Right, well, I've calmed down after that result so I can write a more constructive, less rage-fueled, report on the game. God knows this place needs some level-headed discussion after that. Why are rage levels so high on the internet? /rant

Okay, so the biggest issue today clearly was our inability to keep the ball, followed by our inability to actually win the ball back so we can keep it. We clearly missed Arteta's presence in the centre of midfield today as Ramsey looked unable to cope with the pressure he was being put under and Benayoun was on the preiphary of the game for every minute he was on the pitch, neither using the ball well in the Swansea half or helping out his midfield partners.

Swansea used the ball really well and pressed us intensley. Old Arsenal sides would've played around that pressure and exerted their dominance on the other team. This Arsenal side doesn't.

Not being able to keep the ball prevented us from building up any pressure, and we couldn't hit Swansea on the break either because our transition play we generally pretty poor.

Had both these aspects not been prevelant, we'd have done better. Swansea, for all their good passing and movement, actually weren't all that threatening and their three goals came about from a mixture of poor refereeing decisions, not being able to cope with pressure and shoddy defensive positioning.

Swansea's first goal wasn't a penalty. In fact, Dyer had fouled Ramsey, not the other way around.

Swansea's second goal started when Ramsey was pressured and lost the ball. Again, another example of not being able to cope. Ignasi Miquel had pushed up to support the attack, thinking that Ramsey would have completed the transition of play. As a result, he was out of position, Dyer had acres of space and scored.

Third goal: Koscielny deeper than everyone else, then gets beaten too easily by Graham. Szczesny's angles were all wrong. Clear lack of concentration after scoring the goal.

This game highlights how important possession is to a side like Arsenal. We're not a team that'll conjure up a solid defensive shape every game, but a team that'll relieve the pressure on the defenders by keeping the ball. We didn't have that today. Quick turnovers like the ones today are going to cause you problems, no matter who've you got in the backline.

Stay calm, it's not a crisis
Defeat seems to bring the worst of us. The calls of "Wenger out" and "BUY BUY BUY" seem to appear every time something doesn't go our way. I'm not papering over the cracks here, but I have to put things into perspective.

We're missing all four of our full backs and our best centre back through injury. Two centre backs are having to play full back. Buying a good full back in January is near impossibe. Nobody will want to sell any of their good players to us this month, since they've got little time to sign a replacement. And what happens when everyone becomes fit again?

Offensive problems are still prevelant. Have been for a while. Van Persie scores but the supporting cast are sorely lacking in form and consistency. No doubt this area of the team needs improvement.

Things will improve when we get our full backs fit and Wilshere returns to the midfield. It'll be painful in the meantime - two consecutive league defeats indicative of that - but we just have to stick it out. Remember, we're only four points behind Chelsea in 4th. Finishing in the Champions League places is still very much on. Improvement is needed, of course, but let's not act like we're being relegated.

FT Stats Swansea v Arsenal Shots 10-18, On target 4-8, Fouls 9-10, Duels Won % 53%-47%, Passing Accuracy 80%-79%, Possession 55%-45%

SHIT SHIT SHIT performance

feel pathetic..
We were beaten completely by a better side.. We made them feel like Barcelona.. Completely outpossessed us.. And now we dont have the midfield to play our game..
Sczeny - 5 nothing much to say
Djurou - 6 average performance.. Great assist..
Metskr - 4 ..bullshit.. Absolute waste of 7 feet of human flesh.. I dont find him better than Squillaci..
Kos 6 tried his best..
Miquel 5 mixed performance..
Song 6.5 our best performer of the day.. Only player who kept the ball..
Benayoun 5 Anonymous..
Arshavin 5.5 better.. Tried something and good assist..
Walcott 4.. Useless.. Highly overrated idiot.. Never learns or improves.. And dont think about that goal..
Ramsey 5 Another star who never learns ? Lets buy some sensible AM from lower sides..
RVP 6 had his magic moment.. But we ended losing the lead..
Henry.. Feel sad for him.. You are a winner.. You dont deserve to play with these loosers like Walcott, Ramsey, Arshavin, Metskr.. Etc

Wilson37 wrote:
Walcott 4.. Useless.. Highly overrated idiot.. Never learns or improves.. And

Exactly my thought...

Absolutely shocking, dreadful, scandalous.

Pathetic to the max.

Not been this angry watching arsenal in ages.

