There were warning signs that our defense was in danger last year, though. We surrendered at a much higher rate with VVD out, and after holding opponents to .94 goals/game through Christmas, we gave up 1.52/game the rest of the way.
And replaced by a mere £40m one that came into their club last summer. No wonder their fans are so cross at the lack of investment
That was a poor Arsenal side though: some really **** passing from them and not when we’d put them under pressure either.
That is the main negative for me (and I'm sure you are aware I love the negative), we dominated large spells of the game but as soon as we took the lead/equalised they upped it by about a percent and scored, or in the case of the first half scored twice. Sure it is Arsenal who are a better team than us but just showed they really were in second gear so hard to judge if this was actually a good performance from us and a corner turned or just Arsenal letting us look good then putting us back in our place when they had to.
You do seem a little obsessed by players fighting for something. It may be unfair of me to comment as I didn’t see the game today, but most people here seem to think that our ability and wish to win had returned. Do you need them to punch the opposition whilst walking out to feel satisfied!?
It's the saints fans way to have a scapegoat re:Stephens. Forster not playing? Ok, well Redmond? Damn he's not playing either. Pellegrino? Sacked. Yoshida? Not on the pitch either. Carillio? Not in the squad. Stephens it is, then.
Only ****ers think/say that millennials are a ‘snowflake generation’, so I wouldn’t bother listening to them if I were you.
No, I just think when your back is against the wall 100% effort is the minimum required and I get the feeling that the majority of the squad care enough. Newcastle are different they know they are technically inferior so have to work hard to have any chance, our lot are the opposite. They think they are better than what they are and lack the work rate, hard work beats talent if talent doesn’t work hard and all that. Tadic bottled a 50/50 that would of seen him through on goal today, he also got beat too easy for the cross for the 3rd goal. Where’s the desire to stop the cross coming in? Does it matter enough to him? Today our desire did return definitely as the second half went on but I don’t think it was there first half. The pace was an insult to a training ground game, it should be blood and thunder from minute one and here on in. Every ball matters, especially when we are playing so many teams now with nothing left to play for. If we want it more we will win in my opinion, especially with a World Cup coming up, many of the opposition are not interested in a team that is fighting for their lives I just don’t get the feeling that when the players come in after a game they have left everything that have out there... not sure many can disagree with that
As I say, I can’t fairly comment on today, but it sounds like things have improved on that front. Remember, every player and personality isn’t going to be a Romeu or a Roy Keane. That doesn’t meant they’re not trying though.
A better display today, showed a lot more determination, passion and energy. Pity it’s been missing for most of the season. Ultimately we were undone in the centre of defence again. We simply cannot defend. We will be lucky to get 6 more points and that will not be enough unfortunately.
Yea fair point and I agree. I know it’s subjective but the body language of some players leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion and that’s why I question their passion. For me now it’s about hard work and commitment first and talent second. If the talent was enough we wouldn’t be where we are. Teams can’t keep slicing through us like butter at will. You see teams like Newcastle at home and Liverpool against city last Wednesday, when the desire is there it gives the atmosphere in the stadium such a boost and creates a snowball effect. We just need to want it more than the other 11 and I hope the second half today was some form of a turning point
Pretty much agree with most of this (though not so much the singling out of Tadic). But yeah, the only way to beat a side that is full of technically better players than you, is to work harder than them. Even then, if you put in 10% more effort than your opponents, you will only be able to match them for 90% of the game max, after which you'll tire. I think some of our players think they are better technically than they are, in comparison to other players in this division, which is why they keep getting caught either waiting for the ball, or waiting for an option to become available. We need to up our work rate collectively for the rest of the season, and today was actually a good start. When Arsenal stepped it up, they were clearly the better side, but with a bit more luck we could still have got something from the game.
Suspect Tadic may get the honour as Stephens is now suspended. Must admit he ire ayes the crap out of me, not someone I would like in the trenches with me as seen in his jumping out the way of the 50/50 challenge yesterday
