Arsenal 3-0 Saints - Match Thread

[Chez]

Just now, Ivan Katalinic's 'tache said:

It's Ralph's job to figure that out but it's not 4-2-2-2 where we're so open and get picked off time after time. 

However, if pushed, I'd have done a Brighton and gone 5 at the back, 3 in central midfield and a floating forward to support the front man. Try and be solid, restrict their ability to play freely near our box and look to break quickly with the full backs supporting the front men. 

After three years, I honestly don't know what 4-2-2-2 is. It's a hipsters 4-4-2, right?

I don't want to see us play 3 CBs. Our CBs are average and put them in a three they just don't know what they are doing.

[Baird of the land]

3 minutes ago, Chez said:

After three years, I honestly don't know what 4-2-2-2 is. It's a hipsters 4-4-2, right?

I don't want to see us play 3 CBs. Our CBs are average and put them in a three they just don't know what they are doing.

Is that like saying what's the difference between 3-5-2 & 5-3-2

I don't want us to play 3 CB regularly. I'd certainly like some more formation flexibility but not of the psychotic liverpool game variety.

[OttawaSaint]

Arsenal looked nervy at the start and were there for the taking. We played right into their hands. 

Far too many passengers on this team. It's a miracle when we are able to shield them and actually win games. More often these passengers have an error in them and we pay the price. 

[Vancouver Saint]

2 minutes ago, Teddeer said:

You make a great explanation of what is wrong with Ralph's play book strategy ie the press is transparent, not sustainable and we concede more goals from it than we score and then go on to make a case for keeping Ralph. Strange.

I see where you're coming from but I like Ralph because he wants to be front-foot, go-forward, look to win games - I'd rather see that than a Sam Allardyce 'park the bus' from the beginning of games (I still cannot believe people on here would rather see us become Sheffield Utd or West Brom). As we've proven with some terrific performances that short memories forget - we CAN do it - but not when you're missing key players in key areas. 

I get the 'one trick pony, change the playbook criticism'. I just think that the issue is not the bigger picture playbook strategy, but the lack of tactical flexibility to change it when required. This includes playing players out of position (KWP and Perraud should play with Tino rested or a power-sub higher up / sitting too deep in pathetic attempts to defend a one goal lead instead of attacking for a second goal / not changing it up in some games when you need a 'plan B' from the start...although he tried this a Liverpool and it backfired / general fitness and effort in second half of games / not buying a decent goalkeeper - which was my No.1 priority at the beginning of the season).

I think the solution is not to fire Ralph but to hire a rotweiler defensive coach who will counter Ralph's soft approach with some real fear-driven bollocking to eliminate limp performances. We generally are better going forward than defending - so need to strengthen our defensive frailty and make us harder to beat.

[Baird of the land]

I really don't want to see Bednarek in the team again for a while. For that first goal i think any of the other three CB would have gone to deal with Saka.

[Sheaf Saint]

I thought we were looking much better in the early part of the season, with a defence that was working and making us hard to beat. But that today was as bad as anything that we served up during our bad spell after last xmas. It was painful to watch. Pedestrian is the only word I can think of to describe it.

We improved our squad depth in the summer, but with the inuries piling up all of a sudden our options really don't look that great.

I didn't expect us to win today, but some fight at least would have been nice. We took it to them for the first 15 mins but didn't create any real chances, and after that we basically just rolled over and handed the points to them. 

It's time for Ralph to accept that his gung-ho approach of going all out and trying to steamroller the opposition in the opening stages just doesn't work when our strike force is as ineffective as it is. 

[DT]

43 minutes ago, Teddeer said:

Ralph's big problem is that he chose to write a play book, a sort of bible for the way our teams are run at every level. Now that's ok if it's a good play book and one that works. Unfortunately for us, the one Ralph wrote is a complete work of fiction and that is where it would be catalogued if it was in a library. So once his play book is not fit for purpose he is stuffed and this is what we are seeing. The same pattern week in week out and the odd win against a poor or severely weakened team. He is the victim of his own useless play book and has nowhere left to go.

Also has no idea how to do anything else. One playbook. And all the other managers have read it. 

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

16 minutes ago, Chez said:

After three years, I honestly don't know what 4-2-2-2 is. It's a hipsters 4-4-2, right?

I don't want to see us play 3 CBs. Our CBs are average and put them in a three they just don't know what they are doing.

Yep, that's what 4-2-2-2 is! Because it's two numbers 10s and not wingers though, it becomes it's own formation. Innovative!

