Arsenal(FA Cup Semi Final) Post Match Thread

I reckon Sane must have been ill or carrying a niggle today

I've never seen a professional footballer so shot after 70/80 minutes as he was today. He almost looked like he couldn't move never mind run
 
Wankers blame referees. No Blue would notice if those decisions went our way. It's been a season of gross underachieving and, if this shit storm continues, then Pep needs to go.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
Yaya went out on his shield, which I was happy to see.

Clichy at fault for both goals and I hate that useless bastard with a passion.
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Going forwards every oppo (and fan) knows there is no need to cover him too much or worry about whether or not he gets the overlap as he'll inevitably pull it back out of fear or muck it up if forced to cross.
Despite my admiration for his work rate, same can be said of Navas. Show him the inside and shape yourself ready to race down the outside and you'll have next to no trouble from him as he won't dare to try anything aside from the one thing he knows and wants to do but which you have covered. So he will stop and ponder.

Two wide 'outlets' which are in essence parking spaces that opposition are happy to give us as it gives them some safe time in which to get back and regroup into position.
 
I had to go east on the tube. It was cute seeing their faces having won their cup final.
 
MeatnSpudsMCFC said:
Team looked exhausted after 60 minutes. Toure looked like he really wanted it towards the end, the rest didn't.


It's a common occurrence, firing on all cylinders at the start of the game and then fatigue kicks in. And if decisions don't go our way or we don't take our chances, we simply make things incredibly difficult for ourselves towards the end.
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Yes, I also noticed that gassed look after 60 and thought it very strange - it's not like they had been making us do all the work in the 1st half???
 
A lot of frustration tonight for all of us and the team.
It will hopefully bring out a positive performance on Thursday night.
On the positive side VK did have a good game and should be fit to keep his place v the scum.
When he went down clutching his side I felt physically sick...
 
Blueknows said:
been following the blues for 40 years and have to say after today I really have had enough , how the feck the lino could say/think the ball had gone out is baffling , the pen on Aguero , thats it for me I cant stand the inconsitency any more and dont even talk to me about the obvious agenda , Ive had it no more , I'll always love the blues but cant handle this bollocks obvious bias
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Trevor Morley's Tache said:
Right.

I've calmed down now after that debacle.

Reasons why it was difficult for us to win that game:

Firstly, the referee f**ked our game plan with his flat refusal to take action against the Arsenal thuggery, which ultimately led to the replacement of Silva through injury.
Secondly, there were at least two penalties that should have been given in our favour. In fairness, they could have easily been given one so I'll concede 1 goal in our favour.
Thirdly, that ball never crossed the dead ball line before it was kicked over the goal line (twice). The fact the official waited until we claimed the goal before the lino flagged that it had gone out, when clearly he couldn't be sure was bollocks and a clear indication that it was a deliberate act to f**k us over. You can bet your bottom dollar that if the keeper had saved it, the ref would have played on and not signalled a goal kick as he should have done if the ball had gone out.

With Aguero's goal, that makes it 3 goals in our favour before HT, and the Arse would have been spent - Game over.

Our defending after the Aguero's goal was piss poor, but that was partially down to the fact we'd had to reshuffle when Silva went off.

Having said all that, we still should have been more than enough for them, but when you start each game knowing that the ref is guaranteed to screw you over at some point, it must knock your confidence knowing however hard you try it just won't be enough. Every goal has to be perfect, without the tiniest reason for the officials to screw us, plus we have to do it whilst getting kicked up and down and not letting the opposition score more goals than us. Not easy.
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Absolutely agree. Merlin was deliberately kicked out of the game in the first 20 minutes. No protection at all. CORRUPT, END OF
 
I don't know where to start with that.

We should have been 3-0 up with the penalty, Sterling's goal and Aguero's goal, with Arsenal down to 10 men with Gabriel seeing red for his fouls on Silva and Sane.

Even the two free kicks for Arsenal's second goal weren't Arsenal free kicks in a million years.

We didn't get to the final because we weren't supposed to. I'm starting to lose interest with the corruption in English football, it's painfully obvious to see. Video referees will never happen in this country.

We were the better team by a mile and were simply cheated out of it. Yaya even called Lawson a cheat before Arsenal's second.
 
Not normally one for the agenda.........but those fucking officials were a disgrace, Clichy should never wear a city shirt again, Pep must know an awful lot more than me, but those substitutions please someone explain?
Yaya played well as did vinny and navas KDB ok and Aguero what a finish, worst game I've seen Sane play and Stirling non existent.
More character needed in this team, I hope someone can find some before Thursday.
The fans were magnificent by the way, way better than the team unfortunately.
Roll on Thursday come on blues
 
Damocles said:
I think people are entitled to. Not to go all Rafa but let's look at some facts here.

