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Saints 1 Arsenal 1 - Post Match


St Chalet

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There are some proper whiny prats on here. Great game, we fully played our part, and on another day could have won. A good point.

 

Good use of the full squad with so many games coming up.

 

Newsflash: We can’t play all our best players every game.

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My goodness talk about being the harbinger of doom. We played well overall. Certainly room for improvement and some players lack the finesse of Arsenal but they at least gave everything they had and work as a team. Frustrating yes, but certainly don’t need yet another change of manager as we’re starting to see progress.

 

Spot on, point against Arsenal and now they were there for the taking. I'm sure some on here are miserable when we win!!!!

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I’m really happy with Hoj the few times we’ve seen him. He did a great job of coming back to snuff out a dangerous Arsenal break from JWP’s first corner in the first half. Also, FF’s save from Ramsay low and to his left deserves recognition. I’m daring to hope that he’s rounding into form.

 

Redmond has played a little better after a poor start to the season, but for me Boufal should start ahead of him 100% of the time even in the back three system that Pellegrino has started employing against the Top 6 teams. Perhaps today’s line up was dictated by the extra midweek PL game.

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There are some proper whiny prats on here. Great game, we fully played our part, and on another day could have won. A good point.

 

Good use of the full squad with so many games coming up.

 

Newsflash: We can’t play all our best players every game.

 

Yes, but we could have played one of our best players (Lemina) for the last 20 minutes or so in place of the tiring, ineffective defensive efforts from Tadic and JWP. It was a great game and we did fully play our part - but the win was there for the taking.

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too defensive 2nd half. We ceded too much time and space whereas every time we attacked Arsenal looked dodgy.

 

Poor finishing the difference between 1 and 3 points.

 

But much improved displayes last 4 games.....just wish we did not go quite so defensive.

 

JWP was immense 2nd half and PEH, Romeu, Stephens, Bertrand all excellent.

 

We had no option but to defend. Arsenal are so good at keeping the ball and excellent movement. We defended very well and should have had at least one more goal. So much unnecessary negativity on here. Agree on JWP, PEH and Stephens. However, Lemina should be in there somewhere and I would like to see Gabbi with Austin (who lasts about 60 mins at best).

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Stephens, Hojberg both brilliant. Redmond how much is he being paid? No idea what he is on but it needs to be far, far less.

 

Ward-Prowse woeful but that's a given.

 

Bizarre tactics to sit back from the 45th minute. Pellegrino really is naive.

Ward-Prowse had a good 60 minutes, including g one brilliant moment when he flicked the ball over a defender and played a great forward ball.

 

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Yes, but we could have played one of our best players (Lemina) for the last 20 minutes or so in place of the tiring, ineffective defensive efforts from Tadic and JWP. It was a great game and we did fully play our part - but the win was there for the taking.

 

Maybe Oemina was not fully fit and with Peh playing so well it was not deemed necessary to risk him. Only a few more minutes and this would have worked, disappointing but not disastrous. Point gained I feel.

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I think he is ponderous yeah. I don't dislike him. I just think he takes too long on the ball when he gets it, especially when running at players.

 

I'd have brought Long on for Austin towards the end of the game, but maybe for Tadic at the point Boufal came on.

 

Would've been hard as he wasn't in squad but u knew that

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The Mummy did what he had to do-no frills saves!

 

I've been critical of him too but the save in the first half wasn't no-frills, it was superb. Redmond awful, PEH excellent again. I think if Lemina had come on for Tadic around 70 mins we would probably have won. Improving performances but need 3 points against Leicester.

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Would have taken that before the start of the game frustrated that we didn't take all three points, Forster pulled off a couple of very good saves seems to be getting back to his best. Stephens had a good game as did a good number of the others Redmond and Tadic I find very frustrating.

Edited by Toomer
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Just back from the game.

 

Was annoyed that we set ourselves up so defensively at the start of the 2nd half. Was convinced we wouldn't be able to see the game out for another 45 minutes but when we got to 75 minutes still 1-0 up I started to eat my own words... that was until we brought on Boufal and Gabbi at precisely the time of the game we should have been bringing on Lemina to shore things up even more (IMO). It baffles me how Lemina didn't get on in that game.

 

Most of us would have been happy with a point before the game but still feel gutted we didn't win.

 

Austin had a great game - he offers so much more than just goal scoring - his presence seems to galvanise the whole team and encourages other players to be more attacking. Special mentions too to Hojbjerg, Romeu, Bertrand, Yoshida and Forster all of whom had good games IMO. But my man of the match goes to Jack Stephens. He had Sanchez in his pocket for most of the game and looks so assured and confident on the ball. Shame that his opportunities are limited given the number of players we have in his position.

 

Another game we can come away with in a positive frame of mind. Bring on Leicester!

