We just need to keep the belief - My thoughts on the Wigan game

The referee is a ****, and we conceded 2 flukey, scrappy goals. What can you do?

The extra games have been taking their toll on the likes of Sissoko. The lad has been run ragged, and should have had at least one match off in our recent games. His reactions and movements were off as he hasn't had time to mentally and physically recover at all since being here.

The tackle on Haidara was ****ing outrageous. Pienarr got sent off for a far worse one yesterday.

It's just typical of our ****ing season. Another match, 2 more ****ing injuries.

What pisses me off is the ****ers on Talkshite saying we're having second season syndrome, and that's why we're fading away in the table. While I agree that Europe and sometimes poor planning has lead to some slip ups in results, it's mainly been due to injuries. We've had absolutely no luck with injuries or suspensions.

Everyone in the side has been injured at least once this season.

Ratings -

Elliot - 6 - Could have done better for their first goal, but I'm not going to be too critical because it was a ball that hit Santon and landed perfectly into the path of a Wigan player that lead to the goal. His distribution was sometimes good, sometimes ****.

Santon - 6.5 - It's probably pointless discussing it now, but I've saying for a while than Santon should be moved to the wing position, and his pace and being pushed up the pitch lead to him scoring a goal. In the future, we should play him as a winger, because he's an average fullback.

Saylor - 8 - Solid again.

Mbiwa - 6.5 - He made a lot of great standing tackles, but his ball playing was off today.

Perch - 7 - Great play when he came on. His reading of the game and his tackling are consistent and quality. I've noticed that his composure on the ball has also improved. I really think we should consider offering him Tiote's position. He isn't as good as a fully in form Tiote, but he's far more consistent.

Tiote - 6.5 - He made some ridiculous mistakes again, but I thought he had a decent game mostly. He broke up play well and did a good job.

Jonas - 6 - Good work rate. Some awful play, but made a superb challenge to keep us in the game in the first half.

Sissoko - 5.5 - Not his game today. Made some good runs, but he's physically and mentally drained, and hopefully a week off will do him good

Gouff - 6.5 - Good work rate and some great defensive play. Put some good balls into the box. Decent game.

Marv - 6.5 - Some fantastic play, some disappointing play. Almost set up Cisse again. Some fantastic dead ball deliveries at times. He's better at Cabaye at creating from set plays. He looks like a good cover play for Ben Arfa.

Cisse - 7 - I was at the game today so I didn't see the apparent sitter he missed, but he made some fantastic touches and lovely little passes in our build up play, and he set up the goal. It's the best game he's played in a while without scoring. Didn't have a lot of chances, but he did do a good job. He was the difference in our build up play.

Shola - 6 - Decent play. His touches are fantastic. Decent build up play and a few good knock downs. Decent cameo.

MOTM - Saylor. Solid really.

Overall - We were unlucky. I don't think we deserved to win, but Wigan didn't deserve those 3 points. Hacky tackling, referee decisions going their way constantly, and two very fortunate goals.

Best thing we can do is just get over it and focus on the next game.

 

Fair ratings that I'd pretty much agree with. A tired Sissoko was well managed (and pretty ruthlessly too), and he had a poor game, I'd give him a 4. Jonas' tackle shouldn't detract from several hilariously poor bits of play - 4, and Tiote looked knackered all game (even though he kept going) - 4, Cisse missed some good chances when others were much better placed, and his pass to Santon saves a very low score - 4.5.

Santon was pretty clumsy in the first half, but looked very good in the second half in attack, defo should be played as a winger when Raylor is fit. Best bits of wing play I've seen in a while for the Toon! Added to the good goal, I'd give edge him up to a 7.

 

Got back from the match almost split up with missus I was that pissed off today. Call collymore just makes it worse

 

Im getting angrier by the hour

 

Just got back, not seen any of the highlights yet, but I thought we just looked a bit jaded throughout, and that obviously wasn't helped by having to make 2 substitutions early on. Not sure what was up with Goufran, he looked knackered and I think forced the third sub, so we were always on the back foot.

I think without the Europe game we might have taken this, although Wigan played better throughout really. Cisse just doesn't look like he can lead a line to me - no presence.

What the hell happened with the punch up at half time? I was hearing some interesting things from some of the wigan stewards....

 

still think the players don't know each others style well enough yet.

from the 14 playing today, only 5 (Saylor, Santon, Tiote, Jonas, Cisse) were playing for us regularly before january. Still going to take a few more games before the new players can click.

 

like what ???

 

I hope JC got a few cheeky ones in.

 

Elliot 7

Santon 6- Would be a 5 but he scored a good goal, looks hopeless defensively for me, has done for the most part since he arrived, its his decent attacking qualities that people notice though.

Mbiwa 6- Not good enough today but has been impressive since arriving, his distribution was poor he lost out in a lot of tackles.

Taylor 7- Solid enough again, lacked a bit of composure at times but basically another good display.

Gutierrez 6- Worked tirelessly but its pretty evident that his legs are going and is relied on far too much for defensive cover, offers absolutely, positively nothing going forward.

Gouffran 6- Looked lively at times and was probably our most piercing player going forward but just seemed to lack the final product today.

Sissoko 4- Horrible, horrible performance, no composure, no ideas and was playing far too high up the pitch for most of the game, needed to come deep and retrieve the ball but basically just spent all afternoon as a second striker, needs to be used more intelligently by Pardew IMO.

Perch 6- Decent enough but gave the ball away a few times.

Tiote 5- Passing was decent at times but for the majority he was clueless, caught in possession constantly and doesn't seem to realise his obvious limitations, hes a defensive midfielder, his job is to break up play, retrieve the ball and get rid of it, not retrieve the ball and try and beat 2 players, hes second best every time in those situations, needs to go back to basics. Perch would be starting from now on for me.

Marveaux 6- Arguably the biggest attacking threat but once again gets his chance in the team and looks largely anonymous throughout. His deliveries are probably the best in the team and at times he looks dangerous but just seems to fade in and out of games, never looks he will be anything more than a mediocre player for us in truth.

Cisse 6- Just seems to snatch at chances rather than finding the right shot for the situation, had two fantastic chances on a plate today and missed them both due to lack of composure and just belting the ball as hard as he could, contributed little in build up play apart that fantastic looking assist for Santon's goal, if it weren't for that it would be a 5 from me I'm afraid.

In summary the problem in this game, and in so many other games this season is that we seem to lack any sort of attacking plan or cohesion, we knock the ball around, get an attack going then once we hit that final third the players don't seem to have a clue how to break teams down, we rely far too much on pieces of individual brilliance in a game rather than actually formulating a solid attacking plan, this is the main area I think Pardew is lacking and why I think he will never be a good enough manager to take us far, we have a fantastic set of players and in my personal view we don't have a manager capable of getting the best out of them.

The main issue today though was when we didn't have the ball there was no pressing involved whatsoever, you can tell the players have it drilled into them to keep their shape at all costs, which is a nice philosophy but having two banks of four can only work well if the team moves and presses together as a unit, we just seem to keep the shape while staying as static as possible which allows teams to play around us with ease, the amount of space Wigan had all over the pitch today was absolutely disgraceful.

 

Perch - 7 - Great play when he came on. His reading of the game and his tackling are consistent and quality.

Makes no sense considering he should have been sent off for two poor fouls.

 

I have work early but can't sleep on account of being mad-as-hell!!

Wigan or Villa for the drop?

Tough call now...

 

I've changed my opinion - would prefer Wigan to drop if it has to be 1 of the 2. Tough choice but after the complete lack of genuine apology from Martinez and co they really deserve relegation and at least that way we wouldn't have a guaranteed loss at Wigan each season.

 

It's a fuking joke i'm so pissed off today it's unreal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the same happened with Ben Arfa and we got **** all from a ref 10 yards away. This game was a robbery and I suspect a players career is over.

 

Elliot - 6 - Did ok could maybe have done better with the first but Santon was pathetic which he probably didn't expect.

Santon - 6 - Was ****e at full back again. Superb on the wing and lovely sweet strike.

Saylor - 8 - Solid again.

Mbiwa - 7 - Decent

Perch - 8 - Thought he was excellent. Drop Tiote and play Perch. Hopefully it'll kick Cheik up the arse. He was borderline for a 2nd yellow though.

Tiote - 4 - ****e again. **** defending him anymore, he was woeful and is the biggest liability we have. Worse than Santon playing full back and that is saying something. Cannot pass the ball at present. Yet instead of doing what he should and keep it simple, he tries to be ****ing Xavi. Pissing me off. Still trying to get the ball when it is impossible aswell.

Jonas - 6 - Decent. Had some poor moments but once again did some good defensive work and got shifted about again.

Sissoko - 4 - Tried but he was paggered. I said it before the game, he should have been rested.

Gouff - 6 - Looked tired which is disappointing given he hasn't had to contend with Europa. That said he has come into a quicker more physical league and had to do tracking he is not used to. Some good work defensively saves him from a low mark.

Marv - 7 - Couple of decent runs and showed a bit more fight in the tackle than usual. Although it was not vintage, I felt he was the victim of his teammates tired performances. He didn't really get enough quality ball in the right areas.

Cisse - 6 - Missed a few chances, and only a fabulous through ball saves him from a low mark. Isolated by the lack of energy in the team but still not his best.

Shola - 6 - Decent cameo.

Debuchy, Haidara N/A

Overall the schedule took its toll yesterday. Thought Pardew might have mixed it up a bit more to freshen us up. Sissoko needs a rest badly. Cheik needs dropped - had me raging. Santon needs played right midfield but we now have no left back. Saylor immense again.

 

"Cisse 6- Just seems to snatch at chances rather than finding the right shot for the situation, had two fantastic chances on a plate today and missed them both due to lack of composure and just belting the ball as hard as he could, contributed little in build up play apart that fantastic looking assist for Santon's goal, if it weren't for that it would be a 5 from me I'm afraid."

What were these sitters that Cisse missed ?

 

Shouldn't have taken the one off Perch for me. And if he did he had to finish it from there. Aside from that he wasted a few good chances to get shots on target or cut back for others but I can't recall too many sitters.