Hardly the match that we were promised after the result on saturday. The first half was a very dire performance, with no structure, no shape and seemed completely devoud of any ideas at all. The second half started much the same until the red card. Didnt have a good view of it, but knowing mifsud thought that it may have been harsh. after seeing the replay he was going to walk with any referee in the country, simply because of the way he "committed" himself, and i use that word in the alternative sense. I thought that the red card was a blessing in disguise really. Upto that point we were never going to get anything out of the match. After then it seemed to put a rocket up our arse and made us think about it. They seemed to be committed, and the work rate increased. All in all from that point alone we deserved a point.
Monty was subjected to some right sarcastic comments from around where I was sitting last night... my response: why pick on Monty?
When we were chasing the game and down to 10 men, he's the kind of player you need on... someone who'll get in amongst people and looking for scraps. I don't think he can play comfortably alongside Speed though (who just wasn't in the game yesterday) because they are too similar a style of player. I can only assume that Hendrie still isn't fully fit because yesterday would have been a perfect game for him.
Monty was my man of the match, he didnt have a particularly good first half, but then noone did. The whole team must have been subject to a severe bollocking at half time. And if not then they should have been. I had a couple of quite colourful "conversations" with people around me about the very subject you mention above. This was sparked by slurs of "you dont know what your doing blackwell" and "why the f**k has he taken cotts off for halford and left that wanker on the pitch". This made my blood boil literally. So i felt the need to then provide them with a lesson in footballing, by initially taking of their blades tinted specs. We needed halford on the pitch to control mifsud, monty did his best immediately after the sending off, but im sure he would agree he hasnt got pace in abundance. Cotterill although he had a good game and is great in getting forward (and can only improve) isnt so good at getting back. Monty chased the ball down and kept chasing and made some space, and allowed speed to move around a little. All in all he did what we needed him to do and for that i thank him. Anyone wants to disagree, i'll see you in the playground after school at 3:15, we can sort it out then
I think Beattie also deserves a mention in what must have been a bloody frustrating night for him. If he'd have been in a sky blue shirt, he'd have won all sorts of free kicks and he was tireless in jumping for the ball. One player in the early stages who was actually putting some effort in.
This im afraid i cant wholely agree with. In my opinion (again its my opinion, not yours, or your friends its
MINE so if you dont like it, see the above comment
) i think the majority of the frustration you mention was simply due to his apparent lack of any controling touch, being beaten in the air pretty much all the match, and simply his lack of presence. He was far from the player of last season, and in my opinion (again
MINE) isnt ready for the first team. I dont expect him to win every ball that punted up for him to flick on, especially when the two centre backs are as tall as they were, and hats off to him for keeping trying, but his timing, touch, control and passing were all over the place. I just dont hink he's ready.
All in all it wasnt a good match, from either the playing point of view, nor the officials point of view. The ref hadnt got a clue, and the linesman (sorry assisstant referee) on the near side couldnt keep up with play, hence so many offside calls not being given. Very very very infuriating that yet another mid week game is to be officiated by such a low class of official.
Just as a side point does anyone have a clue what happened to blackwell? Saw him on SSN with a black eye and what looked like stitches.
that is all for now.............................
