Match Reaction: Arsenal 2-0 West Brom

[Power n Glory]

Yep this.

I thought we were horrible first half, a better side would have really punished us. Central Midfield is a real concern for me, with Elneny & Xhaka in there neither of them excel in anything or offer us that extra bit of quality offensively or defensively. I also thought we looked really disorganised in Central Defence in the first half, Mustafi had an absolute stinker, honestly I don't really rate him, he's way too rash. We definitely improved second half and took control of the game as we functioned better as a unit. Despite that I look at this team and think Meh, for all the money we have spent I don't actually think we have improved at all in like 3 seasons!

I enjoyed watching our games when we had Cesc, Rosicky, Hleb, RVP and Ade. We're not entertaining to watch anymore. The midfield is a serious problem and have no idea why Wenger has filled it with the wrong sort of players despite seeing how well Rosicky and then Cazorla when paired with a tackler.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I think honestly even with those players who were largely the core of the team during what was for me a very turgid 06/07 season there were plenty of games. Where we lost 1-0 where we created nothing and then went to sleep at set pieces

The point is taken in that a season later we improved immeasurably and in my view should have won the title. Fabregas used to irritate me at times as much as Ozil did, he forever would look for a pass when there wasn't one on.

The last time for me we played consistently good football was 2015 when Ozil returned from injury, Ramsey was playing well, so was Giroud, so was Sanchez. Games like the 4-1 trouncing of Liverpool at the Emirates and the FA cup win over Aston Villa are honestly for me the best we'd played in years.

[Penguin]

A dodgy performance and probably should have been two goals in the first half with a penalty awarded to them. We looked so stretched in the first half. The defenders were playing so wide apart with Kos and Monreal practically taking up wingback positions. Our CM's weren't much better. Elneny pushing up field too early and Xhaka not being able to find the right pass or space. We were lucky not to concede early because we were reckless in possession. With Elneny pushing so far forward early, my guess is that he's been instructed to play that in order to give Xhaka more space. Elneny never usually plays that way so it was unusual to see. But whatever the case, Xhaka can't control the midfield. Seen plenty online say we're playing him wrong and he needs to be able to sit deep and spread play but he's been given that freedom a day still looks shocking. We looks worse in fact. His passing percentages are worse this season.

I don't get why we're still persisting with this formation. Wenger changed to 3 at the back to make us more solid defensively but it's not doing that. We're as vulnerable as ever. Wingers keep finding space behind our wing backs which pulls one of the CBs out of position and leaves far too much space in our box. Our CMs are too slow to drop back and help out too which is why teams keep getting chances by crossing to the free man.

The formation itself isn't the problem, it's that we're playing it wrong. Wenger just picks the players and waits for them to figure out how to play it themselves. It's not working. Why don't we just go back to the 4-3-3 that we already know inside out?

[selassie]

I enjoyed watching our games when we had Cesc, Rosicky, Hleb, RVP and Ade. We're not entertaining to watch anymore. The midfield is a serious problem and have no idea why Wenger has filled it with the wrong sort of players despite seeing how well Rosicky and then Cazorla when paired with a tackler.

I enjoyed that team too, don't get me wrong the mentality issues were definitely there, but if we had kept that team together I think we could have gone on to win a title, the 07/08 team especially was extremely balanced.

Wenger has royally f*cked up Central Midfield, it's basically full of filler/squad level type players and I include Xhaka in that list.

Like you say, why he hasn't tried to replace Santi/Rosicky like for like is beyond me.

[Niall_Quinn]

Did anyone listen to Ramsey's interview last night? It was embarrassing, though I don't think the player realised.

He said we got stuffed by Liverpool because we left huge gaps for them to exploit. He said we tightened all that up against the chavs and worked as a team.

Fair enough. But can't that be translated as, Wenger fucked up against Liverpool by committing schoolyard mistakes that inevitably led to a hammering, and he did nothing to correct those mistakes? Then he twigged for the chav match and did the obvious things that any fool manager should be doing as a bare minimum.

