Birmingham Away

[MikeO]

I love football !

[joemac92]

Leighton Baines, take a bow!

[nogs]

Get in! Rode our luck a bit but great win. Great work by Baines for second

[marcopaulo]

out of the bottom 3 now and liverpool have gone 18th

[MikeO]

Got to say that I missed the first goal because I was changing my grandaughter's shitty nappy. I'm normally very superstitious about this stuff but (Davey take note) I'm not doing that every Saturday to get us a goal .

[Bailey]

Full time and we have ourselves our 1st 3 points!! About fucking time and tbh it didnt look like we were going to hold on with some of the strange subs from moyes at the end.

 

We looked very solid at the back today, we even tried passing it out from the back for the 1st 40mins and because of that we dominated and kept possession. Baines was very good and Distin looked like a player that deserved the 6mil fee we paid for him, though Jags was average.

 

The midfield looked balances, I was sceptical about playing Osman on the left but he brought as much as Pienaar does generally from that position in the 1st half. He would have been my MOTM if he had kept it up but he faded badly in the second half the more we hoofed it.

 

Felli was very solid, he had a great game imo and he looks to play more incisive passes than Arteta does, which is good for Felli but bad on Artetas part.

 

Coleman wasnt really in the game, not sure whether than was because Neville didnt really help him out. A lot of the captains passes were poor and wayward to Coleman and if he cant get a proper touch on the ball because of that then you cant really blame him. There is certainly more in his locker and at least he gave it his all.

 

Cahill did well again for me. He just kept popping up in random places, hassling defenders and using the ball well. It was a great goal to wrap up the 3 points and a typical finish from him.

 

I was very impressed again with yakubu and its a real shame he didnt put the ball in the net with that wonderful chance about 4 yards out, although it was a grea save/block. In the 1st half all our attacking play went through him and generally he made the right decision and got others in the game. He should have slipped Osman in on one occasion but Osman would have only rolled it back to the keeper so there was no point! He was a lot more anonymous in the 2nd half because we went long ball. None of our strikers respond well to that type of football and with the squad we have, we shouldnt have to resort to pumping it long everytime they put us under a little pressure.

 

Overall it was a good game, we need to play like we did in the 1st half and take those chances.

[Ian C]

Lads, I know we're all excitable football fans but to be honest all this "fuck this and fuck that and fucking Moyes" nonsense fist-shaking, knee-jerking stuff is fairly tiresome. A bit of moderation and vision beyond the last 5-6 games wouldn't go amiss.

 

Good result today, just the luck we needed. We've gotten results that we wouldn't bank on this season (Birmingham away, point v United, point away at Fulham) and lost some we have banked on. Now we just need to push on and get some form. The season is still on (not that it's ever been off, mind you), we're only 5 points behind third. We're playing good football, no key players are injured etc. etc.

 

I wonder if we'll get threads and threads of praise for Moyes for him putting Cahill up top seeing as he scored the second. Probably not

[Bailey]

I wonder if we'll get threads and threads of praise for Moyes for him putting Cahill up top seeing as he scored the second. Probably not

 

Cahill would have been in that position had been the main striker or the supporting striker, so no probably not.

[Blue 250]

Well we won, we deservedly won, and we won without probably our most creative player.

 

If we can get a striker scoring goals we should be ok!

 

Todays squad with Pienaar, Rodwell and Anichebe in it should be too good for most teams.

[WillAct723]

But if this is the week to put it together, I think the chances of them putting up more than one are slim to none. If we can get two in the net, I think we win this.

 

I'm going 2 - 0 to the good guys.

 

I don't like to say I told you so, but, what the hell. Yes i do! COYB!!!!!

 

Great day. I'll come back and be a little more realistic about the 2nd half in a bit, but for now I'm thrilled.

[Romey 1878]

Well, we've played miles better than that this season and got absolutely jack shit from the game so to come away with the 3 points is really pleasing. We started off like a steamroller and could have been 2 or 3 up but we lacked a cutting edge, again. I was worried then because we always look just one pass away from being carved open. After that initial period of dominance I don't think we ever got even close to playing that well again, we sort of plodded along tbh. We got lucky with the own goal (it's about time we had some luck!) and then we were fortunate that Moyes' negative approach to the final period of the game didn't totally backfire on us - we got deeper and deeper, inviting pressure onto us when we've looked shocking defensively was not the way to go, you're supposed to take the pressure off the defence in that sort of situation. Thank God Baines decided to be positive and ignored the Moyes shouting to keep it in the corner. Going with no striker (when we have one on the bench) made me angry, if that'd have blown up in our faces I'd have been livid!

 

Thank God we've got our first win of the season, I did not want to be going into the derby winless!

 

 

 

 

Howard - Didn't have much to do in truth but when called upon he did his job.

