Arsenal 2-1 Saints - Post match

ffs

awful from the ref. absolutely awful

thought we were pretty decent today, always hard at the Emirates but we kept them to pretty longish shots

but that few mins at the end is bordering on corrupt. what the hell was that about.

bottom 3 now, Puel will be feeling the pressure, no doubt

wont be long before the season is written off as a relegation battle

still dont think Redmond is much cop as a forward. why I will never know

Cedric was shyte

Rom was my MoM. good game

outside of the ref, not bringing in a decent striker could hurt us at this rate

Robbed or not.....doesn't disguise the fact we look impotent in the striking dept.

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Typical big club bias. Fans were baying for blood at our supposed time wasting so you could see him itching to give the penalty. Completely robbed.

I also get the feeling now with Fraser that I got with Stek and Gazza over the last few seasons, if they hit the target it usually goes in.

I knew he would never save that penalty, thats 2 pens to Fonte in 3 games !!! bring back Yoshida

It's been a long time since I felt so hard-done-by due to officials.

It was an excellent, exciting game, ruined by awful officiating late on.

Disgusting, woeful officiating. 1) Blatant foul on Long right in front of the linesman not given. 2) Kos is down with a clear head injury - rules state the ref MUST stop play yet he sees it and continues as Arsenal were attacking. 3) What a ****ing soft penalty, wasn't a foul at all. Could argue Kos was offside/interfering with play if ref continued with open play, too.

Robbed. Gutted. Fuming!

Excellent performance, so so unlucky not to get at least a point. great passing on the ground football, I think we'll be just fine. Boufal will be brilliant in this team. Anyone who thinks we didn't deserve a point is probably a pompey troll, this could be an opportunity to cull them, because any saints fan would have been proud of the performance today and there was nothing wrong with the system whatsoever.

complain about strikers, fine, but nothing wrong with puel today...

Ugh. I dared to believe and they still stitched me up! Thanks ref.

We have to beat Swansea.

Missed chances, yes but no more than the Arse but were utterly robbed by incompetent officials

First they get that much injury time from nowhere, then they miss a blatent foul on Long, then they invent a non existent one by Fonte for a penalty.

Utterly fuming.

Who was the ref and where does he live? I wanna go around and stamp on his favourite goldfish.

We played well all over except the wasted chances. And in the end the ref screwed us over. Frustrating.

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I can handle defeat, I can't handle the bias I saw today.

FFS absolutely shocking. Team performed very well at a tough away ground and we were ****ing robbed.

Yeah, that was corrupt. Something suss about the end of that game.

Played well, restricted them to zero chances really. Both similar sides in terms of retaining possession, slowing down the pace etc. It was a 1-1 all day really, but questions need to be asked of the officials after that end.

Although you know it won't, you just get yellow carded for it as officials never, ever, ever make mistakes.

Useless effing referee cost us a point. With Long, Rodrigues & Austin in their current form we are stuffed. What is the point of Redmond, why can't Puel see what is obvious to the rest of us - if the bloke couldn't hold down a place in a relegation side what the hell is he doing here? Nothing that's what and that's the polite version. Let's face it we just aren't good enough any more, with a non-existent forward line and no supply line stop feed them. no wonder we defended for most of the game. What's happened to Fonte, he just isn't at the races any more and clearly doesn't want to be here. JWP, who he? Mr Anonymous once again.

I also get the feeling now with Fraser that I got with Stek and Gazza over the last few seasons, if they hit the target it usually goes in.

 

I knew he would never save that penalty, thats 2 pens to Fonte in 3 games !!! bring back Yoshida

To be fair, I never understand why goalkeepers don't wait until the ball is kicked before committing themselves one way or another. The number of penalties that go straight down the middle is an awful lot. A good penalty in the corner you're not going to save anyway.

Romeu a rock in midfield - did not deserve to be on losing team.

Team to retreat from this board & let the duvet cleaners get it off their chest!!

Terrible officiating. Long is also the most frustrating footballer in the world. World class off the ball, League One on it.

Robbed by the ref but we are 18th on merit, we can't keep wasting chances + no clean sheet in 16 league games now.

Robbed or not.....doesn't disguise the fact we look impotent in the striking dept.

 

 

 

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We missed no more chances than the Arse, but you don't consider then impotent do you....dik

how long before this season is all about survival?

I'd be fuming if I was Koscielny, my team mates continue playing while i was on the floor with a head injury, their dodgy pen will justify it to themselves though.

We wuz robbed.

I don't think it's too much to ask of Long to at least convert one of his three sitters.

