Arsenal v Aston Villa match thread | Page 32 | Vital Football

Arsenal v Aston Villa match thread

The gooners I spoke to said we should’nt read too much into this result as arsenal are top 6. However, one asked a worrying question, “would Sheffield Utd have thrown that away?”. We’re playing some good football but we need to man up

Sheff Utd were well capable of throwing games away last season
 
The gooners I spoke to said we should’nt read too much into this result as arsenal are top 6. However, one asked a worrying question, “would Sheffield Utd have thrown that away?”. We’re playing some good football but we need to man up

That coming from a man who's side threw away a 2-0 lead to Watford a week earlier.

All teams are caoanle of throwing leads away..... Yet I find it interesting nobody ever focuses on the team who have clawed their way back in... It's never that they've been brilliant it's always the other team throwing it away.
 
This time last year we were losing to Sheff weds at home. A year later we are gutted about a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal.

Maybe perspective is needed from everyone in the cold light of day.

I include myself in this .

Followed by failing to beat Bristol City and Preston, and get outplayed by Millwall.

Not to say we can't criticize what's happening now, we still should have won and Smith got it wrong.

But all this "he'll gone by Christmas" stuff is just amazing looking at the bigger picture and what's happened in a year.
 
Smith had to rebuild Brentford each season and they had some difficult starts (probably as a result of that). Smith, Mings and SJM have identified problems that they are working on. Beat Burnley and things look different - this will turn around. We've not had the rub of the green and have created our own problems so far. The good thing is that the players are not afraid to identify the weaknesses, a far cry from the last time we were in the PL.

I'm as gutted as everyone else about Sunday, but I'm sure this team will continue to improve. Home games will be critical.
 
That coming from a man who's side threw away a 2-0 lead to Watford a week earlier.

All teams are caoanle of throwing leads away..... Yet I find it interesting nobody ever focuses on the team who have clawed their way back in... It's never that they've been brilliant it's always the other team throwing it away.
I don't think Arsenal were brilliant though. Uncharacteristic mistakes from Mings and Engels cost us
 
I don't think Arsenal were brilliant though. Uncharacteristic mistakes from Mings and Engels cost us

Arsenal certainly went for it as they had nothing to lose; we were under extreme pressure. However, on another day Mings and Engels wouldn't have made those mistakes; at least, I hope not.

Nobody mentions the fact that we did come back to try to retrieve the game. Hence Hourihane's legitimate penalty shout. In fact, we do seem able to put that sort of effort in at the end of a match.
 
Arsenal certainly went for it as they had nothing to lose; we were under extreme pressure. However, on another day Mings and Engels wouldn't have made those mistakes; at least, I hope not.

Nobody mentions the fact that we did come back to try to retrieve the game. Hence Hourihane's legitimate penalty shout. In fact, we do seem able to put that sort of effort in at the end of a match.
Yes we do put the effort in at the death when the game is lost. Its so bloody annoying after taking the lead in games and then appearing to run out of steam , around the seventy minute mark, conceding, and then having to try and pull it back.
We definitely need better substitute management by the coaching staff.
 
Arsenal certainly went for it as they had nothing to lose; we were under extreme pressure. However, on another day Mings and Engels wouldn't have made those mistakes; at least, I hope not.

Nobody mentions the fact that we did come back to try to retrieve the game. Hence Hourihane's legitimate penalty shout. In fact, we do seem able to put that sort of effort in at the end of a match.
You’re right mate. Mings and Engels have been superb so far this season. The errors were uncharacteristic. And we should’ve had a penalty. I’m sure we’ll bounce back. And we’re definitely good enough to stay up
 
That coming from a man who's side threw away a 2-0 lead to Watford a week earlier.

All teams are caoanle of throwing leads away..... Yet I find it interesting nobody ever focuses on the team who have clawed their way back in... It's never that they've been brilliant it's always the other team throwing it away.

Not sure that is totally true, but if you look at our 3-3 v Sheff Utd, we were celebrating the fightback, but at 3-0 as a Blade, you'd surely be saying they'd thrown it away?

We invited Arsenal on in my humble, and a few of the players have admitted that as well, that is never a good idea. As I said at the start of the thread, the only way we will do well v Arsenal is by taking the game to them. But then, McGinn/Mings have questioned that plus mentality. They've got to get it sussed and this weekend v Burnley would be a great time for them to remove any doubts they have in their own minds - helps fans as well because some of the drongoes will (and do) turn very quickly during matches.
 
Smith had to rebuild Brentford each season and they had some difficult starts (probably as a result of that). Smith, Mings and SJM have identified problems that they are working on. Beat Burnley and things look different - this will turn around. We've not had the rub of the green and have created our own problems so far. The good thing is that the players are not afraid to identify the weaknesses, a far cry from the last time we were in the PL.

I'm as gutted as everyone else about Sunday, but I'm sure this team will continue to improve. Home games will be critical.

Continue to improve, or start to improve? That is the only distinction between what some of you are saying and some of us are saying I think. Our fitness should not be in question whatsoever (and again, that comes from a player or two, not moaning fans)

I do agree with the point earlier in this thread, probably be less frustrating if Arsenal just played outstandingly and beat us comprehensively, because these top teams aren't top for no reason and we have a lot of catching up to do (as all of us? accept and understand having been in the wilderness)
 
Fitness can be affected by injuries but stamina is a constant providing the necessary work has been put in pre season. Some players have a natural well of stamina depending on body type while others need it constantly topped up.
Newer players won't have been subjected to the training regimes that established players built on last season. Now that the season is underway match fitness built on stamina should improve.
I hark back to Ron Saunders' teams. No-one could live with us stamina wise.He put them through a tortuous regime but it stood them in good stead and we didn't fade in the latter stages of games. He was a fit bugger himself and expected players to equal his effort.
 
Yes, that is the good thing, despite it not looking like it was up to scratch at the get-go, it is one thing that should/will improve.
 
Deano just confirmed in his press conference as I suspected that tiredness was not an issue against Arsenal. Not just his opinion but backed up by the running stats, our running levels didn't deteriorate at all.

He thinks it was more down to decision making and I tend to agree... it's uncharted waters for us really and when Arsenal come at you gung ho its hard not to just get rid and keep giving them the ball back. We need to be calmer in possession but it will come. Every setback is a lesson to learn.