Normally, I'd agree about the 3 CBs. It doesn't always suit us but sometimes we just need to try to be more solid in the middle and just be disruptive. 3 CBs, 3 CMs block the space and get in the way. Not pretty but we're not a side who is playing that well nor stable enough with key players missing to compete with our usual way of playing.

It'll be interesting now to see what he does at Palace. More of the same anyone?

Edited 11 December, 2021 by Ivan Katalinic's 'tache

[AlexLaw76]

5 minutes ago, Ivan Katalinic's 'tache said:

he does at Palace. More of the same anyone?

Yep, Walcott and Longy up top.  

[VectisSaint]

1 hour ago, badgerx16 said:

Let's look at the positives; we only lost the second half 1-0, that's an improvement on the first half.

No points today in the "points dropped from a winning position" league. Another positive.

[JRM]

1 hour ago, Chez said:

we are like the shit Saints saints of the nineties that scraped survival. Everything is retro these days.

I loved those days to be fair, relegation battles but The Dell would be great for those, we were terrible away most of the time probably why away support was so small in that era. 

Over two years since we last won without S. ARMSTRONG, crazy stat but we badly need him fit for Christmas period 

Edited 11 December, 2021 by JRM

[hasper57saint]

We made the Arse look good today but they ain’t! When will Ralph wake up to the fact that KWP is an outstanding ‘right back’? Week after week we see the same old style which to date is ineffective. I recognise the fact that we have injuries but these players are supposed to be professionals, including the Manager, yet would all be instantly dismissed from any organisation that practiced PBR. Palace next Wednesday give them the opportunity to rectify their inept performances. So come on Ralph. Do the effing obvious please.

[Matty's Caddy]

My personal opinion is that livramento is a liability at right back. Too easily beaten. I’d like to see a lb at lb and a rb at rb. So perraud back in and switch kwp back over. Drop redmond for liv if ya like. (Or my grandmother, still be an improvement) his decision making final third is horrendous as is his weight of pass. Reckon that would help defensively for starters. Got to stop conceding, especially when we’re not free scoring. Is lyanco that bad? First goal today, when the ball was cut back, arsenal lining up inside our box, both centre half’s on the 6 yd box. I don’t know…..

[saint1977]

25 minutes ago, Vancouver Saint said:

I see where you're coming from but I like Ralph because he wants to be front-foot, go-forward, look to win games - I'd rather see that than a Sam Allardyce 'park the bus' from the beginning of games (I still cannot believe people on here would rather see us become Sheffield Utd or West Brom). As we've proven with some terrific performances that short memories forget - we CAN do it - but not when you're missing key players in key areas. 

I get the 'one trick pony, change the playbook criticism'. I just think that the issue is not the bigger picture playbook strategy, but the lack of tactical flexibility to change it when required. This includes playing players out of position (KWP and Perraud should play with Tino rested or a power-sub higher up / sitting too deep in pathetic attempts to defend a one goal lead instead of attacking for a second goal / not changing it up in some games when you need a 'plan B' from the start...although he tried this a Liverpool and it backfired / general fitness and effort in second half of games / not buying a decent goalkeeper - which was my No.1 priority at the beginning of the season).

I think the solution is not to fire Ralph but to hire a rotweiler defensive coach who will counter Ralph's soft approach with some real fear-driven bollocking to eliminate limp performances. We generally are better going forward than defending - so need to strengthen our defensive frailty and make us harder to beat.

Ralph wouldn’t listen to an ace defensive coach even if there were one. The solution is new owner, new manager, new CEO and new coaching line up to shore things up. Keep Crocker as that’s the one area where improvements have been visible for a while. 

[Verbal Kint]

Better side for the first 20 minutes until Bednarek decided to defend like a pub player. He is hopelessly out of his depth as are quite a few others.

The recruitment department have absolutely decimated this squad over 5 or 6 years and it shows. Our bench today was so weak, there was nobody there who Ralph could turn to to try and change the game.

He will continue to get blamed but it isn't his fault, the players just aren't good enough and depressingly so many of the  have cost us decent money

 

[Uncle Albert]

Ralf out for the first time for me as well, I can’t see us staying up using suicidal tactics, then again I can’t see us staying up now at all, no matter who’s the manager. We’ve just haven’t got the ridiculous amounts of money to that seem essential to stay in this league now.

I hope to god I’m wrong. Hopefully there are still three teams worse then us that will allow us to drag it out another year.

