Well, it seems like an almost stable starting 11 is paying dividends, a good performance, three goals, and a clean sheet. However, that stable 11 won't last much longer with injuries to three crucial players recently. THE GAME Firstly, we started by changing the end we kick to in the first half (today kicked to the Loft), which was odd seeing as it put the sun in our keepers eyes in the second. Anyway, Yeovil probably started slightly better, and much of the play in the opening stages was in our half. However, we gradually got into the game, and had a bit of our own pressure. We just struggled with the final ball, but did have a number of chances. However, a poor goal kick from Green led to him being chipped but for some reason it was disallowed - should have been 1-0 Yeovil. Shortly later, Morrison took his time, before unleashing a shot into the left hand side of the goal - a deserved 1-0 lead going into half time. Second half, was much the same storey, a few Yeovil opportunities within a number of opportunities for us with the final ball lacking and little options in the final 3rd. Yeovil even hit the post from 20 yards out. Then the change in the game came when Zamora replaced Keane. Instantly we looked a much better attacking threat, with someone to win the balls and lay them off. And a cross from Hoilett was met at the far post by Zamora. Game over. Yeovil stuck their CB up front in the final minutes, but we broke and Kranjcar capped of a great run with a unselfish pass to Morrison to curl the ball into the far side. We also had to finish with 10 men as Jenas had an injury but we had made all three subs, but he went off after the 3rd goal. THE RATINGS GREEN - 6.5 - did what was needed, but a few poor distributions led to a few Yeovil chances and even should have been 1-0 down. Gutted to see him get injured - apparently broken ribs. HILL - 7.5 - won pretty much all his headers and got forward well - putting in a few nice crosses. Solid as always and rarely troubled. DUNNE - 7 - solid as ever, but still has this stupid tendency to commit silly fouls and give free kicks away. Also left a gap in defence which meant Onuoha had to come across and almost give a pen away in the first half. ONUOHA - 7.5 - composed and defended well. rarely made a mistake. HUGHES - 6.5 - better than he has been recently and defended well. got forwards often as well. BARTON - 8 - MOM - controlled the midfield and continued his good partnership alongside Jenas. Great passing and made a few crucial tackles. Also talked to the likes of Morrison and Traore to keep them going. JENAS - 7.5 - as with Barton - made several good tackles and I didn't notice too many errors. A good partnership with Barton. HOILETT - 6.5 - frustrates me, but much better today. keeps cutting back rather than going to the by line but put a great cross in for Zamora. Needs to use his pace far more often. TRAORE - 7 - continuing to prove a good attacking threat and seems to be getting better in terms of decision making. shame he went off injured. MORRISON - 7.5 - always there to receive the ball and make good runs forward. two great goals again and looks a class player. KEANE - 5 - just don't understand him really. i know he is young but he doesn't seem to have any sort of football brain. doesn't make the runs he should, and makes ones he shouldn't. at one point he was on the right wing ahead of Hughes who had the ball - just as it was about to be passed to him he ran inside. A number of times other players had a go at him for things like that. Also was through on goal but got scared and lost the ball again. Everything broke up when it got to him. SUBS: KRANJCAR - 6.5 - a good performance and set up Morrison's second well with a nice run and good bit of skill. Looked composed. ZAMORA - 7 - a few boos (muted though) when he came on but he did exactly what I thought he would do, and should have started. Immediately gave us a focal point and allowed us to keep the pressure on. Made several great tackles as well. MURPHY - 5.5 - not much to do, but did make one awful kick out (his first!) straight into Ishmael Miller. FINAL WORD Whilst Yeovil didn't offer too much, they certainly put up a good fight and made it a tight game for long periods. Three crucial injuries are certainly a blow though, as we have played quite well in recent games with a mostly settled side. I think for me though, and I had this conversation with my dad and Nines at half time - we cannot start with Keane imo. He has nothing that helps us as he provides no focal point and can't hold the ball up. Zamora made such a difference when he came on, and imo needs to start if Doyle is not back - perhaps even Doyle and Zamora when he is back. Other results in terms of playoff's went for us today, but Wigan are on a great run. With Burnley winning second is not going to happen so 3rd or 4th it is. But we seem to have turned our form around now (in terms of performances) which could be happening at the right time. Whilst today was tight for long periods, we are creating chances and with a decent striker at least getting into the right positions we look a much better side. Morrison will also be crucial to our chances - he is not afraid to shoot and I think I read of his 9 shots on target 4 have gone in.
