Bailey

We need to keep hold of the ball for starters. Barry and McCarthy are getting caught out of position because they start getting forward, the ball gets lost and then they are trying to scramble back and there is acres of space. I wouldnt change anything either but we need to start building pressure on Swansea, make them work and keep our own shape. Barkley and McCarthy really need to impose themselves on this game like they did in the first 20.

Thought we started this half excellently, got in their faces and forced the turnover. Barkley should have scored from Coleman's pull back but he made amends somewhat by winning the penalty. Since we scored though we have gradually taken our foot off the pace and we have allowed Swansea back in to it. We arent keeping possession (Mirallas and McGeady in particular) and Swansea have turned the tables and started forcing us into mistakes. They deserved their goal, although McGeady was fast asleep when he should have been tracking the runner. We have been piss poor after that and half time has definitely come at the right time. We need to up the pressure again and not be so wasteful in possession. We need to keep hold of the ball, move it around with a bit of pace and take our chances when they come. Very frustrating.

But you see him keeping them in the game far more often that you would with someone like Cech or Hart. I used to be a keeper and I now how much easier it is to make a string of decent saves when your getting tested all game compared to when you are a spectator for 20-30 minutes at a time. I watched him in the Chelsea game (4-1) and he was caught out by a couple of really stupid errors (handling outside 18yard box), getting caught out near post, through his legs I think and wafting at thin air. They can happen but they shouldn't happen in the same game! I do get confused sometimes between him and McGregor (Hull) sometimes and the latter is far worse, but I don't think you should take one performance out of context. I'm not writing him off as a shit keeper, just don't think he is anything special from what I have seen of him so far. Jeezus Matt you cant be using MOTD to back up your points. They are highlight watchers, they see him make a couple of great saves and then he is the next best thing since sliced bread and then he will make a howler and he is the worst keeper in the league!

I have watched their keeper before and he has made some really fundamental errors (but also some very good saves). Its easier for a keeper to look better at a club at the lower end of the league, the best keepers are the ones that dont have much to do all game and then still pull off a worldie.

Its nice to see him (Rosicky) get a run of games without injury.

It was just in case Ferdinand scores, everyone would say he was a tactical genius... or does that only apply with Heitinga? Those Sheedy comments are hilarious!

I think we have that box to box midfielder in McCarthy, he just seems to have the handbrake on a little at the moment. I have no doubt he could fulfil pretty much any role in the centre of midfield and he is at his best when he is driving us forward, pressing high and then getting back and making tackles/interceptions. For me the problem isnt in our attacking play, its more in our defensive work. We need to stick to our guns, commit to a highish line and press the ball aggressively and stop the other team in their transition periods creating space for our forward line to move into. When we lost to Liverpool, we lost that mojo a little and I think the fans, players and manager lost their bollocks a little. If we turn the ball over quicker, catch them out of position, we have the ability to really hurt teams much like Liverpool and Arsenal did to us and like Liverpool and Arsenal do on a regular basis.

The subs did make sense. Osman is the only player that comes close to playing the way Pienaar does on that left hand side and as we were doing well, I gather Martinez wanted to keep it like it was. McGeady for Mirallas is again a very similar man for man straight swap. Do I agree with the changes, no not really as I would have maybe tried either Mirallas/McGeady on the left and only brought on Deulofeu but I can see what he was trying to do. Joel didnt fill me with confidence either but he made some pretty decent saves as well. His kicking in the main was actually decent (I think he fluffed 1) and whilst he did kick a couple of others out of play, they werent far off finding a player in space which is something Howard doesnt even attempt. His biggest liability was in the air. For a big fella you would expect him to come and gather aerial balls for fun but time and time again he punched them away, some being more successful than others. I used to be a decent keeper and I also went through a spell of punching all sorts of shite (mainly through being told to but my coaches who wanted to play the % game - ie if I dropped a catch it was a goal) but it creates a whole load of other problems and I soon worked out that I enjoyed the battle of coming off my line to pluck balls out of the air. Its something Howard has improved upon this year and hopefully it gets passed down to Joel. Regarding the pressing, I do agree. When we pressed them higher up the pitch, we gave them a lot of problems and when we scored we did up the tempo a notch. I think its an important part of how we should play and we need to keep it up for longer periods of the game.

