Good afternoon.
I watched the Wiganistas vs Manchester City last night. Having managed to tune out a mystifying/irritatingly over reverent commentary …the facts of matter where that Wigan, who had little to offer put in a commendable performance and more interestingly may have highlighted to Arry & Co what has to be done only as well as that which shouldn’t.
Above all else, Defensive discipline is vital. You build a team from the back to the front.
If you watch the way City tend to attack – and not just last night – a lot of moves stem from controlling positions in the last third. They move the ball around outside the penalty area looking to thread it in to a midget such as Aguero and or put it onto Dzeko’s nut.
Kyle Walker’s ‘tag defending’ or Forest Gump 50 yard dash impressions will sink us. He achieved naff all against Wolves and against a outfit like City being caught out of position will only result in us being punished.
If you’re paid to be a defender than defend. We have players paid to take the ball up and service our goalscorers. Let’s use them.
Let width be our watchword. On their day, Bale and Azza Blud can be two of the most outstanding players in the league. So let’s play them in position. Watching Bale play his ‘License To Roam’ card is about as thrilling and rewarding as using photographs of Piers Morgan to wallpaper your entire house.
This is the Best Performing Side Since ’61™ and why be so daft/insane as sabotage that by mucking about with a winning formula? Bale has been frequently lethal on the wing. Azza Blud when he engages his brain can fizz and skip past players, creating space and havoc.
Why would you change that? Why?
Never overlook the obvious solutions. Push and run has never been out of fashion. We all watched Swansea move the ball about on the floor against the Woolwich Wanderers. The monkey on the telly used the word ‘triangles’ when describing this ‘revolutionary’ tactic, bless ‘im.
City are constantly referenced around money. But they have more to them than a list of expensive mercenaries as long as your arm. The have become increasingly physical in all departments. A glance at their disciplinary stats makes for interesting reading.
This season they have dished out 235 fouls, of which 34 generated cards. Our numbers are 180 fouls and 26 cards. Add to this the play acting factor.
Bale has perhaps understandably of late added falling over quite easily to his repertoire. But the City lot have got this down to fine art. So here’s a suggestion. Why don’t we keep the ball on the damn floor and pass it past ’em?
Here’s to a sane, stylish and speedy Spurs performance.
Let’s face this head on. Saturday was poor. Our midfield was poorer. Our heart, Parker was dreadful. Our brains Modric and VDV, were all over the place and our power in Bale and Lennon were weak. Can all of these players be as off colour again?, can’t see myself. I think it was a case of taking our eye off the ball having got past Everton and focusing too much on Sunday instead of dealing with the job in hand. My concerns are Dawson and Kaboul as a pairing, the same pairing as in August. They hold no fear for City, in fact I’d consider they’d be looking forward to the occasion. King’s return is vital and possession and effective use of Bale and Lennon can hit them hard if we keep the ball on the bloody ground and not just hoof it out with gay abandon.
Muhammad Ali, the Greatest, The Peoples Champion, The Greatest Sportsman of the 20th Centuary, celebrates his 70th birthday today, congratulations from every true sports fan. In 1963 at Wembley Stadium 40,000 fans saw “Our `Enery” hit the then Cassius Clay with the hardest punch Clay had ever felt near the end of the 4th round, the bell saved
Strange when you think Ali and SAF are the same age?
Clay from further punishment as he was totally disorientated. Given the break Clay went on to win the fight in round 5(as he had predicted), the fight had to be stopped as Cooper could not see out of his left eye due to a cut above it sustained in round 3. Cooper had won 3 of the 4 rounds scored.
Notwithstanding that Copper was cheated out of that fight (the split glove), I too would say that Ali is the greatest sportsman of the 20th century and probably all preceding centuries.
Agreed!
George Graham for me :whistle: ……….
The delaying tactic was probably one any cornerman would have used if they`d been smart enough to think of it. Bought him an extra minute and a half, enough to fully recover. But yes we did feel cheated, esp for Coop.
Managed to bunk in Highbury with my elder brother for the re-match, couldn’t see a bloody thing though!
Did you have to disinfect yourself afterwards?
That was the 6 round hammering a game Cooper took, again a lot of blood from a cut eye. I think Ali was calling for the Ref to stop the Fight as Coop would have kept on coming forward, a bit like that Paul Newman film, the one with the eggs.
Sort of, but I had to disinfect my brother constantly, the Gooner bastard.
Cool Hand Luke, had to google it cos it was doin` my head in trying to remember the title.
“Small town. Not much to do in the evenin’.”
@Raz:
“Somebody Up There Likes Me” would have been a more apt comparison.
Greatest sportsman my arse,you have forgotten about the great Eric Bristow.
Joking aside,some of Ali’s behaviour and attitudes away from the ring were,to say the least despicable.His putting down of Joe Frazier left a bad taste,and some of his views when interviewed by Parky were insane.
That was very much tit-for-tat. Frazier was only too happy to challenge Ali’s patriotism in refusing to join the Army.
Frazier didn’t compare him to a silverback and call him an Uncle Tom
Frazier did to Ali, what all Americans fear most: He suggested that he was un-American. Ali took took umbrage with the age old epithet for a black man who would do the “dirty” work of the white man.
As I said, it was tit-for-tat.
What sort of a country was it to come back to after winning the Olympic Gold for America and then being refused service in a resturant, land of the free and the home of the brave. Issues, of course he had, but he stood up and shone as a beacon inspiring millions throughout the World.
Ali was a troubled man. He stood on a platform with the Ku Klux Klan and spouted racist drivel. His treatment of Frazier was despicable and he disliked Martin Luther King. But then, he grew up in an era of absolute racism. He was a weak man (morally) who later regretted his words and actions. So, like the rest of us then. But not a hero, I’m afraid.
He went to the same school as my brother. So did Michael Caine. Not a lot of people know that.
We’ll have to beg to differ.
Calm down man!
Wise Words Harry. Wise Words.
The big question is who will play up front.
I would suggest Gareth. He’s big strong fast shoots with both feet and terrific in the air. I’d play Niko on the left and rely on Gazza and Azza as the pace monkeys
You want to play Gareth Bale as a striker?
I would go one further and go on an all out attack
Charlie
Brad Kaboul King
Modric Kane Bostock Kane
Bale Ade Defoe
Why play Charlie in goal when Pav’s sitting around with his thumb where it shouldn’t be?
Full line up FWIW:
Brad
Walker Kaboom Les Benny
Azza Parker Modders Bale
VDV
Defoe.
HH: Don’t you know nuffink about all out attack? If you are going to play with 11 attackers, you must start with Walker in goal.
4-4-2 with Def and Pav up front.
What’s wrong with VDV?
I agree, with most of your post Mr H; where Bale is concerned, I’d like to see him on the left wing, playing a perfect cross for someone to knock in, or cutting inside, and hitting a low shot, right in the corner of the net. Instead of ‘developing’ his game, from an inside forward position, where he seems to want to go for glory, with a laces through the ball shot, and over the bar.
just like the inter games. :daumen: