Quote from Dickoff: '...but to give a decision like that late in the game is really disappointing. What difference does the time the decision was made make? I still think was a pen.
Deserved win on the 2nd half performance, TBH they only scored due to a rare Almunia mistake. Just baffling how we managed to play at such a pedestrian pace in the first half. I know there's little pace in the team aside from Anya but quick tempo is NOT about quick players, it's the speed of passing and smart movement. GREAT atmosphere in the 1881 section, sh*t is coming together. On Saturday when the game was flat the atmosphere was too but a simple chant and some perserverance last night made a massive difference. And before someone moans a) It's NOT a Palace chant/song b) I know other people sing too and c) I have it on good authority the smoke coming over the Rous Stand was the catalyst for the goal so the anti-pyro brigade can do one
A welcome three points if not a very convincing performance. Angella looked very classy both in defence and bringing the ball forward. Anya is a threat down the right though delivery last night wasn't always good and of course sometimes he's so quick no-one can get into the box quickly enough to meet anything he puts there. Central midfield was a concern. Smith looked unsure of his role and not great in possession. Battochio was pretty anonymous, few of the forward runs he made last year and McGugan, excellent in the first half, faded towards the end. We rarely offered much threat down the left at all. With all the square passing at the back it's essential players ahead of them run into space and make themselves available for the pass. We were too statuesque in the first half. We are missing the sharp passing of Abdi and Chalobah's ability to make space and carry the ball forward at pace at the moment. I'm slightly puzzled as to why Acuna was selected ahead of Forestieri...he looked lost and rarely linked up with Deeney who had one of those games where most of his energy went into waving his arms in frustration and haranguing the ref. So, plenty to work on but good to get three points again...
I remember a game in early 65 against (yes) Workington in the old Div. 3 when we were losing in the second half 1-2 and not looking like equalising. However, from the allotments behind the Rookery there came what can only be described as "The Fog" (like the film) which rolled up and over the Rookery Stand, across the pitch, up the Vicarage Road terracing and over the wall into Vicarage Road itself. It took 10-15 minutes to do this and the ref held play up as you couldn't see either goal from the half-way line. Just as mysteriously as it had come, it rolled away and visibility became crystal clear once again. Watford scored almost immediately after the restart and got the winner later. Of course, had the fog come from the Rous stand side of the ground, it would have been from the hospital burning its waste (or worse), but the only answer that the WO could come up with was that it was something to do with the electrified railway and depot at the bottom of Wiggenhall Road. I have never seen anything like it since and I always think of it as the Twilight Zone Game.....
Just seen it on Sky Sport and I thought it was a penalty on Tuesday and am now even more convinced it was a penalty - really where is Dicov coming from - having seen it on Sky the Doncaster player was lucky to stay on the pitch - a two footed slide into Sean Murray that might have carried the Donny plodder out of the area but he made contact inside the area. Definite pen - right result - but wrong number of Doncaster players finished the match.
