Match Reaction: Arsenal 2-0 West Brom

[selassie]

Did anyone listen to Ramsey's interview last night? It was embarrassing, though I don't think the player realised.

He said we got stuffed by Liverpool because we left huge gaps for them to exploit. He said we tightened all that up against the chavs and worked as a team.

Fair enough. But can't that be translated as, Wenger fucked up against Liverpool by committing schoolyard mistakes that inevitably led to a hammering, and he did nothing to correct those mistakes? Then he twigged for the chav match and did the obvious things that any fool manager should be doing as a bare minimum.

But here's the thing. Last night we went back to leaving the huge gaps in the middle. So what the fuck? Where's the consistency and progress? Wenger got lucky last night because his shitty tactics could have easily led us to going a goal down and then, who knows?

Is Ramsey saying, yes, this manager can learn lessons but then he forgets about them and the whole thing resets? Besides, haven't we been hammered by our supposed rivals on so many occasions now that it makes it a virtual crime to go out against Liverpool set up like that - again?

I'm sure Ramsey didn't know it, but he issued a major indictment of Wenger last night. Or maybe he did know it.

Yep, nail on head. The first half yesterday was an abomination of a performance, we basically reverted to type.

It was bad enough that we left gaping holes, we looked seriously disjointed going forward too.

Wenger and the team are going to need to resolve this ASAP because if we are going to get anything out of this season then the bare minimum must be the structure and tactics we implemented in the Chelsea game.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

The difference is West Brom pressed us higher up the pitch more than Chelsea did

You only have to do that and be a decent footballing side and you are guaranteed a result against us

West Brom got it half right.

[Niall_Quinn]

The difference is West Brom pressed us higher up the pitch more than Chelsea did

You only have to do that and be a decent footballing side and you are guaranteed a result against us

West Brom got it half right.

And that leads us to a cruel and persistent joke. We're supposed to be a technical team and a passing team. So why don't we have the technique and composure to deal with pressure when we have the ball? The number of forced mistakes is outrageous. We're a technical, passing team when the opponent allows us the time and space to show off. Then we develop a swagger to go with our sideways passing.

[Power n Glory]

I think honestly even with those players who were largely the core of the team during what was for me a very turgid 06/07 season there were plenty of games. Where we lost 1-0 where we created nothing and then went to sleep at set pieces

The point is taken in that a season later we improved immeasurably and in my view should have won the title. Fabregas used to irritate me at times as much as Ozil did, he forever would look for a pass when there wasn't one on.

The last time for me we played consistently good football was 2015 when Ozil returned from injury, Ramsey was playing well, so was Giroud, so was Sanchez. Games like the 4-1 trouncing of Liverpool at the Emirates and the FA cup win over Aston Villa are honestly for me the best we'd played in years.

That's the difference between Ozil, Fabregas and Alexis. When we have zero movement and no creativity, the latter two would go for broke and try something different. Telegraph a pass just to let the receiver know the runs he should make and what sort of passes they're capable of. Ozil plays it too safe and it's ball to feet all day. That pass Sanchez played through the middle that played Ramsey through, I hardly see Ozil play that sort of pass. Over the last 2 or 3 games, Sanchez has played the sort of passes that has me applauding. I need to see more of that from Ozil. Not just accurate ball to feet passes. Play it into space that puts a defender in trouble scurrying back to defend.

[Niall_Quinn]

That's the difference between Ozil, Fabregas and Alexis. When we have zero movement and no creativity, the latter two would go for broke and try something different. Telegraph a pass just to let the receiver know the runs he should make and what sort of passes they're capable of. Ozil plays it too safe and it's ball to feet all day. That pass Sanchez played through the middle that played Ramsey through, I hardly see Ozil play that sort of pass. Over the last 2 or 3 games, Sanchez has played the sort of passes that has me applauding. I need to see more of that from Ozil. Not just accurate ball to feet passes. Play it into space that puts a defender in trouble scurrying back to defend.

