Arsenal Post Match Thread

[TheSomersetFox]

People actually questioning Mahrez again? He was the only one who tried to play the ball forward on the floor tonight and pit in a good shift. Morons

[MC Prussian]

4 minutes ago, Collymore said:

You got the most important detail wrong and then left the next most important detail out (he rolled around on the floor holding his face)

 

Nice work 

 

Actually, he did it twice.

In years to come, we'll able to tell our kids and grandchildren how Alexis Sanchez pretended to have been fouled by Huth whilst walking into the latter.

 

Brushing it under the carpet, you Sanchez fanboy?

[Guest Col city fan]

I said after the Atletico game, if we can't keep the ball we will have to suffer wave after wave of pressure. 

We did, defended bravely, but finally buckled.

We have got to retain possession of the football for longer than we do.

[lesterlad1]

We lost to Arsenal away. The way some on here moan you would think we lost to a league 2 club. Shakey had lost 2 league games in 8 that's nit a bad return.

 

i don't know if he is right man for the job but give him credit we went to Arsenal and lost to a deflection. 

 

This forum goes into meltdown as soon as something goes against us. 

 

 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

I do think Chilwell could've been introduced, perhaps Gray - just to freshen things up a little. The game had a very end of season feel to it to be honest.

[brucey]

 

[ozvaldo]

I need more from Mahrez and Drinky.  The spark's not there.  

And I want Gray on against West Brom.  He'd put the fear of God into their defence.  

 

Sanchez is a **** bucket.

[filbertway]

Only saw stats on bet365 but it looks like we went with no ambition and got what teams that play that way usually get.

Disappointing result and yet another game where Gray may as well have stayed at home and watched the palace game on sky.

 

Seen the video of Fuchs throwing the ball at Sanchez, at least theres one highlight for us

[easilee]

59 minutes ago, Goober said:

People actually questioning Mahrez again? He was the only one who tried to play the ball forward on the floor tonight and pit in a good shift. Morons

Which Mahrez were you watching?

Believe me, I was watching him closely all game; don't want him here any more if this season is what he has to offer. Stick him on the bench where he belongs and give Gray a chance. 

At least he can still take players on and beat them.

[shen]

4 minutes ago, Larry_LCFC said:

We played defensive, we didn't go at them, and we lost.

One sub before the 85th is unforgivable, especially when that sub is Okazaki. Not good enough Shakespeare.

Yet we created better chances. Go figure.
 

4 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Starting two up says you're right but we never ever looked like we could create more than a ricochet chance - which we did. 

Much credit should go to Arsenal and the way they set up and defended. The rest is down to our midfield not being able to hold the ball and no-one up top to hold on to it.

 

6 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

First time I think Shakespeare got it wrong tonight. We never had a proper go at them. I think next season we should be competing for 7th, currently occupied by Everton. I wouldn't expect Everton to go there and play so negatively and neither should we. Got what we deserved really.

Tactically, as proven under Ranieri, we aren't able to play different systems or in another way. We set up to our strengths and we depend on most of our players performing to a high level. Unfortunately, when we are up against teams that keep the ball well and do not defend naïvely, we struggle when some key players do not perform. Right now, Drinkwater losing all attacking impetus, Mahrez playing average at best and Albrighton blowing hot and cold means we do not stay consistent.
Until we get decent and fit alternatives we will not be competing for 7th place or even top half I feel.

[biggs]

1 minute ago, Col city fan said:

I said after the Atletico game, if we can't keep the ball we will have to suffer wave after wave of pressure. 

We did, defended bravely, but finally buckled.

We have got to retain possession of the football for longer than we do.

We need a play making confident centre midfield for that and right now we don't. Drinky looks fragile passing back more often than not and then stands still not even looking for a return pass....looks tired.

[Gazza M]

First blot in Shakeys book tonight. Far tooooooo much respect to Arsenal. They are crap at the moment. Gray should have had 20 mins at the end to make impact. I just wish we wouldn't just hoof and hope away. A bit of thought and pattern.

 

I think we really are at a huge crossroads as a club. I think we will win a couple more at home to get us across the line. But next season, what do we do? Maybe some re-invention top to bottom, players and coaches/management.

 

 

[EGBFitness]

12 minutes ago, FireFox said:

Because he got a yellow, he can't get a retrospective ban for his foot on Giroud's back, correct?

Not for how composed he was throughout the game? Good distribution with the ball? Keeping Sanchez (minus his acting) & Giroud quite most the night? 

 

But yeah sure, let's give a pathetic comment about his yellow card and foot in Girouds back (who deserved it for getting Simo sent off last season) 

[MPH]

Bugger.

[fuchsntf]

4 minutes ago, Charl91 said:

I don't care what anyone else thinks, that was cowardly tactics from Shakespeare. 

 

Only 1 sub 'til the 90th, and we had no intent of trying to play attacking football. That game was crying out for Gray much, much, sooner. What the hell is Ulloa supposed to do if he spends almost the entire game camped in our own half?

 

 

I have to agree.

Before any game, I will  support the selected players, today our tactics with the chosen players, were miserable and abysmal.

Forget Arsenal got a last minute goal, we were No where near in this game. 

