Masch

[D.Boon]

You can never have too many Masch threads.

 

Awesome last night he was absolutely everywhere, Getting forward to good effect and not afraid to support attacks and his passing was really crisp and reliable. He almost caught up with Walcott as well at the end he is pretty damn quick over the grass.

 

Really enjoyed him bugging Flamini after he had clattered him in the first half too. Makes it look like he is explaining it was an accident but is really just goading him

 

[Guest Anders Honoré]

He was decent, but I didn't think his performance was overly impressive.

[honourablegeorge]

He almost caught up with Walcott as well at the end he is pretty damn quick over the grass.

 

Really enjoyed him bugging Flamini after he had clattered him in the first half too. Makes it look like he is explaining it was an accident but is really just goading him

 

Agreed on both, aye - hsi pace was mad to see, he TORE after Walcott - although he shoudl have taken him down, ditto Aurelio only more so.

[Hassony]

He was decent, but I didn't think his performance was overly impressive.

 

I agree, It was a bit below his usually high standard, his passing was a bit off on the night

 

But you got to love his attitude, can't wait for him to score another goal and another "f*** off" celebration

[Hobbsie]

Thought his passing was a bit wayward actually, but then you could say that about a few others too..

 

..great player though

[D.Boon]

Agreed on both, aye - hsi pace was mad to see, he TORE after Walcott - although he shoudl have taken him down, ditto Aurelio only more so.

 

You just know Masch considered bringing him down with a special sliding tackle but chose not to. Maybe he thought Hyypia would stop him?

[Leo No.8]

Passing was off in the first half, but he almost single handedly stopped Arsenal playing in the second half with his closing down in every area of the pitch. Last night wasn't his best game by a long way but he's an incredible player to have.

 

Even he was tiring towards the end, something I never thought I'd see!

[Stevie H]

he's an angry little b*****d who clearly wants to win trophies. love him to bits.

[Guest Raisbeck]

Was a bit disjointed 1st half but he tightened his game up in the second and looked closer to his best.

[fyds]

he's an angry little b*****d who clearly wants to win trophies. love him to bits.

great description

[fred milne]

He was decent, but I didn't think his performance was overly impressive.

I don't think he hit the heights he is capable of in either leg.

[Bailo]

Thought he was outstanding in the first leg, not quite as good last night but it was less of his type of game yesterday.

 

I love it when his feet go into Roadrunner mode as he hares after people at top speed!

[Moose]

What happens about the second of his two game suspensions now?

 

Will they deliver a verdict on our appeal before then or will he have to serve it regardless, no idea how it works.

[Coyler]

I thought he was going to cleave Walcott in pieces twain.

[pipnasty]

I thought he was going to cleave Walcott in pieces twain.

 

 

I think he would if Sami hadn't got in his way.

[Bailo]

What happens about the second of his two game suspensions now?

 

Will they deliver a verdict on our appeal before then or will he have to serve it regardless, no idea how it works.

Knowing the FA, they'll wait till after the Blackburn game, reduce it to one game and give Masch a "free sending-off" next season.

[Montse]

During the mins silence I had to have a small chuckle, Masch was literally glaring at Arsenal, hopefully it was Cesc - it scared me anyway!

[Kuyt-fever]

I thought he was going to cleave Walcott in pieces twain.

 

 

It looked to be be building up as Walcott skipped by a few and you could just see Mascherano emerging , I really thought he was about to take him out.

 

He was not that good last night but unsurprisingly , as he's a favourite , he'll get no criticism and Alonso will get loads of unwarranted.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Even he was tiring towards the end, something I never thought I'd see!

 

One thing that did impress me was him sprinting at full tilt over 40 yards just to be close to the ball action with only a few minutes on the clock. He has uncanny stamina.

[Guz]

Like the rest of the team improved a lot after about half an hour but before that didn't think he and Xabi knew how to play together. Without Gerrard infront of them I think they needed to be a bit more intelligent in their closing down. When all 3 play centrally (though Gerrard drifts) they can charge players down knowing that even if they don't get the ball they still have support around them. First 20 mins or so Arsenal got between our defence and midfield a few too many times and we were tracking back and getting deeper. Don't know what it was but about 5 minutes before Sami's goal we seemed to spring into action and held a higher line with Xabi getting on the ball in their half a lot more.

[_00_deathscar]

Like the rest of the team improved a lot after about half an hour but before that didn't think he and Xabi knew how to play together. Without Gerrard infront of them I think they needed to be a bit more intelligent in their closing down. When all 3 play centrally (though Gerrard drifts) they can charge players down knowing that even if they don't get the ball they still have support around them. First 20 mins or so Arsenal got between our defence and midfield a few too many times and we were tracking back and getting deeper. Don't know what it was but about 5 minutes before Sami's goal we seemed to spring into action and held a higher line with Xabi getting on the ball in their half a lot more.

 

The way I saw it was that they had just scored, and so Flamini, who was previously harrassing Alonso, started to ease off a bit allowing Xabi ample space in the centre of the park to start picking his passes. And then of course, Flamini went off. Thought Alonso was fairly good after that...

[mooks]

I don't think he hit the heights he is capable of in either leg.

Neither did Fabregas

[fred milne]

Neither did Fabregas

I would agree. And?

[mooks]

I would agree. And?

Uh, just that keeping the wonder kid quiet is a colossal achievement in itself

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Uh, just that keeping the wonder kid quiet is a colossal achievement in itself

 

Masch has enough highly impressive performances on his brief cv for us so far, it doesn't need bigging up when his performance is 'merely' decent to good. He was decent but we've seen colossal from Masch in the past and what we saw against Arsenal wasn't it.