Post match v Southampton

[Niall_Quinn]

Solution is, obviously, to sack Wenger. Bring in a proper manager who will drill these players in the basics and they will all improve, as will the team in general.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Our style definitely isn’t perfect and the first team have their problems but there is a danger of lumping it all in together. With the first team, I’m starting to see what we’re setting out to do with the partnerships across the pitch. It’s all very intricate when it clicks but when an important component of that system breaks (Cazorla) we start to see the struggle.

For this game, I can’t see the thought process behind the selection. I agree to extent about sending the players out with more instructions but I doubt it would have made much difference with the tools we had. It’s like sending a builder out with a hammer and screwdriver without the nails and screws. It looked like an unbalanced team without the vital pieces we need to carve a team open. It’s hard enough getting that out of the first team with one player missing. There wasn’t enough creativity in that squad. No goal threats and a very shaky defensive line up.

Im going to disagree on this

As above i think the only way the team was unbalanced was in shoehorning Ramsey in, instead of playing the Ox from the outset

And arguably Ramsey could have played in central midfield instead of one of Coquelin/Elneny

But that's one or two changes instead of a wholesale problem, if you played with that side week in week out with a structured game plan you would in my mind be able to finish in the top six, and therefore should not be getting absolutely turned over by a Southampton side with just as many changes to their team especially as you have enough first team experience to mitigate for the youth players (and in fact how many youth players were there apart from Holding, Martinez and Jeff?)

If you had the two central midfielders play with positional discipline, have the two wingers use their pace on the flanks instead of cutting inside like the first team does and get balls in low behind the defenders you cause uncertainty.

Mistakes will happen with players that aren't overly sure of their team mate for sure, but this was more than that it was disorganised and chaotic....reverting to infuriating type.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Solution is, obviously, to sack Wenger. Bring in a proper manager who will drill these players in the basics and they will all improve, as will the team in general.

Infuriatingly simple, but i imagine if you made that suggestion to the board they'd think you were suggesting burning the emirates down to claim on the insurance

For me the last contract Wenger signed in 2014 was a Sop to convince any remaining doubters that even when giving funds, this guy is totally out of step with the rigours and challenges of the modern game and is too stubborn and yes too old to want to change.

[Power n Glory]

Im going to disagree on this

As above i think the only way the team was unbalanced was in shoehorning Ramsey in, instead of playing the Ox from the outset

And arguably Ramsey could have played in central midfield instead of one of Coquelin/Elneny

But that's one or two changes instead of a wholesale problem, if you played with that side week in week out with a structured game plan you would in my mind be able to finish in the top six, and therefore should not be getting absolutely turned over by a Southampton side with just as many changes to their team especially as you have enough first team experience to mitigate for the youth players (and in fact how many youth players were there apart from Holding, Martinez and Jeff?)

If you had the two central midfielders play with positional discipline, have the two wingers use their pace on the flanks instead of cutting inside like the first team does and get balls in low behind the defenders you cause uncertainty.

Mistakes will happen with players that aren't overly sure of their team mate for sure, but this was more than that it was disorganised and chaotic....reverting to infuriating type.

Top 6? Are you looking at the backline and keeper?

Are you even looking at the top 6? That's Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Spurs and Utd we're up against! It's not good enough team to beat those and they already lost to Southampton. I don't fancy that team for the top 10.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Top 6? Are you looking at the backline and keeper?

Are you even looking at the top 6? That's Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Spurs and Utd we're up against!

Yes and they'd all finish above us, but finishing 6th is still top six.

Gabriel was a first choice defender for much of last season, Jenkinson played for long stints in previous arsenal sides that have finished 3rd or 4th and the goalkeeper is for me better than Ospina who played long stints between the sticks for us.

The only area out and out where i think we might suffer is asking Jeff to be our playmaker week in week out, but no i don't think i'm being especially unrealistic. I'm not overrating these players, i just think most of the premier league is actually dross outside of the top six.

You talk about our players lacking creativity, i don't think Southampton are overly abundant in creative players (and the ones they played last night are still cutting their teeth) but they set out with a solid game plan and knew when to shut up shop.

[Maestro]

The sad thing about last night is we can't even hide behind the fact that we made loads of changes to the team because so did Southampton, they had 3 regular starters...the rest were made up of their backup players.

I didn't watch the game last night but the general consensus was that we were comprehensively outplayed.

This season is a replica of the previous one...we only get so far in this tournament because our backup players suck, we only get so far in CL...because we are a tier two team that is guaranteed to finish behind the tier one team in the group.

We only challenge for the league for a period of time before injuries and poor form decimates our season.

It's the same old shite but a different season...it's so mind numbing....

Yes but you must judge the season, at the end of the season, as well you know.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

It's hard to tell sometimes what is poor form and what is good form, because we play tepidly most of the time.

There are more fingers on one hand than the amount of times i have actually really enjoyed watching us play this calender year let alone this season

What i hate the most?....watching the first half hour of Chelsea vs Spurs on Saturday looking at Spurs and thinking i wish we could play a bit more like that.

I want us to win as much as i always have, but there is so little enjoyment in watching us play football any more. I hated the way Spain play even when they was successful with far better technical players than us, too much faff and not enough going for the jugular.

Arsenal have always been accused of overplaying under Wenger, but at our best we could cut sides to shreds on the counter attack.

[Niall_Quinn]

Infuriatingly simple, but i imagine if you made that suggestion to the board they'd think you were suggesting burning the emirates down to claim on the insurance

For me the last contract Wenger signed in 2014 was a Sop to convince any remaining doubters that even when giving funds, this guy is totally out of step with the rigours and challenges of the modern game and is too stubborn and yes too old to want to change.

So they'd be well up for it then?

[Power n Glory]

Yes and they'd all finish above us, but finishing 6th is still top six.

Gabriel was a first choice defender for much of last season, Jenkinson played for long stints in previous arsenal sides that have finished 3rd or 4th and the goalkeeper is for me better than Ospina who played long stints between the sticks for us.

The only area out and out where i think we might suffer is asking Jeff to be our playmaker week in week out, but no i don't think i'm being especially unrealistic. I'm not overrating these players, i just think most of the premier league is actually dross outside of the top six.

You talk about our players lacking creativity, i don't think Southampton are overly abundant in creative players (and the ones they played last night are still cutting their teeth) but they set out with a solid game plan and knew when to shut up shop.

As I said before, this is a game about integration and seeing who can fit into the first team. We're not a team that plays with wingers that stay wide and drastically altering our game for the B team just to get through to the next round.

If this were a CL game and we're stuck for answers against a stubborn team, I'd agree. But these cup games have always been used to see who on the fringes can make the step into the first team.

[Niall_Quinn]

Yes but you must judge the season, at the end of the season, as well you know.

And you must judge only the season, but not the manager, as even more well you know.