Strolling Along

Gooners completed the double over Kirkbride in style with a line up no one would be pleased to be beaten by, in many a division. It means FMR has guided his team safely through what was a tricky first half welcome to top flight football, whilst Kirkbride could become entangled in a relegation battle if the outcome against Greatness is not the right one.

FMR believes it is now job done and has no interest in finishg 2nd or 3rd:
"it feels odd having nothing to aim for apart from 1st and avoiding relegation, unless we are going to challenge for first, it makes no difference if we finish second or nineth. What matters now is making sure all the good work I have dome with the players continues until the end of the season.

No disrespect to the lads though they have been fantastic, had this season not been about bringing a next generation through... I am sure we would only be three points from Totaal and looking at the second half of the season with a lot of optimism. Instead though we are playing with what we have available at the time... the squad is picking itself based on training and requirements of the players form trends. It is something that is working very very well and at the same time we have remained competetive... so I can take nothing away from the boys they have played out of their skins.

Of course we are not going to drop like a rock but knowing the line ups i need to play, means I would count us totally out of the title race and as such my focus must shift totally to development. There will be the ocasional opportunity to play the strongest eleven and all we can hope is that the opportunity falls at the right games.

The next few games are a key moment for many of the players and they will need to be at the top of their game both in training and on the field to secure positions in the squad next season... so far everyone has done well and some players have recovered well from injury. There are 2 or 3 on the brink of doing well or falling behind again but we are optomistic they have done enough if they can avoid injury.

As for the title itself, I am backing the orange horse and wish them the best of luck!"