Good Morning Fellow Positives,
I suspect I would be hard pushed to find many Arsenal fans who would regard last night’s result, as opposed to last night’s performance, as anything other than a disappointment. Two points we might reasonably have expected to collect went unclaimed, the single point sparse recompense.
I might however gently point out to those likely to submerge into long term grief that the single point leaves us just two points behind everyone’s title favourites Citeh, and just five behind the still scampering Foxes. Admittedly the result also places us behind the Neighbours which I appreciate would test the patience of St Monica, but a temporary arrangement I am sure.
The reason for optimism immediately practical. Citeh and Leicester meet on Saturday, and the following weekend we play the Foxes and Citeh take on Spuds. Certainly the arrangement of results require us to take our chances, with wins in both games against Bournemouth and against Leicester, but do that and we could be on the same points as Leicester, in front of Citeh and Spuds. Admittedly the results would have to fall for us the right way but that would depend on a bit of luck. Even without a bit of luck and already tight race for the title is likely to further bunch up in terms of points.
The key theme of theme of luck, providence, good fortune etc. leads me neatly ( well I think neatly) into last night’s game and the review of events.
I thought we played well last night. The opening phase of 15 minutes or so Saints came out and put us under pressure and I assume were looking to snatch an early goal before retreating behind what is a well organised defence. Koeman is no idiot and he knew he was in for a difficult evening. When that initiative failed we gradually took control and, as we all saw or heard, created openings in the visitors’ defence. We were not quite at our best but still effective despite Saints disrupting our midfield by being quick into the tackle and roughing us up. Where we did break through, and create clear goal-scoring chances Fraser Forster got his foot, arm, hand, shoulder* (tick box as appropriate) in the way.
Half time came and went and it did not seem conceivable that with the pressure we had imposed that eventually we would not break through and yet, and yet…….
From 60-65 minutes onwards we stepped up the urgency and the speed of our play while Saints engaged in some blatant timewasting that led to the predictable 6-7 minutes of time added on. During that final, frantic half an hour we created goal scoring chances on Southampton’s goal every minute. Shot after shot and headers poured into the opposition and yet again Forster managed to leap and claw every on target effort away. One important point should be made is that where Arsenal have failed to score earlier in the season a lot of the problem came from shots that went high and/or wide of the target. Not last night. The official statistics say ten shots on target. I am surprised, it seemed like more, much more.
And so eventually we ran out of time. The visitors, who looked exhausted in the final few minutes, celebrated. They will not earn a point in a harder game all season. Credit to Forster, excellent display of keeping and while the pure goal keeping art was absent from some of his saves, he had the occasional flashes of luck that gave his side the result they were evidently delighted with.
For us I thought both full backs were magnificent all night. I thought Mesut and Alexis were excellent. I thought Koscielny was a leader all over the field.
So onwards to Bournemouth, Sunday lunchtime. Let us bring Arsenal’s footballing destiny back into our own hands.
Enjoy the week.
Positively Arsenal 
Boy, did I need that. Thanks Andy, as Frank would say, you are a star
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We will overcome….
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Wandering around social media today and after having written today’s entry I get the impression that most Arsenal fans believe there are only 3-4 PL games left this season in which we could somehow claw back the initiative from what has been a spell of dropped points
In fact there are 14 games to play 52 points to play for.
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Yep. Well said.
I was, I must admit, reassuring all around me in the last 15/20 minutes not to worry as “it will come” so at least I gave them someone to ‘Hurumpf ‘ at as we left.
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Psst Andy, 14 X 3 = 42 (which is, indeed, the answer)
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….the most important task facing Arsene is to ensure the players sustain this belief and confidence and not succumb to the hysteria of the media, the Scarfists and the enemies of the Arsenal-way. Last night, post game, I turned to TalkSport and the hosts of Sports Bar, Goldstein of United and Cundy of Chelsea used the setback to allow the most virulent WOBs to attack the club and Wenger in the most incendiary fashion. I fully expect Durham and Goffe to sustain the narrative.
Last night changed nothing statistically. It confirmed it is going to be a close fight down to the wire. It is the team that best copes with the pressure that will triumph. If we sustain the level we played yesterday, despite the inconsistent refereeing that we will face, we should put our noses in front sometime in the future.
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nice to read a bit of sanity, in short supply this morning.
Mr Morgan has willingly dragged himself onto our airwaves to push his short sighted agenda.
