Arsenal 3-0 Saints - Match Thread

[derry]

We have some fundamental organisational problems added to the fact the players don't seem to fit. Leaving the goalkeeping nonsense aside we have to be better organised at the back. At the moment we need to stop this rediculous zonal marking with nobody marking anybody and opponents playing through the gaps. For me Liveramento gives too much space to opponents on our right side because he is encouraged to get forward and struggling to get back, KWP was the same. They are defenders first and foremost so defend and back up attacks when possible.

Centre back wise only Salisu is worth his place. Bednarek is too slow and too negative. Stephens is one of the worst ball watchers I've ever seen and has learned nothing for years. He is half decent if he would just learn to look around but a liability because he doesn't. That leaves Lyanco who is impetuous but in present circumstances worth a try. The left back has to be left sided, I've lost count of the times KWP on his wrong side loses the ball and we are desperately defending. That means a defensive back four of KWP, Lyanco, Salisu and Perraud. I do wonder what Simeu could do if given a go.

Romeu is a shoe in at midfield, JWP needs a boot up the backside for starters. He isn't a leader he's a footslogger. Personally I'd give Liveramento a go in front of KWP and Broja in front of Perraud leaving Adams and Armstrong up front. Go man to man rather than zonal and do what it says on the tin win the ball back in 8 secs and get a shot in 10 secs later. That means more disciplined defending, and pass the ball forward as quickly as possible to break the opponents lines as Arsenal did to us yesterday.at the same time maintaining a solid defense. Get Forster in and Stuart Armstrong back in the squad as soon as possible.

[DT]

37 minutes ago, derry said:

We have some fundamental organisational problems added to the fact the players don't seem to fit. Leaving the goalkeeping nonsense aside we have to be better organised at the back. At the moment we need to stop this rediculous zonal marking with nobody marking anybody and opponents playing through the gaps. For me Liveramento gives too much space to opponents on our right side because he is encouraged to get forward and struggling to get back, KWP was the same. They are defenders first and foremost so defend and back up attacks when possible.

Centre back wise only Salisu is worth his place. Bednarek is too slow and too negative. Stephens is one of the worst ball watchers I've ever seen and has learned nothing for years. He is half decent if he would just learn to look around but a liability because he doesn't. That leaves Lyanco who is impetuous but in present circumstances worth a try. The left back has to be left sided, I've lost count of the times KWP on his wrong side loses the ball and we are desperately defending. That means a defensive back four of KWP, Lyanco, Salisu and Perraud. I do wonder what Simeu could do if given a go.

Romeu is a shoe in at midfield, JWP needs a boot up the backside for starters. He isn't a leader he's a footslogger. Personally I'd give Liveramento a go in front of KWP and Broja in front of Perraud leaving Adams and Armstrong up front. Go man to man rather than zonal and do what it says on the tin win the ball back in 8 secs and get a shot in 10 secs later. That means more disciplined defending, and pass the ball forward as quickly as possible to break the opponents lines as Arsenal did to us yesterday.at the same time maintaining a solid defense. Get Forster in and Stuart Armstrong back in the squad as soon as possible.

That last bit isn’t going to happen because Ralph has had a bust up with both and is a stubborn old sulker. Probably. 

[stknowle]

36 minutes ago, Hodgey said:

On the Tino front - he started great, but only started due to a promise in order to get him. That’s not fair on anyone, since then Ralph has backed himself into a corner, everyone can see Tino needs a break but that is ultimately admitting you were wrong, and he played KWP lb as he feared losing one of our better players.

Dropping Tino should be an option - he’s been poor the last few games so in a meritocracy someone else deserves a chance. Now I think our right sided n 10s have been awful so I’d argue he deserves a chance there, but if arrogant Ralph doesn’t think so then he has to drop him.

Basically this is going to end with all 3 full backs losing confidence. Tino from either being dropped or continually beaten by wingers, KWP for being dropped for a rookie and then failing on the wrong flank, Perraud from being judged worse than an out of position right footed full back. Utter mess

The whole full back fiasco is the main reason I've now completely lost faith in Ralph and to a large extent the whole fcking club. In what world does it make sense to spend big money on a left back, then buy a new right back when we already have a good right back (one of the achingly few positions we could say we had a good player in), and then play the original right back out of position, leaving the new expensive left back out the team? It makes ZERO sense. I could understand it if there was a plan to accommodate all 3, but there clearly was and is no such plan. I could even have got on board with selling KWP and replacing with TL, and spending the KWP money on one of the various other areas we are desperately short of quality in - another decent midfielder, a number 10 that isn't allergic to goals - but again, no.

Even after all that at least - with the knowledge of this hamfisted clusterfuck of an arrangement  clearly not working - if he tried the seemingly obvious KWP in his natural position, Perraud in his, and TL (who clearly looks better going forward than defending) in front of KWP you could cut him some slack even if it didn't work. But again, no. Just a baffling shit show.

[derry]

1 minute ago, DT said:

That last bit isn’t going to happen because Ralph has had a bust up with both and is a stubborn old sulker. Probably. 

