EFL Cup | Arsenal vs Southampton | 30/11/16 | 19:45 (GMT)

[carlito'sway]

Gunnerblog on the game tonight.

Arsenal 0-2 Southampton - "Arsenal headed out of cup - Jenkinson headed out of Arsenal?"

http://news.arseblog.com/2016/11/vi...istle/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

 

[skip spence]

Good riddance not having to play a double header against the likes of United in the semis. Let Mourinho target the EFL cup for all I care.

*yawns*

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

Couldn't care less about this cup, and so did some of the players yesterday it seems to me.

At least we won't be playing more games in January than we already do.

 

[4R5Emaniac]

Meh, don't really care about this apart from youngsters gaining match experience.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Iwobi gets a 6.5/10 the rest of them can **** off. Absolute garbage

 

[bingobob]

My brother was at the match, he just happened to be in London and picked a ticket up. Said 2minutes he went and put a bet on Southampton to win as they looked up for it and Arsenal seemed not to be bothered.

Haven't seen anything myself but I'll take him at his word. Very disappointing. A chance to get into a cup semi final should be something you are up for.

 

[haha_arsenal]

good thing it's the least wanted cup,
if the team take this as a big slap in the face and concentrate more

 

[Mike Vinna]

Didn't watch the game but the line-up looked wrong from the start for me. Should have started the team that was playing after the subs. Xhaka and Ox haven't played that much and Wenger could've given AMN the nod while Jenko isn't very convincing to say the least..

 

[Penn_]

What's the view on Perez? I didn't think alot of what his was trying to do came off, but it looked like he would link well with Alexis and Özil.

 

[Makingtrax]

We've got fantastic strength in depth, Wenger just decided not to use most of it tonight.

Very much played our C side.

The defence is the worst Bellerin, Mustafi, Kos, Monreal are superb but Jenkinson is all over the place and nervous, Gabriel's positioning is poor and he's still making rash decisions, Holding is work in progress, Gibbs is the only one I'd call a half decent back up for this level.

 

[Makingtrax]

Absolute garbage

Didn't think it was that good.

 

[Jasard]

Ramsey should be on his last legs here. Just not happening for him, only reason I'd keep him around is to see if another manager can revive him.

 

[celestis]

Meh, don't really care about this apart from youngsters gaining match experience.

And I was actually impressed with some of them , in the first part of the 2nd half they created more chances , than the senior team did against Soton earlier this season .

 

[4R5Emaniac]

And I was actually impressed with some of them , in the first part of the 2nd half they created more chances , than the senior team did against Soton earlier this season .

Thats good to know. I didn't catch the game and reliant on you guys eyes'. It would've been nice to see some youngsters in the game but rather not play pointless games. With our injury record some breathing space is welcome.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

It proved yesterday that coq-elneny pairing will never ever work its look Flamini-Arteta all over again. We see the difference when Xhaka came on we look more better offensively.

Also it's proved yesterday that Jenkinson is more like a championship player he nowhere near this level both of Southampton goals goals came from his side first goal he was no where to be seen the 2nd goal he give the ball away in his area.

Also Gabriel-holding did very well specially Gabriel who deal well with long apart from one moment I want Gabriel to start against westham as full back even if he offer us nothing offensively.

 

[A_G]

What's the view on Perez? I didn't think alot of what his was trying to do came off, but it looked like he would link well with Alexis and Özil.

That's exactly what I thought watching him last night. Be interesting to see him get a run with those two in the team.

 

[Trilly]

I'm home now, can sh*t on this performance adequately now

Firstly, Coquelin and Elneny. As a pairing? Nope. Does not work. Xhaka has no reason not to start, especially considering he hasn't exactly been playing every game of late either! The midfield IMO should have been Xhaka-AMN (we'll get to him later).

The triangle of Coquelin-Elneny-Ramsey for the duration they were on, was some of the worst football I'd seen from us this season. Coquelin giving the ball away, Ramsey killing attacks and Elneny struggling to advance the play forward. Jenkinson looked out of his depth again, and at this point, it's likely he won't hit form any time soon. Gibbs was decent but unspectacular, which is pretty much default Gibbs.

Strangely, the two CBs were good, despite the concession of 2 goals. Holding and Gabriel defended quite manfully I thought and limited the amount of clear cut opportunities. It is a shame our midfield was so late to rebounds.

Xhaka came on and instantly became our best player because he should have started the f*cking match in the first place. Jeff, who is meant to be the closest to the first team of the younger players did a great impression of Diaby at his worst. He's a real talent but sometimes he doesn't play with any gumption whatsoever.

I have little bad words to say about Iwobi and Lucas. They weren't at their best but f*ck me they were the only ones who attacked with any verve and determination. Iwobi started to really build up confidence as the game went on. Can only bode well IMO.

What makes this result so infuriating is that most of this team were people on the fringes of the first team and they lost very convincingly. In hindsight, we might as well have played guys like AMN, Mavididi, Willock, Zelalem etc and started them. THey would have gained far more from the game.

AMN came on and did really well IMO. I'm both happy and sad at the same time. I'm happy because he came on and looked more than competent, but annoyed that it was at right back. I like him more in midfield and that's where he should have played but at the very least, he was impressive at right back and that could be a way in for him in Bellerin's absence.

This game was f*cked up by Wenger, for putting out that rubbish lineup. Xhaka-AMN should have been the midfield, and as bad as Jenks was, I'd just have kept him there or put Coq there. Iwobi should have been central IMO with one of the younger players playing wide left with Jeff flanking the other side. Probably Willock.

Wenger is smart enough to know that playing a CoqNenny midfield is almost equivalent to throwing a game. I'm convinced he knew the midfield would not win this game.

Why not play a Xhaka-AMN midfield (which is almost perfect on paper)? If Wenger was so insistent on throwing this game then he may as well have tested out an exciting, promising midfield partnership.

What does a barely fit Lucas Perez have over a young striker who can't stop scoring?

This boils down to our squad being too large again (as funny as that sounds with our injury problems) and Wenger needing to keep guys happy. Jenkinson does not need to be here, we have Debuchy here and I'm convinced that AMN and Coq would do a better job than him anyway.

I also think we have one CM and one wing option too many. We have young talents that are capable of stepping in and filling in as 3rd choice players. Imo there's absolutely no need for a 3rd choice senior RB. It's just wasted wages and development opportunities.

 

[4R5Emaniac]

That's exactly what I thought watching him last night. Be interesting to see him get a run with those two in the team.

I like how we have a headache compared to the last season re the striker position. Three good players of different profiles and two can play from a wide starting position.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Perez movement and link up play is very good if he play with better players around him he'll really do well.

 

[BobP]

Take a look at this pressing...

They clearly aren't being appropriately instructed.