Southampton match thread

[LDB]

I've noticed a definite pattern emerge over the last couple of years

Step 1: Plan A. Tippy tappy shite played out entirely in front of 11 vaguely organised professionals.

Step 2: Shock, horror we struggle to even register shots on goal. Results inevitably start going against us, Wenger gets put 'under pressure' ( ).

Step 3: Plan B (of sorts), we simplify our game, look to play the ball forward and get behind teams with pace and energy. Not perfect football by any means but it carries a threat and is usually just about too good for most premier league sides.

Step 4: Results begin to improve (although we're already bang out of any title race/cup competition by this point), Wenger is vindicated and Patrick Barclay is dancing in the street.

Back to Step 1.

[Dan_85]

i would bet money that they are just told to express themself rather than practising moves, which is why its so disjointed - the runs are not co-ordinated, the moves not rehearsed in training.

Spot on. This is a manager who doesn't even study the way the opposition play & send his team out with a set plan to overcome it, as confirmed by Cesc.

[LDB]

i would bet money that they are just told to express themself rather than practising moves, which is why its so disjointed - the runs are not co-ordinated, the moves not rehearsed in training.

If only. Players who were allowed to express themselves might take other players on, try to play the ball quickly and pick gaps before the other side can settle. Players who express themselves aren't constantly in fear of being positive in case they lose possession. Which they do anyway but there ya go.

[clockender1]

Players who express themselves aren't constantly in fear of being positive in case they lose possession. Which they do anyway but there ya go.

talk to any manager - most players are not that smart, they need to be told where to run, where to stand, where to pass...

their fear is based on not knowing that imho.

when they get the ball they have no idea where to pass it on before they receive the ball - its like a muscle memory. most teams practice it and practice it - where to make the runs, where to receive the ball and play it on.

ever see those passes to no-one that are cringing ? - that's someone who was supposed to make a run not being where they are told to run when x or y player has the ball. "channels" they call it....

our lot are not told and they panic when they get the ball and just put it in the general direction of where they hope someone might be - same as the runs they make that go nowhere.

thats why when teams press us we fall apart.

Wenger is senile - he literally doesn't know what he's doing, he said it today " I don't know"...

that is the epitaph of his career.

[LDB]

Players who express themselves aren't constantly in fear of being positive in case they lose possession. Which they do anyway but there ya go.

talk to any manager - most players are not that smart, they need to be told where to run, where to stand, where to pass...

their fear is based on not knowing that imho.

when they get the ball they have no idea where to pass it on before they receive the ball - its like a muscle memory. most teams practice it and practice it - where to make the runs, where to receive the ball and play it on.

ever see those passes to no-one that are cringing ? - that's someone who was supposed to make a run not being where they are told to run when x or y player has the ball. "channels" they call it....

our lot are not told and they panic when they get the ball and just put it in the general direction of where they hope someone might be - same as the runs they make that go nowhere.

thats why when teams press us we fall apart.

Wenger is senile - he literally doesn't know what he's doing, he said it today " I don't know"...

that is the epitaph of his career.

Not convinced about that tbh.

I just think our players are often confused about whether they should be looking to create something or just recycle possession. Other then the general shitness that comes with having some shit players its never particularly occurred to me that the players dont know where to make runs or where their team mates should be. Something to look out for though, I guess. I'm always open to new sticks to beat Wenger with

[armchair]

Its not a new stick.
Its common knowledge that Wenger doesnt do tactics, study the opposition. He tells the team to go out and "play" At half time he barely speaks ffs winning, losing or drawing.

[REB]

we were shit.

[1989]

we are shit.

Fixed it for you.

[LDB]

Its not a new stick.
Its common knowledge that Wenger doesnt do tactics, study the opposition. He tells the team to go out and "play" At half time he barely speaks ffs winning, losing or drawing.

I get that there is a lack of tactics or rather, a lack of tactical flexibility but what he's suggesting is essentially that our players aren't even coached properly in the basic runs they should be making. That's a step too far for me, I just don't see it.

[armchair]

Its not a new stick.
Its common knowledge that Wenger doesnt do tactics, study the opposition. He tells the team to go out and "play" At half time he barely speaks ffs winning, losing or drawing.

I get that there is a lack of tactics or rather, a lack of tactical flexibility but what he's suggesting is essentially that our players aren't even coached properly in the basic runs they should be making. That's a step too far for me, I just don't see it.

Well believe it. Ex players have said it - Cesc and Merse I think.

And when you have a team of great players like we have had in the past you can afford to say - "Just go out and play your game".
But when your team is reduced to Gervinho, Ramsey, Giroud etc compared to the Invincibles you can be as sure as shit you're gonna need tactics, coaching and proper instructions.

[clockender1]

Its not a new stick.
Its common knowledge that Wenger doesnt do tactics, study the opposition. He tells the team to go out and "play" At half time he barely speaks ffs winning, losing or drawing.

he said today that we were complacent.

its the managers job to fix that - before the game, during the game and at half time.

he's not doing his job. at the moment, any other PL manager could do that with this team - you think moyes, pulis, ferguson, clarke, benitez accept their players being 'complacent' ?????

do they fuck.

[LewisT92]

i think a decent manager (even benitez) would have this group of players second right now - city, chavs and the spuds are no better than us man for man except perhaps yaya...

shit manager.

What are you talking about Clockender. There isn't another manager out there who could do better than Wenger

Seriously though ^this^ 100%. I'd love to see the full potential of this team realised under say, Wenger of old or that chewing red nose crunt for example. Any other team who had a squad of our quality (minus the tag-alongs) and was showing performances like tonight it would be because of the manager. Not Arsenal though. It's always illusionary forces that we can't explain and have no control over. That and the financial powerhouses this season like Norwich, Swansea, Bradford etc, etc..

[clockender1]

btw - anyone go today ?

how did the away support react to the double subs and final whistle ?

[LDB]

Its not a new stick.
Its common knowledge that Wenger doesnt do tactics, study the opposition. He tells the team to go out and "play" At half time he barely speaks ffs winning, losing or drawing.

I get that there is a lack of tactics or rather, a lack of tactical flexibility but what he's suggesting is essentially that our players aren't even coached properly in the basic runs they should be making. That's a step too far for me, I just don't see it.

Well believe it. Ex players have said it - Cesc and Merse I think.

And when you have a team of great players like we have had in the past you can afford to say - "Just go out and play your game".
But when your team is reduced to Gervinho, Ramsey, Giroud etc compared to the Invincibles you can be as sure as shit you're gonna need tactics, coaching and proper instructions.

Really? Merse and Cesc said the players aren't coached about how to run channels? I look forward to reading those quotes

Its entirely possible that Wenger tells the players to "play their own game" in the dressing room but what clockender1 suggested is that they don't even receive basic coaching about team play which I find highly highly unlikely.

[clockender1]

Its entirely possible that Wenger tells the players to "play their own game" in the dressing room but what clockender1 suggested is that they don't even receive basic coaching about team play which I find highly highly unlikely.

i might be wrong LDB (often am) but that is what it looks like to me.

i was told a few months back that AW NEVER coaches during games from the touchline, i doubted it but it is actually true.

watch the videos.