Arsenal 2-1 Saints - Post match

[Monk]

Officiating aside; good start for 25 minutes, looked to actually have a purpose when in possession.

 

Its no secret that I amongst many feel we've been poor in the market especially in the striker department. I still cannot get my head around how we had our most successful season on and off the pitch last season; inevitably we lost players but we replaced them with cheaper alternatives (doesn't necessarily mean they wont pay off in time). If Les & co are serious about kicking on, even if we kept Sadio, Victor etc we would have still needed to add to that group.

 

I have an uneasy feeling about this season.

[John B]

Bit unfortunate but the situation was not helped by Fonte wrestling the Arsenal Player down

[Roger]

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

 

Here we go another lecture.

[moonraker]

Easy to point out the negatives but for a shameful display from the officials we would all be very encouraged by that performance. There is certainly work to do but we have the core of more than decent top half team, oh except Redmond who has far from impressed so far.

[verlaine1979]

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.

 

We were under the cosh from the 30th minute onward and they rested three of their key players. If you take solace from the fact that we could've nicked a point and didn't, then fine, but my point is simply that if you let your rage against the unfairness of this particular game cloud an objective judgment of the obvious deficiencies of this team, then you're kidding yourself.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Bit unfortunate but the situation was not helped by Fonte wrestling the Arsenal Player down

 

Six of one and half a dozen....

[S-Clarke]

Here we go another lecture.

 

What's lecturing about that? No idea what your flaming issue is.

[New Forest Steve]

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

 

...... see what you did there

[Pamplemousse]

Everyone needs to relax. We've got three home games in a row in three different competitions and we're going to win all of them.

[Roger]

What's lecturing about that? No idea what your flaming issue is.

 

The fact you just can't take any criticism of the club.

[Saints foreva]

****ing cheated out of a draw there. Arsenal fans celebrating it like a cup final.

[S-Clarke]

We were under the cosh from the 30th minute onward and they rested three of their key players. If you take solace from the fact that we could've nicked a point and didn't, then fine, but my point is simply that if you let your rage against the unfairness of this particular game cloud an objective judgment of the obvious deficiencies of this team, then you're kidding yourself.

 

You're always going to be up against it against Arsenal though, especially at their place. We were fortunate to get a 0-0 last year, some terrific saves from Fraser kept it at 0-0. I never saw us under the cosh though, Fraser didn't make a save all game from what I can remember.

[Charlie Wayman]

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

 

Look we're all loons on here including you so set that bit aside and explain wee the positive were today and I'll await you looney response with interest. That's my three so can't reply today.

[S-Clarke]

The fact you just can't take any criticism of the club.

 

But that's not what this is about. You cannot read anything into the league table at this stage of the season, any dumbass knows that.

[Convict Colony]

Wenger and Robert Madley finally catch up post match

 

[RoswellSaint]

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

 

Didn't they win their first 5 games last year?

[Hatch]

I feel dirty. With two minutes to go I put money on Arsenal getting a penalty.

 

On the bright side , I won £100

[Bewildered]

The refereeing at the end was diabolical, but doesn't excuse the fact that Shane Long had at least two clear chances to give us the lead in the second half and he made a total mess of them. Finishing from the side needs to improve fast.

[Saint_clark]

Ignore Verlaine, he's a proven skate.

[SaintMB]

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.

 

What does this mean?

Did you watch the same game?

[whelk]

Phil Thomson telling it like it is

[S-Clarke]

The refereeing at the end was diabolical, but doesn't excuse the fact that Shane Long had at least two clear chances to give us the lead in the second half and he made a total mess of them. Finishing from the side needs to improve fast.

 

He looked rusty as hell today, he goes on bursts though. I don't think he'll ever be a striker you can rely on to score every week, but he'll be on the money some weeks.

[Leo_ARG]

I still don't see anything special in Redmond. His movement off the ball is poor (just runs straight up, no diagonal movement), link up play just decent, and he can't dribble past people. He is a winger, plain and simple. And a right winger. He looks lost on the left.

 

We badly need Boufal, somene who can take on the defence and get by them. No one on the team can do it right now. We miss Mane so badly.

 

Not sure why Puel took Tadic out, didn't look tired to me and created so many chances today.

Whike Cedric got better in the second half, I would like to see Cuco out there. Soares made too many mistakes and looked nervous with the ball. He missed some very easy passes. He can't even cross it righ now, he used to be good at it. He's been terrible since he came back from the Euros.

