Missed the first half, wish I'd missed the second.

Mustafi and Kolasinac have to go, both absolutely awful defenders. FFS Mustafi was in FRONT of his man when he decided to stop running! What an idiot.

Don't know about that, we have seen him do some great stuff, especially running with the ball. He wasn't atrocious today but he just made sloppy errors in possession at a vital time in the game. Plus the poor finish. But I think overall, we got to be talking about the defence. Mustafi and Kolasinac in the same back line is just asking for trouble and inevitably we get it.

Reflective of our squad strength unfortunately. We’re truly a Europa League side which is shown by how many players you’ve listed that we need 1 which I completely agree with btw. If you have to start Mustafi and Elneny - ever - and Iwobi and Guendouzi and the rest of the decent squaddies are very regular starters you’re going to make these stumbles.

Don't know about that, we have seen him do some great stuff, especially running with the ball. He wasn't atrocious today but he just made sloppy errors in possession at a vital time in the game. Plus the poor finish. But I think overall, we got to be talking about the defence. Mustafi and Kolasinac in the same back line is just asking for trouble and inevitably we get it.

I think we all go back and forth with Iwobi, he varies between neat and tidy and high work rate, to a bit brainless with no end product. Wherever people think of him surely no one would want him to be first choice as much as he is.

I still don't think Iwobi is at any level for top teams to consider spending their available funds.

I think Mustafi is not a poor player. I am thinking something much more sinister. We play Valencia, his previous team, and I fear he will knowingly gift them a goal, or a penalty (or two).

Didn’t watch the game but had a feeling we would slip up

I see the comments about Mustafi and all I’ll say is after my headloss rant about him after the league cup final last year when I walked out the ground because he decided to mark Aguero not goal side for a kick from their keeper is that I’m not surprised. I’d rather see Iwobi at centre half than him, seriously he is that much of a liability.

I think Mustafi is not a poor player. I am thinking something much more sinister. We play Valencia, his previous team, and I fear he will knowingly gift them a goal, or a penalty (or two).

Mustafi's only there because Sokratis was suspended, Monreal struggling for fitness and Holding injured. He's become our 5th choice centreback in a 3 or 4th choice in a 4, and thats only because Mavropanos is only just returning from injury. We all know he's not good enough. Emery knows he's not good enough. But today we simply didn't have anyone else.

Yes, the line up was very poor today. Jenkinson, Elneny, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Mavropanos.
Horrendous.
I'll excuse Guendouzi as I do rate him.

Yes we played 3 centre halves though

Play Monreal, Lichtensteiner. *%^@*** anybody

He shouldn’t be here and now in my opinion has overtaken Xhaka as the worst arsenal signing of all time.

I genuinely do not understand how we keep conceding such ridiculous goals. I thought Emery was supposed to be some sort of intensive coach who would quickly identify and irradicate these stupid defensive mistakes. It's not all down to individuals either, we consistently leave players unmarked in the box and constantly fail to understand what is required of a given situation both individually and collectively.

I think Mustafi is not a poor player. I am thinking something much more sinister. We play Valencia, his previous team, and I fear he will knowingly gift them a goal, or a penalty (or two).

Mustafi is a very good athlete. Not a so good defender though. Should be our third or even fourth choice CB. Insted he's starting majority of our games.

Yes we played 3 centre halves though

Play Monreal, Lichtensteiner. *%^@*** anybody

He shouldn’t be here and now in my opinion has overtaken Xhaka as the worst arsenal signing of all time.

We missed Xhaka today. He's been very good for a while now.

Monreal's not fit and Lichsteiner's injured. Emery's team selection in recent weeks has made it clear that he doesn't rate Mustafi, but when there's literally no one else to pick from?

I’ve written it off.

We won’t do it. We have too many games and not enough players.

We can’t even bring in 3 squaddies without it turning a banker into disaster

The other problems are more down to individuals than system - because it is a combination of individuals. Mustafi is an idiot. Kos is still very good, but adjusting to no longer having the explosiveness in acceleration or jumping he used to. Monreal has been half-injured all year. Kolasinac has literally no defensive instincts at all. Bellerin has missed 2/3 of the season with injury. Holding likewise. Sokratis is a good 2nd tier centreback who is a solid option for a club on our financial footing, but there's a reason no CL clubs bought him - rash at times, mediocre on the ball and short for a centre back. AMN is learning. Lichsteiner is a busted flush sadly. Jenks is only here by accident after 3 years of trying to sell him.

I mean, its not the most convincing selection of tools. Also worth remembering that when we actually had Holding, Bellerin & Monreal all fit, we had a very decent defensive record. Helped when Torreira as still firing on all cylanders and Xhaka was fit.

Essentially, if you take 3 first choice players in defence and 3 first choice midfielders like today out of any team bar the super rich, they'll look vulnerable, and we've had 2-3 first choice defenders (as holding had become) missing for over half the season, and at least 1 first choice midfielder missing in most games since Xmas.

Lets see how Emery's defensive system works with a fit left back who can defend, another intelligent and mobile centre back with some size and with Bellerin and Holding back.

Today was a banker and we messed it up

We certainly played like a bunch of bankers.

Lol
We certainly did Soc
Do you think we will miss out on top 4?

It will be close but my gut feeling is that Chelsea will edge it due to the Hazard factor.

Plus we seem to bottle every opportunity that is handed to us.

Then play 2 and not 3 and ensure mustafi is the one booted.

I don’t believe we have youth players who aren’t better than mustafi

Our second and third string players are still mainly internationals though.

Individually and collectively the players seem unable to grasp the very basics of defending at a professional level. A lot of our defending would be embarassing if you saw it in a Sunday league game let alone in a PL game.

It will be close but my gut feeling is that Chelsea will edge it due to the Hazard factor.

Plus we seem to bottle every opportunity that is handed to us.

But so much of that is personnel.

You do realise that apart from the u18s this year, our defence at youth level has been pony for a decade....