23 Dec 2019 05:37:39
Emotions are running high as would be expected after such an abject performance. Playing against the worst team in the league we simply didn’t show up, didn’t press, didn’t harrie, didn’t have energy, a very flat and poor performance. However, the ‘we are an average team’, ‘our players are poor’, and ‘Ole out’ refrains are perhaps not accurate.

We play well against the top teams, we are right up there in the top 6 league and the displays against Spurs and City show what we are capable of. Yet put us up against an ‘average’ team and we look bereft of ideas. But is that true? The biggest difference I have seen in games against top vs ‘average’ teams is one of application, energy, passion, and commitment. That isn’t about physical attributes, or playing badly, or ability, that is a mental issue that needs to be urgently addressed. Against City we pressed them, chased them, broke at pace, and left them floundering for the first 45 minutes. Liverpool struggled against us, the only team who has taken points off them this season. Yet against Bournemouth we looked disinterested and lethargic, same today. These are the same players, this is not about quality, this is about mentality.

Is this down to Ole? Probably. Did Jose have the same issue? Yes he did. Do I have any idea how to solve it? Absolutely not.

Ole has shown himself to be tactically astute on occasions, but then against Watford (and other lower teams) he seems to have no idea how to change things. I love the average age of the team. I love that Lukaku and Sanchez have left, I love watching us when we are on fire, but the inconsistency is driving me potty.

DDG is on borrowed time for me, this is the second season when he has looked decidedly dodgy. Lindelof is unconvincing, Maguire has not had the impact we hoped he would (has he had any impact? ), James drifts in and out of games, Jesse has energy but not much else, and Martial is a passenger for 95% of the time.

4th place is there for the taking, even 3rd in what is a poor league with only 2 stand out teams. That means we should be able to experiment and integrate some youth whilst still competing yet we look bereft of ideas against anyone other than the top 6.

I’m at a loss, I think this team is good enough to be 3rd but inconsistency around attitude and commitment is killing us.

{Ed047's Note - seriously, you guys can write all the long stories you like but you are a poor team.

I don’t speak from strength as an Arsenal supporter but how many excuses are you going to make about this side.

I seriously would want but maybe two of them at a push in my side.

When Arsenal were languishing this far behind you when you were last winning titles did you think no actually they are quality, our usual 2 players away from being great, no I’m sure you didn’t.

The squad is just so poor AJH, miles away with a hopeless manager who gets it right on occasion as have other mid table managers.

We are both as sorrowfully bad as each other and you can big up players after a decent game or constantly believe someone like Martial is going to do it, but it’s not happening.

1.) 23 Dec 2019
23 Dec 2019 06:27:50
I put it down to attitude. I think there's to many who think there to good and when they play lesser teams they think they don't have to turn up, yet when you play the bigger teams they perform well.

2.) 23 Dec 2019
23 Dec 2019 06:58:12
The club needs to stop this utter baloney of a culture reset under this Manager. We are heading in a direction that no one knows whether it will be the right one. We are letting a totally failed manager give direction to one of the worlds biggest clubs, then wonder why yesterday happened. Reset is needed, start by reviewing the present direction and immediately make logical not sentimental decisions over the capabilities of the tactically inept manager.

3.) 23 Dec 2019
23 Dec 2019 07:33:54
OLE has no clue when it comes to trying something different, he just can't get over 4-2-3-1. One-dimensional approach won't last long with average players at his helm, Pogba is the only world class talent we have who showed that last night and he deserves to leave and play for a better club (slate him as much as you want but he is World Class) .

4.) 23 Dec 2019
23 Dec 2019 08:17:36
I didn't get the chance the see the game yesterday as I'm away for a couple of weeks, so I followed the BBC text commentary, the amount of comments about the poor quality of the passing was overwhelming. These are technical basics. I saw an interview recently, I can't remember from who, but they mentioned that football basics are not covered in training as they are meant to be a given. We have players who for some reason are very short on the basic technical aspects of football. After the Everton game Old said he instructed the players to play with pace, one or two touches then pass, but they lingered on the ball, he believes it's about time and the players learning, but I just think they do not have the ability to play that way consistently. The big side performances seem to see players pushing beyond (their passing is still rather poor, but they show more fight) .

5.) 23 Dec 2019
23 Dec 2019 09:01:02
Liverpool fan in peace guys. Really don't know where you guys get this world class tag for pogba from. From outside looking in he seems to be the root of the problem at Manchester United. Both he and his agent have on more than one occasion disrespected your club. He has created a divide in the playing staff which can be traced back to Jose's time. Players like mctominay etc might never had his ability but you can rest assure he will leave everything he has out on the pitch. How often has the world class pogba done this? . To me a world class player rallies the troops when things are down or who grabs a game by the scruff of the neck when its slipping away from you. Pogba might have world class ability but he rarely brings it for Manchester United. Come to think about i actually don't think he ever wanted a return to United and when he didn't get his move to madrid he seen the chance of a big payday.

6.) 23 Dec 2019
23 Dec 2019 09:39:39
Redmick. Most don't think he is world class. Just the odd one.

7.) 23 Dec 2019
23 Dec 2019 10:31:19
Ed, I did point out half of our first team aren’t doing it right now. Irrespective of how good or bad we are, the difference in effort and application is unacceptable.

8.) 23 Dec 2019
23 Dec 2019 10:52:48
Lingard is world class :)