I think we were poor in the second half, because Gervinho and Walcott didn't offer enough. Thus, the ball kept coming back at us because our attacks fizzled out, this invited pressure, our defenders were having to work harder and harder and mistakes were more likely, eventually Djourou paid the price. This put us right on the back foot and probably gave Fulham a psychological boost, they pressed and equalised, (Szczesny should have done better on the cross). With their tails up and us having no outlet to keep the ball in their half, we conceded possession and eventually paid the price for it.
Its so annoying watching us play just now, because for a while we have been doing just enough to win, and we haven't won emphatically for a while, the quicker we get our injured players back the better, the ref didn't have his best game but we are so wasteful and we owe it to ourselves and our good play to finish games off instead of having to just scrape through. I agree that the tight 1-0s are what make the difference in the end but our luck is going to keep running out because we are not clinical enough. More dropped points, we have had 4 points when we should have had 9 and that will make the difference come the end of the season, we can't keep relying on chelsea to slip up, we have to take the initiative and win the games that aren't against teams in the top 4.
....and the grass was too long (by about an inch) which affected our passing game. p.s. The board told Szczesny to make that mistake.
"because Gervinho and Walcott didn't offer enough " well glory be for that , finally we are making progress. imho THEY NEVER OFFER ENOUGH !
] I think we've been struggling up front, RVP has got us out of jail a couple of time. The injuries have been pretty well covered at the back, but Walcott has been off form and Gervinho, whilst he creates chances, can't seem to score for toffee at the moment. I think Wenger was probably right to sub them both, but I'd have liked to have seen Arshavin come on, I think he could have offered more and given us more ofan outlet up front than Rosicky and Benayoun.
If every one of our faults on the pitch can be diverted to our manager (by certain parties) in the most absurd of ways, why can't I blame the grass?
I do not suffer from cognitive dissonance. My support for the mighty AFC is unconditional and unwaivering. I feel the same pain as anyone when we lose, but I just don't take so much pleasure from our failures as some clearly do.
He does all the above very well, but he does not have control over the opposing team's groundsmen. They and their manager decides upon how short to cut the grass. Not Mr Wenger.
comment by Koscielny Patented Proof Readers (U7373) posted 2 minutes ago i think it has to be said - if fabianski had acted the way szczesny did in the build-up to fulham's first, people would be calling for him to be beheaded in the emirates' centre-circle.
So you are now claiming it is Wenger's decision as to how short the opposition cut their grass? How very odd.
No mistake. He was clearly following Wenger's (or the board's) instructions, otherwise how could Wenger get the blame?
'coming out with comments you would expect from a drunk in a pub ' Has CYM been writing the words for Wenger?
"but I just don't take so much pleasure from our failures as some clearly do." feckin dimwit. because i criticise a totally gutless performance it follows that i am happy about it.? You are no better a fan than i am just because you dont criticise a sh1t performance , in fact it makes you a worse one.
I'll blame the ref. I get very irratated by Wengers lack of grace in defeat but he had a point yesterday, 1-0 up and pretty much in control then a soft second yellow for Johan and the shape of the game changes. We ought to be able to cope with threats from Fulham with 10 men but it came on the back of 5 games in 14 says and whilst I'm not convinced this is any real excuse it could have had an impact at the end of a busy Christmas schedule. Yes Szczesny made a mistake for the goal and he also made an horrific error just before it when Senderos could/should have equalised, but keepers errors are always magnified, he's generally not put a foot wrong
