Arsenal (h) 19.08.2007 - Preview

[den]

Just because I dont rate a player I'm troll, Hughes obviously dont rate Roberts at the moment either, dont be a bellend like theno you prune

Any future insults could result in a ban or being put on mod approval. It's your risk. That applies to anyone using insults.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Just because I dont rate a player I'm troll, Hughes obviously dont rate Roberts at the moment either, dont be a bellend like theno you prune

Roberts played in our last game. I don't blame him for not bringing him on today when we went down to 10 men. It would have been suicidal considering the class Arsenal have in exploiting teams. It just proves Hughes was again spot on tactically.

[Jordan]

Would have voted for Nelsen as man of the match however he is not an option therefore I have gone for Samba.

Both goals came from goalkeeping blunders however a draw was a fair result. Even though Dunn scored I dont think he is up to scratch for the Premier League.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Good point in the end even if we were playing ten girls, a gay boy in the nets and a man in the middle clearly on the Arsenal payroll.

Well played everyone but Gamst you need to raise your game and get involved more. I'm sure you will.

[Roversider]

Feisty game as expected against L'Arse, just the same as the naturally biased Arsene Wenger. I am convinced that he uses this as an excuse to detract from the worst foul in the game of Van Persie on Warnock which surely should have been a straight Red if you compare with Kitson on Evra. For once I had to agree with Wiley sending Ryan off but thats the first out of the eight Rovers players he's sent off in six seasons!

I was hoping that he would get injured until I realised the fourth official was Mike Riley!!!!!

Good display and I think there is a new David Dunn coming out, I really think he looks a more rounded (FOOTBALL-WISE) player. He showed that for the first time in the semi against Chelsea.

Delighted to see Matty starting the game as well, he showed flashes of what he can do and he will only improve by starting more often.

Bentley was really fired up for this one and I hope he can have the same intensity week in and week out. Also, MGP seemed energised after half-time, wonder what Sparky said?

Finally, good to hear the crowd picking up, clearly the team (particularly Bentley and Savage) really appreciate the support. Only disappointment was that we should really have made the air ring a bit longer with a tribute to our dear Uncle Jack.

[den]

Would have voted for Nelsen as man of the match however he is not an option therefore I have gone for Samba.

Both goals came from goalkeeping blunders however a draw was a fair result. Even though Dunn scored I dont think he is up to scratch for the Premier League.

Sorry Jordan. I said earlier that I'd cocked it up by putting Ooijer instead of Nelsen. I was hoping admin might be around to change it, but they're not.

[RovertheHill]

They say teams are created in the image of their manager. If that is true then Mr Wenger needs to take a long, hard look at himself because Arsenal are a disgrace.

Simulation - for big guys they fall over very, very easily. They dive, they exaggerate injury to get the trainer on when they are trying to waste time and they clearly attempt to influence the referee

Gamesmanship - to the extreme. Taking yards on EVERY throw-in and free-kick, encroaching within 10 yards when we had free-kicks and corners

Vindictive and Vicious - the only thugs out there today had red shirts on. Enough said on that

Unfortunately, Wiley fell for it all. Nelsen should never have been sent off as the first yellow card was a joke, as were many of the others. On the other hand, when Flamini stopped a promising attack down the left with a cynical foul as bad as anything else punished previously, he did not get the second yellow that consistency demanded.

Thankfully, our team did not give up and I think we would have won if we hadn't lost Nelsen such was the momentum we built up. Dunny finally looks like he is getting that sharpness back that only comes with games and could be that solution to the Tugay problem if he keeps improving. Derbs look sharp, and as someone decidedly underwhelmed about Roque I'm happy to say so far so good.

[Tango]

Against one of the supposed top four I thought we bossed today's game for large periods, particularly second half. Quite where Wenger saw Arsenal's "good chances to score a second goal here" I'm not quite sure, unless he means that frantic scramble midway through the second half. Thought Samba and Bentley were excellent, and really impressed by Santa Cruz in places. How on earth Wiley missed Fabregas' handball I will never know, or what he was doing giving a freekick the other way. Reckon there might be hope for a great season ahead of us!

