Mascherano

[kurtangle01]

He doesnt have a choice with all the vultures hanging around.

What?

[The Glove]

I hope so but I doubt that Rafa will take any chances after what happened to Alonso and Torres.

He doesnt have a choice with all the vultures hanging around.

What?

The ***** looking to pick holes in Rafa. If Rafa doesnt play someone, then loads of ****ers have the knives out for him. Today, I felt that Rafa rushed Alonso and Torres back. Granted we are better when they play but I bet if Rafa didnt get so much grief recently, he wouldnt have played them today.

[AFII]

The Blackburn game is a must win game. If we lose that one then the press will have a field day.

[kurtangle01]

The ***** looking to pick holes in Rafa. If Rafa doesnt play someone, then loads of ****ers have the knives out for him. Today, I felt that Rafa rushed Alonso and Torres back. Granted we are better when they play but I bet if Rafa didnt get so much grief recently, he wouldnt have played them today.

Yeah, that's a fair point.

[The Glove]

The Blackburn game is a must win game. If we lose that one then the press will have a field day.

What game isnt a must win now tho? We could be 18 points clear and lose and I bet then we'd be a club in crisis.

[AFII]

What game isnt a must win now tho? We could be 18 points clear and lose and I bet then we'd be a club in crisis.

Probably true.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

The ***** looking to pick holes in Rafa. If Rafa doesnt play someone, then loads of ****ers have the knives out for him. Today, I felt that Rafa rushed Alonso and Torres back. Granted we are better when they play but I bet if Rafa didnt get so much grief recently, he wouldnt have played them today.

If he bows to public pressure from the media or ourselves the fans over team selection and tactics then he should quit/be sacked right now.

But we know this isn't the case, don't we?

He played them because they are 2 of our best players, and we needed as much quality out there as possible against a very good Arsenal team in top form.

It appears Alonso's injury was unlucky, Torres on the other hand.....

[The Glove]

If he bows to public pressure from the media or ourselves the fans over team selection and tactics then he should quit/be sacked right now.

But we know this isn't the case, don't we?

He played them because they are 2 of our best players, and we needed as much quality out there as possible against a very good Arsenal team in top form.

It appears Alonso's injury was unlucky, Torres on the other hand.....

hahaha if he bows to public pressure he should be ****ed off? So ok, if he does what you want him to do, he should be ****ed off for listening to you then?

[The Glove]

Makes me laugh. One week, Rafa is a stubborn **** and shold play x player if not he doesnt know what he is doing and should go, next week, if Rafa listens to the public he should go. Poor **** can not win can he?

[Red_hot]

The classic example was against Everton.

He gets slated for not having the balls to sub Gerrard before the game. Then he takes him off and people were wanting him sacked.

This forum does my nut in sometimes. It seems like it doesnt matter if we win/lose or draw there are always some who aren't happy!!!

[AFII]

Well, it really don't make me happy knowing that Alonso must play or our midfield won't click and he is now out injured again.

Time for Lucas to step in and show why he is the future box to box midfielder for the Brazilian national team.

[The Wolfman]

to be fair, playing voronin and kuyt on the "wings" was ****e. why not stick momo in the middle and push stevie out wide or play babbel for at least voronin.

I always feel sorry for players like voronin and kuyt when they get pushed out wide and dont look entirely comfortable.

That said, i wouldnt swap rafa for anyone right now (wenger aside). He just does your head in from time to time.

[andyinswinton]

Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano and Lucas is plenty for midfield.

Momo should be shipped out ASAP and then use that cash to strengthen the team.

[kurtangle01]

Makes me laugh. One week, Rafa is a stubborn **** and shold play x player if not he doesnt know what he is doing and should go, next week, if Rafa listens to the public he should go. Poor **** can not win can he?

Well, imho, Rafa got it spot on today. The tactics and team selection were a bit of a surprise and I was trying to work out whether we were going to play 4-3-3, 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1. Imagine the headaches Wenger must've had trying to work out what way Rafa wanted us to play?

Arsenal are a top quality side and if you let them pass the ball around they'll pass you to death. We didn't let them do that today.

Maybe we got a bit to deep in the last fifteen minutes and invited a bit to much pressure on ourselves but we were protecting our lead at that time.

Arsenal are a good side and on the balance of play today a draw was a good and fair result. It's the silly points dropped against the likes of Birmingham and Spurs at home that have left us a bit behind. There's a long way to go though and if we play like we did today, particualrly in the second half, we'll pick up more wins than anything else because not all teams have the quality that Arsenal have.

[The Glove]

Well, imho, Rafa got it spot on today. The tactics and team selection were a bit of a surprise and I was trying to work out whether we were going to play 4-3-3, 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1. Imagine the headaches Wenger must've had trying to work out what way Rafa wanted us to play?

Arsenal are a top quality side and if you let them pass the ball around they'll pass you to death. We didn't let them do that today.

Maybe we got a bit to deep in the last fifteen minutes and invited a bit to much pressure on ourselves but we were protecting our lead at that time.

Arsenal are a good side and on the balance of play today a draw was a good and fair result. It's the silly points dropped against the likes of Birmingham and Spurs at home that have left us a bit behind. There's a long way to go though and if we play like we did today, particualrly in the second half, we'll pick up more wins than anything else because not all teams have the quality that Arsenal have.

Cant argue with that.

From my seat in the Away end, I thought we did well today. We matched the (current) best team in the land perfectly well until Alonso went off and then the game was anyones. It'd be harsh from that point for one team to win because when both teams went forward they looked like scoring. Obvioulsy Id've wooped and hollered in the away end had we won but all in all we played well and merited a point today. We wont play many better sides than that and we coped with them for the best part of it and with still have better players to come in.