Morning all.
Well well, Arsenal really are on a roll aren’t they as far as results go. Six on the trot I think it is now but yet another match shrew with defensive errors. One of course was a mix up between Cech and Mustafi with both leaving the ball to the other. The majority of blame though sits firmly with the German because just sticking his laces through the ball would have cleared any immediate danger but no, the shambles at the back continued. Shane Long must have been wondering where the wrapping paper, sellotape and tag was because as far as gifts go, that was up there with the best, or worst depending how one looks at it.
Southampton didn’t retain their lead for too long though as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang toe poked a cute pass from Welbeck, past Alex McCarthy. A really nice goal. 1-1 soon became 2-1 thanks to Danny Welbeck, oh, and a huge deflection but as we often say, if you don’t try, you won’t score.
After the break and in typical Arsenal style we conceded again. Charlie Austin hadn’t been on the pitch long when made the scores level. Poor defending again? Yep.
Arsene Wenger on Danny Welbeck:
“I think I have repeated that I really like Danny Welbeck.
“I am very pleased for him because he is a guy who went through a very difficult time and has shown exceptional mental strength to come back.”
Danny boy had the last word though but not until after he’d missed an opportunity which looked harder to miss than score. This time it was a clean header which McCarthy couldn’t get to. Whisper it quietly but I do believe it was Alex Iwobi who provided the assist. One of just a handful of decent things he did all game.
McCarthy made a couple of good saves, certainly in the second half as Xhaka and Iwobi came close to getting on the scoresheet and Aubameyang was denied a second goal too. Cech was called into action at the other end as we held on for the win. Both sides ended up with ten players on the pitch after handbags were drawn. First Jack Stephens for the visitors followed soon after by Mohamed Elneny. Silly stuff really but a straight red card means the Egyptian will miss the next three league matches. Funny though as worse took place at The Etihad on Saturday imo, but both sides ended with eleven on the pitch.
After the match, Arsene Wenger said:
“It’s not easy because we played against a team who fights not to go down, mentally it is very difficult.
“Some of our players had heavy legs but we still won the game when we were questioned, I really like the spirit in this team.”Every game you win makes you stronger, it’s important that you keep your run going.
We have gone through a difficult spell, but because the players are proud we came back. Now we hope to keep this going.”
Not sure why they’d have heavy legs as he made plenty of changes from the team which played Moscow and why it’s mentally difficult to face a side battling to stay in the Premier League, well I just don’t get it. Ok, we’ve got nothing to play for in the league, other than trying to chase down Chelsea but what about pride? What about the fringe players who had the chance to prove they should be regular starters? Well to me it’s simple, it’s not the players, it’s the system. The system is boring, we don’t play with any kind of width and nor do we play with pace.
Is there no wonder so many fans prefer to leave their seat empty?
59, 374 at The Emirates? Someone’s having a laugh aren’t they….
Isn’t this the usual arsenal way? Go out of contention by October, really mess things up in January/February, then when the league has been won and lost, begin to pile up victories! This lasts till the end of the season and unsuspecting fans now chorus, that with one or two signings, we will win the title. That Wenger is never worried with the way his team concedes goals is shocking. (Remember the Obafemi Martins winner in the league cup final). Isn’t he worried with the way his players defend without the ball? Yes ozil, Ramsey and who else didn’t play, but isn’t that a close enough picture of the team arsenal is if the mentioned plahers are injured? I am afraid with the way things are the new Wenger has really accepted mediocrity as a way of life. When you see all charging, pressing and pacy Liverpool, or the hard working, no nonsense and combative ManU, and you watch this arsenal team, nobody tells you why they are several points above arsenal. Expecting any changes next season? When a man has shown no sign of changing his style for over ten years, when a man fails to address defensive problems for same number of years, when a man fails to accept and address the needs of his team, when a man miserably fails and continues to thinks that he must continue to be compensated for a job he did several years ago, the we must be ready to lower the standards to allow him meet his selfish ambition – become the longest serving premiership manager and other personal ambitions. This must be the only reason he remains because come next October, arsenal will be already out of the title race.
Spot on Daniel. Most seasons seem to pan out the same way, nothing to play for and we start winning…
Garbage isn’t it..
Rico having trouble posting like Kev.
Just posted comment at 9.36 which has come up on the last post .
Can you transfer it for me Please
Testing.testing, 1.2 1.2
Anybody out there?
I am here but posting is only possible on an intermittent basis.
Howdy Adam.
Hey BT. All ok?
Not too bad Adam, yourself?
Adam, did you manage to catch any of the Madrid derby?
This comment is from Rick:
Rick on 9th April 2018 at 9:36 pm
Evening Rico and the House.
Rico just like Kev I have been having trouble -posting for about a week hoping tonight I have better luck
I only watched the Soton game when I found out Reiss was playing .
