Good morning.
On the news this morning they are stock taking at London Zoo. How quintessentially English. If all zoos do this as a matter of course I don’t want to know. I like to think of American, Chinese and German zoo keepers all zapping and their resident’s from golf carts using bar code guns.
While in N1…in the midst of four dozen penguins there is a man in wellington boots armed with a pen and notebook. “27, 28… hold up fella, weren’t you number 17?”
Perhaps this is a good time take stock; count our penguins, tot up our tigers.
Yachtsman made the suggestion of not just ratings for the game but cumulative appreciation which is an excellent suggestion particularly at this mid point in proceedings. So when leaving your, ‘What game were you watching? 7.045?! He was easily worth a 7.047!!! It’s a good time to reflect upon the individual player’s season so far.
7.001 Another one of those ‘he had little to do but done it well’ sketches for the Bradster. He’s been consistent and that is why he was shipped in and that is why he’s been a success. My one criticism are his kick outs. 99% of them fall into enemy hands. Ball on the floor please. Ball on the floor.
7.002 This was him in good form and pleasing to see it. He might draw negative comments for his crossing or whatever but I’m more interested in him being trained to lay the ball off to someone we pay to do that. No costly errors worth discussing at the back and that’s the important bit.
7.432 I see him and I start to hear Ashford & Simpson’s ‘Solid As A Rock’ playing. He’s a hunched, dogged soldier keeping guard and I sleep soundly on his watch. Something we’ve been missing for donkey’s years. A sluggish return from injury but hey, spring chickens don’t have that level of experience.
8.999 The meteoric improvement in young Younes has been a pleasure. He was undoubtedly shipped in as cover/addition to/replacement for Ledders. He began his time brightly and then deteriorated into race horse that kept getting stuck in the stalls. Last night shows just how far he has come.
6.861 Oh Kyle. You need to sit down in a quiet room and dwell a while on your situation. We all love the idea of you, what you could offer. But you need to focus on being a great defender first and foremost. These forward runs are beginning to grate. Again, we have other folk on the pay roll to do this and do it well.
8.442 The old Dutch masterclass. His determination and energy levels were superb. A swash buckling performance. The only question mark is what to expect from him on a game by game basis. One minute he’s pulling more strings than the London Philharmonic the next he looks like he don’t know how to quit.
7.000 This little fellow needs to start delivering some consistency. I’m not sure what the problem is but this was West Brom not Bayern Munich. Another game where he pottered about in the first half and then improved inthe second. If you think you’re worth £40M and he keeps telling us he is, then he needs to step up to the price tag every game.
Ouch. We wish you well.
6.901 Another one who has gone from being a leading light to a walk on part. This whole drifting about business isn’t working. What’s actually occurring is that he’s less involved in the game and passing over attacking reigns to men who aren’t qualified – aka – our noble ‘wing backs’. On the wing, occasionally cut in if you wish but knock this roaming spiel on the head. Please.
6.901 There will soon come a point when he needs to start scoring again. My admiration for him stems from what he brings to the entire team and specifically his selfless play dropping deep and generosity around the penalty box. But he’s a striker and he either creates or scores or he’s playing out of position. He’s missed some good chances this season, less so last night. But he needs to start scoring.
7.090 His game last night was hugely improved. Call me a miserable sod but that still leaves him as an occasionally offside one dimensional chancer. But he scored and that’s what he’s paid to do so point in digging too deep I guess.
By all accounts it was a win but an ugly one, we can`t win in style every time and it still records the same 3 points, the table looks rather good this morning but the mounting casualty count is causing alarm bells to ring throughout the community. What`s the plan Dan ?
Finally, Younes Kaboul is beginning to get some of the recognition he deserves. He has been superb this season, and people have failed to notice – he doesn’t do the eye-catching, just the mundane, but many of our wins this season have been down to his defensive commitment.
He wasn’t only the Man of the Match last night, but has been our player of the season to date. Good feet, incredible pace, excellent work ethic, and genuine passion. I can’t remember the last time I witnessed him losing a header. I was sad when he left the club (thought that was a very bad decision) but welcomed him back with open arms, when most others were talking about a ‘backward step’.
Er…quality, son.
Kaboul been better than Parker or Modric?
He’s playing very well, but is prone to the odd bout of ball watching, which has proven costly on at least three occasions.
Better than Modric? So far, this season, I would have to say ‘yes’, and he’s been as effective as Parker. It all starts from the back, and Kaboul has been dominant in so many games. Agree about the occasional ball watching – his only weakness, in my opinion.
If you think Kaboul has been better than The Croat or Parker this season you`ve clearly been watching a different game than me. Opinions differ from fan to fan but yours is extreme to say the least. I believe this is the first time Younes is in contention for MOTM, surely that gives you a clue !
“Kaboul’s only weakness is ball watching” – in other words lack of concentration – with turns out bad positioning.
Well, for a central defender especially, the only KEY element to one’s game is concentration and positioning. I can’t find better example than our beloved Ledley as prime example of what constitutes a good defender and a bad one. The physical elements of it, is a BONUS!
Actually, to name a better example of what constitutes a modern day Brilliant trophy winning defender – who’s extremely underrated by most ppl except Mourinho himself, is Ricardo Carvalho. This man, made John Terry the household name of Defenders. Their partnership helped contributed in Chelsea’s amazing home unbeaten record, and even more impressive, the home unbeaten record stretches for Carvalho back to Porto (2 season) where Mourinho was. Carvalho to me, is smaller in size, doesn’t look anything like a beast, but a timid lad. Simple playing defender. But everywhere he goes, he wins. Starting from Porto. His game is the same to Ledley, it’s just that he has an incredible natural fitness and much better mental strength. A world beater.
