Arsenal finally lost their unbeaten run at the 20th time of asking, but at least is was in the League Cup with most of our top players rested, so it should not negatively knock their confidence for the Premier League games.
But, overall, Wenger believes that the team he picked should have played much better and they should have been good enough to win at home last night. After the game it seemed that the only word he could use to describe the game was ‘disappointing’!
He said: “It’s not only a disappointing night because we are out, but it’s a disappointing night because the performance was disappointing. I question our urgency level, our focus from the start on. It was not good enough and we paid for that. Overall, I think that is the most disappointing. It can happen that you go out of the competition, but our first 45 minutes were just not good enough and not at the level of required concentration. In the second half we responded well, but overall for me, that’s the most disappointing.
“That what we did there was not Arsenal. It’s not the way you can stay in the competition and that we want a different response. I think it was there, but overall it’s a disappointing night and I must say, Southampton deserved to qualify and well done to them. They were ready from the start on and we were not.
“It is a learning experience but it’s still disappointing. People will say I made many, many changes. But look at the names of the players who were on the pitch tonight. We had plenty of Premier League games on the pitch.
“Yes, I felt we had a squad that could win it. We had the luck to play at home. It’s disappointing to have a crowd like we have, you can give them some satisfaction in this competition as well and the way we started the game, I think it’s disappointing.
“I don’t think I can moan about the momentum in the Premier League, that is important for us. I knew that in the League Cup that could happen, but it’s disappointing to lose the game more than the run we have. The run we want to keep in the Premier League, but I am very disappointed tonight because there are questions on important things. You know, when you turn up in the first 45 minutes we played.”
So as he managed to fit 11 ‘disappointing’s into his after game speech, I think we can safely say he was VERY disappointed!
What was the most disappointing thing for you?
Did he? Why he’s still able to smile after the game?
Because it’s the league cup?? Honestly, the same people who cry the loudest about getting knocked out would be the first to remind that it’s really not a relevant trophy for big clubs if we’d won it.
@josh37,
Yep, you’re right mate. When you get knocked out, you are ridiculed for that. If you would happen to win it, then the rivals just say it’s a tin pot trophy not to be taken seriously.
So either way, doesn’t matter. However, if we won’t win against W Ham, now that would be worrying.
Yes is a league cup but at least when come may we got something to look upon. Lol…….
Well it was always a gamble playing second string team against a decent first team, but I think its a blessing in disguise for two reasons. We can now focus completely on the league and CL for now and secondly we and the players themselves got to see who is ready to step up to the plate.
I have never rated Jenkinson and am not sure why he is still at Arsenal. Ramsey was decent a few seasons ago when he was scoring goals, but he just does not suit our current style of play. He is far too one paced and slows the game down unnecessarily.
Spot on
Going out of the cup may not be a disaster. Fighting in 4 competitions is a lot to ask.
But what is disappointing for me, it had a lot to do with one of AW’s blind spots. Too many of our attacking midfielders are either not told to or taught how to take care of the defensive work. So as soon as the team was announced, it was obvious, we would concede goals. Iwobi and Reine Adelaide would leave too much space on the flanks, and it would be easy for them to attack us. And so it was. We have had this problem for years. This year it has been a bit better. I just hope last night was not a sign, that we will make the same mistakes in the other competitions.
@AndersS
That was our main problem last night. Attackers not tracking back or putting any pressure on the Soton Players. We gave them yards of space to attack us, they gave us “zero” inches. Watching some players walking back, while Soton committed 10 men to their attack and defense peed me off…
Ox done well when he came on, if only he could be consistent in his gameplay, maybe the manager wouldn’t feel the need to play a kid instead of the bench warmer.
I think the biggest pain for me after that game is seeing Gnabry do well at WB, Wenger wanted to keep him but instead of staying and fighting for his spot, he ran off to be a big fish in a little pond. Even Gnabry has said Wenger was desperate to keep him.
I think Perez didn’t hold the ball up well enough for players to get involved, might have done better with him in Jeffs place and playing Mavididi upfront…
Heck, I think Willock would have done better than Jeff in that game XD
the number of frauds we have is just ridiculuos.
Imagine that entire team that played yesterday plus some few more
We now have a decent starting 11 not the best but much better than we have had for past few years, but as far as good squad i still think we have to much second rate players that should not be at the club
Some people say it is not our priority,then I ask “what is our priority?” Not to take cup games seriously? Are they not trophies? Even Madrid,Atletico, played with full strength against a lower team. At the beginning of the season the Club wants to win everything,now they are saying they club has priorities……lame excuse for humiliating the Fans at home. Like I said before the PSG game,If we fail to beat West Ham then I will criticise
To a high expection fans is a micky mouse cup but to a low expection fans is still a cup to celebrate so at least it please me.
I can’t get too worked up about losing, the way we lost was disappointing but in losing we’ve lightened our fixture headache for January.
Our January fixtures if we’d beaten Southampton:
1st: Palace H
3rd: Bournemouth A
7th: FA Cup
10th: Semi vs Liverpool 1st leg
14th: Swansea A
22nd: Burnley H
25th: Semi vs Liverpool 2nd leg
28th: FA Cup
31st: Watford H
Followed by a trip to Chelsea on the 4th Feb.