Morning all.
That was awful. Possibly the worst I’ve seen Arsenal play in ages. Worse than The Etihad, Anfield, Brentford, Everton and Old Trafford put together. If Mikel Arteta and his players wanted another good FA Cup run, they didn’t show it. From back to front, as a team we were toothless, unimaginative and outplayed. Nottingham Forest weren’t much better for much of the game but they had fight, belief and a big desire to win. They got it too and no one can say they didn’t deserve it.
Nuno Tavares was oiked off before half time but to be honest, any one of 6/7 players would have had no cause to complain had they followed him. Throwing his gloves down in what looked like a bad reaction to Arteta’s decision wasn’t wise but he’s young and hopefully, he’ll learn. He could of course have just been frustrated with his own performance.
I’m sure we all want to see Charlie Patino play in Arsenal colours but I don’t think playing him in the heart of midfield alongside Sambi Lokonga, who hasn’t played for quite a while, was a good idea. Of course it’s easy for me to that after the event but honestly, I thought that as soon as I saw the team sheet. Calum Chambers or Ben White would have been my choice in the absence of Granit Xhaka. Better still might have been AMN but for some reason, which seems even more bonkers today than it did yesterday, he’s been allowed to leave on loan.
Mikel Arteta’s team selection will be questioned I’m sure, just as his substitutions will be, especially Kolasinac coming on from the bench when we needed a goal, but let’s not forget how many injuries we have and two out with Covid. It wasn’t the player’s experience or lack of it which led to the defeat in my opinion, it was their attitude and the constant making of errors.
“We were not good enough and we have to apologise for it. We needed more drive, more hunger to win at any cost in every single action, much more. We were not at our level. I‘m really disappointed with the performance, first of all. Not with the attitude but how much purpose we have and what determination we showed to change the game when it’s difficult to play against the way they play”. – Mikel Arteta
Well, if he’s pleased with the attitude his team showed then were in trouble because there was nothing about Arsenal’s performance which made me truly believe they wanted to win the game. Martinelli and Saka were trying but one was kicked to pieces and the other is still in the pocket of the Nottingham Forest right back. Disappointingly, Mikel Arteta did nothing about it. Eddie Nketiah meanwhile, did nothing to prove he’s worth keeping but then it must be difficult to find form when a player is not playing each week.
As said, losing a game is not a crime for any club, but there’s a way of being beaten and yesterday wasn’t it.
Next for Arsenal is Liverpool, a team which will tear us apart if we perform as we did yesterday.
See you in the comments.
Morning Rico. For once the line “Too awful for words” seems bang on. So I won’t waste any on it.
The image of Kolasinac appearing like a ghost from the past, in full white with but a few minutes left and losing said it all really and was a shocking reminder of where we are squad-wise.
I must stop posting in the mornings ,
This 10 minutes ago .
It shows the parsity of the squad , With Partey as our only actual midfielder ,the ones he has always fallen back on Xhaka injured ( covid again ? ) and Elneny in Africa and now with AMN in Italy with Torriera and Guendouzi in France the chickens have come back to roost.
Lokonga is a twenty minute sub to get experience when things are going ok , we are as weak in midfield as we were when he got the gig.
We all know that midfield is the engine room and if you control there , you control the match .
It’s all well and good having attractive attacking players up front and we have those in abundance .However without a natural goalscorer . We need workers that play for a few years and get replaced when they are burned out.
Hale End produces nice touchy players that are great on the ball but once they get a bit of attention they are found wanting.
All credit to the tactics of Forest , they spotted our weakness and went for the throat and we had no answer.
I actually felt quite relaxed throughout the game ,From the moment we realised that Tavares was having a mare and that their right back was as quick if not quicker than Martinelli I thought that it had every chance of going to penalties . Neither side looked likely to score and it took a mistake from Lokonga to expose our defence and let them through .
I put that down to our iinexperience on and off the pitch . These days are going to happen , if we don’t govern the match we get beaten and will do until we become more pragmatic.
The pattern was set in the opening few minutes their midfielder Zinckernagel ‘s first three contributions were to flatten Saka , Lokonga and Patino all within 5 minutes . It took Pawson 35 minutes to book him, but that set the tenure , we were not to get any time on the ball and were forced to play hurriedly and were knocked out of our stride.
Morning all.
One poor performance, and many fans carry on like the worlds ended lol
I used to find it frustrating but not now, it’s too silly to stress over.
Two steps forward, one step backwards is what I’ve said this young, immature squad will bring us and guess what, the proof is in the pudding.
A week back we tear up one of the best sides in the world and that’s already forgotten by many.
Oh well, inwards and upwards.
Morning Rico and All
I really don’t understand Arteta how can you say you are happy with the teams attitude,
yet you replace a player well before half time and say we needed more pace and hunger. We were beaten by Forest for god sake.
