****OMT - TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs WOOLWICH ARSEnal****

[Mumorn]

Sherwood: "It’s been 6 games in 17 days with a lot of injuries, it’s a big ask. Little bit of sharpness was missing. We’ve come to a team that are top for a reason, they’re a very very good team. I don't think they over-ran us in the middle of the park. A lot get says about 4-4-2, 4-5-1 but it's all about transitions. "

 

[DHSF]

I think it's been absolutely shocking. I haven't seen us perform as bad against Arsenal for about 5 years. We looked like proper mid-table no hopers there, and I'm absolutely stunned there is a positive mood in this thread after watching that. I thought we were absolutely awful.

It looked like we had no plan - we obviously had one but we didn't impose it whatsoever. Poor individual performances, poor in attack, poor in midfield and poor in defence. We offered nothing.

I'm not too worried for our future and I hope what we saw today was the result of a squad decimated by injuries coming to the end of a long stretch of games without much rest in between and running out of legs. I can accept that, and if we were going to lose one game this run I'd rather this one than drop any more league points. But goodness we we were rubbish.

I think we looked very very tired personally.

I dont think we were as bad as people are making out. We created chances and the second goal which was the biggest mistake was the killer. Second half started well but as soon as the second goal went in our heads went down. You cant legislate for those type of mistakes.

Also as you say, we are decimated by injuries - Sandro and Verts to name two - spine of our team really.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

No we didn't we looked poor. Few chances created and arsenal cutting us open at will. We were poor today but let's not dress up that this is just because of Tim we are generally poor at theirs. Only with Harry have we looked anything resembling a good team.

I'm not saying it's just because of Tim at all. I like Tim. But I am saying we were rubbish today.

 

[SteveAWOL]

In the 5-2 under Harry I could see the redeeming quality that we at least started well and looked dangerous but were undone by a lack of adaptability in the match. Last season, we played with ten men for the majority of the game but looked good at the start. This year in the league, we weren't great but I think we did have the redeeming quality that we were able to control the ball well at the Emirates. We at least looked like a top team potentially, once we sorted out the chance creation.

Tonight there was not one single redeeming quality from the side. Defensively we were all over the place. We were careless with the ball. We were relying on lucky ricochets to create good chances, and I think we got just one of them. It was downright poor, and if we put that kind of performance in under AVB I can't imagine what kind of abuse his managerial ability, and the analysis of the team's performance, would have taken.

We won on possession, 54% \o/

 

[Nigeyman]

We were only in the game because they had only scored one...we were totally outclassed and I don't think that's been the case in probably the last 5 years.

disagree with this....no where near our worst peformance their.

Not going to make any excuses regarding injuries/tiredness/fitness....

We were outclassed for long periods but at 1-0 the game is still on for us.......except Rose decides to pirouette rather than pass to at least three clear options.....We knew they would have more of the ball........We have to stop gifting goals.......we are really poor when we get pressed high up effectively.

 

[SpurMeUp]

Aye, and we can proudly sing about that class post-match as our players cravenly follow the Arsenal players hoping to exchange shirts while all the Goons on the field just sneer at them while celebrating like they've won the entire cup and not just a cup derby in the third round.

I'd exchange a bit of our 'class' for a bit of their passion. The truth is that we can always sing about 'class': we've historically been the better footballing side, so we have 'class', or we've been the more successful side, so we have 'class', or we've had fewer red cards this season, so we have 'class'. Can we sing about our players having as much passion as their players? Save for Bentaleb's angry swipe at Monreal late on (which was more frustration than anything else), I didn't see much anger or antagonism from our boys out there, which is a shame. Hopefully that changes going forward.

The world will not reward us for showing 'class': it will call us weak and uncommitted before brushing us aside. As I said in my post-season review piece last summer, the time for us to be saintly and preach 'class' is over. We need to show ********, anger, passion: to hell with honour and fair play. It's the only way we'll get anywhere, unfortunately.

