Oh, without question. But FBs aren't really all about defending these days. Our full-backs are really wing-backs in disguise anyway. When Tadic went off against Newcastle, Bertrand practically became an all-out winger.
I'm trying to think what I was feeling like when I heard we'd signed him. I know I went on YouTube to look for videos of him playing [I do that for every player we take an interest in], and found that he scored for fun. Even then I wondered how this guy had been hiding for so long. Then I looked up his stats and realised that he hasn't always been prolific, but he's learned to be later in his career. So the guy is no idiot, and has found a way to be better. I like that ability in a player. Even so, my increasingly high hopes have been surpassed so far. He looks like he frightens the living **** out of defenders. He certainly did Coloccini and Williamson. And I wanted to believe he cracked a great pass to Tadic as well. However, I think he explains enough in his post-match interview that his pass for the second goal was a wee bit fortunate.
But quite rightly he said that he doesn't mind it being fortunate as he has been unlucky on other occasions. His 'off-side' goal at WHU for example.
We shouldn't get too hung up on like for like when comparing pre-exodus to post-exodus players. It is really about how good the team as a whole is and how they suit Koeman's style.
Forster a 6? Seriously. He made three very good saves. Ok, two crosses nearly caused a problem, but 6 is too low!
Only a complete idiot would think that For example, I'm sure you haven't forgotten some of the great interplay between Clyne, Puncheon and Cork!? I'm surprised you haven't picked up on the fact that I wasn't raving about Cork's performance yesterday. I think he's played much better. Nevertheless, I was pleased to see that at least one Sunday paper had him motm. I'm not sure if we had anyone outstanding, apart from maybe Schneiderlin, it was an all round good team performance. Amazingly we seem to have kept our much-famed team spirit and even Morgan looked genuinely happy yesterday.
It was good to see Morgan so happy...remember his miserable face after his first goal at WHU. Yes, Morgan...getting good money to play in a side that wants you and loves you can sometimes be better than a move to a marginally bigger side.
I thought this when I watched LeTiss hugging Benali. There was the love between them you only get from shared loyalty to a cause. I played for the same Sunday team for fifteen years - even through some awful times - and made great friends doing it.
Thought you might enjoy the first paragraph from the match report, Guardian online; "Not since Laurel and Hardy have men looked so clueless in black and white. Another fine mess of a performance from Alan Pardew’s team has intensified calls for the manager’s reign to be made a thing of the past. It may be ended in the very near future." Sounds about right.
Well Garth Crooks certainly rated Graziano Pelle. He's in his Team of the Week alongside Diego Costa. And just look at that last line..! please log in to view this image What did he think we were going to do. Just pocket the money..?
I like the repeated assertion that there was a "mass exodus". From now on I will refer to the song "10 in the bed" as the exodus of the sleepers. I will refer to the release of the Birmingham six as a mass exodus from prison. Also, I now believe that Exodus (you know, in that Bibley book) will now need to be renamed Super Exodus.
Still remember when (I think it was before we got promoted to the PL) he said the only problem we'd have, if we got promoted, was a lack of money
True, but I suspect you also wallow in the 'devil's advocate' role. Anyway, the next team selection will be interesting. Given the fact that Swansea have a lot of attacking options I would probably start with Wanyama, maybe at the expense of Davis. However, my guess is that it will be the same team as Newcastle.