I'd take Ozil passing to feet over Ramsey passing to opponents.

[selassie]

The difference is West Brom pressed us higher up the pitch more than Chelsea did

You only have to do that and be a decent footballing side and you are guaranteed a result against us

West Brom got it half right.

It doesn't help that we have slugs in Central Midfield, they are slow at everything, passing, moving, closing down space, beating the press...you name it!

Wenger has had a lot of time to figure out how to combat or at least beat the press, he should be a master at it, he's been in the Prem for god knows how long.

[Niall_Quinn]

It doesn't help that we have slugs in Central Midfield, they are slow at everything, passing, moving, closing down space, beating the press...you name it!

Wenger has had a lot of time to figure out how to combat or at least beat the press, he should be a master at it, he's been in the Prem for god knows how long.

Cazorla used to sort it out for him. Santi's a master at getting the ball under pressure and finding a way to get it forward and behind the rush. Or he was until he died. Santi compensated for all of Wenger's Crayola planning. Now we have Coquelin, Elneny and Xhaka who, as well, can also play there. And we have Ramsey who is told to play there but plays elsewhere. And we have Jack who, if he wasn't a brain donor, might be the one player who could genuinely attempt to fill the role.

[Power n Glory]

I don't get why we're still persisting with this formation. Wenger changed to 3 at the back to make us more solid defensively but it's not doing that. We're as vulnerable as ever. Wingers keep finding space behind our wing backs which pulls one of the CBs out of position and leaves far too much space in our box. Our CMs are too slow to drop back and help out too which is why teams keep getting chances by crossing to the free man.

The formation itself isn't the problem, it's that we're playing it wrong. Wenger just picks the players and waits for them to figure out how to play it themselves. It's not working. Why don't we just go back to the 4-3-3 that we already know inside out?

I hear ya. He's found a way to play a 3-4-3 like a 4-3-3. They said this on the Arsenal Vision Podcast and it's a good point. Wenger has lost it. He doesn't know the strengths of his players or how to work a formation. He's the problem and will forever be the problem no matter what we try because he can't adapt or think on his toes.

[Power n Glory]

I enjoyed that team too, don't get me wrong the mentality issues were definitely there, but if we had kept that team together I think we could have gone on to win a title, the 07/08 team especially was extremely balanced.

Wenger has royally f*cked up Central Midfield, it's basically full of filler/squad level type players and I include Xhaka in that list.

Like you say, why he hasn't tried to replace Santi/Rosicky like for like is beyond me.

He has no idea what he's doing. Even once stumbling on a winning formula he doesn't see the qualities needed in his players to try and replicate that once someone is injured or moves on from the club. Constantly chasing our tail.

[Power n Glory]

Did anyone listen to Ramsey's interview last night? It was embarrassing, though I don't think the player realised.

He said we got stuffed by Liverpool because we left huge gaps for them to exploit. He said we tightened all that up against the chavs and worked as a team.

Fair enough. But can't that be translated as, Wenger fucked up against Liverpool by committing schoolyard mistakes that inevitably led to a hammering, and he did nothing to correct those mistakes? Then he twigged for the chav match and did the obvious things that any fool manager should be doing as a bare minimum.

But here's the thing. Last night we went back to leaving the huge gaps in the middle. So what the fuck? Where's the consistency and progress? Wenger got lucky last night because his shitty tactics could have easily led us to going a goal down and then, who knows?

Is Ramsey saying, yes, this manager can learn lessons but then he forgets about them and the whole thing resets? Besides, haven't we been hammered by our supposed rivals on so many occasions now that it makes it a virtual crime to go out against Liverpool set up like that - again?

I'm sure Ramsey didn't know it, but he issued a major indictment of Wenger last night. Or maybe he did know it.

Exactly what I thought. That Chav game was a one off. The old man has dementia. The only explanation for it.