We did alright. I saw Dembele doing what he could riling wiltshire. I saw Ade desperate to break someone's legs but not wanting to get another red. I saw Soldado try to kick the sh1t our of wilt****e - why does everyone want to? answer he's a classless moaning ****

Dignity does not make or break your game. It does not stop anger or commitment. It does however keep your integrity. I know many arsenal fans who used to support liverpool as kids and switched. Others who are from australia and have jumped onto the bandwagon but talk shyte and have no style; and to be fair I know a few older goons who are generally a nicer, 'truer' type.

Would I like Spurs to be like them? Glory hunting, overpaid upstart stars who can't conduct themselves with any dignity?Would I like our fans to have the same glory hunting ****s? Would I like us to be Stoke under Pulis? Make your own call.


As for walcot, it lacked class, but its theatre. The fans get that. No big deal.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Sherwood: "It’s been 6 games in 17 days with a lot of injuries, it’s a big ask. Little bit of sharpness was missing. We’ve come to a team that are top for a reason, they’re a very very good team. I don't think they over-ran us in the middle of the park. A lot get says about 4-4-2, 4-5-1 but it's all about transitions. "

Fair comments. I agree with him about the midfield. I think how we set up could work in theory. But we didn't carry it out.

 

[Baleforce]

It's the truth. I said it before the season began and I'll say it again now. It might well be OTT, but it is the truth. People laughed at Rooney snarling at Webb after he cleared Lloris over that Young tackle mid-week, but honestly, I'd like to see our players do a bit more of that, because we are never ever going to reach the very top unless we fight for everything: loose balls, loose calls, inches on the field. We've been screwed by lady luck and turned the saintly cheek for too long, imo. Time to do what all the big boys do: after all, they do it for a reason, surely.

I agree with this, until they start handing out trophies for class leave it in the changing room

 

[Nigeyman]

why don't we press anymore?

players were pooped after chasing utd for the last 20 mins on NYD.....

Ade does it when he wants...but Solly never seems to press.

 

[Robspur12]

I'm not saying it's just because of Tim at all. I like Tim. But I am saying we were rubbish today.

You're saying it's our worse performance in 5 years when we have been thrashed there in those 5 years on at least 3 occasions. They are a top side at the moment Whether we like it or not. We were playing with so many injuries and few options to change the game and on the back of a gruelling game vs UTD. they have injuries up front but that was basically their 1st choice midfield especially when Ozil came on.

 

[Baleforce]

I think that was quite a way off their best side today as well, they had the work ex lad in goal for a start

 

[paxtonwolf]

Okay its a disappointment, but I wont lose any sleep over that defeat tonight.

I will lose sleep if we dont sort out the LB sitaution in this transfer window, we c#cked up in Aug, please dont let another window go by without addressing.
I accept players make mistakes like today, thats going enough, but Rose or Fryers are not quite good enough I'm afraid and we need better.

Some free weekends coming up now which could make a difference in the run-in. 10 days break before the City match on Jan 29th whereas they will have played in midweek every week uptil then. Should be no excuses of fatigue for that night

 

[diego_maradona]

1) Break the bank for Luke Shaw.
2) Always play Capoue or Sandro against sides better then ourselves

 

[Robspur12]

I think that was quite a way off their best side today as well, they had the work ex lad in goal for a start

Because of course he is crucial to their possession play in the middle of the park. The back 4 are 1st choice imo. Midfield of cazorla, rosicky and Arteta are also pretty much 1st choice with them being able to call on Flamini and Ozil. Only up front were they lacking although Walcott is often 1st choice if fit.

 

[SpurMeUp]

I thought the ref got everything right today. Took a lot of courage to let Walcott lie there like a dying swan and could have sent off Dembele but just had a chat with him and Wheelchair.

Yes probably right. I do think, had he not allowed Walkers charge to go unpunished, that would have been given. Walkers was 60-40 in other words more times than not it wouldn't be given. Where as the reverse challenge was stronger and more times than not, would be given.

