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Post by Olgrligm on Dec 26, 2008 21:43:03 GMT
First off, the ratings. Sorensen - 7.5 Wilkinson - 7 But would have been 9 had he not got himself sent off A.B. Faye - 9 Shawcross - 8 Higginbotham - 8 Delap - 8 Amdy Faye - 9 MOTM Whelan - 8 Pugh - 8 Cresswell - 9 Fuller - 8 Davies - 5 Olofinjana - 6 Pericard - 6 We gave them a real go today and deserved at least a point. That's the long and short of it and that is exactly why it is so infuriating to have had a referee determined to throw the game and get ManUre's title race back on track. It is so, so easy to forget the game and focus on this man's dribbling incompetence. Free-kicks given against us for nothing while similar offences went unpunished at the other end and Wilkinson was sent off despite the referee missing the three big issues of the day: The red card Rooney should have received, the red card Ronaldo should have received and the red card that van der Sar should have received for a foul on Fuller in the box. Absolutely hopeless clownery. The antics of the ManUre players themselves were shameful. Even Foy didn't give free kicks on the many times ManUre players would dive in for tackles and then roll on the floor crying foul. It was embarrassing to watch. What happened to the respect programme, as Gary Neville tried to referee the game, as Paul Scholes shoved his ugly ginger face into everything, as Carlos Tevez rolled on the floor, as Ronaldo sat on the floor whining and ticking off linesmen? Speaking of Ronaldo, I've seen him play in person twice now and I'm wondering how on Earth he's the 'best player in the world'. We've all seen his antics on match of the day and the msotly jammy goals that he scores, but he's done absolutely nothing against us in either game except take free-kicks and give the ball away. Firm and fair tackling saw him begin to act like a petulant brat and it's about time he left the English game. I don't think anybody will be too sad to see the back of him and his supposed 'talent'. Chelsea played against us with much more dignity (except for Boswinga), much more organisation and I can honestly say that ManUre are not a patch on them. Before you accuse me of being biased, I have absolutely no love for Chelsea, but I really do think that they're easily better than ManUre. This isn't a post about ManUre though. A lot of players have taken a lot of stick this last month, Cresswell in particular, but every single one of them rose to the challenge today. Even Whelan won me over. Cresswell was excellent, winning the ball in the air, never stopping running and putting himself about well. Amdy Faye was absolutely magnificent, winning the ball every single time, putting a stop to breaks and not being afraid to carry the ball forward. His passing still wasn't quite up to scratch, but that's easily his best game for us. The only disappointment was 'killer' Davies, who looks a bit like Peter Hoekstra but whose far post defending was Hoefkens-esque (don't worry, PHW, just kidding  ). He really should have done better for the goal. Other than that, I really don't have any complaints about the team. We played out of our skin at home against a very good and very expensive team. It's just so sickening that a valuable point has been taken from us by a referee determined to throw the game away. I don't get this angry about bad referees, you get them and they come and go, but this man was so blatantly biased in favour of ManUre that he may as well have been wearing blue. They've gotten away with it for years and we've been powerless victims at their feet again. |
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Post by Somebody_Told_Me on Dec 26, 2008 21:46:35 GMT
Agreed bar 2
Sorensen - 8
Wilkinson - 7 But would have been 9 had he not got himself sent off
A.B. Faye - 9
Shawcross - 8
Higginbotham - 8
Delap - 8
Amdy Faye - 9 MOTM
Whelan - 8
Pugh - 8
Cresswell - 8 Shooting was toss but excellent otherwise
Fuller - 8
Davies - 5
Olofinjana - 6
Pericard - 6
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Post by mermaidsal on Dec 26, 2008 21:48:53 GMT
Great analysis, and praise in all the right directions imo. I don't normally have a go at refs, generally I believe it evens up and life's too short but he was a Class A wanker and you can't tell me that wasn't the Man Ure factor at work on him. Totally disgraceful.
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Post by stokie25 on Dec 26, 2008 21:49:36 GMT
here, here!! I expected us to get well and truly turned over today, based on recent performances, yet within a very short space of time, i realised that we were in total control of our game!! It was fantastic to see us compete like that...then i quickly realised that we were up against it in terms of decisions  Despite all that went against us....half of that performance today will gain us points, with ANY OTHER TEAM in this league |
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Post by potters11 on Dec 26, 2008 21:52:02 GMT
Cracking read.
Over the past couple of months (post Arsenal) we have played games, but never really rattled teams, we have sat off teams, and let teams play. We all know, that we won't survive enforcing these tactics.
