I'm just worried about what's happened to poor Pat Rice's face. I hope Mr Wenger hasn't been taking his frustrations out on him. 
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2009-10 Football Thread The Second Half
- Thread starter Jaffa Cake
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I'm just worried about what's happened to poor Pat Rice's face. I hope Mr Wenger hasn't been taking his frustrations out on him.
LOL...
Whoa..... red..!
Strange how such a friendly game gets so many cards!!
(CAN'T WATCH!!)
EDIT: WOWOWOWOWWO!!!!!!!!!!
Jaffa.. I needed that one!
Strange how such a friendly game gets so many cards!!
(CAN'T WATCH!!)
EDIT: WOWOWOWOWWO!!!!!!!!!!
Jaffa.. I needed that one!
Wenger's gamble with his captain might have paid off for this match – the question is, could it have long term ramifications for their title hopes? Hmm.
At least Pat Rice might be spared a further beating.
At least Pat Rice might be spared a further beating.
Big price to pay, then.
No return match for Cesc, and with so many injuries in the team already.... phew.
But, good for Arsene to try!
Pat is hoping for a quiet 3 mins extra time...
EDIT: so 2-2..... and TBO, feels like a win. At least we got a chance in Camp Nou.
It's certainly more than you could have hoped for once that second Barcelona goal went in. But the two away goals means that you're more than likely going to have to win the match...
Before the game started I wouldn't have signed for a 2-2 draw... but after about 10 mins.... TELL ME WHERE TO SIGN!
Yes, we need to win 0-1 or 1-2.... oef...
Wow, Arsenal fought back just when they needed to and rescued what looked sure to be a rout. The next leg will be a much harder match to get a result from though, and as Jaffa pointed out the Gunners pretty much need a win now. But what a match!
I'm shocked that Barca didn't win his comfortably to be honest, but credit to Arsenal for showing a grit and determination they are often accused of not having.
And my fantasy squad hopes!!
I'm shocked that Barca didn't win his comfortably to be honest, but credit to Arsenal for showing a grit and determination they are often accused of not having.
And my fantasy squad hopes!!
That's what happens when you go out early - when you look at the Rooney and Fabregas injuries, It's an absolute gift to Chelsea and could also have an impact on the 4th-7th positions as well. Arsenal and United are going to be hard pressed.
Berbatov has been carrying an injury for most of the season, hoping it holds up with the pitch time he is going to get. Park playing behind him?
On the MR Cup your Lordship - words cannot express how happy I am for you
Barcelona look like they have 'AC Milan Syndrome' - we've won, foot off the gas.
Arsenal - a bit lucky with the Messi non-penalty, a bit Stoke with the tackling - even accounting for the freekicks Barcelona bought - but finally began pressing the ball and those likely to receive it, and the crowd finally started making some noise - at least they have a chance and are maintaining the ability to fight back.
Almunia - know what that's like after Barthez. Mind, both keepers in tonight's game were poor for the first goals.
Cheers,
OW
Keep your eyes open for a MacRumors Cup update later this evening your Lordship, I've a feeling that you might like it - and that oscillatewildly won't.
On the MR Cup your Lordship - words cannot express how happy I am for you
Hehehe.
We all get the rub of the green now and again...I really wish I had my wild card back though!
Proper managers use theirs the second week, every season.
I very nearly did this time around, which means I'm close to becoming a proper manager. Pretty soon I'll be claiming not to have seen things.
Seems like Arsenal's fightback might end up having been a Pyrrhic victory, since they now have an Everton-like injury list. Wenger has some tough decisions to make and in terms of title hopes, well, it has become a battle of attrition and Chelsea is arguably the least hit right now, since they are missing only Cole and Carvalho. Lots of question marks surrounding all of the top four right now. Luckily, Liverpool have been crap all season so it's business as usual for me.
Best thing was the spirit they showed.
