Don't agree with the first bit at all. Ronaldo and Messi left on the bench. "Well they came on and changed the game!"....Of course they did! They are the most naturally talented players they have!! If they started, you wouldn't need a sub to change a game! They would have played better throughout, instead of a final 10 minute burst.
Never mind their fans, at least Wenger acknowledged the effort from the Norwich team. I have also noted that all the commentators etc have also given City a lot of credit today.
Howson provides far more defensive cover than Redmond, Wisdom was facing Alexis who is arguably the best player in the league. Playing Howson early on gave us a strong base to allow Redmond to have an effect, playing him from the start could have seen us conceded a couple and put the game beyond us. Running Redmond at defenders who were on their second game of the week gave him his best opportunity of being effective. Next week, not playing Alexis or Hazard etc, I probably would play Redmond on the right. The tactics will be different.
How come no-one's mentioned the stonewall penalty we should have had when Hoolahan was pushed in the back ?
Absolutely spot on, Bath. If Redmond wants to play for England, he has to improve his tracking back to help out the FB. That's also why he was played behind the striker last week, because there his defensive role is simply closing down the space when opposing defenders are trying to work the ball forward. If you listen to AN, he keeps talking about 'getting the balance right'. Howson, Jarvis and Brady all do that very well - Nathan doesn't. It's part of the winger's game and he has to improve those skills if he's going to move forward. As for the result, we have taken 4 points from the last 4 games against ManCity and Chelsea away, and Swansea and Arsenal at home and we came very close to a point in the other two games. Did anyone really expect that or a net goal difference of -1 against that lot? The 'balance' will shift against Watford and Everton and then shift back against ManUtd and Spurs and that's as it should be in the PL. AN is showing that he is the real deal regarding PL tactics (being better 'balanced' than either Hughton or Lambert) and that gives me confidence about the future.
I think we deserved at least a draw today. Brady was excellent a constant threat all game. On another day we would of took all 3. Well done lads!
Brady was deservedly MotM on Sky Sports today and Wisdom continues to look better and better with each match, but it was a very disciplined and well 'balanced' performance by everybody. To add to an excellent day, GB won the Davis Cup final in great style for the first time since 1936. Andy Murray was brilliant yet again for his country.
Spot on. If Wisdom & Bennett keep playing like this Martin might be spending a lot more time on the bench. Bassong and O'Neil had a good game as did Dorrans to a lesser extent. The Ruddy error was unfortunate and I wouldn't drop him just yet. but I wouldn't mind seeing Rudd given a chance against a lesser team. Even though Grabban scored I don't feel comfortable with AN playing him ahead of Jerome & Mbokani.
Haha...all the Redmond isn't good enough....Jesus Christ. If people can't see that him and Hoolahan are miles away from every other player we have in the squad, then I really do despair!
Brady had his best game yet in a yellow shirt, imho. Instrumental - more so than Wessi, in all the good things we did going forward plus an extra defender when required. If we could sign an equivalent calibre / value for money attacker and central defender in the imminent window ( i.e.circa £13/14m for both positions), I think we could hang on in there for the remainder of the season
As I said hours ago, player of the season so far, he's been amazing. As for this keeping us up? Nope. Too dodgy in goal, back 4, and strikers. Too many really thin and weak areas. If we stay up AN has pulled another total stunner. When we went down under Hughton/Adams, I felt we had a squad that should have stayed up, this season I don't feel that. BUT AN is 10x the manager of Hughton and Adams. Just don't think we have the squad.