There may be a player or two who needs to play himself back into a bit of form, certainly things to work on, and despite no lack of effort, not sure about aspects of our MF over the last few weeks, but yes, overall we did play pretty well.
There was some wasteful finishing, but at least chances are being created in abundance. on another day, we could have had four or five.
Get the feeling the next goal could …hopefully…lead to a bit of a deluge.
We are now being viewed by most as underdogs, wonder if that might take a bit of pressure off?
But it was a frustrating game. What is it about us at home that inspires so many keepers to produce the games of their lives?
Still have City as favourites, but this team are certainly not out of it, despite the panic out there.
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Good round up and epilogue to the game Andrew. Long way to go yet and every time the Spuds climb above us it tends to act as a catalyst for a more competitive streak.Its not like we lost yesterday.Personally I think we’re really missing Santi at the moment.Let the WOB froth at the mouth and the media to comment in hyperbole and drama and the team to make amends.They will.
COYG!
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Good point Andy – it was the result that was disappointing, not the performance. If the team keeps playing like it did especially in the second half, those goals will come. As I recall, didn’t we start the season like that and then the goals started flowing later?
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Arrogance may have a part in one’s psyche if and only if you are so supremely talented at your choice of work or play that all others go on one knee as you pass.
For me, the game was wrecked; not by the chances we missed or had saved by Forster, nor by the number of misplaced and/or underhit passes nor by the in general, real quality shown by the lads, mishits and underpasses excepted. No, for me the pathetic and un-necessary performance of Lee Mason culminated in his having a free kick in our half moved back by about 6”. It can only be explained by his wishing to show both players and fans that “I’m in charge peasants and there’s sweet f.a. you can do about it.”
Now if he had the talent of say Collina or David Elleray, it could be overlooked but this performance was not even Sunday pub league standard. I lost count of the offences he glossed over and by the time this incident happened I was unhappier with Mason than I was with the chances that went begging. The latter can be excused… great goalkeeping (how many times do we suffer from this?) and a solid display from the Saints defence. With about 80% possession in the second half it was not a game in which we should have lost 2 points… and if I have a modicum of fairness in my body, we can’t blame Mason for directly costing us a goal. In that, I suppose he may be rated higher than Mike Dean. What a complement.
And my final chew on my blood stained lips came as I looked at Theo, 2 shots with no joy and he goes into sulk mode, literally growing roots. Time for him to play in the reserves and get some joy back. How disappointing it must be for the rest of the lads to a wasted shirt appear these days.
I’m not a happy camper.
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I think Mason was poor last night too Gf. He evidently decided to adopt a hands off policy to Saints niggling foul policy, and applying pretty much the same attitude to Gabriel kicking Long. At other times however he was over fussy and that we ended up with two bookings to Saints one was laughable. I would however be hard pushed to put too much of Saints point down to Mason as, despite his defective officiating, we made chance after chance.
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I think many are disappointed, annoyed, concerned, in panic mode, not because we drew 0-0 with Southampton, its not taking the result in isolation, its cos since the great win over title rivals Man City, Arsenal have played 7 league games
P7 W2 D3 L2 Pts 9 from 21 scoring 6 conceding 8, failing to score in 4 of the 7 games. Kept 4 clean sheets.
We are on a bad run of form, just at the wrong time of the season, with several of our players being off form, Theo was outstanding v Man City, and has been very poor since, Ramsey and Flamini do not seem to be forming a good partnership, and Ramsey’s goals have dried up, Ox has been off form, as he has been most of the season, Campbell works his socks off, but again he has not been consistent, his passing is often that bit off and he shares the infuriating habit lwith Alexis, of always looking to come inside and refusing to use his weaker foot. Giroud is battling hard, but apart form the Liverpool game the goals have dried up,
When the defense is good it is usually very good, but in this run there has been some very shaky times.
Alexis is back and looks very lively, Ozil has had an injury recently but was back to something like his very best last night, creating the most chances in a game by any player all season – 10, his assist might have dried up, but its not for the want of creating scoring chances. He is getting himself into great scoring positions too, just such a pity he failed to convert either of his two great chances last night.
Coqeulin is back, and I fully expect that he will be first choice in our upcoming games, it was very understandable that he was left out last night after playing his first game in months on Saturday.
