Match Reaction v Man City

[Niall_Quinn]

Fair enough

Dowd is an awful ref. That is one thing we can all agree on.

Not me today. I thought he tried to let the game go and didn't make any serious errors. RvPs was offside, Silva was onside and the ball was hit at Richards for the penalty decision, Richards had his arms by his side.

They managed to get ahead of us a few times today, we didn't manage to get on top of them, otherwise it was a very even game and on another day we could have won that. City were stretched even though they're the ones with all the resources, we had to patch together a team after yet more injuries to the defence. When we needed to bring quality off the bench we didn't have any. You have to wonder how much impact Ox might have had coming off the bench today into a game where everyone else was tiring. We got Arshavin and Chamack and the pair of them have been useless all season.

[Syn]

The 'caution' over starting Oxlade is quite clear IMO. It's about the defensive workrate. Theo and Gerv might not be as good as Oxo going forward but you can't fault their effort tracking back. Theo, in particular.

Wenger on Oxlade about a month (or slightly more) ago:

“Defending is not his preferred side but unfortunately at the top level today you have Messi doing it, Rooney, Ronaldo, Van Persie - so why should he not do it?” said the Frenchman.

“There is no other way to succeed anymore. That's why, of course, I believe he has the quality to do it. He has the physical ability and he is not scared to go into challenges. He can take a challenge.

“To add that to his game will make him stronger because he will win some balls in areas where he can be dangerous. He's a player who has an impact,” enthused Wenger.

But obviously nobody can understand why he is not at least on the bench to have 20 mins when the team is chasing a goal.

[Niall_Quinn]

I can only imagine he is trying to keep the spotlight off him. I'm not sure I understand the point of it when a) it might benefit the team him playing and b) he's a talented English player in the English league, having the spotlight on him is something that will he have to deal with anyway.

More like the board is trying to win on the performances clause - if they keep him off the field they'll get a right bargain!

[Syn]

More like the board is trying to win on the performances clause - if they keep him off the field they'll get a right bargain!

I don't know whether to laugh or cry over the fact that this theory doesn't actually sound ridiculous.

So I'll do neither.

Or both.

[Syn]

[Marc Overmars]

We've actually come out of today with a bit of respect from the media it seems.

[Syn]

We've actually come out of today with a respect from the media it seems.

Probably because Wenger didn't moan his tits off™ about the referee or the pitch.

Wenger

[Dennis Bendtner]

Our attacking subs have been predictable and ineffective for a while. It's just moved on as a ritual from chucking on Bendtner and Vela to Arshavin and Chamakh.

Where's Mr Miyagi tbf?

[Syn]

Our attacking subs have been predictable and ineffective for a while. It's just moved on as a ritual from chucking on Bendtner and Vela to Arshavin and Chamakh.

Where's Mr Miyagi tbf?

Think he died with an ankle injury a while back.

[Marc Overmars]

Probably because Wenger didn't moan his tits off™ about the referee or the pitch.

Wenger

All part of our transformation to a glorified pub team. They're always loved in the media.

Pub teams.