[captainchris]

12 minutes ago, Ivan Katalinic's 'tache said:

Yep, that's what 4-2-2-2 is! Because it's two numbers 10s and not wingers though, it becomes it's own formation.

Normally, I'd agree about the 3 CBs. It doesn't always suit us but sometimes we just need to try to be more solid in the middle and just be disruptive. 3 CBs, 3 CMs block the space and get in the way. Not pretty but we're not a side who is playing that well nor stable enough with key players missing to compete with our usual way of playing.

It'll be interesting now to see what he does at Palace. More of the same anyone?

Precisely this. At one point we had a throw in about 20 yards from their goal line and had 6 players in front of the ball. We cannot maintain possession because there is no one to  be seen in midfield. Our wing backs are ridiculously too far up the pitch and therefore marked or nowhere near in a position to receive a pass even if our two defensive/central midfielders could get hold of the ball in the first place. In short we always have too many players in front of the ball.

We lose the ball and invariably the opposition are in on our back two within 5 seconds or so. 

This system is not working. Ralph just repeats, repeats coaching poor practice and making poor choices with the players we have, though not sure how well any players would perform under his guidance. 
Clearly time to unload. Today you could see the players do not believe any more…
 

 

[derry]

Co commentator Tony Gale made a telling comparison that one of the major differences in the two sides was the goalkeeper that saved everything against the goalkeeper that saved nothing. Personally I find KWP a critical problem, cosmetically pleasing going forward but again today his failure to be able to tackle left footed let Arsenal break our lines. Emergency left back, yes but not every week he is just too right side orientated. We need to be rebalanced. No left sided players in the team.

Diallo floated around but failed to impose himself. When the ball went into the left of our goal Stephens was level with the post, in all the time the ball was bobbling about he never once looked at anything but the ball. Neither he or Bednarek were alive to the danger so we conceded a dolly goal. JWP is back to his worst, often receiving an out ball from a colleague with the opportunity to pass forward and immediately playing it back or behind his target forcing us to go backwards.

I seem to remember either Poch or Ralph quoted, Press, win the ball back in 8 secs and a shot on goal in 10 secs. Rangnick quoted the same thing to MU. We once did this but not any more. Win the ball and pass it back no wonder we don't score enough goals. Arsenal's first was a classic break and overload.

Edited 11 December, 2021 by derry

[SaveloyMush]

37 minutes ago, Ivan Katalinic's 'tache said:

Yep, that's what 4-2-2-2 is! Because it's two numbers 10s and not wingers though, it becomes it's own formation. Innovative!

Normally, I'd agree about the 3 CBs. It doesn't always suit us but sometimes we just need to try to be more solid in the middle and just be disruptive. 3 CBs, 3 CMs block the space and get in the way. Not pretty but we're not a side who is playing that well nor stable enough with key players missing to compete with our usual way of playing.

It'll be interesting now to see what he does at Palace. More of the same anyone?

When Romeu is out, 3 CBs need to be deployed. Lyanco looks fine in a three.

[Teddeer]

2 minutes ago, SaveloyMush said:

When Romeu is out, 3 CBs need to be deployed. Lyanco looks fine in a three.

Don't think it's in the play book.

[hackedoff]

1 hour ago, DT said:

What will it take for Ralph to get the push?  He must have incriminating photos on so many people. 

I will answer using the least words possible.  APATHY.

[Chez]

40 minutes ago, Matty's Caddy said:

Is lyanco that bad? First goal today, when the ball was cut back, arsenal lining up inside our box, both centre half’s on the 6 yd box. I don’t know…..

Lyanco is a liability IMO.

[Toussaint]

2 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Got to forget the games against the top 10. Our season will be defined by games against the teams around us. We need results against them.

Norwich, Burnley and Newcastle? 

[SaintTex]

On 06/12/2021 at 12:15, SaintTex said:

This. Hoping a forced hand reveals some positive things that would not have otherwised ever been found out.

for example?

• We discover Willy is a true upgrade over McCarthy/Forster
• Perraud and KWP paired/playing in their natural positions is the better way to go
• Smallbone steps up and proves he can be an any day player
• Lycano asserts himself as a beast of a defender

will all these happen? Likely not (maybe one does?).. but it will certainly make for an interesting watch Saturday.

never mind.