If this was in the past decade, I might say bad luck. This is a teamvthat had a week off, and couldnt come up with a better

presenation or effort.  I dont want to support such tactics...We will be in trouble if Shakespeare follows the same path.

There is losing, then there is losing...

Whether some posters like it or not Hull, Swansea, Burnley are always going for it, and IMHO, are playing better football

than us....Shakespeare lost some pts for me tonight, he got scared..!!!! 

Losing was never the point, it was the how....In this season so far ( because thats what its really about), so far we are

the 3rd worst team in the PL. Not having possesion means nothing to me, but how you, move the ball with purpose,

We have refound our defence,  Even with Ndidi, we are playing abysmal, turgid, rubbish football when moving forward.

 

If we play like this or use the same tactics this weekend....I for one will Show  my disdain by silence...We played with

Fear in our legs and minds tonight, not good enough...!!!

[shen]

1 minute ago, easilee said:

Which Mahrez were you watching?

Believe me, I was watching him closely all game; don't want him here any more if this season is what he has to offer. Stick him on the bench where he belongs and give Gray a chance. 

At least he can still take players on and beat them.

I have to wholeheartedly disagree with you here. He was nowhere near awful tonight and was our most likely source of a breakthrough along with Vardy.

[Guest Col city fan]

3 minutes ago, biggs said:

We need a play making confident centre midfield for that and right now we don't. Drinky looks fragile passing back more often than not and then stands still not even looking for a return pass....looks tired.

We've needed it all season mate. Losing Kante was a bitter pill, not replacing him with anyone near his quality was a big error. To kick on, this club needs to recruit an exceptional central midfielder who can keep the ball and use it. I don't think that's going to be Matt James, personally.

[FireFox]

Just now, EGBFitness said:

Not for how composed he was throughout the game? Good distribution with the ball? Keeping Sanchez (minus his acting) & Giroud quite most the night? 

 

But yeah sure, let's give a pathetic comment about his yellow card and foot in Girouds back (who deserved it for getting Simo sent off last season) 

Benaloaune did great! I wasn't trying to criticism him. I'm just being sure we don't need to be worried about losing him!

[Webbo]

 

[Beachyboy]

3 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

We showed against Atletico that we can have a go at a very good technical team without trying to pass the ball around them. Wouldn't have to play the same way as an Everton side but I expect us to go and give a decent account of ourselves in an attacking sense.

I agree with the have a go bit, an your right there's more than 1 way to do that, we did need a goal to realistically hope for anything out of this game, I thought we looked comfortable at the back an the few times we did pose more bodies forward it left more space for them to counter, there was nothing to lose against Athletico as we were going out anyway, I agree though it was a bit to negative an pushing a few more bodies forward should of been the aim with 20 mins to go, just to give the defence a rest from the onslaught, Grey could have stretched them the other way.

[wokinghamfox]

Gutted bloody 1994 was the last time we beat Arsenal. 23 years ago. 

[Guest ttfn]

23 minutes ago, Charl91 said:

I don't care what anyone else thinks, that was cowardly tactics from Shakespeare. 

 

Only 1 sub 'til the 90th, and we had no intent of trying to play attacking football. That game was crying out for Gray much, much, sooner. What the hell is Ulloa supposed to do if he spends almost the entire game camped in our own half?

 

 

We were absolutely pathetic today.

 

No excuses for playing for a 0-0 at a team knackered from 120 minutes at the weekend. Not bringing on Gray until injury time was ridiculous.

 

Total waste of time.

[TheSomersetFox]

3 minutes ago, easilee said:

Which Mahrez were you watching?

Believe me, I was watching him closely all game; don't want him here any more if this season is what he has to offer. Stick him on the bench where he belongs and give Gray a chance. 

At least he can still take players on and beat them.

Mahrez doesn't seem to go past players like he used to anymore but people singling him out AGAIN can get in the bin tonight. He was the only one with any quality on the ball, first time passes amd actually looking comfortable with it. How about singling out the others who treated the ball like a bomb today 

[NotTheMarketLeader]

3 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

First time I think Shakespeare got it wrong tonight. We never had a proper go at them. I think next season we should be competing for 7th, currently occupied by Everton. I wouldn't expect Everton to go there and play so negatively and neither should we. Got what we deserved really.

Shakespeare allegedly Pearson's tactician; that's now looking like the truth.

 

He may be a motivator, but he's no tactician; no attempt to win the game this evening, and their goal so predictable. 

 

Being reactive as opposed to the proactive version of last season I s what dooms us to failure.

 

Gray on with one minute of normal time is ridiculous. 

 

Mahrez should be dropped, every game he is our opponents best player in that he continues to give them the ball, as opposed to our own players ffs. When will people wake up to this?

 

 

 

 

[daddylonglegs]

27 minutes ago, Sharpe's Fox said:

Anyone who slates Shakey can piss off please. We had lots of good chances that were wasted.

I love Shakespeare but he got this completely wrong this evening. Just because he's done well so far doesn't make him immune to criticism. 

 

We had a week off, Arsenal played 3 days ago for two hours - and we decided to spend the week preparing to get a 0-0 draw. 

 

Also - he made one sub when the game was still alive! What's that about? Completely let Arsenal get away with it tonight.