Match reaction vs Schalke

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

its vermaelen's fault.

if he was standing 2 yards back in that picture, the ball would have dropped down like it did but he would have been able to swivel to his right and put in a tackle. he was far too forward which meant by the time the ball was headed down, he had to turn and race back. by then it was too late cause the ball was in the back of the net.

simple as that.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Was it Per or Tommy? Well I know for a fact that it was a monumental fuck up by everyone... all the players on the field barring gnabry should be executed.

This. No use crying over spilt milk now.

[Letters]

I agree with what NQ says to some extent, however it's still brainless defending to just let a player run free in the penalty area when you see him, especially their best finisher and one of the best finishers in Europe.

Mertersacker saw him and would have seen Vermaelen was nowhere near, he should have covered end of, it's a team game not an I'll look after myself mentality required, in the days we had a decent defence the defenders didn't just play like lemmings, they covered for each other when necessary and when better placed, the other guy had run away from goal and was even further away than Vermaelen.

Why the hell would you ignore a guy who scored 39 goals last season when he's free in the penalty area?

It's no wonder we're sh*t in defence when our positional play is awful and noone anticipates danger when it's plain to see to anyone who bothers looking.

You're talking about split seconds. It's all very easy to look at stills and endless replays and say who should have done what
Fact is Vermaelan was on him and then inexplicably ran away from him to mark no-one at all
Why would you leave a guy who scored 39 goals last season and leave him free in the penalty area?
That left Merts with 2 men. Impossible position. As you said in another post he could have got across earlier and (was it Jenkinson) could have got across but, again, split seconds. The initial mistake was Tommy's and that left Merts in trouble.

But, as I keep saying, the bigger concern is we didn't manage a shot on target till the 92nd minute. Our defence hasn't been a massive concern this season but goalscoring is becoming one - we've sold the best striker in the league and bought 2, one of whom is good but not as good as RvP, the other has only scored one goal for us so far (I think?) and isn't looking that dangerous.

[Özim]

You're talking about split seconds. It's all very easy to look at stills and endless replays and say who should have done what
Fact is Vermaelan was on him and then inexplicably ran away from him to mark no-one at all
Why would you leave a guy who scored 39 goals last season and leave him free in the penalty area?
That left Merts with 2 men. Impossible position. As you said in another post he could have got across earlier and (was it Jenkinson) could have got across but, again, split seconds. The initial mistake was Tommy's and that left Merts in trouble.

But, as I keep saying, the bigger concern is we didn't manage a shot on target till the 92nd minute. Our defence hasn't been a massive concern this season but goalscoring is becoming one - we've sold the best striker in the league and bought 2, one of whom is good but not as good as RvP, the other has only scored one goal for us so far (I think?) and isn't looking that dangerous.

Vermaelen was never really on him to be fair, he was always out of his view (poor defending obviously), in addition it wasn't really split second, Mertersacker ran back quite slowly it wasn't a quick spell of play by any means.

I just think top players anticipate danger and cover for the mistakes of others when they can see them, obviously Vermaelen was poorly positioned it goes without saying, but if everyone played like that and noone covered for others everyone would conceded a hatful, it's a team game at the end of the day. It's a percentages game in that situation and Huntelaar is by far their biggest threat.

I agree with you our attacking game was poor, but when you combine poor attacking play with mistakes at the back you're in real trouble, better to get one right than none at all.

[Letters]

But, as I keep saying, the bigger concern is we didn't manage a shot on target till the 92nd minute. Our defence hasn't been a massive concern this season but goalscoring is becoming one - we've sold the best striker in the league and bought 2, one of whom is good but not as good as RvP, the other has only scored one goal for us so far (I think?) and isn't looking that dangerous.

[Letters]

There will always be mistakes at the back Zimm. From every team. Our beloved Invinicbles conceded goals, the famous back 5 conceded goals. Every defence will. Overall our defence hasn't concerned me that much this season and to pick on Merts when in the first half he was making brilliant tackle after brilliant tackle seems perverse. He could arguably have done better but it was Vermy who left him with 2 men - and not for any good reason, he wasn't running out to mark anyone in particular, he just ran into no-man's land.

[Niall_Quinn]

Our beloved Invinicbles conceded goals

No they didn't!

[Xhaka Can’t]

Even the team from the golden era of 92/93 managed to ship 38 goals.

Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

[Letters]

Even the team from the golden era of 92/93 managed to ship 38 goals.

Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, but they scored 40. In 42 league games.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Marc Overmars]

Is every goal we concede going to be scrutinised like this?

Merts or Verm, it doesn't matter, maybe one of them should have done better but it was hardly a Titus Bramble clanger.