Just got back from a very entertaining, if somewhat one-sided game. Very professional performance for the most part, but were guilty of 'fannying about' a bit toward the end. Hard to say just how good we were because the opposition wasn't the best - that said their goal was quite spectacular. Shelvey MotM in my opinion (even though he lost concentration a bit before being subbed). But still it should be enough to see us through to the group stages barring a huge upset in Romania! An honourable mention should go to their small, but noisy, travelling fans who were excellent throughout. Too knackered to do a decent match report but highlights on S4C at 10.30pm.
Our youth team would get battered against that side, don't be so disrespectful of the opposition Dai, just because we managed to kill them off in the first 25 minutes, they are not that bad, just in my view didn't travel well against a Premiership side they new were in an altogether different level, the return leg will be different, though I suspect they will be a lot more confident than tonight. Thought they were a League 1 side to be honest and reminded me of Bradford at Wembley, were they stood off us and ball watched far too much, but then this team showed what they can do if given a chance by scoring the best goal of the game, and what a goal for any Premiership side to be proud of.
I expect ML will ring the changes next week. Probably rest Vorm, Ash, Leon, Hernandez, Routs and possibly Michu
Can sort of see what Dai was on about Phill - they were pretty awful until the last stages of the game. Agree that their goal was the best of the night, but apart from that they didn't look like scoring until we started trying to play the game out and lost concentration (which I hope we will learn from - do that in the Prem and we will be punished). Still think though that we will see quite a bit of squad rotation for the away leg - be interesting to see how Laudrup plays it!
Dragon they were crap apart from the overhead goal, i would fancy cardiffs youth team against that lot..
1) Vorm - Didn't move for their goal, apart from that was faultless 2) Rangel - Got done for pace several times, an obvious weak point in our defence that. It's clear with the signing of Obeng and admitted interest in Huddersfield's Jack Hunt that we are looking at young right-backs who like to go forward and have lots of pace. Obeng hasn't worked out, don't think Hunt is the answer. Maybe next summer we'll see someone coming in from abroad....Rangel has surely only got 1 or 2 seasons left in him at Prem level. 3) Taylor - Solid defensively, bit more hesitant going forward but did provide an option and put some crosses in. Very encouraging. 4) Chico - Better than Saturday night. Got his foot in and nicked the ball away where he had no right to. 5) Ash - Very good, but...misjudged the flight of the ball again (when they put a long one into the 6ft5 substitute). Good surging forward runs when the situation required it though. Room for improvement. 6) Leon - Impeccable 7) Hernandez - Outstanding. My MOTM. Won the free kick that led to the first. Got on the end of Shelvey's cross which led to the second. Pulled a ball back for Bony which Bony should have hit the target with. Served up the third on a plate for Routledge. Put in a great cross to Bony (when Bony took a World class first touch and hit the bar via the keeper's shoulder). Excellent passing and movement all night. 8) Shelvey - Was instrumental in driving us forward in the first half. Switched the ball to the opposing flanks effortlessly and when it was the right option. Excellent run onto Routledge's ball and cross for the Michu goal. At half-time Curtis was talking about not getting complacent....I thought Shelvey was most guilty of getting complacent in the 2nd half, misplacing short passes in dangerous areas, hence the sub IMO. Has flaws but is an undeniable asset to our team. 9) Bony - We finally have ourselves a top class centre-forward. Was a handful all game, they resorted to fouling him wherever possible. Intelligent runs, strong, made the most of Pablo's second half cross, thunderbolt of a shot, forced that own goal with a strong driving run into the right area getting the shot on target and attempting to follow up. He is a nuisance and he is going to score consistently IMO. 10) Michu - Top class from Michu again. His work rate is tremendous, won the ball back on many occasions where we were second favourite. Our best asset at defending set pieces also. Excellent step over for the first goal. Intelligent, passionate footballer who would get in most teams in the World. IMO 11) Routledge - Big improvement. Got lucky with the first goal, from there his confidence rose and he plays better then. Wish he'd learn to put a cross in with his left foot though. Should have scored a hat-trick. Excellent use of his pace once he'd scored and his confidence shot up. Driving into the spaces giving them nightmares. Sub1 - De Guzman I thought he was excellent. Spread the ball around. Used it intelligently. Great driving run for Pozuelo's goal....and then the presence of mind to turn and find the spare man in the box instead of shooting from distance. Top class cameo. Sub 2 - Pozuelo Most excited I've been from a new signing....even more than Michu. He looks like he should be playing at an elite club. Touch, pace, tricks, creativity, passing, the composure to finish....it's all there. We've got a game changer on our bench. By the end of the season the rest of the Britain will be talking about him. Sub 3 - Amat Didn't have a lot of time to adjust to the pace but is obviously a very competitive individual and a big improvement as 3rd centre-back.
