Preston VS Arsenal 7th january 17.30 BT sport Fa cup

[Rain Dance]

I think we taked this game to lightly, we need to learn that no match should been taken for granted. you cannot question our mentality because we bounced back a few times already this season, but something just isnt right.

Looking back, it isn't an uncommon thing for Arsenal to struggle early and coming back strong after 70 minutes or after conceding a goal.
Which is utterly bizzare, that we need a slap to wake up from.

In this season only we already start poorly in plenty of games, only to bounce back in the end. So no, this isn't about Bournemouth or PNE, there is a fundamental issue behind this phenomenon

 

[carlito'sway]

Looking back, it isn't an uncommon thing for Arsenal to struggle early and coming back strong after 70 minutes or after conceding a goal.
Which is utterly bizzare, that we need a slap to wake up from.

In this season only we already start poorly in plenty of games, only to bounce back in the end. So no, this isn't about Bournemouth or PNE, there is a fundamental issue behind this phenomenon

I have to say though that our players are in a pretty good physical shape. We have finished our last two games very strongly.

 

[Rain Dance]

I have to say though that our players are in a pretty good physical shape. We have finished our last two games very strongly.

yes, but what made we often start a game poorly?

 

[David_Smith]

yes, but what made we often start a game poorly?

Jadedness from a hectic fixture schedule affects footballers in the first half more so than the second.
Intense pressing during a game is what affects players in the second half.

 

[RUS arsenal]

Think it was Giroud or Ramsey after the game who said they didn't know a lot about Preston and were surprised by them. That's what we're dealing with here, compare that to Mourinho saying yesterday he'd watched tapes of Reading and watched one four times over.

They didn't say that they didn't "know" a lot about Preston, just that they were surprised by the level of their commitment. Neither is a good thing to admit but the two are certainly very different.

Honestly I'm also surprised by the terrible first halves lately as earlier in the season we had several games where we blitzed the opposition in the first 30 minutes (ie. Chelsea game). I thought that we were finally past this issue that has plagued us as a team the past several years but alas as things are not going well, it reared its ugly head again. Looks like confidence, or rather lack thereof, plays a part in this.

 

[RUS arsenal]

Yet again we didn't show up in the first half. In particular Gabriel, Mustafi , Xhaka and Ramsey were awful. Lucky to be only one down as it could have been easily more. Fortunately we showed up in the second half with an improved performance. Iwobi and Perez our best players today displaying great link up play.

Yeah, our defense needs to sort it out and gross individual mistakes have to be cut out. For example that first goal was all on Gabriel as he switched off and didn't hold the proper line going too deep and putting their forwards onside.

 

[SA Gunner]

I do not believe that our fitness is the main reason behind our poor performances. More our approach to the game and discipline.

The question I want answered is Wenger's thoughts on our performances. Surely he must be protecting the fact that he doesnt oversee us practicing positional awareness, shape awareness, etc.

Also, and call me a conspiracy theorist I dont mind, I am beginning to suspect that Wenger is purposefully ignoring our defensive discipline, thus making us as porous and easy to breach, to add "entertainment value" to our football. Almost every neutral I know, "loves watching an Arsenal game" because its so entertaining.

 

[say yes]

What the eff were they expecting though? Away to a prestigious English club in the oldest Cup competition in the world, what else were PNE going to do? I can't believe the naivety here. Surely at the very least they should have been aware that PNE would be well up for it.

It's annoying but I think the crucial thing from the players is (as they said), that we need to start games much better.

It was obvious to anyone watching the match that Preston wanted it much more than us first half. The only shocking thing about the interview for me was how honest it was.

 

[Missionary]

Preston fan here in peace!
Great to pit ourselves against a top side and great to hear the feedback from AW and arsenal fans. We have a tiny budget at championship level so we have to rely on passion and hard work. So proud of the effort from the players.
We desperately need a quality finisher and who knows!
Was impressed with Perez who seemed up for it but Gabriel and mustaphi looked like they'd never played together before and with a little more composure we'd have been looking at a visit to the emirates!
Anyhow good luck in the rest of the competition and if you have a young goal scorer we'll develop them for you!

