So... Thoughts?

[Ryan]

First of all, great to see us create so many chances. Kirkland's two saves from Kuyt were fantastic, Agger had a great chance with a header (I think he thought Bramble was gonna get a touch to it), N'gog dragged a decent effort wide, and plenty of other openings. I think if Torres had have started the game may have been over earlier.

Another goal for N'gog. He can be frustrating; he's got this inexperienced knack of taking too many touches, and not doing the simple thing. Just control, hold it up, and lay it off sometimes David. Still, 6 goals for someone who's not a regular, and only what, 21? You gotta be happy with that.

I thought Dirk played well. Very well actually. Created countless openings, played some lovely passes, linked well with Gerrard, and but for two fantastic saves from Kirkland he'd have got on the scoresheet.

Starting to look threatening from set-pieces. Great delivery from Gerrard again. It's really help our cuase if we could be a consistent threat from corners and free-kicks from now on. I especially like that we mix up the delivery, and taker too.

From a negative perspective; you could see the hesitation creep in when we went 1-0 up. It's not that we sat back, we just took less risks. It was evident players were scared to play the same forward passes they would have made at 0-0 when they were trying to create an opening. The more sideways passes one of our players makes, the easier it is for the oppositoon to step up and push us back. Wigan weren't threatening, we were being timid. Probably borne out of a massive lack of confidence I suppose.

No injuries.

And a bit of confidence taken from this, two (relatively) easy games coming up before the big trip to Villa Park. I'd take two more scrappy wins right now.

 

[dmishra]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37958.msg1015794#msg1015794 date=1261003399] And a bit of confidence taken from this, two (relatively) easy games coming up before the big trip to Villa Park. I'd take two more scrappy wins right now.
[/quote]

Gutted we couldn't keep a clean sheet. That sort of batters the little confidence that might have been taken from the game. Sums up the season when the game against Villa is being described as a 'big trip'. But scrapping is the way I guess now.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=dmishra link=topic=37958.msg1015813#msg1015813 date=1261004040]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37958.msg1015794#msg1015794 date=1261003399] And a bit of confidence taken from this, two (relatively) easy games coming up before the big trip to Villa Park. I'd take two more scrappy wins right now.
[/quote]

Gutted we couldn't keep a clean sheet. That sort of batters the little confidence that might have been taken from the game. Sums up the season when the game against Villa is being described as a 'big trip'. But scrapping is the way I guess now.
[/quote]

Villa have beaten United, Arsenal, and us this season. They're a good side.

 

[dmishra]

No one's denying that. It's just ironic that they're now one of our main rivals this season.

 

[keniget]

We still shouldn't have lost that game though.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=37958.msg1015828#msg1015828 date=1261004299]
We still shouldn't have lost that game though.
[/quote]

I know.

 

[Stulikesdrums]

What about the fact our 20 million midfielder sat on his arse for most of the match? What are your thoughts on that Ryan?

 

[Loch Ness Monster]

Sloppy defending again near the end of the game. A big big worry that we seem to have lost the ability to close out a game.
Positive stuff even considering we were without Nando and Magic, and our new expensive attacking CM.
Fernando is deadly, but tell us something we dont all know.
Hopefully no injuries, see what the morning brings.
Agreed though, same again x 2 and then onto Villa Park.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Stu link=topic=37958.msg1015832#msg1015832 date=1261004370]
What about the fact our 20 million midfielder sat on his arse for most of the match? What are your thoughts on that Ryan?
[/quote]

I really don't give a fuck Stu.

 

[LadyRed]

I'm glad we conceded and still won, we haven't won a game we've conceded in for a while (maybe all season?) and psychologically it seemed everytime we've conceded one we've totally fallen apart and it's been inevitable that another goal was coming. Today we managed to concede yet still hold on, hopefully they gain some confidence from that.

I want to see us play 442 at home more often, although this creates more problems with our Aquilani situation, if we play 442 Gerrard has to be CM, he has to stay in a central role as far as I'm concerned or perhaps 442 is what we need when we have no as we haven't got anyone else that can lead the line alone. Ngog needs to be playing up top with someone else with him.




Is there any chance on MOTD showing our game anytime soon?

 

[Stulikesdrums]

[sub][/sub]Good to know.
So when the inevitable 'why didn't Aquilani play?' thread appears you won't be in there Reading the riot act.

 

[Red Mullet]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37958.msg1015837#msg1015837 date=1261004457]
[quote author=Stu link=topic=37958.msg1015832#msg1015832 date=1261004370]
What about the fact our 20 million midfielder sat on his arse for most of the match? What are your thoughts on that Ryan?
[/quote]

I really don't give a fuck Stu.
[/quote]

Yep a win is a win.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Stu link=topic=37958.msg1015841#msg1015841 date=1261004872]
Good to know.
So when the inevitable 'why did Aquilani play?' thread appears you won't be in there Reading the riot act.
[/quote]

"Reading the riot act" - More like adding a sense of realism to the ridiculous hyperbole.

Well did you expect him to start Stu? Cos I didn't.

Rafa's substitutions were the right ones;
Torres to stretch the game - TICK
Lucas to qwell the influence of Jordi Gomez who was coming more and more into the game and starting to influence - TICK
Aquilani some game time - TICK.