He makes kaboul look good, that’s what ledley does most games. Makelele is also another prime example for a defensive player, who’s game is GREAT simply because of concentration, which leads to excellent positioning, which then leads to inteception and simple clearance.
Kaboul will most of the time kick the ball up to the air instead of giving it the VDV or modric who came calling. and we have to then get the ball back again. it is rather frustrating.
How can you possibly compare the two players?, nonsense!
Harry: I must say i agree with you on most part, except the rating of Kaboul,VDV and found that u have under-rated ade in this occasion.
Well, we are all unique in nature, hence our opinion will differ. THat said, I believed VDV was our MOTM. If you check out the statistics, VDV covered most among all players on the pitch, including West Brom’s. In fact, most games when he’s playing (at least before he was subbed – 1st half per say), he has always made the most runs up and down, getting involved in plays, tracking back. I feel that people sometimes merely have selective memory in regards to him, including commentators – if you actually pay extra attention in one of our games in the future, u will notice that this guy is incredibly hardworking and energetic, given his minimum pace. Just because he wasn’t there on two occasion against 2 london teams, doesn’t make him inconsistent. I’ve always felt, he was our most consistent performer, even when he’s not scoring. Today was a big example on that, when modric was quiet, bale was indecisive (selfish at times), it was VDV who became the team player and was involved in our best chances and even the goal scored by defoe.
Kaboul is overrated to the extent by most fans. I see him being a monster in central def one day, being a Vidic for us, HOWEVER, he is nowhere near 9 yet. He is at most a 7.5. In every game that i watch, kaboul has always been caught ball watching at least 3x in a game. Dangerous situations that has caused/nearly caused us to concede. His bravery however, and pace and strength, has often helped him to cover up his mistakes by making those last ditch tackles. If he is to be a world class defender, a fortress key player, he has to at least have 50% of what ledley has. Ledley makes everything looks so simple, because he watches the player, not the ball. Same goes to Kyle, but as for Kyle, he is younger, and I know he’ll learn. His incredible pace has helped him to cover up his mistakes too. It has all got to do with concentration, positioning all comes in the mind. It’s easier said than done. at one hand u’re watching the gameplay, the opposing threat, another u have a player running from offside back on from behind.
Watching Niko,VDV, Modric in the last 15mins of the game in midfield, reminded me of the game we got a hiding from City at Lane. IT’s SAD! but, again, it is a kind reminder to Harry that, if we are to maintain in the top 4, at least one of Sandro / Scotty has to be fit. At least one. Good deal we were just meeting a west brom team who practically was on the back foot playing for a draw for most parts (which didn’t test our midfield & defence), but if the game had gone up for another 30mins, we may end up losing it. This is something that comes with experience, to kill a game, or not panic when opponents try to come back into the game. Sad to say, but something that only comes with the experience of WINNING. Do you know what made City so good this season? not just the mega stars, but what made them so different from last season, when they have more or less the same players apart from Kun, nasri? Not just cause they gel, but they tasted FA Cup trophy together for the first time. It inserts a winning mentality to a very talented team.
Why has arsenal always stumbled, despite the fact that their attacking play can match City? Even barca on their day. It’s because they have won nothing. When it matters they stumble. All i hope for us this season or next, is to at least win an FA Cup or equivalent to begin with. With this talented players we have, a trophy, a taste of it is just what we need to begin with. I would actually, i know a lot of ppl will bash me for that, but i will trade challenging the title for an FA Cup trophy. I still think we are more than capable of giving a real push in the FA Cup (depends on luck of the draw)
Can`t see any value in an FA Cup run this year, it would only be an unwelcome distraction from the real task in hand. Given the injury crisis at present our priorities are clearly defined.
Agreed. Spread our recources too thinly, and we could end up with a good cup run, but no CL. Not this season.
The second string will play in the FA Cup, at least this round, with some others returning from injury and needing game time, Cudicini, Corluka, Dawson, Bassong, Rose, Krancjar, Pienaar, Livermore, Lennon, Pav, Defoe
Can`t afford to risk Lennon, Defoe or Dawson of an FA Cup tie with so much at stake elsewhere.
Did you notice when we were down to 9 men, Krankie could not come on because he was not ready. i.e. no shin pads. What is wrong with these people ? Had we conceded a goal then, they should have hung him from the main stand.
Sounds like Sandro out for a while, no sign of Hudd returning, so we rely on CM of Modric and one other from VDV, Krankie or Livermore if PNB unfit. Clearly a major concern as playing VDV or Krankie there gives us no bite and no defensive cover.
Dawson return may compensate for Gallas loss although quite frankly, I prefer Gallas.
Agreed with your view on Ade. However, I found it frustrating to watch the number of passes made to him when there were three of the other side within three yards of him.
Bale: He also had to endure passes where he was heavily outnumbered. In spite of this, three of the 5 bookings last night were for fouls on him.
Regarding the above two, if you have 5 players marking these two, the we must have at least 2 spare players to pass to.
Defoe: He may have his faults, but he is in terms of minutes per match and goals scored, our most prolific striker this season. Including England, he has scored over 200 goals careerwise. Can’t understand these people who say he is a “Championship” player.