I am and so should the players be. They've had it drummed into them all week about what this game means to us and they then had the gall to turn in a non-performance like that. I listened to a radio summary in my car on the way home, which said that Cardiff deserved to win because they were the more COMMITTED side: that we didn't turn up and lacked the courage and conviction to win it. That is shameful, no other word for it.
I've no problem about being beaten by a better side. It's happened many times before and it will certainly happen again. I DO have problems losing to a team who were merely more committed. Not more skillful; not better footballers; not more experienced at this level; certainly nowhere near a better team but just more COMMITTED for ****s sake!! This game was a shameful indictment of the lack of character within our team.
Okay, so far this could be called destructive criticism, so let's be constructive. How do we turn it around? Firstly, I'd get the hell out of the Europa cup because we do not, as a team, have the stamina, the strength or the fitness, the resources (or the skill) to compete successfully in the three competitions we are still in and we are NOT going to win the Europa. I would play the second choices en bloc in our remaining fixtures and let them sink or swim. Good experience for them, which will make them more useful when they play in the Premier League, the one that counts.
Next, I would be marking the cards of a number of our players, including amongst others, Dyer, Routledge, JdG, Shelvey and Britton. All of them have to bring a more physical element to their game and start getting back to the ball retention that previously served us so well by focusing on their passing and movement. And stop playing at Billy Big Bollocks with the fancy flicks etc. It might look good but it's not professional and costs us possession far too often.
Our wingers are reputed to be fast. Well it's about time they started living up to their reputations. They have the ability to inject pace into our attacks but they are just not doing it. Even when there is space to attack, they just jog with the ball as if next week will do. It WON'T do!! They should pin their ears back, head for the bye line and rely on the rest to get up in support. If the support keeps not arriving, it becomes a matter for Laudrup to sort out. Bet that Michu will always be there though.
As for the goal, technically it was a foul but they are given as often as not. It was down to Chico to deal with it but he allowed himself to be out-muscled and it cost us. And where was Vorm? He could have made the chance a lot more difficult by throwing his weight into the mix but he stayed at home because he doesn't like physical contact - which was why I posted that Tremmel should have started because we know that all Cardiff offer is the set piece and might be likely to score from one. I posted that as well, saying we would need two goals to win this game.
Finally, why no Bony AGAIN? Half time stats showed that we score twice as much when he starts. Also, the time between goals is almost HALVED. That is one set of stats that doesn't lie and I have to ask the question, why isn't Bony starting? I bet Bony is asking too.
I've no problem about being beaten by a better side. It's happened many times before and it will certainly happen again. I DO have problems losing to a team who were merely more committed. Not more skillful; not better footballers; not more experienced at this level; certainly nowhere near a better team but just more COMMITTED for ****s sake!! This game was a shameful indictment of the lack of character within our team.
Okay, so far this could be called destructive criticism, so let's be constructive. How do we turn it around? Firstly, I'd get the hell out of the Europa cup because we do not, as a team, have the stamina, the strength or the fitness, the resources (or the skill) to compete successfully in the three competitions we are still in and we are NOT going to win the Europa. I would play the second choices en bloc in our remaining fixtures and let them sink or swim. Good experience for them, which will make them more useful when they play in the Premier League, the one that counts.
Next, I would be marking the cards of a number of our players, including amongst others, Dyer, Routledge, JdG, Shelvey and Britton. All of them have to bring a more physical element to their game and start getting back to the ball retention that previously served us so well by focusing on their passing and movement. And stop playing at Billy Big Bollocks with the fancy flicks etc. It might look good but it's not professional and costs us possession far too often.
Our wingers are reputed to be fast. Well it's about time they started living up to their reputations. They have the ability to inject pace into our attacks but they are just not doing it. Even when there is space to attack, they just jog with the ball as if next week will do. It WON'T do!! They should pin their ears back, head for the bye line and rely on the rest to get up in support. If the support keeps not arriving, it becomes a matter for Laudrup to sort out. Bet that Michu will always be there though.
As for the goal, technically it was a foul but they are given as often as not. It was down to Chico to deal with it but he allowed himself to be out-muscled and it cost us. And where was Vorm? He could have made the chance a lot more difficult by throwing his weight into the mix but he stayed at home because he doesn't like physical contact - which was why I posted that Tremmel should have started because we know that all Cardiff offer is the set piece and might be likely to score from one. I posted that as well, saying we would need two goals to win this game.
Finally, why no Bony AGAIN? Half time stats showed that we score twice as much when he starts. Also, the time between goals is almost HALVED. That is one set of stats that doesn't lie and I have to ask the question, why isn't Bony starting? I bet Bony is asking too.
chin up things may get better after that wake up call ?
