Seconds away, Round Two.
I have successfully predicted the future on two previous occasions. The first was that you could get porn films on mobile phones. The was you’d be able to buy beer from a petrol station.
So here’s the third prediction. Referees will have their names on the back of their shirts. Another game over and we find ourselves whining about these clowns…
The problem is no longer that they can’t see everything, they are actually more interested now in being a component of the game than getting it right. In fact they know in their heart of hearts that they can’t possibly get it right, so they may as well just focus on becoming stars themselves.
The elbow by Julie Lescott and the stamp by Ballotelli were as obvious as they were nasty as they were intentional and so football needs to do the right thing and remove the responsibility from the increasingly vain and increasingly …useless men in black.
I’ve blogged separately on the boy Bale here.
The ratings then…
8.oo6 I wonder if you all realize just how important he was yesterday.
5.234 Is he a good defender? On his day he’s a crackerjack one. Is he a good wing back? Not so much. So let’s deploy Benny in the right manner, eh?
8.976 He was pretty immense. One of his toughest tests to date and he more or less passed with flying colours. Tough and mean and man of the match.
7.030 A largely impressive performance aside from a moment of complete and utter stupidity. Oh well. I guess that’s why they call it ‘human error’.
7.030 Nasri’s goal wasn’t his fault, but it was a situation he could have done better in. I’m just really keen on defenders defending and he appears distracted.
7.404 Didn’t do much, was this anything to do with the fact that he was battling with Walker for the wing? Defensively he offered more than Bale, but needs to actually achieve more with his possession.
7.566 Didn’t pull the strings enough, perhaps this was as he was one of the few trying to be disciplined.
7. 566 A businesslike performance for which he was rewarded with a partial concussion. A big well done to Webb and the girls.
7. 999 Magnificent goal. Magnificently stupid tactics. More here.
6.654 Had a really tough time of it and ought to have been replaced sooner. He appeared not to be included in Bale’s master plan or Arry’s.
7. 623 A sensational finish, in a game when he got worse service than a diner at a Fawlty Towers Gourmet Night.
VDV looks great against lesser treams where we are controlling the match and possession because his inability to run and tackle are not apparent.
When we are struggling to get the ball against teams like Chelsea and Man U for example, he becomes a peripheral figure and his defensive work is pretty scary.
I am not knocking the guy as in the right games he is fantastic but against the wrong opponents his limitations are all too apparent.
Modric was very quiet yesterday and he and Bale were far too easily dispossessed.
Am I alone in thinking the praise Bale has received over the last 18 months has finally gone to his head ?
At the start of their first goal yesterday he was 1 yard behind Silva who was running towards our goal. Silva had the ball at his feet and Bale stopped running allowing Silva to pass to Nasri under no pressure.
Bale is a fantastic player but I think he needs better managing.
I get a little frustrated seeing him always as a midfielder and not a supporting forward!
I’m glad you done Defoe a service and i completely agree with the extra mark you gave our favourite Ledders. He must be superhuman to go out after not training for 4 weeks post injury and even stay with em. Walker tried his heart out but it didn’t happen.I think it was the lack of intent in the first half that gave me the ump most. But that said, if I’d been offered the spot where we are now at the beginning of the season I’d have taken it!
It was strange Jim, almost chess like in our approach, but it was disciplined and competent and you could see they were trying to take the sting out them, which by and large worked. Their first goal was well worked,but the 2nd was more a case of getting the run of the ball, which they had and we didn’t-same as the 0-0 and defeat last season, so unless Harry can get divine intervention, there wasn’t too much wrong with yesterday’s performance or attitude really.
Thing is Essex, you were there and could see the whole game.You know what TV’s like but in the first half it didn’t seem our passing was snappy or purposeful it was all very slow (like a continental game) which must have suited Mancini. I know its easy to forget MC team is worth a staggering amount but I would have liked to see a bit more energy. And a “in your face” approach. Oddly i don’t feel all that downbeat about it either.
Jim, me and our crowd for once we in total agreement that we’re at our best by taking on teams and going for their throat, but tactically at least for the first 45, we were off the pace, for sure, but still had them on the back-foot so to speak, as they seemed intent on waiting for us to force the game, which is strange considering they were the home side (welcome to Italy, I guess). But I suggested pre-match, not playing Lennon, but Charlie and using Walker in Lennon’s place, and still feel, it could’ve worked, but hey ho, it was hard to take, but something shoved up your arse without warning, sometimes is ;-)
Maybe its another sign of how important Ade is to us even if hes not scoring.
