Match Reaction v Southampton (away).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fucking new manager bounce.

Should be banned tbf.

So should Xhaka having to look at the ball every time before he passes it.

[dazthegooner]

Had a feling we would lose this one today sho'w that Leno isn't the new #1 we had hoped for.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Don't actually think this game showed anything about Leno's goalkeeping we didn't already know. He has looked unconvincing on crosses from the start.

Kos misjudging so much in the air didn't help him for the first couple though.

[Letters]

Only saw the last 15 minutes but pretty uninspiring.
Having not lost since the opening 2 games it would be churlish to go overboard but we have ridden our luck at times during that run. Emery has work to do, but I think we knew that.

[Marc Overmars]

Just poor all over the pitch. A shitty way for our run to come to an end losing to a garbage team like that.

I don't think Iwobi or Mkhi are doing enough to keep Ozil out of the team.

[fakeyank]

We really to field one or two of the young guns in games. We need some direct players like Saka and ESR in the team.

Also horrible team selection by Emery. Dont know what Xhaka was doing in central defense.

[Mac76]

Just poor all over the pitch. A shitty way for our run to come to an end losing to a garbage team like that.

I don't think Iwobi or Mkhi are doing enough to keep Ozil out of the team.

I agree, especially the second point, and especilly re Iwobi.

Thought Ozil did some positive things when he came on, bit still think Ramsey should have played a part

Injuries etc aren't completely an excuse for some of the team selections IMO

[AFC Leveller]

Leno is so dodgy on crosses it's a huge worry having him in goal. looked like a draw but he decided to gift them 3 points, tis the season after all.

[Marc Overmars]

I agree, especially the second point, and especilly re Iwobi.

Thought Ozil did some positive thimgs when he came on, bit still think Ramsey should have played a part

Injuries etc aren't completely an excuse for some of the team selections IMO

With Mkhi I just feel there isn't much confidence to what he does, his general play isn't great because there's no conviction. Iwobi is probably capable of better but his early season good form has drifted off and now he's looking like Bambi on ice again.

Ozil for all his faults can still construct some decent passages of play even on a bad day and against these type of teams I don't think we should be leaving him out.

[Globalgunner]

Auba too needs to be dropped, Quite useless today and Litch-Kosc is on a par with the worst CB combo weve ever seen

[Master Splinter]

There's a lot to get annoyed about with that performance. But if we respond well in the coming games, I think one messy, self-destructive loss can be accepted.

I'd say the fact that we have so few fit defenders caught up with us. Starting with two just coming back from injury in a makeshift formation and a midfielder and full-back playing at centre-back isn't ideal. Compounding that with two right-backs going off injured and ending the match with Monreal-Xhaka-Koscielny-AMN as your back four tells you everything really.

Even then, a bit more concentration at the back and more care up front could still have resulted in a positive outcome.

Leno has to take the blame for the winner. If we could transplant Cech's upper body onto Leno's legs, we'd have the perfect keeper. I'd stick with Leno at the moment, but any more unnecessary stuff like that and it will be a worrying trend rather than the odd brainfart.

I'd say only Guendouzi played consistently well today, despite Mkhitaryan's two goals.

Aubameyang missing very presentable chances is becoming costly now. As unconvincing as we were, there were still more than enough chances to get a win. Southampton's goal came after we had been on top for most of the second half, which was very much reminiscent of the pathetic capitulations that almost defined Wenger's latter decade at the club.

Most annoyingly of all, Austin will probably not score again until the next time we play at their stadium, Ings won't ever score another brace in his career and Long will play about five minutes of football for the rest of the season. If they had signed Chamakh and Heskey before the game, they would both have certainly pubbed a few in against us. St Mary's is worse than fucking Mordor.

Hopefully Bellerin, Kolasinac, Mustafi and Lichtsteiner are fit for the coming games because otherwise we're relying on Sokratis, Monreal and a patchwork Koscielny to get through the Christmas period.

[Globalgunner]

Southampton wont score 3 goals against any other top half team this season.

[Master Splinter]

I don't think Iwobi or Mkhi are doing enough to keep Ozil out of the team.

But neither Ozil or Ramsey have done enough over the season, bar one excellent 45 minutes each, to deserve a place in the starting XI.

Maybe giving Nketiah and Smith Rowe a chance would be the better option. Emery seems to trust Guendouzi, so it's a bit odd that he won't give the other young players a chance in the League.

[Chippy]

Just poor all over the pitch. A shitty way for our run to come to an end losing to a garbage team like that.

