Thetownend.com

Not a serious game of football, but it was sort of fun and the votes still count...

Cain for me, just ahead of Wakeling.

Ward,despite some dodgy moments made enough saves to edge it for me from Minturn. Biggest disappointment,Kinsella. For a player with the experience many were craving to have such little impact in a game surrounded by kids was I thought a massive let down. Didn't even step up for a pen.

I thought Cain looked like one of the few rounded players on the pitch.

I think he'll get minutes for us this season. There's something in there.

Ward much as before... a very good shot stopper but some extremely hairy moments and has two left feet.

Wakeling had a decent enough first half but drifted out of the game as it went on.

Ward for some decent saves.  He'd have been a good goalkeeper in the 80's, before back picking up the ball from back passes was removed.

For some reason or another I read the team sheet and totally missed that Kinsella was playing and have to say that in my reading of the game he was anonymous which is a disappointment and can only give him the benefit of the doubt regarding little pre-season fitness etc. etc.

Gave my vote to Wakeling, worked hard for little reward over the ninety minutes. 

Had to be Minturn, for that hattrick of goal-saving clearances !

Went for Ward (L). Saves kept the score down.

Wakeling good in first half.
Cain was steady & Minturn the pick of the CB's.

Kanu. I liked his attitude & energy.

Kanu for me. Effort, promising touches, strength. I thought he deserved a goal. He could have had one as well with that quick run when the defenders were chasing back after him. He seemed to run out of ideas / puff right outside the box though - and of course no-one else had got anywhere near catching him up to offer support. Oh and that moment where he very nearly took the ball down well which would have given him a decent effort at goal. 

Like others, I expected much more from the players that are on the fringe of the first team - especially Kinsella.

At the back, Ward grew in to the game, but he was oh so rusty in the first ten minutes. Other than that he was broadly ok. Glad to have him back at the club.

Mino with those great goal line clearances was a positive too.

Unfortunately not a lot to say for any of the rest. I know it is a glorified training game, but I wanted to see those players trying to put in a shift to give Flynn a selection headache and that sadly didn't happen from any of them.

Of course, I'll acknowledge that Arsenal were a very decent side which trickery all over the park. Especially their number 45 - he had tricks for days, but thankfully no shooting boots!

I found it difficult to judge:
- Lewis Ward made some good saves but looked dodgy at times (especially with the ball at his feet)
- Benn Ward was abysmal to begin with and got better
- Cain looked OK in parts
- I didn't notice who is was who kept clearing it off the line. Comments suggest Minturn, but I thought, just like the defensive errors, it was a combination of players.
- Kinsella threw himself into a couple of tackles, but did nothing else
- Uwakwe can cross a ball, but not much else.
- Wakeling looks overweight to me. He had a few mins where he looked good and then faded
- Kanu tried hard. I want him to do well
- The rest were chasing shadows