Match Day Thread Arsenal v Southampton Wednesday 16/12/20 6pm Amazon Prime

I thought that Moussa was pretty good and got to the byline a few times and was a bit unlucky but that was the best way to try and break them down.

 

Genuinely do think that the red card helped them. I know they were in the game at the start of the second half, but 11v11 I think we'd have won. We were much better than them for the majority

 

“There’s only one way to beat them
Get round the back
Catch me if you can
I’m a Southampton man”

or summit like that....

But yes, I agree. You should ask my son how many times over the last few seasons I have muttered the words, “Go outside, go outside” when Redders gets the ball in a wide position.

 

I agree, even though they had come into the game a little more. They were still poor and several of their 15 yard passes went straight out of play. One moment in lapse of concentration for Saka’s run cost us. He too easily drifted past 3 Saints players.

 

Think it's hard to tell. It certainly helped them defensively but it also meant that we didn't have to worry defensively ourselves, whereas I reckon they'd have carried much more threat without the red.

 

5 minutes later there down to 10 holding on for there life. Joke club.

 

We’ve come a long way when we can be disappointed about a draw away to Arsenal. We missed some chances and probably should have won. I agree that sometimes the opposition going a man down doesn’t always help...it can unsettle either team. My one question is what do we have to do to be the centre of attention...we play a lower side and their relegation chances are discussed...we play a bigger side and their title chance or manager problems are discussed!!! Well done to one Sky pundit who said yes when asked if we are title contenders....no, I don’t think we will win, but we are in the mix at the moment and this should be acknowledged.

 

On reflection, I'm still relieved we didn't blow it completely and lose. Which we would have done if that long header had of looped in at the end.

 

Not quite sure that Arteta is correct when he considers getting a point against Southampton a sign of being on the road to recovery. Both teams were unfortunate having hit the crossbar but getting a point a home in what could be a relegation battle for Arsenal is not indicative of a team on the way up. Arsenal still have problems and their squad looks lightweight.

I think that a relegation battle and even descent into the Championship might be a good thing for Arsenal and their supporters. This is a club that is in radical need of being rebuilt from the root up and a season in the second tier would be a wake up call that would allow the squad to be composed of players with a genuine hunger. The club would get their identity back and I think the fans will learn a bit of humility. It would certainly get rid of the "plastics" who cling to this club. As a neutral, I want them to go down.

 

Definitely would prefer ManU, Chelsea and spurs relegated than arsenal. Never think of arsenal fans as plastics.

 

I'd say comparing us to Leicester and Wolves is spot on. They're not the best supported clubs in their respective cities either, and our attendances through the divisions are incredibly similar. The only difference between them and us is their business models.

 

+ Recruitment. Leicester rode the wave of success brilliantly and attracted talent, several of whowm we wanted. Wolves have a super agent feeding them the best and brightest. We struggle against that and got very lucky indeed with our head coach!

 

Do you believe thats even a possibility though Ian, realistically?? If they languish much longer Arteta will be gone, some top tier manager will come in and the bounce will keep them out of trouble. with their players its hard to fathom this current run let alone relegation. There's huge discontent in there now, something to steady the ship and all will be well again.

 

Do Leicester and Wolverhampton have other football clubs?

 

I think the point is that the big clubs, ie Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool are better supported in Cities like Southampton, Leicester, Wolverhampton etc.

 

They're both one club cities aren't they? Or a one club County for Leicester.

 

It may have been mentioned, but I thought Theo should have brought Saka down there. He’d have picked up a yellow, but Oriel clearly didn’t want to risk it and Theo must have known he was going to get subbed fairly soon. It’s one thing which has improved with Prowsey’s game - the “toughness” of “ok, I’ll stop him getting through even if I risk a card”. I was disappointed with Theo there. If it had been the other way, I guarantee one of the (unbooked) arsenal players would have tapped his ankle or held him back.

 

Theo is too nice, at times. I think there are times when his reaction to someone falling down by him helps the ref to give a free kick against him.
Time for Ralph to sit him down and have the same chat with him as he did with JWP.

 

Theo too nice.... watch it, you’ll get chastised next

He is, as I said after the Wolves game. Great to have him back though and he is looking good. If he had a mean streak, I think his career would have been even better than it already has been.