To be honest I am not a happy bunny at some of the comments being made about him.
I think Adams comments about him very harsh and unfair
In this year (2018) he has played 5 games for the U23’s and 3 for England u19’s and ony in 2 of them has he started in his best position,
Reiss is not a winger or a defensive midfielder he is a no 10/midfielder, and untill
they start playing him there you will not see him at his best
Kev for most of the game he was stuck on the wing and only received the ball facing his
own goal and his only option was to pass the ball backwards . Now saying that there were two movements that
most viewers missed (I didn’t)
He moved inside recieved the ball went past a defender passed the ball to Iwobi and run into open space expecting a return pass , what did Iwobi do pas the bloody ball back toElneny on the half way line .
As I see it he thinks a lot faster then most of th first teamers I would love to see him play with Ozil.
Rant over for tonight Good night All
I had a right old job posting this.
Hey BT. Sorry, I went to to bed last night and missed your question. Unfortunately I didn’t see it. I lost track of when it was. Normally it would be exactly the sort of game I would watch though. A draw apparently.
Kev / Rick. You’re probably right in that I was a bit unfair to Reiss. But, like everyone here I just posted what I saw during a generally boring performance from the team. I know nothing about him except through his reputation and have only seen him on the wing where he did very well in the pre-season. I did see the moments you mention too.
I find players like him frustrating when they come into the first team and cannot imagine why they don’t do the things that they are known for and ask the opposition some questions. The game against Southampton was an ideal opportunity to impress against a side low on confidence. I just thought he played it too safe. I’ve been saying the same about Iwobi for a while, but he keeps getting a game.
Morning guys,
Sorry about the site struggling to load. Are you getting any messages from Safari etc to say what the problem is?
Morning Rico,Adam and all..
Morning Bt. You have problems with HH? If so, on ipad or PC please?
Seems to work on my desktop but not I Pad or phone . . Wierd.
Morning Rico, i don’t appear to be having any problems posting using laptop and chrome..
Potter. Mine’s just the opposite.
Hi BT. We are well thanks, to reply to last night. 🙂
Thanks Bt/Potter
I’m using the same with few issues Bt, no probs on Ipad either although I can’t comment without being on the admin page as my comments disappear..
Good to hear Adam. the derby was indeed a draw.
Kick off was 3.15, turned over from our game for the start .
I returned just in time to catch our pseudo hard man doing his thing at the end.
Very Norman Collier…….
Morning Lee..
Hi BT how are you mate?
Not to bad Lee, hope all is well with you mate.
Just don’t mention Arsenal Bt.. lol
Adam, tbh I didn’t read Rick’s comment before posting it, I just posted it because it was from Rick and we have a common interest in the academy so I knew it would be of interest, obviously I didn’t know it’s content mate, I wasn’t having a dig as I’m sure neither was Rick, it don’t really matter we’re all friends on here anyway.
It’s just opinions, it makes the world go around, if we all agreed it would be boring amigo, I know the current situation pisses everyone off, so even if something good happens at Arsenal it’s infected by the malaise that surrounds the club, enthusiasm for Arsenal is the lowest it’s been since before George Graham, that imo, has to be put at the door of the owner and directors.
Wenger does what he does because he has the mandate to do it.
I’m finished with him, he has sullied his legacy in my eyes, so to me that’s a closed book, we just need the management from the top to manage.
Rico, i wouldn’t inflict that on anybody..well almost anybody..lol
Reiss Nelson is on the verge of agreeing new arsenal deal according to reports. .
Hopefully he will show how good he is in the coming few seasons .
However if AW stays he is more likely to get wengerized to play the tedious back and square passes .
BT all good apart from Arsenal…. so I’ve massively distanced myself from it all, get far less disappointments!
KK that’s great news, it would mean all our best young players are signed up.
I wouldn’t judge any of our players too much these days, although I know I do out of frustration but until a new manager comes in, do we really know how good or bad they are.
Would Mustafi look better in an organised and disciplined defence, Xhaka too if he knew what was expected of him, and many others…
Even Iwobi might be more effective under a better coach and Elneny might go back to playing the ball forward as he did before he was Wenger’d….
We might moan on here often about certain players etc etc, but it’s Wenger who coaches them. It’s his boring system and he’s finished…
🙂 Bt.
Great news Kk, I really like him. AMN’s too…
Afternoon Rico and the house.
Reiss Nelson has confirmed its all but done.
He has said Its a big achievment to sign for a big club like Arsenal so I’m
delighted with the contract and hopefull I can sign it soon.
I have got to thank the Boss and team mates around me.
Its the best news in weeks.
Afternoon Rick, I’m really pleased too..
Just hope his next step up is under a different manager…
New post is up now.