29/08/2009

Did the players try to win this or just make us fall asleep?

After about 20 minutes I thought that we would produce the best game of the season so far. pacey and a strong will. With Cole as a great threat again. But then Blackburn had a strong period and after the break I was about to fall asleep, where was the ideas? Why did we allow them to put (a wak but anyway) pressure on us and why did we not try to win the game? We looked certainly tired and the midfield did not find their feet at all. ola, wake up!!! If we want to challenge for a European spot one point will be enough in awaygames, but not this play. 
We should beat Blackburn! We did not. 0-0 in a tremendously boring game. Sorry to say... I guess the players can blame the midweek game for this pale effort.

Green 6 - Not much to do. 
Faubert 6 - Quite ok, but tries too hard sometimes.
Collins 7,5 - Brave and good game. Won headers, blocked shots and even had a real chance that was just over the bar. Our readheaded warrior seems to stay with us and with this play: Great!
Upson 6 - A strange game, quite quiet. He is our captain and should be able to take care of the team more, now he seems to concentrated to his own doings. Which was ok, but not more. Lost some challenges and seemed to loose patience.
Spector 5 - Plays without confidence and even if he actually found our attackers sometimes he played without any thinking.... Should be replaced.
Noble 6 - Involved, but slow. I am not sure that he should have the role he have as he will not be our playmaker, and certainly not from the right hand side. Must play faster or leave the ball quicker to someone else...
Scott Parker 6 - Far from his best game, he did fight and tried to get us forward.
Jack Collison 6,5 - It's great to see him on the field, and (I missed the Millwall game though) he made his best start this season so far, as he was able to find teammates, and had some good runs.
Stanislas 6 - Deserved a start and will learn from this,  but was not able to produce anything at all n the second half. Good ideas in his head, that seldom materialises, but at least he is a attacking weapon with his runs.
Jimenez 6,5 - Better and better, but not good enough yet. One of few players who ran today and tried to find new positions. Should challenge even more when close to the box. 
Carlton Cole 7 - A beautiful first half where he challenged, hold the ball and had our best chance of the game when he dribbled three players all by himself and shot just wide. Did not manage to make the same impact in the second half, not only his fault....

Subs:
Dyer and Kovac were not able to make any impact. Why the two gave the ball wasy so easily in the dying minutes I can't understand.
And why Zola did not challenge the 0-0 game with Hines or Nouble I do not understand.
Even if we passes the ball with patience we need to find faster play too, with the mid-midfield better to link with COle and our attacks. Not pleased today even if we deserved the point we got away from home.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

So much for We'll attack!
Cole OK - but needs support.

I see we are down to exchange/loan, Savio for De Costa at Florantina! He's a CB who hardly gets a game so whats the point of him comming to WH?

Prince H said...

it's probably nonsense... or we'll let our two CB's leave the next 24 hours (which will not happen) Upson to Tuscany and De Costa our way? Nah, doubt that too...