Today vs. PNE

[Houso]

Few random observations and thoughts...

Bunn - nice and solid. Looked as safe as he ever has and the errors weren't present today.

Defence - very good. PNE didn't have much of sniff. Stewart was possibly the weakest link, but even he had a good match overall.

Midfield - they typified our overall performance. First half they were excellent and moved it around very well. Second half they struggled for the most part. I struggle to see what Cresswell offers us on the left - it's back to Fake Beattie and his efforts in that role.

Attack - as above really. Blackwell made the point that Camara makes us pass the ball better... and while I think that should be the manager's job ultimately, I think Henri offered a lot today with excellent movement and deft touches here and there.

PNE - quite awful and Tonge didn't really touch it much, this, in contrast to reports of him on loan.

Kettle - Very very poor.

Replacement ref - Very very very very poor. We got some luck with the goal from what I could see, but how Parkin stayed on the pitch I'll never know.

Overall, kind of like a one night stand. We got the win and though it looked good at first, it looked worse and worse as time went by.

Here's to more improvement in 2010.

UTB.

 

[Houso]

Oh, and I forgot one big point.

Del Geary you little legend. MotM by a country mile.

 

[ciento%hoja]

well done del boy....

how did evans play ?

 

[Houso]

well done del boy....

how did evans play ?

I'm a Evans apologist so maybe not the best person to ask.

I thought he did okay overall and was good in the first. Seemed to have a good understanding with Camera for the first 45, but didn't have much of a chance to score.

 

[Santos]

Few random observations and thoughts...

Bunn - nice and solid. Looked as safe as he ever has and the errors weren't present today.

Defence - very good. PNE didn't have much of sniff. Stewart was possibly the weakest link, but even he had a good match overall.

Midfield - they typified our overall performance. First half they were excellent and moved it around very well. Second half they struggled for the most part. I struggle to see what Cresswell offers us on the left - it's back to Fake Beattie and his efforts in that role.

Attack - as above really. Blackwell made the point that Camara makes us pass the ball better... and while I think that should be the manager's job ultimately, I think Henri offered a lot today with excellent movement and deft touches here and there.

PNE - quite awful and Tonge didn't really touch it much, this, in contrast to reports of him on loan.

Kettle - Very very poor.

Replacement ref - Very very very very poor. We got some luck with the goal from what I could see, but how Parkin stayed on the pitch I'll never know.

Overall, kind of like a one night stand. We got the win and though it looked good at first, it looked worse and worse as time went by.

Here's to more improvement in 2010.

UTB.

Fair post.

Bunn 7 - Good performance from him.
Stewart ? - I've seen him play a few times now and i can't work out if he's shit or good.
Morgan 7 - Standard
Killa 7 - If he is going then fair play to him for the way he's conducted himself during the 90 minutes.
Geary 7 - Don't take this rating the wrong way, it is testament to how well he just slotted back into the swing of things seemlessly (sp). A real success story to get him back bombing up and down and putting his body on the line. Fantastic interview with him on the radio, well done derek.
Cresswell 5 - This is harsh on Cresswell but he isn't a LM, but if he continues to play there he'll be crap, he's a CF.
Monty 6 - Typical Monty display, always looking for the ball.
Quinny 5 - Poor display for me.
Ward 7 - Our only real player of excitement for the 90 minutes.
Camara 6 - Proven quality but as Blackwell said, he's going to struggle to play every week.
Evans - 6 - Showed flashes of brilliance but goes missing a little at times.

Overall a bloody cold and in parts dull game but judging by how the results have gone this is a very important three points and on the balance of play we deserved to win, although it is quite conceivable that had we not had that free kick and we were still playing now it'll still be 0-0.

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

Absolute cack game, between two average/ bad sides (today that is).
Could'nt wait for the final whistle. Us winning was the only silver lining on a very poor display. players passing to "mr nobody" or to the opposition etc etc.
Cack, absolute cack. 25,000 to watch that rubbish, they don't deserve the following on that display.

 

[beechblade]

Absolute cack game, between two average/ bad sides (today that is).
Could'nt wait for the final whistle. Us winning was the only silver lining on a very poor display. players passing to "mr nobody" or to the opposition etc etc.
Cack, absolute cack. 25,000 to watch that rubbish, they don't deserve the following on that display.

I have to slightly disagree first half I was enjoying the game apart from the fact that I felt we were trying too hard at times i thought we should have been at least a goal to the good.

The thing I really didn't enjoy was the atmosphere, it was utter shite today in the ground from both sets of fans in the first half. Second only slightly better.

After watching first half I thought we'd really come at it second half but PNE did there job of pretty much spoiling everything and as Houso said as we got more worn out the worst we got. Not an overly impressive display but we got the 3 pts in the end.

 

[jodman]

I thought we played well for the first 25 minutes or so but after that the game was of very poor quality and neither side looked capable of getting a goal.

