Arsenal kept their slim top four hopes alive with a 2-0 win over Southampton at St Mary’s tonight.
It wasn’t an easy game, but a moment of great quality from Alexis put us ahead, and Olivier Giroud’s goal sealed the deal.
Here’s how the players rated.
That goal by Alexis made me feel all tingly inside.
When he patted the badge a little bit of wee came out!
Thanks Graham. Only glad I didn’t have a mouth full of coffee at the moment I read that.
I did.
Um… Shane Long is always profoundly irritating so I can’t quite agree with the bonus point.
Agree, he came on the pitch that was enough to profoundly irritate me, but his cuntish behavior wasn’t as n full force so then again maybe the rating is fair
That blatant handball on the touchline?
Lol he was taking a throwin!
Unless you’re talking about a separate incident, he never had the ball in his hands, so he couldn’t have been taking a throw in.
Xhaka MOTM for me. Brilliant the entire game and he basically created the first goal by breaking the lines to find Özil. Alexis showed incredible composure in the finish.
Hopefully we can break three hoodoos in a row by going to Stoke and ripping into those orcs. COYG
Yes indeed regarding the hoodoos! Why stop now. Come on Arsenal!!!!
I would say that Southampton waan’t really the hoodoo, it’s Koeman. So Everton is the most difficult game of the remaining fixtures.
If Ox is out, we can try Perez on the other wing.
The way the Ox was powering past defenders like they weren’t there. Want him back soon.
Genuinely read “Blocks” as “Bollocks” in the Coquelin rating
Flying bollocks ftw
I see Arsenal.com hasn’t even listed Xhaka with their 4 alternatives for MOTM. Ridic. And Alexis is leading. I just voted Ramsey but would have given it to Xhaka.
Gibbs seems to lost his pace or his confidence to use his pace, I wonder if Ox could play LWB seeing as he was usually better coming from LW, to have him on the left and Hector on the right could be something that would certainly scare opposition. The idea of Ox and Alexis playing 1-2s down the left is quite exciting. But I suppose we should really get a left footed LWB, Mendy would be nice.
I see what you’re saying. Gibbs has started the last 4 games, and though he’s made few mistakes and been good defensively, as a wing-back he’s seemed too ready too often to play safe. Nevertheless, despite only 9 starts and 12 appearances as a sub, he’s credited with 5 assists this season, and only Alexis, Özil and the Ox have had more. Bellerin, by contrast, has made 38 appearances, including 7 as a substitute, and has made just 3 assists. So also has Monreal, in 39 appearances, only 1 of which was as a substitute (though he did score that… Read more »
That’s true.
It’s just like he’s not being aggressive enough. There’s like a 2 second delay till he makes his mind up whether to dribble, cross or play safe. But most of the time because of that delay, the defenders are all back in position and he has to play it safe.
He’s more effective when he gets to the byline and then cuts it back rather than trying to cross from deep.
If he concentrated on that it could make a nice counter balance to Ox/Bellerin on the other wing.
Agreed! ?
I’m pretty sure he’s there to cover for Alexis giving the ball away too. On the other side you have Ozil, who doesn’t really lose the ball dangerously, so if you’re looking for stability the Gibbs has proved his worth in spades I think. I would love to see a more attacking LWB too but coming out of the fucking shit run we were one I think the formation has been close to perfect. I thought Monreal and Gibbs were played together to plan for an attacking sub if needed; Iwobi for Gibbs or something like that but thankfully we… Read more »
I can’t agree that the Ox was ever better on the left. I think he’s one of the few wide attackers in the modern game much more comfortable hugging the touchline on his stronger foot rather than playing “inverted”.
I certainly wouldn’t want to lose his threat to round the defender to the touch line for a cutback. Inside out everyone knows what the wingers are going to do.
And the quality of his crossing has been impressive in this formation.
‘He tapped the badge too!’ I had a little grin at that too!
Suppose it’s easy to talk about how the back 3 suits our outfield players like Holding, chamberlain, Ramsey etc but I can’t help but think maybe the back 3 coinciding with an uptick in Cech’s form isn’t a coincidence
Cech-musta kozzer hold- ox xaka rams nacho- ozil welbeck sanchez….lets gets 4th place and fa cup….coyg
Everyone complains about Sanchez’s passing. Jesus, the guy is the difference-maker in the final third of the pitch. Of course he’s going to lose the ball a lot. He stops making dangerous passes, the team would be totally sterile.
From inside the ground it didn’t look like alexis was interested. Stood still in positions where he couldn’t be passed to and seemed unwilling to get in behind. His tracking back often left gonna exposed and some passes he attempted had no chance of getting through. However, he’s that guy in our team with the quality and composure to score goals of high quality and when he does move with the ball or put the squeeze on in defence you can see opponents are scared of him.
