On the train home from the game....

[Bobby Dandruff]

And I feel more despondent about the other results tonight, which seemed to be going our way in the first half, than us losing 2-1, as the team played well tonight and I have no complaints about the effort or the way that they played.

We attacked and didn’t sit back like lots of games against the bigger teams this season, and took the game to Arsenal especially in the first half when we could/should have gone in 1-0 up. Bobby Reid alone had two excellent chances and the corner count was 6-2 (we actually made very little of dead ball situations, of which there were lots all game, probably due to the absence of Morrison)

There even seemed to be a clear cut penalty denied to us, that I want to see again.

Niasse had a really good game holding the ball up well and looking a threat.

For where I was watching both goals came from mistakes by Bamba which is a shame as he has been so good this season. The first one, he was caught playing out from the back with pretty much everyone shouting ‘get rid’, only to lose possession on the edge of the box and put the defence under pressure leading to the penalty.

Arsenal were slick going forward but we could quite easily have got a point tonight.

After they scored the game became more stretched and it was good to see Warnock bring on Kenneth and Kadeem, although I felt a bit sorry for Gunnarsson and Ralls as we already starting the get over run in central midfield.

If we play like that for the rest of the season with a bit more composure in front of goal, Morrison coming back, and a return to the defensive solidity that we had recently, then we will have given it a good shot and know that if we do go down we did so making a fight of it, as opposed to sitting back and trying to sneak results.

PS. One last thing: at 2-1, with seconds remaining we won a free kick near the half way line that the otherwise excellent Etheridge took. As a ‘hail Mary’ moment it was such a shame to see the ball not even reach their box! :-(

[Eric The Blue]

Just been watching the replay of Niasse's penalty shout. Could have given 2 penalties for that; one for the trip another for the elbow!