We never looked like conceeding, i'm not sure how much of that was down to how well the deffence played and how much was because of how little PNE offered going forward.

Overall, three important points but the performances continue to disappoint.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Absolute cack game, between two average/ bad sides (today that is).
Could'nt wait for the final whistle. Us winning was the only silver lining on a very poor display. players passing to "mr nobody" or to the opposition etc etc.
Cack, absolute cack. 25,000 to watch that rubbish, they don't deserve the following on that display.

I thought we dominated in the 1st half & played quite well apart from the final ball. The 2nd half was dire & more even. We deserved the win (6 attempts on target to their 1, 8 corners to 2) without being great. PNE were very poor & Tongey did very little.

 

[DazBlade88]

It was a poor game between two shit teams that ended with a lucky goal really. Although it's nice to see us actually deliver a ball like that, we never seem to try and do it.

I'm just fed up of going to watch United, and being sat bored wondering what to do later tonight.

 

[Micalijo]

Decent result obviously but second half was dire. If and when we beat a decent side then hope might return to me but there is absolutely nowt to get excited about watching that tripe.

I cannot believe that free kick in first half when Evans ended up trying to dribble through their wall. What is going on with these fake collision efforts?

 

[Oreyt]

Fair post.

Stewart ? - I've seen him play a few times now and i can't work out if he's shit or good.

Thought he was terrible at Leicester.

Seemed a lot better today. Still cocked up a few times but you could say that about any of our lot.

I know he was only on for a bit but what did everyone think of Little? Think he deserves more of a chance.

 

[beechblade]

I cannot believe that free kick in first half when Evans ended up trying to dribble through their wall. What is going on with these fake collision efforts?

I don't mind it every few games but evry game with it becomes annoying to watch.

 

[beechblade]

Thought he was terrible at Leicester.

Seemed a lot better today. Still cocked up a few times but you could say that about any of our lot.

I know he was only on for a bit but what did everyone think of Little? Think he deserves more of a chance.

looks calm and relaxed and at times like that were we could quickly fall apart by mistakes I think he's one of those players you need on the pitch. I'd like to see more of him and see smething of Reid too. But on the latter I don't think we will.

 

[Foxy]

I thought we'd played fairly well in the first half and had made more than enough chances to be out of sight.

The second half we allowed them to come back into it a bit, with spells when we were nothing other than poor.

Overall though, thought we were definately the better side and there were a few encouraging signs.

As bad as most think we've been this season, and for all the doom and gloom we are all in, we are currently 2 points off 4th place.

A second half to the season similar to the previous ones under Blackwell and it could be an very interesting one still.

He's got a lot of work to do over the next few days/weeks though, with a load of players becoming unavailable due to loans being up etc.

 

[DazBlade88]

As bad as most think we've been this season, and for all the doom and gloom we are all in, we are currently 2 points off 4th place.

It's an embarrassing statistic for the league isn't it? There are so many poor sides in this league, the play-offs are just going to be the best of a bad bunch. I genuinely fear for anybody who gets promoted in the play-offs this season.

 

[beechblade]

It's an embarrassing statistic for the league isn't it? There are so many poor sides in this league, the play-offs are just going to be the best of a bad bunch. I genuinely fear for anybody who gets promoted in the play-offs this season.

It is I agree Daz with all said and done it makes me even more gutted that we we're under prepared for injuries this season, though we did have freak ones I know, but in all fairness being that bit more prepared I think we would have been well up in the mix of things. But football seems to throw many unexpected things at us that is why we get drawn back to it i suppose.

Hopefully if we have a another good second half of the season then we could well turn this season round well and truly but maybe am just always dreaming of the better things for our beloved Red and White.

 

[WorkingtonBlade]

Like most others, I thought first half we played some decent stuff, without quite producing the finished product - but it was promising.

Second half we looked like a team which had played less than 48 hours ago, playing against a team which hadn't played for 9 days. Which is what we were. When an opposing team closes the game down like that, you need either the imagination to break them down with breath-taking attacking play (we didn't have that) or the legs to harass them into making a mistake (we didn't have that either - perhaps understandably).

In the event then, we were lucky to grab a goal out of nothing in the second half having applied no pressure at all - but perhaps unlucky not to be leading at half time.

Overall, I think it's difficult to criticise Blackwell for what he's achieved in the circumstances of having to cut the wage bill at the end of the parachute payments - often a time at which clubs in our position flirt with relegation. However, my lack of enthusiasm at present stems, I think, from the number of loan players. It all has a very temporary feel. It's impossible to feel as if we're building anything. If Blackwell's using these loans to keep things going through a period of transition, fair enough. But I do hope there's a longer term plan.

 

[ciento%hoja]

workingtonblade, great point about the loanees, its something i often look at and dont understand.... great point mate

 

[tomtheblade]

Thoughts-

Pretty dull, scrappy game, my enjoyment of which was saved by the goal.