Welbeck is expected to make his playing comeback with the U21’s on Friday, we might see him in a couple of weeks, maybe v Hull in the FAC.
For the most part it is all fine margins, yes we have been slow starters in many games, but overall we have played some great football in this run, not letting in that last minute goal at LFC, taking one of our late chances v Stoke, scoring one of the chacnes v CFC, putting away one of the 21 chances last night, and this poor run, would have been a good run and seen us top of the league.
We can but hope that the players confidence is not shook, and that those a little off form can find their best form again very soon, we need Theo, Giroud, Ramsey, Alexis to all hit a run of scoring form. An extra goal a game makes such a massive difference. We are coming up to 1/3 of the season to go, and despite our lack of a good long winning run, we are still very much in the title race, and if we do hit our best form then we can win the title for sure. We have 3pts more than we had at this same stage last season, but then we were 14 pts off top, today we stand 5pts off top.
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on the refereeing, it seems that for whatever reason these refs are extremely tolerant on the physical , pressing teams
http://dailycannon.com/2016/02/ref-focus-does-anyone-think-lee-mason-is-a-competent-referee/
On what we regularly see, Wenger may have to work out a way to counteract this widespread tolerance of tactical fouling/ time wasting/ holding back players off the ball… as the English game is unfortunately not going to change to suit Wengers preferred style, it seems, quite the opposite, as many lesser teams seem to have worked out.
This approach may not help English football in the long term, or international arena, but it helps the likes of Pulis take points off Arsenal
I am not saying, if you cant beat them, join them BTW.
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isn’t it odd that spurs taking a 14 minute flight to Norwich has failed to received the condemnation Arsenal’s similar flight did earlier in the season, the environmentalist’s who were so outraged by Arsenal’s flight have it seems no problem with spurs. Same goes with the media, and football journos. Very odd indeed, is it not.
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Well said Andy Nic. Typed on the loo as well which deserves even more credit.
Totally disagree with people saying we are in a bad run of form. Utter tosh. We are in a bad run of results. World of difference.
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Supporting the Arsenal is not gonna be all sunshine and roses but it sure is gonna be one hell of a ride.
Arsenal’s boys are well aware we’ve dropped off the PL pace a bit and just like after the defeat away to Bayern in the CL, I’m expecting them to come out showing those writing them off they are anything but. Good run of 4-5 games would be more than enough to make up a 3-5 pts deficit, providing results elsewhere follow the script of be topsy-turvy.
We’ll be back!
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stew it is a bad run of results, but part of that is poor form, we’ve been poor at the start of games, first 20 minutes especially in lots of games, and several of our players are in poor form, we have good players and exceptional players, so it would be odd, and rare if we did not have good spells in most games, but overall we are not in good form, there was once again last night, a marked difference in level of performance between first half and second half. I do not know why the team looks so edgy so often in the first 20 minutes of games, and why our passing is well below the quality it can be. Southampton H+A, Liverpool, Stoke and Chelsea, our poorest form in each of those games was the opening quarter, we were far from our best v Newcastle too, the Bournemouth game was the only one of our last 7 that we had our passing game working from the start.
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The subtle cruelty of football is that you can play indifferently as a team and still secure the points, and conversely play well and either end up having to share the points, or worse still lose all three.
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Dave Arrondelle @davidarrondelle 2h2 hours ago
@RyanTomes @Chezzygooner AFTV is appalling. It’s a joke and an embarrassment to us all.
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There is also the slight additional difficulty with football that irrespective of a club’s good or bad form there is also the form of your opponents to contend with.
The opposition just do not roll over and die simply because Arsenal are supposed to be favourites to win. Using the example of Saints I read it was four clean sheets in PL since Forster’s return before last night so that they added to their tally of defensive scalps is hardly a shock. What is perhaps more a surprise is the reliance they had to place on their keeper and good fortune.
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Whoever said winning the league was going to be easy anyway? Certainly not. The games against Liverpool, Southampton and Chelsea were all games we didn’t win in the reversed fixtures too, brittania? Oh well predictable struggle there too. Now we have to dust our butts off those dirts of a fixture and move on to winning ways. And oh spurs! They’ll choke for sure. COYG
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I am not one of those moaning that we played badly or our tactics were bad. I think we performed well, firing 20 shots at goal, 10 on target is a telling statistic. We created at least 5 big chances and usually convert them at a very high rate. But like nature, scoring is cyclical. Our low cycle has been January. Sooner or later the law of averages will impose its iron rule. There is no way this slump will continue indefinitely. I much prefer our drought to be ending now rather than beginning in March or April.
