Not at all, if he'd have scored one, the rest of his play would probably have been forgiven. The fact is he was PISS POOR, no excuses, as someone else metioned, it cost us not having someone else on the left, and preferably a left footer.
I'm willing to give players credit where it's due, but the lad clearly isn't up to playing at this level on a regular basis. I don't know what Quinn (or Ramirez) has done to keep him in the side, but he's hardly a world beater at the best of times and when we are struggling, he's almost anonymous. I appreciate he isn't the most skilled footballer, but there are players like Cattermole, Barton and Arfield who are in the same mould and are also capable of stringing more than 3 successful passes together a game. As controversial as they are, they're also decent footballers, better ones than Meyler. It's not his fault he isn't good enough, he's not going to turn to Bruce and say "no thanks, don't pick me, I'm not good enough". I mean aside from the goal he scored in the Man City game, he was largely below average. He seems to get to the point where he's about to be dropped, he'll have a worldy and then everybody wonders why he was ever slated. It doesn't work that way. It was the same with Bruce Jnr; right up to the Liverpool game last year he wasn't pulling up trees, he had a great game and then everybody was defending him and saying he was amazing. They're both Championship quality players, that's their level. If they left us, they wouldn't get into another Premier League team. Harsh, yes, but in my opinion true.
So does the bloke who paints the lines on the pitch, it doesn't mean he's a Premier League quality midfielder.
Now, now girls, hatpins back in our handbags! I agree with Sterling on this one regarding Meyler and there are others currently in our team who are not giving the depth we require. We are going to need a back-up for McGreggor and another for Diame, who, when called upon, could step up to the plate. Meyler and Quinn are a few sandwiches short of a picnic at this level. Brady and McShane always put in a shift but seem to do better coming off the bench. I don't know what the position is with Ince but he seems to be of above Championship quality but have we lost him to derby? Maguire seems to be a 'work in progress' but has shown good signs of what is to come. Our problem, I feel, has been the lack of consistency owing to the unavailability of some of our key players at various times this season which has prevented the team from 'bonding' and becoming what I believe to be a formidable 'third quarter' side at this level.
You have a few good points about Meyler but are completely wrong about Bruce again. I'm not sure what you class as Premiership defenders, Cahill or Terry maybe? We aren't going to get world-class defenders at the club as they are at a premium, Bruce does his job and thats what we need
Chester, Dawson, and an on form Davies are all Premier League class. Not a player incapable of playing simple passes who instead resorts to hoofing it up the pitch half the time he touches the ball.
No issue with the goal. He headed it first and the arm made no difference at all to the direction/outcome.
