Job done tonight and we've set ourselves up really well for the return leg. Just what we needed tonight, should give the lads some confidence
Terrible foul on Kosc and i was pretty sure he would get red, shocked it was only a yellow considering the force he kicked him with at that height. Really hoping its not as serious as it seems... Kosc really is one of our best players and has been progressing so well as a player, don't want him out of the team for any decent length of time as a new CB partnership could cost us points while they get used to playing with each other.
Agreed, but Mert a very close second for me. He is becoming a class player for me, dominate in the old fashioned way a CB should. A dominant CB has a massive impact on the outcome of game, he frustrated their forward line and I'll stop short of saying they gave up but they certainly weren't 100% triers throughout...
Good thing we were playing the Turkish Stoke today. They had no attacking midfielders to speak of, which meant Ramsey and Wilshere had little defending to do. Ramsey was excellent. Hopefully this will show some people how far he's come. When Arteta is back, Wilshere or Rosicky should make way. Giroud was a little disappointing, and Podolski looked disinterested when he came on. A good game for Walcott and Gibbs though. Jenkinson was also excellent when he came on. Shame he couldn't deliver some better crosses. Cazorla on the left works well because it gives him a free role to cut inside. If Wilshere gets back to form, he should play AM when Arteta is back, with Cazorla out wide.
Sczc didwell in goal aswell making a string of good saves in the second half with stud marks all over his face!
I would imagine that Kos has got at least a fracture to the front of his eye socket, it was such a full force kick to the head, really nasty one, probably should have been a red because it was a really reckless challenge and dangerously high boot.