Good morning.
It was a game all about our midfield and our defence. Van der Vaart played a role I’d struggle to equate to that of a centre forward. The old soldier Sir Ledley ‘Large One’ King returned and his effect upon the back four was tangible to put it mildly. What worries me is that whilst it’s great to get this classy display all out transfer grumbles appear to be around replacing the strikers.
The strikers to one side, just stop and consider how amazing we’d be if we had a player as good as Ledders there ALL THE BLEEDIN’ TIME. The strikers by and large do need binning. They were irrelevant to the win.
The most notable difference is his confidence with crosses. Leaping and taking the ball creates confidence because it kills the threat.
At his best yesterday, composed and controlling. Obviously told told to ease up on the forays forward and it was a good plan.
The ‘Ledders Factor’ was very much in evidence. Like spending a day in the office with your boss sharing your desk. He looked pretty fierce.
Half man, half cyborg strapped up with half lollypop sticks bound with parcel string. That said he denied all-comers and looked like he hadn’t been away. Just fit, just excellent.
They talk about people needing to step up and this boy did just that. So many want the kids to come through and this looks like he will. Brilliant to see.
Ran about a bit but ultimately didn’t set the game alight. A good few short balls but really didn’t spark. Not a disaster, just a tad drab.
With players closing in on him from all directions he created opportunity with intelligence and skill that was a delight to watch. Anyone who doesn’t understand his importance doesn’t understand football.
Outstanding. Physically and mentally up to the Premiership demands and an excellent buy.
I just don’t get why we bought him. If anyone wants to briefly outline why, I’d be pleased to read it. He’s not awful, I just don’t get what he’s supposed to do.
Intelligent and gifted. His critics need to give him the benefit of a preseason before wheeling out what’s obvious in his first season. Needs to lose a few pounds and improve fitness.
I’ve run out of patience with him and tactics including him making the first team. I can see how on the International stage and in Europe of course but in the Premiership it seems to me that the jig is up.
He may well be a Yiddo, but championing him is a rapidly becoming a clutching at straws exercise. Offers little aside from goals and hasn’t offered any of them in a dog’s age.
I was surprised we did not hang on to Gudjohnson for a season, or take him on loan again in Jan after Pulis became frustrated with him playing the ball on the deck & ignoring his commands to hoof it!
He has a similar skill set to Teddy, plus some of that Viking strength that we seem to lack up front.
Harry
Pretty much agree with your ratings, except for your miserly 8.652 for Godric. I would give him a lofty 8.653.
Got to agree with the question as to what Pienaar adds to the team. Bale is clearly first choice at LW. Niko hasn’t been given the chances he deserves, and Rose looks like he will make a decent LW in the next twelve months.
Didn’t see the match, but a quick look on Skysports showed that the stats made Pool the better team. I won’t complain about that, as there have been so many games this season where we were better, but failed to get the points.
So the stats this year against top 6 are 3-4-3 which is creditable, and for the first time in ages, all of the top 6 failed to take maximum points against us. On the other hand, we have taken 8 from 27 so far against the bottom five which is abysmal.
When I wrote on another one of HH’s blogs that we had performed abysmally in relation to our potential, it was described as “utter garbage”. Just to show you, if the league had consisted of us and the bottom five this season, we would need to draw against Brum next Saturday to avoid finishing last:
P Pts GD
Wigan 10 20 +2
West Ham 10 16 +5
Brum 9 13 +2
B/Pool 10 11 -4
Wolves 10 9 -3
Spurs 9 8 -2
There are lies, damn lies and …
We were better than Liverpool in every department yesterday and were thoroughly deserving of our two-goal margin; anything less would have been a travesty — despite what the stats say.
Pienaar played as well as I’ve seen him play for us so far. Granted that’s not saying a great deal, but he definitley showed promise of what’s to come. Claims of ***** mk II are well wide of the mark.
It’s interesting the whole ‘bottom teams’ thing at the moment. It would be interesting to do the same comparison for other teams. I don’t think anyone has really had the measure of the supposed cannon-fodder this season. The fact that 42 points won’t get you safe is testament to that.
If you think that the bottom six have accumulated 269 points between them so far (with one round of games to go) and last year they only managed 188 points in total! They didn’t all come from Spurs, so I think everyone’s been on the end of this a bit. Something definitely to be looked at though.
Just done that. Results for the top six against the bottom 5 are
Manure 22
Chelsea 24
Arse 28
Citeh 23
Liverpool 12
Spurs 8
That is from a maximum of 30 points. Having seen this, it is fair to say that Liverpool also came off the rails against the ‘lesser clubs’, while Arse are clear flat track bullies.
Another stat you might be interested in, if you made a league from the top 8, we would be fifth, but ahead of City and Chelsea.
God love you and your determination… I am staggered, in awe and slightly scared of the fact you worked that out! Gold star and a room next to Hannibal Lecter await!!!!
Interesting that L’Arse are indeed the FTB’s of the bottom boys (fnar, frar)… Maybe Monsewer Wengers incessant whinging about tough tackling Northerners has finally started to pay off? Equally interesting how ManUre fared compared to the others.
Glad our ‘top 4’ demons are gradually getting laid to rest and here’s to someone in the Lillywhite next season who wants to put the ball in the onion bag rather than worrying about getting teeshirts printed about it.
I’d love to tell you how clever I am, but it was courtesy of Statto.com which has a program that allows you to compile mini-leagues of up to eight clubs.
Your comment about the “top 4 demons” puts it all into perspective. For years we were getting kickings because we always gave them six points (or so it seemed). Problem is, that when the lesser clubs get to play us, we adopt registered charity status, and show the true meaning of giving until it hurts.
Ouch. Maybe we should get our games sponsored by Big Issue against the Baggies next season!
If only we could get both things going at the same time… Results against top & bottom? Hmmm. Nah, would never catch on…
Pienaar has a great engine – doing a lot of work off the ball to prevent the opposition breaking through – something that Krancjar can’t do because of his lack of speed.
In the modern game I feel Krancjar is more of a gamble for the 90 minutes because he just can’t back track well enough. His going forward is exceptional, but we also need the other side of the game as well – he’s good to use when we’re into the last 20mins and chasing a game / need to change things around.
very swanky HH,
peanut = workrate i mean i don’t know what he is but its better than j**** and when harry says right lads get out there and run about it,peanut understands this
I think thfc has to decide how we are going to play and buy accordingly we’ve played with 2 up and the old 4-5-1,it appears that our strikers are just a waste of a place this season for some reason but strikers are so damn expensive we need to get it right and have a plan, this would be mine
????
BACK FOUR
BIG TOM
SANDY & MODDERS
BLUD GOAL MACHINE BALE
GREAT BALANCED BENCH
I agree, I think PNR is the player we always hoped J***s would grow into…..
I like the look of this, but where’s VDV? :hae:
on the bench,he comes on if its all gone tits up for one of the midfielders
don’t tell him though,he won’t like it