I can't write about the game, I didn't see enough of it. Obinna scored a lucky goal and a brilliant one too - our goal of the season so far! And Keane is off the mark with a fox in the box style goal. The Blackpool goal was a comic affair and Green had a "moment" in the second half, air kicking a backpass. But all in all, it seems as if we won the game pretty comfortably.
We are only 3 points behind Everton. There's a thought! With Piquionne, Keane, Ba and Cole, we have the strikers to stay up. Da Costa is on his way back and with Gabbidon limping off, we may need him. From what I saw though, Tomkins looked bloody good again tonight!
Dare we hope?
I saw most of the game via an internet stream and we played with a confidence I have not seen in a very long time. Yes, HF, Tompkins was very good. Obinna should have scored one very early on. Keane was terrific.
ReplyDeleteWe played with belief and spirit, as if we now EXPECT to survive. And I have to give credit where credit is due because I would have expected Cole up front with Keane in a straight 4-4-2. So whoever chose the lineup and formation gets a pat on the back.
I think we will beat Brum at the weekend.
COYI!!
The pressure is starting to build for PARDEW already.Whats the betting he will be gone before next season? BLACKPOOL are in a false position they will be relegation candidates before long .With our strike force we will climb well clear I'm sure of that.
ReplyDeleteGreat first half, with players that can put the ball in the back of the net we look like a very dangerous attacking unit. Still worries in the defensive half and again another second half where we allowed the opposition to dominate possession but overall a very important win. Must show the same resolve and come out firing against Birmingham.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, it was a fully deserved win. But in the last ten minutes we sat pretty deep in our own half again with Piquionne as a lone stiker up front. Had the luck to find a decent stream for the first 60 minutes and found another viewable for the last 15 minutes. The upcoming match on sunday is going to be a very important or rather a must win game for us - I'm glad I've already booked a flight to head the Boleyn. COYI!
ReplyDeleteNoticed that same old midfield weakness HF. Once again Parker tackling too late from behind and giving away a free kick just outside centre of penalty area.As usual the free kick led to a goal. The kick went out for a dubious corner which Adams scored from.When will Parker learn?If he was ever going to learn he would have learnt by now. Do his other talents outweigh this defect in his play. Just about I think.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I said exactly the same thing when he gave away the free kick, before Blackpool scored from the resultant corner. Why can't he understand that you CANNOT tackle from behind? Once again, the foul was unnecessary and resulted in a much better scoring opportunity than existed in open play.
ReplyDeleteParker doesn't do it in the penalty box so why does he have these rushes of blood elsewhere on the pitch? Grant should put together a collection of these stupid challenges and get Parker to explain what exactly he was thinking of at the time. Show him how stupid it is, confront him with the evidence, and ORDER him to stop it!
I think Green had a moment with their goal too. Went right under his armpit. He was doing well lately too.
ReplyDeleteGoing forward we looked as if the shackles had come off. This is one of the benefits of bringing in Keane. All of a sudden everyone wants to play with him, they want to make that run or that pass. Before, there was no trust and no faith in each others ability. Piqu and Obinna were playing with a smile on their face just because of him.
The defensive side however still looks like it needs improving. Bridge is fine, and finely brings quality to set pieces with his left foot. Jacobsen is fine too. Gabbidon didnt make a mistake the few minutes he was on and Tomkins just gets better and better. The defensive concern is the space just in front of our back four. For this I blame the midfielders. One of Parker or Noble need to take care of this space because this is the space the bigger teams take advantage of either by their strikers dropping into it, or their attacking midfielders running forward into it.
Kovac did this job very well not so long ago, and I think you mentioned this too HF. We need someone to do it again if he is not getting in the team. Yes it's not flash and you probably wont get any credit for it, but it's vital.
I agree Stani, which is why I would have sold Parker, given creative responsibility to Noble and brought in a proper midfield anchor man. Kovac can't tackle on his left leg so he is too easy to bypass. Parker can do the job, of course, but he seems incapable of maintaining positional discipline. Maybe Hitz is the man if he ever recovers.
ReplyDeleteand like my dreams they fade and die lets hope sunday sees an end to the most apt football song always being correct
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