 

 

Neville - Awful. How sloppy with the ball was he? If he wasn't completely missing our players with his passes he was pinging the ball so hard at them that it bounced off them <_<.

 

 

Jagielka - He was OK, nothing brilliant.

 

 

Distin - Does he have a 50p head? Other than that fuck up with the header that took Jagielka out of the game and almost let them in I thought he was OK too.

 

 

Baines - Quality game from Bainesy yesterday. Offered himself as an attacking outlet time after time, his energy levels are phenomenal!

 

 

Coleman - He never really got into the game.

 

 

Arteta - Tinkerbell was at it again. He actually made some forward runs at the beginning of the game but then went back to being of absolutely no influence on the game whatsoever. Also, how long do we have to put up with his shit set-pieces? Every single one of them was shite and with us lacking cutting edge uptop he's taking away one of our chances to score!

 

 

Fellaini - I've seen people saying he played well yesterday but I thought he had a poor game tbh. He was very sloppy with the ball, slow to close down and just generally lazy.

 

 

Osman - I was very worried when I seen him starting on the wing but he had a cracking game. More so at the beginning but I don't think he faded as badly as some others did as the game went on. He was basically just Pienaar for us; busy and turned his man to get us going forward a lot, quick feet, intelligent use of the ball. I just wish he wouldn't shoot so often!

 

 

Cahill - It wasn't anything special from Cahill, it was a workmanlike performance but he did all that could have been asked of him - bullied their defenders to create space, won headers, brought other people into the game etc etc.

 

 

Yakubu - His final decision making was a bit off at times but his link-up play was brilliant for the most part and that's what you need when you play one uptop. How did he not bury that chance though?! I think he's just that desperate to score that he's losing that calmness infront of goal that we all know he possesses.

[Philinsuffolk]

I was there yesterday and felt we played well in the main - and to some degree they played as well as they needed to against a poor Birmingham.

 

Do feel that some of Romey's player assessments were a little harsh, but then I'm an eternal optimist.

 

I do feel that Fellaini had a good game and more than anyone else controlled the pace of the game. Baines was great and as noted above Ossie did well for an hour before fading - but I will say this about Osman, if you assume he is aware of the flak he has had he deserves much credit because from the first minute yesterday he looked for the ball and worked to make things happen for himself and the team - they are just human beings and he stood up yesterday. Likewise with the Yak - for me he is trying and his back to goal hold up play was good, he just needs one to go in.

 

Once 1-0 up we were deeper than Chilean Miners but again that is the psychology of football for you - all teams do it when they need a result and have something they desperately want to hold on to.

 

The balance of that starting line up was good. Pienaar, Saha and Heitinga would improve it but the balance is good to my mind.

[marcopaulo]

seein the second goal again..the free kick that led to it was won by arteta but did anyone notice how quick he was to get to the ball first when he was out wide? why the fuck doesn't he use that pace all the time and go forward with it? maybe a spell back on the wing with ossie in the centre cos he cant do much less than he has been doin lately..

[marcopaulo]

I was there yesterday and felt we played well in the main - and to some degree they played as well as they needed to against a poor Birmingham.

 

Do feel that some of Romey's player assessments were a little harsh, but then I'm an eternal optimist.

 

I do feel that Fellaini had a good game and more than anyone else controlled the pace of the game. Baines was great and as noted above Ossie did well for an hour before fading - but I will say this about Osman, if you assume he is aware of the flak he has had he deserves much credit because from the first minute yesterday he looked for the ball and worked to make things happen for himself and the team - they are just human beings and he stood up yesterday. Likewise with the Yak - for me he is trying and his back to goal hold up play was good, he just needs one to go in.

 

Once 1-0 up we were deeper than Chilean Miners but again that is the psychology of football for you - all teams do it when they need a result and have something they desperately want to hold on to.

 

The balance of that starting line up was good. Pienaar, Saha and Heitinga would improve it but the balance is good to my mind.

 

can say that about osman every game no matter what he will always give 200% for that shirt and that's what i love about him! i think you'll find most people don't criticise him at all just the selection of him on the right wing cos it just isn't his game at all..he did well on the left cos he was in the pienaar role of being able to come inside when you have got baines who seems to be able to run full pelt for 90 minutes..i'm with romey though osman either needs to stop shootin or learn to hit the target

[Kohen]

Ossie looked as if he wanted that spot on the team, not just happy to be an 80th minute sub.

Bily on the other hand looks as if he'd prefer to be sat on the bench the whole 90mins instead of being brought on.

 

We need more people with Ossies attitude!

[WillAct723]

Fellaini - I've seen people saying he played well yesterday but I thought he had a poor game tbh. He was very sloppy with the ball, slow to close down and just generally lazy.

 

 

Osman - I was very worried when I seen him starting on the wing but he had a cracking game. More so at the beginning but I don't think he faded as badly as some others did as the game went on. He was basically just Pienaar for us; busy and turned his man to get us going forward a lot, quick feet, intelligent use of the ball. I just wish he wouldn't shoot so often!

