Hudd wouldn't be here but for the timing of Sandro's injury, I think one of Tommy's feet was already out the door, before the decision was quickly cancelled. I agree, we need to see him in the side to see if he and MD (previously, an unlikely pairing that would have drawn criticism...probably from me! ) can start controlling games, his influence in his recent stints have gone against my previous opinion. Nothing much to add to most of the appraisals here, awful for the first hour?, not quite, we were sharp from the whistle having the better of the opening exchanges I thought, but for City's first effort to end up in our net had all the hallmarks of a typical game for us against a top side, and knocked that early promise right out of us...the next hour was the awful one. The lack of movement/awareness upfront from Ade (I can't defend this guy anymore...I could defend against him, even at my age!), coupled with Parkers dithering allowing opponents time to reset, and zero creativity, are key things AVB has to get rid of, its just so counterproductive to the style being implemented. Other reasons contributed I know, no width an all that, but the other two factors are getting overlooked. Defoe, although not the complete lone striker, has adjusted his game as best he can imo, lets not forget the start of the season, and of the two is the far better option, and I hope he's capable of the majority of the minutes in the games we have left.
Huddlestone brilliant making my doubts look silly. Defoe brilliant goal setting him up nicely for the run in. The team fought and fought even in the first half when they were outplayed. The sight of Dembele running at defences is something I'd like to see more often, his runs yesterday put fear into the City defence. AVB the game changer and a very positive sign for our future. I will not critisise because it should be remembered who we were playing and the quality they possess which can make any team look silly. The surprise is how badly they have performed in Europe. Great day for Spurs.
I'll leave my opinion on Ade at the door as I think we've all been over it before but I'll just say that those that had faith in him were not trying to avoid being proven wrong by Arsenal fans. You really thought Dempsey was bad, first half? I'm surprised, I thought he looked a different player, confident on the ball, playing through and incisive pass for Walker in behind the defence, the only blemish was that his header from the corner was poor. I think you're generous to Sigurdsson though, his touch was awful, he never looked to stay wide and nothing really went right for him. He had a bad day at the office. It wasn't the goal that Benny was in the back of the net for and I don't think he had a bad game, he won the ball on a number of occasions and got forward well. Not his best game but I think Hansen's just continued his dislike of Benny pin pointing one daft moment.
Yep, Other than the first 5 mins or so, I thought we were very poor all over in the first half. I was so bored, I almost stopped watching it, which is not like me at all, YV. I'm not highlighting dempsey as a sole perpetrator in the first half, the entire team (other than Vertonghen) looked completely clueless. I only mentioned Dempsey as a few had said how they thought he was really good. - Which, like you feel about my view of Siggy, was a bit generous. - However, second half he did really well, IMO. As for Ade, YV, there was a period where we had to give him the benefit of the doubt. - no preseason, injuries, Acon's etc, but he's been defended for far too long since then, which is why I've felt that it's more like our own fans trying to not admit that the goons were right.
If Defoe hits a streak and stays fit now we have a good chance of top4. We looked fairly decent beginning of season and were picking up points when Defoe was on form and before Bale came alive. Hopefully that can happen again, but with Bale on form. Beat the 4 "easier" (not easy, easier) than Chelsea teams and we've got it i reckon.
Benny was guarding the near post from a corner, the ball went deep and Tevez could only direct a weak header at goal which was saved, Benny merely covered the goal-line as there were enough defenders marking...yeah Hansens a dick for making something out of nothing there.
Not sure it's a case of defending him, just disagreeing with people's reasoning. In my opinion he's playing badly, no excuses, he should have no complaints about being dropped now Defoe is back but that doesn't mean to say that he's purposely playing badly or that he's lazy. He did look slow and lazy at the very start of the season which was understandably attributed to the lack of a proper preseason by many of us but was Ade really guilty of not trying recently? What I've seen is him busting a gut running around closing down the defence and 'keeper, with little help, so I think it's unfair that he's accused of such and is done because it's convenient to. I'd liken his situation to Torres's at Chelsea, he's making a lot of bad decisions and as such isn't getting many chances and the ones he is getting are wasted so whilst he also tries to add other parts to his game to compensate he's actually exacerbating the problem. I think we better get used to him because I can't see many clubs with the funds to sign him actually wanting him and the deal with City paying come of his wages still could also complicate things.
