AFC Wimbledon (A), 7:45pm Sat 26th January

Lukerz

I know he has been rusty & I wasn’t sure about the need to sign a new keeper, but doesn’t having Fabianski show up just how average Adrian is

SuzanneClaret

Yes. Absolutely yes.

SuzanneClaret

Then there is Arthur Masuaku, last night not only did he not know who to defend but it looked like he forgot how to football.

IronHerb

I haven't seen the game yet but reading through this there is an awful lot of hindsight being used. No one slagged the team selection up front but then when we lost it became about the team selection.

Lukerz

And Diop & Ogbonna, after looking so good against Arsenal, to look like Sunday park players. I was expecting a lot more from Noble, Snodgrass, Obiang, Carroll & Diangana. I know Antonio was out of position & we all know about Masuaku, plus Hernandez never gives you the vibe he is up for these sorts of games (see Shrewsbury last season), but I expected much more from the five listed above, who I thought would all have the right mentality.

grey_til_I_dye

Herb

You might want to swerve it, tbh. It is not an edifying watch...

How could the team Pelle sent out first half NOT be considered good enough to play against the worst team in League 1?

And far, far more baffling, how could it turn out that they weren't?

Lukerz

IronHerb said:

I haven't seen the game yet but reading through this there is an awful lot of hindsight being used. No one slagged the team selection up front but then when we lost it became about the team selection.

Can’t blame Pelle for the side. It wasn’t full strength but it was a first team 11 with plenty of players who have played regularly in recent weeks. He made 3 subs early too to try & change it.

The players were just not up for that game & should be ashamed of themselves. I would say Fredericks & Anderson were ok, plus after we got back to 3-2 we had every chance of getting level & rescuing the embarrassment but we slumped back to how we played when it was 0-0/1-0/2-0.

SuzanneClaret

IronHerb said:

I haven't seen the game yet but reading through this there is an awful lot of hindsight being used. No one slagged the team selection up front but then when we lost it became about the team selection.

I absolutely thought the 11 MP picked could and should have been more than enough to beet Wimbledon, quite handsomely.

The problem was, someone forgot to tell them.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

I thought it was criminal not to play Anderson, personally. He's the kind of player these teams don't play against. They would have been worried about him from the first minute.

We gave them a boost by resting players. In a cup game where they have nothing to lose, they really didn't need a boost.

Have we played well even once with Carroll in the team this season? Feels like we are shocking and clueless every time he's there as a target man.

Hernandez was anonymous.

Similar to Anderson, I think it's awful that Fabianski, Cresswell and Rice didn't play.

I cannot stand the attitude that second-string players should still be good enough to win. That's irrelevant, IMO. Pelle coming out and saying 'one team wanted to win and one team didn't' with reference to the attitude of the players is frankly laughable - you could say the same about the managers' team selections.

It's not like we have a Champions League semi-final on Tuesday. We're away at Wolves, where win, lose or draw, nothing changes all that much.

Masuaku was absolutely abysmal, as always. They caused so many problems down the right (a pattern whenever Masuaku plays), he was very lucky not to give away a penalty, and then to top it off dives. Please, please sell him.

SuzanneClaret

Look at how professional ManCity players were in their first around semi final against much poorer opposition.

Then look at last nights game.

It doesn’t even look like the same sport.

Lukerz

Hopefully that has confirmed our striker options as Arnie, Hernandez, Perez, Antonio.

Carroll just does not fit our style nor is he actually much good any more.

OldCastleSwift

I said last night that Carroll is done as a PL footballer.

Looks absolutely shot to pieces.

SuzanneClaret

Yep. He no longer looks like an option.

Sad really.

claretandbluesky

I have no issue with the idea that the team we put out should have beat Wimbledon, my only issue is why take the chance? as it's not as if we are saving Rice, Fab and Arnie for a more important game anytime soon. In fact we likely don't have a more important game now until August.

The poorest decision is why did Rice at least not appear at the beginning of the second half? He breaks down so much, provides confidence for the defence and prevents them getting stretched so often that he is pivotal to us performing at our best. If we didn't need perform at our best at 2-0 down yesterday when would we?