 

 

Yakubu - His final decision making was a bit off at times but his link-up play was brilliant for the most part and that's what you need when you play one uptop. How did he not bury that chance though?! I think he's just that desperate to score that he's losing that calmness infront of goal that we all know he possesses.

 

I didn't think Felli was too bad, as you sad, he was a little sloppy, had a few poor first touches, but wasn't a disaster.

 

Ossie was great. For me, it reinforces the idea that he isn't an 70' game changer. He needs to start to be effective, and I think that's how he should be deployed. He seems to play his worst games the later her comes on.

 

TBH, Yak's shot wasn't too bad. A better (less rusty? But how long can we say that for) striker would probably have finished that, but it wasn't terrible. Ridgewell made a fantastic play on the ball.

 

 

Also, I'm not sure why we got so pessimistic in the second half. I know giving up away games is sort of our M.O. these days, but sitting back seems to play exactly against our strengths. We aren't built to sit on our ass and take the assault, it usually don't work for us. I think Birm's lame attack was the only reason they didn't get a goal closer.

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

I was there yesterday and felt we played well in the main - and to some degree they played as well as they needed to against a poor Birmingham.

 

Do feel that some of Romey's player assessments were a little harsh, but then I'm an eternal optimist.

 

I do feel that Fellaini had a good game and more than anyone else controlled the pace of the game. Baines was great and as noted above Ossie did well for an hour before fading - but I will say this about Osman, if you assume he is aware of the flak he has had he deserves much credit because from the first minute yesterday he looked for the ball and worked to make things happen for himself and the team - they are just human beings and he stood up yesterday. Likewise with the Yak - for me he is trying and his back to goal hold up play was good, he just needs one to go in.

 

Once 1-0 up we were deeper than Chilean Miners but again that is the psychology of football for you - all teams do it when they need a result and have something they desperately want to hold on to.

 

The balance of that starting line up was good. Pienaar, Saha and Heitinga would improve it but the balance is good to my mind.

 

 

I would have to agree with you there especially the critisism of Fellaini as I thought he had a good game and certainly wasnt lazy.

 

Lol the Sunday People gave him 9 out of 10 so that reporter obviously agrees

 

I was a bit dissaponted with Coleman it didnt really work for him yesterday and he was lucky not to give a pen away again

Ha ha and I thought the chanting of were gunna win the league was quite amusing as well, all in all a very pleasing day out and really enjoyed the trip home!

[Romey 1878]

Because all reporters are right all of the time . Remember the reporter who gave Dawson a higher rating than Jagielka for England in the game where Dawson fucked up leading to Jagielka getting an own goal against him? Jagielka was quality in that game and Dawson looked out of his depth.

[Matt]

Because all reporters are right all of the time . Remember the reporter who gave Dawson a higher rating than Jagielka for England in the game where Dawson fucked up leading to Jagielka getting an own goal against him? Jagielka was quality in that game and Dawson looked out of his depth.

The Sunday People mate, you not know theyre infallible?

[chicagoblue]

I was camping all weekend and dreamed we took it 3-1. I'll take this though. COYB

[AGENTSMITH]

Noticed Pienaar wasnt in the squad v Brum is he injured??

[Romey 1878]

Noticed Pienaar wasnt in the squad v Brum is he injured??

 

 

Yeah, and could be out for a month according to Moyes.

[iggy]

Yeah, and could be out for a month according to Moyes.

 

God I hope not. Ossie did a great job against Brum, but I'm not sure that he can keep it up, DM is unlikely to give Guaye a run.

Edited October 4, 2010 by iggy

[marcopaulo]

ossie is more than capable of keepin it up if he plays that position..it allows him to drift into the middle more having baines overlapping and that is where ossie is so effective! also means coleman will most likely get more game time at rm and i fancy him against any of the shites lb's

[AGENTSMITH]

Yeah, and could be out for a month according to Moyes.

Might give him chance to sign his new contract???

[Kohen]

10-28 days he's out for. Wrote it on his FB

[WillAct723]

10-28 days he's out for. Wrote it on his FB

 

There isn't any great time for a player the quality of Peanuts to be out, but would really like to have him again the red shite and even Spurs the following week. Can't sleep on the potters, but we should be alright there, surely he'll be back by the time we get Blackpool?

 

I think a lot of this also depends on which version of Ossie shows up.

[craigb]

Haha funny but so so true!!

 

Yeah we will beat these. Should have last season, with ease in fact, but we let them back in it with a shit goal... Are defence will be solid and if yak starts he will be on target (Again like last season) 2-0 blues

 

Cum on blues ... these are shiteeee!!

 

 

I got the scoreline right If only i had put £10.00 on it!!