Player Ratings To Dip Bins By

Good morning fight fans. 

There was a point in the game, just before half time when I let my mind wander and ask why this Liverpool side were having rings run around them. My mind came up with a few simple suggestions. 

First up, we were first to virtually every ball. And when we weren’t we didn’t sit back off them – we tackled and it has to be said won the bulk of those challenges. Of equal importance was our ability to retain possession. I’m no stat man but I only noted one or two occasions where duff passes crept in.  Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Pathe News Boy.

The absence of Azza and Pete also played an enormous part in matters. Lennon’s form every season is up and down like bloggers blood pressure and for every run that ends in him skipping his way into a brick wall or crossing to no one  there is always a counter attack from the other lot.

3MP’s absence has been as refreshing as a lottery win. The days of hoofing it to  Tall Circus Man who was pretty bloody awful at heading the ball are over. The days of opposition players walking up behind him, holding their face and pretending they were elbowed by the boy who was born with his limbs stuck on backwards are equally over.

The Europa tactic appears vindicated. Certainly we looked spritely enough and Stoke’s walloping at Sunderland certainly says, ‘Something went horribly wrong’ rather than, ‘unlucky.’ That said, just as the game vs Liverpool was a thing of beauty; the match against the Greeks was not.

Dalglish needs to watch himself. He’s rapidly wandering into Aunty Wenger territory with his conspiracy theory that the MIBs have got it in for him. The reality is that he needs to keep backward thugs like Charlie Adam in check and practice winning and then retaining possession.

In the slow mo replay of Adam’s vicious assault on Scott Parker you can see his eye-line rise up from ball to man just prior to his studs plunging into our man.

Brad

Spotted in a local shop trying on wigs and false nails for a laugh in the 2nd half. At full time he was seen hiding a Chick King box in his glove bag.

A&E 

Looked Accomplished & Elegant with every touch. He must revel in days like these. Calm under pressure, cunning going forward.

Walker

Increasingly looking the part, lots to learn then who hasn’t? He appears thankfully mature for his years.

King 

Didn’t put a foot wrong and the brown paper & string held up in the heat. Nobody enjoys the whole, ‘will he, won’t he play?’ routine, but that’s showbiz.

Kaboul

Always benefits hugely from having Ledders with him. His performances with Dawson are not so neat and contained.

Krankie

A discreetly brilliant performance. I’m not convince Arry either understands or appreciates him but I’d like to watch him blossom at The Lane.

Modders

No like Second Hand Fridges. All the ‘why can’t he bloomin’ well do that for us’ merchants after his recent Croatian goal can come out from down the back of the sofa ooh in another day or two.

Parker  

Pathe News Boy is what we have been missing for about 20 years. Delightfully no nonsense, British bulldog stuff from start to finish.

Bale

Some extraordinary touches and some less extraordinary ones. Still an absolute motoring monster. Needs a goal. 

Adebayor

Another day another masterclass in being a supremely talented and intelligent Premiership striker. Can we buy this one, please? Can we? Can we?

Defoe

Clearly benefiting from the ‘Ade Effect’ that said my aunt Dolly would up her strike rate palying in the same team as him

VdV

All the good stuff with none of the wasted chances stuff. A bit out of position but this was a substitution. Great sub to have, eh?