Southampton 4 Arsenal 0 Match Thread: FT!

Fact is that Wengers tactics tonight played right into their hands and everyone but GT can see that.

comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 51 seconds ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 7 seconds ago
Playing the ball into space for strikers to run on to is easier than trying to find a target man marked by defenders.


And who do you think would have provide that type of pass tonight? We couldnt string a 5 m pass together. Our crosses werent anywhere near a target man.
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Kolo Toure and Sol Campbell couldn't pass the ball as well as Mertesacker or Kos. But they knew that playing the ball into space behind the opposition is enough to turn the opposing CBs and make them respect that tactic. That stops teams pushing up. The striker doesn't even need to score. Just get clear once and teams get worried and drop deeper.

Do you remember earlier in the season when Ozil dropped into the 'Pirlo' position and passed a superb pass to Theo to score? Over the top. He didn't need to do it again but when the teams saw Theo as striker, they knew that could happen and pushing up on us became very difficult. This is why Alexis suddenly started finding space and scored all those goals when Theo started in the striker position.
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J99. If Mertesacker had more touches than all of your offensive players something is wrong.
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NO gt. nothing is wrong. Barca do it, in fact Pocho does, and even Klopp did at Dortmund. Pressing high is a very common tactic against teams that like to build from the back.

Southampton pressed their midfield players high. At that point how do you pass through a crowded midfield? Even players like Pirlo, Xavi would find it very difficult. The opposing teams know that defenders are the weakest technical ball players in a team. Thats why they play in defence and not midfield.

But when you push up high you have to sacrifice something! That is space in behind them. This is why teams like Barca played with converted midfield players as CBs like Masc and Puyol, fast players who run backwards and defend rather than old fashioned Cbs who can not defend well when they are turned. we don't do either. We can't push up and press teams high because of slow Cbs like Mert. So we set up deep. But because we don't have pace in the striker position, we can't play counter attack or a ball over the top because our striker doesn't have the pace to run into the space vacated by the opposition when they are drawn onto us.

comment by I am gooner now (U16927)
posted 6 minutes ago
Fact is that Wengers tactics tonight played right into their hands and everyone but GT can see that.
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how so? We lost 4-0 so its obvious we did something wrong.

looked more like everyone had enjoyed christmas and looked lazy as opposed to tactics

comment by Sir Digby (U6039)
posted about a minute ago
looked more like everyone had enjoyed christmas and looked lazy as opposed to tactics
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you need your players performing firstly. If you havent got players who are up for it tactics doesnt matter.

yeah exactly, the only tactic that would have worked today would be play 11 different players

Different starting XI Digby? I agree. I said before the match that the team looked very weak on paper. Gunther disagreed.

comment by I am gooner now (U16927)
posted 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
Fact is that Wengers tactics tonight played right into their hands and everyone but GT can see that.
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Wouldn't worry about GT mate. He's a bit lacking in football knowledge bless him

Wenger out

Jenous, spot on mate but the likes of GT and Digby just dont understand the impact one position, the striker can have on the rest of the game.