[kyle04]

Oh well yet another season where we hope 3 teams drop more points than us. Instead of becoming an Everton or Wolves under Ralph. we're now a Burnley or Watford. The combination of a very average talent pool and nonsensical tactics/selections by the manager (repeatedly) is resulting in another depressing season. The first half high press tactic is failing miserably, we don't have the attacking potency (only Norwich have scored fewer), and it's burning us out by half time, but still RH persists with it. That makes him a poor manager. Of our 3 narrow wins , Leeds were absolute dogshit, Watford and Villa missed good chances, we were lucky v Leicester to get a measly point, thrashed v Liverpool (no shame there) and again today, together with the Tyro league level game management v Brighton. We signed a reputedly decent left back, and KWP is a good right back IMO, and we all know what Ralph has done there. I fucking despair.

[Chez]

that period after the league closedown, when stadiums were empty and our opponents had hit the beach early, seems light years ago. I am not sure how we carried that form over to the next season, but it doesn't look like, whatever it was that we had, will ever come back. The formation- tactic-player type/ability just doesn't seem to be in sync.  

[stknowle]

1 hour ago, Baird of the land said:

I really don't want to see Bednarek in the team again for a while. For that first goal i think any of the other three CB would have gone to deal with Saka.

Yep, completely stood off him allowing acres of space for the attacker to set himself and pick his man out. JWP was puffing away trying to get back but any decent commanding CB would've seen he wasn't getting there and gone to deal with it himself. We had Jan Bednarek in lieu of a decent commanding CB.

[macca155]

19 minutes ago, Chez said:

Lyanco is a liability IMO.

Not sure what you've based that on. As soon as he came on the defence was stiffened and a dreaded cricket score was avoided 

It was nevertheless dire stuff. Rubbish goalie. Can't save or kick. Diallo too easily bypassed. Tella and Livramento constantly lost the ball and Broja was utterly disinterested.

Ralph messed up the subs again, bringing Lyanco on way too late and Elyounoussi too early.

Things were that bad we needed Long on the pitch.

First time I've heard the crowd go for Ralph. Chants of 'you don't know you're doing' started towards the end. His days are numbered if that continues.

Livramento needs a rest. Put KWP on the right and Perraud on the left. Salisu. Stephens at the back. Romeu and JWP in the middle. That will look more balanced.

Edited 11 December, 2021 by macca155

[Chez]

4 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Not sure what you've based that on.

 

...watching every minute he's played in a Saints shirt.

He ain't great it the air, he dives in leaving us massively exposed and he overplays in the wrong areas. He played well at Chelsea in the league cup, but I've not been impressed in any of the other games. The sample size is small and I could well have jumped the gun, but right now, that is the player I see.  

[Harry_SFC]

Bednarek has really regressed over the last year or so to the point he is making basic errors in every single game. In my opinion we should give Lyanco a run of games next to Salisu now. 

[macca155]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

...watching every minute he's played in a Saints shirt.

He ain't great it the air, he dives in leaving us massively exposed and he overplays in the wrong areas. He played well at Chelsea in the league cup, but I've not been impressed in any of the other games. The sample size is small and I could well have jumped the gun, but right now, that is the player I see.  

Struggling to argue with that. I think you may be a little harsh. He does jump on I agree but his interceptions are good 

At least he cares, I live in hope he'll develop.

[Chez]

4 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Struggling to argue with that. I think you may be a little harsh. He does jump on I agree but his interceptions are good 

At least he cares, I live in hope he'll develop.

Fonte dived in too, but developed into a top player. He had a few years in the lower leagues to learn his trade though Lynco's errors will be punished more often than Fonte's ever were. It's not as though we are blessed with talent at CB. Not sure who is right player to play alongside Silasu.

[CanadaSaint]

20 minutes ago, stknowle said:

Yep, completely stood off him allowing acres of space for the attacker to set himself and pick his man out. JWP was puffing away trying to get back but any decent commanding CB would've seen he wasn't getting there and gone to deal with it himself. We had Jan Bednarek in lieu of a decent commanding CB.

Yes, Bednarek didn't know whether to confront or drop back and cover, and ended up doing neither. And Yes, JWP was late getting back. But why no mention KWP's dreadful decision to attack a ball in Arsenal's half when they were in the process of playing it in behind him? That was the biggest clanger of all.

This persistence in selecting KWP on the left is screwing our entire defensive shape. It's the fundamental reason why Salisu's game has gone downhill, and - like Bednarek - he's caught between his true defensive role and covering for KWP.

KWP makes my team in a canter, but not on the left. Until Ralph changes that, little good will happen.

[TWar]

1 hour ago, Verbal Kint said:

Better side for the first 20 minutes until Bednarek decided to defend like a pub player. He is hopelessly out of his depth as are quite a few others.

