Swansea we might get enough points to stay up. Might. Only might. But anyone saying it’s already over is talking bollokks

[simo]

Recon we can have a gentlemans agreement with Chelsea, they let us win the league game and they can have the semi !?

[St Marco]

Maybe it's just me but I thought Cedric and Tadic were very good today and don't deserve the abuse they are getting. If Austin had scored that chance late on it was a clever Tadic flick that got him in.

I felt everyone played really well apart from Hoedt, Bertrand and obviously Stephens. Everyone else put in a shift and were trying to be positive going forwards.

 

The central defence has been a huge problem for us this season and sadly Stephens just isn't at this level. Having him banned could be a blessing in a way because Yoshi will come in and put 100% in and with his experience will be more of a leader which we really have lacked. We have let in 9 goals in our last 3 pl games, that shows the defence is all wrong.

 

Totally gutted to lose that one but overall we played well with what we had and if it was not for poor individual defensive performances we would have got something. We sold one of the best defenders in the world whilst in a relegation battle and didn't replace them.

Instead the powers (or power) that be deemed an inexperienced, un-proven defender on 50k a week was all we needed.

[tajjuk]

Today makes last weeks performance even more disgusting and shameful. Even like 80% of what we did today would have won last week.

 

Too little too late, but the players need to at least show that much effort and commitment to the end and we'll see what happens.

[warsash saint]

So Stephens is the new scapegoat.... Got to be one I suppose, it's the forum mob way...

 

I hate to blame players but the guy ball watches too much .... an example - on MOTD2 tonight watch where he is when Welbeck misses the open goal. Wilshire heads it back across goal & Stephens is watching from the penalty spot!

[benjii]

So Stephens is the new scapegoat.... Got to be one I suppose, it's the forum mob way...

 

Not really. It's just obvious that he's not a good enough defender. It was obvious last season too and I was saying it then as well.

[S-Clarke]

Too little too late really, not the stage of the season for plucky defeats. Need to win games like that. Or at the very least get something, but even that wouldn’t have been enough.

 

Another one gone and we're still in the same position, actually a little worse off than last week.

 

For the first time it looks like it's getting closer to being all over now. Just 6 games left, two of those against City and Chelsea. I just can't see it now, need to be looking at 35+ points. That looks like a lifetime away right now.

 

What a truly depressing and saddening state of affairs the people in control have let us get into. They should all hang their heads in shame and pay back their yearly wage.

[OldNick]

So Stephens is the new scapegoat.... Got to be one I suppose, it's the forum mob way...

I don't think he's the scapegoat, he is just been put in too soon. Considering he was complaining that VVD had got back in the team before him, shows an over opinion of his own talent. He is sometimes lax on the ball, but also doesn't seem to be able to read the flight of a cross and gets under them too often

[ALWAYS_SFC]

I hate to blame players but the guy ball watches too much .... an example - on MOTD2 tonight watch where he is when Welbeck misses the open goal. Wilshire heads it back across goal & Stephens is watching from the penalty spot!

 

Agree with the bit about welbeck but other than that he was ok today imo