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Well well well – Garry Neville takes his lads to the Camp Nou tonight. He had quite a bit to say about Arsene in the Autumn, the word “arrogance” and “naive” I think were used. Somewhat undiplomatic I thought.
Sadly SkySports will not be broadcasting the game live as it would be instructive to all of us, Arsene included I am sure, to see the job done properly on Barcelona in their home arena before we roll up there.
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Neville apparently hasnt been doing so well over there, maybe time he learned some humility
Have a funny feeling poor old Bournemouth are going to pay our recent lack of goals
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Andy, Gary Neville cannot get away with the tackles he used in the EPL!
Give the Saints credit, selling their best (?) players, and no sign of relegation.
The Saints players obviously study what the match officials allow and what they can be particular, about.. Robust challenges are encouraged, even if by the rule book, illegal.
Well done to Andy, a difficult review produced with aplomb, fingers crossed and rabbit’s foot banished! Or given to the dog?
It is February, and 3 competitions with the half-yearly Annual Report.
So chin up and COTG, all to play for.
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Not a bad point considering how the Saints parked the bus. I thought Alexis looked off rhythm and Theo was just plain meh coming off the bench. When these tow find their spark, we’ll start scoring like we were at the beginning of the season.
As far as the whiners, I don’t know how some of you have the stomach to listen to them. I simply tune out.
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Poor old Gary is getting a right kicking Mandy, not a League win in sight and the only brief bright spot the Copa del Rey, with Barca in the semi final first leg tonight.
Ominously poised just five points above the drop zone, no wins in nine straight La Liga fixtures it is looking a bit bleak for the boy.
I can understand why Pellegrini did not seem unduly perturbed at his imminent departure from the blue side of Manchester over the weekend, what with a job about to come on the market he is the obvious candidate for, and c. two years pay off from the Sheikh.
Gary on the other hand…….
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brilliant A5, after feeling a volcano worth of frustration yesterday you managed to make me feel much better and positive about things. you were 100% right when you said always wait a few hours before reflecting on a match.
I would disagree however that mason didnt have a bearing on the match, the number of times southampton retained or turned over posession by fowling which lost us time and flow. Also the six minutes added time has to be incorrect due to the head injury and subs alone. I would suggest the amount of chances we created were inspite of mason not because of him. One more chance could of made all the difference although yes we were wasteful.
At the start of any season I would take being a couple of points behind with ten games to go (which is the real run in), so were nearly there. As Steww and others have pointed out, performances have been good with the odd mistake here and there. We do seem to be on an upward curve and we should be rewarded with maximum points the longer we keep it going.
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3-0 after 30 minutes, Neymar misses a penalty and Valencia down to 10 men with a straight red card.
Given that we are due over there I should restrain my mirth but I shall look forward to Gary back on Sky, my guess no later than our trip to Trafford Park.
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Lucky Neymar missed that penalty or it could have been embarrassing there for Gary
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FT: Barcelona 7-0 (Gary Neville’s) Valencia
a bit naive from his team there tonight
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Gary Neville……very amusing, hope they pick him up on it the next time he says Wengers teams cannot defend……but then again, with our fawning msm, will not be holding my breath.
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Ryan Tomes @RyanTomes 3h3 hours ago
Ryan Tomes Retweeted Victoria
So Bully said Ramsey should be hanged? Solidifies my earlier “everyone on AFTV is a prick” statement.
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afcstuff @afcstuff 7h7 hours ago
Most PL games Arsenal have failed to score in (under Wenger):
10 (1998/99, 2000/01)
9 (1997/98, 2005/06)
7 (2015/16)
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ARSENAL INCLUDE ELNENY, JENKINSON AND GNABRY IN PREMIER LEAGUE SQUAD
by jeorge bird
Arsenal have submitted their squad list for the remainder of the Premier League season, with January arrival Mohamed Elneny being included.
Carl Jenkinson and Serge Gnabry, who have been re-called from their loan spells at West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion respectively, have also been named, although the former is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with inury.
Youngsters Donyell Malen, Vlad Dragomir and Joe Willock, who were left out of the previous squad, have also been included.
The players who are on loan and over 21 (Wojciech Szczesny, Mathieu Debuchy, Yaya Sanogo, Emiliano Martinez and Wellington) have been left out.
