Lovelocum, hindsight is a wonderful thing - you may already have updated your opinion of the team, but it's nice to be proved gloriously over pessimistic, isn't it?
Yes, already up at: http://www.footballorgin.com/ Worth a donation to keep this mangificent site running. Vin
Romeu is looking like a great signing, if he can keep this up then I'll be happy to see him play over Victor. He looks so comfortable on the ball and rarely gives it away, which is an area where Wanyama isn't so strong. Mane was gucci, he gave their defence a horrible, horrible time. It all feels much better now looking at the table.
By the way, tecchie in me coming out but if you dislike seeing the adverts when you jump through the match, get an add-on to your browser called Flash Video Downloader. Wait for the advert at the start to finish then download both halves of the game to your hard drive. 1. You won't get adverts 2. You can watch games again at your leisure in future. Vin
What's really interesting is reading all the opinions re the performance today. I guess we all have different views on each game. I watched in spells on a duff stream in a strange place, for me - JWP continues to improve, thought he was the best of a bad lot vs Midtjylland at home and should be given more starts. Jay some glimpses of form returning, so pleased for him. Tadic re-awakes the excitement I felt last season when I first saw him play. Mane is quite good. If Schneiderlin had played like Romeu did today Sky would've been purring over his performance. Pelle should trade mark that move/goal Nice dreams tonight.
Yep, funny how we see the game differently. JWP and Tadic were the standouts for me today. Mane did well and I must say, although he was spraying passes about and making things tick at times, Romeu wasn't the main standout. Mane good again and although a sound game, can't say Cedric did a great deal, but Tadic and JWP were my picks.
Almost forgot, did anyone notice that tackle in the first half where Targett totally owned Nathan Redmond? He was so much more assured in defence today, as were the whole back four, helped of course by Romeu.
I do think my personal highlight of the whole game has yet to be mentioned. 81st minute. Free kick to us on the edge of their box. JWP puts the ball down... Yoshida goes up to him to seemingly enquire if he can take it instead. I'd have stood aside to allow Yoshida the shot, just for him having the gall/balls to ask.
Think DTLW has posted most of the quotes but just in case you want to hear it for yourself here is Ronald's interview with Adam Blackmore. Talking about the match, transfers, Wanyama and the reports of a rift with Les Reed.
James gave up the ball for someone else to take a free kick last season and Ronald was very angry. He said in the post-match interview that James knows that he and Tadic are the dead ball specialists and that JWP needed to have the confidence to say no. There was no way he'd let anyone else have it. Apparently for penalties it is Tadic first and JWP if Tadic not on pitch.
So i've just got back to London after the game. Feeling amazing. Its lovely to get on that train and read loads of plaudits of how well we played. A couple of things stood out for me. It looks like Pelle and Mane have had a falling out. Aside from the first goal, they hesitated to pass to each other and did not interact whatsoever throughout. Tadic, as amazing as he was, still too easily drifts in and out of the game. He was absent for at least half an hour today, although, I'm being extremely critical. Mane was pretty poor. I'm surprised he was voted MOTM. His passing was all over the place and he looked distracted. His movement off the ball was very good and he was a constant menace, but not his usual self. Romeu.... Is incredible. I love this man. I could not stop raving about him and everyone around me agreed. Yoshi and Targett had a good game. I have a man crush on Fonte.... We need confidence.... November last season, this would have been 6 or 7 - 0 I really like Cedric. Controversially... (Apparently) i thought he had his best game today... He looked lethal down the right hand side. JWP also looking pretty solid. Gary Hooper looks like a ****ing scrum half... He is fat as a house!!! All in all, very happy. We're not looking bad for a decent showing after international break.
