Expectation was we would hammer Southampton 5-0 and with that as a benchmark, disappointment was always likely esp as were 1-0 down, albeit for 3
or so minutes
Having got through the opening fixtures which included 3 of the toughest away games of the season and with half of our first team missing or still settling in, it has been a great start
We’re firmly in the hunt and very nicely positioned. Some of the toughest fixtures already completed and some great players to return / be included
Arteta has to stop thinking he's Pep and can just throw reserves in from the start and the team will carry on playing well. City's "reserves" are all very good and there's no real difference whenever someone who is usually on the bench actually starts. Sterling and Jesus are has-beens, however much Arteta tries to talk them up and how they've "been brilliant in training". They should be reserved for the FA and League Cups, not start any other games unless we really are down to the bare bones. For all this talk of rotation, the time to do that was when the game was won, not before. Start our strongest team against the worst team in the Premiership, hopefully get well ahead and then bring on Sterling and Jesus. We did not "dominate" in the first half as the stats showed one shot on target and how many saves did Ramsdale have to make?! I never wanted Sterling here as he's been rubbish for three seasons, the talk of how much Arteta knew his game and he'd respond shows ignorance, he's a busted flush. As for Jesus, once a great footballer with unbelievable skills, but now when he's appeared this as well as last season, he falls over claiming a foul or penalty, keeps going off side, and when he shoots or passes it's respectively tame or does not pick our player out. Do we have no other strikers coming through?
“Same way I used to post how Havertz needs to be played at CF months before Arteta tried it (I assume it was to give him time to settle down without the extra pressure that being the staring CF brings). The rest is history.”
Since you bring up history, why not go back another few weeks before you started giving that sage advice to Arteta and remind us what you said about the Havertz transfer in real time.
And don’t fucking lie because you are talking to a single poster here who was positive about it while you were screaming your fucking head off with outrage.
He was nevertheless bought to replace Xhaka as a LCM although as always Arteta values flexibility and clearly saw a possible option at CF. No one saw being a DM likely although if Pierre did then so be it. And no one does now!
So basically you hated the transfer but having instructed Arteta how best to utilize Havertz , you know, make lemonade out of lemons, you’ve reluctantly approved.
“I was told Saka would suffer without him. It's the exact opposite and he's at his absolute best. Another lie to pump up you-know-who's importance for us.“
178 vs 275, gues what those two represent ?
You’re probably gonna shit yourself but the first one represents Saka’s goal/minutes in EPL play from last season, while the second one for this season.
Maybe I’m reaching here but it looks as if Saka’s numbers do suffer without Ode .
So one creative player goes down with injury and another creative player( one I’ve always rated highest btw) picks up the slack…… only in your world that’s surprising I guess.
Arsenal are unbeaten in 10 games this season with 7 wins and 3 draws.
Two of the draws were games where we went down to 10 men and the team were forced to play a rearguard action.
Last season Arsenal were fortunate that we suffered few injuries. Most of our starting eleven were
match fit throughout the season. That is certainly not the case this season. We have accumulated
a lot of injuries.
My view is that Arsenal have today a stronger squad than previously. So we have coped on the
whole quite well with the injuries notwithstanding that we have a smaller squad than previously.
We have more depth in squad and less dross.
When we assess our squad there is one major weakness and that is the lack of a "world class"
finisher. Havertz is of course an excellent player, but he is never going to be a 25 goal + a season
goal scorer. That is the key difference between Man City [Haaland] and ourselves.
What is abundantly clear that the combination of Havertz and Jesus is never going to score collectively 25 goals a season. So my personal view now is that Arsenal should look to replace
Jesus in our squad sooner rather than later.
The options on the market are of course fairly limited. Arsenal should be looking for a young player
in 20-23 age group. The obvious candidate for me is Sesko.
"Havertz is of course an excellent player, but he is never going to be a 25 goal + a season
goal scorer. That is the key difference between Man City [Haaland] and ourselves".
Keep pushing this tiresome narrative...until he proves you wrong. Then you'll look for something else to say like "Havertz is not as tall or good looking as cyborg".
