Arsenal v Crystal Pulis - Saturday 16 August - 17:30 (SS1)

[Niall_Quinn]

HT

To be fair Palace have had no intention of making this a football match, which is understandable and part of English football. Up to us to break them down.

But we've had NOTHING up top, Sanogo is absolutely hopeless.

Ramsey and Alexis a bit sloppy with the final ball. Santi and Jack are back to being pretty shit. Kos a bit shaky from time to time but made up for it with the goal. Chambers and Debuchy good, bar a couple of iffy moments. Debuchy 1.3million times better than Sagna going forward.

Taking off Sanogo should transform things. I think it was arrogant of us to give them the 2 man advantage and we've paid for it in that first half.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Really missing Giroud in attack and defence.

He's so valuable defending corners and FKs.

Unless he is carrying an injury, I'd start him in the second half.

[Niall_Quinn]

Ready for what?

Going on loan to the Dog and Duck

[gunnerrrrr]

It scares me that our manager thinks Sanagoo will be a good striker.

Team balance also needs adjustment. Useless lampost off aka Sanagoo, Oxlade on, Sanchez moved up front.

[Penguin]

It actually worked out well for us, if it was 0-0 we would have walked out at half time and carried on playing the same useless, laboured style. Now we've had the wake up call and we know we need to fucking play.

[GP]

Team talk is easy.

"Sanogo, take a bath"

He hasn't earned a bath.

Spray of lynx and a walk home.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Team talk is easy.

"Sanogo, take a bath"

Giving another target for Sanogo to miss isn't very fair.

[Alpha]

Kos!

1-1

He's been brilliant today.

Someone just said he was shit today

[Niall_Quinn]

Someone just said he was shit today

Yes, but I changed my mind.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Defending deep is one thing, it's for us to break them down not to expect them to come out and play, but I abhor time wasting and this referee is too weak to punish Speroni for it, he's also a total clown for the way he handled the vanishing spray.
Marking at set pieces is always a concern when Mertesacker doesn't play and Koscielny is at fault there. Cazorla and Wilshere not content with average performances seem to want to put us under pressure in our final third. Chambers was good until his booking for impetuosity, Debuchy also impressive.
Ramsey trying too hard to do too much, Sanchez looks like he needs time to adapt to the physicality of English football...Sanogo winning the ball well but then messing himself in posession.
Not a terrible performance but not a terribly convincing one, typical first game rustiness on show