I had heard that happened before the first match and was revisited a while ago. I was never able to get confirmation. As for Forster I didn't get him being registered and not being picked when McCarthy was performing poorly. Even if he is leaving he performed well in his appearances.

[macca155]

11 hours ago, IFHP said:

Who are those three rank sides? 

 

 

I should have put in 'hope', because at the moment we look as rank as any.

I think it's pretty obvious that Norwich, Watford, Burnley, Leeds, and Newcastle will all be in the mix with Saints.

I think Saints will have just enough to avoid being one of the three to go down...... I hope.

 

[Chez]

1 hour ago, derry said:

We have some fundamental organisation problems...

...and Broja in front of Perraud leaving Adams and Armstrong up front. 

Play Broja at left midfield? Blimey. Those organisational problems are solved.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

9 hours ago, Billy the Kidd said:

Yes I do.

I think Tino will be a better player, but right now, no. 

And it also unbalances us on our left side not having a left footed LB. 

I guess it's all about opinions - personally speaking I think tino just edges it, but there's not a lot in it.

I agree with you 100% re KWP unbalancing the left side, but I'm not totally convinced perraud is the answer (Im not sure who is though).

Somehow we've ended up with 2 very good right backs and an ok left back. I can see Ralph's dilemma - I'm not sure he is to blame for the problem itself though, just the symptom. Recruiting a 2nd starting right back ahead of other positions seems foolish to me.

[Billy the Kidd]

28 minutes ago, StrangelyBrown said:

I guess it's all about opinions - personally speaking I think tino just edges it, but there's not a lot in it.

I agree with you 100% re KWP unbalancing the left side, but I'm not totally convinced perraud is the answer (Im not sure who is though).

Somehow we've ended up with 2 very good right backs and an ok left back. I can see Ralph's dilemma - I'm not sure he is to blame for the problem itself though, just the symptom. Recruiting a 2nd starting right back ahead of other positions seems foolish to me.

Yeah fair enough.

Thing with Perraud is we wont know how good he is if he doesn’t gets a fair run in the side.

[whelk]

1 hour ago, StrangelyBrown said:

I guess it's all about opinions - personally speaking I think tino just edges it, but there's not a lot in it.

I agree with you 100% re KWP unbalancing the left side, but I'm not totally convinced perraud is the answer (Im not sure who is though).

Somehow we've ended up with 2 very good right backs and an ok left back. I can see Ralph's dilemma - I'm not sure he is to blame for the problem itself though, just the symptom. Recruiting a 2nd starting right back ahead of other positions seems foolish to me.

Would you rather we still had £5m and no Livramento?

[skintsaint]

[StrangelyBrown]

8 hours ago, whelk said:

Would you rather we still had £5m and no Livramento?

I didn't say that did I?

I'd rather we'd sold KWP and bought a decent keeper.

[derry]

21 hours ago, Chez said:

Play Broja at left midfield? Blimey. Those organisational problems are solved.

 

I would have thought it was pretty obvious why? Firstly he has played wide at times for Vitesse and Albania, secondly there is no other player that can play wide and would be even remotely likely to score on a regular basis and thirdly he has good pace and power. He is useful in the air and if we attack down the right could be a threat coming off the line into back post scoring positions. Only Stuart Armstrong when he is match fit could possibly do a job there but he seems more comfortable on the right. All the others tried there have hardly supplied any goal threat. He would have to sharpen up his tracking and defensive duties but that can be worked on. For me he is currently our best finisher.

[Chez]

15 minutes ago, derry said:

I would have thought it was pretty obvious why? Firstly he has played wide at times for Vitesse and Albania, secondly there is no other player that can play wide and would be even remotely likely to score on a regular basis and thirdly he has good pace and power. He is useful in the air and if we attack down the right could be a threat coming off the line into back post scoring positions. Only Stuart Armstrong when he is match fit could possibly do a job there but he seems more comfortable on the right. All the others tried there have hardly supplied any goal threat. He would have to sharpen up his tracking and defensive duties but that can be worked on. For me he is currently our best finisher.

He's our best centre forward, offering arial ability, strength, pace and goalscoring ability. You say it yourself, he our best finisher, so why one earth have him tracking back all game.

So no, it not obvious, it's actually the complete opposite. It's a very left field solution. Not one that I agree with either, but then again, what do I know. Put in on the Palace thread and see what others think. 

 

[derry]

21 hours ago, Chez said:

He's our best centre forward, offering arial ability, strength, pace and goalscoring ability. You say it yourself, he our best finisher, so why one earth have him tracking back all game.

So no, it not obvious, it's actually the complete opposite. It's a very left field solution. Not one that I agree with either, but then again, what do I know. Put in on the Palace thread and see what others think. 

 

It was done to accommodate Adams and Armstrong who are the only others who might get us a goal. He is still very young and inexperienced and could  possibly benefit from the extra space he might get coming in from wide. The other alternative would be to play Armstrong there but personally I prefer Broja. As for CP, the team will be entirely different because of injuries to all of the those..