Good assessment, Terror. Spot on. Thought Bony could have done better though because it's undeniable that he has the skills, but something is not quite right at the mo. Can't really put my finger on it. Maybe when he starts scoring regularly.
He's got 4 already hasn't he? Do agree, though, that there's a lot more to come and I reckon we'll see it before long. As it is, he's getting in decent positions, showing his strength and taking the focus from Michu. He'll do for me. Excellent report, Terror. We did get sloppy and we did just go through the motions at times because I think we could have got 7 or 8 if we'd gone for it. That we didn't is probably down to two things: avoiding injury and conserving energy for Spurs on Sunday. Pablo was MOM for me as well with an excellent performance and Poz continues to excite me more and more with his skills. JJ blotted his copybook later on with some downright slapdash play but, when he is focused, an undoubted asset to our game. Then there's Michu. What a player!! He's got it all - he scores, creates, fights for every ball, is good in the air in attack and defence and plays with a passion and spirit that must rub off on the rest of the team. £25 million is a steal and no way would I sell him for that. Criticism? Surprisingly there is some. Our focus and concentration disappears at times, which doesn't happen with the best teams. I think we are often guilty of passing for passing's sake and we need to take a snap shot more often, particularly now we've got an ace goal poacher in Bony who's always in there sniffing for rebounds etc. Finally, how much more effective would we be if our wide men (wingers and full backs) could CONSISTENTLY find a decent cross? We have Bony and Michu well capable of converting them but the delivery to them from out wide usually lacks quality. OK, I don't expect Leighton Baines type crosses but it is an easy skill to practise and it is one area of our game that I definitely consider is sub-standard. Anyway, overall it was a good performance considering we played well within ourselves. The real test comes on Sunday in a game where a draw will be a great result for us.
Not having a go at Bony at all because like others I'm convinced he'll do well for us but he was the only player last night who I thought looked a little 'off'. Stray passes, a failure to control the ball, etc, though not all the time, and he goes over far too easily for a stocky muscleman. 2 against Malmo and 1 v Manu U = 3 (his 'goal' last night was an OG) so he's doing fine generally and will get better as his partnership with Michu develops. In fairness, I did notice that every time the ball came to him last night he was immediately surrounded by 2-3 players so had little space and time and was clearly targetted as the danger man imo.
The way Petrolul played in the last 1/2 hour suggests they could make the second leg very nervy if we don't give them utmost respect.
If Bony has 2-3 players on him,that will leave more space for others to exploit,so I see that as a positive.
His goal last night is contentious - some papers and media are giving it to him, some not. For me he gets it. He had found the space; whilst under pressure he got his shot away, on target, and the keeper partially saved it but never had control of it. Good enough for me. Routs was given his deflected shot which appeared to heading straight at the keeper, so I think Bony should keep his. No doubt we will get the official verdict in due course. I agree about him going to ground too easily - not in a Suarez fashion but he is strong and muscular and should be able to ride some of the challenges that decked him. Still think he's going to be great for us, though.