[John Howarth]

Wiley was absolutely bloody awful but he got the sending off right. He's now sent off 8 BRFC players in 6 years!

btw 3 I bet you know this John.... what is the running test required of Prem refs? It's a mile in so many minutes I think. Well whatever it is I'll show my arse on the town hall steps if that fat little git has passed it!

The FIFA test comprises of shuttle sprints of 50 metres and 200 metres inside 7.5 seconds and 32 seconds respectively and then 12 minute continuous running to cover at least 2700 metres. At least it was when I used to have to do it. I can assure you that Alan Wiley and every other referee on the Premiership elite panel will have taken the test and passed it

[Robertson]

Just got back, think we were well worthy of a point - reminiscent of last saturday where we only started really getting at the opposition in the second half.

Arsenal were the simulation monsters, diving, taking the extra yardage and Wiley was taken for a fool.

Good atmosphere, hope it continues for the rest of the season.

The only downside for me was that me and my mate who sit together and have now moved to the riverside have been seated 10 seats apart, the ticket office will be getting a call tomorrow me thinks!

[JAL]

Well done to Dunny... thought he was poor first half, but the sliding interception in injury time when one of the Arsenal players would have been put through on goal was simply tremendous.

Wenger should be hung drawn and quartered for his comments about violence to his players when Van Persie followed through on a Steven Warnock clearance in the second half, it bordered on a criminal act and the incompetent referee failed to deliver the correct punishment.

Zurab is a better player than Ooijer surely he'll feature in the admirals place.

[cn174]

Arsenal were the simulation monsters, diving, taking the extra yardage and Wiley was taken for a fool.

Wiley was shown up for being an idiot in that episode when 3 throwins were taken in a row. Theirs, then ours, then theirs again, which got taken from the half way line. Which was in the wrong place anyway, going against the point he was trying to make!

Very stop start game, they're such an infuriating team. They've got very good players but they're just pathetic at times. I hope thier physio gets paid well because he does a lot of work!!

Thought we was good for a point though, probably would've taken that before the game.

[McClarky]

Sounded like a good game. Surprised to see Wenger's comments, I listened on Roversworld and it sounded as if they were kicking us of the park, then again they are a bit biased aren't they. I'm glad to get that game out of the way because Arsenal are the team I hate playing more than any other. Its just that smugness from Wenger when they win after cheating for 90 minutes and then complaining about the other team tackling them. I also hate the way that the press always ask him about Rovers' tactics after the game prompting him to whinge. If these people had any journalistic abilities at all they would challenge him more but they never do in football do they? A points an excellent result though.

[thenodrog]

They've got very good players but they're just pathetic at times. I hope thier physio gets paid well because he does a lot of work!!

He was my original choice for MoM but Den had missed putting his name on the list too. He played a blinder, his work rate was phenomenal, he never put a foot wrong and covered every blade of grass on the pitch.

[thenodrog]

The FIFA test comprises of shuttle sprints of 50 metres and 200 metres inside 7.5 seconds and 32 seconds respectively and then 12 minute continuous running to cover at least 2700 metres. At least it was when I used to have to do it. I can assure you that Alan Wiley and every other referee on the Premiership elite panel will have taken the test and passed it

I'm still not having it John. Whoever checked that 12 minute / 1.5 mile continuous running must have gone off for a quick fag whilst he was supposedly doing it.

[Fife Rover]

I voted for Dunny purely because of his 2nd half performance, his wonderful defensive block and of course the equalliser. Apart from Dunny, I thought Samba played brilliant yet again, both defending and his samba skills which yet again put Brazilians around the world to shame.