Improve or at least equal each head to head game compared to last season. Last season 3-3 cock-up disaster. This season 3-1. It’ll do. Move on and hopefully work through some injuries
That's the same as saying Salah and Haaland have saved Klopp and Pep from his failures a number of times in the last seasons. That's exactly what big players do.
Saka is at his best ever form, a form that could bring him the PotS award at the end of the season. I wonder why exactly now he's in his best form. 🤔
Bukayo Saka has created 13 big chances in the PL this season, at least five more than any other player.
Bukayo Saka has provided 7 assists in the PL this season, at least three more than any other player.
__________________________________________
Watch this space as soon as you-know-who comes back.
That includes two games we played with 10 men and in the toughest schedule of the season.
I was told Saka would suffer without him. It's the exact opposite and he's at his absolute best. Another lie to pump up you-know-who's importance for us.
Thank god, I was beginning to worry, five hours gone by without you shitting on Ode, I was getting ready to call for a wellness check on you.
Btw, I don’t know who told you this ‘lie’, but most people would call that a prediction, you know, kinda how you predicted Eddie would be a cult hero to the Palace fans.
With his zero goals and assists how’s that prediction going for you?
Same way I used to post how Havertz needs to be played at CF months before Arteta tried it (I assume it was to give him time to settle down without the extra pressure that being the staring CF brings). The rest is history.
Glasner gave chances to Mateta, the unmovable CF for some. 6 starts, 1 non-penalty goal. Versus Liverpool, Nketiah starts and ends the game but it's hard versus a top team to work some stuff out. Needs a few games versus weaker teams to click and pick up from there.
Sarr, Nketiah, Eze is probably their best front 3 this season. They could also find a spot for Eze at AM.
Our games might look similar on paper, but far from it. City were defensively quite poor and this would have been a home loss to Fulham if not for some abysmal finishing by Traore.
The great Arsene once said everyone thinks his wife his the best.
But for Arsenal fans, they think everyone one's wife is the best. Who needs opposition fans when we have our own fans to dump on the team and the manager 247. Damned if the team do, damned if they don't!
They would all be creaming themselves if 115 did what we did today.
If we had watched city rotate half their team and be controlling the game only to go 1 down against the run of play, then watched as they sub on a their bench of experienced internationals to immediately blow the other team away like it didn’t even matter … we’d be shaking our heads thinking what chance do we have against a team like that.
He doesn't need to [although this calendar year he has the same number of goals and assists, so how's that for matching?].
All the other things he does for the team most importantly being the focal point makes him the best all round forward [keeping in mind he hasn't even played striker much this season, and he is still providing man-of-match or close performances].
Equalled RVPs record, scoring in 7 home games in a row. He can beat it if he scores against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Havertz when we went behind last night looked like a man possessed. Like he took it personally and was playing like an animal. I loved it. Someone should give him a rap on the snout before every match as they’re walking on to the pitch.
Tbh I don’t get the hate arteta is getting for so much rotation
We literally dominated a game and won 3-1 and people are displeased that we did it with about 5 rotation changes? Not clear to me at all what that’s about as that’s a success story not a blight
As for Jesus, yeah he certainly looks finished at this level but isn’t that exactly why Arteta dared to start him at home against relegation fodder - to try and play him into confidence against a team even he should be able to do something against?
Last season we were all on here saying drop Havertz because his early season form was trash. We all bemoaned him being given a charity penalty to open his account. But he was in fact played into form and the confidence and improvements followed.
Second half of last season and early games this season, Martinelli was really poor. Arteta played him into something resembling form now. He’s regaining confidence and the goals are starting to return
Jesus has been on horrible form for ages, but there WILL come a point in the season when due to injuries or something else, he will have to start up front. There will be a time when Havertz is suspended and trossard is injured or whatever. It will come when we least expect it and could easily involve us facing top opposition. You do not want to be letting players who are shot of form and confidence fall deeper and deeper into a rut then expect them to magically play well when you really need them.