Hard to see a way of out of this without a striker. May not be Puel's fault, but it will be the lack of one that might get him sacked around the Christmas period.

how long before this season is all about survival?

Probably after a lot more than 4 games. Table means zilch right now, everyone knows that.

Don't let the red mist about the officiating fool you; on another day that would've been a basketball score to Arsenal. Our midfield looks so easy to bypass (remember, Capoue stormed through it as easily on opening day as Pogba and Ozil, so it's not just big team quality paying dividends). Our passing lacks zip and there's very little genuine creativity - just the obvious overlapping out ball or a check and pass back into midfield or defence. Coupled with a lack of cutting edge when half-chances do fall, we look toothless.

Disgusting, woeful officiating. 1) Blatant foul on Long right in front of the linesman not given. 2) Kos is down with a clear head injury - rules state the ref MUST stop play yet he sees it and continues as Arsenal were attacking. 3) What a ****ing soft penalty, wasn't a foul at all. Could argue Kos was offside/interfering with play if ref continued with open play, too.

 

Robbed. Gutted. Fuming!

ffs

 

awful from the ref. absolutely awful

thought we were pretty decent today, always hard at the Emirates but we kept them to pretty longish shots

 

but that few mins at the end is bordering on corrupt. what the hell was that about.

 

bottom 3 now, Puel will be feeling the pressure, no doubt

wont be long before the season is written off as a relegation battle

 

Rom was my MoM. good game

agree with this. thought Cedric did ok myself.

Also thought Hoejberg looked good when he came on.

Oh, and strikers will miss chances - Arsenal's did today.

Heartbreaking. How the ****in did Walcott not get booked. How the ****in did the lino miss the foul on Long, Hoe the ****in was the Arsenal player down in the area not interfering with play injured or not.Though Fonte needs to stop grabbing the opposition players . He's got away with it for last couple of seasons.Arsenal are perennial over achievers. There squad is pretty average really. Sanchez & Orzil aside.

They do look loke they are starting to get it.Romeu was class.

Virgil is a colossus.

Useless effing referee cost us a point. With Long, Rodrigues & Austin in their current form we are stuffed. What is the point of Redmond, why can't Puel see what is obvious to the rest of us - if the bloke couldn't hold down a place in a relegation side what the hell is he doing here? Nothing that's what and that's the polite version. Let's face it we just aren't good enough any more, with a non-existent forward line and no supply line stop feed them. no wonder we defended for most of the game. What's happened to Fonte, he just isn't at the races any more and clearly doesn't want to be here. JWP, who he? Mr Anonymous once again.

Highlighted bit is true, the rest is just a looney rant

More angry than words can possibly express right now but it's not because of our manager for the first time so far this season. The performance was fine but obviously we were robbed by the ref and fex sake I am sick of seeing Long miss easy chances.

Played very well there, and we can take that forward...but that was literally the most infuriating game I've seen for years. So much wrong with that goal at the end.

how long before this season is all about survival?

And you can have a permanent hard on then

Don't let the red mist about the officiating fool you; on another day that would've been a basketball score to Arsenal. Our midfield looks so easy to bypass (remember, Capoue stormed through it as easily on opening day as Pogba and Ozil, so it's not just big team quality paying dividends). Our passing lacks zip and there's very little genuine creativity - just the obvious overlapping out ball or a check and pass back into midfield or defence. Coupled with a lack of cutting edge when half-chances do fall, we look toothless.

On another day, what does this mean? It was today, and it wasn't a basketball score because we restricted them and closed them down well. We played the formation well. On another day, we could have got a 1-1 as it wasn't a penalty, on another day I could have won the lottery.

I thought we looked pretty great for the majority of the game, Arsenal obviously would have a period of possession and we coped well with it on the whole. Clearly the Puel diamond and system has potential but its all for nothing if he doesn't have the personnel to actually win the game up top.

Relegation zone

Never a penalty.

Shane Long clearly fouled in the build up.

Player down with a head injury so play should have been stopped.

Same player offside in front of the goalmouth (huge distraction for goalkeeper - so arguably interfering with play).

Fonte's challenge not a foul, both players were tussling for the ball.

how long before this season is all about survival?

Soon by the likes of you i suspect..

FFP just ain't enough for the big clubs. They need the refs too. I'm starting to wonder why I bother.

Don't let the red mist about the officiating fool you; on another day that would've been a basketball score to Arsenal. Our midfield looks so easy to bypass (remember, Capoue stormed through it as easily on opening day as Pogba and Ozil, so it's not just big team quality paying dividends). Our passing lacks zip and there's very little genuine creativity - just the obvious overlapping out ball or a check and pass back into midfield or defence. Coupled with a lack of cutting edge when half-chances do fall, we look toothless.

