MATCHWATCH : Arsenal (a) sponsored by Davy Crockett

[ayjaydee]

Although we are being outplayed we are still well in this match

[ayjaydee]

Giroud about to come on

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Big Grav on to defend the 1-0

Oh wait

[ayjaydee]

Strange sub - Watson for Gravenberch

[ayjaydee]

Blinding save from AAH from a Giroud header

[WoodleyRoyal]

fecking hell gravenberch looks a beast

[WoodleyRoyal]

Blinding save from AAH from a Giroud header

what. a. save

[windermere_royal]

So what is it. 4 holding midfielders on now?

[ayjaydee]

Shot from Iwobe tipped over by AAH

[ayjaydee]

oxf*rd!!
2-0 Oxlade Chamberlain again from 19 yards through a crowded box

[ayjaydee]

Final sub Quinn for JVDB

[windermere_royal]

Arsenal weakened team better than Reading weakened team shocker.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Arsenal weakened team better than Reading weakened team shocker.

Especially as Stam has absolutely no interest in ever going for it, instead making us weaker with his subs

[bcubed]

Arsenal beating Reading shocker

[alfie9]

Gravenberch at right back... never again

[ayjaydee]

Smart save from a Kermorgant fee kick.

[Sutekh]

Does anyone understand Gravenberch coming on for Watson?

[bcubed]

Does anyone understand Gravenberch coming on for Watson?

No

[Ian Royal]

Arsenal weakened team better than Reading weakened team shocker.

Especially as Stam has absolutely no interest in ever going for it, instead making us weaker with his subs

There's an argument for that with Gravenberch and maybe Quinn. But Kermie for Harriott was actually a good move imo. Quinn was debateable. Gravenberch was odd, but looked like it was intended to push Obita on by going three at the back... didn't really work for some reason.

I think there's also an element that Stam knew the game was lost and didn't want to waste any of Swift's energy.


I thought we played well. Some silly giveaways and not enough upfront, but we certainly didn't embarrass ourselves.

Al-Habsi - blinding save from that header and at least a couple of other good ones. A couple of gift passes, but meh.
Watson - accomplished performance because he didn't look out of place at all
Obita - some of our more dangerous shots and some decent balls in, struggled against Ox
Moore - great anticipation for a goal line clearance and decent otherwise, excellent cynical foul late on.
Blackett - didn't look out of place.
Kelly - some gifts to the opposition, but looked very assured, needed to calm down on the shooting though
JVDB - I really like him.
Evans - decent, would have liked to see him move to receive the ball a bit more positively.
McCleary - mixed, lots of effort, good tracking back but had at least three great opportunities to do some damage and wasted all of them poorly.
Harriott - largely anonymous, wasn't surprised to see him subbed. Some decent moments
Samuel - poor first half, much better when Kermie came on and he wasn't running the front alone, but not fab. Definitely worth a few late subs to try to win games. He's got something.

Kermorgant - competed well once he came on, couple of decent half efforts.
Gravenberch - beast, didn't really add a lot though
Quinn - one terrible pass, one v good interception, bit meh...

Biggest positives:
Kelly, definitely looks capable of mixing it up in the Championship, though not first team regular material quite yet. Good for subs and a few starts to begin moving to the next level that's required.
Watson, I'd happily see him take over from Gunter - now, later in the season or next year, whatever. He's certainly more positive and less dithery.

[NewCorkSeth]

Watson, I'd happily see him take over from Gunter - now, later in the season or next year, whatever. He's certainly more positive and less dithery.

Very happy to hear that. Hope the opinion is widely accepted.