Yesterday Jesus played because it was the safest game imaginable to give the guy a chance to find a goal and some confidence which he desperately needed.
He still played badly which was very disappointing, but the decision to play him was a very logical one and since we still won 3-1 you can’t say it was costly
Never,in all my years,have I heard anyone call Southampton ‘Hampton’ 😂😂😂. Soton …yes…but Hampton?.. I thought it was a players name,and thought ‘well he didn’t score for them!’
It is cuz I am a yankee, and we have nicknames for many clubs. Fakers, LA Lakers, Seahags, Seattle Seahawks etc, my attempt at a slight, but still being respectful, except for $h*tTy which I will gladly admit to.
"Originally a nickname for people from New England , now applied to anyone from the United States. Even before the American Revolutionary War , the term Yankee was used by the British to refer, derisively, to the American colonists."
But we did literally dominate the game. With a heavily rotated squad we were in control working to find an opening goal when they scored against the run of play. We immediatey kicked into turbo and spanked them. We never looked like losing this match.
We were losing one nil to saints in fiftieth minute, we did not literally dominate that game, not even close. That was very disjointed performance it was not until 60th minute subs did we look normal.
By half time Southampton had had like 1 shot to our 15 or so. We had several corners and some half chances. They’d had absolutely nothing and no possession. If the only way to dominate a match is to be thrashing a team then I disagree with your definition of domination. An we did end up winning 3-1 anyway which was a comfortable scoreline and easily deserved
6 shots on target to Hamptons 2, and how many of those were after the 50th minute?
However, what were those chances like to the eye test? I do not care about 15 chances that do not have a chance in hell, not all chances are equal, I do believe Hampton had 2 shot on the post.
We looked stagnate if not for the press, Sterling was average at best, Jesus no where to be found, Partey not really helping Saka with passes or runs on the right, no speed through the middle, and this happens many times for Arsenal, the ole' goal against the run of play.
We had no creativity in the middle of the park, zero, zilch, nada, and if not for class players like Havertz, Saka and Martin we could have drawn that game or lost.
Like I said before, 60th minute subs changed the game.
AFC can't keep going to the well and expect to win the league, take that to the bank.
So every player who plays is entitled or expected to score in every game, or they are "average" or "nowhere to be found"? You're talking about two players that have barely started a game or are just returning to form. Sigh.
No team plays free flowing football in every game. Injuries and other issues causes teams expected to win to sometimes grind it out. You are reacting as if the team did not achieve the maximum three points on offer.
No, we got the 3 points because of Havertz and our subs.
Of course AFC players are not robots, but keep playing like this against the lower 10 teams and a few will not go our way, then someone else by seasons end will be hoisting the Silverware.
‘If not for class players like Havertz saka Martin we would’ve drawn that game or lost’ LOL
This describes every match since the history of forever dude
Vs city if not for Calafiori and trossards goals we’d have lost!!
Vs PSG if not for Havertz and Saka we’d have drawn!!!
You’re acting as tho Arsenal were played off the park and won via a smash and grab. I just don’t know why you’re doing that.
We were the vastly superior team over 90 mins with a heavily rotated line up and the scoreline reflected it over 90 minutes. But yes the sky is falling apparently…
That was not a comfortable win in any universe I am living in.
If Mikel would have left those players on that were subbed, it was highly probable we would have lost to an inferior team.
We were losing in the 50th minute at home, to the 19th placed team, think about that for a few moments. $h*tTy would have slayed that team at home. To win championships you win at home, and draw or win on the road-period.
You can't make 4-5 changes in players and positions and think it is going to be a walk in the park.
That game today, started to make me sweat, and a few others on here, and around the world. Remind me how we have done against Hampton these last few years and Fulham last year, yeah, the difference between AFC winning the league and not. These 2 teams are not to be taken lightly.
Mikel is cognizant of fine margins and he got away with 2, last week and this one. Let's not make it normal.
Okay maybe a difference of terms, “control” rather than “dominate”.
Agree the subs changed the game, but I see that as a great sign for us. How many times have city been able to bring on mahrez and sane and de bruyne off the bench to obliterate a team that dared to score against a heavily rotated side?
