PL: Arsenal a Ratings & Reactions

[Ryan.]

Not too dis-heartened by the result, my main worry is they all looked dead on their feet.

[totteralong]

Dreadful performance, MON was clowned tactically.

Here we go again...

I personally said 4-5-1 might be a better option, who knows if it actually would of?

However we played the same team which beat United, Sunderland, Hull, Stoke. He had everyright to play the same team and you can't disagree with that.

It's not the result but performance and as usual not responding to whats needed. I dont blame him for 4-4-2, continuity after a good run of results. But all through the match as numerous times in the past we were totally overun but nothing changed.

[TheDon]

Our problem was that we just couldn't pass it today.

So many misplaced passes we just couldn't keep possession.

Wasn't helped by a referee that gave them everything and us nothing, but we should have done far more. We just bypassed the midfield and played too many long balls because we couldn't get a foothold in it.

[Reality]

Maybe now people will see Delph isn't there yet.

[Maradona10]

We'll come out fighting against Liverpool just you watch, just hope Gabby, and a few other players get booked so they miss the FA Cup game!

[briggaman]

I also want to praise Friedel for his performance today. Despite conceding three goals, I think he was fantastic for the majority of the match. He made some great saves.

[Maradona10]

Check how many assists Ash has! Still a quality player!

[villa84]

All i can say is we built ourselves up again only to get hammered and taught a footballing lesson. Liverpool will soon show that they are going to finish top 4 too.

[Alpaywasawesome]

Dreadful performance, MON was clowned tactically.

Here we go again...

I personally said 4-5-1 might be a better option, who knows if it actually would of?

However we played the same team which beat United, Sunderland, Hull, Stoke. He had everyright to play the same team and you can't disagree with that.

It's not the result but performance and as usual not responding to whats needed. I dont blame him for 4-4-2, continuity after a good run of results. But all through the match as numerous times in the past we were totally overun but nothing changed.

True that.

Stephen Ireland. Jermaine Jenas.

Now Cesc Fabregas.

What do they all have in common?

All were second-half substitute, all were put on the pitch to provide a more attacking midfield option.

And all changed the game for their side against Villa.

What does MON do each time.

Nothing.

[pete165]

Why We Lost:

-We can't pass the ball as well as Arsenal; therefore we tired second half after chasing it around for much of the first hour. Possession isn't everything, but Arsenal often pass teams to death and then create in the last 20 mins.

-We tried hard but didn't really play well - passes went astray and when we had chances to break we didn't pass it well enough and weren't clinical. Often failed to find the right ball.

-Midfield 2 got dominated by their 3. I know why we played 4-4-2 and am not complaining, but Milner and Petrov couldn't cope in the end. Delph cameo would've been an education for him. He still looks like a talented headless chicken to me and so should be back on the bench for liverpool.

[rjshare]

Maybe now people will see Delph isn't there yet.

why, because he came on for fourteen minutes when we were already losing, away from home against arguably the best team in the league right now and didnt score a hat-trick?

[briggaman]

All i can say is we built ourselves up again only to get hammered and taught a footballing lesson. Liverpool will soon show that they are going to finish top 4 too.

Most people realised this would be a tough game. I think even optimistic people expected a draw at the most. The fact is that we were away from home at one of the best teams in the PL.

I'm more confident about the Liverpool game. We should beat them and I believe that we will. Arsenal are a much better team than Liverpool.

[Jez]

Dreadful performance, MON was clowned tactically.

[Maradona10]

First of all Cesc is a much better player than the other two mentioned! I can't remember what Jenas did! Fabregas scored a quality free kick, that was the difference!

[dappadan]

All i can say is we built ourselves up again only to get hammered and taught a footballing lesson. Liverpool will soon show that they are going to finish top 4 too.

Most people realised this would be a tough game. I think even optimistic people expected a draw at the most. The fact is that we were away from home at one of the best teams in the PL.

I'm more confident about the Liverpool game. We should beat them and I believe that we will. Arsenal are a much better team than Liverpool.