It’s because of matches like these that I am still not ready to eat my humble pie.
Was the starting 11 close to that we kicked off v city with?
So the relevance is………there is none lol
Remember a few weeks back people were questioning whether Tierney should get his spot back over Tavarez??
Morning rico, all.
One amusing moment from the match, the bemusement from Leno at Tavares back pass😀😀
Who’s carrying on like the world has ended Scott?
Arsenal were dreadful, Arteta brought on a defender when we needed a goal, did bigger all about our attacking play even though Martinelli was struggling, and we lost to an average Nottingham Forest team.
Morning Adam. I don’t know why he even came on, or why with three minutes to go, our players are playing sideways and backwards passes for much of the time. The preparation for yesterday’s opposition seems terrible.
Morning Geoff. Ditto. Winning fixtures like yesterday is just as important as winning in the PL. Why on earth was Chambers on the bench when he could have filled in for Xhaka?
Of course it’s relevant Scott because in case you didn’t realise, football is about a squad and not just 11 players.
Rico. Perhaps Arteta wanted to put him “in the shop window”. 😀
Morning Andrew. Though it didn’t seem it at the time, that Tavares back-pass was, retrospectively quite amusing.
Morning Andrew. Keane stole it for me. “Look like Real Madrid, playing like a pub team”
Couldn’t have been put better. 😆
Ha ha Adam. The sales are on I guess. 😜
Rico, was our entire squad available?
No, so my point stands lol
Read a little social media and you’ll see how dismal our fans can be.
Or not, your call of course but don’t pretend it isn’t happening every time we have a poor result because you know it is.
It always has and it always will 🙂
Yes Adam, I wasn’t laughing at the time either. But seeing a replay, it is an incredible effort😀. And it makes me laugh thinking what Leno felt.
Scott, so what? Arteta himself said that there was enough out there to win the game so why didn’t they?
I don’t give a toss about what’s being said on social media because it’s not a true flection of reality but yesterday showed that once again, Arsenal are poor away from home, just as they’ve been in other fixtures this season against really average teams.
Oh, and please don’t tell me what my thinking is. You’ve no idea.
Andrew. We have to keep a sense of humour about these things. Leno gave him the thumbs-up. 😀
There wasn’t much else to laugh about though. Quite the opposite in fact.
Talking of Leno, he did well yesterday. I’m surprised no one has come in for him yet.
Agreed. He was good. But then an injury to Ramsdale would see who in goal?
We can’t afford to sell him, I’m just surprised there’s been no interest. As far as rumours go anyway.
Oh relax, Rico.
It was one game lol
Newcastle must need him surely?
And Eddie, Rob, Cedric etc. 😀
How condescending you can be Scott…
Give them a discount on a bulk buy, Adam!
4 for the price of 2.
Clear the decks a little more.
Ha ha Adam.
Rico, no fun when it comes back at you, is it?
Check your 10.52 out.
Absolutely not Scott, my comment was justified after you were banging on about our first eleven.
So you can insult my intelligence over that, yet I can’t say relax?
All good.
Ha ha, that’s a bit rich.
Anyway, this isn’t the Scott v Rico show so let’s move on.
Agreed.
I have to say Scott that in my younger days I used to get upset at famous days like Swindon or Luton , Wrexham or even West ham at Wembley .
Now I tend to believe that I am a lot more laid back and try to be objective rather than overly critical .
I agree with you that we are a work in progress but progress is the operative word.
Allowing so many to leave for whatever reason as he and Edu tailor their squad ithout getting the replacements organised seems to like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Scott, unfortunately it’s not “just one game”. There have been many instances when Arteta’s selections have blown up in his face. Games where his tactics have proved to be wrong or un-workable and his substitutions illogical, e.g introducing a left back when we desperately needed an equaliser.
Too often Arteta’s teams and tactics have imploded when faced by supposedly inferior or lower league sides.
Of course it’s not all down to Arteta’s lack of managerial nous, he can only pick from what he has, but ten days into the transfer window and we are worse off than we were at the 31st December. Letting AMN go was a major error of judgement.
That’s my gripe too. Send players out on loan by all means but one has to wonder if any of them are better than who Arteta was playing yesterday. Expecting Patino to do what Xhaka or Partey does is crazy imo.
Cicero, it is one game.
Every game/performance has its own contributing factors.
In 3 weeks time if we are short on squad numbers, then we can criticise but come on, after 3 games this season, I was happy the season would see massive improvement and I said so.
How many other fans had any confidence?
Not many, yet they’re happy to jump all over Arteta at every chance.
Progress isn’t a week to week thing.
We’ve progressed massively since the start of the season.
Cicero, I think there’s a problem between Arteta and AMN which goes beyond his ability. I honestly thought that once the guys left for the ACON, he’d get more game time.
