Arsenal Match Thread - Sponsored by The Adkins Diet

[sandman]

Sandman do u know anything about football ? If u did u would know that Ledge is constantly the worst player out on the pitch

That's your opinion certainly there are more than a few players in our squad who are out of their depth and Ledge has struggled for consistency. However, he is not the only one and given it was his goal that got us here insulting him makes you look like a grade A shit bag. Have a bit of respect for the man and what he has done at the club.

[RoyalX]

Not surprised by the defeat or how comprehensive the scoreline was (given we always seem to get thrashed by Arsenal), but a little disappointed with the manner of it. We looked like a side that knows it's relegated, which, tbf, we are. Difference in class was painfully obvious - unfortunately we came up against an Arsenal side on top form.

A few thoughts:
- That was the first time I've seen Stuart Taylor in goal and I wasn't massively impressed.
- I don't really think the praise for Mariappa or HRK was justified. Mariappa always worried me bringing the ball out of defence, he's not Beckenbauer; I mainly noticed HRK giving the ball away or committing fouls, though he took his goal well.
- Also don't think criticism of Guthrie or Adkins is warranted. Guthrie's first game in ages & I didn't think he was that bad bar the horrendous short corner incident. Not a fan of the appointment of Adkins but can't be judged on that game, which is surely obvious for anyone with a brain?
- We were lucky Foy was reffing, could have been a lot worse. 3 possible pens in the first half not given & Legs could easily have picked up 2 yellows.

Chins up, nearly the end of this season.

[Big Ern]

To all this slagging off Ledge, he is not intentionally trying to play shit! He is simply a good Chump player who's not up to the high demands of the Prem so it's not his fault. We really have nobody else better for that role at present and next season he will either be back at his level or moved on. Until then we need to make the best of what we've got as we can't sign anyone else.

[Royals and Racers]

Not surprised by the defeat or how comprehensive the scoreline was (given we always seem to get thrashed by Arsenal), but a little disappointed with the manner of it. We looked like a side that knows it's relegated, which, tbf, we are. Difference in class was painfully obvious - unfortunately we came up against an Arsenal side on top form.

A few thoughts:
- That was the first time I've seen Stuart Taylor in goal and I wasn't massively impressed.
- I don't really think the praise for Mariappa or HRK was justified. Mariappa always worried me bringing the ball out of defence, he's not Beckenbauer; I mainly noticed HRK giving the ball away or committing fouls, though he took his goal well.
- Also don't think criticism of Guthrie or Adkins is warranted. Guthrie's first game in ages & I didn't think he was that bad bar the horrendous short corner incident. Not a fan of the appointment of Adkins but can't be judged on that game, which is surely obvious for anyone with a brain?
- We were lucky Foy was reffing, could have been a lot worse. 3 possible pens in the first half not given & Legs could easily have picked up 2 yellows.

Chins up, nearly the end of this season.

Why was Taylor Playing ? we had Mccarthy and Federici throwing themselves around warming up before the match yet Taylor played-weird !!

[Esteban]

Well, you can't polish a turd. But we all knew that anyway. McDermott did manage to fool eveyone by rolling it in glitter for a couple of seasons and that takes some skill. Shame there are those on here not willing to acknowledge that.

Adkins' first game in charge of a team so low on confidence they've had to ban razor blades at the training ground, away at an Arsenal side who have found some form again and after three days training where some were on iternational duty. How anybody can judge Adkins after that is beyond me. Give him until Christmas at least.

I should be surprised, but I'm not.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Same old crap, same old result, same old naffing dreadful performance.

Just goes to show how far off a Premiership squad we are and how on earth Brian couldn't see that will always remain a complete mystery.

Looking forward to Lambert's hat-trick next week, live on the telly as well!

Here's to a new season with an end to the last 2/3 years of dreadful 1 dimensional football and, with a new manager, hopefully a new squad that can actually play football and offer different options to just running about cluelessly and hoping.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Barry the bird boggler wrote: Same old crap, same old result, same old naffing dreadful performance.

Just goes to show how far off a Premiership squad we are and how on earth Brian couldn't see that will always remain a complete mystery.

Looking forward to Lambert's hat-trick next week, live on the telly as well!

Here's to a new season with an end to the last 2/3 years of dreadful 1 dimensional football and, with a new manager, hopefully a new squad that can actually play football and offer different options to just running about cluelessly and hoping.

Nothing different on the pitch yesterday other than we gave the ball away cheaply and more often than normal.

I can't wait for this season to end so that the clear out can commence all be it 12 months too late.



.

[Once were Biscuitmen]

Same old crap, same old result, same old naffing dreadful performance.

Just goes to show how far off a Premiership squad we are and how on earth Brian couldn't see that will always remain a complete mystery.

Looking forward to Lambert's hat-trick next week, live on the telly as well!