His passing is shit. Even his dribbles with the ball have been shit. Loses it far too often and alot of the time in dangerous areAs. A player of that quality should not have these traits
Anyone else get really upset at Ozil for backing out of the challenge after that Welbeck flick? Reminded me of Theo vs Kaboul last season. Haven’t heard any criticism of it though so maybe I need to watch it again. Either way, made up for it with a great long pass, run, and final ball to set up Alexis on the opener.
Shut up
He didn’t back out of a challenge. The defender was there way before him.
I agree with Cool. Ozil avoided contact which is a bit dissapointing imo. In opponent box never afraid of contact thats a basic rule. I think ozil a bit ‘coward’ there
are you all blind it was an impossible angle and he knew that the defender will go all in and played for the penalty, of course not to incinerate a penalty just knowing that the defender will tackle him in full force, lucky for the soton player he made a great tackle a margin of mistake in the tackle and would have been a penalty.
Only this to keep in mind after the great game of Mesut with 6 created chances, the most passes after Xhaka, 3 fouls won…
The assist pass to Alexis is so simple it’s easily under appreciated. First time at the exact weight and direction. There are very few who can do that. And without it no chance for Alexis to do his more obvious magic.
I agree. Soft, soft, soft. So soft. And not tough. And soft.
What will really suck is if we win our remaining matches and finish one stinking point out of fourth.
I think this is what’s going to happen. At least it wouldn’t suck quite as much as missing out on fourth due to goal difference…
What happens if that team from Manchester wins the Europa League? Will the 4th place still matter?
Yes then 5 PL teams will enter UCL
I thought UEFA said only 4 English teams in CL? So we have to finish either top 3 – or 4th and hope Ajax do the job on Manure in EL final.
Apologies, it is 5. We would have to have finished 3rd if Leicester and United had won their respective competitions.
obviously happy with the last 2 games but we do this every season. good form is easy to come by when you’ve alleviated all tension and expectation by having blown out of both europe and the league.
No tension now? What a lazy and old comment. The urgent need to win all matches to finish for a potential CL place and hoping others slip up is definitely stressful and tense.
but it’s nothing compared with title contention stress. that is when you find out what a team is made of
I say it every game and I’ll say it again. We neee to be faster with our build up play and forward more. Too many players are slowing the play down, hesistating, and passing sideways and backwards. Okay when you’re 2-0 up but not when you need goals. The wengerball of a few seasons ago needs to be found again.
Agreed I do not mind probing we have to do that when the opposition is back in position. The transition from defence to attack is to slow currently & no-one realy running at the defence bar OX & Sanchez. Feel sorry for Welbeck currently.
Gibbs playing ok getting in good positions & in the CL early stages he set up a few assists so happy to give him time, but Monreal there overlapping with Sanchez will probably be the long term plan.
This happened after we lost TR7, wilshere and santi all of them move at pace through the middle, moving our defensive line up and committing full backs to wingers creating space for the likes of Ozil in one move.
Sorely missed I must say. But then Wenger is the coach.
I understand that Alexis scored the goal and now we’re expected to sing praises of him, as that was indeed a special goal. But at the same time he creates an impact on both sides, to balance that you need a defensive minded Gibbs and with an attacking lwb like everyone asks for, we would be conceding crosses and goals from that side. If u see how Monreal was left exposed due to Alexis losing the ball and not quite supporting him fully in the earlier formation you’ll see what I mean. Football has changed nowadays, everybody defends, even Messi… Read more »
All players 7+ except Gibbs is just a bit harsh. He did alright and was pretty solid – I can’t think of any real mistakes, maybe a poor touch to decent ball from Sanchez. Are you marking him down because he’s not roberto Carlos? It was the same last week and doesn’t really match the reality.
Whoever negotiates the transfers for Bolton Wanderers needs to be fired.
Imagine letting Holding go for £2M.
Nice assist by Ozil, but he had some very embarrassing moments yesterday. Romeau bossed and bounced him around. Backing out of a slide tackle in the box. How does one have the desire to get his skill level and fail to be tough. He is fast, skillful, and agile, yet weak, soft, and scared. WTF is going on with him. I wish someone would beat his ass hardcore just so he knows we can survive it and not fear a bruising. Harden his legs with bamboo. Hypotize him. Send him to Siberia to train in the cold and subpar equipment… Read more »
8 for alexis. Fuck me. Not even a 5 despite the goal.
For a player of that quality to give it away so much and not even try and improve is a joke. Reminds me of payet for westham. Can spark some magic but shite otherwise. If alexis keeps this up he will drop a level.