I still think one day Samba will end up eating the head of a referee because every time he shouts at them, he reminds me of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

He's nearly as big as one as well!

[thenodrog]

Just because I dont rate a player I'm troll, Hughes obviously dont rate Roberts at the moment either, dont be a bellend like theno you prune

Why have you brought me into your girly tantrum shoppy?

[Exiled_Rover]

I think everything that needs to be said about this game has been posted. The only thing I'd like to add is that Santa Cruz looks a fantastic buy. With more time together, Derbyshire and Roque could be a dangerous partnership. McCarthy must be feeling pressure.

[Andy Kennedys Hairdo]

What a vile set of individuals Arsene Wenger has managed to assemble at Arsenal. First class footballers, of that there can be no doubt, but people like Lehman, Flamini and Fabregas really are second rate human beings.

[Ste B]

Just because I dont rate a player I'm troll, Hughes obviously dont rate Roberts at the moment either, dont be a bellend like theno you prune

Just because you've been trolling on here for months, not just as this ID but as plenty of others (Mattie, WakefieldRawks, AxesFirstTouch).

Still every village needs one.

[brfc fan]

Did we have a minuite's silence in the end?

I had one at home.

[nellybc]

Where do i start!

"violence" just what game was he watching ??

Really enjoyed the atmosphere and especially in the 2nd half with bentley and robbie winding the riverside up.

Great start to our home campaign.

Unfortunately a red card was fairly predictable for the 2nd half. It seems wiley lost control early on and made the game very hard to manage.

They are experts at the windups, petulance and timewasting. We should all know that by now!!

All in all, marvellous result considering last 10 mins or so were with 10 men.

[modes98]

Well a good start to the season ticket, which by the way jordan i am 4 or 5 rows behind you. A top game with a fantastic atmosphere.

Second half rovers were by far and away the superior team and deserving of the 3 points. The play acting and rolling around deprivied the game of any flow, along with the inept referee. The Van Persie tackle can only be described as monsterous and deserving of a straight red. Most of the yellows were undeserved but once Mr Wiley gave one i can only assume he felt that he had to book every rovers player for so much as breathing and it was only a matter of time before someone made a genuine yellow card offence and saw red.

Unlucky for brad who didn't have a brilliant game but we all have bad days at the office. Top games from Warnock, Dunn & Derbs, who i thought all had very good games. Santa was superb and Emerton slotted back in very well if a little bit rusty. The centre backs were solid and unlucky to both be placed on yellows so early.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I thought the referee (Wiley) was appalling today, he gave the Arse free kicks for exactly the same thing he didn't give Rovers free kicks for seconds before hand.

Also, how come Ryan Nelsen got two yellow cards ????? none of his challenges were any worse than the Arse put in but got nothing given..

I'm so p&ss&d off with the standard of refereeing in this league

Also - the amount of time wasting by the Arse was absolutely unbelievable - even with only 30 minutes on the clock they were deliberately slow with everything they did. Wiley should have booked at least one of their players for time wasting.

Not surprised at Wenger's comments - Arsenal were often second best to Rovers for long periods. Though he tried to intimate that we played a long ball, bullying game - he must have been concerned at how we bossed much of the match playing the better passing football. The only thing I think we miss at the moment is a bit of pace and dribbling ability to open up teams on the break - but you can't have every thing.

At the moment can't make my mind up - have Rovers improved - or are Arse going backwards - probably a bit of both.

[Fife Rover]

--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ste B @ Aug 19 2007, 21:12 ) 539299[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Just because you've been trolling on here for months, not just as this ID but as plenty of others (Mattie, WakefieldRawks, AxesFirstTouch).

Still every village needs one.

I know I am sticking my neck right out here, but what the hell! Will someone please explain to me what exactly a troll is in the sense that it is being used here. Up to recently on here, the only time I had ever heard the word troll used was when my wife used to read a story to the kids as toddlers about a troll that lived under a "rickety, rackety bridge".