[Hellboy]

We had enough chances to at least draw the game. We were not at out best but still very very unlucky.

Far cry from the José days where we were getting slapped away from home creating very few chances.

 

[youmeletsfly]

We were too slow in midfield, Matic was nonexistent for large parts of the game, both defensively and in the construction phase.

Pogba was too far ahead of his own team as well.

 

[ThatsGreat]

Arsenal are losing their best player again

Ramsey? He's not our best player. In fact I don't think we have any standout world class player. We have a bunch of good players in Ramsey, Ozil, Auba, Laca, Bellerin, Socratis, Mkhitaryan and Xhaka at a stretch. But we definitely don't have a player losing whom will set us back significantly.

 

[Kostov]

The worst thing about this game, other than the manner in which we lost it, is the fecking timing of it. Arsenal don't play in the league until April and they play Newcastle. Lucky, jammy bastards, with the most annoying set of fans in the world.

 

[cheeky_backheel]

One of those games when luck wasnt on our side. If any of the ones that hit the bar had gone in, things might have been different.

Lindelof had a poor game imo.

One flaw that seems to persist is that we seem to leave too much space between our lines in the midfield. this makes it easier for the opposition to play through it and find spaces.

Unforunately we still have to play city and chelsea, while Arsenal have an easier run in.

 

[extincti fugax hominum]

Disappointing result obviously but a result which we can compensate. A win would've been a great step in finishing 3rd especially after Spurs & Chelsea results but it was one of those days.

The performance was not too bad imo; we just didn't take our chances. We had some smash and grab victories in the past decade or so at the Emirates and this time it was Arsenal's turn.

 

[Judas]

I'm still amazed we lost to such a average team. Arsenal will drop plenty more points before the end of the season on that display, hopefully we have the last laugh.

 

[georgieworst]

I'm still amazed we lost to such a average team. Arsenal will drop plenty more points before the end of the season on that display, hopefully we have the last laugh.

Got to agree, Arsenal are bang average and had we scored the chances that presented themselves early in the game Utd might have given Arsenal one of the pasting's they've been dished out over the years.

It's a game of fine margins but when you constantly miss easy chances, a thing that has plagued us all season and not just yesterday then you make it that little more difficult for yourselves, had Aguero been up front for us yesterday Utd would have hammered Arsenal.

Arsenal might achieve a Champions league berth but it's a wasted place, they are perennial bottlers.

 

[noodlehair]

We were very well on top 2nd half. Created a chance for Lukaku which got saved and free kick in good position I recall. Up until the dubious penalty we were very good but their goal knocked the wind out of our sails.

We were awful in the second half. Must have been 20+ times where one of our players ignored a good passing option to just run blindly into a dead end.

One chance in 45 minutes is pretty poor for a team that's "well on top" and full of attacking players. We created far more in the first half when we were actually passing the ball properly.

 

[noodlehair]

If we had simply given up & stopped trying I would be worried, but that wasn't the case. For most of the match we outplayed Arsenal, had as many shots and the better chances, unfortunately lady luck was not with us today and chances went begging, they had a freakish first goal then a dubious penalty. It happens. The important thing is that we respond to this and go on to claim a top 4 spot and maybe cup glories too.

It could have gone either way yeah. At half time I wasn't overly worried. I thought we just started too slowly.

Nothing wrong with the desire or effort in the second half. Just that tactically this diamond thing clearly doesn't work and yet we seem to be ignoring this, and we need to show a lot more composure than we did in the second half. The game was still there to be won if we'd just carried on playing how we finished the first half.

 

[Ish]

Thought Ole got the tactics wrong for this match, and also the starting XI. Also seemingly took too long to change things up. It happens though.

Should have shored up midfield. Gone 4-3-3. Maybe play McTominay with Pogba and Matic, and try and hit them on the counter. But even that would have been difficult, I guess - with no real RW available (Lingard, Mata all injured and Martial just coming back from injury).

Still 2 shite goals we gave away/conceded and missed great chances of our own. Onwards and upwards from here. Our reaction is important. Can't afford to have many more off days in the league.

 

[Trizy]

And the state of the voting. A lot of our fanbase are kneejerk cocks. 3.3 average for Rashford? feck yourselves.

And why did he deserve anything more than that? He was completely shite yesterday if we're being honest.

 

[Maticmaker]

Arsenal caught us with a 'hangover' from Wednesday, we never got out of second gear, although we had probably the best chances!

IMO too many players having a 'duvet day', our midfield display was terrible. I think Fred was the wrong choice despite his performance in Paris, we were crying out for a 'snappie' type player to crunch into Arsenal in midfield McTominay or if he been fit Herrera. Hopefully we will progress further in the CL but if so Ole's got to give some thought to how to deal with hangovers like yesterday. You could blame De Gea for the first goal, but neither Fred or Matic got anywhere near preventing the shot.

