Back from the Arsenal game/TV

[ManchesterRoyals]

Seriously though, yes we are poor at the back but I blame the midfield. Ledge isn't good enough on the ball - constantly gives it away which actually led to their goal. We also need a central midfielder who will pick the ball up and run at the oppo, taking them on and having a go, similar to what Jobi does when he plays there.

I agree were very weak in the middle of the park

[Readingfanman]

I want Redknapp in. Because we're going down regardless and I want to see the Maguire card-frisbeeing thing.

The upside of Redknapp coming in would be pure hilarity of the reactions of the fans. The downside is, it is Harry Redknapp.

[bobbybottler]

If it helps anyone make their mind up, if Redknapp ever comes in, I'm not going any more.

[Libertine]

Seriously though, yes we are poor at the back but I blame the midfield. Ledge isn't good enough on the ball - constantly gives it away which actually led to their goal. We also need a central midfielder who will pick the ball up and run at the oppo, taking them on and having a go, similar to what Jobi does when he plays there.

I agree were very weak in the middle of the park

Yep...and we don't have many options to strengthen it right now.

[Stuboo]

I don't want Harry Redknapp anywhere near our football club.

Despite the good work he has done at previous clubs.

If Harry Redknapp comes to RFC I'm going frisbee my season ticket across the pitch so hard it lodges in his stupid melty face and he drops down dead on the touchline. Envelopes full of used notes will swirl into the misty Berkshire skies and fans will leap to catch them in scenes reminiscent of the finale of the Crystal Maze.

Quite brilliant imagery there Maguire, I have to say.

[leon]

"Melty face" - I like that. Redknapp does indeed have a face like a wedding cake that has been left out in the rain.
Brian could do something quite astonishing now and get a spirit of solidarity going in the team and win a couple on the trot in which case this match could be a turning point. Stranger things have happened, although, admittedly, rarely.

problem is, at 4-0 I thought that was the turning point. Actually i fear it still might be. I was firmly behind McDermott, but after he last few results I'm very worried. However he is the master of putting runs together so we will see.

[cmonurz]

Imho the best we've looked defensively this season was against Stoke, when Guthrie was playing his own game, taking the ball off the centre-backs. It's remarkable what having a midfielder to pass to does for our 'direct' game.

[ManchesterRoyals]

Seriously though, yes we are poor at the back but I blame the midfield. Ledge isn't good enough on the ball - constantly gives it away which actually led to their goal. We also need a central midfielder who will pick the ball up and run at the oppo, taking them on and having a go, similar to what Jobi does when he plays there.

I agree were very weak in the middle of the park

Yep...and we don't have many options to strengthen it right now.

Well we got Guthrie but he wont play him madness

[winchester_royal]

Have to chuckle at those who think having 'Arry as manager would be totally unacceptable due to his slightly colourful past; yet are more than happy to have the son of a guy rumoured to be heavily involved in the Russian mafia as an owner..

[floyd__streete]

Ideally, to fit in with my 'season of recriminations' theme from earlier we want a new manager in who is so bad he himself gets sacked around March. Brian Laws would have been perfect for this but we've acted too late. This Zingarevich fella has also been disappointingly dull thus far so I'd like him to completely lose the plot, fall out with the fans and shut the stadium down to the public on matchdays. I might egg him at the Norwich game in order to precipitate this.

[Libertine]

Well we got Guthrie but he wont play him madness

*shrugs shoulders*

[Libertine]

Have to chuckle at those who think having 'Arry as manager would be totally unacceptable due to his slightly colourful past; yet are more than happy to have the son of a guy rumoured to be heavily involved in the Russian mafia as an owner..

I'm tellin' ya...DiCanio. Russian mafia type and an Italian fascist? That is a results oriented combo...

[ManchesterRoyals]

Have to chuckle at those who think having 'Arry as manager would be totally unacceptable due to his slightly colourful past; yet are more than happy to have the son of a guy rumoured to be heavily involved in the Russian mafia as an owner..

I'm tellin' ya...DiCanio. Russian mafia type and an Italian fascist? That is a results oriented combo...

That would be interesting

[bobbybottler]

slightly colourful past

I'll say this for Redknapp, he's got a fukcing awesome legal team.

[leon]

Imho the best we've looked defensively this season was against Stoke, when Guthrie was playing his own game, taking the ball off the centre-backs. It's remarkable what having a midfielder to pass to does for our 'direct' game.

and he's that start on with every game he's played subsequently

[Allyh84]

We need to defend better.

There's your oxf*rd analysis. I'm going to bed, oxf*rd good night.

[wingnut]

Well, that was utter madness.
I didn't ever feel comfortable that we'd hold on - even at 4-0. I just knew that Arsenal wouldn't continue to be that bad - or us that good for the whole game. But, at 4-3 with us holding the ball in the corner I did think we might just do it. Even at 5-5 I thought we'd lose on pens. Such is our life at the moment.
For everyone blaming McD - the same players who put us 4-0 up let Arsenal back into the game. Roberts (excellent throughout) was shagged, as was Hunt, so needed to be replaced. There isn't a manager in the country who wouldn't have tried to waste some time by making a further sub in time added on. Where mistakes were made was not having another centre mid who could come on for the knackered Tabb or Ledge - I'm not convinced that Guthrie could have done that job anyway, though.
Agree that Gorks was poor throughout and I'm yet to be convinced that Pog is worth the inflated wages - just looks like a rich-man's Goater to me.

[Dai Brainbocs]

Watched it on TV, but only the second half and extra time which amounted to one of the most one-sided contests I have ever seen. Still would have won if Roberts hadn't been taken off for an individual round of applause at the very end of 90 minutes, the Arse equalised in the 30 seconds the ref added on for that. Elementary mistake, did McDermott think the score was still 4-2? Church then looked out of his depth throughout extra time.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Church then looked out of his depth throughout extra time.

Fitted in well with the other 10 then....

[Dai Brainbocs]

BTW the commentary team for the 75 minutes I watched was shockingly biased, it was the sort of thing you get when one of the big boys is playing against minor European opposition and they have to acknowledge the other team is there, but not much more than that. I thought from the Midlands accent the summariser was Alan Smith and he couldn't conceal his Arsenal loyalties, but in fact it was Don Goodman.