I'm sticking up for Carroll as do the majority of reports I've read, with some giving him MoM fro Swansea (not sure bout that tbh though). The pass was under hit but it looked like he was playing to Montero's feet, which is what Carroll does 9 times out of 10 but Montero wants the ball in space ahead of him which he likes but that would have taken the ball closer to the Man City defender than Montero. Mis-communication at worst. At the point where City take possession we have 4 defenders behind the most attacking City forward and 6 behind the ball. Ash is immediately directing Ki, Siggy and Dyer towards danger areas. Ki and Dyer are in no man's land and Taylor and Carroll didn't get tight enough on the player with ball and his nearest team mate. Blaming Carroll is like blaming any player who has given the ball away ahead of any goal! A good performance and Bony's goal was top draw stuff but again we gifted the ball to City - a great team, but why make it so easy for them to get the ball?
No blame to be meted out and certainly no recriminations. We went to Manchester City, played the best we could, pushed another top side all the way but ultimately succumbed to the better team on the day, simple as that really.
What you on Roof? Did you actually watch the game? If you did then anyone who knows anything would've seen that Taylor actually had a good game.
This is something that's been bothering me for ages....I can't work out if Taylor is being asked to play in the centre and rush out when the winger gets the ball or if it's a part of his natural game. Either way it's why he gets flack from us, as there have been a number of goals that have come as a direct result of him not being able to close the cross. It seems really weird. If you watch any game this season you will see him doing it all the time. Surely with 2 defensive midfielders we just don't need him in there and he'd be better served cutting out the space out wide? Ps. Not having a go at him, as he's been playing much better of late, I'm just confused as to the tactic.
Bony is the strongest player I have ever seen. Very skillful and clever. Should probably play for a top 4 team in England or top team in other countries.
A lot of good discussion above, and as I led off my first post after the game .... "Lessons to be learned". Monk has grist for his mill. But in general I am liking what I see. Ki is a delight to watch on the ball and he is forming an interesting tandem with Carroll and would do so with Leon. I have commented on Shelvey after the match and thinking further he's not a good fit for us and this is becoming more evident every appearance and Carrolll's performances for me accentuate the differences. Shelvey either needs to adapt, the sooner the better, or really get his long ball game less predictable and far more accurate .... and he needs to be less slugish and more busy. I don't know how long this "project" should be allowed but for me if not showing any sign of resolution by the end of the season we swap him off for somebody else. On the long term, LB and RB are probably our weaker positions for different reasons, and we either need to acquire or develop within to remedy and the sooner the better. Barrow is raw but is showing great confidence and potential. The question here is who do we "demote" to give this kid game time because that's what it is going to take to knock the burrs off and biring him on. A player to persevere with. With a better, faster RB on that side we could start Barrow and live with his inexperience as the learns is defensive responsibilities. A great problem for Monk to solve.
Class was the only reason we lost the game. It was pure magic that got them the second goal from a very classy player. we did ourselves proud overall much better than was expected and that shows how far we have come, If we continue to play like that then we will make the top ten comfortably and could even push for a European place...
10 points would be a decent return between now and New Year. More a bony. Less a disappointment. Palace H QPR H West Ham A Spurs H Hull A Our home games are very winnable as is the Hull game, West Ham away could see a win with their form at Boleyn W2 D2 L2 not particularly special.
Agree re Dyer but I think his, and Routledge's, games are suffering due to our current style. Last season our wingers played 'out-2-in' cutting in to overload the middle. This has changed this season as gradually both wingers began to hug the touch-lines and stay 'out', rarely cutting into to the middle, as we did under Martinez. Their type of possession has changed too with passes to feet with very few long balls for them to chase down or run on to, as it was in the past. Because of all this I still have Routledge and Dyer slightly ahead as our first choice wingers. I feel they are a more secure pairing given our current tactics but, we know what Monterro can do given an advantage, Chambers is a CB not a FB, but he is fast improving in defence too so pretty soon he'll have left wing all to himself I feel, but not quite yet. Regarding Barrow, I've seen enough of him to see he has great potential but I wouldn't pigeon hole him as a 'winger' just yet as he has an eye for goal and can dribble as well as he can run so AM looks good if we can nurture him properly
I'm not seeng Barrow as a winger either, but to get games that is where he would need to play for now. Look at all the other players we have had over the years that started out wide and then moved / grew into theie best positions - Curtis, Robbie James, Leon ...
What is exciting at the moment is that I feel we have a bench with the ability to create a game changing incident.
Barrow is a bit green yet to face big teams. He needs at least 2 years if not longer to be able to do a job in the premiership, he is nowhere near the standard required at this time...
You've been watching too much Sunday League football if you think 48 is the peak age for a footballer
