Let's hope his confidence and fitness for the PL come on after last night. Not sure if Buckley is the man to help him against Baines and McGready on Sunday. Gus needs to do his homework and help the lad out. After Dossena I had big doubts but he has made me eat my words.
Catts booking once again highlighted his suspect temperament at this level, an unforced error in giving the ball away, followed by a rash challenge has left us vulnerable again, as we have no real replacement unless Bridcut can surprise us all, we need Rodwell and AJ in there as well against Everton imo.
You knew it was coming, the way Palace were playing. When he gave the ball away you can sense the desperation in him to make up for his mistake, he needs to change that mind set and start to allow himself these mistakes. Having said that, he's not been sent off for ages so he's improving anyway in my opinion. It's in the nature of his position, to break up play and 'take one for the team' as it is, without throwing in the silly ones like that one last night. He's very convincing with his 'I got the ball' face mind, I was certain he got the ball in his first foul although he was nowhere near
I've noticed for a couple of seasons he hasnt been as dirty as before... Yet due to years of recklessness he has built up a reputation that when ref's (Especially Marriner/Dean) see Cattermole, they don't look at the challenge committed, they look purely at him and automatically book him
He's improving mate, big time on that front. Good player, there'd be more of his type if I had it my way.
Catt believe we're back to dissing catts on his disciplinary record. I honestly thought we'd moved on with that. Shelvey- 5y-1r Gardner- 5y Jedinak-4y-1r Wiltshire-4y Fabrigas-4y Colback- 4y Barry-4y Midfielders get booked, fact of the game, more so when you play the CDM role. When you think at least two of Catt's yellows this season were for nothing at all I think it's harsh to hang him out on his discipline first chance. I say what I always say, we've no right to knock referee's attitude to Catts when our own fans won't even help him shrug the monkey.
Agree totally Bri - it's such a pity that he gets booked for simply being Lee Cattermole - his booking vs Swansea was not half as bad as SHelvey's challenge 5 minutes earlier yet Shelvey just got a "no more son" speech! I'd love it if the FA decided to look at challenges post match on merit alone and have categories - you can guarantee that Catternole is nowhere near as dirty as Gerrard, Wilshere, Shelvey etc. Just seems to be a target. That said - his yellow last night was nailed on! And I don't blame him in any way for it. Just part of the game
Catts is not a dirty player, he is a reckless one, who is slowly improving this aspect of his game. He needs to accept that he will make mistakes from time to time and not dive in straight afterwards, as this is when the majority of his bookings occur. No one is hanging him out to dry, we all want to see him playing for his Country which is well within his capabilities as he showed earlier in his career.