 

[tony54]

If if I were to sum our play I would say we have no legs in midfield, fair enough Fred did cover a lot of ground but Pogba was too advanced and both he and matic were walking about, out of position, and matic knackered.
Arsenal in comparison were swarming all over the place.
Ps And Rashford and dhea had mares

 

[Mike Smalling]

Not too worried after that game. Obviously the performance was not great, but we still had enough chances to score a couple of goals, and both of Arsenals goals were extremely soft. On another day we could have won, but that's football for you - we got the rub of the green against PSG, so we can't complain too much.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I'm still amazed we lost to such a average team. Arsenal will drop plenty more points before the end of the season on that display, hopefully we have the last laugh.

It was annoying as they're no great shakes, but to be honest we're a pretty average football team with a newly-instilled never-say-die attitude and pretty sizeable balls. When we're tired and depleted after a tough CL game we're more than capable of being turned over by another half-decent team, which is what happened.

 

[TRUERED89]

We were awful in the second half. Must have been 20+ times where one of our players ignored a good passing option to just run blindly into a dead end.

One chance in 45 minutes is pretty poor for a team that's "well on top" and full of attacking players. We created far more in the first half when we were actually passing the ball properly.

We dominated play in the second half, Lukaku's big one-on-one from Rashford's disguised threw ball should have certainly been 1-1. 2nd half we were much better at closing them down and getting the ball back. Arsenal did nothing 2nd half apart from dive for the penalty, extremely unlucky for the lads. We looked a bigger threat than them all game, not worried going forward, OGS is the man! we didn't go plan B hoof ball to Fellaini. We got 4 stikers on the pitch and went for it, it was great to see, had that penalty not killed the game Arsenal would have conceded.

 

[tony54]

It was annoying as they're no great shakes, but to be honest we're a pretty average football team with a newly-instilled never-say-die attitude and pretty sizeable balls. When we're tired and depleted after a tough CL game we're more than capable of being turned over by another half-decent team, which is what happened.

All of this is true and it all comes back to the glaziers pockets and an out of his depth footballing ceo. Instead of buying good team casts offs we need good team rising stars.

 

[noodlehair]

We dominated play in the second half, Lukaku's big one-on-one from Rashford's disguised threw ball should have certainly been 1-1. 2nd half we were much better at closing them down and getting the ball back. Arsenal did nothing 2nd half apart from dive for the penalty, extremely unlucky for the lads. We looked a bigger threat than them all game, not worried going forward, OGS is the man! we didn't go plan B hoof ball to Fellaini. We got 4 stikers on the pitch and went for it, it was great to see, had that penalty not killed the game Arsenal would have conceded.

How do you figure that creating a single chance in 45 minutes and in the process conceding a goal constitutes playing well?

We created 4-5 Good chances during the 20 minutes of the first half where we actually got our act together. Then proceeded to abandon this in the second half in favour of trying to constantly force the ball through non existent spaces.

The second half was very easy for Arsenal. They were there to be beaten and we were too busy panicking to realise it.

I have no doubts about wanting Ole as manager but we need to acknowledge when we get things wrong in games.

 

[TRUERED89]

The second half was very easy for Arsenal.

I disagree, we got in to many dangerous areas but the final pass either didn't happen or we chose the wrong fecking one. It wasn't easy for Arsenal at all, they looked scared and just wanted to play on the counter because they couldn't get the ball of us and we were playing solely in their half. We were the better team, but it was one of those days where finishing was just a mare! Still confident for top 4!

 

[Inigo Montoya]

If if I were to sum our play I would say we have no legs in midfield, fair enough Fred did cover a lot of ground but Pogba was too advanced and both he and matic were walking about, out of position, and matic knackered.
Arsenal in comparison were swarming all over the place.
Ps And Rashford and dhea had mares

That's a real concern for me! He hasn't got the legs anymore

 

[cyril C]

Really don't think Ole did much wrong. We had our chances, they had a soft penalty; these results happen.

Perhaps could have ban all those parties on Wed (& Thurs & Fri) and focus on training from Thurs onwards. Our legs were soft in the final third, evidence of post-party syndrome, particularly Pogba who have rested for the whole week.

 

[deadrevelz]

There was a Herrera shaped hole in our team today. We need the contract signed. Even if it's a year longer than we want to give him, it will be worth it for the next two seasons.

 

[Buster15]

It's incredible that a wake up-call is necessary, but I think, and hope, this was it.

Good point.
After such a good run, it was clear that we were not particularly good yesterday and a bad result against a big rival for top 4.
I am confident that it will be a wake up call and it will re-focus us to perform for the rest of the season.