But not so long ago, with a strong first eleven, we were beaten by a really poor Everton and Utd. We can’t just dismiss those because of what happened against City. Well, I can’t.
Sorry Rico it looks like I have upset a few again, I am trying to be more positive but I rate the FA Cup very highly.
shame we could not let AMN go on loan to another club after the FA Cup round against forest.
I can only speak for myself but I’m not jumping all over Arteta Scott, I’m trying to understand his rationale behind some of his decision making. I want Arteta to succeed but on days like yesterday, it’s hard for me to believe he will.
Arteta is learning his trade, and will make errors.
As long as he gets more right than wrong, we will be headed the right way.
There is definitely a personality clash between he and AMN, though.
Strange situation to let him go so early in the window, that’s for sure but again, no way he’d have left us even shorter without someone in the wings.
Bugger the AFCON’s though lol
Why can’t they hold them every 4 years when the Euros are on?
Scott the last few matches I have said good things about but our second should still be better than Forest.
I know I should not say anything negative about Arteta so I will send my self to The cooler for 2 weeks.
dam spell check took some words out
should say: The last few matches I have said good things about Arteta but our second team should still be better than forest.
Scott, when something like yesterday crops up time after time it is down to just one man. Whether it’s lack of preparation i.e. Studying the opposition so the players know what to expect and basing tactics on countering those expectations or whether it’s reacting to events on the pitch by making tactical or personnel changes, like it or not it’s at the manager where the buck stops.
Geoff don’t be silly mate.
Just ignore NN-you’ll get a lot more sensible debate on here and you know that.
Forest aren’t woeful, and while yes, we should be better, we lacked any punch in the midfield and I don’t need to watch the game to know that.
That’s why we desperately need at least one and maybe 2 CM’s this window imo
Arteta is making the same mistakes though, and that’s the problem imo.
Cicero, I don’t agree with that because when we do brilliantly it’s down to the players and our manager gets a mention, so surely it works both ways?
Rico, as long as he’s making them less frequently though, and I reckon he is, he’s headed the right way.
Did you not see the game Scott?
Afternoon to the Scott and Rico Show, 😀
That’s what I miss, Arsenal lose and the sh*t hits the fan, it’s far too nice on here when Arsenal are playing well, we need a bit of lung…
No Rico, that’s why I have not commented on the performance.
I’ve got your back Kev hahahaha
As Geoff said, people wanting to sack the coach a week after the City performance 😉
Gold.
What I can’t stand was the lack of urgency by our team and the inertia of Arteta when things weren’t happening
Scott, I guess that’s debatable.
Afternoon Kev, ITV have been in touch, they feel there’s another reality show to be had. 😂
Nottingham Forest just parked the bus and we lacked the wit to bypass it
I’d be a regular viewer Rico… 😄
What’s debatable, Rico?
Rico I guessing what the new reality show is going to be called,
instead of I’m a celebrity get me out of here.
It’s I’m a coach get me out of here, It’s about 4 coaches who have to spend 6 weeks with the media from NN.
I think they were better than that Kev . We were so weak in midfield and up front that they didn’t have to do that.
it was schoolboy stuff and obvious from the way the game played from the outset . Our midfield three of Lokonga and Patino with Odegaard in front were so weak that Forest had nothing to stop them bearing down on White and Holding . Nketiah is a poacher that doesn’t hold the ball which left Martinelli and Saka as our only way of keeping it.
Their manager had the knowledge of coaching Saka at England youth level and instructed his players to isolate him and give the odd kick every now and again .He stayed out wide and was quite inneffective and Martinelli was well looked after by Spence we were negated and did not have a clue how to overcome it.
We just passed the ball in front of them and they were happy to let us do it.
Nothing new , we have seen it all before and when we try to carry players in front of an organised defence we will see it again ad infinitum..
Geoff, that’d be worth watching lol
Imagine some of the weak hearted media actually face to face with the managers they abuse and criticise?
It wouldn’t be boring 🙂
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was among Roma’s worst players in the Giallorossi’s 3-4 loss against Juventus, but Italian sports papers also criticised Roger Ibanez and José Mourinho.
Roma were leading 3-1 with 20 minutes to go but somehow managed to lose the game, conceding three goals in just seven minutes and with Lorenzo Pellegrini fluffing a late penalty kick.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ Serie A debut was not one to remember.
According to Tuttosport he was the worst player on the pitch (4.5/10), while La Gazzetta and Il Corriere dello Sport gave him and Roger Ibanez the lowest ratings (5/10).
According to Italian sports papers, the Arsenal loanee struggled to control Federico Chiesa and was at fault for at least two of Juventus’ four goals.
Maybe we dodged a bullet .
Potter, AMN was thrown in at RB against Juve, just off the plane.
Hardly a great situation for the lad, imo
Kolasinac only came in because he played the last few minutes in an Arsenal shirt.