But here's the thing. Last night we went back to leaving the huge gaps in the middle. So what the fuck? Where's the consistency and progress? Wenger got lucky last night because his shitty tactics could have easily led us to going a goal down and then, who knows?

Is Ramsey saying, yes, this manager can learn lessons but then he forgets about them and the whole thing resets? Besides, haven't we been hammered by our supposed rivals on so many occasions now that it makes it a virtual crime to go out against Liverpool set up like that - again?

I'm sure Ramsey didn't know it, but he issued a major indictment of Wenger last night. Or maybe he did know it.

[rodders]

Very little changes tons of possession but little end result. Goals from free kick and penalty. Lack of action in the box meant that this game could have easily been lost like so many others despite being dominant in terms of possession.

[Xhaka Can’t]

I enjoyed watching our games when we had Cesc, Rosicky, Hleb, RVP and Ade. We're not entertaining to watch anymore. The midfield is a serious problem and have no idea why Wenger has filled it with the wrong sort of players despite seeing how well Rosicky and then Cazorla when paired with a tackler.

I switched off in the 62nd minute. I just could watch the match any longer.

Our football is so dull the only moments of excitement come from when we have midfield and defensive brain farts inviting pressure on ourselves.

[Niall_Quinn]

'Sanchez dived for the first free-kick (when Craig Dawson appeared to bring him down) — and that is cheating,' Pulis said. 'We don't get any reward for being honest. It could have been the player [Mustafi] sent off as well.

'Everybody has seen what's happened. I think if you want to make an example of something I think Sanchez, the first free-kick he gives on the edge of the box Sanchez actually dives and he should be booked for diving in my opinion.

'I think the decisions that were made tonight it's lovely the viewers can watch them. Sanchez should get booked in the first couple of minutes for diving on the edge of the box. There's no-one near him and the referee gives a free kick.

Pulis has a point. Here you can see Alexis pushing his body into Dawson who has to put his hands up to defend himself. Then Alexis shoves himself off Dawson's hands and dives onto the ground. Correct decision would have been to send Alexis off for being foreign and award a pen to West Brom for all the honesty they showed with their non-stop fouling.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Did anyone listen to Ramsey's interview last night? It was embarrassing, though I don't think the player realised.

He said we got stuffed by Liverpool because we left huge gaps for them to exploit. He said we tightened all that up against the chavs and worked as a team.

Fair enough. But can't that be translated as, Wenger fucked up against Liverpool by committing schoolyard mistakes that inevitably led to a hammering, and he did nothing to correct those mistakes? Then he twigged for the chav match and did the obvious things that any fool manager should be doing as a bare minimum.

But here's the thing. Last night we went back to leaving the huge gaps in the middle. So what the fuck? Where's the consistency and progress? Wenger got lucky last night because his shitty tactics could have easily led us to going a goal down and then, who knows?

Is Ramsey saying, yes, this manager can learn lessons but then he forgets about them and the whole thing resets? Besides, haven't we been hammered by our supposed rivals on so many occasions now that it makes it a virtual crime to go out against Liverpool set up like that - again?

I'm sure Ramsey didn't know it, but he issued a major indictment of Wenger last night. Or maybe he did know it.

It's a major indictment of themselves. We know full well that matches like city and Chelsea the other week aren't a result of tactical planning by the manager but when they club together and do it themselves. If they can only be bothered to do it occasionally it just doesn't speak highly of them as professionals

On one hand what's the point of a manager who doesn't give the team a tactical game plan. On the other hand if you know that's the case if you had anything about you wouldn't you just formulate a plan between yourselves week in, week out

[Niall_Quinn]

I switched off in the 62nd minute. I just could watch the match any longer.

Our football is so dull the only moments of excitement come from when we have midfield and defensive brain farts inviting pressure on ourselves.

A little trick you can try. Pretend the goals are swapped and we're attacking the other end. Soon you will find you are watching progressive football that is always looking to go forward. Plus we win more of the big games, sometimes by handsome scorelines.