Three free headers, three goals. That’s all it took for our unbeaten run to come to an end. Both Koscielny and Leno had a bad day. Yes Koscielny, he really was behind you! , Those in front of them didn’t fair much better either. Having gone behind we came back thanks to a lovely move down our left through Iwobi and then Monreal. The Spaniard crossed, Mkhitaryan who had time his run to perfection, headed home.
With the scores level, Bednarek managed to get a toe to the ball which Aubameyang was about to fire into the net. Perhaps with a bit more urgency and commitment, the man from Gabon would have got there first.
We came back again after going 2-1 down thanks to the same goal scorer. A slice of good fortune diverted the ball past the Saints keeper but who cares, we were level. We looked on top then I thought and when Aubameyang back passed to Iwobi in their box, I thought we’d go ahead for the first and only time in the game but no, he blasted his shot high over the bar.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock, Leno made a great save at point blank range, the ball fell to Long who finished past the German. Thankfully eagle eyed Sian Massey spotted the offside. No offside though ten minutes later when yet another high ball into the box exposed our defending. Leno came out, couldn’t get a touch on the ball and we were done for. St Marys erupted and who can blame them really. They’d been struggling all season and were sitting second from bottom in the league. They needed a lift and Arsenal rolled up on the south coast and gave them one.
I thought we were awful for most of the game and it seemed like most of the team had a bad game on the same day. Even Torreira wasn’t up to his usual high standard. Our defence looked exactly what it was, thrown together because no other options available, well, not senior players anyway. To make matters worse, Bellerin suffered an injury, worse still was seeing Ozil come on which I thought handed the momentum back to the home team. Lichtsteiner too had to go off late in the match which leaves us without a right back for Wednesday night and for the festive period if both are serious.
Raul Sanllehi might not like the January transfer window but if we’re hoping to secure a top four place, I think he and the club need to use it.
A 10’ centre back wouldn’t go amiss and that’s just for starters…
Next up is the second NLD of the season, we have to win that one!
Morning Rico
A bit harsh that. No right back fit? What about our ‘new signing’ Jenkinson? He’ll do!
Saw the goals didn’t bother with the highlights. I gather we were crapola. Sadly Soton was an accident waiting to happen. In bits we have played some brilliant football but we have also failed to turn up for long periods of many games. History won’t record how fortunate we have been during the 22 game unbeaten run. Now the squad have to go back to the training ground and re-set their non-losing brains.
Ho hum, back to the drawing board, here we come.
Bright sunshine and relatively warm here. Hurrah
Good morning Rico, yesterday I was royally p****d off with the entire team, slack, seemingly unmotivated and ever prone to the old failing of defensive errors.
This morning the sun has come out, but the mood is still dark. Koscielny, who came off with a broad grin on his face, after his spell in the Europa League game, was brought back down to earth with an almighty bump yesterday. In fact he looked exactly like the Koscielny of the last couple of seasons. Positionally poor, lacking both height and strength, as well as failing to martial his defensive colleagues as any good captain should. His second half booking just one more reminder of his clumsiness.
Yes we had a pick-and-mix defence, but I think Emery chose the wrong option by playing three at the back, with Xhaka at the centre, thus denying him the chance to help dominate the midfield,
With Sokratis once more available we can only hope that Mustafi will be fit again in time for Wednesday, something I would have been loth to wish for prior to watching our captain yesterday.
Morning guys (‘good’ doesn’t cover it) & Rico, who also covered most of what was wrong yesterday of a really depressing game.
I loved your 10′ tall central defender Rico – changed my mood a bit as I managed a good belly laugh.
Defensive frailties that a fifteen year old would notice were fully exposed and the winner, on the break I could see a mile away. I was in fact on the Costa Blanca following the texted match and looked at the highlights afterwards.
I was watching the back of No 18 (later discovered it was Monreal) who looked over his shoulder where Long was sprinting down the right. I became apoplectic at the fact that he made no effort to run back and, should never have allowed an opponent loose in the dying minutes of the game anyway. What was he thinking of?
‘Five minutes to a hot bath’?
Leno and Koscielny made a right dogs dinner of a FLOATED cross that ONE of them should have dealt with.
How difficult is that?
It IS unfortunate that we seem to get a lot of injuries but, notching up clumsy (?) 5 yellow card tackles doesn’t exactly help the team operate at it’s best.
Jenks would have been a better substitution surely for Bellerin and I really do want to see the back of Ozil. He’s become a top notch, unreliable bench-sitter, who more frequently than not, depicts a, I-have-a-headache, malingerer.
Hi Rico
Full marks for your post yesterday, this was the wrong time to plsy Southampton. I thought they eere excellent.
I dont think we could have done much more about the defence given the situation. A back two would have been better but would have put more strain on Koscielny. Perhaps Monreal would have been a better option than Xhaka, but we were always going to be weak at the back.