To be honest, up until that point i thought the match had 0-0 written all over it. We played well in patches, towards the end of the 1st half and at the start of the 2nd, we also played dire in patches as well where we just couldn't find a man with a pass.

Luckily, as bad as we were, preston were always worse. They never threatened and looked bereft of ideas, skill, quality, you name it.

Camara and Ward looked dangerous but our midfield plodded along, though our defence was solid. Stewart did a good jobat LB.

Cresswell and Evans were both poor, whilst Camara showed he has skill but lacked the finish.

Good to see Williamson back sooner than expected, i think with him, Harper and Walker back soon hopefully we will look an altogether much better side with more quality about us.

 

[S64 Blade]

To be honest, up until that point i thought the match had 0-0 written all over it.

Me too. So many chances didn't go our way, I thought it was going to be 'one of those days'.

A decent performance overall though. I thought Camara played well. It's still frustrating how cheaply we give the ball away though.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

I thought the game was pretty poor, only made slightly more enjoyable by being seated in front of Statler and Waldorf in the Westfield Stand. These guys were total muppets (pun intended) but some of there little quips were amusing even if they were calling for Davies to be brought on. (I think they were meaning Taylor).

Camara played ok in the first half but again we were going far too long.

Cresswell again was poor never winning anything in the air (which is supposed to one of his strengths), and if the manager does sign him in January I think I may finally slide into the Blackie out camp.

One thing I would like explained is why when their centre halves can quite happily deal with the long ball, and our two strikers (Ched, Camara) obviously look more comfortable with the ball on the floor do we insist of keep going long?

I also thought we looking instantly better when Williamson came onto the pitch.

Here's hoping for an injury free new year for us and seeing more of Harper and Williamson playing together in the middle of the park.

 

[tomtheblade]

Here's hoping for an injury free new year for us and seeing more of Harper and Williamson playing together in the middle of the park.

Hear hear.

 

[Bladesman]

Nothing special and certainly wasnt a performance that made me think "Mmmm we could get promoted".

If we had finished them off in the first 25 mins when we should of then I might of thought differently but I guess overall we were the better team but not by alot in the end.

 

[raul]

Our free-kick "routines". Is one ever going to work?

 

[shorehamview]

Our free-kick "routines". Is one ever going to work?

The one Wardy scored seemed to. That is a goal isn't it, when it's in the back of the net? I though the bit where Morgan flattened their keeper worked wonderfully.

I know what you mean though. One comedy free kick every season is about enough to fool the opponents, but seventeen a match? Not even professional footballers are thick enough to fall for it every time. Still, better than the old "Let Ched blast it at the feet of the blokes in the wall" routine. Not much, but a bit.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Yesterdays game summed up the season, good in parts, crap in parts and generally very mediocre.
Good Points: Geary MotM which considering he has been out for 18 months sets the standard, Bunn -confident display, Camara -excellent first half ability wise streets in front of other players at the club, Ward - never stopped running, always a threat, Killa -we'll miss him
Bad Points: Stewart, Quinny (did you see him showing off like a kid when taken off), Cresswell just as bad at LM as CF and Monty was very poor yesterday giving the ball away and his passing worse than usual if thats possible.
Ched Evans - I just don't have a clue whether he is any good or not - the guy just doesn't do it for me
Blackwell - will get the results to keep him in a job but his interview on Radio after saying we should have been six up at half time The mans a clown!

 

[S64 Blade]

I know what you mean though. One comedy free kick every season is about enough to fool the opponents, but seventeen a match? Not even professional footballers are thick enough to fall for it every time. Still, better than the old "Let Ched blast it at the feet of the blokes in the wall" routine. Not much, but a bit.

I agree. Also, it's more frustrating, in that the routine the players do isn't even that quick as to fool the opposition.

 

[Guesty]

Obviously I'm as happy as Larry, but that was a dreadful game! At one bit in the second half their number 7 cut in and ballooned his shot horribly, and even I groaned because the match had deteriorated to such a state.

Parkin obviously makes it his business to try and kill whichever Right Backs we have playing, Halford in the play-offs and Geary today. I would have been very frustrated had his replacement scored, because Parkin shouldn't have been subbed off he should have been sent off!

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

The one Wardy scored seemed to. That is a goal isn't it, when it's in the back of the net? I though the bit where Morgan flattened their keeper worked wonderfully.

I know what you mean though. One comedy free kick every season is about enough to fool the opponents, but seventeen a match? Not even professional footballers are thick enough to fall for it every time. Still, better than the old "Let Ched blast it at the feet of the blokes in the wall" routine. Not much, but a bit.

My problem with the comedy free kick is that all it seems to do is get the defenders closer to the kick taker. We run up as if to hit it, they go to close it down. We don't then shift it wide while they are out of shape but still try to hit it the problem now being that the wall is 5 yards away.