Arsenal v Udinese Tuesday August 16th 19:45

[Master Splinter]

Vermaelen

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gibbs booked.

GHEL special.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Anyone got a sopcast channel?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 half time.

[Power n Glory]

Song, Ramsey and Rosicky have to step it up in the middle of the park. It's way too open. Song has no discipline, Rosicky is slacking off from doing the dirty work and Ramsey is making sloppy passes.

[Özim]

Shocking performance from a shockingly average team. Udinese could win this.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Hey SB, would you like someone to change your name to the correct spelling?

[Syn]

Our final ball, it's appalling. We're our own worst enemy on the pitch. And Sagna cannot cross a ball to save his life. It's such a huge weakness to have to carry.

People keep focusing on the final ball...but we're not 'nearly' creating chances. Far from it. Even working the ball to a position in which we can play a final ball is proving to be very, very difficult. Cutting teams open relies on being able to play the ball quick enough to manoeuvre some space. By the time a player traps the ball and gets in a position to play that ball, the opposition defender has closed the gap. It should be a split second; if not first-touch, one touch to steady and straight through. But from the pass, the control isn't instant...it's far too slow.Iif the final ball seems slow it's because we're taking too long to play that pass.

[Joker]

Really poor performance, but no surprise given how many average players are playing for us. If we don't improve, Udinese will equalise and then we'll have a mountain to climb.

[GP]

Vermaelen really is a quality defender.

Missed him so badly last season

Vermadams and Keowncielny are both quality.