PL: Southampton vs Arsenal | 10/05/17 | 19.45 BST

[krackpot]

Can you stop praising players when they are doing well. That is not what fans do. Start hating.

you're not a real fan until you hate your teams best player *for reasons unknown*

 

[Mark Tobias]

I'm going to be all controversial and say Wenger won us that last night. Yes the Sanchez goal was a moment of brilliance but we were not great individually last night and I felt our formation really pulled us through. Of course Southampton had no idea what they were doing in the second half, so that also helped.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Oh and Ramsey. I've been hating. BUt wow lad, keep it up!

 

[mm76]

Just seen our game against Stoke is at Saturday we have only 3 days is wenger going to play the same line up for the 3rd time in space of 7 days? it's risky if we play the same line up our players will be so tried in 2nd half.

corrected the timings for you - but you're right, he should play a more workmanlike team against Stoke - no Özil and no Ramsey, possbily no Welbeck who looked less lively last night overall

i'd bring in El Neny, Iwobi and Perez instead

 

[mm76]

I'm going to be all controversial and say Wenger won us that last night. Yes the Sanchez goal was a moment of brilliance but we were not great individually last night and I felt our formation really pulled us through. Of course Southampton had no idea what they were doing in the second half, so that also helped.

i wouldn't give him much credit for the formation - it's a formation he was forced into when it was too late and only because he was under pressure - everyone was saying that's what Arsenal should do

he didn't lead, he followed...

 

[Mark Tobias]

i wouldn't give him much credit for the formation - it's a formation he was forced into when it was too late and only because he was under pressure - everyone was saying that's what Arsenal should do

he didn't lead, he followed...

That is exactly what I said to my 'Wenger in' mate and boy did I get a mouthful. LOL.

COme to think of it, that mate speaks exactly like Trax.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

Surprised we got that win, and we even deserved it.
Clean sheet and now on to Mordor. Not that I believe we'll make the Top 4 but at least we're not totally throwing the season away.

Sad for Ox that he'll probably miss the rest of the season, he just can't string more than ten games in succession together.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

 

[bingobob]

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

I'm curious as to which teams they've played against.

I know since Palace he has started every game since then we've beaten United, City and Southampton only losing to Sp**s. Not bad for a **** midfielder.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Missed the game tonight but watched highlights on Sky. Fantastic goals.

Few negatives though, looking shaky without Kos, Ox doing his usual injury and lots of stray passes again.

Will need to tighten up for Stoke

I thought Mustafi was boss in the centre. We didn't start well but by 30 minutes we were well and truly in control of this fixture. They just got worse and worse as the game went on.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Surprised we got that win, and we even deserved it.
Clean sheet and now on to Mordor. Not that I believe we'll make the Top 4 but at least we're not totally throwing the season away.

Sad for Ox that he'll probably miss the rest of the season, he just can't string more than ten games in succession together.

And he was our best player on the pitch at the moment of substitution.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

That the big problem with Ox every time he start performing for 2-3 months then he got hamstring or thigh injury it seem his body can't take it and that's really surprising because Ox body strength is great.

 

[Jasard]

That the big problem with Ox every time he start performing for 2-3 months then he got hamstring or thigh injury it seem his body can't take it and that's really surprising because Ox body strength is great.

English curse

 

[fabo]

Nice to beat these ******* on their home turf, annoying shower.

All about Sanchez really. Unbelievable goal and made the second aswell. Özil laboured yet again forcing Sanchez to do his job.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Nice to beat these ******* on their home turf, annoying shower.

All about Sanchez really. Unbelievable goal and made the second aswell. Özil laboured yet again forcing Sanchez to do his job.

In this new system Sanchez is required to create as well as score. I prefer him up top but Wenger seems to like what he brings in a more withdrawn role.

Sanchez drops deep on his own accord, Özil is 'forcing' him to do nothing.

 

[4R5Emaniac]

Ramsey was one of our best players? We couldn't control a game against Southampton's B grade midfield majority of the time. He started a bit brightly but his technical level is ridiculously ****. All he did was not screw up. And agenda, you must be kidding. If he was called Elneny, was a muslim, of any nationality than British and basically the same player people would want him to struck by lightning. And Wenger wouldn't even play him let alone give him countless chances on huge wages.

 

[fabo]

There was one touch from Ramsey towards the end outside their box that was truly horrific............Gary Glitter-esque. He got about the pitch fairly well though but I still don't think we have the internal options to get a functioning title-winning midfield.

 

[bingobob]

Ramsey was one of our best players? We couldn't control a game against Southampton's B grade midfield majority of the time. He started a bit brightly but his technical level is ridiculously ****. All he did was not screw up. And agenda, you must be kidding. If he was called Elneny, was a muslim, of any nationality than British and basically the same player people would want him to struck by lightning. And Wenger wouldn't even play him let alone give him countless chances on huge wages.

