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.
The other things is that I feel that we have won some games because our players have been so much better. This is fine against inferior teams and players, but against better teams with equally good players we may come unstuck. I think we lack shape and disciple, and for me Bale, as good as he is, is the main culprit.
A disciple would defintely bolster the squad. Not Judas Escariot though; we’ve had trouble with him before :-D
How bout a prophet. He could come in handy.
Levy is always after a profit.
We are all prophets on here. It’s just that the more famous ones actually get their prophesies correct.
HA ha ha ha ha ha. Woo hoo. Some one that could walk on water would be good for the rainy games.
You’re out on a limb there mate ;-)
I couldn’t disagree more on Bale as the main culprit – did you miss the second half?
We were a far inferior team in the second half. Our midfield was getting overrun constantly by Nasri and Silva. Modric, VdV, Parker and Lennon barely crossed midfield the entire half. When the time came to truly rise to the occasion, only two players stepped up – Kaboul and Bale.
Our only attacking player in the second half that looked the part was Bale. He was often trying to go through 3 or 4 players and was laser focused on getting to the goal. If you watch the replay and focus on Bale the last 30 minutes, it will be 100% clear to you that we have only one world class player that is capable at starting at a Madrid or Barca.
Spot on about the midfield. Parker is nowhere near the player he was during those opening few games. I’d have Sandro over him every time, he is more powerful, quicker and more likely to score. Just wish he would stop getting injured every few games and get a sustemained run in the team under his belt.
Hes played loads and gives his all. Maybe a rest in the near future.
FWIW I didn’t see the 2nd half at all, at all- dodgy stream. I was speaking more generally in fact about Bale. I feel that we have lots of naturally central players, and we lose something when Bale leaves the wing. His goal/ performance not withstanding. BTW I haven’t seen his goal yet either.
@jim
Watching Parker, I do not think he is the most stylish of players, but I can’t think I’ve seen a player give more to the team since Graham Roberts.
Once Sandro gets back, perhaps he will get that well deserved break.
He does look like he needs one. Hes starting to labour. GR thing spot on.
Do we have any Sandro return dates?
Parker was immense yesterday, literally putting his body on the line for his team.
I do agree he could do with more of a rest though but it is difficult to replace what he gives to the defensive side of the team, especially with Sandro injured.
@Phil
I’ve said it before. If he was American, he would be in the Secret Service as Obama’s bodyguard and jumping in the way of the bullets.
I’ve heard that Parker’s mentor is Chuck Norris!!
I thought the Boys did well 2nd half, but just to cheer my self up I’m watching Jeremy Kyle. :-( .
Never mind all this, our ‘arry is currently in the dock. Two week trial they reckon – could be a big distraction.
I hope Webb isn’t the judge
it might be webb under that weave.
Swap A&E and Rafa’s ratings around. Benny was definitely not at his best and his distribution was far below his usual standards but he handle MOST of what came his way.
I’ve never been Rafa’s biggest fan, not to say he can’t be excellent but the mark of a great player is to be consistent and he is quite the opposite. His lack of mobility is also a big problem and was the main reason for City dominating in midfield.
Against Wigan we should look to play Defoe and Ade up front but I think we all know that Redknapp is if anything, afraid to rotate. My overall view on VdV is, if he isn’t scoring, creating chances or breaking up play, what position is he meant to be playing in exactly? He is supposed to support the striker but is often sitting on the half way line.
On a different note, anyone else excited for deadline day? We might actually sign that striker we need 2 years ago!
I just don’t get it. VDV has been the main reason our possession stats are through the ceiling this season. Honestly – he’s as important as Modric and Parker. It’s not all about fancy flicks and spectacular goals.
Looking at it from both angles, can you honestly say Rafa played well? and then tell me the last time his undoubted ability took the game by the scruff of the neck, I’ll tell you Arsenal at home–last season. Harry’s got to accept that games are horses for courses, and some need steel, others nous, and quite honestly Rafa’s not doing the business right now, he roams ,slows and get’s involved in area’s that should be dominated by others, clogging up the centre,which with Bale and Lennon who some reason seem to drift in there as well, there’s no pattern, no discipline. I know it’s only a single game, but the best we’ve played and the best by a country mile Modric has played was against Liverpool, fast-quick and precise movement-cutting through them like knife through butter-sharp and dynamic-more of that would be good don’t you think?- just saying!
Then what is it about exactly because I cannot fathom it out? At one point in the second half yesterday, when we were on the attack and most players were in their half, he popped up in our own half behind BAE. What sort of damage is he gonna orchestrate from there?
A&E was definitely our weakest player yesterday, he really is flirting between great and guff at the moment.
Drop VdV and partner Adebayor with Defoe? Nonsense.
Defoe can’t partner anyone, he’ll always score ‘his goals’, problem is, his penchant for adding nothing else to the side outweighs the good. He’s a pint sized Bent. Partner those two together and watch how isolated the attack and midfield become.
VdV, although far from perfect (never looks fit to me) is usually at least twice as involved in the game, but if we’re to play with just one up top, more chances must be converted from that one, and/or the midfield.
The front line has needed a total overhaul for some time, but as per usual we’ve tried to do it on the cheap. The Adebayor loan has papered over how poor we are in that department, and God help us if he gets injured, or loses interest.
Still, I’m sure the boy Bale fancies his chances leading the line, rather than doing what he’s actually good at.
So, you’re saying Defoe was sitting around doing SFA, waiting, whereas I recall him foraging and trying to get the ball from deep in their half, because the service from the middle wasn’t happening. The guy gave it all and an awful lot more besides, but a man and his blinkers are so hard to part with,eh? same old rhetoric, I see?
You might also recall the number of times his first touch let him down. If your team is set up to play in neat triangles you can’t have a man who lets it bounce two yards off his shin every other time. I thought he showed exactly what Ade brings to our game and was so badly missed on Sun. Defoe to me is the archetypal impact sub – ideally suited to the last 20 when defenders tire and the game gets stretched.
So, you’d keep VDV with his current form in the side would you? You must see another side to his game right now if that’s the case. There was I thinking he (Defoe) is a goalscorer, who’d thrive on a little bit of service,but then again I’ve never allowed bias cloud my judgement. As for yesterday, the team picked itself, because our main striker, isn’t ours, nor could we afford him or his wage in an open market, but no doubt there’s a a guy with a Latino name, available and affordable, who’d do a fine job in Defoe’s stead.
Totally agree.