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I thought we had the best chances of the second half. Romeu hit the woodwork, Cech made a good save, Bertrand could have scored with a little more composure, then there was the Charlie offside when the ball came off an Arsenal player chance. All I can remember from Arsenal in the second half was the goal and the Sanchez free kick so we hardly sat back and hoped for a 1-0. IMHO

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Would have taken that before the starter of the game frustrated that we didn't take all three points, Forster pulled off a couple of very good saves seems to be getting back to his best. Stephens had a good game as did a good number of the others Redmond and Tadic I find very frustrating.
Yes, Tadic and Redmond frustrating, because they do do some things well, then totally cock up.

 

Tadic's pass for the goal was brilliant, bit after 60 mins he ran out of steam. Should have brought Davis on to steady things.

 

And, on the break, Redmond's pace was ripping Arsenal apart, but all too often he created a great situation then ruined it with a bad decision or misplaced pass.

 

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When I first saw the team, I thought that Arsenal would give us a thrashing. In my opinion we were too light in midfield with Redmond and J-WP, and too light in defence with a back four. I had thought that we needed a back five and Lemina playing with Romeu and Hojbjerg in midfield. How wrong could I have been? The team played with poise and solidity until close to the end of the match.

 

That first five minutes from us was devastating and we could have been 3 up. It would have been interesting to have heard the commentary on Sky wondering what exactly Arsenal were doing at the back. With Austin scoring so early on, it looked like a long afternoon of back to the wall defending if we were to get anything from the match, but we carved out several good chances to extend the lead, hitting Arsenal's high line on the break. Overall in the match, we can proudly claim that we shaded it, with by far the better chances. Even towards the end, we had a very chance to settle it before they equalised, when Austin was clear through when the ball was deflected into his path from an Arsenal player, and the idiot linesman flagged him offside. This is the sort of luck that the glory teams get from match officials, whose eyesight is sharper when they are in danger of conceding goals.

 

I agree with most other opinions, that generally we played very well. Long would have been a potent weapon to counteract Arsenal's high line, but I understand that he is out injured. In the absence of Cedric, who is missed, Stephens had an excellent game in a back four with Yoshida and Van-Dijk very good in the middle. Bertrand was exceptional in getting up the line, but fluffed the most gilt-edged shot of the entire match, but I won't hold that against him in light of the rest of his game. Hojbjerg had another outstanding game and begins to look the real deal for the future. Romeu also was good, but why wasn't Lemina played? When we were holding out towards the end for the three points, why wasn't he brought on then? Much as I always like Davis, surely the additional muscle would have been useful against Welbeck and Giroux. Redmond was indeed frustrating. The guy just doesn't have a quick enough footballing brain. He was a weak link today and Boufal would have been better earlier. Austin has proven during the last few games that he is a natural scorer and at this rate, he could end the season with 15 or more goals. A shame that Pellegrino just can't countenance the possibility of two actual strikers up top, As I'm sure that Austin and Gabbiadini could click together

 

And there is another player who deserves the plaudits for an outstanding display. Step forward Frazer Forster. He didn't have much to do compared to Petr Cech, but there were two exceptional saves, one a worldy. His general play and command of his area was also good. I hope that he gets a confidence boost and continues to grow back to his best.

 

Very much two points dropped today. We should and could have beaten them.

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Am I the only one who thought Hojbjerg was a bit off the pace today, besides the last ditch tackle? It was asking a lot for him to pick up, turn and drive us forward when Davis would normally do some of that, but he didn’t handle their pressure particularly well for me. Maybe I’ll feel differently watching back.

 

Another good team performance though, things are starting to come together. Strange we didn’t get Lemina on, or Davis earlier. We started saving energy from 60 minutes.

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Thought Redmond was alright personally, carried the ball well numerous times (albeit did give it away a couple of times). As for setting up to defend second half...not sure that was a tactical plan by inevitably Arsenal are going to get a period like that against you...look what they did to Spurs. Thought we defended really well...Stephens especially.

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Happy with a point. Manager showing real signs of coming to terms with the league. Forster good again, as was JWP. Fantastic performance from Jack Stephens in the circumstances, he should be pushing Yoshida & Wes for a starting berth now. PEH excellent, and what a difference it makes having a goal scorer.

 

3 centre halves looked good to me, I’d like to see more of it.

 

 

 

 

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Am I the only one who thought Hojbjerg was a bit off the pace today.

 

Yes, I think you probably are. Many people's MOTM including Franny on BT Sport. Broke up the Arsenal play all over the pitch and never stopped chasing and closing down as well as being positive in going forwards.

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Am I the only one who thought Hojbjerg was a bit off the pace today, besides the last ditch tackle? It was asking a lot for him to pick up, turn and drive us forward when Davis would normally do some of that, but he didn’t handle their pressure particularly well for me. Maybe I’ll feel differently watching back.

