Shower of dirty bin dipping filth* who got us all banned 85-90 H Weds 16th Mar KO 815PM JFT39

[Rian1]

Keeping one of the best team in the world and top 2 in England at bay for 55' odd is a tough ask, we did well and we should take the defeat as a learning curve. Yes, we didn't take the 1st half chance but what were we going to do once 1-0 up, put a 7-4-0 formation up for 65 minutes? Either way, they would've found a way to break our defence. It's 0-2, could've been 1-2.

Ramsdale should've done better but I am not mad at that, you can see he was (as common says entails) leaning on his left side so was flat-footed, unfortunately. Sometimes you need luck to go your side to be the best in what you do and once LIV was 1-0 up it was always going to be a tough ask trying to attack and not get dissected by their front 3 in less than 4 passes.

Martinelli rinsed Trent for the better part of the match, just unlucky that we don't have the quality of Vlahovic in the box. Laca is one of us but once he started dropping deep and picking the ball, we had no chance to trouble them.

All in all, nothing to be upset about from our POV. They're years ahead of us. Our time will (hopefully) come. Villa is a massive game!

[Gunner Rob]

Arteta pretty much summed it up when he said that box to box we more than matched them but it was in both boxes that the game was won/lost.

Ramsdale has been outstanding this season and will be there or thereabouts when it comes to voting for our POTS but that was very poor last night, Almunia-esque dare I say.

Also Gabriel was very poor for the second (after Partey and Saka also both should have properly cleared the danger) completely losing sight of Firmihno and letting him run off him. I thought Gabriel was slow of mind a few times last night, seemed to dwell of the ball a few times while working out what to do with it, not his best game for the club by a long stretch.

At the other end Martinelli was absolutely superb but every time he skinned TAA he had fuck all options in the box to deliver the killer ball to. If we were to get a goal last night he was going to be man to do it though, head and shoulders our best player in the pitch. Laca was good at linking play and holding it up first half but was anonymous in the second and Saka had one of his worst games for the club, completely ineffectual.

Odegaard never really got going either but as much as it pains me to say it that victims team are fucking excellent, they grab you by the throat and slowly squeeze you to death. They gave us fuck all time on the ball swarming all.

With the fire power advantage they have over city they’re massive now favourites to win the league in my book

Ramsdale has been poor for a while now.
I would consider dropping him for a couple of games - show him that he has competition in Leno

[augie]

We have played City and Liverpool twice and Chelsea once and in those 5 games have scored once and conceded 15 goals, complete bottle jobs.

This was my over-riding feelings after the game too - it wasnt a big shock that we lost cos they are a far better team than we are right now, but yet again as soon as we conceded our heads were gone and the game was lost. Top of the list of bottle jobs for me last night was saka and odeargod - saka in particular was atrocious and his attitude was summed up early in the game last night when he had a chance to take on van dijk in a 1 v 1 but bottled it and went backwards with the ball instead If you watch that first half again you should pay close attention to how much time odeargod hid out on the right wing when the ball was over on the far side from him - he made barely any runs across the pitch looking to get on the ball and seemed happy to be nowhere near it. I keep telling my own lads when they are playing, not every touch a centre midfielder gets has to be a killer pass or assist, but they need to keep getting on the ball anyway, and last night he didnt want it. Ramsdale loves all the arrogance and attention but the problem with that is that you then have to back that up with performances, and last night right from the start (when he flapped at a cross) he seemed all over the place and his "effort" for first goal was shocking

In a way I will give arteta some tiny bit of praise last night - last night he recognised that the 3 players who have been getting all the love and praise lately were absolutely garbage, but he didnt shy from taking them off. Personally I would probably have subbed xhaka for smith-rowe and pushed odeargod into midfield when we went 1 down, but at the same time I wont fault any of his changes.

One last quick question - is it just me or did the victims target ben white last night ? Just before half time they almost exposed him when they put mane through, so it wasnt just the first goal where he was caught out.

Finally kudo's to martinelli for being our ONLY ATTACKING THREAT last night - needs to be said that he cant keep doing the same thing cos teams will get wise to him, but his work-rate and directness was pleasing again last night

[Clummo99]

Oh come on. Ramsdale hasn't been poor he's made a few mistakes that's all. He's a young keeper still learning his job. Errors will happen as they do with all keepers regardless. Allison, Mendy, de Gea even Ederson have dropped some howlers far outwaying anything Ramsdale has done recently. I wouldn't swap any of them for our No. 1.