It was always our choice to hold them back in rotation. Our plan was to use our squad, okay we were stagnant to use your word but I thought safe to keep going and give the players the chance to work it out. Didn’t go that way. Their goal goes in, plan changes, bring on the big guns to spank them. Spank them we did.
Sterling wasn’t good, Jesus was terrible. For the sake of the squad they needed the chance. Turns out they sucked a bit. Oh well, still a very comfortable win.
Partey at RB was fine.
Rice was a passenger and has been pretty bad at left 8 without Odegaard.
Agree with your assessment, not that it matters, I do like your verb!
Yes, the plan was rotation, but only if players play in their true positions, Partey at right back is and has been never a right back. Rather see Cala at rb and Kiwior at lb if Mike was going to rotate at the back. When Kiwior was at the back with Gabriel, AFC went on a 9 game streak!
Would like to see a few youngsters, we know who they are, to get minutes, along with Sterling getting up to speed, believe he has a much higher probability of doing so compared to Jesus at this point, even on the wings.
If you had a problem with Jesus and Sterling starting, surely you would have felt the same for Kiwior, who has had even less minutes than the former two. Hm?
OMG James Ward-Prowse!
What a knuckle head.
There was cover behind … you clumsy clueless oaf. And now Forest is down a man.
What goes through the heads of these guys
Good to see Kai “not a proper centre forward” Havertz still scoring.
Expectation was we would hammer Southampton 5-0 and with that as a benchmark, disappointment was always likely esp as were 1-0 down, albeit for 3
or so minutes
Having got through the opening fixtures which included 3 of the toughest away games of the season and with half of our first team missing or still settling in, it has been a great start
We’re firmly in the hunt and very nicely positioned. Some of the toughest fixtures already completed and some great players to return / be included
Watching Chelsea vs Forest and it’s almost shocking how stacked they are offensively.
Thank God they haven’t jelled but to think they Neto, Felix and Nkunku on the bench!
Yikes! In two years they will be a formidable force if they can get out of their way.
Hopefully they don’t
Tavares has become such an assists machine at Lazio. Buy just grabbed another assist some minutes ago
Charlie Watts on twitter -
"Kai Havertz has pulled out of the Germany squad due to a knee issue. He will remain at Arsenal during the international break."
Arteta has to stop thinking he's Pep and can just throw reserves in from the start and the team will carry on playing well. City's "reserves" are all very good and there's no real difference whenever someone who is usually on the bench actually starts. Sterling and Jesus are has-beens, however much Arteta tries to talk them up and how they've "been brilliant in training". They should be reserved for the FA and League Cups, not start any other games unless we really are down to the bare bones. For all this talk of rotation, the time to do that was when the game was won, not before. Start our strongest team against the worst team in the Premiership, hopefully get well ahead and then bring on Sterling and Jesus. We did not "dominate" in the first half as the stats showed one shot on target and how many saves did Ramsdale have to make?! I never wanted Sterling here as he's been rubbish for three seasons, the talk of how much Arteta knew his game and he'd respond shows ignorance, he's a busted flush. As for Jesus, once a great footballer with unbelievable skills, but now when he's appeared this as well as last season, he falls over claiming a foul or penalty, keeps going off side, and when he shoots or passes it's respectively tame or does not pick our player out. Do we have no other strikers coming through?
“Same way I used to post how Havertz needs to be played at CF months before Arteta tried it (I assume it was to give him time to settle down without the extra pressure that being the staring CF brings). The rest is history.”
Since you bring up history, why not go back another few weeks before you started giving that sage advice to Arteta and remind us what you said about the Havertz transfer in real time.
And don’t fucking lie because you are talking to a single poster here who was positive about it while you were screaming your fucking head off with outrage.
He was nevertheless bought to replace Xhaka as a LCM although as always Arteta values flexibility and clearly saw a possible option at CF. No one saw being a DM likely although if Pierre did then so be it. And no one does now!
When I heard the news I was pissed off.
