Where's the match thread for tonight?

And there it is, oxo for Adelaide

 

Elneny was terrible today.
Coquelin was Useless.
Ramsey just runs around chasing the ball


Iwobi,Xhaka and Holding were the only players who put in a proper performance.

 

This is our back up to the first team,shocking.

 

Showed a lot more urgency the further it went into the second half. More creativity, being more clever with the ball and our movement, really started to knock at the door for a goal but fell short with the finishing or Southampton getting the blocks in. Was definitely a better showing than the first half.

17 shots and 10 corners but not managing a goal at least is disappointing.

Sometimes it looks like a team runs out of ideas as a game wears on, but today it seemed the opposite, we started with none and then all of a sudden remembered how to play football.

I thought we were a little unlucky with a couple of the decisions, Jenkinson was blocked off in the lead up to one of there goals and on another day we get the penalty for the tackle on Ramsey (though I think it was probably a fair challenge) and the ref was a little soft in the general free kicks he was giving. But on the balance of play you'd have to say Southampton deserved the win.

The first team have had a rest and should be fired up for the weekend.

 

First team:

Cech
Bellerin, Kosc, Mustafi, Monreal
Coquelin, Cazorla
Walcott, Ozil, Sanchez
Giroud

Backup:

Ospina
Jenkinson (maybe debuchy instead if he wasn't injured, not sure what the order is), Gabriel, mert, Gibbs
Xhaka, El Neny
Oxocube, Ramsey, Iwobi
Perez

So probably 1 first 11 player, 7 back up players and 3 youth. With subs being 2 back up players and a youth.

Though I like the look of Xhaka and with El Neny out wi an injury I'm hoping we see more of him. Not sure why he hasn't had more game time yet as he has looked really good whenever he has had a chance.

I think the key thing today is that it's a set of players who don't play regularly together in competitive games so it was all a bit disjointed going forward for lots of the game.

Also worth noting when a backup player comes in normally it's to play with the first team and not a complete back up team. There wasn't a proper balance to the team today.

 

**** the league cup, for a while when our trophy drought was getting longer and longer, this competition gained a bit more importance, but we have won two FA Cups in the last few years, so that's no longer a pressing issue, weekend is all that matters.

 

Yeah I thought Xhaka and Iwobi put in a good shift. Perez worked hard as well but didn't have much to work with and is more suited to games where the opposition aren't sitting with so many men behind the ball.

Out midfield two didn't work the ball forward enough or quickly enough for us to get any kind of forward momentum or rhythm going. When Xhaka came on that changed and our movement and passing options got much better.

 

Agreed. It's a chance to give game time to squad players, development time for youth players and a rest for the first team. We are chasing bigger prizes this season.

 

Disappointing to lose, but not a big issue in the scheme of things. Congrats to Southampton, they played well and kept us shut out all night.

 

Hopefully El Neny isn't out for long as we want all the options we can get over the Christmas period but I hope this means Xhaka will get more game time. I've been really impressed with him when he gets his opportunities in the team. He is a little rash in his challenges but he has a good pass on him and has a proper competitive spirit.

 

Personally I'm ****ing gutted we've lost tonight.I hate us losing any game in any competition.

 

Might be worth remembering we made 8 changes tonight too...

 

Usually before the last couple of rounds most prem teams make quite a lot of changes (ignoring Mourinho who loves the competition). Wenger before has continued to play the youth and backup even into the semi and final. Obviously sometimes there are Derby games where less changes get made.

Out of interest how many of your squad usually start, how many would normally be in the match day squad and how many are youth prospects?

 

You're right AFC bloody Wednesday night football on Channel 5

 

Wednesday night,Channel 5
Wednesday night,Channel 5

 

Chelsea, City and Liverpool looking like pulling away from you, Spurs on you coat tails, this could have been a safety net into the CL (same as for us).

 

There's 3 points between 1st and 4th, no-one is pulling away just yet!

League cup doesn't get CL either... Have you been drinking?

 

I have actually
Just said the same thing on the scouser board, I will never live that down

 

****ing Alan Curbishley and Kevin Davies as pundits. Bloody god awful. Budget must be tight