Dropping him won't achieve anything positive imo. Leno coming in would probably see as many if not more mistakes.

[robbo10]

We have played City and Liverpool twice and Chelsea once and in those 5 games have scored once and conceded 15 goals, complete bottle jobs.

This was my over-riding feelings after the game too - it wasnt a big shock that we lost cos they are a far better team than we are right now, but yet again as soon as we conceded our heads were gone and the game was lost. Top of the list of bottle jobs for me last night was saka and odeargod - saka in particular was atrocious and his attitude was summed up early in the game last night when he had a chance to take on van dijk in a 1 v 1 but bottled it and went backwards with the ball instead If you watch that first half again you should pay close attention to how much time odeargod hid out on the right wing when the ball was over on the far side from him - he made barely any runs across the pitch looking to get on the ball and seemed happy to be nowhere near it. I keep telling my own lads when they are playing, not every touch a centre midfielder gets has to be a killer pass or assist, but they need to keep getting on the ball anyway, and last night he didnt want it. Ramsdale loves all the arrogance and attention but the problem with that is that you then have to back that up with performances, and last night right from the start (when he flapped at a cross) he seemed all over the place and his "effort" for first goal was shocking

In a way I will give arteta some tiny bit of praise last night - last night he recognised that the 3 players who have been getting all the love and praise lately were absolutely garbage, but he didnt shy from taking them off. Personally I would probably have subbed xhaka for smith-rowe and pushed odeargod into midfield when we went 1 down, but at the same time I wont fault any of his changes.

One last quick question - is it just me or did the victims target ben white last night ? Just before half time they almost exposed him when they put mane through, so it wasnt just the first goal where he was caught out.

Finally kudo's to martinelli for being our ONLY ATTACKING THREAT last night - needs to be said that he cant keep doing the same thing cos teams will get wise to him, but his work-rate and directness was pleasing again last night

I thought the same about saka tbh but didn’t want to have to climb into the shelter and find my tin hat by mentioning it,he really don’t (to me anyway) seem like a big game player,he seemed weak and a little afraid yesterday,scared to fail by using the ability he has,and he does have ability,but I’d love to see some more real aggression from him,leave a foot in on someone,when he lost the ball for the second goal he didn’t jump up to retrieve it,he meandered back too late,whereas Martinelli looked bang up for the big game,bang up to show what he can do,even the last few minutes when he was fucked he still tried to skin Arnold,
I just hope Saka don’t become another lesbian hair Nasri,doing it against the small clubs but going missing against the big ones,

[GoonerMuzz]

I have to agree with Wilson, inexperience is probably our biggest deficiency (apart from Xhaka)

Another couple of seasons and Martinelli and Saka won't make the mistakes they make fairly regularly currently, the defence should be much much clearer on their responsibilities individually and collectively provided we can keep this team together.

We are all desperate for success, we crave it after years of humiliation against the top teams but we are not there yet.

Individually quite a few of our players are better than theirs but as a whole, as has been shown against worse teams than the victims, we are still learning.

Go back 10 or 20 years and none of us would be expecting what we are getting from not one but 3 young talents, Anelka was a one off Reyes and others too.

Last night's result is frustrating, aggravating and downright pissed me off but in the cold light of day the reality is I didn't expect to beat them so it is less of a big deal and I think for me what makes it worse was we were in the main competitive without being clinical but the final score doesn't look like it.

[blair207]

I cant stand the commentary around the defeat. Some saying we bottled it because we didnt take advantage of dominating the first half. Comparing it to the City game - which was sabotaged by the ref & VAR. We didnt bottle it, we lost to a better, more cohesive and more experienced team.

Liverpool are ahead of us, their teams cycle is at the peak, all their key players are late twenties to early 30's. Where as our key players have just began their careers. Yes its frustrating to not be able to play the full 90 minutes and make the most of our dominance in the opening half, but we are still a progress.

We are not that far away. The younger lads are gaining more experience and belief. For instance I think Martinelli will be better next year with a full pre season behind him, as well as the fact I think he will make the Brazil World Cup squad. Time will make these players better. Fucking Martinelli, once he irons out the deficiencies, oh my god, he is going to be unreal . I said before I think he is a future ballon dor winner and I still believe it.

