Because at some point the definitions became: Volley - a shot taken whilst the ball is in the air, even after bouncing. Half-volley - a shot taken whilst the ball is bouncing and is in contact with the ground. That's how to look at it, this week we've had Liverpool and Arsenal. We've come out of it with 3 points, an unchanged goal difference, Davies free to play as he wants now he's had his suspension for 5 bookings, and Chester managed to play 90 minutes. It would have been easy tonight without Davies there for either goal to have really knocked us out coming so quickly in the halves, so the pretty small defeat is a good result when you look at the result Norwich had.
I haven't read any other posts, I'm in a Holborn boozer wrecked, but **** me Danny Graham was ****e tonight. If you're not on a level playing field with talent then at least rough em up a bit. He was so insipid.
For the first goal I'd have to say Chester was the wrong side of his man. Bruce was covering a potential run towards the near post, Chester needed to mark that deeper position a bit better. He gets an excuse with it being his first minute back from a 10 week injury but that's always been my concern with Chester, he isn't the best in the air. Second goal I stick with Elmo being mostly at fault. Even if you think a ball is out you play to the whistle, not stand around waving your arms in the ait without even watching the ball while the ref is clearly not going to stop play for you. Along with putting Elmo out of that play his teammates might've seen him stopping and half hesitated, thinking play might be stopping. Aside from that we lost to a team well ahead at the top of the league and beating just about everyone, no shame there. Could've had 1-2 ourselves against the run of play if shooting had been a little more decisive. Certainly not close to the 7-0 pummeling Norwich took against Man City, or indeed their 5-1 loss tonight.
We need to do what we've done the last couple of games, stick Rosie on at right back and then have Elmo playing as the 2nd striker. I couldn't tell if he was doing it so much tonight, but against Liverpool he was definitely coming inside and putting himself in the hole when we lost the ball once Koren had been taken off. He was playing it from out wide when we were in possession, but with Brady's pace on the left giving Huddlestone the option of which way to go from the middle it let us get balls into the box, and allowed for that late chance Elmo missed to make it 4-1.
Aye, Elmo's quality is using his energy and pace attacking - particularly when we counterattack. Rosenior is a better defender and the two do link up well when Elmo plays ahead of him. With Brady, Sago and Elmo all higher up the pitch we have 3 fast players to stretch defences and help us break quickly. That gives Huddlestone options to all sides as you say and their movement creates gaps for Livermore and whoever else plays in midfield to move into. If Elmo cuts in it usually leaves a gap down the flanks for Rosenior to get a cross in as the fullback follows him.
I think Arsenal were good more than we were bad. We should have had Rosenior on from the start and played four at the back rather than three at the back with Elmo still going back a lot. Gedo shouldn't have been given a lone striker role when he came on. We got to the edge of the area and instead of shooting we'd pass to somebody in a worse position. Why did we play in blue? A lot of City fans arrived late and a lot of Arsenal season ticket holders didn't even turn up. A lot of City fans left early - were they copying Liverpool fans? All the signs at Arsenal underground said there would be "managed queues" at Arsenal and Highbury & Islington after the match and no entrance to Holloway Road but as we got off the train at Arsenal underground they announced that Holloway Road would be opening for passengers to enter after the game. When we got to Holloway Road they were refusing entry so we walked to Caledonian Road.
The wrong team selection imo and what happened was so obvious. No height at the back and way too open in midfield. Sagbo should also been rested for this game and Gedo given a start to test his match fitness. But 2-0 was what i would have accepted pre-game but very disappointed on how the goals came and when they came. FFS, Bender free header in the 87 sec min. I doubt he would have got the better of big Faye in the air. But another game completed against a team above us. Swansea next and they have a forward issue for starters. Nowhere near the quality of Arsenal like. Big plus is that our goal difference is only -6 after all the tough away days we have had. Worth another point to us. Must say Ozil and Ramsey were a joy to watch. Add Gazorla and Wilshere and that has to be the best midfield quartet bar non in the PL. Ozil costing more than our entire team actually.
It won't be "much better" by the time they catch us. It's only 8 better now, to catch us they need to win 2 and draw 1 whilst we lose 3. At least 5 of the goal difference is gone just by having them catch us with games being decided by the odd goal.
Hindsights a wonderful thing eh tickles. It's true bendtner probably wouldn't have scored that header if Faye was there, but how many more goals would they have scored from his old legs not being able to keep up with the extreme fast tempo they were pinging the ball about at in our box? Also disagree about Sagbo, he's our strongest asset up top, and however unlikely a result may be, every point is up for grabs and upsets can and do happen, it wouldn't be the first time we'd won there. That's football, can't take any game for granted win or lose, you never know what might happen. I do think Gedo should have started in place of Graham though, I said it pre match, his pace would have been handy as a counter attack was all we were ever likely to do, he might have been able to beat their defence to a clearance once or twice and make something happen.
I agree with these comments. Another point is that all our three forwards (not including Boyd) have poor ball control. I accept that they don't cost what Arsenal's players cost but Arsenal's passes and control were near perfect and our players seemed relatively clumsy. How many fans did we take? I was in the tier above and I could only see the corner but not behind the goal line. Did we ask for our full allocation of 3,000? My guess is that we didn't.
IF is the word. IF they catch us. I dont see it actually. Not hindsight at all. Faye should have started for his impact at set pieces. We should have parked the bus. We gave Arsenal far too much room and after that massive effort against Liverpool we needed fresher legs. Sagbo should have been bubble wrapped for Swansea on monday. Gedo would have been perfect to run around chasing. Just good that Koren was dropped for the Arsenal game. But overall not that much damage done. Stiil 7/8 point gap from the drop zone.