Then Arteta played him at CF versus City and that's all I needed.
All the rest were like "Havertz sucks, Havertz will never be good for us, Havertz is not a striker". Yes, he is. A top 5 in the world even.
Pierre said he's a DM like Fellaini and some agreed with him.
So basically you hated the transfer but having instructed Arteta how best to utilize Havertz , you know, make lemonade out of lemons, you’ve reluctantly approved.
Tom, I was sharing Kai's performance Vs City for about 2 months before he was finally allowed to play at CF.
When everyone else was thrashing him. When Habesha was done with the player and Pierre wanted him at DM.
I was sharing that Community shield game and waxing lyrical about it. Try to rewrite the history.
I’m not on Twitter or Facebook or anything else.
Basically Legrove is the only forum blessed with my hot takes on all things.
You welcome.
Bahaha, sure. I don't have an opinion. I'm a muppet.
“I was told Saka would suffer without him. It's the exact opposite and he's at his absolute best. Another lie to pump up you-know-who's importance for us.“
178 vs 275, gues what those two represent ?
You’re probably gonna shit yourself but the first one represents Saka’s goal/minutes in EPL play from last season, while the second one for this season.
Maybe I’m reaching here but it looks as if Saka’s numbers do suffer without Ode .
Bukayo Saka is scoring or assisting every 63 minutes in this Premier League campaign.
Why do you think that at his absolute best means scoring the most goals? He's running our team.
He is breaking records in dribbling, creating chances and this is when in 2/7 games we played with 10 men. And versus tough opponents. Imagine.
Martinelli is back to his best. Kai keeps improving. Saka is insane, literally the star of the PL so far. Trossard, so positive as well.
Our front 4 is unbelievable currently. Perfectly complementing each other as well.
So one creative player goes down with injury and another creative player( one I’ve always rated highest btw) picks up the slack…… only in your world that’s surprising I guess.
Yeah, it is, when one is by far the more talented player, it's surprising when the other one is pulling the strings. Isn't it?
Arsenal are unbeaten in 10 games this season with 7 wins and 3 draws.
Two of the draws were games where we went down to 10 men and the team were forced to play a rearguard action.
Last season Arsenal were fortunate that we suffered few injuries. Most of our starting eleven were
match fit throughout the season. That is certainly not the case this season. We have accumulated
a lot of injuries.
My view is that Arsenal have today a stronger squad than previously. So we have coped on the
whole quite well with the injuries notwithstanding that we have a smaller squad than previously.
We have more depth in squad and less dross.
When we assess our squad there is one major weakness and that is the lack of a "world class"
finisher. Havertz is of course an excellent player, but he is never going to be a 25 goal + a season
goal scorer. That is the key difference between Man City [Haaland] and ourselves.
What is abundantly clear that the combination of Havertz and Jesus is never going to score collectively 25 goals a season. So my personal view now is that Arsenal should look to replace
Jesus in our squad sooner rather than later.
The options on the market are of course fairly limited. Arsenal should be looking for a young player
in 20-23 age group. The obvious candidate for me is Sesko.
"Havertz is of course an excellent player, but he is never going to be a 25 goal + a season
goal scorer. That is the key difference between Man City [Haaland] and ourselves".
Keep pushing this tiresome narrative...until he proves you wrong. Then you'll look for something else to say like "Havertz is not as tall or good looking as cyborg".
Kai Havertz has now been directly involved in 20 goals in 20 Premier League games as a striker for Arsenal.
He is averaging a goal or assist every 82 minutes in the Premier League as a ST.
And interestingly enough Kai, by percentage, is actually our best PK taker.
Believe he's 18 of 19 career-wise.
Improve or at least equal each head to head game compared to last season. Last season 3-3 cock-up disaster. This season 3-1. It’ll do. Move on and hopefully work through some injuries
Saka and Nicholas Jover have saved Generational from his failures a number of times this season.
That's the same as saying Salah and Haaland have saved Klopp and Pep from his failures a number of times in the last seasons. That's exactly what big players do.
