Kiev post match reaction thread - PLEASE keep it in here.

[Soulboy]

Come off it mate, I understand your frustration but don't be saying that a Wembley trip is of no interest.

Pay no heed Rammy, the lad's a bit of a drama queen ;)

This is what some of us are talking about when we refer to overly-high expectations. Arsenal and Roma have both been beaten in the Ukraine this season (Arsenal in the autumn, too), you can't expect us to win every match. Nobody wins every match.

We had as many shots as Kiev, despite being the away team. We had 6 corners to their 2. They defended deep in two lines, and countered in numbers. The shape was fine - we had width, with Richards and Kolarov camped in their half, we had solidity in the middle and three threats up front. Unfortunately, the passing/retention of Dzeko and Balotelli wasn't up to it, this was the main problem.
Don't talk about a lack of motivation - we threw the kitchen sink at them in the last twenty minutes.

We had a bit of an on-going discussion yesterday... and my concerns were pretty much summed up with last night's performance.

A manager who is constantly angry and critical... Dzeko who can't play as part of a forward pairing... Tevez who can't play as part of a forward pairing... a midfield so slow and lethargic that even Wigan and Fulham have recently outplayed us in that area... Balotelli once again going missing... an inability to change the course of the game... an inability to win games back from a losing position... a team that rather than "gelling" is actually getting worse... a manager/coaching staff who apparently didn't have a clue as to how Kyiv would play...

But we probably had more possession, so not a total disappointment.

 

[SuperKevinHorlock]

Come off it mate, I understand your frustration but don't be saying that a Wembley trip is of no interest.

I agree great post no doubt the same fans will be on here after the Reading game praising Bobby Manc.

This is what some of us are talking about when we refer to overly-high expectations. Arsenal and Roma have both been beaten in the Ukraine this season (Arsenal in the autumn, too), you can't expect us to win every match. Nobody wins every match.

We had as many shots as Kiev, despite being the away team. We had 6 corners to their 2. They defended deep in two lines, and countered in numbers. The shape was fine - we had width, with Richards and Kolarov camped in their half, we had solidity in the middle and three threats up front. Unfortunately, the passing/retention of Dzeko and Balotelli wasn't up to it, this was the main problem.
Don't talk about a lack of motivation - we threw the kitchen sink at them in the last twenty minutes.

 

[Anonymous]

Come off it mate, I understand your frustration but don't be saying that a Wembley trip is of no interest.

Pay no heed Rammy, the lad's a bit of a drama queen ;)

This is what some of us are talking about when we refer to overly-high expectations. Arsenal and Roma have both been beaten in the Ukraine this season (Arsenal in the autumn, too), you can't expect us to win every match. Nobody wins every match.

We had as many shots as Kiev, despite being the away team. We had 6 corners to their 2. They defended deep in two lines, and countered in numbers. The shape was fine - we had width, with Richards and Kolarov camped in their half, we had solidity in the middle and three threats up front. Unfortunately, the passing/retention of Dzeko and Balotelli wasn't up to it, this was the main problem.
Don't talk about a lack of motivation - we threw the kitchen sink at them in the last twenty minutes.

Spare me the cliches please. I don't expect us to win every match, no matter how many times you tell yourself that. I know we had more corners, and I know we had Kola and Richards pushed right up, and I know that we had three defensive midfield players sat in front of our back 4 to make a grand total of 7 defensive players. It didn't stop the opposition scoring. WE threw the kitchen sink at them but never looked like scoring ourselves. We threw 300 millions pounds worth of kitchen sinks at them and still never looked like scoring. In amongst all that, our passing, movement, speed of thought, technical play, was appalling for the most part. Result is irrelevant for me. It was another garbage performance to add to the list of garbage performances we've turned in this season.

So yes, please spare the cliches and the patronizing "he's a bit of a drama queen" comments.

 

[Rammy Blue]

an inability to win games back from a losing position...

This is one of my main concerns with the tactics and squad we have at our disposal.

I didn't think we played that badly last night however when we go behind we don't seem capable of picking up the pace/tempo to put the opposition under pressure.

How many times did we get in behind the Kiev defence last night?

Answers on a postcard please.....

 

[Balti]

I am quietly confident that we will still progress

I acknowledge though that those battling close 'em down don't give 'em an inch performances against Liverpool and Chelsea at home and Fulham away seem like a distant memory at the moment. If we played like that for the rest of the season we would have a good chance of winning two trophies and would certainly qualify for the CL.

Roll on Sunday.

 

[gio's side step]

I am quietly confident that we will still progress
I acknowledge though that those battling close 'em down don't give 'em an inch performances against Liverpool and Chelsea at home and Fulham away seem like a distant memory at the moment. If we played like that for the rest of the season we would have a good chance of winning two trophies and would certainly qualify for the CL.

Roll on Sunday.

Based on what?

 

[Soulboy]

an inability to win games back from a losing position...

This is one of my main concerns with the tactics and squad we have at our disposal.

I didn't think we played that badly last night however when we go behind we don't seem capable of picking up the pace/tempo to put the opposition under pressure.

How many times did we get in behind the Kiev defence last night?

Answers on a postcard please.....

Don't you mean answers on a stamp please!

 

[Skashion]

Gutted after last night. Would have happily taken a draw with an away goal and would have settled for a one goal loss with an away goal, but a two goal deficit with no away goal. Going to be very difficult to progress now. Jekyll and Hyde City strike again. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes woeful.

I'm at a loss to explain it though. Everything Mancini was doing, I thought made sense. Dzeko for plan B, scoring from headers when teams are parking the bus. Kolarov to provide the crosses. Silva to provide the through balls for Dzeko and Balo to run onto. Just hasn't come together yet. We're in need of time obviously but I'm starting to get the Hughes feeling again, namely that there's no consistent progress. I'm hoping it's just a bad run of form because I'm sick of sacking managers. The one thing that is certain in my mind though is midfield needs creative strengthening and we need some pace, to state the obvious.

 

[chase of spades]

Re: Mancini out

Get out of the club Manicini, tonight was absolute shit! fucking ridiculous. I want Mourinho tomorrow.

What a wanker you are,what a stupid thing to say,why was it ridiculous??
we got beat by Kiev,why have we got a right to beat them?
you tit!

 

[Balti]

I am quietly confident that we will still progress
I acknowledge though that those battling close 'em down don't give 'em an inch performances against Liverpool and Chelsea at home and Fulham away seem like a distant memory at the moment. If we played like that for the rest of the season we would have a good chance of winning two trophies and would certainly qualify for the CL.

Roll on Sunday.

Based on what?

Based on our home form