We also need to sign first team replacements for Lacazette and Xhaka and reinforce the squad with more depth. Arteta is hungry for it. He isnt passive like Wenger. He is a good tactician but like the team still trails Klopp and Gaurdiola in experience, but you can tell he is a good manager who is firmly in control. I cant stand this commentary that we need a 'proper manager' who has 'won somthin', like Allegri? LIke Conte? Like that knob head in Rome. Swap Arteta for Mouirnho? Fuck off!!!

Its so obvious we have a pathway to success. It really is a case of 'trust the process'

I feel Arteta is hungry too, and isn’t just going through the same old playbook of signing washed up failures from Chelsea etc. We lost avoidable goals last night but the days of losing 3 in the first 20 min against big teams seem to be over. He is trying to build a squad that can trouble the big teams.
Getting 4th place is important as it will boost our confidence. Letting it slip out of our grasp to Spurs and Conte would be setback. The Villa game is now a huge test of where we really are. If we can raise ourselves and win a vital game after a midweek game against top opposition that will be a massive 3 points.

[augie]

Oh come on. Ramsdale hasn't been poor he's made a few mistakes that's all. He's a young keeper still learning his job. Errors will happen as they do with all keepers regardless. Allison, Mendy, de Gea even Ederson have dropped some howlers far outwaying anything Ramsdale has done recently. I wouldn't swap any of them for our No. 1.

Dropping him won't achieve anything positive imo. Leno coming in would probably see as many if not more mistakes.

All I said is that he was poor last night - He came for a cross early in the game and basically hung an arm up in the air rather than actually go for the ball, he was absolutely woeful for the goal, and straight after the goal he dithered on the ball and had his clearance charged down. I'm not suggesting that he is a bad keeper or that I want him replaced, but I am saying that last night he shit himself, and that flies in the face of a guy who likes to give it the big un

[DB10GOONER]

Oh come on. Ramsdale hasn't been poor he's made a few mistakes that's all. He's a young keeper still learning his job. Errors will happen as they do with all keepers regardless. Allison, Mendy, de Gea even Ederson have dropped some howlers far outwaying anything Ramsdale has done recently. I wouldn't swap any of them for our No. 1.

Dropping him won't achieve anything positive imo. Leno coming in would probably see as many if not more mistakes.

All I said is that he was poor last night - He came for a cross early in the game and basically hung an arm up in the air rather than actually go for the ball, he was absolutely woeful for the goal, and straight after the goal he dithered on the ball and had his clearance charged down. I'm not suggesting that he is a bad keeper or that I want him replaced, but I am saying that last night he shit himself, and that flies in the face of a guy who likes to give it the big un

Absolutely bang on the money augie. I've been one of Ramsdale's most full on supporters since he joined. He's been brilliant in many games and is rightfully our number one. But last night he was terrible when it mattered.

I'm getting sick of this shit where if someone says it like it is they are suddenly being "over the top".

It's a forum. It's about different opinions. No player is perfect. When they play well they get hailed. When they play shit they get rightfully criticised. Some people are like schoolkids that get personally offended if their club or a player gets criticised! Grow up ffs!

[Clummo99]

Oh come on. Ramsdale hasn't been poor he's made a few mistakes that's all. He's a young keeper still learning his job. Errors will happen as they do with all keepers regardless. Allison, Mendy, de Gea even Ederson have dropped some howlers far outwaying anything Ramsdale has done recently. I wouldn't swap any of them for our No. 1.

Dropping him won't achieve anything positive imo. Leno coming in would probably see as many if not more mistakes.

All I said is that he was poor last night - He came for a cross early in the game and basically hung an arm up in the air rather than actually go for the ball, he was absolutely woeful for the goal, and straight after the goal he dithered on the ball and had his clearance charged down. I'm not suggesting that he is a bad keeper or that I want him replaced, but I am saying that last night he shit himself, and that flies in the face of a guy who likes to give it the big un

I wasn't actually referring to anything you posted mate.

[SteveO 35]

Can someone tell me why 4th place is even remotely exciting?

