Arsenal lost 2-1 at Old Trafford at the weekend, and Brazilian Andre Santos copped most of the flak.
Was that fair? Surely Thomas Vermaelen deserved more criticism? That’s a question for a whole different article. Santos didn’t help himself by swapping shirts with Van Persie at half-time.
Perhaps he just thought he would be subbed by the final whistle, or perhaps he was nutmegged so many times during the first half he had been tricked into thinking the game was over. Wishful thinking perhaps on his part.
Put the shirt swapping aside for a moment, and admittedly it is pretty difficult to ignore, here is what Arsenal fans were saying about his on pitch display…
@skeamzmusic: United first goal was santos fault . Completely out of position allowed the initial cross .
@benhan: And Santos didn’t close down his opponent. He tackled if within range but never close down, just let opponent cross… Crazy.
@seanmacauley: Santos shanks another cross. Eboue – your legacy lives on. #Arsenal#abject
@faythegunner: Santos has a strange way of defending. He backs off & off. Can’t read the game. I can play left back better than him.
@funnygooner: Didn’t we defend Santos’s defending saying he is an asset going forward? Now what?
@timelewis85: Oh, Santos. The joke has gone on long enough now. Seemingly a lovely bloke but defending is not your game. Woeful.
@tom_varney: Armand Traore a better defender an second choice than Santos?
@orangeiceman10: I’m not really bothered about how likeable Santos is,he’s an woeful defender.Shouldn’t be any where near a team like Arsenal
@jacav90: Santos was never the best defender but he didn’t used to be this bad. What’s happened to him? He keeps making the same positional mistakes.
@reemiah10: In my eyes santos should never be allowed to wear a arsenal shirt again..
@nelomarial: Andre Santos doesn’t deserve Arsenal jersey. Him and many others current players at arsenal useless bunch. Fans should boycott
@jgoddard3: Andre Santos doesn’t deserve his Brazilian nationality. #nosambaskills
@rexxx_complexxx: Andre Santos doesn’t have a defensive bone in his body !
Forget the shirt swap – From a defensive point of view should Santos be axed? And who should come in if Gibbs is still not fit?
image: © crystian cruz
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