Talk of corners reminds me...remember the goal we conceded against Everton ? The same mistake was made twice yesterday, allowing an opponent to spin away from the far post only to see him then free to put in a shot on target. it was only alert goalkeeping from Lloris which saved us. I didn't watch MOTD so don't know what Hansen said, but if he was critical of our overall defending of corners, then he has a point imo.
I've seen this too, and I'm going to suggest too many times. He did it yesterday, sprinting after it from one side of the pitch to other as City's defence and Hart all passed it on...well I'm not going to pat him on the back for that, what a ****in waste of energy! There are times when its necessary, when the keeper is worth rushing his clearance, but it doesn't happen in every game, Ade just seems to do it unecessarily. What happens all too often then, is that while he then needs a quick breather, a chance might develop and he's too slow of mind and body at that moment to capitalise. Neville pointed something else out in commentary, and he may well do so again in his MNF programme tonight, that Ade 'hides' behind defenders. I've started to notice he does this after one of these headless keeper pressing episodes, stays close to a defender to make it difficult to be picked out by a pass. I cannot understand whats happened to him in 12mths, apart from maybe him, Bale, VdV and Modric, just being one those groups that clicks without trying, its all I can come up with.
He was actually far more critical of City's defending, O.S. especially Kompany, who he highlighted as being majorly responsible for both Dempsey & Defoe's goals.
Adebayor deserves some criticism for his performances, but he was totally isolated and unsupported yesterday. The substitutions gave Defoe some allies to play off and a lot of creativity in behind him, where there'd previously been none of either. He took his chance brilliantly and looked very sharp for someone that's been out for a while, but I'd lay the blame for our poor first half performance at the manager's door. The turnaround was down to him, but so was our need for one. I'd say that our best first half performances came from Walker, who was playing our whole right side on his own, and Lloris. The former rarely got caught out at the back and was our best attacking option, too. Should've done better with his chance, but he's a defender, so I'll let him off. Did well to be there. Lloris kept us in it and his distribution was pretty good, too.
I thought Kompany was asleep for all our goals, not just Dempsey's and Defoe's. I like Kompany, he's one of the few City players who seems a decent bloke plus he's an outstanding footballer. But he was away with the fairies yesterday.
Not sure about the Walker praise, he was pretty culpable for Nasri's goal. He was marking Nasri relatively tightly then inexplicably retreated to the goal line just as the cross was coming in, leaving Nasri totally unmarked.
Hello mate, yes I do recall, it was Sig who inexplicably vacated the back stick, Benny then inexplicably went from the near post to cover the far, and the Everton lad placed his header where Benny was...the near! Slightly different circs yesterday, exonnerating Benny imo, he was front stick again with nobody on the rear (a case for the debate you mention), Benny did right to stay at the near this time, just in case the 2nd ball came back over Tevez. Parker looked spare to me and should have been back stick. Hansen is just anti Benny, his feet were behind the goalline as he shuffled across, by which time it was apparent Lloris had gathered it, and Hansens view of the whole passage of play was 'who's he marking in the net'. To think he gets paid for such halfwitted bias!
I think that Parker and Assou-Ekotto were largely to blame for that goal. No idea what either of them were trying to do. please log in to view this image Walker had to move towards the line to prevent Dzeko from having a tap in, in my opinion, as Dawson was blindsided and it still left Nasri with a narrow angle to hit. Very good finish, unfortunately. Too many players standing about doing nothing.
I thought he was particularly at fault for Defoe's goal. Yes, He took it well, but Kompany should never have allowed him to cut back on to his right foot inside the area, like that.
