Arsenal vs Aston Villa match thread

[pauliewalnuts]

Smith is a chancer.

Laughably short of where we thought we would be.

Currently nestled in 13th place.

[charlatan]

If he has already blown for HT and subsequently gives a VAR penalty, but then the keeper saves the penalty, surely the ref should blow again straight away as soon as the penalty is saved? Or is there a special VAR rule which says he shouldn't do so?

[placeforparks]

disgraceful.

[LukeJames]

We've beat this the last 3 times playing 4-3-3. Just baffling what he's doing with us.

[Steve67]

Utterly pathetic all round.   Cheating Lacazette wanker, threw himself to the ground.  Crap all round.  Not one of them, other than Emi been any good.  Several passengers.  Luiz, Buendia is walking around. All clueless, and that bastard Carragher can fuck off as well. Worse than anything I have seen since we we relegated.

[Villan82]

Worst display since Watford? Or last ten against Wolves?

Never a pen, brilliant dive from Lacazette who has done it all half, but we deserve to be 6 down not 2.

Smith out. Times up. Board need to show some balls and show that they will make the tough calls to keep us moving forward.

We haven't stalled, we have gone backwards!

[pauliewalnuts]

Arsenal 14 attempts - Villa 0

[PaulWinch again]

I’m sorry there have been too many dreadful performances this year. We’re trying to shoe horn players in. It’s a fucking shambles.

[Grocer]

I've always been a big Smith fan but the fact he didn't change anything significantly in that half is a massive concern. It felt so obvious they'd score again before half time. Players all over the place, arguing with each other. Shambolic.

[danno]

Yep. Officially worried now. That was nothing short of abysmal. The 5-3-2 isn't getting the best out of anybody.

[Forge10]

How can we follow a win at OT with this shit. There is no way Dean Smith will be in charge against West Ham…..

[olaftab]

Did the ref blow for half time before the pen?

Makes no difference. It has happened before in other matches where a penalty has been awarded post HT/FT whistle.

[cdbearsfan]

Did the ref blow for half time before the pen?

Yes, but as the incident occurred before he blew, and penalties must always be taken, it was still reviewable.

[Demitri_C]

Forget the pen 0 shots all half. Absolutely shocking and its all on dean smith. Another pathetic display

[markeeeebeeee2005]

This formation is an absolute abomination. Dean and the team have had weeks to come up with something decent and this is it. It’s ugly to watch, easy to walk through and helps us give the ball away again and again.

I don’t get this stubbornness. As soon as most people saw the formation they knew what was coming. But even when the coaches can see it isn’t working they just talk and talk and analyse but change nothing - what’s the point. Game preparation - zero, in game management - zero.

And I’m a big DS fan. It’s like he’s had a labotomy. And what on Earth are the other coaches saying to him when they talk constantly but do nothing. Dog shit Friday night. But at least nobody had a ticket spare so I didn’t waste any money.