Thoughts on the Game

[KrustyTheKray]

I too thought we were very poor today.

The midfield went missing for alot of the first half today, and we gave them so much time on the ball.

Lennon was quality all game.

I thought at 2-1 we could get a draw, but alas it wasn't to be.

Bradbury for my money is just too slow and not upto it.

It just seemed like today no one wanted to have a go and take a chance on shooting, we kept playing balls out wide etc, rather than running at them.

I got parked up really easy near the ground, 10 minute walk if that. traffic was busy at the end, but you can expect that leaving a premiership ground.

Not the end of the world is it, just hope we get three points tuesday night and on saturday.

God i hope Tilly brings in at least 3 players very soon, just to change things around and give us something new and different.

UP THE BLUES!

 

[Tilly hates yellow boots]

I was in the lower right near the away fans, block 35, and thought the banter was funny, but got rather offensive and personal, but after all that's football.
But thought that made it for a good atmosphere, i don't think we got completly out sung,

However very dissapointed no one got going a ronnie martin chant as the man deserves it !

The game was good entertainment, and if it wasn't for a hell of alot of last ditch tackles then it could have been alot more.

In the end it could have ended up 3-2 if Hooper managed to put away that sitter but that would have flattered us massively.

Anyways onwards and upwards to Birmingham we go !!!

BLUE ARMY

 

[Jam_Man]

To be honest we created as much today as we did last time, the biggest difference is Spurs took their chances this game.

Maher and Hooper's chances both should have led to goals, we didnt really have a shot in the first game, although looked a bit better defensively in the league cup.

Thought JCR did ok, as did McCormack and Maher. Barrett and Clarke couldnt seem to handle the balls being played through by Spurs and everytime that guy ran at them they both backpeddled 30 yards and look petrified of him.

Bradbury played as poorly as Ive seen him, he normally wins everything and holds onto the ball but didnt managed to do that at all today, probably due to the calibre of the defenders he was playing against.

Not disappointed though, its a cup game away to a decent premiership side, was actually surprised at how frustrated and angry some of our crowd got. Think expectations were running a little high...

 

[Jam_Man]

Yes, but against a mid table Championshiop side we'd maybe get a 0-0 with a performance like that, or an "unlucky" 1-0 loss, and we'd all take heart with another "battling" performance. It's a lacky of quality that's cost us this season and as much as I love the guy, Tilly saying "we gave it our all" again today does annoy me. Battling alone will not keep us up.

We know what a tough job it is to bring quality players to our club but I hope somehow Tilly and Brush manage it before end of January. Without a couple of very shrewd singnings I really fear the worst.

This is total knee jerk reaction to todays game.

Why are you judging the team's league situation based on a performance in the cup against premiership opposition !?

Do you not think that the way we performed was in relation to how good spurs were ? If that was a mid table championship club they wouldnt have defended as well or used the ball as well as they did and we would have done better.

Its like racing a bike against a ferrari and then complaining you couldnt win the tour de france because the ferrari beat you...

In the league we are in decent form only losing two games recently to the best two teams in the league. We will most likely lose away to Birmingham after that lets judge the team on how we do against the teams at the same level as us....

 

[Cliff Pavilion]

This is total knee jerk reaction to todays game.

Why are you judging the team's league situation based on a performance in the cup against premiership opposition !?

Do you not think that the way we performed was in relation to how good spurs were ? If that was a mid table championship club they wouldnt have defended as well or used the ball as well as they did and we would have done better.

Its like racing a bike against a ferrari and then complaining you couldnt win the tour de france because the ferrari beat you...

In the league we are in decent form only losing two games recently to the best two teams in the league. We will most likely lose away to Birmingham after that lets judge the team on how we do against the teams at the same level as us....

I am judging the team on their latest performance. What worries me (and I suppose is evident so much more against better opposition) is our real lack of quality. Particularly in attack. There were several times we got the ball in good attacking and counter attacking positions yesterday no one knew what to do with it. We lack pace and quality going forward - regardless of the opposition.

In terms of judging the team on how we do against teams at the same level as us, that's easy for everyone to do, look at the league table.

I'm never going to give up the belief we can get ourselves out of this hole until it happens. It's just getting harder and harder to believe we can do it with this group of players.

UTB

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

We were simply outclassed against Spurs - as Tilly said on MoTD - the best team won - no complaints. I think some of the results today amplified the gulf in class between Championship and Premiership caused by the inequity in TV money.

Stoke conceded 3 without reply at Fulham, Birmingham conceded 3 at home to Reading and would have had the same final score as us if it were not for a free-kick in the 6th minute of injury time, Luton conceded 4 without reply at home to Blackburn.

