READING TONIGHT

[augie]

I should also point out that yes ade does work hard for the team but a high percentage of that workrate comes on the back of trying to regain the ball lost due to his lack of ball control in the 1st place. I do agree that, much like hleb i suppose, you either like ade or hate him. This season I have flitted from 1 camp to the other cos he has either been shite or the dogs bollox - last night he was the former

[DB10GOONER]

All valid points. I think people are jumping on some kind of anti-augie bandwagon here . He has a point; we were a bit ropey and some of our possession and passing was rubbish but we did beat a team that sat 11 men behind the ball for 90 minutes and we never looked like losing.

Positives are; we did what we needed to do against a very negative side and got the points. Flimflam scored which is great for his self confidence, Ade scored a superb goal and we have no new injury worries (a miracle seeing as Hunt was on the pitch! )

Negatives; the lads looked a little ring rusty (oo-er, missus ) and Cesc misses Wigan for a silly booking. We were chronic in defense for their goal.

As far as Yabba-Dabba-Bayor goes; he isn't Wrighty for finishing, he isn't Henry for vision and skill.

He is Yabba. Something different.

He brings something of a much needed Plan B to the team; as well as being able to hold the ball up, the Petit-style pass over the central midfield can be played to him (when needed) because he is excellent at taking the ball on his chest and controlling it. Most defenders find this very difficult to deal with for fear of conceding a peno or free kick. His pass in behind their defense for Flaminal's goal was sublime.

Also he is unpredictable and does dominate many center halves which in itself can free up other players for us. And he is scoring goals. 7 in 10 is better than the vast majority of strikers in the league - that alone should earn him a place.

And let's not forget that he harries defenders and keepers continuously; his work rate is phenomenal.

Yes, I agree that he is clumsy, with a sometimes dodgy first touch and in some games he can drive me to despair. But he adds more than he subtracts.

And the key point is he is a striker that scores goals in the box (a fox??? ).

[mortenaa]

Maby Cesc did that on purpose so he would miss Wigan, and not a more difficult game later? And what was it with Gilberto hiding himself like that? Or maybe he was just cold...

[T.S]

He brings something of a much needed Plan B to the team;

But what about when plan B becomes plan A? Which it seems to have done. As I've said, I don't mind him coming off the bench as an 'impact player' because that is what 'something different' and a 'plan B' is all about.

[Goonanana]

I think Bert was just a little nippy!

Tonight was (some might say sadly) another simple case of gettng the job done. When it comes to the end of the season and we are challenging for trophies you'll forget all about these "rest games". We got 3 points away from home at walking pace, our top players have now had a midweek rest and played a game at walking pace whereas Manure played full strength midweek and prob got kicked a few times by Blackburn! I was seriously annoyed at first to see a 5 man midfield against that shite but hey AW knows best

I'm 99% sure Cesc did a Beckham, if you were going to pick a game for him to get suspended it would be Wigan at home when he needed a rest after darting off around the world on International Duty! I'm afraid it could mean there won't be a goal fest against Wigan because, like in Prague, when he isn't playing we can't break down teams who park the bus!

Only disappointments for me were Eboue (standard) and Rosicky - think he needs a spell on the bench to give him a kick in the rear end

[REB]

my biggest concern last nite was the way ade keeps coming out to get the ball and then there was no one up front,, we did play with 5 in the midfield again and against a team like reading theres no really need to,, if we hadnt scored before half time then we might have struggled in the second half,, as for abe ..
good work rate and played ok but he is not the answer,, rvp should be back for the wigan game so back to 4 4 2,, esp now with cesc suspened

[T.S]

Only disappointments for me were Eboue (standard) and Rosicky - think he needs a spell on the bench to give him a kick in the rear end

I think I'm going to be on my own here, but fuck it; I think people are being too hard on Tommy. He was involved in our first two goals last night, and had Ade's second been allowed, he would have got the assist for that, too. Granted, he doesn't score enough goals, but in my eyes, dropping him would be detrimental (especially seeing as I don't think we have anyone better to go in there).

[Charlie! Charlie!]

To those who provided me with a link to the game - I SALUTE YOU!
The MRS and THE KIDS were livid - no home shopping or MSN all evening!

[Chippy]

Cesc definitely did it on purpose. neither he nor AW could keep a stright face when asked about the "disappointment" of losing him for the Wigan game. Better that than Villa, Newcastle, Boro away or the chavs or y.. (oops) scum games.

BTW that woman doing the interviews last night definitely had a voice for newspaper journalism. It was like running fingernails down a blackboard.

For our younger viewers a blackboard was a big black piece of slate that the teacher used to write on in chalk (low tech whiteboard). If you ran your fingernails down it it made a horrible screeching noise.

[Galasso]

Don't know what kind of booking situation eboue and toure are on but if they want to fill their boots and then get 5 out of the way at the end of december, that would do nicely.

[DB10GOONER]

He brings something of a much needed Plan B to the team;

But what about when plan B becomes plan A? Which it seems to have done. As I've said, I don't mind him coming off the bench as an 'impact player' because that is what 'something different' and a 'plan B' is all about.

I agree there fully, deffo don't want to be only doing that!! But as an alternative, he does offer it...

[Bergkamp95]

Didnt see the game last night some of us were working last night but saw the goals on the news and have to say very good.Hleb scores agian go Hleb.

[augie]

It's funny TS that I too thought that Rosicky played ok last night except for the last 20mins. I thought he looked bright & inventive and look like he wanted to attack reading at every opportunity. I'd say little tommy must be getting pissed off of being subbed by le boss every single game and more often than not is the 1st player subbed

[Dicko]

Dicko will be getting all wet now that Bendtner is on......oooohhhh Danish

Oh I do get excited when young Bendtner comes on the pitch. Most annoyed when the ref blew his whistle on his first touch

[REB]

do people think bendtner has what it takes,, saw him scores a lot of goals with brum but arsenal is a different planet ,,
dont know if he will force himself into the first 11 and maybe aw will flog him next summer