 

Another good team performance though, things are starting to come together. Strange we didn’t get Lemina on, or Davis earlier. We started saving energy from 60 minutes.

 

I thought he had a decent game

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Happy with a point. Manager showing real signs of coming to terms with the league. Forster good again, as was JWP. Fantastic performance from Jack Stephens in the circumstances, he should be pushing Yoshida & Wes for a starting berth now. PEH excellent, and what a difference it makes having a goal scorer.

 

3 centre halves looked good to me, I’d like to see more of it.

 

 

 

 

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But was it 3 CHs? Still not sure if it was three at the back with JWP at RB or 4 with Stephens at RB?

 

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But was it 3 CHs? Still not sure if it was three at the back with JWP at RB or 4 with Stephens at RB?

 

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We played 4 at the back first half (Bertrand - VvD - Yoshida - Stephens) and 5 in the second half (Bertrand - VvD - Yoshida - Stephens - JWP)

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I was thinking more in possession, a few times he couldn’t get us out when there was a pass on. I suppose it’s more a tactical point that we didn’t get the ball further up the pitch.

 

Certainly a few missed passes although that was the same for many players and both teams, especially in the first half. We are reluctant to break forward in numbers (somewhat understandable against the likes of Arsenal and City) which makes it difficult when we do win the ball in the middle of the park to pick out a forward pass that won't just come straight back.

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Stephens actually won a header in the box today. Just the one, but it's a step in the right direction. I think many of us have felt he'd go well on the right of a back three, and he certainly backed that up with his performance.

 

Echoing what others have said about us being too negative in the second half - if that was the plan, why did we leave Tadic and Redmond on for so long when they were only turning the ball over?

 

If we could've just retained possession a bit better we would've won that, but we gave it up so cheaply time and again. Why Lemina wasn't called into action was puzzling. He can tackle, pass and also carry the ball forward - attributes we were crying out for.

 

Great effort, lots of huff and puff, but a lack of quality on the ball generally, I thought. This isn't a vintage Arsenal team but we treated them like they were Barcelona.

 

 

 

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Very impressed by the whole team today in general. Tadic very good first half, very poor second half. Not a Redmond fan and nothing made me change my view of him today. I’m not sure he has a football brain, he’s better when he hasn’t got time to think about what he has to do.

 

I despaired when I saw the line up but in fairness it worked. JWP much better than last week, Stephens, VVD and Yoshida very solid. Hojberg very good again. My only issue is why no Lemina ? He is the best midfielder we have and why the hell he didn’t even get bought on baffles me I’m afraid

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My only issue is why no Lemina ? He is the best midfielder we have and why the hell he didn’t even get bought on baffles me I’m afraid

 

He’s just back from a long lay off and we have 3 games in a week and then a massive month ahead. I’m not saying it was the right decision but I’m baffled you’re baffled by it.

 

 

 

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Romeu just ball watches and marks space. I’m not sure why some people praise him so much. After ball watching for a while he lunged into A challenge, got booked (again) and they had a dangerous free kick in an area you don’t want them to.

 

Overrated imo

Ill give you the response that deserves. Lololololololol complete utter ******

 

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Wasn’t vvd fault

 

He didn't leave the ground or even challenge, he watched the ball sail over Jack Stephens's head, and waited for Yoshida to challenge but he was stood in front of Giroud, VVD just didn't read the situation at all is what I meant to say, other than that he was always in control.

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Although I was extremely disappointed that we conceded late on, I thought from watching the match on BT that we played extremely well.

To have kept out Arsenal so well for so long was exceptional.

A lot of commentators forget that they are fielding exceptionally talented internationals, and although we only drew I thought that they looked a lot less dangerous than against Man U last week when only the brilliance of De Gea saved them.

I thought that everybody played well, some exceptionally well and I really can't understand the criticism of some of our players it can only be down to personal prejudice imo.

I really like the 3 at the back strategy, particularly against the better teams, and I thought for some time that with three excellent CBs it is entirely logical.

 

The comments regarding VVD seem logical as well, he certainly has the ability and class to be playing for a top Champion's League team, and I would have thought he is a logical replacement for an aging Vincent Kompany. Too good for Liverpool imo, but after Lovren's display this pm they certainly need him. He appeared on TV to be well in the team, and enthusiastic.

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we obviously didnt
Must be my old age kicking in. Could've sworn JWP played a more advanced position in the first half and Stephens more of a right back. Maybe it was too fluid a set up for me to notice in the first half. Perhaps because we sat back more in the second half it was more obvious we had five at the back second half. Or, as I say, could just be me losing my marbles :) Edited by trousers
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I thought the first substitution gave them the chance to get back into the game. We needed more pace, not less. Taking off fast Redmond for ponderous Boufal meant they weren't as worried about us on the break. It was a game made for Shane Long to come on.

 

If you think Boufal is more ponderous than Redmond you really have no clue at all.

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