Arsenal: Back from the procession

[Esteban]

No point commenting on the game, everybody knows what our deficiencies are in the middle of the park and the lack of confidence around the place condemned us before we’d even got started.

However, in amongst the dying embers of our Premier League status, I did see the faintest spark of something better. For ten minutes before they scored and the five minutes between our goals, there were glimpses of us getting the ball down, playing into Pogrebnyak’s feet and working it out wide from there. And when we did, we got in behind them and created chances. Our goals came from decent passing through the middle, releasing the striker. It’s there, lingering in the background, we can do it and I believe that McDermott will do his best to nurture it.

For that reason, and IF we can strengthen the CB and CM positions with PL quality, then perhaps we’ll make a better fist of things from January onwards. I expect we’ll still go down, but maybe we’ll go down with a slightly brighter disposition than we all have now.

[Focher]

GUTHRIE REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THE CLUB SIX DAYS AGO.

Why is everyone fawning over him like he's the new Kevin Watson?

m8 why do you keep on going on about this he has publicly apologised and is the most accomplished, experienced and best midfielder in the squad. Considering our position in this league and considering how bad the other options are he should be a shoe in, irrespective of Mcdermott liking him or not.

[runrunrunrungilksey]

I often wonder, is it me that needs to be realistic or the club?

It's you that needs to be realistic.

We can't spend money we don't have.

Why did JM sell to TSI? To keep Kebe, sign Roberts, Gunter, Marriappa, McLeary, Shorey, Guthrie & Pog? That's not taking the club to the next level, if that was the price of Reading FC, I would have prefered mid table championship and a fight for the play off's.

[runrunrunrungilksey]

GUTHRIE REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THE CLUB SIX DAYS AGO.

Why is everyone fawning over him like he's the new Kevin Watson?

m8 why do you keep on going on about this he has publicly apologised and is the most accomplished, experienced and best midfielder in the squad. Considering our position in this league and considering how bad the other options are he should be a shoe in, irrespective of Mcdermott liking him or not.

It'll all be different when Karacan comes back

[Royal With Cheese]

Contrastingly, Kebe tracks back and does a reasonable impression of a full back. He's possibly the best winger we've ever had for that, Stephen Hunt got a lot of praise but he was one to press rather than contain.

That, of all the comments on HNA in the last 10 years, is the best I've ever seen.

I really, really hope this is a fishing trip as I'm well and truly hooked. Kebe can't defend for toffee.

bollox

You are the exception that proves the rule where Kebe's concerned Brendy!

[larry1971]

well that thumping has been coming for a while now even Gary Nevil at thm[e start of the programm when talking through the Reading line up questioned Mcdermot's continued use of plAYING 4 -4-2 it gives youthe feeling that Mcdermot is either to stuborn to change the system or to frightened to change it .

[melonhead]

The TSI investment wasn't sold to us a new owner that has no money to spend, it was sold to us that they were a new owner taking us to the next level, one that cannot be reached without investment in premiership quality players, so what was the point of the sale?

their words were quite clear- we would carry on in our usual way, spending what we could afford
but we would have an owner who had some money to finance things here in terms of fees/wages/keeping best players, where JM had no money at all to give us.

ok, since hes joined hes only spent 10 million on the team, but thats 16 million more than jm could have

[The Beardy Man]

Why did JM sell to TSI? To keep Kebe, sign Roberts, Gunter, Marriappa, McLeary, Shorey, Guthrie & Pog? That's not taking the club to the next level, if that was the price of Reading FC, I would have prefered mid table championship and a fight for the play off's.

It may not be the next level some were hoping for, but it is a step up nonetheless.

[Elm Park Pasty]

Not sure if this is all Gary Neville said last night, having problems with work PC:

http://www1.skysports.com/cricket/news/ ... at-Reading

[melonhead]

Why did JM sell to TSI? To keep Kebe, sign Roberts, Gunter, Marriappa, McLeary, Shorey, Guthrie & Pog? That's not taking the club to the next level, if that was the price of Reading FC, I would have prefered mid table championship and a fight for the play off's.

It may not be the next level some were hoping for, but it is a step up nonetheless.

agreed


RFC without Kebe, Roberts, Gunter, Marriappa, McLeary, Shorey, Guthrie & Pog? = bottom, on 0 points

[runrunrunrungilksey]

Why did JM sell to TSI? To keep Kebe, sign Roberts, Gunter, Marriappa, McLeary, Shorey, Guthrie & Pog? That's not taking the club to the next level, if that was the price of Reading FC, I would have prefered mid table championship and a fight for the play off's.

It may not be the next level some were hoping for, but it is a step up nonetheless.

agreed


RFC without Kebe, Roberts, Gunter, Marriappa, McLeary, Shorey, Guthrie & Pog? = bottom, on 0 points

And with them, still bottom (ok with more points but still bottom)

[maffff]

GUTHRIE REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THE CLUB SIX DAYS AGO.

Why is everyone fawning over him like he's the new Kevin Watson?

Well, the old Kevin Watson was no Parky for a start...

