COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
From my seat: Villa (a)
Comments (14) : We did start quite brightly though and after about three minutes Yobo was almost a hero when his thunderbolt laid Zat Knight low as it seemed destined for the top corner. Then, just short of the quarter hour mark, he was definitely the villain with a poor attempt at a defensive header which fell invitingly for the man-mountain Carew to lash home.
That seemed to end any meaningful shots on goal by either side until the break. Villa were a big side employing four centre-backs as their back four and guess what? We played high balls! At half time I wondered if the manager would change it but if you looked at the bench the best he could do was go back to the MK line-up, so not much point really.
In the second half I thought we ran and tackled that bit harder but as for crafting anything like an opening,it was conspicuous by its absence. As the game went on I looked at Villa and they seemed to have what we crave. Two pacey wide men who were not easily knocked off the ball and two central midfielders who could get around the pitch, put a foot in and generally join up the play.
Our case was two lightweight wide men easily eased off the ball, that is when they stayed wide, and two central midfielders who got about the pitch but that was all they offered; I don't like slagging off our players but on reflection our captain had a stinker. Our play seemed to ever breakdown once near the final third or balls would be overhit and come to nothing.
Around the hour-mark one of these nothing situations resulted in a long kick upfield from the Villa keeper. Our defence stopped to wave at the linesman, he didn't wave back, Agbonlahor kept running and slotted home: 2-0 and no way back.
A few minutes later, our manager made two changes: he replaced the front two with another front two, namely Yak and Faddy. This puzzled me a little because if we had been unable to service the first front two, how would we service the second front two?
Nothing changed, the game ended and it must have been frustrating for many a Blue because quite a few left before the end.
I made my MOM Baines who tried to inject something going forward and near the end was frustrated enough to have a right go at team-mates for giving him no movement to aim at. Overall, I think that until we get Arteta, Tommy and Cahill back we may have to put up with more of this frustration.
A recent post alleged that the CEO had stated that he didnt buy players early as he would have to pay them to sit on a beach. I suggest to him that even when our injured three are back he buys and pays for some class to sit on a bench. It's called "cover".
Still, Boro next and another chance to rebuild Fortress Goodison. Hope we get some good news from the treatment room, see you there. UP THE BLUES.
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tactically clueless...
his substitutions remind me of my 11 year old nephew when he’s losing on his chamionship manager PC game... wrekless and desperate..!
try looking at the game Moyes and working out a plan B....
Top 10 if we are lucky...!
What is this ’work out a plan B’.
What an unfair thing to say about the man who is about to be offered the opportunity to run these exciting plays for another five years.
You know damn well that David is still five years away from working out his Plan A so what is with all this pressure that you are placing on this ’poor rich’ coach and his scribbling staff ?
There are many contributors to this site who believe Moyes is doing a good job so why don’t you and the realists just go away and leave them to their lovely dreams of world domination under the ginger one.
Sad , sad club today....falling apart !
But so is Osman.
I lost count of the number of times he lost possession of the ball and give it to the opponents throughout the last and thiseason in matches. He give it to the opponents during the most crucial of times.. with this current midfield, I agree with Tony Top 10 at best and Ken is superbly positive..
No fight, no passion, no guile, no heart. This was lambs to the slaughter and nobody epitomises that approach more than Osman. Nice quick feet, gets into good positions then has the ball taken from him as he runs out of gas. Can anyone remember him tackling anyone?
When will Moyes recognise that this side, particularly in midfield is not good enough to compete with average, well organised premiership teams. I know we’re missing Tommy, Art and Timmy but how thin is our squad? I don’t want to single players out but having blown a gasket about Osman (the new Geoff Nulty), when will Hibbert learn to help our forwards with passes to them instead of the defender. Laursen was MOM yesterday and in the second half I counted 8 Hibbert passes that landed squarely on his head - I hope Laursen shared the champagne with Hibbert because he made him look good. Neville - continued where he left off on Thursday night giving the ball and stupid free kicks away.
Bright spots - not many - Baines continues to impress - otherwise ?
And to rub salt in the wounds I haven’t paid £60 for the tickets yet so a bit more pain to come.
Isn’t footy great!
I know we can’t compete with certain clubs money wise but if we don’t start playing some decent football soon all the money in the world won’t attract anyone.
Yesterday Johnson looked lively so why replace him with Mcfadden/yakubu who never once looked like being a threat.
Where are we going ? If things don’t improve we can forget the top 6 and start worrying about the bottom 6
Yakubu looks a waste of space and didn’t want to know when he came on. Nevilles only place, if any, is full back. Hibberts not good enough. Osman and pienaar both poor. The kid up front causes problems but again he is not good enough yet.
Anyway hope to see you all in the ukraine
Last season, with lescott left back, neville right back, Stubbs and Yobo in the middle - fairly tight, same as at Spurs this season. So whilst Arteta is unavailable lets pusj Baines into left midfield, Lescott to left back, Neville to right back, Stubbs in the middle and Hibbert to passing school.
Looking a Yakubu when he was at Middlesboro his service was from wide with Downing providing service. At Bolton his goal was from a pass from the right by Johnson. all the balls last Thursday were hoofballs - not his style - so where is the strategy from Moyes who buys a forward with a good record then plays to anything but his strengths.
We have got to try something as come 20 October we have the RS coming looking for revenge, god help us if this is all we can offer.
One final note, come January the ANC takes place when we lose Yobo, Piennar, Yakubu and Anichebe - then we find out how really thin the squad is - great forward planning and strategy, especially as the Dithering One has no real record of buying in the January sales, except for Beattie.
Oh the joys of being a Blue.
What finishing school did you go to mate.
I only have to watch us at the kick in lately and anglo saxon automatically spews from my tongue.
My god ! Can things really get any worse.
Great report.
Osman, Hibbert and Neville must be class in training!
Makes you wonder if journos know their left from right !
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1 Posted 23/09/2007 at 22:15:57
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Keep up the positive vibe fella