Arsenal 3 Villa 1 post match thread

[brontebilly]

The goal from the corner - why was 5 foot 10 inches McGinn marking their centre half?

Doesn't remotely excuse McGinn's lack of effort. Should be trying to block off Parteys's run. Instead he hid.

[Monty]

What’s really worrying is that each of the defeats has happened in a different way, featuring three teams who beat us tactically by three different methods. I wonder if we’ll ever run out of ways to skin a Villa.

[Drummond]

I thought Mings was a bit lucky that Lacazette didn't make more out of that elbow early on too, gave him a nice clip.

Not in the slightest, Mings had his arms up before Lacazette got off the ground, the little twat jumped into his arm and then threw himself over like he'd been snipered. Bought the penalty as well, the one thing I agree with Smith on from the post match was that the penalty was soft and the whistle should've gone as soon as it was saved (given it was awarded after the ref had blown for halftime). going in 1-0 down would've massively flattered us but it was a very cheap goal.

All of the schoolboy football magazines, in any quiz about the rules, mention the thing about penalties being taken after the half / full time whistle has blown so that is a schoolboy error by the referee. But I hadn’t thought about it.

Because the match was taken back by VAR, the clock is too to the point where the infringement occurred. At that point there were at least 8 seconds on the clock. So there was time for the rebound to be played.

[Drummond]

The absolute worst thing is we've got to wait an age before we can see the team play again.
I, just like the Villa ( because the stats don't lie) hate Friday night football with a passion.

That's not the first time we've done that and come a cropper for it either.

[Bobby Boy]

The goal from the corner - why was 5 foot 10 inches McGinn marking their centre half?

For me too many of our players know that however badly they play they will never be dropped - Mings, being a prime example

We need to win next week or their will be massive pressure on The board to make a decision on smith’s future

Can't see us beating West Ham. Tougher game than the 3 we've just lost.

Not a fixture you'd choose if you're under pressure.

[Mister E]

What’s really worrying is that each of the defeats has happened in a different way, featuring three teams who beat us tactically by three different methods. I wonder if we’ll ever run out of ways to skin a Villa.

yep, good observation.

[Pat McMahon]

Not much to add to this thread. Our worst performance since the first half at Watford.

What is annoying is that Arsenal can be jittery if you get at them and we were utterly dominated in terms of physical effort, enthusiasm and athleticism. We were very lucky to be only a goal down until the penalty- I haven’t watched any highlights back so no idea if it was justified or not, but I have heard that the ref was right to allow the rebound and not just blow up after Martinez’s save.

Slightly better second half but we are porous in defence, ponderous in midfield and the front two look like strangers who’ve been given a task to do on the Apprentice. Even Martinez seemed at fault for their opening goal. The 532 hasn’t been working for a few weeks, though last night was as much a story of poor performance and attitude as much as formation, so I would go back to 433 where the wide players at least carry some threat

Our fans were very subdued and when they came over at the end there were a small number of boos. In contrast, the Arsenal fans were livelier than I’ve heard them at the Emirates. All in all, a shit night.

[Hookeysmith]

Its quite simple

Manager (as much as ai really like the bloke) needs to grow a pair and drop the seemingly undroppable

Mings - 80% good / 20% cock up waiting to happen has suddenly swapped the ratio - would rather Hause next to Konsa

McGinn - at his very best he is an average mid table player - forget all the "One of the lads" comments - he simply is not good enough. Get Sansom fit and get him out

Watkins - currently stinking the place out - control awful (Heskyesque at times) poor decision making, awful shooting ability and simply not the player he was (could it be the England curse as usual?)

Tuanzebe - I'll take the mug back to red filth myself - should never of entertained loaning him from them

Get back to basics
Get back to the successful back 4 (3 5 2 and a win was not tactical genius - more a case of United being shite)

Get balance and ball players in the middle (i will scream like Flanders if McGinn tries another woeful Zidane pass directly to the opposition) Get Sanson in there sharpish

Ings in the middle supported by Buendia on right and Bailey on left

9 out of next 12 or it could be curtains for Dean im afraid

[dcdavecollett]

Pawson and Oliver are supposed to be two of the more competent refs in the Prem, but I can't see a 'clear and obvious' reason to give that penalty against the original decision. Targett clearly plays the ball -he may slightly have grazed Lacazette (who never saw an area of grass he didn't want to lie down on) as well. Lacazette possibly fouls Targett just before the incident as well.

Dean is rightly criticised for the formation, but his comments about shapes being irrelevant makes no sense when you consider the changes he made at half-time which resulted in a much better performance, as shown by the match-stats.