El Segundo

I've only seen the highlights but not giving a second yellow to Semenyo was a disgrace. It looked like we were somewhat fortunate to dig out a draw, despite hitting the post and having another marginally offside goal disallowed. Martinez did brilliantly to keep out those two Solanke chances, but what were the bloody centre backs doing apart from ball watching? Shame we couldn't have played Bournemouth a few weeks ago when they were pants - they've looked a very decent side the last 4-5 games. Sadly I think our away form isn't good enough for us to finish in the top 4 this season, we're too flaky defensively and too many players seem to go into their shells away from home. Mind you if we can continue to dig out 4 points from every 6 when not at our best, who knows? And there is plenty of room for improvement. Think Emery needs to dispense with the Konsa at right back experiment unless no other choice - didn't work against Spurs and again this week.

I mentioned in the Fulham post match thread that I though Diaby had been poor for a while. He got a few goals and assists early in the season but even then I can't say I thought he was playing that well overall. I know people will shout that opinion down, but I stick by it, to me he's not looked anything like a £40-50 million player since September at least.

The changes he made worked but I think he might also have pushed Cash back to RB if he hadn't been on a yellow and skating on thin ice with some of his challenges. The fact Konsa stayed at RB still doesn't make Konsa a right back, he still looked pretty limited there.

Unai got it wrong first half, Konsa's not a right back and Catty Mash is not a midfielder. Fortunately he put it right second half and we looked much better with Bailey and Tielemans down our right. Glad Diaby went off too, for me he's been mostly mediocre since September. They were faster and stronger first half and we were very lucky to be anywhere near level at half time, but I think the intensity of their first half cost them as they looked tired after about 70 minutes and didn't have much in the way of fresh legs on the bench. We really should have killed them off in the 70th-80th minutes but didn't make the most of some good breaks, and almost let them back into it. Three offside goals for them - it's a heart stopper but it works. I'd say a bit lucky to win it, but we hung in there first half and were probably the better side second half.

Won't be too surprised if Spurs score within 5 minutes of the restart given our tendency to come out the blocks like a stoned tortoise after half time.

I was going to come on and mention some players I'd completely forgotten about. But I can't remember any of them.

Some posters were wishing him well in retirement and speculating on how the club should keep him on in some capacity. Like it was done and dusted. No childish insults from me, just said I'd be concerned about my outlook if I had come to such negative conclusions from so little. And I genuinely would. Pedant alert, it's fazed, not phased.

It's not so much about having that fear, which is natural. It's about how you get from a simple photo with a promise of an update to somehow concluding that your fearing the worst must have come true. That's quite the assumption.

Indeed and others are allowed to say they think it's an overreaction to one photo and the news of an upcoming update - not an announcement, an update. You're right though, it is very good for me I didn't have the same reaction, I'd be very worried about my outlook on life if I had.

So why were people panicking? I mean, even if the totally groundless conclusions some leaped to were true, it's hardly a life or death situation is it?

It seems I may have picked you up on a response to a post that was edited before I read it. If so, I also apologise for what I said - and for being a bit of a clearing in the woods about it.

Only if I've broken the rules. I haven't as far as I know.

A poster wrote "links to Israel". You turned it into "controlling all major publications in one of the largest countries in Europe" I'm defending his statement against accusations of AS simply because I think it isn't. I'm not saying I agree with it, just don't think it's AS, nor is it saying Israel controls all major publications, as you have asserted.

You could do with not trying to tell me what to do. What words have I put in his mouth? Examples? And what am I preaching that I need to practice? Please explain.

