Arsenal 3-3 Saints - Match Thread

[cambsaint]

I just hope this isn't a repeat of the thrashing we got  at an evening game I was able to attend just before our last Cup Final Appearance

6 down inside 30 or so minutes before they took their foot off the gas.

And we had a much better team and manager then.

 

[Cabrone]

Team at the top Vs team at the bottom.

I think they'll put 3 past us in the first half and then play practice passing in the 2nd.

No way is there going to be a surprise here.

[Saint Garrett]

4-3-3 / 4-5-1 for me. Is Che fit? only chance we have of getting a result IMO.

Bazunu;

KWP ABK Salisu Perraud;

Lavia

JWP Alcaraz

Sulemena Adams AArmstrong

 

Can't be any worse that usual

 

[Appy]

22 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

4-3-3 / 4-5-1 for me. Is Che fit? only chance we have of getting a result IMO.

Bazunu;

KWP ABK Salisu Perraud;

Lavia

JWP Alcaraz

Sulemena Adams AArmstrong

 

Can't be any worse that usual

 

Adam Armstrong? 
 

Please no

[Lord Duckhunter]

There’s no point in playing Tall Paul in this one. We’re not going to see enough of the ball to get decent crosses in and you need some mobility up top. Che can just about get away with it, but Tall Paul is a different level of immobility. The options if Che is out  are woeful, even lacking a Shane long type figure to hassle  their  defenders, be a bit physical and chase lost causes. Fuck me, A Armstrong is probably the best defensively & chasing wise, whereas Mara probably the best technically.

I can therefore perfectly understand playing a false 9 against Arsenal, that’s not an issue for me. The issue is the false 9 home to Crystal fucking Palace. 

[Chez]

3 hours ago, cambsaint said:

I just hope this isn't a repeat of the thrashing we got  at an evening game I was able to attend just before our last Cup Final Appearance

6 down inside 30 or so minutes before they took their foot off the gas.

And we had a much better team and manager then.

 

Could happen. I attended that evening game at Highbury too. That defeat hugely affected our cup final approach, leading to us being very defensive and putting in a largely toothless performance, not too dissimilar to what we are seeing most weeks now. We were a very good side that season, but not sure the manager got it right that day. 

I'd say that Arsenal side was better than this one.

Remind me, was it Henry or Pennant that scored the hatrick?

[Chez]

6 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

There’s no point in playing Tall Paul in this one. We’re not going to see enough of the ball to get decent crosses in and you need some mobility up top. Che can just about get away with it, but Tall Paul is a different level of immobility. The options if Che is out  are woeful, even lacking a Shane long type figure to hassle  their  defenders, be a bit physical and chase lost causes. Fuck me, A Armstrong is probably the best defensively & chasing wise, whereas Mara probably the best technically.

I can therefore perfectly understand playing a false 9 against Arsenal, that’s not an issue for me. The issue is the false 9 home to Crystal fucking Palace. 

Not sure it matter who it is if we have one guy up front on his own chasing lost causes. None of our guys are going to force a turnover of possession. Perhaps then it worth considering who would be the right person to take advantage of the relatively rare attacks. Who is going to hold the ball up and bring others into play best? And who is going take that one chance we might get?  I'm not a fan, but maybe it's worth going with Onuachu on Friday. There's quite a few `experts' on here that think its a no brainer playing him up top with Sulemena and Djenepo on the wings. Maybe they are right, and that's the best shape/personnel. He's only going to last an hour, so Mara or whoever is still going to be needed.

[Osvaldorama]

Che starts if fit. But if not I would play:

 

Sulemana Paul Edozie

Alcaraz Lavia JWP

Perraud Salisu ABK KWP

Mccarthy 

 

If Salisu is still being a bitch then I don’t really know who to select out of the other CBs as they are all atrocious. So flip a coin or something.  

[Chez]

22 hours ago, OldNick said:

Did you watch Theos post match interview? He said something along the lines, I dont know why we kept to our principles and didnt change things. I wonder if he meant , go a bit long rather than tippy tap

I missed that, but almost certainly.