 

The Saints got away from what made them succesful this game, the high pressure. They pressured very well when they did, good shape and good coordination. And they stopped doing that on the first half just before Arsenal's goal, so they can't say they were tired. So I don't understand why they got away from it. But it was good. That's a possitive to take out. Now they need to work on defending the dead ball. Too many headers allowed.

 

Tadic the best player out there. Hojberg had a good game too.

 

Oh, and this bald ref hates us.Worst ref in the Prem.

[Alanh]

Poorest performance on the ball of the season. Loads of heart but very little quality. We got lucky with Arsenals poor finishing on the day. We look bereft of ideas in the final third and the midfield is not shielding the defence in the way it did last year. Romeu had an excellent match but the other midfielders are getting passed through way too easily. Pen was debatable at the least, but I think we'd feel wronged if we didn't get it awarded to us in the same situation. Need to keep the players under control. Getting the back 4 booked in the same game and JWP after about 30 seconds on the pitch.

 

Got to beat Prague and swansea now.

[MarkSFC]

I can't believe that Puel is still in this country. How the hell are we ever going to win a game of football if we give the ball away as much as we do. Redmond is a winger FFS, so why play him in the inside forward role.....I dont care if Puel sees Henry in him.....we need points now.

We are so clearly being asset stripped by the owners because f the lack of spending and getting terrible players in, McCarthy, Pied, Hojbjerg (what is it about him that people think is good..seriously), Redmond, League 2 at most, and Boufal, is probably as good as me. Reed needs to make another video to explain the point of himself and why we are playing this hoofball give the ball away, run around like headless chickens football.

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuming.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Look we're all loons on here including you so set that bit aside and explain wee the positive were today and I'll await you looney response with interest. That's my three so can't reply today.

 

This, see you tomorrow

 

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.

[beatlesaint]

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.

 

if that penalty had gone to us MOTD would have been all over it tonight. As it is I suspect it will barely get a mention !

[eelpie]

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

 

Well at least that sorts Fonte transfer rumours

[Pilchards]

I have no idea what the ref was thinking but they will get away with it yet again.

Better performance and I hope the players keep believing as confidence is a major destroyer.

 

+ Romeu was excellent.

+ Tadic needs smarter players around him, Boufal will love him.

+ Diamond system is running smoother.

 

- Long is so out of touch.

- Virgil's worse game for us.

- Too many panic tackles at the back as our midfield don't protect the back four enough.

[eurosaint]

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.

 

All correct, absolutely robbed by the ref !

Surely if he is going to award a penalty in injury time he has to be 100% sure and not just guess in a 50/50 situation ! It all smacks of 'big team' bias which is sickening !

[hasper57saint]

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.

I've been saying the same thing for years DLT so why isn't it patently obvious to others.Who was that Ipswich keeper who did stay in the middle of his goal and saved numerous shots a few seasons back?

[Jimmy_D]

We were under the cosh from the 30th minute onward and they rested three of their key players. If you take solace from the fact that we could've nicked a point and didn't, then fine, but my point is simply that if you let your rage against the unfairness of this particular game cloud an objective judgment of the obvious deficiencies of this team, then you're kidding yourself.

 

We had by far the better chances today and blunted Arsenal really well.

 

On another day we'd have won that at least 3-1

[Roger]

But that's not what this is about. You cannot read anything into the league table at this stage of the season, any dumbass knows that.

 

You can read into the fact we've lost best manager for a long time unnecessarily and replaced very good players with lesser players while keeping 30 million in bank. We were v unlucky today tho. Played okay although striking options worry me.

[striker]

I rest the blame for the scoring situation on Puel. He doesn't value typical, Box-type strikers. So guys like Austin, JRod, possibly Long, and IMO even Pelle if he had stayed, are downplayed for guys like Redmond. I prefer finishers, the guys who are firing away and cause havoc in the air. Puel seems to want a team full of midfielders. I think if we rotate through Long, Austin, and JRod, giving them equal playing time, and move Redmond back to where he belongs in midfield, then we would score.

[whelk]

Forster didn't have a save to make

[Mallagroth]

Phil Thomson telling it like it is

 

What did he say?

[adrian lord]

Players beginning to get the Puel Way.

 

Do we have the personnel to put it into effect effectively yet? Not quite. Need Boufal playing and a decent striker. Oh, and a straight referee.

Edited 10 September, 2016 by adrian lord

[Convict Colony]

We could of been Stoke and West Ham today, perspective.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

I rest the blame for the scoring situation on Puel. He doesn't value typical, Box-type strikers. So guys like Austin, JRod, possibly Long, and IMO even Pelle if he had stayed, are downplayed for guys like Redmond. I prefer finishers, the guys who are firing away and cause havoc in the air. Puel seems to want a team full of midfielders. I think if we rotate through Long, Austin, and JRod, giving them equal playing time, and move Redmond back to where he belongs in midfield, then we would score.

