city blues

oh mike dean.

koscielny made a mistake that cost us the game and it was a mistake that makes you wonder why he committed it. perhaps it came from the pressure of playing city, mental strength and needing to show some force early. whatever it was it cost us dearly in the end.

which is to say, jack aside, through sheer grit, and vermaelen, arteta, sagna and mertesacker as well thanks to their due experience, there is a childish hesitation and fear, and lack of self belief in the squad. Diaby was painful to watch, shying away from most encounters and barely running. not surprising have just come back from his injury status. the alternative? ramsey found his footing very quickly in his preferred role, but needs to speed up his play ala rosicky and jack. he has the burst of pace but it needs to be on show for the full 90.

it was great to see the fight back and true spirit of the team in the 2nd half, but that kind of spirit needs to be there the whole time. it should've amped up when kos got sent off.

walcott was a pain to watch, never bothering to press, letting balls slip past him when he could easily have got into intercepting positions. he's tied the team up in a quandry over his staying or going, but to have such sway when he's best utilized as an impact squad player (regardless of whether he starts or subs) is a predicament covered by one too many arsenal voices, and mine is not any better informed or opinionated to add to the broth.

mike dean was ridiculous, none of the red's were the kind you'd see anywhere. although to be a real stickler, both had enough grounds to warrant them but still, it was the match and football that suffered because of it.

i'll always look to the positives and the positive of this match was to really see fight in almost all the players. albeit only really rearing in the 2nd half. that up till the 80th minute there was always the feeling we could nick a point or 3 still. that the team knows what to do when giroud gets up front. gibbs being more and more spectacular, mertestriker, jack filling up his cesc-power up bar, etc etc.

but the fact remains that the squad needs strengthening, both in numbers of players, and the spirit of those not fully putting in their shift.

imagine what would've happened if the Ox had got his game time.