Match Reaction: Cardiff 2-3 Arsenal

[Master Splinter]

I thought Ramsey had a better game today but still lacks polish in his touch and dribbling

This is probably the most annoying thing about Arsenal in recent years. It's also true of most football as a whole, but of course we see nearly every Arsenal game so the inadequacies are amplified.

When players like Ramsey and Ozil are messing up the basics of touch and technique and simple 5-10 yard passes, it's incredibly frustrating. We know what they're capable of and technique is supposedly the last thing you lose. It has to be a matter of application or focus. If the senior players are not up to it, then it obviously affects the whole team. It's up to the coaching staff to get them properly motivated or give a chance to players who have not let malaise fully set in and can be moulded to play with some care and attention.

[Power n Glory]

It's on the manager to grow a pair and drop underwhelming players. He hasn't seen or tried out that many players from the squad in different positions to see what works and that's disappointing. Seniority seems to be getting the priority. Ozil shouldn't be allowed to waltz back into the first team. Mkhitaryan has a goal and assist. Iwobi has a goal and assist. Heck, even Welbeck has a goal. Players finding form should be rewarded with game time.

Good to see Lacazette finally get a game but he should have been given games from the start of the season because he's been sharp from Pre season and showed a great connection with Auba from the get go. It shouldn't have taken this long to give him a start.

I've been in support of Cech but Leno needs to start now. Cech still has a long way to go with his footwork and kicking and they should work with him on that in training and not in experiment with on the job training. Teams are now targeting to him.

Xhaka should have been dropped for Torreira ages ago. Disappointing to see Guendouzi hooked instead of Xhaka. Torreira has to start the next game off the back of that performance.

Lichsteiner should also get some game time over Bellerin.

We'd cut out a lot more mistakes and speed up the development process if Unai drops poor performers and rewards those that play well. Early stages in his Arsenal career and he can get away with tinkering with team selection without anyone holding too much of a grudge when dropped if it at least looks like he's trying to assess everyone in the squad and experimenting a little.

[Letters]

Cech is increasingly looking like a liability. A better team would have punished us yesterday when he started dribbling past players (just about got away with that one), or passed straight to one of their players - a better finisher would have scored - or went walkabout in injury time and Cardiff players were queuing up to score - thankfully a poor header so he got away with that one too.

[Marc Overmars]

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, Cech’s strengths have never been as a sweeper keeper and Emery is wasting his time if he thinks he can suddenly be transformed.

[Goonermerree]

I only saw the highlights on MOTD which aren't always an accurate reflection on the match. Three points is three points, but we have two losses against two of the best in the league and two wins against the two worst teams in the league, We seemed to struggle in both these matches, so all I can say is, there are tougher tests to come. Can't judge Emery yet, it's too soon, but matches against Watford, Everton and the likes will give us more of an indication as to where we are.

Oh and Tottnum lost woohoo!

[AFC Leveller]

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Was that the best Laca has played in an Arsenal shirt? He really was superb. His finish reminded me of Batistuta's against us. Auba can do a job wide but it won't work in every game. Just play the two of them up front with Ozil behind, width from the full backs and choose a formation that can accommodate that.

Ramsey should play at number 8 or be dropped, but I would persist with Bellerin as I feel he is finding his way again in attack and hopefully can begin to progress defensively with time.

[Power n Glory]

Was that the best Laca has played in an Arsenal shirt? He really was superb. His finish reminded me of Batistuta's against us. Auba can do a job wide but it won't work in every game. Just play the two of them up front with Ozil behind, width from the full backs and choose a formation that can accommodate that.

Ramsey should play at number 8 or be dropped, but I would persist with Bellerin as I feel he is finding his way again in attack and hopefully can begin to progress defensively with time.

Definitely his best performance. A real energetic and dominant performance. Strong on the ball, involved with a lot of link up and could have came away with two goals and two assists from what I recall. That goal was a classic number 9 goal. Very reminiscent of Batistuta.

I think Aubameyang can work on the wing but whoever plays that number 10 role has to have be busy and tidy to help link the play further. Ramsey is often too sloppy and Ozil isn't busy enough. Why is it that Ozil always seems to play a ball that requires our strikers to come short for the ball instead of playing it into space? But that's a side note. Emery really should try to a formation with the both up front but I doubt he will.

Bellerin is definitely getting better on attack and plays a key part in the overlaps and wing play. But he needs to be punished for the lax defending and shown that we have a high standard.

[Marc Overmars]

Bloody hell I remember that goal at Wembley now. No nonsense, pure power and accuracy.

I was worried Lacazette wouldn't be able to settle into this team but he's deceptively good with his back to goal. He needs to be starting regularly with Auba, I don't see any justification for leaving him out.

[I am invisible]

It boggles the mind why he’s not starting - so many of our problems just evaporate (or at least dilute right down) as soon as he steps on the pitch.

Maybe Emery just wants the defenders to practice in the hardest conditions possible? Yeah, that must be it...