I didn't say I agreed so stop trying to put words in my mouth to bolster your bluster. I get how anyone trying to deflect criticism of Israel by playing the AS card want it t look. To people who know the difference between criticism of Israel and AS, I'm sure it looks just fine. Who said "controlling all major publications"? I believe the OP mentioned "links to Israel". Just a bit different don't you think? Your hyperbole getting the better of you again/making stuff up again. Apart from the fact you have dismissed official news sources like Al Jazeera as well, you are missing the point. I don't think dismissing those sources is anti-Arab. Anymore than I think suspecting certain sources are pro-Iraesli is anti-semitic. I was just pointing out the contradiction in attitude. Your last sentence - the phrase "links to Israel" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there isn't it? Bit of a leap from that to "the only Jewish state in the world controlling all media in a democratic nation". The reference was to the state of Israel acting as a state, not as a Jewish entity. Sure Israel is a Jewish state, sure it's the only one, but that's not all it is. It's a state that's acting in breach of the Geneva convention, International Law, multiple UN resolutions and various Human Rights. Should it be exempt from negative comments for that because it's a Jewish state? One that doesn't even represent all Jews? Your accusation is just reductionism so you can again try to play the AS card to deflect valid criticism of a country behaving appallingly.

Really? And finally a good old AS accusation trope. So let me get it straight, it's ok to dismiss sources as pro-Hamas or Pro-Iran, and that's not anti-Arab or anti-Islamic or anti-anything?. On the other hand casting doubt on sources for alleged Israeli connections is anti-Semitic? Even though the poster specifies Israel, not the Jewish people as a whole? Just checking like, cos it seems somewhat hypocritical to me, not to mention unfounded.

Pros: We should feature in Full Monty II instead of the Arsenal offside trap; It works 95% of the time. Cons: Requires massive concentration and cohesion - which we seem to manage most of the time ; Players running from slightly deeper positions. By the time they reach the defensive line they are running full pelt and difficult to catch. Some coaches have cottoned on to this and beaten the trap a few times; It gives fans palpitations waiting for the flag to go up. I also think it's strange we didn't see any detailed lines for the Alkmaar goal or the Fulham goal. It would be nice to see the evidence. And why can't the PL use the same system used in the World Cup and in Europe where they kind of overlay a screen across the pitch to see whose body parts are poking through. Looks a much better system to me.

Tielemans had a great game and reminded me a lot of Buendia in his industry, his willingness to try things, to take players on, and the fact a few of his attempts didn't quite work out. Like a different player to his previous outings, and he was way more effective than Zaniolo has been down our left. Not sure is he'll keep a fully fit Ramsey - he'd need to do that kind of thing consistently - but it's a nice problem to have and allows for rotation and injury cover.

I suppose his stats are reasonable, but not outstanding, although those goals and assists were mostly August and September where he was showing a bit of promise. I think he's been pretty mediocre since then, and not contributed much in October and November. I just expected better for the money we paid. As for today's "own goal pressure" didn't he just miss the ball?

McGinn was bang on it today, barely put a foot wrong. The Irn Bru works for him. Nice grundies too. Tielemans, Cash and Digne were all also very good. Thought Doug and Kamara were a little quiet today by their standards. I'm probably in a minority but just not impressed with Diaby. Poor final balls, especially crosses, and seem peripheral for a lot of the games. Maybe I'm missing something.

Lenglet looks good on the ball but as others have said he seemed to be outpaced by Vangelis for the AZ goal, and may not be quick enough for our high line approach. Unlucky with the goal, but it was offside. The header off the line is considered as a save because the ball was going in. The fact it was a deliberate header is also covered by the law, because it specifies "deliberately saved by any opponent". As the Law stands, it was offside and the officials got it right.

Not really, the law is pretty clear and I don't really see any room for interpretation. You could argue the law doesn't make sense, but that's a different argument. The only way Bailey would not have been offside, according to the law, would have been had he been behind the ball when Ollie headed it towards goal (not when the defender saves it). From what I saw, he wasn't, he was right on the goal line.

That picture indicates he was off and I haven't seen a more detailed one to show otherwise.

From Law 11 gaining an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has: rebounded or been deflected off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent been deliberately saved by any opponent A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately played* the ball, including by deliberate handball, is not considered to have gained an advantage, unless it was a deliberate save by any opponent. Looks to me that the offside call was correct, the only error was if the officials told the players they'd made a mistake. Still marked the ref as poor though - gave some non-fouls, let clear ones go, and seemed to have left his cards at home.

I was just watching a recording of the game and my thoughts were he'd be a great signing for Fulham or Brentford to replace Mitrovic or Toney (if he goes). Also thought Everton and maybe Wolves as well.