Clue: none of the money it generates is yours and nor will any of it make any difference as it didn't at any point under Kroenke 2011 to 2017

No one said it's exciting but it's essential to get back to challenging for the title. You have to get to 4th before you get to 1st.
Until the stadium got paid off the money never got put back into the squad. By the time we had the money to spend the rot had well and truly set in. Taken 4 years to renovate the team but keep building and by finishing 4th that'll help us get us challenging again. This team with 3 new top quality additions will be pushing Liverpool and City next season. We've seen how far we have developed from August to January. That progress needs to continue and 4th place is a key marker. Surely you can recognise that?
Kroenke has achieved his goal in the NFL now they'll focus on achieving the same in soccer, with us, which ultimately is CL success.

4th place is available because Manchester United have been utter shit - 50m on Wan Bissaka, 85m on Maguire, 60m on Fred, 80m on Sancho, 100m on Pogba. They are an absolute fucking disgrace but as Scholes said the other day, a better manager will get them back to the right level.

If this current squad finishes 4th with Kroenke's lack of investment behind them, it will be a one off, before the squad of 17 players can't cope with 2 matches per week and we'll be back 7th or 8th quicker than you realise. 4th in this league is a distance behind 1st and 2nd and if you think just pipping an awful Man U and Spurs to 4th is somehow progress towards a title then I'm afraid I don't buy that logic at all

[the playing mantis]

Villa must win now on Saturday.

What actually has Xhaka done this whole game? He's not made one telling contribution apart from a standard crossfield ball in the 1st half.

The comments on here are hilarious.
Why must Villa win on Saturday ?

Can I remind you that before tonight we had won 9 of our previous 11 PL games.
Since mid December we have now only lost to City and Liverpool who happen to be two of the best club sides in the world.
Get a grip.

i think he means its a must win.

not villa must win, as we are going to collapse.

[the playing mantis]

We have played City and Liverpool twice and Chelsea once and in those 5 games have scored once and conceded 15 goals, complete bottle jobs.

This was my over-riding feelings after the game too - it wasnt a big shock that we lost cos they are a far better team than we are right now, but yet again as soon as we conceded our heads were gone and the game was lost. Top of the list of bottle jobs for me last night was saka and odeargod - saka in particular was atrocious and his attitude was summed up early in the game last night when he had a chance to take on van dijk in a 1 v 1 but bottled it and went backwards with the ball instead If you watch that first half again you should pay close attention to how much time odeargod hid out on the right wing when the ball was over on the far side from him - he made barely any runs across the pitch looking to get on the ball and seemed happy to be nowhere near it. I keep telling my own lads when they are playing, not every touch a centre midfielder gets has to be a killer pass or assist, but they need to keep getting on the ball anyway, and last night he didnt want it. Ramsdale loves all the arrogance and attention but the problem with that is that you then have to back that up with performances, and last night right from the start (when he flapped at a cross) he seemed all over the place and his "effort" for first goal was shocking

In a way I will give arteta some tiny bit of praise last night - last night he recognised that the 3 players who have been getting all the love and praise lately were absolutely garbage, but he didnt shy from taking them off. Personally I would probably have subbed xhaka for smith-rowe and pushed odeargod into midfield when we went 1 down, but at the same time I wont fault any of his changes.

One last quick question - is it just me or did the victims target ben white last night ? Just before half time they almost exposed him when they put mane through, so it wasnt just the first goal where he was caught out.

Finally kudo's to martinelli for being our ONLY ATTACKING THREAT last night - needs to be said that he cant keep doing the same thing cos teams will get wise to him, but his work-rate and directness was pleasing again last night

I thought the same about saka tbh but didn’t want to have to climb into the shelter and find my tin hat by mentioning it,he really don’t (to me anyway) seem like a big game player,he seemed weak and a little afraid yesterday,scared to fail by using the ability he has,and he does have ability,but I’d love to see some more real aggression from him,leave a foot in on someone,when he lost the ball for the second goal he didn’t jump up to retrieve it,he meandered back too late,whereas Martinelli looked bang up for the big game,bang up to show what he can do,even the last few minutes when he was fucked he still tried to skin Arnold,
I just hope Saka don’t become another lesbian hair Nasri,doing it against the small clubs but going missing against the big ones,

i said this about saka earlier here. he very young still which we forget at times but he hasn't done it in any big game, but then i suppose none of out players have as we always lose against the rest of the 'big 6'

Ramsdale has been good but all his billy big bollox and shenanigan's and ballyhoo need to be matched by performances. i think in recant months he's let his standards slip and been average compared to his early season form.