Today, was different, we rattled the 'superstars' and as fans we made it as an unwelcoming place as possible. We haven't the skill or the cash to come close to them, but we made up for it in our bullying (all within the laws.) The Britannia at times (like today) is like a hostile jungle and today, Rooney looked lost, Ronaldo struggled to pass the ball and Giggs was no-where.
It was a shame to concede so late on, and we never really had a touch after the goal, but if you can ever take a victory out of a defeat, today is that day. Roll on West Ham, and maybe a point!?
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Post by Olgrligm on Dec 26, 2008 22:19:55 GMT
I think you have a fair point there, this is the first game since Arsenal since we've really shown the opposition no respect and been in their faces a lot more. By the way, I wouldn't take Ronaldo if you offered him me for free, but if we could get Paul Scholes we would stay up, simple as that. Come on, it's only 30 years since ageing players with a few years left in them used to join Stoke, why not Scholes, Giggs and Neville?  |
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Post by banburypotter on Dec 26, 2008 22:30:18 GMT
the sad thing is we will go to wet sham on sunday and play so different with the same players and that baffles me.
performances like that and the 2nd half at newcastle should buoy the lads up but it doesn't and it is very frustrating.
still i will be there cheering them on hoping for that 1st away win.
we gave the shit a good game today and i came away from the game dissapointed but pleased with the way the team played.
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lwspj
Academy Starlet
Posts: 104
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Post by lwspj on Dec 26, 2008 22:49:52 GMT
I fear Banbury will be proved correct.
However, I am feeling rather less despondent after reading this thread.
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Post by Trouserdog on Dec 26, 2008 22:54:55 GMT
Saved me the trouble of posting as there's very little I could add to that.
I think Ronaldo just had an off day, for as much of a cunt as he undoubtedly is, he is a bit good when he's on his game. T'was a good laugh getting him all wound up and blarting like a big greasy haired fanny though.
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Post by march4 on Dec 26, 2008 22:58:33 GMT
Well done to Whelan today, I thought he also played well, but most of the praise to Amdy and Cresswell. They have both come under a lot of stick on here this week and yet they were both absolutely magnificent. Plan A works against even the best teams when we play with power and passion.
We have dropped into the bottom 3 and yet, I feel as though we have it in us to give the second half of the season a good go and survive. Just hope we don't go down on goal difference and the point we were robbed of today would have kept us up.
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Post by Olgrligm on Dec 26, 2008 23:06:46 GMT
I do have a gripe about Stoke actually. The bloody PA pre match! How do you get an atmosphere going while that's playing a Seat advert at 300 decibels?
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Post by powchirper on Dec 26, 2008 23:10:23 GMT
I do have a gripe about Stoke actually. The bloody PA pre match! How do you get an atmosphere going while that's playing a Seat advert at 300 decibels? Thats got to be dealt with, its going to ruin any pre-match atmos that gets going, in fact there is no atmos at all till it gets switched off. |
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Post by hanibal7 on Dec 27, 2008 4:48:04 GMT
Very proud watching the match in Thailand,and we gave pufter some jip too lol.If we can pass like that away to whu maybe we can sneak a result.
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Post by CalgaryPotter on Dec 27, 2008 5:56:13 GMT
I think you have a fair point there, this is the first game since Arsenal since we've really shown the opposition no respect and been in their faces a lot more. By the way, I wouldn't take Ronaldo if you offered him me for free, but if we could get Paul Scholes we would stay up, simple as that. Come on, it's only 30 years since ageing players with a few years left in them used to join Stoke, why not Scholes, Giggs and Neville? I would love either Giggs or Scholes to put a Stoke shirt on. I think the pair of them are professionals and could do wonders in their final years in our team. If Stoke play as they did today at Wet Sham, we'll get that first away win, we'll jump about 5 places and roll on Liverpool. I think its time for having a half full glass boys instead of half empty ;D |
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Post by robwahlmann on Dec 27, 2008 10:33:21 GMT
Ronaldo wasn't able to contribute much mostly because Wilko played a fantastic match until his stupid tackle 20 minutes from the end. This shows that Wilko has the potential if he only can get some more game under his belt to mature a bit.
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Post by s8to on Dec 27, 2008 11:00:39 GMT
Agreed, i thought us in the crowd clearly rattled Man U as well. They will be relieved with the win, little consolation for us
Three points is a must for Sunday tho now
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Post by johnnysoul60 on Dec 27, 2008 11:39:35 GMT
My only criticism after watching match of the day was that fuller and Pugh both had chances , that at this level like that you have to take Thats our challenge if we are going to stay up
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). He really should have done better for the goal. Other than that, I really don't have any complaints about the team. We played out of our skin at home against a very good and very expensive team.