Defoe-nately-but my concern is Ledder’s and although Kaboul was majestic alongside him, he was out on his feet at the end. I’m convinced if that incident had happened 20 mins beforehand, he wouldn’t have made it, equally with more gametime, his fitness would’ve been better, but blimey, we’ll miss him and really don’t have a replacement to fill in, or won’t have when Billy G walks into the sunset- Vertongerhen looks the business, get in there Danny Boy and now!
Ledders will be a huge blow but not unexpected, I’m just hoping the last hiccup was a one off. But he was a little behind the game all game, not that matters too much, hes so bloody good he makes up for those rare out of position moments with a bit of nouse. Does this make a CB & CF a must for the summer?
I thought Vertongerhen said he wasn’t moving.
Ajax are a selling club,and the player has said this morning that he’s open-minded about a move (allegedly). I’m not saying he’s answer Jim, but he looks a bit accomplished, elegant even than those we’ve been linked with and we’ll need brains over brawn in the near future. Kaboul was a giant though, really impressed. On a different note entirely, there was a small incident yesterday, that almost had believing our beloved game was back for a moment. Parker tackled Richards really hard, but fair-and they got up, shook hands and smiled, no rolling around or hysteria, just English blokes behaving like sportsmen, I stood up applauded both players..alone, I might add, whereas the City fans were bitching about a non-existent foul.What a bunch of scabby, no-Neanderthals, really uncouth and uneducated in football terms. Perhaps if UEFA awarded a CL place for fair play and sportsmanship instead of entry into The Disney Cup, more behaviour like this might be highlighted instead of bad stuff?
I noticed that, down the right i think. I did once think the boy bale might be able to move into the center but that experiment should be put on the back burner, doesn’t work. Not that i don’t think he can but we miss so much from the left. I just watched that Parker stamp on slow mo. I think Webb saw it!
I do agree, Defoe does look sharper this season and I’m also under the impression he’s top scorer?
VdV has made vital contributions, but with Bale drifting into the middle as often as he does, it makes VdV role a little less clear.
Defoe would definitely be a better choice if this trend continues.
Plus, you can’t have 2/3 players playing a ‘free’ role.
I think in a perfect world, we’d have VDV playing regular CL football with Defoe taking the lions share of perm games.
Outstanding points on VdV.
We are stuck in between formations and it makes our attack look awkward. In an ideal world, we would just move to a 4-3-3 and give Bale-Ade-Lennon all the license to roam and move VdV to the middle where he could orchestrate play.
Many of the biggest clubs in Europe are moving to the 4-3-3, and it makes for some great to watch football. Napoli has similar players to ours up front and their attack looks unstoppable at times. All three of their players roam and they drive opposing defenders crazy trying to figure out where they are and who they are supposed to be marking.
Anyone notice how we seem to have one player “flying” in the goals at a time. First it was Ade, then VDV, then Bale, and now Def.
Pity they can’t all hit form at the same time.
Lordy Lord these scores are all over the place.
Point 1. We were not playing Huddersfield – so give the team a break.
Point 2. VDV and Modric had immense games. For most of the game yesterday they kept the creative duo of Silva and Nasri utterly frustrated. Not everything is about creating chances – sometimes you have to do the dirty work. Not as flashy – but oh so important.
Point 3. Walker was largely to blame for Nasri’s goal – ball watching. Overall he had a great game.
Point 4. Bale was up against the strongest and fastest full back in Europe. Tactics were damned near perfect IMHO.
Point 5. Defoe has a poor first touch and is easily bundled off the ball. I lost count of the number of times he gave the ball back to the opposition. Took his goal well but how I wish he would anticipate balls into the danger area more.
A lot of truth in that, but Vdv wasn’t at his best yesterday. He can be fabulous though.
Got to say I agree with all of that Hamish, which in itself is a result for me as it saves me having to type it all out!!
I’m also in full agreement, can you believe that Phil? I thought all our midfield worked hard and although not too flash, kept control of the game for long periods. Defoe took his goal well, but apart from that one moment was diabolical…..
No I can’t!! I think someone has either hacked your account or they have hacked mine!! :-p
One commentator remarked that Silva and Modders have the same sort of role in the team, but that Silva is active around the oppositions box and Modders around the halfway line. I think theres truth in this observation.
I prefer Bale on the left and think that he is best there, linking up with Benny. I also like to see him changing things up to cause confusion, but feel he must be more disciplined.
I would like to consider Modders pushed into VDVs position for a change. I dont know.
The thing is with Bale floating, we can have upto 5 players all in the middle. This seems to make bot VDV and Modders drop ever deeper looking for space.
Problem with pushing Modric up into the VdV role is that he cannot finish.
I agree totally with Bale staying wide; once he gets the ball, on a run he nearly always gets a good cross in, do that 10 times every game, we’d get 2-3 goals from it.