It is now time to switch to a new Money AM football blog as the world cup is now over and we all look to the future.....World cup 2010 is over, Bravo Espana, and Forlan, once again and bring on the new season !.....I never expected the last thread to be such a success...thanks all.... so this new one might go on for years without the need to edit the title...we shall see...

Err there is another way of looking at it GF, if you had a defence then Rooney wouldn't have to be in it :O)

I think the Gunners are going to win the FA cup....4-1 against Everton....they need to step up a gear in Europe in future years....by the way Bayern Munich are looking like Liverpool used to !....very impressive....

From My Seat: Arsenal (FA Cup)
By Ken Buckley :: 08/03/2014


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Hold-ups by the million going down and only marginally better coming back. In between we had a footy match to watch for a place in the semi-final of the FA cup. It would be an understatement to say the performance left us less than pleased.

For me it started to go downhill as the team sheet arrived via electronic means. Robles in goal? Well in itself not surprising given the manager’s previous tendencies and the modern trend of doing such things, but when you factored in a rookie centre back as well then given it was just one step from Wembley then you can understand the fan fury at the end of a 4-1 beating. The question is who in their right mind would put out a much weakened back line against regular Champions League qualifiers on their own patch and expect to progress to the semi-final?

In the end this action I believe led to our downfall as the two rookies without playing that badly did however have an impact on how the defence operated in terms of understanding and trust. Playing away at Arsenal is no time for gay abandon but more for resolute defence, tireless mid-field play and that spark in attack.

From the off we didn’t look right. Too much ‘get stuck in’ rather than ‘The Martinez way’ which let Arsenal build things and the difference was shown after less than 7 minutes. First we attacked and won a free kick which Baines took in fine fashion into the area but first Distin then Barkley were unable to control the ball and the chance was lost.

Arsenal attacked McCarthy slipped letting Carzola have a free run and play Ozil in and score rather easily. No blame on the keeper there.

We did attack from time to time and Barkley looked strong on the surge but he either lost it easily or put in a dangerous cross that saw very few Blue shirts in attendance.

Arsenal looked the more likely going forward and our rookie keeper had a right mixed bag of a first half. Cracking saves from three Arsenal shots whilst in between getting a rollicking from his defenders for punching instead of catching and at one point he seemed to have lost all bearings as his attempt to flick the ball over only found his own crossbar and in doing so caused more finger pointing from defenders.

Arsenal had gained control of the game yet on the half hour Barkley showed what a talent he may become as he picked up the ball in our half and in a surging run left players in his wake as he reached the by-line and although very tightly marked with very little or no back lift got a cross in that gave Mirallas a tap in and we all roared his name but on closer inspection he had missed but thankfully Lukaku was there to tap home.

Pandemonium broke out and all celebrated, some more than others as a few blue smoke bombs went off. So if you could not get a ticket for this game then blame these mentally challenged idiots. They made Arsenal's case for them and now they are fully justified in taking their stance. Not all Blues are rational and steadfast as we would like to believe.

Still 1-1 and who knows but it still looked a tall order as we got through to the break with a couple of standouts, first Robles did well to divert a shot past his post at full stretch and Mirallas all full of running and attacking proved yet again his lack of end product by firing in weakly straight at the keeper when better could have been expected.

The second half started out with hope and ended in disaster. Early on Lukaku had a powerful run into the box and either he didn’t see players either side of him or he chose to ignore them only he knows but his non-shot produced nothing. Again good approach no finish, it’s starting to become our by-line.

The Arsenal continued to press and we were looking a bit threadbare as we repelled a flurry of corners. From one I had to laugh as from my seat it looked as though from a starting point of panic Robles went up with his own man Distin but fortunately the ball fell safe.

Just when you thought a draw might be our best result we had a gilt edged chance to go into the lead. Lukaku challenged and hassled the Arsenal centre back forcing a mistake from him. Lukaku took advantage and progressed into the area, looked up, saw Barkley, set him up with a well weighted pass but the youngster showed nerves where ice was required and blasted a gift over the bar from just 12yds. It would have been against the run of play but boy that could have done wonders for us.

Arsenal came roaring back after that miss and Robles did well to save from Carzola but then the cool Barry got the wrong side of an Arsenal man on our by-line and in a tangle of legs the Ref awarded the Gunners a pen. No real complaints from our players so another mistake and we are behind again through our own doing from a twice taken Arteta pen. As soon as I saw who was taking it I knew it would count, that lad could always be relied upon when he was with us.

We did try to up our game then but no end product Baines put a cross in but only to the keeper, Mirallas had one hard but too close to the keeper and Barkley shot wide of the target yet again.