So am I right in thinking Ramsey is picked over Elneny or others because he is white and British so basically you think Wenger is racist? As is anyone who would prefer to have Ramsey starting for us?

I find it extraordinary the lengths people go to critical Ramsey. Well let's look at the stats. This season Ramsey the loser of possession has a higher average pass completion than the possession king Mesut Özil. 87.1 vs 86.6. Ramsey from a deeper position has 8 assists vs Özils 11 (remove the euros it's 4 vs 10). Key passes 1.3 vs 2.6 and most surprising of all bad touches per game 1.6 vs 1.8, Ramsey having less bad touches on average per game than Özil.

All from whoscored for this season, for assists i have removed the euros which conversely would bring Ramsey upto 8 assists. I await the usual that's stats, Ramsey has played less (please bring that argument up because having played less and been injured more one would expect Ramsey to have more mistakes as he builds up match sharpness)

 

[Cruisio]

There was one touch from Ramsey towards the end outside their box that was truly horrific............Gary Glitter-esque. He got about the pitch fairly well though but I still don't think we have the internal options to get a functioning title-winning midfield.

I remember that touch, was truly shocking. He knew it as well.

Right now this formation is covering up a lot of the teams frailties, which is good, it's what a good formation is supposed to do and last night we actually looked like we were getting to grips with it.

I'm not Ramsey's biggest fan either but I give credit where credit is due and he's been much improved. The change really does get the best out of him and really, he's the only one we've got that makes those smart runs from midfield. Unless we go out and get someone else we're going to need him. Keep it up Rambo, you can see the increase in confidence already

 

[4R5Emaniac]

So am I right in thinking Ramsey is picked over Elneny or others because he is white and British so basically you think Wenger is racist? As is anyone who would prefer to have Ramsey starting for us?

I find it extraordinary the lengths people go to critical Ramsey. Well let's look at the stats. This season Ramsey the loser of possession has a higher average pass completion than the possession king Mesut Özil. 87.1 vs 86.6. Ramsey from a deeper position has 8 assists vs Özils 11 (remove the euros it's 4 vs 10). Key passes 1.3 vs 2.6 and most surprising of all bad touches per game 1.6 vs 1.8, Ramsey having less bad touches on average per game than Özil.

All from whoscored for this season, for assists i have removed the euros which conversely would bring Ramsey upto 8 assists. I await the usual that's stats, Ramsey has played less (please bring that argument up because having played less and been injured more one would expect Ramsey to have more mistakes as he builds up match sharpness)

Wenger is not racist but he is prone to partiality, favoritism and has his stubborn opinions. Nobody can deny that. As for anyone preferring Ramsey to start is not like that either but having watched him countless times and the overwhelming evidence supporting his pretty evident flaws and weaknesses its difficult to see sense in wanting him to start. However, people have preferences, opinions and different ways of looking at a player. Personally, don't see anything but a mid table runner with bundles of energy with not much else who thinks he is a superstar. Poor passing, too slow in the head on top of being pretty slow physically, touch/control/dribbling-atrocious to the point he has to run backwards to make space-, selfish and a glory hunter.

As for comparison with Özil- If you are not aware, I'm anti Özil. However, what you will never find in stats is the technique, weight on a pass, whether it was the right pass or not. In those measures Özil wins against Ramsey hands down consistently.

Another pretty important point is Özil plays in the final third for club and country who are likely to enjoy ball possession more compared so his game is to make risky and difficult passes. Compare that to Ramsey playing in midfield for Arsenal in a deeper role where there are easier passing options and the game demands him to make more of them. As for Wales, Ramsey played a box to boxish no.10 role behind the forwards in a technically inferior team who have no choice but to set up in a reactive way which made Ramsey's role pretty straight forward with few targets to find in Bale or/and another forward. Also having more conservative, tactically aware and better passers behind covers a few flaws. All those situations he shines in is unlikely to occur at Arsenal unless we keep dropping down the table, lose our top players and become a perma mid table battling team.

And whoscored is not 100% reliable while again, stats need context and to be interpreted properly.

We have had injury prone players. Even more injury prone than Ramsey and actually less athletic too. Rosicky and Van Persie for example didn't require much match sharpness to not make mistakes and have good games. Heh, RVP's stats and performances despite his injuries are astonishing. Then there is Diaby and Ramsey.

That said, Ramsey's performances and demeanor over the recent games has been better than usual. He is not that good a player in reality to actually achieve much more but attitude and work ethic was its a positive.