Mitakarian scored two, but he is not a no. 10 and didn’t give the link we need with a back three, it was crying out for Ramsey. Guendo did his best but he was trying to do two jobs at the same time, but he did try harder than anyone.
No need to panic, we’re still only three points off fourth.
Brian
Morning Wavy, Cicero and all.
I thought we were awful for much of the game, certainly in our own half.
Hi Brian, Jimmy, thanks.
I know throwing in a young Medley might have raised eyebrows but he’s a proper central defender who alongside Kos might just have worked. He’s tall too and no snowflake so perhaps he’d have resolved our height issues.
I was really pissed off with the way their goals went in as it’s not like we didn’t know they had big strikers. If we can’t challenge in the air then stop the bleedin crosses.
Morning Gooners
Morning Rico.
I wouldn’t blame Emery at all Scott, he’s been unlucky with injuries, both Welbeck and Holding were playing really well, they were involved in almost all the games and then within a few weeks suffered terrible injuries and in the blink of an eye we lose two key players.
Emery couldn’t plan for that or that Mustafi and Sokratis would both be suspended at the same time, so he went into yesterday’s game minus any of his centre backs.
Koscielny has just come back, Monreal has just come back, Xhaka was playing out of position for the manager and the team, you cannot criticise Granit he sacrificed his game to help out – when do you ever see Ramsey or Ozil do that?
Then we lose Bellerin, probably till the middle of January, Lichtsteiner is looking his age but he didn’t hide I still think he’s been a good signing for us. Emery did want another centre back in the summer, so he knew that there was issues there, but Mislintat and Raul couldn’t get it over the line. The fact that Emery wanted another centre back and still let Chambers go out on loan doesn’t make it look good for Calum.
Kolasinac has a slight injury, which is normal for him as he’s always picking up knocks, it all conspired and what with the new manager syndrome we lost our unbeaten run, but by the narrowest of margins, so no Digger, I would not blame Emery.
Morning Kev, the one I’m slightly annoyed with is Koscielny. Yes, he’s only just back from injury but I hadn’t ridden a bike for years but I still knew where to get one etc on the day I did.
Agree, get rid of those who can’t bust a gut for the team. The younger players gave more on Thursday than some of our first team players do..
Good post Rico, when you’re up against it sending on Ozil is a bit of a gamble, maybe Emery was hoping that he would create some opportunities for Aubameyang and Lacazette as they missed Xhaka’s influence from midfield. I mean you don’t send on Ozil to stiffen the defence or win the ball or score even as he rarely puts the ball in the onion bag himself, unfortunately it didn’t work out and our weak defence caved in again. Maybe Emery knew we couldn’t hang on with that defence and decided to attack instead, thus Ozil, but it didn’t work this time, 22 unbeaten is still impressive?
Iwobi needs to score some goals, like Mkhitarayan, they both have issues with the final ball so scoring would compensate and we really need goals from other areas of the team, we can’t lump it all on Auba and Laca.
Cicero, I’m in total agreement with your comment. Who’d have thought I’d have been missing Mustafi 😜
I know you’re annoyed with Koscielny, Rico, he should have done better, but he’s never been great in the air, Lichtsteiner could have done better with the 2nd goal, Sokratis would have had hold of Ings and Austin, not allowing them a clear run at the ball, we missed his shithousery big time…
I really like Sokratis, he reminds me a bit of Keown, all over his opponent.
We missed him a lot.
Maybe that’s what Emery saw in the Croatian guy we were linked with in the summer, the bloke with the ponytail, he’s a bit like Sokratis, Vida isn’t it?
Thanks Kev, Ozil should love playing behind those two, who wouldn’t but in all honesty, he’s just a lazy guy who can’t be arsed to work. As I said yesterday, I wouldn’t be at all disappointed if I never saw him play for the club again. Can’t imagine for one minute that Emery was happy with what he saw from Ozil.
22 unbeaten is impressive, hopefully there’ll be a few choice words muttered at training today and we go again…
I know Kev but he’s our captain, yet just as he was under Wenger, he’s a whimp. Where’s his conviction to get to the ball first.. Lichtsteiner and Xhaka could have done better but as you said, both were playing out of position for the good of the team..
Anyway, no point in me going on, it won’t change the result.
How TF does Iwobi not get a mention as the most useless player out there.
All he has done since wenger left is run into the back line and play a cross into the legs of the defence.
FFS if that’s as good as it gets there are plenty lining up behind you.
I used to get into Ramsey for not backing up but I apologise Aaron, you are nowher enear as useless as Iwobi.
Rico, I think that Ozil can be selfish, he was indulged by Wenger and doesn’t like it that Emery isn’t blowing smoke up his arse as well. If Emery wanted him to sacrifice his game and play wide he’d probably have a strop, Koscielny isn’t really ready but he still went out for the team and did his best.
