Ratings: Ruddy - 7. Might seem a bit generous as he didn't do much, but I felt he looked more assured today and was excellent with crosses. Must be furious not to get a clean sheet Brady - 6. Didn't put a foot wrong. One superb block defending. Bassong - 6. Looked a bit uncomfortable with Wilson at first, but grew into the game Martin - 6. Quiet but totally assured Wisdom - 7. Doesn't go on mazy runs like Whittaker, but I thought his delivery was superb and very unlucky not to get an assist. Defensively solid though looked a bit casual (or perhaps tired) second half Jarvis - 8. Superb debut. If he keeps this up he could be incredible for us. I hope we negotiated an option to buy but I fear there won't have been time. Obviously tired a bit towards the end, but a wonderful finish rounded off a constantly dangerous performance. Howson - 7. So solid, worked really hard box to box. Tettey - 5. Frankly, his worst performance in a while. He looked very uncomfortable, a desperate early yellow card and repeatedly giving away the ball. Perhaps because he didn't have Dorrans beside him. Improved second half. Redmond - 6. Obviously targeted by Bournemouth which ended up giving more space to our other players, so seemed quiet but I actually thought he was very solid. Hoolahan - 9. Superb. Yes, he gave the ball away a few times, but I think you have to accept that's part of his creativity. Opened Bournemouth up repeatedly. And what a finish. Jerome - 8. Tireless, touch looked sharp, ran some great lines, well-deserved goal. Any thought that Mbokani might displace him any time soon was rapidly dispelled - he obviously has reacted well to the competition. Dorrans - 5. Made us a bit shaky centrally when he came on, gave the ball away, but got better. Olsson - 6. Looked disciplined defensively and good to see him get some minutes. Mbokani - 6. As the commentators said immediately made an impression looking strong and quick with a deft touch. Very unlucky not to score, but I am not yet convinced he's the clinical finisher we need - hopefully that's just a case of match fitness. It's a long way back for Grabban. Neil - 8. Completely out managed Eddie Howe to be honest. Had the measure of Bournemouth from the beginning and shuffled the pack to cope with Murray coming on. Will be furious with their goal, but we really need to work more on defending set pieces because other than the So'ton horror show, virtually all our conceded goals have been from poor defending of set pieces, which is organisation. EDIT: moved Hoolahan up to a 9 because I had another think and frankly, he virtually won the game for us.
I have to put my hands up and say my fears were groundless. For the first time since AN arrived I have had doubts over the last couple of weeks, but this was a solid performance which hopefully puts the whole Grabban/transfer window thing to bed. How managers haven't played Wes in the past, I just do not understand. He is just effortlessly creative. And if the opposition doubles up on him, that just gives Redmond space. (I thought he was fairly poor today, but maybe that was because he was being marshalled so carefully, giving room for the others.) Good stuff from the new boys (Brady, Wisdom, Jarvis). Now if we can just learn how to defend set pieces ... Well done you yellows!
Loved the way Brady and Jarvis linked on the left, but in the second half, Brady hit the post and Jarvis scored from the right hand side. What's a defender to do?
3 points off Arsenal in second I think you mean My god that table looks healthy even though we've had some poor results so far
Don't want to put a downer on things but are we ever going to go a game without conceding from a set-piece?
Agree with most of that except Tettey. He may get a yellow card a game but he is doing a vital role that allows Wes and Howson to press higher and take more risks. Time an again he gets a foot in and a block and a tackle. Obviously we need him to slow down on the yellows, until Mulumbu is fit. Also, I'd put Wes at a TEN because quite frankly that is one of his best performances! He was exquisite today.
I don't disagree about Tettey's role, and if it hadn't been for his hard work I probably would have given him a four (plus he looked a lot better after half time). I actually don't mind him getting yellow cards regularly as it does suggest he's doing his job, just not so early in the game please! My real complaint with his performance was he kept on giving the ball away in dangerous positions in the first half (one of which nearly led to a Bournemouth goal), which was uncharacteristic of him. And still looks very loose when we're defending set pieces. I've noticed he doesn't go in for corners - is he a very poor header of the ball?
Always scope for criticising aspects of a performance, even a win, so I have no objection to this And I would bet that is what Neil will be taking away from the game
That first goal was a thing of great beauty. And if anyone says 'it was only Bournemouth', **** them, because if NCFC go out next week vs Liverpoo with that same attitude, they'll have nothing to fear and can do the same again
It doesn't feel like any one player in this team will score lots of goals but there are goals throughout the team. Martin has 2, Wes got one today, Jerome finally broke his duck, Jarvis comes in and scores, Redmond getting on the score sheet more. There's a lot of positives. Big negative in the conceded goal but it's almost come to be expected. Just switched off from a corner. Having both Wes and Redmond playing is the big thing for this team I feel. If one is getting marked out of the game, the other can pick up the slack. I felt Redmond got a bit dominated today but it meant Wes could get into more space and just control the game.
Dead right - and from what we saw today, Jarvis gives another option wide on the left that we've not really had since Pilkington left - and he was a bit 'hot and cold'. When Redmond was the clear 'out ball' it was easy for defenders - but to play with two interchangeable wingers gives them a whole new raft of headaches. I know it's only one game, but the way Brady, Jarvis & Olsson slotted in on the left, you'd have thought they'd been together for months!
You are sometimes mean with your rating Munky. To give Brady a 6, then give Redmond the same defies belief (imo) on today's performance. I thought Brady did a really god job and was within a whisker of getting his first goal for us. I didn't see much of the first half as my stream was atrocious but on the 2nd half performance I thought Redmond had vanished for large portions of it, perhaps not his fault but I felt he never really got in to the game. For me Brady was worth at least 7, and Redmond a 5 (very average)
Wow, tough choices to have to make Paddy Davitt @paddyjdavitt #ncfc AN says he would like to have put both Mbokani and Laffs on but had to pick. 'Kyle deserved his place in the squad.'
agree with you here, Thai, but as pointed out earlier on here, as Wessi had such a stormer, it took a bit of pressure off Redmond, who'll doubtless bounce back next weekend
I assume this was to me? Yes, I think you could make a good point for Brady as a 7, but I just felt his delivery from set pieces wasn't quite as good as it has been and as that's quite an important part of his game, IMO 6 is right. Call it a 6.5 if you like, but I don't like giving .5 scores as I feel it defeats the object of having marks out of 10! On Redmond - I think you need to read my explanation too though - yes he was very quiet but I didn't think he was poor, he was just marked closely which gave lots of space to other players. He ran hard though.