Our principles are obviously to play short passing football, maintain possession and work it until the player with the ball has some space to move into. Palace actually made it very difficult for us to do that, getting very tight and not allowing anyone with the ball with any time or space. They pushed up, with a very high line, so that meant there was little room to work in - hence we really struggled, especially to get anyone between the lines.

Palace clearly worked us out...as so many have over the last few years.

IMO we needed more balls over the top towards the corners. Turn them around, and bypass their high press and high line. Onuachu coming on gave us an opportunity to change things, but despite that, we stuck to our guns and just kept trying to find the space with short passes. I think we went long about twice and both long balls from Bednarek simply weren't good enough. Right idea, wrong execution. 

Like Theo, I don't know why we stuck to our principles right until the very end. More to the point, I don't know why the manager didn't identify that they had a very high line and have a method of countering that - and instructing the players to use it. Maybe he/they are just not tactically astute?

[Chez]

I can't believe I including McCarthy, Perraud, Djenepo and Onuachu in my best eleven, but that's where we are at right now. 

McCarthy 
KWP ABK Salisu Perraud
Lavia Alcaraz JWP
Sulemana Onuachu Djenepo

[tdmickey3]

It will see the return of the Elyuselessnousi along with Walcott and Adam Armstrong........  Arsenal will be clinically punished 😉 

Edited 19 April, 2023 by tdmickey3

[S-Clarke]

42 minutes ago, Chez said:

Could happen. I attended that evening game at Highbury too. That defeat hugely affected our cup final approach, leading to us being very defensive and putting in a largely toothless performance, not too dissimilar to what we are seeing most weeks now. We were a very good side that season, but not sure the manager got it right that day. 

I'd say that Arsenal side was better than this one.

Remind me, was it Henry or Pennant that scored the hatrick?

Robert Pires hattrick and a Pennant hattrick I think.

That was a miserable evening.

Edited 19 April, 2023 by S-Clarke

[Saint Garrett]

1 hour ago, Appy said:

Adam Armstrong? 
 

Please no

Thought he did ok earlier in the season on the left of a front 3, he is utter garbage though.

[Baird of the land]

I hope we play an actual striker. Of the 2 Mara is probably better suited to a game where we'll be chasing shadows

I'd like to see Djenepo start but we all know it'll be the awful Elyounessi

I'd still prefer someone different over Bednarek. Given how much Arsenal fans seemed to be put out by Lyanco's physical approach in the draw earlier this season i wouldn't even mind if it was him along side ABK.

 

[gammon cheeks]

2 hours ago, Appy said:

Adam Armstrong? 
 

Please no

I would play Adam Armstrong in this game to be honest ...not the greatest ,but he can trouble Arsenals back four with his runs behind etc ..and he is a striker !

[Pamplemousse]

Armstrong is nowhere near as bad as people make out. I'd rather have him than Elyounoussi in the team.

[Appy]

15 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Armstrong is nowhere near as bad as people make out. I'd rather have him than Elyounoussi in the team.

That’s some choice that. 

[benali-shorts]

44 minutes ago, Appy said:

That’s some choice that. 

Like chlamydia or syphilis

[fanimal]

I still am totally convinced that Lyanco is our best out and out number 9 pace power good in the air and aggressive exactly what we need

[SambaMaverick]

1 hour ago, Pamplemousse said:

Armstrong is nowhere near as bad as people make out. I'd rather have him than Elyounoussi in the team.

I never want to see him again and that includes in the Championship

[Chez]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Robert Pires hattrick and a Pennant hattrick I think.

That was a miserable evening.

It was a lovely warm evening in north London, completely ruined by Saints. However, with a really good season behind us and cup final ahead, I am not sure most Saints fans were that downhearted.

[Chez]

20 minutes ago, fanimal said:

I still am totally convinced that Lyanco is our best out and out number 9 pace power good in the air and aggressive exactly what we need

our very own Paul Warhurst.

Would keep him out of harm's way.

[SaintZamboni]

2 hours ago, gammon cheeks said:

I would play Adam Armstrong in this game to be honest ...not the greatest ,but he can trouble Arsenals back four with his runs behind etc ..and he is a striker !