Saka is at his best ever form, a form that could bring him the PotS award at the end of the season. I wonder why exactly now he's in his best form. 🤔
Bukayo Saka has created 13 big chances in the PL this season, at least five more than any other player.
Bukayo Saka has provided 7 assists in the PL this season, at least three more than any other player.
__________________________________________
Watch this space as soon as you-know-who comes back.
That includes two games we played with 10 men and in the toughest schedule of the season.
I was told Saka would suffer without him. It's the exact opposite and he's at his absolute best. Another lie to pump up you-know-who's importance for us.
Thank god, I was beginning to worry, five hours gone by without you shitting on Ode, I was getting ready to call for a wellness check on you.
Btw, I don’t know who told you this ‘lie’, but most people would call that a prediction, you know, kinda how you predicted Eddie would be a cult hero to the Palace fans.
With his zero goals and assists how’s that prediction going for you?
Same way I used to post how Havertz needs to be played at CF months before Arteta tried it (I assume it was to give him time to settle down without the extra pressure that being the staring CF brings). The rest is history.
Glasner gave chances to Mateta, the unmovable CF for some. 6 starts, 1 non-penalty goal. Versus Liverpool, Nketiah starts and ends the game but it's hard versus a top team to work some stuff out. Needs a few games versus weaker teams to click and pick up from there.
Sarr, Nketiah, Eze is probably their best front 3 this season. They could also find a spot for Eze at AM.
xG
City (1.56) 3-2 (2.4) Fulham
Our games might look similar on paper, but far from it. City were defensively quite poor and this would have been a home loss to Fulham if not for some abysmal finishing by Traore.
Our rivals are allowed to play poorly and win. Liverpool have done it a few times this season.
But Arsenal rotate 5 players and have a DM at RB and win 3-1 and it’s very worrying apparently
The great Arsene once said everyone thinks his wife his the best.
But for Arsenal fans, they think everyone one's wife is the best. Who needs opposition fans when we have our own fans to dump on the team and the manager 247. Damned if the team do, damned if they don't!
They would all be creaming themselves if 115 did what we did today.
You know, I wonder why I bother to answer some people sometimes. You hit the nail squarely in the center.
If we had watched city rotate half their team and be controlling the game only to go 1 down against the run of play, then watched as they sub on a their bench of experienced internationals to immediately blow the other team away like it didn’t even matter … we’d be shaking our heads thinking what chance do we have against a team like that.
Absolutely!!
Btw what a hit from Kai
A real RVP strike. Clean as a whistle rifled at the inside of the post. What a player this guy is turning into
Didn’t he just break RVPs club record for most successive home games scored in? Dude is flying
Been saying for while he’s like a cross between Drogba and rvp
If he can keep finishing like that then for me he’s the best all round forward in the league
Can’t match Haaland as an absolute goal machine though
10 goals in 7 games
Joke
Actually, the comparison I like for Kai-- is Dimitar Berbatov.
Berbatov himself made the comparison.
I’d say berba was silkier than Robin
Berba was far silkier
His feet were magic
Closer to bergkamp
Same with rvp though when I think about It
This team with cesc and Robin would be unstoppable
He doesn't need to [although this calendar year he has the same number of goals and assists, so how's that for matching?].
All the other things he does for the team most importantly being the focal point makes him the best all round forward [keeping in mind he hasn't even played striker much this season, and he is still providing man-of-match or close performances].
It's amazing what confidence can do to a player.
He looked so shot when he first came to us.
Arteta has completely turned him around and he's now become a player that none of us thought he could become.
It shows that he is so happy to be with us and his wish to win trophies definitely comes from the heart.
He is becoming instrumental for us and I can't wait to see what else he can do for us.
I knew he would be fine as soon as I knew Arteta wanted him.
I beg to differ
I saw him inthe shield last season vs city and thought he’d be out top scorer
I was very impressed
Equalled RVPs record, scoring in 7 home games in a row. He can beat it if he scores against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Havertz when we went behind last night looked like a man possessed. Like he took it personally and was playing like an animal. I loved it. Someone should give him a rap on the snout before every match as they’re walking on to the pitch.