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Hope Carroll doesnt get an extension

How could he, he is awful in this system......The way he plays, the game has passed him by

I always think that you need to wait until a managers 2nd summer window to really see "their squad"

Anderson, Fabianksi, Diop & Balbuena have all been KEY players for us this year, because Pellegrini bought them in as he wanted them

I still look at this team and see a rebuilding job. Just going through it quickly we are likely to see at least 6 of the following gone in the summer

Masuaku, Adrian, Ogbonna, Reid, Oxford, Obiang, Antonio (think he's done enough to stay), Hernandez, Perez & Carroll

alderz

I don’t think Reid or Antonio are likely to leave, personally. Antonio has been important for us over the past month or so and his form has gotten steadily better (when he’s playing on the wing). Reid has a contract for another few years and nobody is going to buy him with his injury record.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

You know what I mean though

As I said of that list of 10 i expect at least 6 of those gone

OldCastleSwift

But I still think Reid needs 'replacing' as I don't think he'll string a series of appearances together when (if) he returns.

Adam

OldCastleSwift said:

I said last night that Carroll is done as a PL footballer.

Looks absolutely shot to pieces.

Not sure I agree. He’s not good for us. But I think he would suit certain teams. Maybe Cardiff or someone managed by Big Sam, Pulis, etc. There just aren’t many teams in the PL who play that way anymore.

ASLEFshrugged

claretandbluesky said:

The poorest decision is why did Rice at least not appear at the beginning of the second half?

If two substitutions had been Anderson for Diangana and Rice for Obiang then the other substitution would mean either replacing Carroll with Perez leaving Antonio at RB or bringing Fredericks on for Carroll and playing Antonio as a striker.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

OldCastleSwift said:

But I still think Reid needs 'replacing' as I don't think he'll string a series of appearances together when (if) he returns.

More with Diop, Balbuena and Ogbonna as our CB options

Even if Reid comes back Ogbonna will likely leave and we don't know what level Reid will be at (would love him to come back to a good level but I'm nervous)

Need at least 4 CBs at a club....and I'm not gonna include Rice as he is our only CDM

IronHerb

I don't think Reid has a future with us. His performances were dropping off prior to his injury.

alderz

ASLEFshrugged said:

claretandbluesky said:

The poorest decision is why did Rice at least not appear at the beginning of the second half?

If two substitutions had been Anderson for Diangana and Rice for Obiang then the other substitution would mean either replacing Carroll with Perez leaving Antonio at RB or bringing Fredericks on for Carroll and playing Antonio as a striker.

I think I posted at half time that I wanted Carroll, Obiang and Diangana off for Fredericks, Anderson and Rice.

A team of:

Adrian; Fredericks Diop Ogbonna Masuaku; Rice Noble; Antonio Snodgrass Anderson; Hernandez

should have been plenty good enough to comfortably win the second half. Not having Rice in the side leaves us incredibly unbalanced.

I think it was Luke who said how poor Diop and Ogbonna looked in comparison to the Arsenal performance. IMO, that is because neither Noble or Obiang were comfortable dropping into the backline to support when required. When you couple that with the fact we essentially had two wingers playing fullback and we were positionally all over the place.

claretandbluesky

I agree Alderz, If you have got your initial selection wrong and then regardless of how you may ideally like to do the whole thing again you need make a decision with what you have at your disposal, and that meant above anything else get Rice and Anderson on the pitch.

steve

I remember so well winning the cup in 75 and 80 .even the 64 when I was only 6 ,they were great days all the build up ,then afterwards walking around like I was 10 feet tall .Now in my 61st year not sure I will ever witness it again ,hard to believe its been 39 years ,after yesterday I feel kind of sad ,empty even I should have known better of course but did think with the team we had we could have taken a run at it.No point thinking what if this whole Arnie thing had never come up . ;weep.........................................Always next year ;scarf

Pearces_Left_Foot

The spurs fan at work is at Crystal Palace today so I might not too much grief at work tom

Cuz1

That’s the spirit Steve it’s what makes us follow the hammers and least the spuds losing 2-0 too

SuzanneClaret

It’s unexpectedly cheered me right up ;devil

Pearces_Left_Foot

And spurs have missed a penalty aswell

OldCastleSwift

Will soften the blow a little bit if both Liverpool and Spurs can't go on to win it.