Match reaction: Sunderland v Arsenal - FA Cup

[Niall_Quinn]

Oxlade's ugly little face after the OG made me sad.

He made it back there at least. Shows desire. He fucked up, but for the right reasons. He's a genuine talent who won't be with us for long.

[Syn]

I hope Wenger has enough in the bank to be able to tell the truth if he goes. If the board get away with this, and Wenger leaving could give them the perfect opportunity to slink away and leave it to Stan, it will be the biggest scandal of all. They need to be hounded for what they have done.

I think we will eventually find out the truth. But it'll be a while. We might not find out from Wenger if he's in on it - by all accounts, including Wenger's, Wenger is getting paid a lot of money.

But regardless of the money situation, there is no direction at the club. There is no clear strategy on how to play. Players are clueless and confused. A new manager would probably help - even if he doesn't get extra funds. We are pissing away money in wages and not buying well even with the money we have.

[Dennis Bendtner]

One thing that really stood out for me today was just how long we took on the ball. Song in particular is usually guilty of this.

Holding onto the ball with opponents steaming in, trying to get a last minute pass off under heavy pressure which usually is wayward and ends up starting a counter-attack for the other team, with our player sat arse on the floor moaning for a foul.

It is the midfield. They no longer have the ability in mind or tekkers to play combinations or wall passes as we used to. A pub team charging in like that would have been dealt with pretty easily by a Fabregas. That's why we look so laboured and predictable in attack too.

[Marc Overmars]

Before the game I was thinking maybe, just maybe the team would surprise people with a reaction, but no, it was without a doubt the most predictable performance and result you could ever have thought of.

This season was always going to be a car crash after the start we had. Sure, we pulled a bit of form together but it's the same every year, as soon as February comes we are exposed for the gutless and overrated team we are.

We need wholesale changes this summer. The team is going nowhere and frankly I don't give a shit about the remainder of this season, 4th place means nothing to me.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

One thing that really stood out for me today was just how long we took on the ball. Song in particular is usually guilty of this.

Holding onto the ball with opponents steaming in, trying to get a last minute pass off under heavy pressure which usually is wayward and ends up starting a counter-attack for the other team, with our player sat arse on the floor moaning for a foul.

It was shockingly bad showed how we miss Fabregas/Nasri. Players let the pressure of the situtation get to them today they tried but in the end pressure got to them.

[cheesy bites]

I miss Nasri

[Niall_Quinn]

One thing that really stood out for me today was just how long we took on the ball. Song in particular is usually guilty of this.

Holding onto the ball with opponents steaming in, trying to get a last minute pass off under heavy pressure which usually is wayward and ends up starting a counter-attack for the other team, with our player sat arse on the floor moaning for a foul.

Our midfield didn't have the basic footballing talent to cope with the combination of their pressing and a dire pitch. Their first touch is suspect, their vision poor, their ambition missing, their care and attention scandalously lacking. Jack could have played that pitch, his talent would have given him an edge. Players like Rosicky, Arteta, Ramsey and Song are average, so in trying conditions they suffer. Arteta packed it in in the second half today. Another player who lacks bottle when the going gets tough.

[Power n Glory]

I hope Wenger has enough in the bank to be able to tell the truth if he goes. If the board get away with this, and Wenger leaving could give them the perfect opportunity to slink away and leave it to Stan, it will be the biggest scandal of all. They need to be hounded for what they have done.

Asset stripping...the board....a time a place for that conversation but when the team run around like a bunch of headless chickens, that's bad coaching. Last season we could have bought Sessegnon but we didn't and Larsson is a former Arsenal youth player. We spend millions on useless players in wages and it goes to show where our priorities lie. If the Board were in control of this they'd be looking to decrease the wage bill as well but it's going up.

This is about the coach and the fact that he's not up to task. It was his choice to extend Djourou's contract. That's a mismanagement of funds. It shouldn't cost millions to beat Sunderland and it takes a well drilled organised team. The coach has to go. Board room talk for another day. This is about the performance of the team. Looked just as pathetic as the days when Denilson and Bendy were playing for us. Team looks totally different now buys we have the same problems. Common denominator in all this.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Just heard Sunderland were 9/5 ahead of this game.

That was a fucking licence to print money - maybe not as much as the Board got, but collectively, we could have cashed in.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

wenger out.

laughing stock. embaressment. shit.