Match Reaction vs Aston Villa (away).

[Dein-machine]

Even during the match thread some of you were asking why we had backed off, got complacent & started defending very deep - this is what we are seeing in virtually every match we play in when we have the lead. When you are 2-0 up to a utter shit Villa side why on earth would you want to sit back & let them punt balls into the box. A 3rd goal either side of half time would have completely finished them off & Lambert would have had to resort to damage limitation mode. You do not buy players like Cazorla & ozil then ask them to spend the 2nd half defending & playing so deep. The fact that it keeps happening against teams we should go & kill off would suggest this is what they are being asked to do. Someone in the changng room needs to tell Wenger that these negative tactics ( the same ones that very nearly cost us our champions league place ) are totally ridiculous against a beaten team like Villa. If this continues we will lose & draw games that we shoud be winning. The Gypos would have gone out 2nd half & smashed another 3 or 4 goals in against that Shit which is why they will win the league.

[Ollie the Optimist]

thought we were superb until the villa goal, we seemed to switch off then but actually looking back, baring their goal and header by bentekke straight at szcesney (think it was called a foul too) they had no chances, just long range pot shots and lumping balls in which we dealt with easily. great win to go back to the top.

also guzan and agbonlahor are cunts

[GP]

Agbonlahor is a cunt. No idea how he wasn't sent off.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Agbonlahor is a cunt. No idea how he wasn't sent off.

he was looking for the dive at every opportunity and then broke rosickys nose. you could just tell flamini was having to stop himself from taking him out

[Ollie the Optimist]

Sorry pal but that in your head, I think you need to see the doc if you think otherwise.

Not true, when the performance is enjoyable like the FA Cup against Spurs I do, sh*t performances like this though don't particularly excite me, we won yes but we were poor and it wasn't great to watch. It'd be good if we could turn out and play a bit of champagne football from time to time as well, if we're going to win the league it'd be nice to add a bit of style into the equation.

It will be great if we win it obviously, there's a long way to go though.

i don't think anyone would give a fuck how we played if we won the league. yes the football isn't pretty but we have had pretty football for the last 8 years and won nothing. this year we are solid, hard to beat and winning games like that. the last 8 years you have moaned about style and no substance, now you are moaning about substance with no style. enjoy following the Arsenal ffs, we are top of the league and fighting for our first title in years

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Even during the match thread some of you were asking why we had backed off, got complacent & started defending very deep - this is what we are seeing in virtually every match we play in when we have the lead. When you are 2-0 up to a utter shit Villa side why on earth would you want to sit back & let them punt balls into the box. A 3rd goal either side of half time would have completely finished them off & Lambert would have had to resort to damage limitation mode. You do not buy players like Cazorla & ozil then ask them to spend the 2nd half defending & playing so deep. The fact that it keeps happening against teams we should go & kill off would suggest this is what they are being asked to do. Someone in the changng room needs to tell Wenger that these negative tactics ( the same ones that very nearly cost us our champions league place ) are totally ridiculous against a beaten team like Villa. If this continues we will lose & draw games that we shoud be winning. The Gypos would have gone out 2nd half & smashed another 3 or 4 goals in against that Shit which is why they will win the league.

I'm not sure that's accurate, Man City have obviously annihilated a lot of teams but they haven't really done the same away - they let Fulham back in to it at 0-2 and Swansea made it 2-3, Southampton made it 1-1 and Newcastle should have done too. Of course they won half those games I mention and it's a bit churlish to try and take those wins away from them but it's not like they are just taking teams apart easily away from home.

[selassie]

Good result and important one too. This team is efficient and at times quite ruthless, they showed that in the first half.

We tailed off second half and had a few hairy moments but I do have a lot of confidence in the defence now, especially Kos & Merts, both of them were outstanding again yesterday.

Onwards and upwards.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Got in at 2ish last night. What a brilliant result.

Made hard work of it but we're the Arsenal so it's expected.

Mertesacker was an absolute rock. Wilshere was brilliant. Giroud fought his way up top as usual.

Benteke had a great game for them.

WE ARE TOP !

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

i don't think anyone would give a fuck how we played if we won the league. yes the football isn't pretty but we have had pretty football for the last 8 years and won nothing. this year we are solid, hard to beat and winning games like that. the last 8 years you have moaned about style and no substance, now you are moaning about substance with no style. enjoy following the Arsenal ffs, we are top of the league and fighting for our first title in years

Ollie I completely forgot to text you last night for the meet. Was too busy singing songs in the pub across the stadium with the others! Hope you had a good time. We got hammered.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Ollie I completely forgot to text you last night for the meet. Was too busy singing songs in the pub across the stadium with the others! Hope you had a good time. We got hammered.

no worries. was great atmosphere wasn't it in the away end. every song possible was sung i think