Prediction League - Arsenal

[innunowetrust1]

Again, a good performance under the circumstances. Both goals disappointing in different ways.

When you've got a 15 year old kid on the bench that was at school the previous week kind of tells you the predicament we are in.

[abbobrom]

When I heard the managers press conference and saw the team sheet, I feared the worst, hence my score prediction. However, credit to the men and boys on the pitch they dug in and battled well.

Arsenal are a slick team, both in their passing, ball control and movement. They are not top of the league without reason. Twenty minutes went by and we were still in the game. Sa had made a good save and Gomez had tested their keeper. Our big problem was we had no out ball, if we won possession the visitors won it back and we were constantly under pressure.

I thought we were unlucky to concede just before half time when it appeared that Doherty was fouled in the build up. Our players protested but it fell on deaf ears. I thought that 1-0 at half time was a good result.

Our back three of Bueno, Kilman and Toti had done well and our two full backs had done well to contain them out wide.

The second half started and Arsenal appeared to have upped their game , putting pressure on our defence. Doyle was having a very good game and the sometimes erratic Traore was starting to impress often winning the ball in tight areas. Sa again pulled of several good saves as O'Neil shuffled his pack and gave some of the regulars pitch time. Lemina tested their keeper, who at times was guilty of time wasting, and was warned buy Mr Tierney. The clock ticked past the 90 minutes and deep into the six minutes extra time the Londoners sneaked a second. We didn't deserve to lose 2-0 after such a spirited performance.

The starting eleven were missing Ait Nouri, Dawson, Semedo, Lemina, Bellegarde. Cunha, Sarabia, and Neto, it really stretched our small squad, so much we had a fif**** year old schoolboy on the bench and two keepers!!!

Bournemouth on Wednesday will be tough with Luton on Saturday. Since we lost to Coventry in the Cup we have failed to win a game. Time to put that right,.