Showing posts with label Squillaci. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Squillaci. Show all posts
Sunday was very disappointing because we made a very bad start and Aston Villa punished us.
We went into the game too tentatively, we were not dominant enough in anything we did and we were on the back foot at the start. After that we battled to get back into the game but we were a bit unlucky.
I feel we should have had a penalty, we had a goal ruled out for something that often goes unpunished and overall we are very frustrated. We dropped three points which could cost us automatic qualification for the Champions League.
Why were we so tentative? We have been hit very hard by bad results and you could see that we suffered a little bit at the start of the game. But we have to rise above that. By the time we looked comfortable it was too late.
Thomas Vermaelen and Sebastien Squillaci played together for the first time but they are two players with experience so normally it should work. Vermaelen grew stronger as the game went on but it is a lot to ask to be dominant when he has not played since September.
I believe we gave very cheap goals away and at half time I took off Squillaci because we had to take a gamble, we had to score two goals. Because Villa closed us down we were forced to play out from the back and we needed somebody - a midfielder - at the back.
Some people have questioned whether we were right to do a 'lap of appreciation' after the game but it is our job to thank the fans and you should never feel embarrassed for doing your job.
It was not a tour of glory, of course. But I think, no matter what happens, you have to respect your fans for turning up for the whole season. It was not an ego trip, it was a chance to show our respect for the fans.
I know many fans left the stadium before the 'lap of appreciation' but you have to thank those who are still in the stand. What is important is that this Club has values and respects those values.
I feel fortunate that for 15 years we have played with full stands so when people are not happy they can show it. We are in a job where you have to please people and if they are not happy, we have to accept that.
Finally, we now know that Cesc Fabregas will not play against Fulham next weekend after suffering a setback with his thigh injury. Samir Nasri has a very small chance of returning next Sunday and Johan Djourou is also a big doubt.
I think against West Brom we were complacent but that wasn't the case against Newcastle on Sunday.
In fairness the two teams who have beaten us at Emirates Stadium are good teams. They have shown that before and when we met them. But on Sunday we were never in full flow. We played against a good Newcastle team who are a team of men, physically strong and mature.
Overall I still believe we were very unlucky to lose the game. They had one shot on target and that was their goal. Apart from that they defended well and we were not sharp enough to get them out of position quickly enough.
We were a bit unlucky because we hit the post two or three times and their keeper made a very good save. But we put ourselves in a bad position just before half time with the goal we conceded.
Lukasz Fabianski didn't have a lot to do and I don't think he was expecting the challenge when Andy Carroll scored. It was not a technical mistake from Lukasz, it was a problem of timing. Carroll is certainly a handful though.
Laurent Koscielny was sent off for a professional foul on Nile Ranger but in my opinion he should not have been sent off because it wasn't a clear goalscoring opportunity and he was not the last man. Sebastien Squillaci was covering him so I personally don't think it was a red card.
Overall though our home form is a concern because even against Birmingham and West Ham we struggled to win. Everybody comes here and plays very tight and when we are not in full flow we have problems to play through the lines.
When you score the first goal it is alright because teams have to come out but as long as they can sit deep we have a problem to play through when we are not at full power.
One plus point from Sunday was the return of Robin van Persie. You could see he is not completely ready but we pushed him on early because I had to do something. You saw it was very difficult for us to score a goal and there could always be a set-piece or a cross or a pass where he could make a difference.
Overall it was a competitive game against Bolton on Saturday where we dominated and created many chances.
Mind you it was also the kind of game that you can drop points in if you don't kill the game off.
You can dominate 80 per cent of the time and still lose against Bolton because one or two balls, throw-ins or set pieces, can be dangerous and they are a good side in midfield as well.
They marked us very tightly and I think that led to a very physical game but they played well too. Owen Coyle uses the strong points of his team and I believe they have a good mixture between playing on the ground and being more direct.
It was a good test for our centre backs on Saturday and they did very well with Squillaci making his debut. But overall I am pleased with the performance of the whole team.
Bolton had full commitment but we needed to be patient, get our technique and passing to prevail and I was confident that it would. It was important not to make a second mistake after we conceded the equaliser.
I don't think Koscielny and Squillaci will have 18 or 19 home games like that! It was a good test for them and what I like is, for example, when Koscielny was knocked down he came back and still won every header after that. For somebody coming from the French league that is a good sign.
Cesc Fabregas was impressive. I have seen quite a few good performances from him and it is difficult to compare them. We play the game he loves to play and the game turns around him. He grew up in this team and to make this team win will be a bigger achievement than anything else.
Jack Wilshere started as well and he has every chance of playing a number of games this season. He is 18 years old but I consider him a player of the first-team squad. When he is on the pitch he is completely in the game.
