Noble's critics were quick to blame their bête noir for the defeat against Everton, conveniently forgetting that Everton's first equaliser resulted from a foul by Collins in exactly the same area of the pitch. There was no argument about the award when Collins rashly and needlessly tripped Barkley, but for some reason, Ginge has not come in for the same level of criticism, even though television replays appear to support my initial impression that Noble took the ball. Allardyce is certainly convinced that the referee erred.
Sadly, some of our fans seem to delight in a Noble error, to the point where you suspect that they are actually happy when he makes a mistake that costs us a game. Instead of lambasting the referee, these Noble haters rushed to their keyboards after the game to slam the midfielder, completely ignoring the fact that he made two identical challenges earlier in the game, which the referee deemed fair, waving play on despite Everton protests - and in each case he broke up dangerous Everton attacks.
Now I accept that any challenge from behind runs the risk of conceding a free kick, and that it also carries with it the risk of a caution, so on that basis Noble was unwise to dive in, but what was he meant to do, let Barkley run unchallenged into the box with Everton players up in support? By this stage of the game, we were chasing shadows, the players exhausted by the pressing tactics employed from the first minute. Noble's challenge was, quite simply, a challenge born of desperation.
But Noble's critics don't care about context. They will not remember the earlier challenges nor the completed passes, all they will recall is that dreadful free kick straight through to Howard and the red carded "foul". It is a disgraceful way to treat a product of the Academy and if these so called fans are not careful, they will drive him out, just as Lampard would have been hounded out had not his father and uncle defended him against all the unfounded and spiteful criticism of a vindictive boo boy section in our fan base.
I am on Maiga's case at the moment, but I would love him to prove me wrong, because I care more about the club than about my own ego. I am genuinely wondering if that is true of those who delight in their Noble vendetta.
at least the new guy, Petric, looked good.... better than Maiga, although again, what service did he get?
ReplyDeleteNoble, silly challenge, but he was blowing hard for most of the second half.....
Personally, I'm a great supported of Noble but it has always been an irritation to me how he tends to give away free kicks just outside the penalty box. Better than inside, of course, but has still resulted in unnecessary loss of points.
ReplyDeleteBoth fouls came because Noble failed to track Ross Barkley. He gave him the freedom of The Boleyn all afternoon. If Noble cannot learn to do his job and sit as a holding player then drop him
ReplyDeleteVendetta? Don't be ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteIf you can't criticise when a player who is already on a yellow makes a challenge like that, in that area of the pitch, a few minutes after a free kick like THAT from Baines, what can you possibly ever criticise?
I'm a big fan of Noble. He's a great passer and very industrious. Frequently, he's a great tackler. I feel sorry for him cos he has to make up for the absence that is Nolan. I'd love to see how he might be freed up if someone decent actually played instead of Cap'n Kev.
ReplyDeleteBut as for yesterday, have to disagree with you, HF. The tackle was awful, especially as a) he was on a booking b) Baines had already scored one and c) Collins was covering. Hey ho though - we all make mistakes. He'd still be one of the first names on the teamsheet for me.
No he was not,I don't like so called supporters who boo their own players,I would like more like Noble,a local player who is truly loyal,and would run through brick walls for us,rather than some of these mercenaries,who would leave at the drop of a hat for more money.Get behind the team instead of picking on players.
ReplyDeleteHF, don't you love how all the people who say all he can do is pass or pass backwards and sideways seem to forget that even if thats all he can do, at least thats more then the rest of our team can say for themselves as Noble seems to be the only one in our team who consistently finds someone in claret and blue with his passing.
ReplyDeleteHey Fred how's Barney? U still live in the stone age then!? Give my regards to Wilma and betty!
DeleteUr a two faced plank and you have shown it time and time again when it suits you! Slat maiga all the time and bum noble then change ur mind on maiga! U should b a manager! U have learnt ur football from the same school as Warnock! Publicly slate one of your player then praise one all the time like they can't do a thing wrong! ( like Byram and Brown!)
ReplyDelete"...television replays appear to support my initial impression that Noble took the ball..."
ReplyDeleteWhat replays have you been looking at? Noble missed the ball, as Barkley knocked it further on, and Noble then took the legs of Barkley quite clearly... If you upend someone like that nowadays, you're on a caution. And if you already have a yellow against your name, you're heading down the tunnel. Yes, Noble's tackle changed the game, and the second yellow was deserved.
Noland seems to slow more with each game and their lies the problem, Noble is trying to do the job of two men.
ReplyDeletePDC lost his job, not that I'd expect you to know as the Sun isn't out until tomorrow morning. More material to get your rocks off to.
ReplyDeleteHe will have a "blog" (if you can call it that) out before 10am! Now that is something u can bet on!
Deletenoble is a n average player these days and you cant challenge from behind like that when yr on a yellow that's madness but when no everton defender is even bothering to mark maiga because not only is his confidence shot even if it wasent he is simply not up to the stsndard drop him and give lee a go at least hed move about instead of being stationary all game
ReplyDeleteI'm getting sick of the Noble bashers...that was an unfortunate red, but yes a tackle out of desperation...people just completely forget about his important runs and passes...I have no idea why people don't see much in him.
ReplyDeleteNoble has collected three red and 37 yellow cards in 161 Premier League games for the Hammers.
ReplyDeleteWe all know that he is slooooow and cannot tackle and we all know how many free kicks he has given away near our area. Noble is useless.
No , not a vendetta , the truth . He cost us the game .At least he is banned and out of the team !! The comments are mostly correct . He was panting for breath in second half ... unfit ??? failed to track Ross Barkley which resulted in 2 goals . He is a plodder ... nothing more . Give Ravel his head .. he is as good as Barkley .
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha No he isn't! If he is lucky he could mayby be allowed to clean Barkley's boots! Ha ha ha ha quality!
Delete"Sadly, some of our fans seem to delight in a Noble error" bit rich coming from someone who delights in our teams errors! #sickpuppy
ReplyDelete