A defeat, but not a bad one. I thought we played much better than recent weeks and Zigic’s goal was excellent. The penalty was soft and the second goal could have been cleared but it was probably a fair result given that we didn’t create too much. As for the sending off, I wonder what would have been said if it had been the other way around…
Nice to see Zigic score and McLeish make some positive subs. Maybe people will get off their backs for a while now. Arsenal were hanging on a bit at the end and playing on the break but we couldn’t get the final delivery right to test their makeshift back four and dodgy keeper.
Aylesburyblue “McLeish made some positive subs.” How did you figure that?!!
I think AM is just cluelessly thrashing about, trying anything in hopes, but mist of teh time he’s scared to make any changes.
Sigh. A couple of fair points, Ayleseburyblue, but sadly I agree with brumman. Watching this on tv (from across the pond) this was a desperate lost opportunity. There surely cannot be many better chances to play Arsenal at the Emirates than right now as they sit at half strength. When we pushed they looked less than composed. Why, oh why, did AM not make more positive subs earlier in the game (worrying how often we say this). In past weeks its true that our bench has not looked very enticing. But with three strikers sitting idle and our front two (…) looking dead on their feet, it was just target practice for Arsenal. Murphy proved to be a good move, but mightn’t O’Connor on at 65 minutes followed by Phillips (albeit less than fit) on at the 80 minute mark been a more impactful decision?
I’ve no time for the fickle among us who criticize AM on a dime; he’s clearly not stupid. But honestly today the inactivity through twenty minutes of impotence was both baffling and worrying…
So I agree, an improvement. A relief to see Zigic more committed and ultimately rewarded. But I do wish Bowyer would find his touch, we desperately need Gardner back, and who’d have thought we’d miss McFadden this much. Please AM let’s mix it up before the 70 min mark when its just not working. Today we might have actually been rewarded with ten minutes more concerted pressure.
We’re running out of time to arrest this slide before it becomes a small mountain.
He took off Bowyer and brought on an extra attacker. How is that not positive???? We didn’t exactly have a lot of options on the bench did we.
I agree, Aylesburyblue, definitely positive. Even the move with Murphy brought some freshness to the wing. It would just have been nicer to see both substitutions earlier in time to have more impact, and Phillips actually given a chance – even if only some time around the 80th minute….
I went to the Emirates yesterday, and we did not play badly but AM must have seen that, Bowyer who was a good player for us last year is not the same player this year.
As for the bench, we had nothing that you thought, great get them on they will change the game… Where was Redmond? this was the sort of game where he could have got some game time without too much danger (except from wilshire..lol). Even Fahey played ok and Zigic was good compared with his previous performances, but Arsenal are not going to kick lumps our of you. Oconnor looked fresh when he came on.
Any body got any thoughts on Nasri kicking out at Ridgewell and only getting cautioned?
Have to disagree about the ” positive changes” made by Mcleish. Murphy may have looked decent when coming on, but he is not an attacking player, we all know what Gary O’Connor will offer us. He’s a battler who will chase things down but he doesn’t have premiership quality. I can only think that Derbyshire has fallen out with the manager, why else would he be left on the bench when the likes of Murphy and O’Connor came on. Redmond should have been in the squad as without Jerome or Beasejour, we have no pace that can be used as an outlet when under pressure- which we witnessed yesterday. Yesterday was surely the perfect opportunity for Michel to play as well. Arsenal would of given him time on the ball and he would of shown some class and composure on the ball unlike the anonymous Fahey and Bowyer yesterday. I have a feeling that come January we wont be seeing Michel and maybe even Derbyshire in a Blues shirt again.