Arsenal 3 Villa 1 post match thread

[The_ads]

I think net zero spending and an average manager was never really going to see us do anything much this season.

We’ve spent £200m mate.

[Allan C]

It’s not the players.

Of course it was the players, they were absolutely rubbish, I can’t think of one who played well with the exception of Emi

[Vegas]

The formation was shit but you can also blame the players for that first half. It’s maddening it took so long to change in the game, and that we’ve persisted with it for so many games.

It’s all down to deciding he needs to play Watkins and Ings

[KRS]

Total dog shit.

[Villa Lew]

After a dreadful first half, much better 2nd half and the ridiculous thing is Ramsey and Watkins had too very decent chances late on, for us to get a point.

[PaulWinch again]

Terrible and no doubt he’ll rock out the 3 centre halves again next game. If I’m the owners I’m rapidly losing patience.

[ChicagoLion]

It’s not the players.

Of course it was the players, they were absolutely rubbish, I can’t think of one who played well with the exception of Emi

so who manages the players ?

[Vegas]

It’s not the players.

Of course it was the players, they were absolutely rubbish, I can’t think of one who played well with the exception of Emi

so who manages the players ?

What’s the point of this argument - it was obviously both in the first half, terrible formation, terrible individual performances

[Proposition Joe]

That performance, and my opinion of it, can best be summarised by the espresso scene in Mulholland Drive.

Going forward, for the next game we need this:

Martinez

Cash
Konsa
Mings
Targett

McGinn
Luiz
Ramsey

Bailey
Watkins
Buendia

By the end of the season, I think Sanson could/should displace McGinn.  For all his qualities, McGinn is too frantic and gives the ball away way too much.  I also thing Traore for Buendia may be the better option a lot of the time. Ings is a tough one - he's a good finisher, but Watkins is way more mobile and we need a pressing forward in the 4-3-3.

[Ian.]

That was the worst I’ve seen us this season. I missed the Watford game but that can go down as a lack of preparation. Tonight was just a shambles from kick off. This system is not working, our once quite solid defence looks useless.

It’s worrying how after the last two performances we’ve carried on with this set-up. There’s no reason to play it every week, especially when we have better options in the bench.

[BC Villain]

That first half was absolutely disgraceful - was up there with Kevin Macdonald's "effort" at Spurs in 15/16.
Dean Smith's pig-headedness is going to cost him his job.

[Bobby Boy]

This wasn't about Villa. This was about Smith.

Set us up well and we have a chance. Get it badly wrong as Smith did and we have no chance.

That first half was the worst since the relegation season.

We have a good team and an average manager.

A change will be made.

[Drummond]

Not much to say.

That was awful yet we drew the second half playing 4-3-3.

What I find completely baffling is that we all knew that 4-3-3 was the way to go before the match. And that 10 minutes in it was clearly what needed to happen. By 30 minutes it was the only way to proceed yet we waited til half time when the game was already effectively done.

[markeeeebeeee2005]

Goalkeeper was the best player and we let three in. Smith a big fat zero today.

[AV82EC]

That first half was beyond awful. What on earth was he doing waiting to half time to change it?

Second half better but we couldn't have been any worse. Only plus point was return to 4-3-3, Tuanzebe, Buendia and Ings off and the semblance of some attacking threat. Good to see Ramsey on the scoresheet.  I'm too annoyed to do scores on the doors, but rest assured Dean won't be scoring more than 1/10.