A very lacklustre performance from us, but it is a mickey mouse cup and our priority has to be the league. However we were basically playing our second team and its shockingly low in depth, the last two matches have shown the available quality we have on our bench... not much, but hopefully the signings neil is planning will sort that out.... Player ratings: Murphy: 6 - couldnt so much about either goals - maybe too quick to come of his line for the second - paddy wouldve saved it ore - 5 didnt really get to see him play - came off injured - worrying. perone - 6 - looked ok, good in the air. Harriman 5.5 - mmmmm ok i guess, has pace but wasnt overly impressed - his fault for the second goal, stood of the rochdale player. connolly - 4.9 - was quite poor i thought, gave the ball away a few times and his crosses never really reached a player. ****tu - 6.5 - solid performance, incredible in the air.. its just a shame he can never aim them anyway. Taarabt - 6.5 looked ok, i think his form will pick up soon, looked sharper than his perfomance at everton. went close a few times. Ephraim - 7 - very promising, links up with adel really well. have always rated him and was impressed with his cameo against everton Andrade - 7.3 - probably our best player on the pitch today, fast and always involved, a very good prospect. Cook - 4 - i think its time up for cookie, looked slow gave the ball away few times - would be punished in the PL Rowlands - 4 - again i think its time up, football is a ruthless game and along with cookie its time to move on. Hewitt - 6 - looked fast and eager, troubled there keeper at one point but didnt really get to see alot of him. Derry - 6 - again didnt really have enough time to have a impact, looked good tho Bothroyd - 6.5 - good performance, held the ball up well and scored a great header only for the 3rd assistant to flag it offside. Overall i think neil just looked at this game as an opportunity for fitness and to see some of the younger players in competitive action, we had the most possesion but just passed it around their box most of the time without really troubling. Bring on wigan! u r'ssssss
With respect I am not the only person on this board to pass that remark, why is he in the team when we already have a much better footballer in Gorkss
I would give lower Taraabt and Bothroyd and higher ****tu and maybe Murphy. Also, I think you've been a teeny bit harsh on cook and rowlands, they weren't our worst players
I agree Gorkks is a better player at this moment but for whatever reason Warnock isn't picking him. Perone didn't do a lot wrong and didn't do a lot right. He's 24, has never played in this country before and probably doesn't speak a lot of the language. To label him as '****e' just seems a tad harsh.
Murphy 6 Orr - N/A Perone - 5 ****tu - 7.3 (MOM) Connoly - 6.5 Taarbat - 5.5 Ephraim - 7.1 Andrade - 7.0 Cook - 5.6 Rowlands - 5.1 Bothroyd - 5.8
Didn't see the match but losing at home to Roachdale 0-2 how on earth can anyone score over a 5 beggers belief.
My Thoughts. Murphy 5 - weak palm out for the 1st goal left stranded for the 2nd Orr - N/A Perone - 6 - Good in the air kept it simple on the ground Connelly - 5 - Started crap and got worse Danny boy -7 - Great in the air distribution poor Taarbat - 6 - Strolled about appears to be carring a bit of weight Ephraim -7- Always involved linked well with Adel Andrade - 6 - Started shakey but improved Cook - 4- As much as i love cookie his time is up off the pace all night Rowlands - 4- as with cookie times up for Rowly Bothroyd - 6- Held the ball up well but apart from the disallowed goal there was not much goal threat
Regardless of rating differences by those who attended, quality post MaidaVale. By far the best I've seen from you to date.
You have to grab positives or whats the other option ... sit in your own doom bowl. Perone I think is a real prospect and I am sure will make the grade. To appease the negatives however i would say that I am worried about Connolly .. he doesn't seem to learn maybe he is trying too hard but Saturday he was lucky with a dead cert pen and jumped in very late like a headless chicken for the Baines free kick ... Perone i am sure will build slowly into the sort of player that doesn't have that rashness. We won saturday by letting Everton ask questions and we were calm giving them the answers and the final result went our way i am hoping for more of the same and Perone may give us that calm approach in time It's a game of chess in the prem not buckaroo and we have it in us to do it
Gabbidon + Hall this board has ripped them to bits already ... they will rip anyone if we lose. Stability and a Calm approach is the foundation of a good defence imo Perone has those qualities imo .. we will see as he is also a good holding midfielder
I didn't see the game so I bow to all those who did. But I wonder if a lot of people see ****tu through rose coloured glasses? One report I read on the game said he lived up to his name!!