I don't think Iwobi or Mkhi are doing enough to keep Ozil out of the team.
Dont worry, we have our "Cup Final" to look forward to against the Spuds this week. We truly are the new West Ham. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dont worry, we have our "Cup Final" to look forward to against the Spuds this week. We truly are the new West Ham. :haha:

Don't be a twat, we've gone a long time here without WUMs.

[AFC Leveller]

Southampton had 0 points at home prior to today's game.

dunno about u but to me it looks like the old s3lr destructive Arsenal are still a force to be reckoned with.

[Mac76]

I think with our defensive probs spuds could maybe win next week, but don't care as the league win was more important and everyone knows it

[Xhaka Can’t]

It was a bit much to expect that the problems accrued via the last years of Wenger would be completely mitigated within 6 months.

And as Letters pointed out, we’ve had our share of good fortune. But I’d argue we’ve earned a lot of that luck.

Disappointing performance by all accounts but we are trending in the right direction.

There are more winnable games approaching, we just need to win them.

[Marc Overmars]

Could have done with a pub team midweek really, the Spud cup game has come at the wrong time. We can’t get away with making too many changes for that one because Spuds will have their strongest team out.

Just going to have to deal with the Xmas fixtures as well as we can and hopefully we don’t come out of them too battered and bruised. I do worry about us for that Liverpool game at the end of the month.

Torreira being one booking away from a suspension is also annoying.

[AFC Leveller]

I know it was his first proper game back but Koscielny was shocking, when you look a some of our worst defensive displays over the years, hes aiways in the side. when he has a bad day he really fucks up.

[Penguin]

All three Southampton goals were virtually identical. Deep cross into the only man in the box and he gets a free header. I don't understand why we keep giving away these cheap goals.

Koscielny was the closest defender all three times and he was nowhere near the strikers. I'm used to Mustafi misjudging aerial balls but I expect better from Kos.

[Marc Overmars]

I know it was his first proper game back but Koscielny was shocking, when you look a some of our worst defensive displays over the years, hes aiways in the side. when he has a bad day he really fucks up.

He had his best spell when Merts was his partner. He needs a better reader of the game next to him.

Maybe Sokratis can be that guy.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Irritating that out of nowhere Spurs have pulled away from us and now 5 points ahead.

Part of the reason I've been really eager to see Holding or Mav intergrated into the team is they are both a really good age to contribute but also improve and are both 6'3/6'4 so have that aerial edge over most players they face.

Kos was really poor today but not sure we could expect much in his first game of significance against a side who often pull our pants down. He has to get better though if we really have hopes of finishing top 4.

Auba is going to miss chances....that's just the player he is... but he will still finish the season top scorer or there abouts. Kane doesn't take every chance he gets neither no matter what the meeja would have you believe.

Coming for crosses though is one of the main parts of Cech's game that has never really waned after he mentally got over his head injury years ago. Leno really needs to Improve on it. Even when he manages to punch it doesn't always go that far.....and he still seems far too quiet for me.

[Özim]

A pretty dire result all in all.

I think what we're beginning to see is the limitations of our squad being well into December and injuries kicking in, we've got some pretty average players in this squad and we're seeing the effect of that now.

Emery has done well and it's his first season so you can't expect him to transform that average squad Wenger put together so quickly, but hopefully this will highlight the players he needs to get him of as there's a number of them who just aren't up to scratch.

As others have said, although we went on a long unbeaten run, we rode our luck a bit and we had to come unstuck at some point, just a shame it happened against a side who couldn't buy a win. Once again though our inability to perform in the 1st half is an issue, I don't really understand why we haven't managed to be ahead in any league game at half time all season, it's kinda strange.

Anyway onward and upwards, it's been a very good unbeaten run so credit where credits due but it's going to be a real challenge to get top 4 though as the sides above us seem fairly consistent.

[AFC Leveller]

How about we do a Sol Campbell MK2 and go for Toby from Spuds? his contract is up in the summer, we can guarantee first team football, he's got PL experience and won't have to move out of his home.

It would cause riots but I'd love it to happen.

[AFC Leveller]

He had his best spell when Merts was his partner. He needs a better reader of the game next to him.

Maybe Sokratis can be that guy.

him and Merts had a long run together where we didn't lose but I remember them starting all our games in the 13-14 season when we were thrashed by Chelsea, city' Liverpool and Everton.

[fakeyank]

How about we do a Sol Campbell MK2 and go for Toby from Spuds? his contract is up in the summer, we can guarantee first team football, he's got PL experience and won't have to move out of his home.

It would cause riots but I'd love it to happen.

That would be amazing! :lol: