At about 70 mins I thought we desperately needed to bring a sub on with fresh legs to shore up the midfield and 5 minutes later Ramsey was brough on and just after Coquelin (note the correct spelling). I thought Coq in particular made a difference and we looked far less likely to concede after he came on. If we had left it until 5-10 mins until the end for the first sub I think we would be talking about how we let it slip and dropped points. Ok, the subs may have weakened us a bit attacking , but at the time we needed to stop them attacking in wave after wave, with us only having the odd attack. The one area I think we were very, very poor on today was letting them challenge very hard. Man U for example know how to win free kicks (and dive) and would have got decision after decision. I dont advocate diving but think we could learn a thing or two about making the ref make a decision.
Spanish players are very good at that 'I am Gooner' - you'll notice Arteta regularly put in a sly foul, or win clever free-kicks by positioning himself to take a little hit etc... I think it's quite a talent to be able to get it right with going down/not going down.
If we were going to make a sub, then at least make the right sub. OXO was one of the good players at the time, so if Wenger wanted new fresh players, it should've been Podolski coming off at the time, as he was anonymous, not OXO, who was making things happen on the right side when he was switched off. When the subs were being made, Wigan weren't really coming at us wave after wave, when we did make the subs, that's when our entire gameplay died, and it was basically Wigan constantly coming at us. One thing that does annoy me, is Shezney's often fast ball distribution. Whenever he gets the ball, or makes the save, he just throws it out at once, and we often lose the ball. He did it again today after he made a save, we lost the ball, and from there Wigan had a very good chance prevented from a good Shezney save. I can understand him doing it if we're losing or badly need a goal, but when we're 1-0 up, and under pressure, he needs to keep the ball, and let everyone re-organise themselves, and use that time to take a little sting out of the game.
It may well be that the young pole in goal is just doing as he has been asked to do? He may have been told to play it out quickly. I think in general the way he plays it quickly out works very well - the defence need to stay switched on to make sure it doesn't mess up though. I get your point though - occasionally it wouldn't hurt to hold the ball a little longer!
I've been watching the City game. As a trio, the Silva/Tevez/Aguero partnership is the best in the league. How Reading are still in this game is beyond me. Their goal is living a charmed life.
gunner.be.alright - is there any reason your cheering on city? Seems stupid to me....Unless i have missed something?
Oh it was indeed. We talked about the Spurs/Stoke game earlier in the week, and it went like we thought it would.