Ignasi Miquel is the 7th different player to start at left back for Arsenal this season.
He had 5 interceptions
at times gap between him and kos were there to be seen
mixed peformance
but what do you expect?
were are those oneManTeam idiots
Arteta could make difference
(and play comfortably as a DM when needed)
Sagna as well
Wilshere
even Gervs
IS IT ALL AW's fault that we had so many key players out
some people change their mind easily

everyone is pissed off

Walcott 4, but Ramsey 5?

Bollocks to that, Ramsey should get a 3 for his arse head tactics of trying to backheel and flick every little ball, as well as losing the ball numerous times, one of which resulted in the second goal

At least Walcott scored and kept us in it

This one is going to be hard to swallow. One of arsenals worst performance for long time. It almost reminded me the 8-2 defeat to man utd.

I like Ramsey but i have to admit this was one of his worst performance. He was unlucky for conceding penalty but he was at fault for the 2nd goal. I cant find words to describe JDs performance because he was just shit today. His pass to Walcott was great but other than that he was useless.

Arshavin was good in the opening minutes and created goal but as the game went on he got lost. He wasnt tracking back and wasnt helping Miq. I really think Chambelain should start over him.

The Walcott goal replay hadn't even finished before they scored

Enough f****** said.

I've updated the first post. I didn't bother with player ratings today.

I know we're all pissed but relax. Were Arsenal. We all knew this was a possibility knowing how 'lucky' we are. If anything this helps send Wenger a message we need. New signings

Arsene, was it the ref's fault for the 2nd and 3rd Swansea goals? Excuse after excuse.

Ratings:

Szczesny 5

Djourou 6.5
Mertesacker 5.5
Koscielny 6.5
Miquel 4.5

Song 5
Ramsey 5
Benayoun 5

Walcott 4
Van Persie 5
Arshavin 4

Agreed but any signing is a good signing. We need more players. Maybe we can't get wc players but hopefully we can get a few impact sub players

shameful defeat. ramsey was awful, and walcott is horrible. the midfield's passing was just horrible today.


all ramsey has to do is stop trying skills every time he gets on the ball. they rarely work, and even when he does they dont help beat his marker. walcott is just trash. yeah he scored, but that's a chance you HAVE to convert and he misses chances like that with regularity. im so sick of him on the wing. he always gets himself in a situation where he doesnt know what to do, so he just puts in a sh1te cross.



and why is arshavin still at arsenal? dont tell me it's because every once and a while he shows quality. he's like 30 years old now, if he cant have any smidget of consistency he should be sent on the first thing flying to St. Petersburg


Wenger needs to man up and stop tolerating all of the horsesh1te going on in the club. Useless players, horrible training staff, making excuses after every game, etc. it all needs to stop. He cant keep hanging his hat on what the club has done in the past, that stuff doesnt matter AT ALL. That stuff is for when he's gone. It's about the here and now and he needs to realize it

To take the lead at Blackburn, Fulham + Swansea and leave with 0 points is really bad.

guys I did not watch this game but expected a defeat

why?

watch our game vs QPR, now watch our game vs fulham, now watch our game vs leeds

WE MADE THESAME MISTAKES..

Swansea are good at home so could not be bothered to get annoyed ona good sunday

aleumdance wrote:guys I did not watch this game but expected a defeat

why?

watch our game vs QPR, now watch our game vs fulham, now watch our game vs leeds

WE MADE THESAME MISTAKES..

Swansea are good at home so could not be bothered to get annoyed ona good sunday

You make a very good point, and for this season I almost hope that we don't make Champions League so that either Arsene or the board wakes up. The way the season has looked makes me think that Arsene is just about done, his tactics aren't working, and our "great" youth has proven to be the opposite. Maybe we need to start AOC for a few games, the team just looks like uncreative, and when arteta is in it is worse.
I'm only going to rate one player and I rate Ramsey at a 2, he gave away to goals, he couldn't keep the ball, and his vision was terrible.

I disagree with the calm down part lol.

shit performance, shit mentality and shit match overall.

Thank You Arsenal for ruining my week.

I posted on another thread so am not going to say much on here. Just wanted to add my portion to the ratings. I am going to go in a little different direction, than just the ratings for the players in this 1 game.

AFC board - 3. Did they really think that this team was going to compete for honors this year.

Wenger - 3 Same reason as above since none of us really know who is making the decisions.

Do we have money or not. Did Wenger actually think this team was going to compete?

I have had my opinion all year not just after this game just wondering what others think.