Match Reaction v Fulham

[Dennis Bendtner]

People are confusing tactical ideas with tactical success. If he tried something and it didn't work out, it doesn't mean the idea was wrong.

[Power n Glory]

Had a player sent off?

And you don't think Rosicky having a free role had anything to do with those bookings and Fulham Riise being free to just bomb forwards without worrying about defending?

[Niall_Quinn]

And you don't think Rosicky having a free role had anything to do with those bookings and Fulham Riise being free to just bomb forwards without worrying about defending?

Could be, but probably not as much as being a man down considering we didn't concede until JD went off. At least that's the most likely explanation.

[Kano]

You're the one saying Wenger got his tactics right. I'm asking how so since we lost the game as soon as he made those subs.

I've said my piece. If playing for possession was the right strategy then why didn't it work and how comes our possession stats grew worse?

let's be clear. as you have noted yourself, we were under the cosh way before the sending off, which was down to lack of ball retention in the middle and going forward out wide.

you suggest that taking off our 'out balls' to gerv and walcott irreparably damaged our chances of seeing out the game from a winning position, yet losing those two players had no effect on how threatening fulham were becoming.

you mentioned above that once dj had come off, rosicky wasn't offering enough cover which was right but that is down to bad positioning by the player, i'm sure it wasn't wengers idea to send him on to offer more space for fulham. we lost the game because our first teamers need freshening up, through fulham taking full advantage of our full back situation and the wrong decisions from outfield players.

[Power n Glory]

let's be clear. as you have noted yourself, we were under the cosh way before the sending off, which was down to lack of ball retention in the middle and going forward out wide.

you suggest that taking off our 'out balls' to gerv and walcott irreparably damaged our chances of seeing out the game from a winning position, yet losing those two players had no effect on how threatening fulham were becoming.

you mentioned above that once dj had come off, rosicky wasn't offering enough cover which was right but that is down to bad positioning by the player, i'm sure it wasn't wengers idea to send him on to offer more space for fulham. we lost the game because our first teamers need freshening up, through fulham taking full advantage of our full back situation and the wrong decisions from outfield players.

So Wenger sent Rosicky on without giving instructions? Without telling him to protect Djourou? He sent on a central midfield player for Walcott in an attempt to win back the ball because the centre couldn't cope. Wenger likes his players to flow and interchange. I don't think Rosicky came on to disobey orders. It also didn't help that he brought on Yossi, another central player. Wenger wanted to gain control on the middle but we sacrificed a lot on the flanks and we couldn't win back possession either way. He'd have been better off taking off Ramsey and Arteta since their legs were gone and they couldn't pass.

We were struggling for a while, but the game flipped and we were defending in our own half for a while after the subs. Then we pick up the red card.

[Kano]

So Wenger sent Rosicky on without giving instructions? Without telling him to protect Djourou? He sent on a central midfield player for Walcott in an attempt to win back the ball because the centre couldn't cope. Wenger likes his players to flow and interchange. I don't think Rosicky came on to disobey orders. It also didn't help that he brought on Yossi, another central player. Wenger wanted to gain control on the middle but we sacrificed a lot on the flanks and we couldn't win back possession either way. He'd have been better off taking off Ramsey and Arteta since their legs were gone and they couldn't pass.

We were struggling for a while, but the game flipped and we were defending in our own half for a while after the subs. Then we pick up the red card.

not sure how you get the idea i think he sent him on without instructions. i said i'm sure he wasn't sent on with a free role to enable fulham more space. i dont disagree with those sequence of events, that was clear for all to see but check out rosickys passes during his time on the pitch and where 95% took place, it's clear he wasn't playing a free role through the centre. the reason more pressure fell onto dj was because fulham knew what a weak spot he was seeing as already had a yellow and obviously isn't a full back, so a prime target for any smart side. ruiz was also testing the shit out of young coq - which is also the side both goals were crossed from.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Look, I see what you are saying. I think the only mistake was in taking both of them off in that respect.

As soon as Djorou got his first booking - the writing was on the wall for him and it had nothing to do with the substitutions - it's Djorou we're talking about here, and had it not been for a freakish number of injuries amongst the back line, we would not be talking about him, because he'd be at home toasting the new year.

[Kano]

Look, I see what you are saying. I think the only mistake was in taking both of them off in that respect.

As soon as Djorou got his first booking - the writing was on the wall for him and it had nothing to do with the substitutions - it's Djorou we're talking about here, and had it not been for a freakish number of injuries amongst the back line, we would not be talking about him, because he'd be at home toasting the new year.

exactly and there's no escaping that he screwed up, particularly with the first reckless yellow that was totally uncalled for. i think the second was far more instinctive when in a short intense sprint with someone trying to keep up but he deserved the red and fulham the victory.

[Power n Glory]

not sure how you get the idea i think he sent him on without instructions. i said i'm sure he wasn't sent on with a free role to enable fulham more space. i dont disagree with those sequence of events, that was clear for all to see but check out rosickys passes during his time on the pitch and where 95% took place, it's clear he wasn't playing a free role through the centre. the reason more pressure fell onto dj was because fulham knew what a weak spot he was seeing as already had a yellow and obviously isn't a full back, so a prime target for any smart side. ruiz was also testing the shit out of young coq - which is also the side both goals were crossed from.

Rosicky was drifting all over the field when he came on. I'm sure the right was supposed to be his main position but he was able to drift to the centre and left as well. With Theo, you know at least that he's going to hug the touchline and Riise can't go bombing forwards without consequences.

[Power n Glory]

Look, I see what you are saying. I think the only mistake was in taking both of them off in that respect.

As soon as Djorou got his first booking - the writing was on the wall for him and it had nothing to do with the substitutions - it's Djorou we're talking about here, and had it not been for a freakish number of injuries amongst the back line, we would not be talking about him, because he'd be at home toasting the new year.

And yet Wenger kept him on the field even though he was on a yellow and we had less cover on that side. The writing wasn't on the wall.