Fabregas.. I don't really understand why he would've played on, albeit limping, if he'd broken his leg. I really hope I'm right, but I'm just remembering when Vermaelen had "broken his leg" earlier this season at Villa Park. Arshavin is an annoying one to lose, Gallas I had sort of got used to life without already! Apparently Clichy got injured too - that isn't good news, he actually had quite a good game. Penalty looks sketchy, but the referee was terrible tonight - not least for giving Fabregas the booking that confirms he won't make the second leg.
At the end of the day I'm surprised we're still in it, think we have a shot at it out there... not much of a shot, but a better one than we did at 0-2 down! Makes my trip to Camp Nou slightly more worthwhile. Nasri will have to step up and fill in for Fabregas, and we will have to be impeccable defensively. So I can't see it happening
Fabregas.. I don't really understand why he would've played on, albeit limping, if he'd broken his leg. I really hope I'm right, but I'm just remembering when Vermaelen had "broken his leg" earlier this season at Villa Park. Arshavin is an annoying one to lose, Gallas I had sort of got used to life without already! Apparently Clichy got injured too - that isn't good news, he actually had quite a good game. Penalty looks sketchy, but the referee was terrible tonight - not least for giving Fabregas the booking that confirms he won't make the second leg.
At the end of the day I'm surprised we're still in it, think we have a shot at it out there... not much of a shot, but a better one than we did at 0-2 down! Makes my trip to Camp Nou slightly more worthwhile. Nasri will have to step up and fill in for Fabregas, and we will have to be impeccable defensively. So I can't see it happening
West Ham are supposedly about to make a complaint over Roy Hodgson's decision to rest players against Hull City ahead of their next Europa League tie.
I understand that the rules dictate that a "full strength" side must be fielded in league matches, but taken to its logical extreme that essentially means that it's against the rules to rest players at all, and your preferred starting XI must always play if healthy...how to explain this conundrum?
I can't see Fulham getting busted for it. I think the whole "full strength side" rule is a bit silly.
I understand that the rules dictate that a "full strength" side must be fielded in league matches, but taken to its logical extreme that essentially means that it's against the rules to rest players at all, and your preferred starting XI must always play if healthy...how to explain this conundrum?
I can't see Fulham getting busted for it. I think the whole "full strength side" rule is a bit silly.
Essien is still out. If he didn't hurt his knee at the ACN, Chelsea would have walked away with the league this season.
I'm just praying United can manage a draw against Chelsea at the weekend. I think Berbatov is finally putting his injury woes behind him and has looked pretty good in his recent appearances, though his time has been limited by United playing so much 4-5-1 with Rooney alone up top.
I'm not worried about Berbatov - I'm worried about the rest of United's midfield, who were completely awful as a unit against Bayern. Anderson is really being missed right now - who would've thought?
As for Arsenal / Barça: what a fantastic game from a neutral's perspective. I really need to see a better replay of Puyol's foul on Fabregas, as well as the tackle on Messi in the box that wasn't called a foul. Both sides will be pretty depleted for the second leg, but I have a hard time seeing Barca losing at the Nou Camp. Never say never, though!
It's certainly possible to suffer a minor break and continue, albeit in considerable discomfort. A case in point would be Craig Fagan, he suffered a minor break against Newcastle last year after he was hacked by Danny Guthrie not once, but twice – he hobbled about for the final couple of minutes scowling and the break wasn't detected until he was scanned the following day.
If memory serves he was out for three months, if Fabregas has suffered a similar injury then he's not just out for the season but that's his World Cup scuppered too.
Yep, I heard about this. Something else I've heard is a faint rustling noise coming from East London, which I believe is the sound of straws being clutched at.
The fact remains that – despite the absences mentioned, one of which was I believe due to illness – that Fulham side still featured players who have played for the team throughout the season, players with a lot of European and international experience amongst them. It wasn't the case that a youth team or the like was fielded, there were some good players out there. It's a squad game, Fulham made use of their squad – not a problem.
Furthermore, the fact that we only won against a 'weakened' side has been a feature of many of the match reports and articles centred around this match, however I've not seen a single one list the players that we were missing through to injury. Just for the record, Fulham were lacking five regulars while we were missing the following players who have featured for us in recent games...