Dont be saying the word hoof and Moyes in the same sentence, otherwise Dunc will be after yer! Fwiw I was thinking more about the level of the club rather than the style of play.

Its clear from the context that was how you meant it Newty. Its a well known saying and has nothing to do with race at all. I cant believe anyone would question that.

He was absolutely everywhere breaking things up and getting on us on the front foot. It wasnt a perfect performance, because he did make a couple of errors and he was unlucky for their first but I think his overall contribution was excellent.

That was probably the worst result possible from that game. We didnt deserve it, we matched Arsenal and whilst I do agree that we do need to start turning performances into points you are talking out of your arse if you cant see the progress on the pitch compared to last season.

McCarthy for me, best midfielder on the pitch.

So we didnt even give Wigan a game at this stage last season at home and yet we create more chances than Arsenal at the Emirates and give them a really good game and yet nothing has changed.

Absolutely gutting... Just shows the difference between teams that can finish and a team that cant. We havent created that many chances at the Emirates for as long as I can remember and we should have seen them off. On the whole though, it was an excellent performance and the players gave it a really good go. We just need to keep that level of performance in the league and climb back up the table.

Unfortunately I think that is the game, will be tough mentally to come back again. We have given them two soft goals.

Brett we arent setting up to play on the counter, we just caught them on the counter a couple of times. I dont think anyone is saying that we should make use of that opportunity. We are playing the same way we played against them earlier in the season, its just that we arent keeping hold of the ball as well in attack and Arsenal are having more possession.

Good game so far. We have had more guilt edged opportunities than Arsenal but we keep fucking up that final ball/shot! We need to take these chances. Joel has been poor, I stuck up for him in the other thread, but he is annoying me so far. Shot stopping is fine, nothing he could have done with the goal and he has only actually cocked up once from a kick. He is annoying me with his punching because he needs to get hold of the ball and take the pressure of us. It really annoys me! I thought Stones has actually done well, little shaky to start with but he has put in some really good blocks. Distin has been the one I am more concerned with because he has that rabbit in headlights look in his eyes. He has given the ball away on a couple of occasions when he needed to keep hold of it as well. McCarthy hasnt been faultless but on the whole he has been excellent, popping up all over the pitch. Barkley is looking back to near his best and hopefully he keeps going and gets us a winner!

Ross you fucking beauty! Good run Mirallas too and good poaching Lukaku! Get the fuck in!

Joel isnt inspiring me with confidence now!

Frustrating 14 mins. we create 2 chances miss both, they have one and score it.

Fair enough!

Yeh I agree, he isnt a bad manager by any stretch of the imagination and he could do a good job at any club which doesnt really have any serious CL aspirations. The Newcaste job could be a good one for him as he would have some funds providing Ashley didnt get involved.

I can only think of the 1 goal that he should have got something on (despite it moving all over the place). Other than that, he has been a good shot stopper and he is generally very good at coming off his line and smothering the ball.

No its a weakness in the mental side of his game which is why he sometimes doesnt get into games. Sometimes he isnt aware of his position, sometimes he doesnt anticipate a pass, sometimes he runs into two players when he could have laid the ball of to someone else etc. I dont think Mirallas reads the game as well as a lot of top players and we dont really see him making any defence splitting passes for example. As I have said, he is a very good player and in terms of our attacking players I do think he has the most ability but at the same time Pienaar is much more influential throughout the 90 minutes despite not being able to execute the final pass. I would also add that it will be much more difficult to replace Pienaar than it will to replace Mirallas, not that I want to either of them leave!