May as well start playing around him as he’s a proven championship scorer. We’ll need one of those next season.

[Osvaldorama]

17 minutes ago, SaintZamboni said:

May as well start playing around him as he’s a proven championship scorer. We’ll need one of those next season.

Quite incredible that he was a success at that level. 
 

Genuinely looks non-league every time he’s played for us 

[Appy]

23 minutes ago, SaintZamboni said:

May as well start playing around him as he’s a proven championship scorer. We’ll need one of those next season.

Because somebody had one good season I the league a few years ago, doesn’t mean he’s a “proven scorer” 

 

Against lower league teams this season, he’s easily been one of the worst players on the pitch. 

[Pamplemousse]

52 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Quite incredible that he was a success at that level. 
 

Genuinely looks non-league every time he’s played for us 

Other than the goal against Everton, goal against Villa, goal against Chelsea, goal against Palace

 

Yes, granted, he hasn't lived up to expectations but he's hardly the worst culprit in this squad.

[Crab Lungs]

I can feel it in my bones… a Moi recall looms on the horizon. Probably for Charly.

”We’ve got Selles…” they’ll still sing.

[Osvaldorama]

22 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Other than the goal against Everton, goal against Villa, goal against Chelsea, goal against Palace

 

Yes, granted, he hasn't lived up to expectations but he's hardly the worst culprit in this squad.

Is he your friend or something?
 

He’s been appalling 

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Osvaldorama said:

Is he your friend or something?
 

He’s been appalling 

There are plenty of worse candidates.

[Saint Paul C]

Given that we're all but relegated, we should use the remaining games such as this to clearly identify those that we need to get rid of in the close season.

So - 442

McCarthy

LYANCO - BEDRANEK - CALETA-CARR - BREE

ARIBO - JWP - DJENPRO - ELY

 A ARMSTRONG - WALCOTT

 

Yes, we'll get absolutely smashed, but does it really matter now?

 

[LVSaint]

4 minutes ago, Saint Paul C said:

Given that we're all but relegated, we should use the remaining games such as this to clearly identify those that we need to get rid of in the close season.

So - 442

McCarthy

LYANCO - BEDRANEK - CALETA-CARR - BREE

ARIBO - JWP - DJENPRO - ELY

 A ARMSTRONG - WALCOTT

 

Yes, we'll get absolutely smashed, but does it really matter now?

 

I think the only one we'll be getting rid of there is JWP

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Arsenal will get 2 goals up early, easily. They've recently dropped points twice after being 2-0 up and need the goal difference to close on City. So they'll keep going for it. How many can we keep it down to realistically? I'd take 6-0 now and walk away. Maybe play a cone in goal and put in an extra midfielder to cope better with Martinelli/Saka/Odegaard. 
This season has been horrific. But I do question whether the players are as shit as they look. Tella looked shit last season a lot of the time. I think it's the way a succession of managers have set us up to play. I remember Tiss, Beatts, Pahars, flying forwards, whole team on the attack. What happened to us? Why do managers think they have to mould us on Barcelona?

[Wade Garrett]

I think Selles ‘Chuckle-Brothers’ football (to me, to you) will bore the Gunners into submission.

 Can’t see anything but an easy away win.

[ChrisR]

It does not matter who we play, we will set up for a double low block in a 5-4-1 formation with Walcott as our pacy outlet ball sitting on the half way and we will spend the whole game playing an aerial out ball, then on the hour replace him with Paul and start playing it to feet.

In other words we have no idea how to play with the ball but we are so well drilled to play without it though keeping shape and lines (bo**ocks I got that wrong as well).

Whatever we do it will end with defeat I just fear by how many.

Does anyone see any difference between Selles and Pellagrino it didnt work then and its not working now 

[suewhistle]

This is going to be like one of those horrow films that you watch from the sofa and bury your head in your partner's shoulder at the horrible bits. Unfortunately I'll have to watch this down the pub on my own so it's going to be embarassing all round..

[Charlie Wayman]

Anybody else think its worth spending £11.99 to watch this on Sky?