This

And we still managed to match Arse for the first 45 minutes till Captain Fabregas

[Bazdavies79]

Friedel 7 Only beaten by 3 great finishes.

L Young 7 Steady

Dunne 7 Solid

Cuellar 7 Dependable

Warnock 7 Steady

Downing 5 Poor, looked slow.

A Young 6 Was the most lively midfielder

Milner 5 Lacked his usual spark

Petrov 5 Very average

gabby 6 Nearly scored, caused problems with his pace.

Heskey 5 Worked tirelessly, but was no threat to them in an attacking sense

Carew 5 Didn't make an impact

Delph 5 More meat on a spiders leg.

[Alpaywasawesome]

All i can say is we built ourselves up again only to get hammered and taught a footballing lesson. Liverpool will soon show that they are going to finish top 4 too.

Most people realised this would be a tough game. I think even optimistic people expected a draw at the most. The fact is that we were away from home at one of the best teams in the PL.

I'm more confident about the Liverpool game. We should beat them and I believe that we will. Arsenal are a much better team than Liverpool.

Let's say we are drawing 0-0 and Rafa sends on Benayoun for Lucas in the second-half to provide more attacking impetus for his side(as unlikely as that may be.)

What do you think MON will do? I think he will do nothing. Ireland, Jenas and Fabregas substitutions were responded in kind with ... nothing.

That's the most worrying bit. MON's stubborness cost us last season.

I fear it may cost us this season as well.

[villa84]

We wont beat Liverpool..

[briggaman]

We wont beat Liverpool..

I bet we will.

[Tomaszk]

Thought Arsenal outplayed us as they do so often, we created no chances.

Wrong. In the first-half Downing and Milner combined for a beautiful piece of play, Downing slipped in the advancing Milner after drawing the full-back out and Milner set up Agbonlahor for the shot, only for Gabby to take too long to sort out his feet, but even then the ball made its way to Ash, whose deflected shot curled out for a corner.

That begs the question then.

Why the **** didn't we play more of the same? Instead of our predictable LONG BALL SHITE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

Also, midfield got overrun in the second-half when the opposition team sent on attacking midfielder in the second-half.

Hmmm. Stephen Ireland in the Man City game. Jermaine Jenas in the Spurs game.

Now Cesc Fabregas today.

What does MON do each time? Do nothing to shore up a midfield where our "Captain" is visibly spent.

Hooray for MON!

Don't say that too loud or you'll be accused of wanting him sacked!

Poor today, especially in midfield. Same as Stoke, centre mids scared of playing with the ball.

Cuellar, Dunne and Gabby only players worthy of praise today. Even if we are playing in a 442, Gab is constantly the only player with half a chance of getting near the ball due to him being the only one willing to bomb around and get through some work, and the fact often the ball is no where near our forwards from our forward 'passes' and his pace gets him there.

Absorbed a lot of pressure and didn't quite manage to capitalise on the odd chance we had.

Scared is just the word I think of. Scared to pass it. Scared to receive it. Scared to take on your man. We're 4th because we're a good side lads, start dictating parts of games, start demanding the ball and playing passes you would in training.

Re: 2nd goal, shocking from Milner. He knows it, MON knows it, we all know it. He doesn't really need to be told. But why oh why was he on the pitch? I know MON has this stupid thing he does of taking off a full back and putting a player out of position into the full back role, but I still, 4 years klater have never once seen it have any benefit. Is Milner a better RB than Young? No. Was Young having a shocker? No. Was Milner having a great game (in which case why would you shift him to full back anyway) ? No. One day, maybe if I ever get to be a manager I'll understand it.

Onwards to Liverpool, with them likely to be nervous after scraping past wolves. Can certainly beat them there.

Fried - 7

Young - 7

Dunne - 8

Cuelllar - 8

Warnock - 5

Downing - 5

Milner - 4

Petrov - 5

Young - 4

Heskey - 5

Gab - 7

Carew - 5

Delph - 5