Hi Rico.. The Scott and Rico Show has a nice ring to it 😉
I’m praying Tomi and ESR will be fit [and desperate measures to hope Xhaka’s back?!] if not for Thursday then definitely Sunday. Imagine going out of both cups and losing to the spuds in the space of a couple of weeks!! Sweet Jesus!!
I know it’s only one game, but the FA cup is our cup and now I have no interest in it for the rest of the season. Thanks Mikel. Didn’t expect the whole team to have a stinker; one or two yes, but not all. Even a foul throw from KT.. what the hell!!!
I’m wondering if we’ll see Tavares again; will he be sent to the naughty step with all the others?
Oh well, the joys of being a gooner, hey?! You never know what you’re gonna get [well I have a pretty good idea most of the time 🤣]
As Scott says – have we signed anyone yet??
Great situation to be in. Back-up left back Tavares throws a strop when subbed and likely to be on the naughty step, back-up to back-up left back Kolasinac about to depart on loan. Right back carrying a calf injury, back-up to right back Cedric expecting to sign for an Italian side imminently.
Have the lunatics taken over the asylum?
The only things keeping me sane at he moment are a cup of strong tea and a slice of left-over, home baked Christmas cake.👍
I wonder if Tavares was hooked after 30 for not following Arteta’s orders/instructions, rather than just playing poor like so many others?
Scott, without watching, you won’t quite feel the pain others suffered. I’ve missed a game, seen all the opinions and wondered why so strong. It’s what makes us fans, cause we all care!
Lack of any urgency until last few minutes and even then passing sideways and backwards as the whistle went! Yes we lacked important players, but that’s no excuse except Patino (who played safe throughout) where he needed an old head beside him. Soares, Nketiah, maybe Holding and others just looked not good enough to facing a determined Championship side.
Cicero 3.29. 😀😀😀
I can’t believe the same gooners [elsewhere] are telling us it doesn’t matter being knocked out of the FA cup as we can concentrate on getting back into the top 4.. the same people who told us bowing out of Europe for the first time in donkey’s years would do us good as we could focus on the league and cups 🤣🤣🤣🤣 you couldn’t make it up!!
I was always under the impression you were in it to win it.. played your best team and gave your all – silly me 🤣
Whether or not Arteta is making fewer mistakes Scott.
Hi Sue, me neither. I love the FA Cup, it’s history and the fact that we have won it the most times.
I won’t Kev. 😂
Geoff, I’d have to think about that one. Lol
From Dream Team fantasy football newsletter:
It was interesting that Liverpool’s ‘Covid crisis’ was revealed to be molehill rather than a mountain. Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6.2m) was the only player out of the latest reported cases who was officially absent with Jurgen Klopp saying that there were ‘a lot of false positives’. It’s estimated that the odds of a lateral flow test returning a false positive are 1000/1 so how the hell did one squad produce several in the same week?
“”how the hell did one squad produce several in the same week?””
Same way that Djokovic got his dodgy covid cnfirmation . Money talks .
Perhaps we could get hold of those dodgy test kits, then we could get the Carabao semi-final on Thursday postponed and have time for all the players to “recover” in time for the Spuds game.
C’mon, you know it makes sense. 😉
Klopp cheated imo. He can play kids in the FA Cup but not against us. The FL should boot them out of the League Cup.
A friend suggested the same this morning Cicero. Arsenal don’t do that kind of thing though. Maybe we as a club should be more street wise.
if you can’t beat them I suppose.
It’d be just our luck though to be told we have to forfeit the game..
Solve a lot of problems and maybe we could have a stress free life.
BTW just seen this . LFC = Lateral Flow Cheats .
Just a smile folks
Ghana lose first game. Another defeat and maybe Partey back in just over a week!
Ha ha Potter.
Fingers crossed Andrew.
And Partey copping the blame for the loss .
Anti Arsenal everywhere then.
Incomings at Arsenal?
Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth:
“Arsenal are looking at lots of names. They are looking at midfielders and strikers.
“In terms of midfielders, Georginio Wijnaldum has been mentioned from PSG and also Lyon’s Bruno Guimaraes. That might be a bit problematic considering the amount of transfer fee that would require. Maybe it is one to revisit in the summer.
“What about strikers? Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic is one Arsenal are looking at and Lille’s Jonathan David as well.”
I am told that the EFL investigation into Liverpool’s false positive LFTs is actually underway and is reaching it’s conclusion.
Apparently it’s seen as cut and dried and the verdict to be announced is a red card for Xhaka.
That’s brilliant, Potter hahahaha
Probably accurate, as well lol
Should we expect any penalty at all to be incurred by the Scousers?
Potter At least a statue of Xhaka will be easy and cheap to make not need to show the player just make a yellow and red card leaning on each other, every true Arsenal fan and referee will know who it is for.
Morning all
New post up now