The recruitment department have absolutely decimated this squad over 5 or 6 years and it shows. Our bench today was so weak, there was nobody there who Ralph could turn to to try and change the game.

He will continue to get blamed but it isn't his fault, the players just aren't good enough and depressingly so many of the  have cost us decent money

 

While I mostly agree, to be fair to the recruitment department we have a lot of players out. I think most teams of our size would struggle with best CB out, best DM, best AM, both first and second choice keepers, best striker injured and second best going off injured in the first half, third choice then going off injured midway through the second.

Our depth is better than it was before but it isn't sufficient that we have a good reliable squad with that many players out.

[TWar]

1 hour ago, Teddeer said:

Don't think it's in the play book.

It's literally how we played against Liverpool (people moaned), in the second halves against a couple of big teams and against Chelsea in the cup. It is definitely a weapon we can and have deployed.

[macca155]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

Fonte dived in too, but developed into a top player. He had a few years in the lower leagues to learn his trade though Lynco's errors will be punished more often than Fonte's ever were. It's not as though we are blessed with talent at CB. Not sure who is right player to play alongside Silasu.

At the moment imo that is Stephens. I accept that isn't great. However a dominant tall CB is required asap.

[Bob76]

12 minutes ago, TWar said:

While I mostly agree, to be fair to the recruitment department we have a lot of players out. I think most teams of our size would struggle with best CB out, best DM, best AM, both first and second choice keepers, best striker injured and second best going off injured in the first half, third choice then going off injured midway through the second.

Our depth is better than it was before but it isn't sufficient that we have a good reliable squad with that many players out.

We struggled when they all played.

[CanadaSaint]

Something else struck me today. Arsenal’s first goal was an instant tide-turner.

We went from a side pressing well and looking fairly dangerous to a side that looked like it didn’t believe in its own tactics.

The logical extension of that, sadly and troublingly to say, is that we might be watching a side that is in the process of ceasing to believe in its manager. That’s a far bigger deal than another loss.

[Wade Garrett]

9 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

Something else struck me today. Arsenal’s first goal was an instant tide-turner.

We went from a side pressing well and looking fairly dangerous to a side that looked like it didn’t believe in its own tactics.

The logical extension of that, sadly and troublingly to say, is that we might be watching a side that is in the process of ceasing to believe in its manager. That’s a far bigger deal than another loss.

I think you’re right.  The only way to lance that boil is to change direction.

Best way to do that is replacing the manager.

[TWar]

13 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

Something else struck me today. Arsenal’s first goal was an instant tide-turner.

We went from a side pressing well and looking fairly dangerous to a side that looked like it didn’t believe in its own tactics.

The logical extension of that, sadly and troublingly to say, is that we might be watching a side that is in the process of ceasing to believe in its manager. That’s a far bigger deal than another loss.

I think the major loss for our pressing was Adam Armstrong. His pace and fitness are much higher than any of our forwards other than Che, without either of them our pressing is much much less effective. Elyounoussi who replaced him certainly wasn't as effective.

[Turkish]

15 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

Something else struck me today. Arsenal’s first goal was an instant tide-turner.

We went from a side pressing well and looking fairly dangerous to a side that looked like it didn’t believe in its own tactics.

The logical extension of that, sadly and troublingly to say, is that we might be watching a side that is in the process of ceasing to believe in its manager. That’s a far bigger deal than another loss.

The fragile mindset that has been there for several years. When things go against them this lot go to pieces. Been that way for a few years.

[CanadaSaint]

5 minutes ago, Turkish said:

The fragile mindset that has been there for several years. When things go against them this lot go to pieces. Been that way for a few years.

I hear you, but until today we’ve been able to maintain it until half time, even when we’ve given up some good chances. But today our belief in the system seemed to collapse like a cheap deckchair. Willy didn’t help, mind.

[Verbal Kint]

15 minutes ago, TWar said:

I think the major loss for our pressing was Adam Armstrong. His pace and fitness are much higher than any of our forwards other than Che, without either of them our pressing is much much less effective. Elyounoussi who replaced him certainly wasn't as effective.

Oh please. He's a prime example of just how shit our recruitment has been. Out of his depth.

 

[verlaine1979]

27 minutes ago, TWar said:

I think the major loss for our pressing was Adam Armstrong. His pace and fitness are much higher than any of our forwards other than Che, without either of them our pressing is much much less effective. Elyounoussi who replaced him certainly wasn't as effective.

