[Yudster]

Having already sacked our manager and replaced him with the boot boy - or something - we shall see what happens next.

[The Deadly]

Hey it could be worse you could support Reading. Our team is so weak we'll be relegated by January.

[Martyn B]

^ Thats just how it is I'm afraid, at least you get a year in the Premier League though, it can do wonders for clubs, financially.

We (Norwich) were fortunate in that we had an exceptional manager in Paul Lambert, and the same could be said for Swansea too.

If Norwich go down this year, it wont be the end of the world and the club will be in a MUCH better finacial position than when we were in Premier League 1.

Ipswich doing extremely bad does make it a litter better, too.

[The Deadly]

We are quite a well off club though. We could have spent a lot more money in the preseason and still been financially secure. We always wait until it's too late to spend the cash.

[Martyn B]

Ahh right, that is frustrating. How much did Pog cost?

[The Deadly]

Ahh right, that is frustrating. How much did Pog cost?

He was free.

[chrysostom]

I'm excited/nervous for the Arsenal vs. Chelsea game tomorrow. Will be a proper litmus test as to how good our team can be.

[Yudster]

Well, we seem to have the "new manager bounce" factor, a 3 - 1 home win. Forgive me for thinking "lets see how long it lasts..."

[chrysostom]

Watching the Utd match with my best friend who keeps giving me tactical speeches based on what we're both reading on twitter. It's beyond tedious.

[Tunster]

Having already sacked our manager and replaced him with the boot boy - or something - we shall see what happens next.

Looks like Colchester were done over by the Chelmsford boys in the FA Cup today. Sad times for Colchester.

[DevilsDuck]

Watching the Utd match with my best friend who keeps giving me tactical speeches based on what we're both reading on twitter. It's beyond tedious.

Probably needs to tell Mr Wenger though

[Bonanzoid]

Someone needs to tell Mr Wenger that his jacket makes him look like an oven glove.

[Yudster]

Having already sacked our manager and replaced him with the boot boy - or something - we shall see what happens next.

Looks like Colchester were done over by the Chelmsford boys in the FA Cup today. Sad times for Colchester.

I know, its ridiculous. Although in League 1 we have just had a run of very good results. The cynic in me wonders if a cup run was not in the Chairman's plan for the season - but the realist in me knows that Chelmsford probably just did us over!

Watching the Utd match with my best friend who keeps giving me tactical speeches based on what we're both reading on twitter. It's beyond tedious.

Probably needs to tell Mr Wenger though

I simply can't understand why Wenger left Wilshere on. Fergie recognised the danger, Gaz Nev said that he reckons if Cleverley had stayed on it would have been close to certain that he'd have been sent off. Wilshere is young, hotheaded and not 100% match fit. Leaving him on at that stage in the game with a yellow card and a clear "last warning" from the ref was almost setting him up.

[chrysostom]

I agree, but Arseblog summed it up well today:

No complaints about the red card really and I think any attempt to blame the referee on our defeat yesterday is smoke-screening of the highest order. I saw a lot of talk yesterday about how Ferguson, having seen Cleverly get away with a foul that could have been a second yellow, immediately made a change. Wenger, in the same situation with Wilshere (he’d just clattered van Persie), chose not to make a change and thus the sending off was his fault.

For this one I have some sympathy with the manager. The key difference for me is that we were 2-0 down and needed to get back into the game. Had the scoreline been reversed I have no doubt Wenger would have hooked Wilshere for the more defensively minded Coquelin and a manager has to have some trust in his players too. You can’t take someone off every time they get a booking. Wilshere’s challenge on Evra was typical of a man who has been out of the game for a long time, he overran the ball when normally he’d control it without a problem, and the challenge itself was rash.

Again there’s a bigger issue, the lack of midfield depth. It’s not an ideal change but Ramsey for Wilshere would have been an obvious change in those circumstances but the Welshman’s deployment out of position, and subsequent substitution, meant the manager had little to work with.

[Bonanzoid]

Wilshere's red was just symptomatic of a player who's been out a long time.

As for Aaron Ramsey, is it just me who thinks he's highly overrated? He seems to have his moments, but the majority of the time I've seen him I've been underwhelmed. Too many wayward passes, poor set pieces and a few niggly fouls. Maybe I've just seen him on his bad days.

[Yudster]

Wilshere's red was just symptomatic of a player who's been out a long time.

I completely agree, but given that, and given the specific situation on the field at the time, was it not a highly predictable, and therefore potentially avoidable, outcome?

[chrysostom]

I think it's very easy to forget that Ramsey is only 21 because he's been in the footballing eye for 4 years, and the biggest issue with him is his injury - which has put him at least a year back in his development in playing time alone, not to mention physically/mentally. I'd say he's better than Cleverley was at 21, but he isn't where he should be certainly.

I think it will be 3-4 years before he is good enough to be a considered a top player, but AFC fans are used to the development process. It usually culminates in the player having a great season at some point, then leaving the club.

Yuds, I think it was a case of keep Wilshere on or look as if Wenger was conceding defeat as his only realistic subs left in that position were defensive ones. It's something that Wenger must be wary of given the fans' overreacting nature (see when Ox-Chamberlain was subbed for Arshavin last year).

I'm just trying to manage expectations until financial fair play is introduced and then we can hopefully be on a similar playing field as top clubs...it'll happen right?...*cries into pillow*

[Bonanzoid]

Wilshere's red was just symptomatic of a player who's been out a long time.

I completely agree, but given that, and given the specific situation on the field at the time, was it not a highly predictable, and therefore potentially avoidable, outcome?

I was working at the time so I couldn't really pay attention to the match but if it was anything like how I felt watching Raheem Sterling vs Everton then I'd imagine so. It was due to Sterling's age and inexperience compared to coming back from a long lay off, but his booking was deserved and he was a bit impetuous on occasions after, so I had my heart in my mouth. That said, Rodgers didn't sub him and he didn't get sent off so it might be a bad example haha.

Wenger must have realised he might have to take him off, but thought it was more worth the risk leaving him on in comparison to who could replace him, as chrys has said. It was unfortunate, but I can sympathise with Arsene on this occasion.

[Yudster]

Actually I have no difficulty sympathising with Arsene in a lot of ways these days. I get the impression he has a lot to contend with.

[DevilsDuck]

It's a shame really! He is a great manager, but his squad just gets weaker and weaker every year!

[Bonanzoid]

Anyone see Ibrahimovic's 4th goal vs England? One of the best goals I've ever seen!

[The Deadly]

It's nothing I've not done before.













On FIFA 95'.

[DevilsDuck]

Anyone see Ibrahimovic's 4th goal vs England? One of the best goals I've ever seen!

Just... Wow!

[chrysostom]

Went to the match yesterday, what a great day!

[The Deadly]

Shame the game was ruined by the red card. Definite sending off offence though, ref had no choice.

Edit: Ruined for the neutral fan