Senior list: Gabriel, Arteta, Campbell, Cazorla, Cech, Coquelin, Elneny, Flamini, Gibbs, Giroud, Jenkinson, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Ospina, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Ramsey, Rosicky, Sanchez, Walcott, Wilshere, Welbeck.
U21 list: Akpom, Bellerin, Bennacer, Bielik, M. Bola, T. Bola, Chambers, Chatzitheodoridis, Crowley, Da Graca, Dasilva, Dragomir, Eyoma, Fortune, Gilmour, Gnabry, Hayden, Hinds, Huddart, Iliev, Iwobi, Johnson, Kamara, Keto, Macey, McGuane, Malen, Maitland-Niles, Mavididi, Moore, Mourgos, Nketiah, O’Connor, Osei-Tutu, Pileas, Pleguezuelo, Reine-Adelaide, Robinson, Sheaf, Tella, Toral, C. Willock, J. Willock, Zelalem.
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I am trying hard to rouse some sympathy for GNev. Trounced 7-0 by a rampant Barca. No shame to have your pants pulled down by Suarez and Messi individually but for both to be on the same team is criminal. But as a Sky pundit Gary used to give it large to managers, especially Wenger. Can’t summon an ounce of sympathy. “Arrogant” and “naive” indeed.
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I’ve softened enough to at least say thanks to Steww, A5 and Shotta for articles over the past couple of matches.
These articles were, as always, exceptional. Thanks.
My recovery from both Soton games has been difficult. (Cos obviously, I played, didn’t I.)
So weak am I, I’ve been unable to shift myself from the perennial thought that Arsenal will not be allowed to win anything (as has been the case for years, but Ars defied the multiple naysayers – getting 4 trowfies recently).
I’m still stuck on offside being given to RB us of points against the early season scouse visit, and Alexis being pushed in ‘t pit at Nor-in-breeds, and Pulis sending his team to injure Santi & Coq, and, and, and.
I’m so glad to see a couple here take my view of Mason, which is that there’s no accident to his ref “style”. Don’t you love the way he blew the final whistle a few seconds before his genourous 6 minutes were up, and as Arsenal were in the attacking third? He really says “Fuck You” to Arsenal. (Probably, worse).
So, apart from the 3rd PA birthday, I’ve kept quiet, but I always read and I always appreciate. Thanks all.
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RB = “rob”.
Edu made an assertion during the last game – about Soton’s 12th man.
I agree entirely. (Love the GN quote. He’s probably boss-eyed anyway. His plunditry certainly is.
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ranetta you might be interested in this
http://dailycannon.com/2016/02/ref-focus-does-anyone-think-lee-mason-is-a-competent-referee/?
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Ta edu
I think you posted that earlier. I focused on the comments, and by the time I saw the GN meme – I was distracted to the point of looking up details of the Barca game, whilst trying to picture joy suffered by his family as they no longer have to look at him.
Bitter? Not me.
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Morning Ranty,
It is a lovely quote from GNev – pity the poor bugger never said it but funny nevertheless. Such is the wicked world of Twitter.
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…does Capt Morgan still want GN as the manager?
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the Evening Standard are reporting that Welbeck will be assessed by the AFC medics today and then a decision will be made on if he plays or not in tomorrows U21 game. If he plays and his recovery keeps going well he could be back for the FA Cup game with Hull in two weeks.
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A5,
Independant insists it’s (GN) not true. It took them no time to make a thorough rebuttal, the likes of which I’ve never seen from them when relating to Arsenal.
Do stay, GN. Because you’re worth it.
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Somewhere near Seville last night Jose Antonio Reyes was watching the Neville brothers, probably with a fishing rod on his hand.
“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.”
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GNev did accuse Wenger for being “arrogant” and “naive” for going against conventional English opinion and insisting that a CDM pair of Coquelin and Cazorla was his primary choice. Nearly a year later our doubting fans and the mindless herd that does punditry have belatedly discovered how essential Santi is to controlling the game and building from midfield. Meanwhile GNev is finding it takes more than a touchscreen and pointer to set up team to win at least one game, much less to be consistently successful.
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I have just picked up the reports from this morning about Tomas and his thigh injury – what an absolute fucking disaster for the man.
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midfielder Marcus McGuane has signed his first professional contract with the club
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