I thought we were struggling until the first sending off. Would not like one of our players to have been sent off for those 2 offences. The second sending off was brave by the ref, and correct, wish more refs would have the courage, might stop all this pulling and tugging in the box. I also thought at least the Cabaye foul by Shawcross was a penalty but by then it didn't matter. Really glad we punished them and didn't sit back when it went to 3. Roll on Arsenal, but have to start a lot better. Make one change Tiote for Ben Arfa, but bring on HBA with 20/30 mins to go regardless of score.
To be fair don't think any of the attacking players will play all 4 games, best game not to play him.
Ben Arfa had a go but only against 9 men. I think we work better with Tiote in the middle instead. I thought Sissoko had an awful game first 60 mins if I'm honest. It's very hard to judge performances against 9 men
I was going to ask that about Benni today – seems to be getting rave reviews, but what influence did he have for the first 40 mins? It's fine running rings around a team bereft of two players but was the lack of Tiote a factor in our poor start today? I would suspect so. Against Arsenal we really cannot afford to give the ball away cheaply and unless Ben Arfa can keep the ball and stretch them he'll be a liability. I think whatever we do it'll be very tough to contain Arsenal...
I think we could see Cabaye, Tiote and Anita all start against Arsenal which wouldn't leave room for HBA in the starting eleven. I'm only guessing this from seeing it was Anita that went off at half-time though, so if that was cos he'd picked up a knock then that's that theory out the window.
i agree with nonews, i thought sissoko was poor. In the last few games he has been the weakest in midfield
Wholeheartedly disagree with the latter part of this statement. The problem (not that there really is one when you've won 5-1!!!!) for me lay with Pardew - he was very lucky Stoke decided to act like kids today. Sissoko's only position is as the right-sided Gouffran. Benny was the right choice, but not to then go 4-5-1 with Benny on the right and Sissoko in the middle - we have proven time and again, by finishing 16th for crying out loud, that Sissoko cannot play well as part of a midfield trio. He always looks a bit lost - he's much more comfortable when one side is the crowd; you have to be as talented as Tiote/Cabs/Anita to understand the 360 degree role of a modern CM. Benny should have been given complete license to roam behind Remy for me; the match was never going our way until they were down to nine - then we sacrificed our DM for a CF and it was just a defence v attack practice match.
This - I was saying to the lass next to me in the first half that Pardew had got his tactics all wrong. Sissoko was immense at Old Trafford and had a good game last week. Today wasn't his best because he was moved into a position he doesn't enjoy.
He still put in a good shift, but Pards needs to realise that some players are better playing a certaIn type of game.