In 2012 we won the title. The next season we refused to invest at the same rate as our rivals. This was for an FFP that we failed anyway so brought no benefit. From that title win, it became clear that we were attempting to recreate the Barca model and the success that it brought and Mancini was not going to fit into that mold.

From 2012 to 2016 we were essentially in a holding pattern. We attempted to appoint people in key roles of the club that would work in a Pep based team. We attempted to purchase players who would play in a Pep team. We built a new Academy with all of the philosophies that Pep expected. We appointed managers that would lay foundations for Peps arrival.

Pep is one the best managers who has ever lived. His record speaks for itself and those who try to excuse it are ridiculous. But the club here was designed for him to walk in and elevate us. That hasn't happened.

Now it's fair to say that many things haven't gone to plan. FFP put a dent in our progress as did some puzzling decisions on not insisting on quotas for youth graduation. Pellegrini brought attacking mentality and started building a high line defensive system but couldn't implement it properly.

Pep was supposed to walk into a club setup for him. Instead he walked into a club with no youth promotion, a squad that was too important to sell but too aged to keep, and a system of play that required a major overhaul.

I'd argue if you build a club for the eventual appointment of that manager then that manager should not have to spend his first season implanting his core basic philosophies on it.

Pep came in with the biggest reputation in the game but has suffered the same problems as Pellegrini and Mancini before him. This club doesn't know it's a big club and doesn't act like one. It allows snail paced football from its team while those in the stands sit quietly. It allows the media and referees to dictate to us on their terms. They didn't even go after UEFA in the courts when they got screwed.

We've got the expectations of Barcelona yet the psychology of Barnsley. In almost ten years of the takeover that was designed to make us among the biggest in the world we've won two league titles and are still rolling around the same problems as we had under Hughes.

People are disappointed because we're becoming Arsenal like in writing off seasons after season.

I've no doubt that Pep will get it right because I see the changes he's making to how we play but he has not been the revolution that many including me expected because the club was not and is still not in a place where he can take it forward.
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And yet this time last season you were so confident of us achieving our high status in world football.
 
I'm done with this. We should offer to help with the standard of reffing in the game. Whatever it takes. I'm getting disillusioned with the game.
Pep isn't going to show his class in a league where the refs are still waiting for instruction from Slur Alec !
 
Ban-jani said:
Yes I agree but out of us, Rags, Dippers and those twats we played today... we're favourites.
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I admire your optimism! Unfortunately for us the rags are on a roll at the moment and big nose's injury has improved them not hindered them.We have laughed at them all season but they are unbeaten in the league for 24/25 games and only one point behind us. We have an in form Palace to play, the rags and West Brom, all capable of causing us problems and all are more difficult to break down than we are. Boro away fighting for their lives. Leicester and Watford not easy either. This is going to be a real dog fight make no mistake.
 
Depressing day but like others have said the performance summed up our season.

Poor finishing, poor refereeing and a half-hearted attitude during periods of the match all resulted in our downfall.

I'm a big KDB fan but he really let himself down today. Ruud Gullitt spoke about players who close the opposition down but 'cheat' at it. KDB was continually letting players walk past him and it was not good enough. I do look at some of our players and although they have wonderful ability wonder if they have the mental strength or desire to be real winners.
 
paulchapo said:
We are mentally and physically soft throughout the team. We appear to have lost that nasty snarling edge, at the back we are outmuscled too easily and too weak in challenges. When we went ahead did anyone think we would hold that lead? We lack an inner belief and seem to freeze once we go in front. This is probably because we have no faith in the defence and keeper. We dominate possession then contrive to miss chance after chance and you can see the fear growing, the confidence start to drain.

Deep down I think many of us expected a season like this if we are honest. A new manager and no additions to an ageing and creaking defence. A lack of real goalscoring back up for Aguero, a different option to mix things up. Jesus would have helped but we lost him the same as Gundogan was missed in our midfield. I looked at our bench and not one person on it if I was in the arsenal team would have filled me with fear, or inspiration if I was in the CIty team.

All great teams are strong at the back. All great teams also work hard and have a hatred of getting beat. We don't. Pep needs to take onboard very quickly what playing in this league means it is different and more competitive than others and we need a bit more steel and physicallity and a bit less tippy tap. The officiating of our games has also been an utter disgrace bordering on hindering us deliberately at times and unless someone at the club starts fighting back it will continue.

We have six cup finals now to cement top four but I am not sure we have the stomach or the bollocks to get it done. We will see. Roll on next season!
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Spot on.
 
Len Rum said:
And yet this time last season you were so confident of us achieving our high status in world football.
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I'm still incredibly confident of us achieving our high status in world football.

We don't see the same thing when we watch the matches.
 
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