Broken ribs, he may be OK if they are just cracked, I did mine twice and carried on both times and didn't miss a minute. It is incredibly painful to sneeze, laugh or cough but strangely it goes away after some painkillers and exercise so he may be able to play through it and hope he doesn't get hit there again. If they are properly broken, he will be out weeks to months as even breathing will be painful. I think zamora didnt start to keep the crowd off him, he's less likely to get abuse if we are winning, play him in our next away game and then they will probably be OK starting the following home game. Does anyone know if we can recall Cesar?
Hopefully most important moment of the game was Hoillet's excellent cross for Zamora's goal. If we can get those two firing for the next two months and playing to their potential it could make a massive difference to our chances of making it through the playoffs. Excellent reception for Alex Stock's family from bot sets of fans (well done Yeovil) but atmosphere was otherwise very flat today. I think everyone is a bit shell shocked after things have gone so badly wrong since Charlie got injured in the Bolton game. Lets hope todays injuries aren't too serious, although Green's doesn't look good.
Well one assist really, not sure if he did pass it to Morrison for the first, but if he did Morrison was the one who did most of the work for the goal from there. But the assist for Zamora, as I said was great. But he doesn't do it often enough - too many times his end product was poor. Admittedly, not helped by Keane running around cluelessly. He lost the ball a lot today in good areas and he work rate can be questioned. But he was better today then he has been recently.
I admit I wanted Ceasar out, but we all knew when it happened Green would get injured its the QPR way. Worried its a lot of pressure on Murphy....
If Green is out for any time at all then expect an emergency loan to come in pronto! They won't rely on Murphy for long and with no other cover we should be allowed to bring someone in.
I think we've exhausted our amount of loans or at least come very close to it, we are allowed 8 all season so does anyone know how many we've had all season including any who have gone back?
Thanks Judo. Have just seen the goals and highlights on another thread, very good goals too. Krancjar, Hoillet, BZ and especially Ravel looked very good in these glimses. I never wanted Cesar gone as I thought we'd be needing him before the end of the season, but then it's not my money.
I think real emergency loans of goalies are exempt aren't they....and we only have one fit keeper at the club. Depends IF we can recall Cesar...obviously too far away for recall for Tuesdays game
I do not believe that Cesar is coming back - he's loaned to TFC for the start MLS season prior to the World Cup, not sure what happens after that as the MLS season runs until Nov/Dec. Only wish we could have perhaps signed up Jack Butland during the last transfer window. He went to Leeds and is currently replacing the injured Paddy Kenny.
I believe that Judo had previously mentioned that 3rd (v 6th) and 4th (v 5th) play the 2nd legs at home, so hopefully we can grab one of those playoff spots, hold the other team away and bring it back with all to ply for at Loftus Road.
We have 8 loans now I think (Morrison, Carroll, Doyle, Kranjcar, Assou-Ekotto, Keane, Maiga, Dellatore).
Then there's a very good chance we won't be allowed to bring in a goalie, thats a huge management failure especially when a couple of those are clearly not good enough to make the 18.
That depends if they paid us, I don't think they did but it they did, he can't come back. Also, would we want him back for 2-4 games and then be stuck with him. Id stick with Murphy, he can't be worse than green who doesn't make saves and yet again dropped another clanger but was bailed out by the ref.
We definitely have eight loans at the moment. As far as emergency loan signings for goalkeepers go. It is not as easy to get permission for these nowadays as we found out two seasons ago whern we were refused following ijury to Kenny. We still have more than one fit goalkeeper on our books. Lennox is available & perhaps Lumley could be recalled. Maybe Murphy might even surprise us. I'm nearly sure that Remy would not have finished his loan at Newcastle until after the play offs have been finished as end of season is 30th June
How about signing out-of-contract players? I note in the attached listing that Craig Gordon is apparently available, bring back Radek Cerny (on Thurs?) http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/feb/04/free-transfers-for-arsene-wenger Craig Gordon (goalkeeper) Roy Keane made Gordon the most expensive goalkeeper in Britain when he brought him to Sunderland from Hearts for £9m in 2007 but Gordon's career has not gone to plan since then. The former Scotland No1 has been ravaged with injuries in the past few years and has been unable to find a new club since being released by Sunderland at the end of the 2011-12 season. He has been working to regain his fitness during that time and at the age of 31 he surely still has something to offer if he can convince any interested parties that his body can take the strain. http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/feb/04/free-transfers-for-arsene-wenger
