Bassong and Martin.

[daisy 137]

thought Seb had a decent game today apart from the corner he gave away instead of hitting row z. Martin on the other hand hardly won any of his headers, spent most of the time with his hands on Girouds back then completely lost him for the knockdown for Wellbeck. We all knew in August that we needed two centre backs so who do we blame, the players or the board/manager?

[birchfest 397]

I don''t really feel like blaming anyone after that, we showed heart. I think that''s just the difference, Arsenal can be woeful and snatch a goal and we just can''t seem to get that bit of luck.

[Guest]

Jim Beglin stressed how well Martin had defended today.

Ultimately if you go to the Emirates and lose 1-0 I don''t think it''s fair to blame the defence.

[daisy 137]

[quote user="Ian"]Jim Beglin stressed how well Martin had defended today.

Ultimately if you go to the Emirates and lose 1-0 I don''t think it''s fair to blame the defence.[/quote] Did you watch the game? Martin left Giroud for the knock down, thats enough to blame anyone however I feel he has been put in a difficult situation by asking him to play there. If he was asked to go in goal he would cos he`s commited but that doesn`t make it all right.

[Well b back 3,186]

lol

Quite strange how the '' experts '' say that the players that people scape goat on here are our best players. Ruddy, Bassong, Martin and Redmond all praised.

[Hairy Canary 668]

Nobody else to pick. AN seems to have decided that Kloser and Bennett were his first choice centre backs a few games ago. Unfortunately neither were available so he picked the only two options left to him.

It comes down to recruitment in the summer again. Another quality centre half of Klosers standard all season and we would probably be several places higher up the league.

[Guest]

Are you an idiot Daisy? Arsenal had one single moment of quality and scored - we had 5/6 excellent opportunities and didn''t find the back of the net.

It goes without saying that whilst there are always negatives to anyone''s game that can be pointed out - only someone truly dense, and/or with an agenda could blame our defense for the result today. When you factor in the quality Arsenal have in their squad, it becomes an utterly laughable and shameful argument.

[Indy 3,283]

Thought both had decent games today, couldn''t be criticised though who was picking up the unmarked Welbeck and where was any challenge on Giroud for their goal?

Decent enough.

[Yellowbeagle 0]

I''m not the biggest fan of Martin as a centre back or Bassong. But credit where credits due I thought both had good games today in fact most of the side did, just one of those things where one chance for a big team is all they need.

[daisy 137]

No I`m not an idiot Ian, the simple fact I was making was that Martin lost his man hence we conceded. Why is that dense/an agenda? Defence is spelt with a " c " by the way.

[vos 155]

Yes they looked fairly solid. They were helped by an Arsenal team who lacked both pace and width and we adopted a defensive approach. We certainly deserved a draw and at least one of Redmond''s shots should have hit the net.

Overall we did not look like Premiership Standard and moving forward we displayed little quality and composure. As we have seen all season the ability to find space, good ball control and passing, and crossing from the flanks was simply never going to result in many goals. What is so frustrating is that not one player has improved this season.

[Making Plans 936]

I assume all the ones having a moan and trying to blame anybody are the same ones who predicted that we would lose 3-0, 4-0, 5-0 or worse.

[mrs miggins 0]

I do hate the term ''scapegoat'' - all it does is reassure me that the person saying it doesn''t know what he or she is talking about. I hear Ruddy''s a scapegoat, Martin, Bassong, Whittaker, O''Neil, Redmond etc......they can''t all be.

All it is is a different opinion; its not scapegoating to criticise a player.

[Jim Smith 2,314]

I''m not going to have a go at Martin today because he generally played well and the fact is he is not a centre back but it''s also a fact you cannot afford to have lapses at premier league level and for their goal Martin left Giroud completely unmarked and made no challenge at all. Can''t afford to do it.

What today''s team selection and recent defensive displays have highlighted is we needed to sign two decent centre backs in July and not one in January. The lack of defensive strengthening in the summer a fundamental error that has undermined all our other efforts this season. If McNally has the nerve to take a bonus this season he has some front.

[Matt Morriss 69]

Thought both were decent, Martin had a superb block in the first half.

Both at fault for the goal, though you gotta say Martin to a lesser degree, you cant really expect him to be beating Giroud in the air, he should have been closer to him but he''s not beating him in the air and that''s not his fault.

Bassong on the other hand was woeful for the goal, he runs at Wellbeck and then jumps in the air waving his hands around, the ball goes under his foot catching his boot deflecting it past Ruddy.

Bassong stays on his feet and makes himself big and he probably blocks the shot.

Once again though we should never have been in the position, on multiple occasions this season, where Bassong and Martin are our CB''s. Unlucky with injuries to Klose and Bennett, but Bassong and Martin should have never been our backup CB''s.

And thats why we are potentially going down.

[kick it off 1,948]

[quote user="Huckerbys Boots - Matt"]Unlucky with injuries to Klose and Bennett, but Bassong and Martin should have never been our backup CB''s.

And thats why we are potentially going down.[/quote]

100% agree with this. I want rid of both of them in the summer, regardless of which division we''re in. Yes they''re probably serviceable in the Champs, but I''m just sick of watching their $h1t every week. They can take Whittaker with them too. We have a lot of dead wood to clear this summer.

[Guest]

Muppet.

[kick it off 1,948]

[quote user="Ian"]Muppet.[/quote]

Last two Prem seasons we''ve had pretty much the same defence for the most part (barring Klose for what 8 games? and Brady for a fair bit of this one). That''s resulted in two relegations. We need to be bringing in players of Klose''s calibre regularly if we actually want to do more than be relegation fodder, and Martin and Bassong wouldn''t get in very many squads in the Prem as rotational/reserve players, let alone as first choice.

[morty 0]

[quote user="Ian"]Muppet.[/quote][:D]

[Guest]

Yes, we need to be bringing in better players wherever we can. I would suggest we actually wait until we get those players in before we spit our collective dummies out however.

[dickleburgh 1]

[quote user="vos"] What is so frustrating is that not one player has improved this season. [/quote]

O''Neil?