Post-Match Wash Up - Arsenal

[GypsyRed]

The was effectively our reserves -v- their reserves and wierd results happen in reserves games.

No problem with our attacking - we did score 3 after all. The defence let us down but it proved a point - Arsenal's kids are better than our kids.

Rafa has a tendency to use this cup to checkout young talent and has been ruthless in culling those who didn't make it before. I'd expect to see several of the kids that played tonight shipping out on loan this month - but not always the names that we expect as Rafa tends to notice different things.

The biggest problem, frankly, was not the result it was the injuries to Garcia and Gonzalez.

[G]

Just logged onto RAWK.

Holy god.

Interesting thread on there about the Celtics fans support of truth day.
Always liked Celtic.

[kopdan]

if it was our reserves. Most of Dudek, Gerrard, Garcia, Gonazalez, Aurelio, Alonso, Hyppia, Carragher, Bellamy, Fowler, Warnock wouldnt have played

Peltier, Guthrie, Paletta would have

[lfc4ever]

We should merge all the post match threads with all the other fan websites, it's funny as **** watching the self-implosion night, come saturday, we'll be the greatest team in the world - again!

[Bari]

if it was our reserves. Most of Dudek, Gerrard, Garcia, Gonazalez, Aurelio, Alonso, Hyppia, Carragher, Bellamy, Fowler, Warnock wouldnt have played

Peltier, Guthrie, Paletta would have

That put that slant on the rant to bed

Dudek will always be remenbered for his antics in Istanbul, when he leaves at the end of the season not for the last two games; a legend























and who could forget Dudek and Forlan, Forlan and Dudek

[kopdan]

is that good or bad on my part

[Bari]

is that good or bad on my part

[GypsyRed]

if it was our reserves. Most of Dudek, Gerrard, Garcia, Gonazalez, Aurelio, Alonso, Hyppia, Carragher, Bellamy, Fowler, Warnock wouldnt have played

Peltier, Guthrie, Paletta would have

B-sides never really are completely B-sides though - they're always kind of "B & a half". These days I wouldn't count Dudek, Aurelio, Fowler, Gonzalez or Warnock as first choice eleven. Carragher & Alonso are definitely first team but were there too late to do much.

OK - it wasn't strictly reserves but it certainly wasn't a full A-team & that's the point.

[kopdan]

OK - it wasn't strictly reserves but it certainly wasn't a full A-team & that's the point.

fair enough

Certainly not a team that should lose 6-3 to an even weaker Arsenal team though.

[doogle]

Not title contenders

In my opinion(cheers martinoz ) that tonight has shown that our back up players are not good enough or maybe experienced (nicer) enough for us to be able to sustain a title challange, I thought we had a quality squad second only to the chavs this season but tonight shown that beyond our first 14ish we are miles behind arsenals youth, i could be optimistic and say that maybe they only had 6 shots on target but I think 6 shots on target at home is 6 to many plus the way they cut us apart at times is worrying, the only good thing is we got put out by arsenal and not southend so maybe we might be better than manure's back up

[GypsyRed]

fair enough

Certainly not a team that should lose 6-3 to an even weaker Arsenal team though.

No one should lose to the Arse mate but being positive keeps me off the window ledge

[Red_hot]

Everyone was singing 'We won it 5 times', extra loud in response to some **** Arsenal fans were singing. It stopped and this one lone fella carries on, voice almost at breaking point, 'In gay Paris, you won it no times'. ****ing fell about laughing!

[kopdan]

No one should lose to the Arse mate but being positive keeps me off the window ledge

fair enough chief, its not all that bad anyway.

[Kopite_Colin]

Ironically, I didn't think we were that bad toinight - apart from Dudek, who cost us 3 goals. When they got the pen, I turned to my wife and said thatit would be just typical that he saved it - and sure enough....

Once again I thought we were the better side,a lthough Paletta was shaky. But 2 goals gifted by the keeper, one clearly offside - TBH there wasn't that much in it. Two Gerrard shots & a Carra screamer saved...we could have easily won that without Dudek's mistakes.

What I didn't get was why Dudek was replaced at HT.

[REDSCOUSER]

This is an unacceptable result for a club of our status. Unacceptable. Not even Evans & Houllier managed to lose by that much in any game.
Benitez must look hard at his decision making this past week, he bottled it, fact.
Firstly, making a promise to Dudek so he can play in the cups is ok but not against one of our biggest rivals, in two cup competitions. You can break a promis Senor RAFA & if Dudek can't handle it he can pish off to another club. The manager always has the last say.
Dudek was rusty and lost some of his agility. He cost us both games.
Secondly, why chop and change the defence ? It is one part of the team that must be stable and untouched especially in big games.
Bringing Warnock after his injury was wrong. Palleta with Hyypia was wrong.
Finally, we will finish this season trophyless and Rafa will take the bulk of the blame. FOOK ME this is a bad week.