We were already 2-0 down and effectively out of the game when he came off. And aside from one snap shot that was easily saved, we'd failed to convert any of our pressure into meaningful chances.

Teams at the bottom have to lean into their strengths when they want to turn a game around. That could mean playing rough like Burnley or Stoke of old, or it could mean bombing forward with pace like Palace currently do. Our problem is that, as a squad we are neither strong nor fast. We excel only in mediocrity, hence why we have seen so few fight backs over the past few seasons. JWP sums this up for me - a one-paced plodder incapable of playing on the turn, incapable of imposing himself on the game physically and too timid to impose himself on the game through technique. Once the game starts to get away from us, we have nowhere to go.

[Micky]

3 hours ago, egg said:

That was dire. 

We're fucked. 

Succinct, but accurate. 

[Turkish]

33 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

I hear you, but until today we’ve been able to maintain it until half time, even when we’ve given up some good chances. But today our belief in the system seemed to collapse like a cheap deckchair. Willy didn’t help, mind.

I didn’t see the game today as was at another match but sounds like the players threw the towel in. If that’s the case then it’s the beginning of the end for Ralph

[Teddeer]

1 hour ago, CanadaSaint said:

Something else struck me today. Arsenal’s first goal was an instant tide-turner.

We went from a side pressing well and looking fairly dangerous to a side that looked like it didn’t believe in its own tactics.

The logical extension of that, sadly and troublingly to say, is that we might be watching a side that is in the process of ceasing to believe in its manager. That’s a far bigger deal than another loss.

We'd blown ourselves out by then and Arsenal had us sussed and just proceeded to pick us off at will. It's a depressingly familiar pattern but our stubborn manager refuses to learn. It's rinse and repeat week in week out. Bored of it now.

[Teddeer]

51 minutes ago, TWar said:

I think the major loss for our pressing was Adam Armstrong. His pace and fitness are much higher than any of our forwards other than Che, without either of them our pressing is much much less effective. Elyounoussi who replaced him certainly wasn't as effective.

Whether it's Arma, Chez or Lord Lucan up top we are clearly not equipped to play this pressing style other than for a very limited period of every game. During this short window we look very good but we cannot sustain it for long. If the manager is too stubborn to admit to this glaring tactical ineptitude we will continue in the same vein and relegation will become a real possibility. He has to change our approach because his tactics are not working. I couldn't care less what principles he abides by and what his beliefs are as to how the game should be played. His way is not working for us.

[Pilchards]

41 minutes ago, Teddeer said:

Whether it's Arma, Chez or Lord Lucan up top we are clearly not equipped to play this pressing style other than for a very limited period of every game. During this short window we look very good but we cannot sustain it for long. If the manager is too stubborn to admit to this glaring tactical ineptitude we will continue in the same vein and relegation will become a real possibility. He has to change our approach because his tactics are not working. I couldn't care less what principles he abides by and what his beliefs are as to how the game should be played. His way is not working for us.

Totally agree.

He’s not trying something different and just keeps making the same mistakes. The team stops with him plus the training stops with his management team.

(1) Put Redmond on corners

(2) Livi and KWP both on the right

(3) Put a LB as a LB

(4) Stop chasing everything for the first 45 minutes as we are tanked 2nd half.

(5) Redmond as a No 10

(6) Stop over committing for the first 60 minutes and have two solid banks of 4 with two at top. Last 30 minutes press on for a winner with two fresher legs off the bench as the players will be fresher while the opposition will be tired.

(7) And finally do some man marking training for the next two weeks where the two banks of 4 must pick up a player and sit tight to them. (Honestly that first and second goal today was school boys marking)

[Chez]

50 minutes ago, Turkish said:

I didn’t see the game today as was at another match but sounds like the players threw the towel in. If that’s the case then it’s the beginning of the end for Ralph

there was a 15 minute period in the second half where we were completely overrun. We didn't put a single pass together, never mind get out of our own half. It was desperate and brought back memories of the Old Trafford mauling. There were one or two players, Dialo was one, that just seemed to be watching the game go on around him. We didn't and/or couldn't get close to anyone. Arsenal were dominant, but were our players doing enough/working hard enough? Arsenal had numerous chances, but some players did throw themselves in front of things, so not everyone threw the towel in. But the intensity seemed to drop when Broja went off injured, and that felt like that was the final nail in the coffin. It was pretty horrible. I'd say it was less about players giving up, and more about them putting on a shit show. It was close to being a sackable performance. 

For me, only Tella showed anything of note going forward and he was a threat, but his shooting was always from long range.