Arsenal: Back from the procession

[floyd__streete]

Can't comment on all of this game as I left at half time, suffering from a head cold/man flu and chronic boredom. Looked to me like a pre-season friendly where a third-tier team ends up with a strong top flight side visiting due to the terms of a transfear deal of some sort. I'd usually commend Reading's effort, but that was just going through the motions tonight. I can hardly blame them tbh; they look a beaten side before kick off, we all expect them to lose, the neutral expects them to lose too, they must start believing it themseles. Team selection curious: 442 and over-ran. But the problems are deeper than McD; save Shorey's set pieces and possibly Pog, would any of the rest of that starting line up getting into the first XI (or even XVIII) or any of our Premier League opponents. I suspect not.

[Allyh84]

Fed 6
Cummings 5
Mariappa 6
Gorkss 5
Kebe 6
Tabb 7
McAnuff 3
Legs 5
Hunt 5
Pog 4

[LoyalRoyalFan]

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!

[Scutterbucketz]

Feds made some great saves today and, to my mind, couldn't have done a lot about the goals. It could have been 10 if it wasn't for him.

[Maguire]

GUTHRIE REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THE CLUB SIX DAYS AGO.

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

[urz13]

Feds 7
Cummings 5
Mariappa 4
Gorrks 3
Shorey 6
Kebe 7
Ledge 4
Tabb 5
Jobi 4
Hunt 5
Pog 7

HRK 7
McCleary 5
Alf 7

[windermere_royal]

Just LOLd at the bbc site 50-50 possession. but Arsenal had 25 shots 17 on target,

[cmonurz]

GUTHRIE REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THE CLUB SIX DAYS AGO.

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

That it's Guthrie isn't really important. It's another option in midfield.

Were Karacan fit (seems he nearly is now), I'd be 'fawning' over him and hoping Brian went 4-5-1 with Jem back in the side.

[windermere_royal]

Tabb 7

Where you there?

[LoyalRoyalFan]

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.

McDermott said we should move on from the saga, created by the club itself, but evidently he just loves Leigertwood and his array of shit passing.

[leicsRoyal]

Impossible to find any positives from that. Arsenal could and should have had more.

We shaped our championship side on counter attacking football, well that's how you do it in the premier league. We knew before kick off that the likes of Gorkss, Mariappa and Cummings would not fair well with Walcott, Podolski and Oxade Chamberlain running at them but this was quite painful to watch.
Cazorla, Arteta and Wiltshire completely ran the show in the middle of the park, Tabb continuously put himself about to no great effect and Leigertwood continuously put the ball out.

What can McDermott do with that bunch of players? The answer is quite clearly nothing. He did try to switch the formation about but all we learned from that was that Jobi is just as ineffective whichever position he plays in.

It's hard to swallow but this season is now just about enjoying watching what the opposition has to offer.

The one highlight of the night was hearing the 5 Parkinson's in full voice.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

The one highlight of the night was hearing the 5 Parkinson's in full voice.

[Platypuss]

Fed 6
Cummings 5
Mariappa 6
Gorkss 5
Kebe 6
Tabb 7
McAnuff 3
Legs 5
Hunt 5
Pog 4

Pog and McAnuff the two worst players?

[Rex]

Tenacity - Possibly
Spirit - Doris Stokes
Flair - did someone throw one.

[Maguire]

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

Shit, must remember that the next time I kill someone.

"Err yeah, sorry about Your Honour, i'll learn from this and move on"

"Okay that'll do son, be on your way"

[MmmMonsterMunch]

There are other options. We could start with a 5 man midfield & stick HRK in the middle. He has been one of the few positives this season & couldn't do much worse.

[handbags_harris]

There have been times over the last few years that I have just gone into games thinking about just enjoying the game for what it is, with a back of the mind hint of hope that we might, just might, snatch something. City away in the FA Cup, Arsenal away 2008, United away 2007 FA Cup and league etc. Tonight was one of those nights and I just hoped we wouldn't get absolutely steamrollered. At half time I thought about walking out (I didn't, I convinced myself to stay to the end - character building stuff it is). Arsenal, predictably, absolutely dominated throughout, should have scored double what they did (so should we to be fair), and despite my pre-match instinct I still walked away annoyed. We simply do not do the basics well enough. Tabb, centre circle, dropping ball, no Arsenal player anywhere near him, crying out to be told to bring it under control, clearly no shout, panic header expecting pressure, gives possession away. Cummings, right back position, two men coming towards him in a pincer movement, Leigertwood between and advanced from them, easy shout to Cummings to lay it simple, clearly nothing, hoof out of play, pressure on. Just two mind-numbingly Sunday Leagueish episodes where you're hoping that players would at least attempt to look the part.

First two goals, nobody tracking Podolski or Cazorla. We have been caught out by this too many times in recent weeks - Wigan away second and third, Saimts away, United first and third. It's a simple task, one of football's most basic tasks - track your man. And we fail time and time again to even do that, no wonder we've conceded 19 goals at home now (28 if you include the cup games). Up front we actually had some quality on show finally from Pogrebnyak, Hunt won his headers again but failed to show much else, predictably, McAnuff looked lost after we went 1-0 down, flat on his heels at one point when he had a ball played in front of him to run on to. Head down stuff from him. Kebe looked lively if a little bereft of quality. Best player for us though? Federici. And that says it all. He saved us from a complete obliteration, by a long long way his best game of the season.

ONe to take on the chin and move on to the next game. 7 in a row, Swansea and West Ham look increasingly more important week by creeping week.

[yappy]

Regarding Guthrie, McDermott said he wasn't involved as he had a slight thigh injury, although he is set to play for the reserves tomorrow. He hasn't played 90 mins of football for 6 weeks, so McD said he wanted him to get some match fitness and then he should be in contention for Saturday.

As for the match, we did have some decent moments, but defensively we are very poor. Going 4-5-1 seemed to help a bit second half, trying to deal with Arsenal's midfield. Felt that Alfie and HRK should have started, IMO they have been two of our best players so far this season.

[Maguire]

Regarding Guthrie, McDermott said he wasn't involved as he had a slight thigh injury, although he is set to play for the reserves tomorrow. He hasn't played 90 mins of football for 6 weeks, so McD said he wanted him to get some match fitness and then he should be in contention for Saturday

Sounds sensible to me.

[handbags_harris]

By the way, best Bill Oddie the East Stand has produced after goal 2 as far as I'm concerned.