Havertz in 2024 (all comps)
33 games
15 goals
7 assists
And a good few of those games played in midfield. No free kicks or penalties either
Tbh I don’t get the hate arteta is getting for so much rotation
We literally dominated a game and won 3-1 and people are displeased that we did it with about 5 rotation changes? Not clear to me at all what that’s about as that’s a success story not a blight
As for Jesus, yeah he certainly looks finished at this level but isn’t that exactly why Arteta dared to start him at home against relegation fodder - to try and play him into confidence against a team even he should be able to do something against?
Last season we were all on here saying drop Havertz because his early season form was trash. We all bemoaned him being given a charity penalty to open his account. But he was in fact played into form and the confidence and improvements followed.
Second half of last season and early games this season, Martinelli was really poor. Arteta played him into something resembling form now. He’s regaining confidence and the goals are starting to return
Jesus has been on horrible form for ages, but there WILL come a point in the season when due to injuries or something else, he will have to start up front. There will be a time when Havertz is suspended and trossard is injured or whatever. It will come when we least expect it and could easily involve us facing top opposition. You do not want to be letting players who are shot of form and confidence fall deeper and deeper into a rut then expect them to magically play well when you really need them.
Yesterday Jesus played because it was the safest game imaginable to give the guy a chance to find a goal and some confidence which he desperately needed.
He still played badly which was very disappointing, but the decision to play him was a very logical one and since we still won 3-1 you can’t say it was costly
No mate we did not "literally dominate the game." Had a strong opening 20 then fell flat, super flat.
Hampton got the goal and lead, and could have had more by the end of the game.
Havertz golazo got the team back in it, Hampton had their moments and were actually putting the team on the back foot.
Mintute 60 changed the game entirely with the 3 substitutes.
Most likely would have not even been in that spot had Mikel went the other way around.
I do not want this year to be like 2016 and the false dawns.
Need to get on top of the lower 10 and put those games to bed early!
Never,in all my years,have I heard anyone call Southampton ‘Hampton’ 😂😂😂. Soton …yes…but Hampton?.. I thought it was a players name,and thought ‘well he didn’t score for them!’
I too took a while to work out who Hampton was haha
It is cuz I am a yankee, and we have nicknames for many clubs. Fakers, LA Lakers, Seahags, Seattle Seahawks etc, my attempt at a slight, but still being respectful, except for $h*tTy which I will gladly admit to.
Yeah mate
It’s cos you’re a seppo and you haven’t yet learned the culture of the English game
Not septic tank. Ha
Will make it more accurate for you.
"Originally a nickname for people from New England , now applied to anyone from the United States. Even before the American Revolutionary War , the term Yankee was used by the British to refer, derisively, to the American colonists."
But we did literally dominate the game. With a heavily rotated squad we were in control working to find an opening goal when they scored against the run of play. We immediatey kicked into turbo and spanked them. We never looked like losing this match.
https://x.com/OptaAnalyst/status/1842597242290819135
We were losing one nil to saints in fiftieth minute, we did not literally dominate that game, not even close. That was very disjointed performance it was not until 60th minute subs did we look normal.
By half time Southampton had had like 1 shot to our 15 or so. We had several corners and some half chances. They’d had absolutely nothing and no possession. If the only way to dominate a match is to be thrashing a team then I disagree with your definition of domination. An we did end up winning 3-1 anyway which was a comfortable scoreline and easily deserved
6 shots on target to Hamptons 2, and how many of those were after the 50th minute?
However, what were those chances like to the eye test? I do not care about 15 chances that do not have a chance in hell, not all chances are equal, I do believe Hampton had 2 shot on the post.
xG AFC 2.36 Hampton .60
Before the 55th minute Hampton .60 AFC .36
After, we all know the story......
Blame Jesus and Sterling for not being able to hit a barn door.
You’re posting stats which show favorable Arsenal xG to very poor Southampton xG. I’m not sure you’re doing yourself any favors at all with this.