 

Ha ha ha ha ha .. so he told Long to miss them... brilliant...

[whelk]

What did he say?

 

Ref got wrong on all counts. Forster didn't actually have save to make. Hard done by and Arsenal got away with it. Also we can take heart by performance. And Long spurned the games best chances.

[Convict Colony]

We've got sh*t strikers, great inside forwards but sh*t strikers.

 

Austin is the one exception but he's a goal hanger

[Pamplemousse]

What did he say?

 

How badly the referee got it.

[Mallagroth]

Ref got wrong on all counts. Forster didn't actually have save to make. Hard done by and Arsenal got away with it. Also we can take heart by performance. And Long spurned the games best chances.

 

yeah that's it in a nutshell.

[bjk]

Win next week we'll be mid table and things will feel better don't even want to contemplate a draw or defeat.So gutted today but I think we'll be fine.

[RoswellSaint]

We deserved a point. Last season, our "much stronger" team was very lucky to get a point. Only a phenomenal game from Forster kept it 0-0.

 

I don't see a relegation fight ahead. Mid-table at least

[striker]

Ha ha ha ha ha .. so he told Long to miss them... brilliant...

 

I stand by what I wrote. I am not talking about missing a specific shot someone would have made, I'm talking about the scheme and the crop of players we currently have. I believe managers should build a scheme to get the most out of the players we have, not play players out of position to support a scheme.

[Shroppie]

It will be a test of Puel now. We didn't play badly, and with any sort of decent finishing would have got at least a draw. The problem is JRod is a good finisher but isn't getting in a position to get chances. Long makes chances but at the moment can't finish anything. And Redmond isn't a striker. Can Boufal play the striker role?

 

And we were robbed by awful decisions so there will be a lot of frustration and anger. Can he stop confidence collapsing and keep calm? That was a strength of our last three managers and we need it now.

 

Badly need three points next week. Be grateful we haven't got an away Europa game on Thursday.

 

 

 

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

[saintsmike25]

Time for the team to get over that, I have faith there were some good signs in that game, we just lack a confident striker. The Europa League will be a welcome distraction for Puel to properly assess what other options he has and what players can come into the team.

Long looks off the pace at the mo as does Jay Rod, it is worrying that our three striking options just don't look to be properly fit or in form, Tadic once again the creator. What this team need is confidence and a win, we've had two of our toughest games and did well despite losing against Man Utd and Arsenal, it's the fact we were toothless against Watford and Sunderland which worry me.

It will come but I expect a tough season and a midtable finish. It's a shame but Puel has to look at the January window as a golden chance to replace and enhance our options we are desperate for a pacy striker who can play off the shoulder and run in behind, hopefully we'll get one.

Also Cedric was awful once more! Bring Cuco back, or even one of the academy lads, Cedric looks so uninterested at the moment, good to see Bertrand back, hopefully Jay Rod will become fit again but it's a long way off yet.

[Convict Colony]

Wonder if claude still thinks we have the players for his system.

 

From my uneducated view I think that Davis is ineffective in it and at 31 might be the one to make way for Sofaine, JWP offers nothing, Tadic and Hojberg are our best players at present, we have no forwards who can pull the trigger they tend to over ellaborate rather than shoot (we already have Tadic for that).

 

Defensively Cedric has regressed to the level that I want Cuco in the team or Yann instead, in hindsight Jose 2 Pens Fonte has also started sh*t, Virgil seems frustrated at the players in front of him (frustrated in a sense that the players in front of him don't know how to play the diamond), I'm middle of the road on Romeu, he played well today but sh*t others.

 

Basically all in all I don't know what to think, am p*ssed off at refs but I am more p*ssed off our forwards need 5 chances to score, they have been given so many chances over the last 4 games and if missing the goal counted as points we'd be top of the league.

 

I'd also like to see a killer from the Under 23 on the bench (omuloua or hower you spell it - apologies)

[Wes Tender]

Don't let the red mist about the officiating fool you; on another day that would've been a basketball score to Arsenal.

 

Perhaps you will oblige me and itemise all of the saves that Forster had to make from their shots on goal. And if you're going to bang on about the chances that they had but didn't take, then you'll be equally accepting of the chances we had but didn't take, won't you? In the interests of balance, you understand.

 

On another day, we could have won by quite a margin. Could have, might have, would have, should have. Didn't and neither did they.