by el_stinger » Sun Feb 05, 2006 5:59 pm
First half digest:
Once again, we have been the better team, but have nothing to show for our excellent efforts.
A few players must step up to the frame now, as their first half performances were below par leading up to and after their goal.
Crouch: Needs to get physical in the air. Needs to get his FOREhead on the ball, and at least get the header ON target. He had 2-3 excellent opportunities, and against Terry, thats a great thing.
Warnock: Poor kid, he's had an indifferent start to the match, and stumbled over giving Cole a chance to shoot at Reina 1 on 1. The pace of the game is too much for him.
Alonso: Is he carrying a niggle? Ever since the Fat Lampard tackle early on, he seems to be moving uneasy.
Riise: Anyone seen him tonight? I know he's there, but he's not in his preferred position.
Reina: Although he had nought to do for the first 30 mins of the match, he would be very pi$$ed off at his contributions thereafter. The goal came about from poor marking, and Finnan SHOULD have at least covered Gallas, who was unmarked. Then to cough up the ball Westerveld-Dudek style, to allow Crespo to sneak in an offside 3 yard tap in, was inexcuseable, and will told so by Rafa.
All in all, I still think, with the amount of pressure put their players, Essien, Gallas, Cech, Terry, we have had the better chances and still pose a huge threat to them tonight. We need our big players to step up, Gerrard has done well, but he needs to excel now. Carra has been awesome, so has Kewell. We need to make our efforts and chances count, I think if we can nick a goal early on, anything can happen (obviously) but we are still in control of the game, bar that stupid 10 minutes.
Rant over!