 

[Nyctophobia]

@Missionary You could probably get Sanogo on a free.

Chuba Akpom isn't up to much right now either though.

 

[Rocky]

It's easy to brush this off with the old 'all big teams struggle against smaller sides in the cup' line. That's not the point, the point is that we played very poorly. This is off the back of conceding 3 at Bournemouth and losing 2 on the spin not long before that. It didn't really look like complacency to me, it looked like we were as **** and vulnerable as we were against Bournemouth earlier in the week.

We're going into an important period of games. We have 3 very winnable games in a row then we play Chelsea away. If we play like we have done the last 4 games we'll struggle to even beat Swansea next weekend, never mind compete with Chelsea. Then we'll find ourselves scrapping for 4th place again.

Arsenal are already scrapping for 4th place. Not sure they have much wiggle room on that one. 5 very good teams competing with them.

On this morning's Sunday Supplement, they were discussing whether Pep needs to win a trophy in his first season and they said no, he just needs top 4 casually and said he'll get that. I don't see it myself. They are defensively shakey and Chelsea, Liverpool, Sp**s and Man Utd look like the best teams in the league to me, in that order, at present.

 

[Rain Dance]

Jadedness from a hectic fixture schedule affects footballers in the first half more so than the second.
Intense pressing during a game is what affects players in the second half.

I think it goes far more than schedule, we have started poorly after international breaks

 

[Gooner_Daz]

enjoyed the game as a whole, for me it was ruined by the mindless k***s fighting each other at HT, "wenger out" vs "wenger in" the b******s made me drop my pie and pint lol. the away pub was tiny and couldn't even get in there. and i was stood near the arsenal pirate bloke for the game (enough said). will take the result, nice to see Welbeck back and a few youngsters get a run out.

 

[rich 1990]

Preston fan here in peace!
Great to pit ourselves against a top side and great to hear the feedback from AW and arsenal fans. We have a tiny budget at championship level so we have to rely on passion and hard work. So proud of the effort from the players.
We desperately need a quality finisher and who knows!
Was impressed with Perez who seemed up for it but Gabriel and mustaphi looked like they'd never played together before and with a little more composure we'd have been looking at a visit to the emirates!
Anyhow good luck in the rest of the competition and if you have a young goal scorer we'll develop them for you!

Let us know when it happens.

 

[celestis]

It's annoying but I think the crucial thing from the players is (as they said), that we need to start games much better.

It was obvious to anyone watching the match that Preston wanted it much more than us first half. The only shocking thing about the interview for me was how honest it was.

Exactly why the **** would you admit that on international television?

 

[carlito'sway]

yes, but what made we often start a game poorly?

That is a different story, more mental than physical.

 

[4R5Emaniac]

I also would like that. But it is not viable. That is all

Why not? I don't get it. And another reason is that practicing makes something better. Young players learn from it and you earn further respect through your attitude. Its competitive respect rather than waxing lyrical in the media.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Southampton or Norwich away in the next round.

 

[El Duderino]

Southampton or Norwich away in the next round.

That's us out if Saints go through

 

[MutableEarth]

Preston fan here in peace!
Great to pit ourselves against a top side and great to hear the feedback from AW and arsenal fans. We have a tiny budget at championship level so we have to rely on passion and hard work. So proud of the effort from the players.
We desperately need a quality finisher and who knows!
Was impressed with Perez who seemed up for it but Gabriel and mustaphi looked like they'd never played together before and with a little more composure we'd have been looking at a visit to the emirates!
Anyhow good luck in the rest of the competition and if you have a young goal scorer we'll develop them for you!

If you want some power and pace, take Stephy Mavididi.