Near 80 minutes Martinez did a double substitution when Osman replaced the injured Pienaar and McGeady replaced Mirallas – that one I thought strange as at least Mirallas had got them on the back-foot from time to time and McGeady has shown little to date.


We were going for it now and you could just see what Wenger thought of that when he put Rosicky on to partner Giroud, yes that’s right we were ripe for the quick counter and so it proved when they got in down the right and Giroud produced a clinical finish. We persisted with having a go and Martinez played his last card, Barkley off Deulofeu on but to no avail.

Arsenal just let us attack and then counter and pick us off again with the silky Ozil playing in Giroud for another clinical finish. Oh how I wish I could have used the word clinical to describe our finishing.

Go on Ref. blow your whistle I thought and he did. I didn’t stop to see too much at the end. Just wait to be released then head home with the dream of lifting silverware gone for another year.

M.O.tM -- ?

The Deulofeu situation is mystifying. From returning from injury and the Manager in every interview telling all and sundry he will be better than ever and many other superlatives yet he has hardly featured and when he has he looks nothing like a ‘Barca Wonder Kid’

I just wonder if it is anything to do with when he was back at the Camp Nou having his hammy mended. For then a group of youngsters were promoted to the first team squad and he was left out on loan to us? Might explain his remarks of this week too.

I just can’t understand playing your reserve keeper in a quarter final especially when your captain and centre back is out injured as well as a centre back who we have been assured is well and raring to go is not even in the squad so an up and coming rookie has to be deployed. This move in my book impacts on the whole of the back five plus your two holding midfielders. Still our present manager is allegedly on the short list to manage Barca so what do I know? Still intrigues me though.

Cardiff Saturday and they are desperate for points so I just hope we get today out of the system and have a result that both ensures the points and entertains. Well, why not? They are professional people after all. Aren’t they?

See you Saturday.

UP THE BLUES

We won , we won , yippeeeeee !!!!


Everton next week ... bring it on :-)

Well Done Wigan. Arsenal's FA Cup to lose imo.

Chris , could do with your guys having a shocker next week :)

Dil - Wouldn't surprise me.

However, I suspect that unfortunately for Cardiff they will end up the whipping boys after our disappointing FA Cup exit. :O)

I wasn't disappointed! :-)

We're on a roll Chris , haven't lost for 8 days now :-)

:O)

Dil [Send an email to Dil] [View Dil's profile] - 06 Mar 2014 00:48 - 2589 of 2619

...

See you in the Championship year after next if you persist with Moyles :-)

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Manchester United in red?

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Crystal Palace, WBA, please Moyes show us you have seen the light by not reverting to Valencia and Young.

Rooney for England:

How many tournaments has he been fit - stamina and no injury? One? Playing him is down to the England managers. If fit, take him.

On Rooney dropping deep for Manchester United:

Pick one from RVP, Rooney, Hernandez, and three from Kagawa, Mata, Welbeck, Nani, and Januzaj. If he plays, he is told not to drop deep on pain of being taken off.

Cheers,
KidA

KidA I think he should drop back now permanent and take over the Scholes type role.

Think hed be very good at it and still score a lot of goals.

Better in that position aswel being captain next season.

Too slow for me and lacks control of the ball for a striker these days.

Just my humble opinion.

That's been the plan for old age, and opponents no longer fear him running at them. How long to adjust? Scholes to school him; long pass success rate and transferring his run timing to a deeper position - someone else can teach tackling.:) It would fill a whole if he could do it.

Cheers,
KidA

Can you just try beating the teams above us please that'll do for me (18 to choose from).

Rooney is nailed on for Brazil and I'd play him up front.

Dil im thinking of next season when he takes over as captain.

As for tackling, well Scholes was the worst Ive seen. But yep would need some coaching in that area.

United will come good next season and these puffty pretenders like Everton(cissy boys) will find their natural position well down the league.

Yeah we'll show em Saturday gf :-)

Yep get the big girly boys hammered Dil.

I mean just look at their nicknames toffees. Sounds really hard doesnt it.

Man Utd NEXT season LOL LOL! Best paid players NOT playing in Europe. Rooney's shat on you twice, he'll get his hat trick when his and Van Persie's transfer requests come in at end of the season. Got your season ticket for Man City yet GF? Plastic Mancs like you mass exodus :O)

Form is temporary, CLASS is permanent.

Your girly boys take after you Chris...tine.

Remember this Christine (the Aberdeenarse licker) we are known as the RED DEVILS you are known as the Toffees.

Whose ever heard of a football team been called a girly name like that.

Corks to the ready boys..........Chris Carson is about.

Sad Yorkshire Twat! LOL!