You'll be lynched on here for saying that.

FWIW, feel the same. Everything's is just 'meh'

Wtf from the officials though.

Always feels a bit raw posting immediately after a game but ignoring the poor officiating at the end these are my initial thoughts:

1. My biggest concern is how easily we lose the ball in the final third and how often it results in a chance for the opposition the other end. That can be easily sorted and I am surprised it already hasn't.

2. If these are the formations we're going to persist with can anyone see who is going to get us the goals to allow us to even get near a Top 10 finish? Our most natural finisher is one who is not suited to our formation while the rest are all quick but do not have the touch or goal threat to take advantage of the positions their hard work gets them into.

3. It was a better performance than our previous three which bodes well and overall I am not too disheartened but there are still some fundamental issues to address which unless they are will result in a bit of a meh season. I don't know Puel well enough to know whether or not he will address them.

4. Romeu was immense as he should be in a game like this. Davis and Clasie are lost in this new team. Tadic will frustrate but we know that is the sort of player he is. Interested to see where Boufal fits in.

5. Puel told us the diamond works because it gives us more possession of the ball which is important as you work harder when don't have the ball and with loads of games this season we need to save ourselves. Well I have not see us so bad at keeping possession when the other team actively seeks to take it off us since we've been back in this league so lots of work to do there (teams that sit back and allow us to have possession are a different situation altogether).

It's progress but not to the point that I know which way our season will go. Lets get a good confidence building win on Thursday and go from there.

We deserved a point at least, but it's hard to get a result when you're playing against 12. MOTD will have a field day when they see Long being denied a blatant free kick for the foul on him, which was right in front of the linesman and that led to Arsenal getting up field and gaining a penalty when it was clear that both players were giving as good as they got. On that basis, we would have been as justified to have been given the free kick from the interference on Fonte.

Despite the opinions flying about before the match that we would get smashed by Arsenal, we were the better team for most of the first half, they began to boss it in the third quarter of the match, but we equalled them when Højbjerg came on. We had chances even to have won it, but for better finishing.

For all those who moaned that we hadn't managed to do better than a point against Watford, look at what they have just done to West Ham.

So much for Long kicking on and being our Vardy. Sometimes doesn't even look league standard finisher. Love him still though

And you can have a permanent hard on then

TBH, He is a hard on

Probably after a lot more than 4 games. Table means zilch right now, everyone knows that.

Except that Man City have 12 points from 12 which must mean something in this league.

Useless effing referee cost us a point. With Long, Rodrigues & Austin in their current form we are stuffed. What is the point of Redmond, why can't Puel see what is obvious to the rest of us - if the bloke couldn't hold down a place in a relegation side what the hell is he doing here? Nothing that's what and that's the polite version. Let's face it we just aren't good enough any more, with a non-existent forward line and no supply line stop feed them. no wonder we defended for most of the game. What's happened to Fonte, he just isn't at the races any more and clearly doesn't want to be here. JWP, who he? Mr Anonymous once again.

Trouble is Redmond was a reed signing... probably expected to be played. Gutted today but every saints fan could see we were short in the goals department and we didn't really do anything about it. Let's just hope this boufal is the business. 2 goals in 4 games says it all.

We deserved a point at least, but it's hard to get a result when you're playing against 12. MOTD will have a field day when they see Long being denied a blatant free kick for the foul on him, which was right in front of the linesman and that led to Arsenal getting up field and gaining a penalty when it was clear that both players were giving as good as they got. On that basis, we would have been as justified to have been given the free kick from the interference on Fonte.

 

Despite the opinions flying about before the match that we would get smashed by Arsenal, we were the better team for most of the first half, they began to boss it in the third quarter of the match, but we equalled them when Højbjerg came on. We had chances even to have won it, but for better finishing.

 

For all those who moaned that we hadn't managed to do better than a point against Watford, look at what they have just done to West Ham.

Good sensible post Wes, but will be lost to some

Scoring more than a goal a game is going to be a huge chore for this team. I'm genuinely worried about this season. Losing Mane is a huge loss as there isn't any explosiveness in the offense. It's a team of good players with no standouts..at least so far this season.

I also hope this ref..I dunno..I'm so damned mad now being robbed of a point.

Except that Man City have 12 points from 12 which must mean something in this league.

Doesn't mean they'll win the league or finish in the top 4. Too early to say where any team will finish.

That's the cruellest Saints loss I've ever seen. Disgusting work from the officials. Well played by Romeu and I thought Hojbjerg was very good when brought on. The strikeforce of Long, Redmond, Rodriguez and probably Austin is not good enough.