Brendan Rodgers

[The_weatherman]

Top be fair to Swansea, they only finished 2 places below us last year and they basically gave up after the league cup final, so we're not really in a position to expect to win away from home.

A draw was a decent result, but we really have to get back on track against Southampton. Win that and we should be confident going to SOL with Di Canio in charge, then Place at home with Suarez back should hopefully be another 3 points.

Suarez will play against Sunderland no?

[RedReet]

Yes, not sure why I specified Palace.

[Gazzla]

Top be fair to Swansea, they only finished 2 places below us last year and they basically gave up after the league cup final, so we're not really in a position to expect to win away from home.

A draw was a decent result, but we really have to get back on track against Southampton. Win that and we should be confident going to SOL with Di Canio in charge, then Place at home with Suarez back should hopefully be another 3 points.

I think Rodgers comment was more to do with the context of the game how they got on top in the second half and had all the momentum for the last 25 minutes or so as opposed to thinking he couldn't beat Swansea

[RedReet]

I think Rodgers comment was more to do with the context of the game how they got on top in the second half and had all the momentum for the last 25 minutes or so as opposed to thinking he couldn't beat Swansea

I know, my posts was more aimed at the poster suggesting we should be expecting to beat Swansea.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

I don't know why we people say we should be 'beating the likes of Swansea' when the 'the likes of' changes from season to season these days. Swansea is a decent side now, and hard to overcome on their home ground.

[MrMichael]

I don't know why we people say we should be 'beating the likes of Swansea' when the 'the likes of' changes from season to season these days. Swansea is a decent side now, and hard to overcome on their home ground.

Absolutely. So far this season Arsenal have lost to Villa and Man City were beaten by Cardiff. Over the course of the season of course we would like to win more games than we draw or lose away from home, but dismissing teams like Swansea as pushovers we should expect to beat away under any circumstances is plain silly.

[Arn]

Absolutely. So far this season Arsenal have lost to Villa and Man City were beaten by Cardiff. Over the course of the season of course we would like to win more games than we draw or lose away from home, but dismissing teams like Swansea as pushovers we should expect to beat away under any circumstances is plain silly.

I don't think anyone say that we should beat the likes of Swansea away.

It is more the way we let the opposition boss us in the second halfs. That shouldn't happen in any game. Yes the opposition will have more possession sometimes but we should have better control of the games.

When we are 1-0 up then we should have a plan how to defend that lead but it lookes like we don't have that.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

I don't think anyone say that we should beat the likes of Swansea away.

It is more the way we let the opposition boss us in the second halfs. That shouldn't happen in any game. Yes the opposition will have more possession sometimes but we should have better control of the games.

When we are 1-0 up then we should have a plan how to defend that lead but it lookes like we don't have that.

Our second half collapses are becoming a worrying trend, and should be addressed asap, but the goals were defensive errors stemming from a very makeshift defence -- comprising a new centreback who doesn't speak the language, a rookie centreback playing out of position and our least vocal senior centreback -- which obviously haven't played together much. The dearth of coordination at the back was quite telling.

If Agger had started instead of Sakho, we probably could have held on for the win, or not even let in any goals at all.

[Redspin]

Our second half collapses are becoming a worrying trend, and should be addressed asap, but the goals were defensive errors stemming from a very makeshift defence -- comprising a new centreback who doesn't speak the language, a rookie centreback playing out of position and our least vocal senior centreback -- which obviously haven't played together much. The dearth of coordination at the back was quite telling.

If Agger had started instead of Sakho, we probably could have held on for the win, or not even let in any goals at all.

What second half "collapses" have we had? We battered Stoke all game - a game in which Begovic made more saves than he'd ever made before in one match -and we won. Villa made Mignolet make only two decent saves and we won. Man U took 76 minutes to have their only worthwhile shot - by Nani - and never looked like scoring otherwise. Swansea took charge only after Coutinho went off and scored just the one second half goal.

I don't see any "second half collapses" there

[I, Ravel Morrison]

What second half "collapses" have we had? We battered Stoke all game - a game in which Begovic made more saves than he'd ever made before in one match -and we won. Villa made Mignolet make only two decent saves and we won. Man U took 76 minutes to have their only worthwhile shot - by Nani - and never looked like scoring otherwise. Swansea took charge only after Coutinho went off and scored just the one second half goal.

I don't see any "second half collapses" there

'Collapse' in the sense that our forward possession game of the first half tends to completely give way to a sit-back-and-counterattack style in the second. Since it has happened in most every game so far it's safe to assume that there's a tactical and conscious decision to do so. Although the manner is worrying (and not easy on the heart!) the results point to its effectiveness. I'm just unsure about its long-term viability. But I have a feeling it's a temp tactic and our play will evolve once Suarez returns and the new players are better bedded in.

('Collapse' is probably a poor choice of word in hindsight.)

[Arn]

What second half "collapses" have we had? We battered Stoke all game - a game in which Begovic made more saves than he'd ever made before in one match -and we won. Villa made Mignolet make only two decent saves and we won. Man U took 76 minutes to have their only worthwhile shot - by Nani - and never looked like scoring otherwise. Swansea took charge only after Coutinho went off and scored just the one second half goal.

I don't see any "second half collapses" there

We didn't batter Stoke the whole game. Stoke had attack after attack the last 30 minutes or so. We had many shots at goal but we didn't had any control of the game. Rodgers said that it was a tactical change that we sat back.

It almost cost us two points that we did that.

Man U totally dominated the second half. We almost didn't had any attack at all in the second half. In my book if you don't have that then you don't have any control of the game.

Villa totally dominated the second half and so did Swansea.

[RichC]

Amazes me after our best start in god knows how long it's still complaining incessantly on here.

Almost as if that's what they really want

[Bender]

Amazes me after our best start in god knows how long it's still complaining incessantly on here.

Almost as if that's what they really want

was just thinking the same

[dww]

Amazes me after our best start in god knows how long it's still complaining incessantly on here.

Almost as if that's what they really want

In a lot of ways it is very reminiscent of the year we finished second under Rafa.

[RichC]

Maybe that's a good sign, then again maybe not.