[melonhead]

hence why its an improvement




going into a prem season with harte as our only left back
cummings our only right back
church as one of our 3 strikers
only two CDs
cummings our only right back
and kanu and mcanuff our only two wingers
wasnt really an option was it


and given 5 million quid, how would you have sorted that mess out any better?

[The Beardy Man]

hence why its an improvement




going into a prem season with harte as our only left back
cummings our only right back
church as one of our 3 strikers
only two CDs
cummings our only right back
and kanu and mcanuff our only two wingers
wasnt really an option was it


and given 5 million quid, how would you have sorted that mess out any better?

Hammer. Nail. Head.

[Esteban]

I often wonder, is it me that needs to be realistic or the club?

It's you that needs to be realistic.

We can't spend money we don't have.

Why did JM sell to TSI? To keep Kebe, sign Roberts, Gunter, Marriappa, McLeary, Shorey, Guthrie & Pog? That's not taking the club to the next level, if that was the price of Reading FC, I would have prefered mid table championship and a fight for the play off's.

Don't forget the not insignificant investment in the infrastructure of the club that we rarely hear about or see. Academy 1 status will cost us a fortune, not to mention upgrading the first team training facilities, re-organising the club's finances, etc. Can't argue that we haven't taken the team to the next level, but things are going on behind the scenes to move the club forwards.

It's difficult. You can't really give up on promotion, even if you know full well that your financial plan doesn't support a decent stab at staying up the following season. Equally, you can't come out once you've won promotion and say "Don't bother spending your money on tickets everybody, we don't have a hope of staying up at the moment. But next time, we'll be much better!"

Whether you think McDermott is the right man for the job is a matter of opinion and I'm sure that 90% or more of people think he's definitely not. But finances are a big part of football and we have budgeted very little for playing staff. Aligned to that, somehow, Brian managed to drag an above average squad, at best, into the top flight and you've got yourself some very difficult decisions to make. Time will tell if they were the right decisions for the long term benefit of the club.

In the meantime, we've got a manager who may well be out of his depth and a squad of players who don't have enough quality. Sucks to be us at the moment.

[The Beardy Man]

Don't forget the not insignificant investment in the infrastructure of the club that we rarely hear about or see. Academy 1 status will cost us a fortune, not to mention upgrading the first team training facilities, re-organising the club's finances, etc. Can't argue that we haven't taken the team to the next level, but things are going on behind the scenes to move the club forwards.

It's difficult. You can't really give up on promotion, even if you know full well that your financial plan doesn't support a decent stab at staying up the following season. Equally, you can't come out once you've won promotion and say "Don't bother spending your money on tickets everybody, we don't have a hope of staying up at the moment. But next time, we'll be much better!"

Whether you think McDermott is the right man for the job is a matter of opinion and I'm sure that 90% or more of people think he's definitely not. But finances are a big part of football and we have budgeted very little for playing staff. Aligned to that, somehow, Brian managed to drag an above average squad, at best, into the top flight and you've got yourself some very difficult decisions to make. Time will tell if they were the right decisions for the long term benefit of the club.

In the meantime, we've got a manager who may well be out of his depth and a squad of players who don't have enough quality. Sucks to be us at the moment.

Excellent post

[Royalclapper]

While I wasn't expecting a spectacular win, thought we gave Arsenal more respect than they deserved last night. They are a long way off some of the better sides they've had down the years.

Ironically, we looked a much improved attacking force imo. It's clearly having a CM who have little know-how at this level and an ever changing and totally uncoordinated defensive set up that makes it a stroll for half decent opposition.

I'd like to see us conceding a few more niggly free kicks around the halfway or just inside our own half to help stop the balls being pinged into our most vulnerable areas.

[Snowball]

I thought Arsenal were BRILLIANT last night, awesome.

Not only did they have 3 midfielders who could play, speed, strength, movement
they also tackled like hell. They were so fast at closing down most of the time
and won ball that most sides wouldn't win.

I thought going forward we were quite good and we missed two gilt-edged chances, Pog early on
and McAnuff in the second half.

I WASN'T disappointed. Feds showed a bit of form, so did Pog, so did Jimmy
and Alf got another goal, HRK starred.

I had presumed a 4-goal defeat, so 2-5 was about where it should have been, or 3-6

[Albert Spangler]

GUTHRIE REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THE CLUB SIX DAYS AGO.

Why is everyone fawning over him like he's the new Kevin Watson?

HE ALSO APOLOGISED.

So have you, here:

I'm sorry, but for goodness sake, where was Danny Guthrie? Mikele Leigertwood and Jay Tabb are simply awful. Worst midfield pairing we have had in years.

Noel Hunt is shit.

Gorkss is massively out of his depth.

McDermott out!

but that doesn't stop you being completely wrong about everything ever.

[Jink]

Gutless, Spineless are a few words to describe last nights performance. It was men against boys and we were taught a right royal lesson by Arsenal. My concern is that I do not know where we will pick up are next points from, BM is going on about Swansea and West Sham at home-he may need reminding that these 2 sides are better then some of the sides that we have been beatn easily by, I.e. Sunderland.

Lets all accept the fact we are going down and just enjoy the rest of this season!