Yeah, I’d never thought I’d say this, but we did miss Mustafi…
Welcome Aus, I must admit, I find Iwobi a frustrating player. He can do something good, then soon after, something awful. The chance he had should have been taken,just like others which have come his way.
He’s young though, still learning under a new manager etc and has improved on last season. Arsenal standard though? I don’t think so. Saka already looks to have more about his game than Iwobi, Willock and Smith Rowe too. Right now though, I’d rather see AMNs in our team than Iwobi.
Maitland Niles could be right wing back this Wednesday Rico, I’m guessing that Kolasinac will be fit, if not then bugger!
Wednesday is going to be a right punch up, Dier is out with his appendix, but Pochettino has pretty much everyone else fit.
Morning Rico and all. Until we add some serious quality and show both determination and unity of purpose, we will always be scraping around. Our weakness spreads like a virus through the team.
Some big decisions ahead for the club.
Celtic draw Valencia in Europa League last 32
Malmo v Chelsea, Bate Borisov v Arsenal
Champions League last-16 draw took place earlier
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, Man Utd v PSG
Tottenham v Borussia Dortmund, Schalke v Man City
Live Reporting
The ties will take place on 12-14 and 20-21 February.
The seeded teams (Arsenal and Chelsea) will be away first and the unseeded teams (Celtic) will be at home.
Arsenal will play their home against Bate Borisov leg on Wednesday, 20 February at 17:00 GMT so it does not clash with Chelsea’s match.
Or Jenks Kev? Poch will surely rotate, after all, we’re not a rival are we? According to him..
Morning Adam, additions and some serious exits too.
Some really tasty ties in the CL…
Meanwhile we’ve got Borisov again.
Bulgarian I think?
Kev, I just want to see the back of him. Ozil I mean, although we could do a lot better than Koscielny too.
Ah yes, Corporal Carl, should be Interesting seeing him fly around the pitch against the Scum.
I think that Vertonghen is out, Dembele is still unavailable, as is Wanyama so there is hope. 🙂
Is that what he said Rico, that we aren’t a rival, ha ha ha, yeah right, of course you have to respect the opinion of a coach who has amassed such a horde of trophies… 😄
Nice draw for us then, or at least it should be…
Just looked at the CL draw, can’t see more than one English team going any further…
Iwobi has quick feet shame that his head does not have the same ability , He would do well to learn that bending a ball into the top corner looks good but only when it works . He could and should have put that game to bed yesterday but went for the stylish. Oh for a Malcolm McDonald attitude . “” If the keeper gets in the way both he and the ball will get in the net and if he misses it the net will end up on the terraces.”” Sometimes just think and put yer boot through it.
I despair.
Things that look good in training rarely work on the pitch unless you are a cool finisher like TH14. and there aren’t many of them about. The object is to get it in the net , what it looks like doesn’t matter
Bate Borizov is Belarussian I think , everything says that over two legs it will be no problem . What will be interesting though is getting 60 + thousand into the stadium on a Wednesday for a 5 pm kick off . Chaos I reckon chaos.
Rico. Yes, there are question marks over many first team squad players.
Or just keep things simple Potter instead of going for the spectacular..
At least the Europa fixture is a long way off. We might have reinforcements in by then..
There certainly should be Adam..
Bate Borisov is from Bielorussia (from Borisov)
They stop now and return on February . Maybe good or not. Depends where will be their pre-season. Probably Portugal.
Emery is changing the way we play completely from the Wenger era, His problem is our squad doesn’t fit his style yet so he’s shoehorning people in. He needs a very good couple of transfer windows to get us playing how he wants.
Wenger used to play a loose 4231, now we play a 3421 and other than crosses from wingbacks all of our creation falls on the shoulders of Iwobi and Mkhitaryan and frankly they aren’t good enough fo that. Defensively we started the season with 2 experienced centre backs, 1 long term injury and 2 youngsters (plus emergency cover from the full backs). Considering one of the experienced centre backs is Mustafi we desperately need more there.
Every thing else is fine to put into the long term plan, but those two problems will take at least 3 purchases to put right, alongside some very interesting sales and they need doing ASAP.
Well IMO anyway.
Have to agree about the transfer windows Hobart, starting next month. Hopefully Sven has been busy..
Afternoon all.
Kev, I blamed the entire side, because I can’t think of one of them who played close to their best.
All I blamed Emery was for the formation which didn’t work, but I did say hindsight helps me make that call-a luxury he doesn’t have.
I can’t blame him for the flat, stale effort our boys showed, or rather didn’t show.
As I said yesterday, I was Arsenal at their worst.
Any horrible game over the last 10 years nearly identical to our performance v Soton.
Too much sideways and backwards passing, no midfield presence at all, outmuscled etc etc etc
We’ve battled through some average performances this season to eke our a result, but this was a well below average performance, so nothing to panic about.
Singling players out for criticism when not one of them had a good game though?
I blame them all, but also know we can bounce back pretty quickly.
It’s been a tough few weeks, as well.
New post up now