Match Reaction vs United

[Power n Glory]

I agree with all that, mate. What feels deflating today is that although we have clearly made an improvement as a team, we really are no better than the competition - and our league position so far is as much down to transition at all of our rivals and a kind fixture list as anything else. It was depressing that while Manure's 'big players' turned up yesterday, ours went completely missing.

I'm not sure what to make of that game considering the reports of flu sweeping through the team. It may not have been the usual bottle job. It was such a flat performance from everyone.

[Master Splinter]

It exposed our lack of options because our options were injured/ill.

The continual NO SQUAD DEPTH thing has perhaps become the biggest lazy cliche in all of football. No thought behind it.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

I hear you, but I think that we are gambling big time with what might be our best chance to win the league. Yesterday exposed our lack of options for all to see. Also, I think we can safely take whatever talk comes out of the club with a massive pinch of salt. January is traditionally not a happy hunting time for us - and rarely is there any real quality available then anyway.

True but you can't deny this season has been a massive step forward. It feels like we finally have our Arsenal back.

We can always do more and it's healthy we are having these discussions but the fact we are disappointed having lost 1-0 at Old Trafford, having conceded our first corner of the season (we've faced 92 corners and conceded from none), shows we are moving a step in the right direction.

If this is the start then I'd love to see where we will be in 12 months time with a few more top quality players in hopefully.

All we've ever asked for is to compete. We genuinely are now.

[Syn]

Before the season, no. But when we were 5 points clear and with Chelsea; Citeh and Manure uncharacteristically dropping points plenty of people were beginning to believe that we were - and with some justification.

Yesterday pisses on that particular bonfire.

It's one very tricky game that we lost. Interesting we also won against Liverpool and away at Dortmund a few days ago but of course the game we drop points in is the one that was true test.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Before the season, no. But when we were 5 points clear and with Chelsea; Citeh and Manure uncharacteristically dropping points plenty of people were beginning to believe that we were - and with some justification.

Yesterday pisses on that particular bonfire.

No then, yes before yesterday and no now. Could it be that you're fairly reactionary?

It reflects far worse on Chelsea and Man City dropping points in games they should realistically hoped to have closed in on us then it does us losing to the reigning champions, away.

It's incredibly difficult to win two away games in a row, regardless of the opposition. Man Utd for instance next have three away games in a row (including a Champions League) and will probably not win all of them.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Who - Sanogo? Says it all really. However you slice and dice it when you look at the consistent top 6 teams in the league and compare their striking options to ours, it's a bit of a joke, really.

Can you imagine how good we'd be with another top striker? We've done this well and we've only got 1.

Give the board more time to do some transfer business and we'll judge them then. For now we can't really complain at our form.

[IBK]

True but you can't deny this season has been a massive step forward. It feels like we finally have our Arsenal back.

We can always do more and it's healthy we are having these discussions but the fact we are disappointed having lost 1-0 at Old Trafford, having conceded our first corner of the season (we've faced 92 corners and conceded from none), shows we are moving a step in the right direction.

If this is the start then I'd love to see where we will be in 12 months time with a few more top quality players in hopefully.

All we've ever asked for is to compete. We genuinely are now.

Aye - I suppose that when you look realistically at our chances then we were never going to be league winners, and it's totally fair to look at the improvements that we have made. The disappointment is having our early season bubble burst by the same old same old result at those cunts - but also seeing how ordinary the competition looks for once, and most likely not being able to exploit this.

[IBK]

No then, yes before yesterday and no now. Could it be that you're fairly reactionary?

It reflects far worse on Chelsea and Man City dropping points in games they should realistically hoped to have closed in on us then it does us losing to the reigning champions, away.

It's incredibly difficult to win two away games in a row, regardless of the opposition. Man Utd for instance next have three away games in a row (including a Champions League) and will probably not win all of them.

The old reactionary tag eh? In this case misapplied.

[Master Splinter]

Our bubble seems relatively ripe at the top of the League.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Aye - I suppose that when you look realistically at our chances then we were never going to be league winners, and it's totally fair to look at the improvements that we have made. The disappointment is having our early season bubble burst by the same old same old result at those cunts - but also seeing how ordinary the competition looks for once, and most likely not being able to exploit this.

Just look at our defence. It was a calamity show every week for about 5 years but now it's probably the best thing about our team.

For all the wins we've had and beautiful goals this season, my favourite moment will always be in the game against Dortmund when our defence stepped up twice to leave 4 of their forwards offside on both occasions, with our defenders walking away with their arms in the air calling for the offside. That wasn't Wenger's Arsenal, that took me back to the Graham days.

In fact, every time our defence step up and get the offside decision I die a little bit inside. I get the same feeling when we get an offside call as I get when we score. You can't win anything without a solid defence and we finally have it.