- Centre back Kamil Zayatte
- Centre back Anthony Gardner
- Young centre back Liam Cooper
- Left back Andy Dawson
- Winger Stephen Hunt (our leading scorer prior to his injury)
- Striker Caleb Folan (not a regular, but the scorer of two goals in our previous match)
- Striker Zaki
Any chance that, just this once, the press might give us a little credit? Whenever we pick up points it's not down to us doing anything right, but simply that we're lucky, or playing a against a weakened side, or just playing a team 'at the right time'. Even when we avoided relegation last season, that wasn't down to our endeavours – we only stayed up apparently because Newcastle were worse than us. Now, I may be a bit new to all this Premier League malarky, but I thought that was kind of how this relegation business worked?
If we do manufacture a great escape at the end of the season at the expense of West Ham, I expect a similar reaction – that it's a travesty that grubby little upstarts like us stayed up while a proper club like West Ham with its great history and wonderful, loyal supporters have suffered the ignominy of relegation. Heh.
It's certainly possible to suffer a minor break and continue, albeit in considerable discomfort. A case in point would be Craig Fagan, he suffered a minor break against Newcastle last year after he was hacked by Danny Guthrie not once, but twice he hobbled about for the final couple of minutes scowling and the break wasn't detected until he was scanned the following day.
If memory serves he was out for three months, if Fabregas has suffered a similar injury then he's not just out for the season but that's his World Cup scuppered too.
Yep, I heard about this. Something else I've heard is a faint rustling noise coming from East London, which I believe is the sound of straws being clutched at.
The fact remains that despite the absences mentioned, one of which was I believe due to illness that Fulham side still featured players who have played for the team throughout the season, players with a lot of European and international experience amongst them. It wasn't the case that a youth team or the like was fielded, there were some good players out there. It's a squad game, Fulham made use of their squad not a problem.
Furthermore, the fact that we only won against a 'weakened' side has been a feature of many of the match reports and articles centred around this match, however I've not seen a single one list the players that we were missing through to injury. Just for the record, Fulham were lacking five regulars while we were missing the following players who have featured for us in recent games...
Plus we're also missing long term injury victim Ian Ashbee, our club captain.
- Centre back Kamil Zayatte
- Centre back Anthony Gardner
- Young centre back Liam Cooper
- Left back Andy Dawson
- Winger Stephen Hunt (our leading scorer prior to his injury)
- Striker Caleb Folan (not a regular, but the scorer of two goals in our previous match)
- Striker Zaki
Any chance that, just this once, the press might give us a little credit? Whenever we pick up points it's not down to us doing anything right, but simply that we're lucky, or playing a against a weakened side, or just playing a team 'at the right time'. Even when we avoided relegation last season, that wasn't down to our endeavours we only stayed up apparently because Newcastle were worse than us. Now, I may be a bit new to all this Premier League malarky, but I thought that was kind of how this relegation business worked?
If we do manufacture a great escape at the end of the season at the expense of West Ham, I expect a similar reaction that it's a travesty that grubby little upstarts like us stayed up while a proper club like West Ham with its great history and wonderful, loyal supporters have suffered the ignominy of relegation. Heh.
I agree with you about West Ham. You can't start to pick up on this too much - at the end of the day, if the manager picks a competitive side, then it is his decision if he wants to rest a couple of players. You can't go down the road, of, like Blackadder said, forcing managers to pick their "best 11" every single time they're fit.
Fabregas.. well, let's just hope it isn't that bad
He was brilliant last night, you saw how devastated he was to be incorrectly booked and missing the second leg, but he stood up and got on with it, to give his team the best chance they could possibly have. He took a penalty under huge pressure, and even after hurting himself quite seriously, Arsene said it was his decision to play on - he wanted to be out there!At the end of the day, we were hugely outplayed by a quite brilliant Barcelona team, and somehow we've clung onto it, for now at least. Going 2-0 down so quickly after clinging on all first half, it takes a lot of courage and determination to get back into the game - so I am very proud. Oh, and having watched the "penalty" again, maybe a penalty, definitely not a red card. Still, not complaining, the referee was **** for us too.
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