Some of us may have overreacted but i think for me its to temper the disappointment if we do collapse and allow the scum in...expect the worst and you wont be disappointed!

as for those saying 4th is pointless as we wont compete in cl, well what's the point in turning up for the league if we don't want to finish as high as possible? we might as well not bother. Yes we may be stuffed if we did make it, but we don't know, and we don't know that wiggy will invest or not. I maintain he's never been shy in spending his crime his letting idiots spend it and being hands off and not giving a shit how its spent and letting things drift.

Finally its important to not let the scum get top 4 as it will hamper them massively, that's reason alone to hope we get top 4 to fuck them over, but i now fear we will collapse...villa away is the sort of game we lose, shame not a piss easy Brighton away as the sum had off the back of 6 straight defeats crowd unrest and drop down the table...some luck eh...

[Nos89]

Can someone tell me why 4th place is even remotely exciting?

Clue: none of the money it generates is yours and nor will any of it make any difference as it didn't at any point under Kroenke 2011 to 2017

No one said it's exciting but it's essential to get back to challenging for the title. You have to get to 4th before you get to 1st.
Until the stadium got paid off the money never got put back into the squad. By the time we had the money to spend the rot had well and truly set in. Taken 4 years to renovate the team but keep building and by finishing 4th that'll help us get us challenging again. This team with 3 new top quality additions will be pushing Liverpool and City next season. We've seen how far we have developed from August to January. That progress needs to continue and 4th place is a key marker. Surely you can recognise that?
Kroenke has achieved his goal in the NFL now they'll focus on achieving the same in soccer, with us, which ultimately is CL success.

4th place is available because Manchester United have been utter shit - 50m on Wan Bissaka, 85m on Maguire, 60m on Fred, 80m on Sancho, 100m on Pogba. They are an absolute fucking disgrace but as Scholes said the other day, a better manager will get them back to the right level.

If this current squad finishes 4th with Kroenke's lack of investment behind them, it will be a one off, before the squad of 17 players can't cope with 2 matches per week and we'll be back 7th or 8th quicker than you realise. 4th in this league is a distance behind 1st and 2nd and if you think just pipping an awful Man U and Spurs to 4th is somehow progress towards a title then I'm afraid I don't buy that logic at all

Well, what is logical progress to you?
Finish 8th, followed by 4th/ 5th or 6th is surely progress??

[SteveO 35]

Can someone tell me why 4th place is even remotely exciting?

Clue: none of the money it generates is yours and nor will any of it make any difference as it didn't at any point under Kroenke 2011 to 2017

No one said it's exciting but it's essential to get back to challenging for the title. You have to get to 4th before you get to 1st.
Until the stadium got paid off the money never got put back into the squad. By the time we had the money to spend the rot had well and truly set in. Taken 4 years to renovate the team but keep building and by finishing 4th that'll help us get us challenging again. This team with 3 new top quality additions will be pushing Liverpool and City next season. We've seen how far we have developed from August to January. That progress needs to continue and 4th place is a key marker. Surely you can recognise that?
Kroenke has achieved his goal in the NFL now they'll focus on achieving the same in soccer, with us, which ultimately is CL success.

4th place is available because Manchester United have been utter shit - 50m on Wan Bissaka, 85m on Maguire, 60m on Fred, 80m on Sancho, 100m on Pogba. They are an absolute fucking disgrace but as Scholes said the other day, a better manager will get them back to the right level.

If this current squad finishes 4th with Kroenke's lack of investment behind them, it will be a one off, before the squad of 17 players can't cope with 2 matches per week and we'll be back 7th or 8th quicker than you realise. 4th in this league is a distance behind 1st and 2nd and if you think just pipping an awful Man U and Spurs to 4th is somehow progress towards a title then I'm afraid I don't buy that logic at all

Well, what is logical progress to you?
Finish 8th, followed by 4th/ 5th or 6th is surely progress??

Progress relative to how absolutely shite we have been for the past 2 years, yes. Reminder - Wenger finished 6th in his last season. Emery finished 5th in his one season. So finishing 8th twice in a row is going backwards. Finishing 5th puts us back to where we were 3 years ago.

4th would be a sign of progress. However, if it ends up being a one off and we drop straight back down to 7th, would it be meaningful progress

Your assertion is that 4th will be the start of continual progression, and I'm just reminding you that under this owner we had years of finishing 4th and it didn't lead to any sort of progression......in fact that loser mentality eventually lead to us falling out of the top 4 for the past five years