Match Reaction v Brighton (away).

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Too many midfielders on the pitch, Guendouzi wanting 20 touches every time he receives the ball, Xhaka complete inability to turn still, Litch terrible, AMN terrible when he came on, Ozil anonymous and Iwobi still playing with his dancing shoes.....and whilst he didn't pay for it, Leno's decision making when coming out is patchy.

Spurs are significantly better. Pains me to say it, but they are.

Agree with all of that- and the root cause of all these issues, besides the unfortunate injuries, is Emery's decision making, which IMO has been sub par for quite a few games now.

Firstly why can't he make up his mind on the 3 deep lying midfielders. Torreria is an obvious choice and we were lucky he didn't get a card (this would have ruled him out of the Pool game and ensured our fate). Xhaka and Guendozi playing today (and almost all other days) was an overkill. We weren't in a midfield battle as Brighton didn't bother playing through it and their presence didn't really add anything to the attack as most of the good things we did came through the wing or long balls anyway.

Yet we ended the game with all 3 of them lasting 90 mins and no shots on target in the 2nd half for a game we are supposedly "desperately" trying to win, laughable.

But definitely not more laughable than his decision to take Lacazette off which is the major bone I have to pick with him.

There is no doubting that Emery deserves a lot of credit for getting Lacazette back on his horse this season but in the last few games he's done almost everything to undermine him and in fact this team by the way he's handled him.

Look at the goal today, can anyone help me out with any other Arsenal player that could withstand 5 players on him in the box to still pick out Auba with that pass. Let's even forget the pass, what of the fact that he took out 5 players for Auba to score an easy goal. Or the other chances Auba got in the first half because Brighton knew they had the more physical threat of Lacazette to worry about

Was anyone surprised when Auba's goal drought ended when he finally started a game with Lacazette again (Burnley)?

This is rudimentary people- forget through passes, intricate wing play and all that crap; a confident marauding Lacazette has been Emery's ace this whole season against most of the pub teams that AW struggled with. The firepower trick at the front (Laca + Auba) is what teams are struggling against not any beautiful scintillating play we are offering. Another good example of this is the difference between Liverpool and City .This I thought the manager understood but now it seems he's been making it up as he goes along.

I am pissed off right now as that was an easy 3 points we threw away. That team couldn't handle our firepower in the first half but lo and behold our manager decided to shake things up in a silly way.

On to the next game and hopefully when our manager solves a problem he doesn't go back to conjure it up so he can look busy. We have more than enough on our plate with the useless defensive personnel we have at this club.

[AFC Leveller]

Missed Bellerin, Rick Steiner is terrible. Looks like Jens Lehmann playing outfield. No guile or agility and his quality on the ball is shocking.

Guendouzi should have made way instead of Ozil. Ozil is always dangerous and there is no way Iwobi should have come on for him.

Don't understand what Emery' s problem is with Laca, seems to take him off almost every game. Can he not see that he and auba work really well together? We had no goal threat once he took off Laca.

Liverpool away should be fun. Mane running at Rick and Kosciesnly...

[SMatthews]

We had no goal threat for after Auba fluffed his one on one in the first half, let alone when Laca went off. 6 goals in 18 appearances isn’t good enough for a central striker, even though he works hard for the team. Auba has spent a lot of games working from a starting position he hasn’t been in for years and he’s doing wonders in the league. Laca was bought to score goals and 25 in 61 is probably similar to Giroud level. The vast majority of those of been in a central role too.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

This.

The kid looks really heavy on the ball. I would have taken him off and got Iwobi on instead of taking off Ozil. While Ozil was ineffective in the first half, I'd rather he be on to find a killer ball rather than Guendozi or the other defensive midfielders.

Ozil didn't need to go off either while Guendozi and Xhaka stank the place up with meaningless sideway passes.

Emery decision making was just poor today........... and i hope he doesn't think of starting Lichsteiner as RB against Liverpool or it might turn to a serious rout.

[Marc Overmars]

Trouble is, who else do you put at RB? Kos? AMN?

Attacking fullbacks are vital to Emery’s system and without Bellerin we just don’t have the options. Whoever we put there is going to be a weak link.

There’s always Jenkinson I suppose...

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

We had no goal threat for after Auba fluffed his one on one in the first half, let alone when Laca went off. 6 goals in 18 appearances isn’t good enough for a central striker, even though he works hard for the team. Auba has spent a lot of games working from a starting position he hasn’t been in for years and he’s doing wonders in the league. Laca was bought to score goals and 25 in 61 is probably similar to Giroud level. The vast majority of those of been in a central role too.

Not sure what you are trying to insinuate about Lacazette but his form is undeniably an important part of why we are even talking about a top 4 place this season.

On the stats, in the EPL he has started 12 games and come on as a sub in 6 of them. He's been involved in 11 goals, 6 scored and 5 assists (just like today). The only out and out strikers that have been involved in more goals are Auba, Kane, Aguero and Salah (if you see him as an out and out striker). He's done better than $80m Lukaku (and all other Man U minions), Mane and superman Vardy; despite playing similar to less minutes than all of them.

And no he's not been played majorly centrally by Emery, especially of recent as evidenced today.

Anyway, i think he's been great and important for us this season. Don't think we would have lost the Southampton game if he started (with Auba) and I believe we would have won this if he had finished the 90 mins.

And I'm still waiting for anyone to give me any Arsenal player who could hold up 5 players single-handedly in the box.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I'd play AMN. He's good on 1 vs 1, athletic, quick and has good energy levels though he has been horrible recently. If he was involved more often and for the benefit of the regular hands on approach others have had then like Kola and Bellerin he would find his way.

If we don't like our options then we should be signing players sufficiently we feel can do a job at right back.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Trouble is, who else do you put at RB? Kos? AMN?

Attacking fullbacks are vital to Emery’s system and without Bellerin we just don’t have the options. Whoever we put there is going to be a weak link.

There’s always Jenkinson I suppose...

It's a bad situation we're in but Lichsteiner is just too slow and not up to the fight.

AMN has been quite disappointing as RB but he still has youth and speed on his side.

He didn't give Karl a run-out when he could have in easier games, so it seems AMN is the only realistic option to avoid being serially raped at that flank.

[Chippy]

Fuck Spurs. They ain’t winning shit and all they have is finishing above us. Meaningless. They aren’t the yardstick as plaudits are the only thing they’ll win.

Are you sure about that? 11 goals in 2 games for the scum. They are miles ahead of us and most of the premier league. As for us, this was another shit display. We ain't getting fourth, the Europa league is our only hope.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Honestly, with the defensive personnel (which includes the keeper) and the experiences we have had in past few games; we need to give up on trying to be defensively solid and focus our efforts on trying to score more goals than the opposition.

Which is sweet considering we are facing the best defense in the country next.

Anyway, I thought we were the better side when we met last. A similar but more clinical performance will be needed to get something in front of the kop.