Disagree,
We looked stagnate if not for the press, Sterling was average at best, Jesus no where to be found, Partey not really helping Saka with passes or runs on the right, no speed through the middle, and this happens many times for Arsenal, the ole' goal against the run of play.
We had no creativity in the middle of the park, zero, zilch, nada, and if not for class players like Havertz, Saka and Martin we could have drawn that game or lost.
Like I said before, 60th minute subs changed the game.
AFC can't keep going to the well and expect to win the league, take that to the bank.
Agree to disagree.
So every player who plays is entitled or expected to score in every game, or they are "average" or "nowhere to be found"? You're talking about two players that have barely started a game or are just returning to form. Sigh.
No team plays free flowing football in every game. Injuries and other issues causes teams expected to win to sometimes grind it out. You are reacting as if the team did not achieve the maximum three points on offer.
No, we got the 3 points because of Havertz and our subs.
Of course AFC players are not robots, but keep playing like this against the lower 10 teams and a few will not go our way, then someone else by seasons end will be hoisting the Silverware.
We were missing all 4 of our central creative 8s today from the start….
Odegaard Trossard Nwaneri and Merino
Once they are all back and bedded in we will absolutely be creating and scoring more
Only we could lose that many attacking players and still create as much as we did. Saka can literally play anywhere but centre half and be 7-8/10
‘If not for class players like Havertz saka Martin we would’ve drawn that game or lost’ LOL
This describes every match since the history of forever dude
Vs city if not for Calafiori and trossards goals we’d have lost!!
Vs PSG if not for Havertz and Saka we’d have drawn!!!
You’re acting as tho Arsenal were played off the park and won via a smash and grab. I just don’t know why you’re doing that.
We were the vastly superior team over 90 mins with a heavily rotated line up and the scoreline reflected it over 90 minutes. But yes the sky is falling apparently…
I never stated the "sky was falling."
That was not a comfortable win in any universe I am living in.
If Mikel would have left those players on that were subbed, it was highly probable we would have lost to an inferior team.
We were losing in the 50th minute at home, to the 19th placed team, think about that for a few moments. $h*tTy would have slayed that team at home. To win championships you win at home, and draw or win on the road-period.
You can't make 4-5 changes in players and positions and think it is going to be a walk in the park.
That game today, started to make me sweat, and a few others on here, and around the world. Remind me how we have done against Hampton these last few years and Fulham last year, yeah, the difference between AFC winning the league and not. These 2 teams are not to be taken lightly.
Mikel is cognizant of fine margins and he got away with 2, last week and this one. Let's not make it normal.
Ah like they played brilliantly and slayed Fulham at home right? Right?
Okay maybe a difference of terms, “control” rather than “dominate”.
Agree the subs changed the game, but I see that as a great sign for us. How many times have city been able to bring on mahrez and sane and de bruyne off the bench to obliterate a team that dared to score against a heavily rotated side?
It was always our choice to hold them back in rotation. Our plan was to use our squad, okay we were stagnant to use your word but I thought safe to keep going and give the players the chance to work it out. Didn’t go that way. Their goal goes in, plan changes, bring on the big guns to spank them. Spank them we did.
Sterling wasn’t good, Jesus was terrible. For the sake of the squad they needed the chance. Turns out they sucked a bit. Oh well, still a very comfortable win.
Partey at RB was fine.
Rice was a passenger and has been pretty bad at left 8 without Odegaard.
Well said sir,
Agree with your assessment, not that it matters, I do like your verb!
Yes, the plan was rotation, but only if players play in their true positions, Partey at right back is and has been never a right back. Rather see Cala at rb and Kiwior at lb if Mike was going to rotate at the back. When Kiwior was at the back with Gabriel, AFC went on a 9 game streak!
Would like to see a few youngsters, we know who they are, to get minutes, along with Sterling getting up to speed, believe he has a much higher probability of doing so compared to Jesus at this point, even on the wings.
If you had a problem with Jesus and Sterling starting, surely you would have felt the same for Kiwior, who has had even less minutes than the former two. Hm?