Here's to a new season with an end to the last 2/3 years of dreadful 1 dimensional football and, with a new manager, hopefully a new squad that can actually play football and offer different options to just running about cluelessly and hoping.

We didn't have the money to buy an entirely new squad before the season, either because of the drawn out take over process or because AZ didn't want to risk that level of investment (and who would blame him?)

One rejected bid in January does not prove that Brian was sitting on 30 million he just didn't want to spend.

Brian knew we didn't have a premiership squad, as did everybody else connected to the club but that is what happens when a mid table championship squad massively over achieves.

[genome]

7-5, then 5-2, then 4-1.

One might even say we are improving.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

lolz at those who think adkins is a good option.

never been to disheartened in years with RFC

[RoyalBlue]

New manager same shite players.

But how could this be? I kept saying our players just were not any better, but everyone else on here kept assuring me that now that we've got rid of Brian we would finally play great football, and he was the one holding us back by refusing to play Guthrie and playing direct, effective football??? This makes no sense! Surely we should be winning now that Guthrie is in the team again!??

And who f*cked up the assembly of this Premier League squad? WHo had a chance to do something about it in January and f*cked up again with the likes of Carrico and Blackman and no decent PL standard signings (Kelly is only slightly better than what we had)? Who was overseeing a week by week decline and clearly demonstrating that he had no idea how to change things for the better?

And you expect Adkins to fix that almighty mess with just three days on the training ground?

Just plain stupid!

lolz at those who think adkins is a good option.

never been to disheartened in years with RFC

Yeh, just ignore what he has done and what other fans say about him. Just write him off three days in!

[Davezk]

lolz at those who think adkins is a good option.

never been to disheartened in years with RFC

How can you be disappointed by appointing a man who has numerous promotions with Scunthorpe and Southampton?

They also played good football.

What's the problem?

[Maguire]

Bit of a myth that Southampton were the new Swansea. They had a big bloke up front and weren't afraid to hit him (quite right too)

[Davezk]

Bit of a myth that Southampton were the new Swansea. They had a big bloke up front and weren't afraid to hit him (quite right too)

I'd rather play like Southampton than Swansea - teams should be able to mix it up every now and then when needed. We were very one dimensional under BM (admittedly it still worked in the championship) but I'm hopeful under NA we will become more inventive.

Really don't understand how people can be disappointed with the appointment. Then again these sort of people root for Glenn Hoddle etc but actually have no idea what the football is like under him...

[Sanguine]

Bit of a myth that Southampton were the new Swansea. They had a big bloke up front and weren't afraid to hit him (quite right too)

Don't think anyone said they were. But the more 'direct' bit of Southampton's play with Lambert was, and is, to bring the rest of the team into the game, including the full backs. The 451 we have played previously is ridiculously static.

[jonboy29red]

NA had no chance with this game what was it Tuesday he was appointed? that gave him only friday to get over to the players some sort of idea of what he wanted still to late for us to stay up but next season will be interesting as he is a manger not afraid to play yongsters

[St. Brynjar]

Not surprised by the defeat or how comprehensive the scoreline was (given we always seem to get thrashed by Arsenal), but a little disappointed with the manner of it. We looked like a side that knows it's relegated, which, tbf, we are. Difference in class was painfully obvious - unfortunately we came up against an Arsenal side on top form.

A few thoughts:
- That was the first time I've seen Stuart Taylor in goal and I wasn't massively impressed.
- I don't really think the praise for Mariappa or HRK was justified. Mariappa always worried me bringing the ball out of defence, he's not Beckenbauer; I mainly noticed HRK giving the ball away or committing fouls, though he took his goal well.
- Also don't think criticism of Guthrie or Adkins is warranted. Guthrie's first game in ages & I didn't think he was that bad bar the horrendous short corner incident. Not a fan of the appointment of Adkins but can't be judged on that game, which is surely obvious for anyone with a brain?
- We were lucky Foy was reffing, could have been a lot worse. 3 possible pens in the first half not given & Legs could easily have picked up 2 yellows.

Chins up, nearly the end of this season.

+1 Most sensible post on the whole thread.

[Hoop Blah]

Not sure if its been mentioned, but the opening goal again shows Ronson-Kanu's weakness for not helping out his fullback as much as our other wingers.

He seems to play 10/15 yards further forward than the likes of Kebe and McAnuff and the time and space allowed to Corzola (??) to pick out Gervinho was probably a direct consequence of that once everyone else got dragged into and around the six yard box.

[ZacNaloen]

If we play everyone that far back no one will ever be able to support the striker and we won't go anywhere.

imo that should have been the job of one the two sitting midfielders (we had two ffs) who were instead marking space.

[Maguire]

Bit of a myth that Southampton were the new Swansea. They had a big bloke up front and weren't afraid to hit him (quite right too)

I'd rather play like Southampton than Swansea - teams should be able to mix it up every now and then when needed.

Yes I agree