Calmed down sufficiently to post ratings. Overall I'm still as pissed of as BP about the lack of finishing. They're supposed to be professionals, so why they can't hit a ball on target is beyond me. And the only one who could hit the target today (Harriott, who managed 2 on target) missed our easiest chance which is becoming a scary routine, Tucudean last week, Callum this week. Shocking. Pope - 7 - No chance for the goal from what I saw, and whilst I'm still worried every time the ball gets near him he did nothing really wrong. Solly - 7 - Probably had our best shot of the day... and otherwise very solid Fox - 5 - Not demonstrating a lot going forward, not demonstrating a lot at the back Ben Haim - 7 - Great day's work ruined by going walkabout in the last minute (criminal) and losing it (even more criminal). Was a dead cert for Man of Match until then. Bikey - 8 - Man of the Match - Looked like saving us the point with fantastic block with a few minutes to go, and back to his imposing best JBG - 6 - Not sure where the 2 came from above, our most creative midfielder on the day (not saying a huge amount, I admit). Would've been higher but was one of the most guilty parties in front of goal for us staying 0-0. Coquelin - 7 - But he disappeared again with 20 minutes to go, his fitness has to be looked at because this time it cost us. Cousins - 6 - Again, people call for playing Cousins in the middle, but he moves into the middle and suddenly the middle looks weak, whereas on the left he looks stronger, cutting inside well, only to blast it over on at least 4 occasions. SORT OUT YOUR SHOOTING! Jackson - 5 - Was he playing? That said, we looked worse once he'd gone off. Harriott - 6 - Aside from the shocking miss he had one of his better games and looked like a centre-forward, especially in the first half. But that shocking miss is what people will remember, and rightly so. Igor - 6 - Didn't seem fit, lacked sharpness. Did some great touches but should have scored, or at least tested the keeper, several times, and he let himself down a bit today. As an aside, can't see why Ahearne-Grant isn't getting more 20-minute impact appearances in this team.
It was like watching a golfer who hits every green in par but can't sink the putts. Looks good but then look at the score. Igor can't do it on his own up front, and his game is falling away. If we don't get another striker I fear for the rest of the season.
Well boys, i waited until now to post so my thoughts may be true. Having watched them on the tv live last night, i was entertained for most of the 90, more so the first half where Harriotts looked good, albeit not finishing. Pope looks like a 12yo, he showed some fast reactions in saves, but most were not held either. Solly's passing impressed me the most of all things, crisp and hitting the spot. We had numerous pieces of good play in the 1st half, it screams of one or two good players and we would win games like that for sure, 100%. Bikey looks good, very strong and some great defending. Happy we have Haim also, we look decent out back. I felt sick when the goal went in, another 30 seconds of play is all that was left, gutting. It was a real lucky goal in my eyes, the way it pinged around and fell to Hunt, good finish though. Like Coquelin, looks the goods.