The reality is unless a prem. team puts out a weakened side or has a real off day (e.g. Newcastle at Birmingham, Man Utd at Roots Hall) - we just can't compete.

In the context of the above results, 3-1 by the team bottom of the championship against a team with one of the best home records in the Premiership is not too bad so let's not be too down-heartened.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

I also watched the whole game line online (thanks to all those who gave advice on how to do it) and I have to say that we were totally outclassed (as we should have been). JCR should be handed the video of the game by the coaching staff, edited specifically to focus on Aaron Lennon's performance, and be told "that's what YOU should be doing"! Bradbury looked totally uninterested in the whole occasion, allowing loose balls to float past him just a few yards away, whilst Eastwood tried hard had to contend with three men closing in on him at every occasion. Maher frustrated me; almost every time he'd lay the ball off to someone like Clarke or Barrett, rather than turn and find some space for a return ball, he'd stay in the same position (flanked by opposition forwards), giving his colleague no option but to hoof the ball up the field and, ultimately, lose possession. Come on, Kev! I know you can do better than that!

 

[Jam_Man]

I am judging the team on their latest performance. What worries me (and I suppose is evident so much more against better opposition) is our real lack of quality. Particularly in attack. There were several times we got the ball in good attacking and counter attacking positions yesterday no one knew what to do with it. We lack pace and quality going forward - regardless of the opposition.

In terms of judging the team on how we do against teams at the same level as us, that's easy for everyone to do, look at the league table.

I'm never going to give up the belief we can get ourselves out of this hole until it happens. It's just getting harder and harder to believe we can do it with this group of players.

UTB

Why judge us as a team on our last performance when its against a team expected to finish in the top 8 of the premiership full of internationals!?!?

That doesnt make any sense.

Judge us against teams at our level.

You say its easy to do that look at the table, I suggest you look at the form table, have you forgotten that in the last 10 games against Championship sides we have won 4, drawn 4 and only lost twice against the top 2 !?

Why are people all getting "Wiggy" because we lost to a premiership side !?!?

 

[Cliff Pavilion]

Why judge us as a team on our last performance when its against a team expected to finish in the top 8 of the premiership full of internationals!?!?

That doesnt make any sense.

Judge us against teams at our level.

You say its easy to do that look at the table, I suggest you look at the form table, have you forgotten that in the last 10 games against Championship sides we have won 4, drawn 4 and only lost twice against the top 2 !?

Why are people all getting "Wiggy" because we lost to a premiership side !?!?

Listen, I don't want to get drawn in to some petty slanging match. If you read my posts you'll see they are considered, thoughtful and not knee-jerk. Spurs and Lennon in particular were awesome. On that form they'd beat most Premiership teams.

However, what yesterday really exposed for me was our enourmous lack of creativity, quality and confidence in attack. This is true regardless of the opposition. I'm delighted in our upturn of form of late, it's heartening, but I cannot be convinced we've got enough about us to continue scoring goals and keep us in the division.

This opinion (which I really hope is wrong :) ) is not based on yesterday's game, but watching a lot of the team throughout the season.

 

[* ORM *]

JCR should be handed the video of the game by the coaching staff, edited specifically to focus on Aaron Lennon's performance, and be told "that's what YOU should be doing"!

But if he did that he wouldn't be playing for us.

The future's bright for England with players like Lennon, Jenas and Rooney around.

I thought it was men against boys yesterday and the biggest difference caused by not having the experienced Spinner and/or Sodje playing. Coming on for Spinner in the League Cup game kickstarted a great run of form from Clarke and he and AB have done enough in recent weeks to keep their spaces.

It's when you look at substitutions that the difference really shows. OK then Mr Defoe, on you go then for some of your usual magic. Somewhat different to on you go Duracell, would be nice if you could control at least one pass with a first touch today. :p

Still, it was a cup game, we have money in the bank and it has no bearing whatsover on whether we'll stay up or not.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

ORM in praising Barrett shocker!!!!!

ps Who is Durcell?

 

[Bielzibubz]

I think he meant Duracell. ie JCR, keeps going and going and going. Either that or he runs like a rabbit, one of the two :D

 

[* ORM *]

Duracell - Harrold - the copper coloured top - pay attention :D

 

[Bielzibubz]

I think he meant Duracell. ie JCR, keeps going and going and going. Either that or he runs like a rabbit, one of the two :D

Duracell - Harrold - the copper coloured top - pay attention :D

Well i think it works for both so :finger::p:D