Such a frustrating game where nothing went right. Reminds me of why I detest Arsenal with such a passion.

 

[Mihai]

It was annoying as they're no great shakes, but to be honest we're a pretty average football team with a newly-instilled never-say-die attitude and pretty sizeable balls. When we're tired and depleted after a tough CL game we're more than capable of being turned over by another half-decent team, which is what happened.

Turned over? What do you mean?

 

[Fracture90]

Let's see how things go. Top 6 opponents or not does no really matter, especially in the EPL today. They should be more worried about their away form. As for ourselves, we always liked making things difficult for ourselves, and it's up to Ole and the team to respond and bounce back strongly. I hope that in the case of us missing the top 4, the board still sees the obvious logic and hire Ole as full-time manager.

Of course it matters when you're facing top6 opposition, what's wrong with you?

The fact they have easier opponents, whilst we still have to face Chelsea and City can make a whole lot of difference for them.

 

[Mihai]

It's incredible that a wake up-call is necessary, but I think, and hope, this was it.

A wake up call is more than needed here. Irrespective of the run before. Everything that we did since Ole took over can be undone in another match. Another 90 minutes like this against Chelsea and we will be back to square one.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Turned over? What do you mean?

They beat us convincingly. I don't mean they battered us or shamed us, just that a 2-0 win is a good margin of victory.

 

[Mihai]

They beat us convincingly. I don't mean they battered us or shamed us, just that a 2-0 win is a good margin of victory.

I don't think there's a single person who watched the game and objectively can say that Arsenal "beat us convincingly".

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I don't think there's a single person who watched the game and objectively can say that Arsenal "beat us convincingly".

They beat us 2-zip, we had 20 minutes to rescue it and didn't do enough. They didn't batter us, we weren't embarrassed but in the end we were well-beaten.

 

[Mihai]

They beat us 2-zip, we had 20 minutes to rescue it and didn't do enough. They didn't batter us, we weren't embarrassed but in the end we were well-beaten.

You are talking like someone who just saw the score and didn't watch the game.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

You are talking like someone who just saw the score and didn't watch the game.

Perhaps the phrase turned over means different things to different people. I don't mean they dominated us and gave us zero chances to win. I mean we missed our chances, they took theirs and ended the game two ahead of us, which is a good win.

If we'd have reacted better to going two behind I'd be more wary of saying 'turned over' and 'convincingly', but we struggled and at no point looked like getting back into it so I'm fine with admitting we were well-beaten in the end.

 

[BlueHaze]

Feeling a bit better today. Felt absolutely fecking terrible all night.

 

[Mihai]

Perhaps the phrase turned over means different things to different people. I don't mean they dominated us and gave us zero chances to win. I mean we missed our chances, they took theirs and ended the game two ahead of us, which is a good win.

If we'd have reacted better to going two behind I'd be more wary of saying 'turned over' and 'convincingly', but we struggled and at no point looked like getting back into it so I'm fine with admitting we were well-beaten in the end.

Let's agree to disagree and move on.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Let's agree to disagree and move on.

Good idea

 

[Wolfbot]

Agree with folk saying it was just one of those days. Didn't think Arsenal really troubled us in terms of creating good quality chances, maybe one for Lacazette which was from a Lindelof error, their goals were a speculative shot which would normally be saved and a penalty that probably shouldn't have been.

We played some good stuff in the first half but didn't take the chances. Second half I felt our players were trying to force it with driving runs but often didn't see the pass quickly enough or ended up running into Arsenal players. There were quite a few occasions we tried some neat passing and it felt like the players just weren't quite on the same wavelength and it didn't come off. What I will say for Arsenal is that they were more committed defensively than remember seeing them in a long time so we found it difficult to make much headway second half.

Bit of an unfortunate day but we're due one giving the PSG game and the game against Tottenham where luck was on our side.

 

[Freak]

Shit result. But I thought we were the better team. We were just unlucky our forwards decided to forget how to finish off chances and De Gea and the referee decided to have shit days.

 

[Laphroaig]

What a weird game. We were great, but wasteful, and Arsenal were gifted two goals and had zero chances up to that point. Oh well, we'll get top four comfortably.

Did Fred set some sort of interception/tackles record?

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

I thought Fred was our best player along with Shaw. I'd like to see Herrera/Fred together and let Pogba play a little more forward.

Bummer, but I am still just happy these games are meaningful again. Top 4 will be very tough, hoping for Ole's magic touch to continue....

 

[ArjenIsM3]

Normally I fecking hate xG but I'd say this game they are pretty accurate. Our xG = 2.4 vs Arsenal xG 1.5. We had 5 "big chances" compared to Arsenal's 2. Just about every stat out there says we were the better team. We didn't take our chances. It was just one of those days. We go again.