I'm sure we all did the same thing when we played at school - stop the quick free kick. It's street smart and we need to do it more - all the annoying things in football like surrounding referees etc.'
my ratings: Migs: 6 Didn't have too much to do, but one good punch in the first half, and a decent catch in the second. Looked bewildered by the Johnson shot though. Moreno; 6 Quiet going forward, by his standards. Solid defensively, for once. Sakho: 7 Big, ungainly and awkward - get over it. Solid as always. Skrtel: 6 Nothing fussy today and expected him to be pressured more. Can: 8 really impressed with his pace (!) when he switched in the second half, though I can't understand why he didn't just switch with Hendo and leave Marko where he was. Markovic: 8 Who on here doubted him earlier in the season? :0 Fabulous in the first half, but less so in the second. Coutinho: 8 Difficult conditions made to look like an oasis of calm. Sheer class: daft to even stand close to free kicks when you've just been booked an the opposition is desperate to get someone sent off. Lucas: 6 Solid job, as we've now come to expect. He and hendo seemed to get overrun for 15 minutes though when THEY went down to ten. Hendo: 7 Unlucky with the effort that hit the post (that was never handball) and seemed to move forward in the last 15 in the Gerrard role (or was that just his amazing fitness?) Gerrard: 7 Enjoying his swansong further up the pitch, but was a tad snatchy at one or two chances. Subs: Lovren: 5 Trying to be fair in that he hasn't played much in this formation. Most of Sunderland's second half pressure came through his channel, and an unnecessary booking. Balotelli: 6 Played with a lot energy and was almost the player of his first game at Spurs: Brendan: 6 Set up well, but I'm still a bit curious why he switched Can with markovic rather than Hendo/ Did we go to a sort of back five? Odd. Team: 7 Could and should have had the game dead, buried15 minute wake by half time. Sunderland were utterly ****, the odd camoes by Johnson excepted. We need Studge back asap - and a bloody striker in the window! Oh, and Borini 6. Impressed with his movement, but an early, unnecessary booking curtailed his high pressing game and I feared another Arsenal-type sending - off.
Don't want to argue about it forever, but just to say- on the first one he stood a yard away, facing the ball- on the second he was walking away, albeit slowly, and the Sunderland player punted it at him in a deliberate attempt to incur a second yellow, imo. At least that's how it appeared at the time, it might look different with repeat showings on MOTD, but for me, for the moment, it was the correct decision.
I don't want to argue forever it either. However, on the second one, you are right to say he was walking away but he was doing so very slowly whilst looking at the ball / taker. His jump to 'get out of the way' wasn't exactly full of effort either PC had no intention of getting out the way, he was merely attempting to make it look like he was. Personally, I don't think either should have been a booking. The ref should have had a word with Coutinho after the first. My point is purely that consistency is all we as fans ask for and by giving a booking for the first but not the second, he was inconsistent.
Fair ratings - would have given lucas an 8. I thought he was really good. Henderson flatters to deceive - incredible energy and work rate but offers very little on the ball. Gerrard took a few decent efforts but didn't do a lot. With Sturridge and Sterling in place of Borini and Gerrard, and this team will look very good indeed
I have to say both Henderson and Lucas were equally gifted at bizarrely playing hot potato with the ball. I saw several occasions wher the two basically passed it between them never looking up and seeing there was no real pressure on them and finding something positive to do..... It was actually funny
Lucas isn't expected to do much more. But this is my criticism of Henderson. He's simply too limited on the ball. To be fair - our whole midfield bar Coutinho and Can are quite technically limited and unable to run with the ball.
I've said before henderson can be the holding player Look at matic for the style of play I mean You can be a sitter it you can be like matic
The first was blatent yellow, whether the guy wanted to take a quick free kick or not, standing there like that is stupid. The 2nd, well I'd hate to see a player get sent off for that. Coutinho was clever in that I think he was walking away slowly knowing he was in line with the ball however he was facing the other way and you can see he does actually try and jump out the way when the ball is kicked. The guy wasn't trying to take a quick one either as he was just whacking the ball long so I think the correct decision. Bridcutt's 2nd yellow was a bit harsh, he did clip his heels but I don't think it was intentional.
They're attackers. I was referring to central midfielders/DM. I included Coutinho because he does drop deep into a CM role. It's the ability to get the ball from a deep position and driving into the oppositions half - carrying the ball 20-30 yards, beat a couple of players and creating space.
Not sure. It's a completely unknown role to Hendo - we're better served by having a dedicated holding mid. Henderson dwells on the ball, and he's not particularly comfortable in possession. Also loses concentration a little. Prefer him to develop into a better box to box because he has a very good foundation to build on.
Well if you include Coutnho then you have to include the other 3 as they can all play in that 10 role that Coutnho plays in. coutinho never plays as part of a midfield 2 like Henderson and Lucas would so it's harsh to judge them on the same skill set.
Matic show the way guys, a total beast but he's not all that on the ball but then he does play with fabregas so that'd prob make anyone look worse
I think Henderson holds himself back to be honest, he shows glimpses of class and stuff he is capable of but seems to box it all up. Needs to learn to just believe in himself