2-1 win, very few complaints.

 

[Stulikesdrums]

I don't think it is hyperbole at all.
I think it is valid to question why Aquilani hasn't played more.
But look I know your views on it so there is no point going over old ground.
I'm happy with the win too, don't get me wrong.
It was much needed and hopefully we build on it.

 

[Loch Ness Monster]

How did Agger miss that header? He seemed to retract his neck like a turtle.

 

[dmishra]

He's not very good in the air, is he? Even at the back.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Loch Ness Monster link=topic=37958.msg1015853#msg1015853 date=1261005462]
How did Agger miss that header? He seemed to retract his neck like a turtle.
[/quote]

As I said earlier, I think he thought Bramble was gonna get a flick to it. Big Titus was desperatley close to it, so you can kinda see why Agger held back a touch.

 

[keniget]

Pluses:

Maschareno is in a rich vein of form.

Wash continues to show that inside the penalty area, he can be quite useful.

Nando has come back into the side looking extremely sharp.

Gerrard's crossing and set-piece delivery has been pretty good of late.

Minuses:

Gerrard is still not quite looking himself overall. I wonder if he's fully fit / taking pain killing injections or whatever. It'd be nice to see him get back to top form and hopefully we will see this (to coincide with the return of Nando).

Wash continues to show that outside the penalty area, his game needs a lot of work - particularly when it comes to aerial challenges.

Our defence is fucking woeful.

 

[LadyRed]

Ha love Alan Hansen on MOTD

 

[ILD]

Insua was a lot better than usual. Maybe his rest against Arsenal did he the world of good.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

cant agree re subs. I thought the 442 was working very well as was yossi on the right. It all started to get confused and mishapen after the lucas sub. He should have just swapped nando for wash or dirk
Regards

 

[ILD]

Yep the change of formation was not needed. We were doing well with Dirk up top and Yossi was doing fine on the right. Still though, much needed three points.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=37958.msg1015889#msg1015889 date=1261009755]
cant agree re subs. I thought the 442 was working very well as was yossi on the right. It all started to get confused and mishapen after the lucas sub. He should have just swapped nando for wash or dirk
Regards
[/quote]

I think our shape starting to wane coincided with Gerrard getting more and more tired. He was becoming less and less involved in our build up play, and closing down of the opposition as the game wore on. This led to Wigan starting to slowly come into it, with Gomez moving into the spaces Gerrard was leaving. Hence the Lucas substitution.

 

[Y1]

At last, what a relief

 

[bobtkelpie]

[quote author=Y1 link=topic=37958.msg1015898#msg1015898 date=1261011468]
At last, what a relief
[/quote]

I'll think I'll keep that for Saturday afternoon... if we can actually win two in a row, I'll be happy!

 

[LeTallecWiz]

How was Yossi Ryan? Wait, I'll answer that - he was shit! 🙂

 

[TheBunnyman]

I think Ryan's point about us slowing the pace and taking fewer chances after we score a goal is the crucial one. And I'm sure it's the result of a chronic lack of confidence. At 1-0 up after 11 mins at home against a side that recently conceded nine in one game, we should be pouring forward and tearing into them. Instead of which, we invited them back into the game.

A win's a win, and we desperately needed the 3pts, but I'm not convinced that any corner has been turned by that result or performance. It'll take some time for our confidence to return, and until it does we will be torture to watch.

Btw, Gerrard seems to have lost a yard of pace to me - must be some kind of after/side-effect of his injury.

 

[MaBigTip]

so ignoring the thread my thoughts before bed..
why when the ball is pinballing around in the box do our player brainlessly control and shoot at the defenders in there way. Unless you can pick a spot it is more efficient and I have watched other teams do it with success to control and pick out our man outside the 18 yard box, allowing us to reset play and mount again. Retain posession and create another chance.

It was nice seeing Aurelio as a winger today. Although slow as Molases he is a natural footballer with touch and technique with a magic wand for a left boot. He finds dangerous places with his delivery. His weighted through ball to N'gog was just the thing we've been missing. N'gog showed superb determination and acceleration to get on teh end and narrowly missed the one time finish.

Two strikers was so nice today
Its becoming harder and harder to find a formation that would get the best out of our squad. Especially balance wise.
I suggest Ancelotti's 4-1-2-1-2 its the easiest for us to fit in with options. And if we learn it well we could well and truly control games from the front like Rafa wants. I mean in our left wing spot we do feature Yossi, Riera, Aurelio, Dossena, Babel. 4-1-2-1-2 would give Yossi and Babel more chances in other positions. And it may serve the other players good to be positioned further from goal; such as creating from further (Aurelio) or covering our maurading wingback/s

Problem is it would be overly reliant on Masch and require backup, possible replacement destructor type, not sure if that is Lucas or if it his tactical requirements

 

[the count]

Personally I thought that Aqualini was a bit of the pace and got caught in possession a few times.
That will, I am sure, improve as he becomes more accustomed to the speed of the Premiership.

However, in the context of last nights game, it was, I think more appropriate that Lucas came on ahead of him as he is more used to the pace and play of the Premiership. Indeed, he didn't dissapoint as he put in a competent yet unnoteworthy display when he came on.