[Charlie Wayman]

53 minutes ago, ChrisR said:

It does not matter who we play, we will set up for a double low block in a 5-4-1 formation with Walcott as our pacy outlet ball sitting on the half way and we will spend the whole game playing an aerial out ball, then on the hour replace him with Paul and start playing it to feet.

In other words we have no idea how to play with the ball but we are so well drilled to play without it though keeping shape and lines (bo**ocks I got that wrong as well).

Whatever we do it will end with defeat I just fear by how many.

Does anyone see any difference between Selles and Pellagrino it didnt work then and its not working now 

I don't see any similarities at all. 

[derry]

We might have a chance if Selles misses the coach and loses his phone.

[Patrick Bateman]

3 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Anybody else think its worth spending £11.99 to watch this on Sky?

No.

 

I think it's worth spending £11.99 on an average bottle of red and watching a film. Tetris is good. 

[suewhistle]

3 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Anybody else think its worth spending £11.99 to watch this on Sky?

No: I'm going to spend about £18 down the pub but that's for the anaesthetic. You could always go and watch it round a gooner friend's.

[obelisk]

1 minute ago, suewhistle said:

No: I'm going to spend about £18 down the pub but that's for the anaesthetic. You could always go and watch it round a gooner friend's.

Spending £18 down the pub won't buy enough anaesthetic these days but good plan all the same.

[John Boy Saint]

On 19/04/2023 at 11:05, cambsaint said:

I just hope this isn't a repeat of the thrashing we got  at an evening game I was able to attend just before our last Cup Final Appearance

6 down inside 30 or so minutes before they took their foot off the gas.

And we had a much better team and manager then.

 

I kind of hoped that WGS was pulling some sort of Rope-a-dope to soften Arsenal up for the cup game - watching Claus "waterskiing" on his knees whilst holding on to Henris shirt, and Mr Halsey being extremely charitable in the opening moments, snuffed out that flame. Wengers alternative plan to make us jibbering fools for the cup worked a treat by getting into WGS's head. 

I see we have Simon Hooper on the Whistle for this one, bit of a funny one lets lots go, then changes his mind and gets picky, seems to find the 0.6% in 50/50's against Saints (but that could be my Red & White prescription!). If by some fluke we are 1-0 on 89 minutes he'll find 7 minutes to start with and another 2 magical minutes from somewhere. 

[pimpin4rizeal]

22 hours ago, Chez said:

I can't believe I including McCarthy, Perraud, Djenepo and Onuachu in my best eleven, but that's where we are at right now. 

McCarthy 
KWP ABK Salisu Perraud
Lavia Alcaraz JWP
Sulemana Onuachu Djenepo

Nice team .. although I very much doubt we will get anything close to this under that mug selles.. djenepo is looking very lively and creating stuff lately so that’s h probably  him out of the picture -doesn’t fit our identity 

[John Boy Saint]

19 minutes ago, obelisk said:

Spending £18 down the pub won't buy enough anaesthetic these days but good plan all the same.

Use the beer to wash down a couple of Codeine might help quite a bit. 

[tdmickey3]

Can we change the thread title to Arsenal V Saints (Fright night)

😨

[gonzo]

5 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Anybody else think its worth spending £11.99 to watch this on Sky?

Nope.  

[S-Clarke]

5 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Anybody else think its worth spending £11.99 to watch this on Sky?

I would think about it if they were paying us £11.99 to watch it, but I still think I'd want more.

[gonzo]

25 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I would think about it if they were paying us £11.99 to watch it, but I still think I'd want more.

My method for watching matches is a VPN connected to an American server and a Peacock subscription at $4.99 per month.  But I'll be otherwise occupied tomorrow night.

[Paul Chuckle]

6 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Anybody else think its worth spending £11.99 to watch this on Sky?

I pay a ridiculous amount for sky sports every month and will not be watching this. 

 

Will watch a film and check my phone at half time and hope it's not another 9

[suewhistle]

Eid al Fitr tomorrow so is there a possibility that Salisu will be fit/make himself available soon?

 

Anyway, this is my last post for the day, a fitting tune to finish on.