 

[onlyme]

We won on possession, 54% \o/

Yay!!!!!

I am not as gutted as I thought I would be after that game.

We were certainly not mugged off and Bentaleb is a proper player. No way could Sherwood have subbed off Ade as he should have done because he was worn out.

I will sacrifice this game for the season. The season means Ade as the main man until we get someone better. I reckon we will win a lot of games in the EPL with the players we played today. It ain't Arsenal every week. They are obviously better than us.

Whether that is enough to get EcL is another matter. But as for the EL..not looking good for Tim's cup credentials...

 

[SpurMeUp]

Yay!!!!!

I am not as gutted as I thought I would be after that game.

We were certainly not mugged off and Bentaleb is a proper player. No way could Sherwood have subbed off Ade as he should have done because he was worn out.

I will sacrifice this game for the season. The season means Ade as the main man until we get someone better. I reckon we will win a lot of games in the EPL with the players we played today. It ain't Arsenal every week. They are obviously better than us.

Whether that is enough to get EcL is another matter. But as for the EL..not looking good for Tim's cup credentials...

I'm looking forward to the second half of the season. Yes we can focus on the two competitions now. But the most exciting thing is we have a collection of technically gifted players. Even with a whole team out injured, we held our own against a top top team.

Its almost like the feeling at the start of a season now. We have new manager, who may be a bit of a dark horse. Who recognises players technical footballing ability and wants to build a team that will allow them to express that ability. Sherwood doesn't seem to hold any fear. Lets see if the team and our play develops in the Euro Cup and our remaining league games. Ever optimistic.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

You're saying it's our worse performance in 5 years when we have been thrashed there in those 5 years on at least 3 occasions. They are a top side at the moment Whether we like it or not. We were playing with so many injuries and few options to change the game and on the back of a gruelling game vs UTD. they have injuries up front but that was basically their 1st choice midfield especially when Ozil came on.

I know they're a top side, but I felt we'd always shown glimpses that we could compete with them. Today we were awful.

It is funny though, I didn't want to make this about AVB but since he's been mentioned, there weren't many saying 'they are a top side, we just have to accept it' after we lost there 1-0 earlier in the season. There was a lot more of a negative response to that performance than there has been to this, which I find strange.

I accept we have injuries, I accept it's been a hard run with not much rest and we just busted a gut at Old Trafford. But I do think we were very poor and I am surprised at the positivity after the performance today. We didn't once look seriously threatening.

 

[shaney]

Watching Soldado hugging an opposition player in the tunnel before kick off made me think about the days of Keane and Vieira. Im all for pleasantries after the game, but I want to see the players going into battle focused and with "game face".

 

[SpurMeUp]

I know they're a top side, but I felt we'd always shown glimpses that we could compete with them. Today we were awful.

It is funny though, I didn't want to make this about AVB but since he's been mentioned, there weren't many saying 'they are a top side, we just have to accept it' after we lost there 1-0 earlier in the season. There was a lot more of a negative response to that performance than there has been to this, which I find strange.

I accept we have injuries, I accept it's been a hard run with not much rest and we just busted a gut at Old Trafford. But I do think we were very poor and I am surprised at the positivity after the performance today. We didn't once look seriously threatening.

Don't let facts get in the way:

- Eriksen 1-1 with their keeper. Point blank shot saved could have gone anywhere.
- Ade great turn and movement, just doesn't catch the ball fully as its at the wrong height. Still gets shot on target.
- Soldado has a free shot form the edge of the box he drags wide under pressure from flying defender. A confident player might have dragged the ball onto their left foot avoiding the defender and had more time to shoot.

- Countless set pieces
- Countless crosses
- Decent passing and build up play

..against the meanest defense in the top flight.

The biggest difference is they look a well drilled team. And so they should with a settled team and manager. We have to think and look too much, where they can play and know where their 'mates will be.