At half time, while trying to take a relaxing shower, I was already formulating the blog for today: nightmare, disinterested and disjointed were terms that came to mind. In a first half where we were as bad as I've seen since our 3-0 whipping by Citeh, we were lucky to get in at only 1 down. We seemed tired, lacking in ideas and motivation, and almost lackadaisical. (Is that how you spell it?)
Of course, Marcos Senna scored an inevitable screamer. It could've been two, when Clichy cleared off the line, and too often, our defence looked dodgy. Then there were the injuries to Almunia (who has developed a nasty habit of silly runs out of the box) and Gallas. While it looked all doom and gloom at half time, on hindsight, the substitutions and half-time were the turning points. Djourou turned in an excellent performance, and Fabianski too looked in supreme confidence - making two great saves immediately after coming on.
Thank god football is a game of two halves, and for 30 minutes after coming back, we looked nearly back to normal. Trying hard, but still finding it hard to break down a pretty decent Villareal. Then literally out of the blue (TV missed it!), Ade scores a miracle goal. It was the perfect positive interpretation of his frequent flying octopus act, and my word, was it something.
It's only been a couple of hours since the match, but I've watched that goal like 203 times already.
Have never understood why it's called a bicycle kick. I can see the similarities, but nobody rides a bike upside down, no?
Before I get to the player ratings then, a little word on the silly yellows we picked up. We were clumsy all night. Picked up four, when Villareal had none. Just shows. Cesc's was totally unnecessary - he should've known, nobody falls for that free-kick routine anymore; Song was his usual ambly clumsy self; Nasri's was for talking too much; and Ade's was the referee's fault. Fingers crossed these don't come back and haunt us later (if we get there of course).
Almunia 6 - Silly injury to have picked up. Twit.
Sagna 7 - Had a useful night creating all sorts of chances on the right. Seemed the most vaguely interested in the first half.
Toure 6.5 - Good game, but could've done better getting the defence together in the dodgier first half.
Gallas 6.5 - Coincidence that we got tighter after he left? Who knows.
Clichy 7 - Does he ever get tired?
Song 5 - Song sang from his usual hymn sheet. Lazy, clumsy, gave away needless fouls. Aarggh!!
Denilson 6.5 - Like Song, slipped into his usual. Efficient, nothing spectacular, but nothing really telling.
Fabregas 7 - Not his best by far, but still the most visionary. Hey, it's 3 for 3 in assists for Ade.
Walcott 6.5 - Great runs, tormented that side of Villarreal, but nothing really threatening came of it.
Nasri 6 - Playing behind Ade doesn't seem to be his best position. Seemed lost at times.
Adebayor 8 - Nothing much in the first half, but after that - what a menace. Super goal of course, but Villareal must be so sick of the non-stop harrying they got from the Octo from Togo.
Fabianski 7.5 - Never really threatened, and look confident enough to stamp his authority.
Djourou 7.5 - A good run from the young man. With him and Silvestre back, we may not even miss Mohawk Billy.
So it's 1-1 that we take to the Emirates. An excellent result from a far from pleasing performance. I suppose it's exactly such performances we need to get to Rome. Not exactly top-notch, but it's the result. Far better than Man U in any case!!
Finally, a word for Bobby Pires. Coincidence that we actually looked fragile for the last 10-15 minutes that he came on? He'll always have that influence with his excellent sense of passing into space. But alas, he will never have more than 15-30 minute appearances in him. Best of luck with Villareal. Only not at the Emirates in 2 weeks.
Oh yes - must say something about Marcos Senna. That was one super performance. He had/has everything. Everytime he had the ball, you feared something was going to happen. If he weren't like geriatric, I'd say SIGN HIM NOW! We need Senna behind Cesc, not that Song person.
Of course, Marcos Senna scored an inevitable screamer. It could've been two, when Clichy cleared off the line, and too often, our defence looked dodgy. Then there were the injuries to Almunia (who has developed a nasty habit of silly runs out of the box) and Gallas. While it looked all doom and gloom at half time, on hindsight, the substitutions and half-time were the turning points. Djourou turned in an excellent performance, and Fabianski too looked in supreme confidence - making two great saves immediately after coming on.
Thank god football is a game of two halves, and for 30 minutes after coming back, we looked nearly back to normal. Trying hard, but still finding it hard to break down a pretty decent Villareal. Then literally out of the blue (TV missed it!), Ade scores a miracle goal. It was the perfect positive interpretation of his frequent flying octopus act, and my word, was it something.
It's only been a couple of hours since the match, but I've watched that goal like 203 times already.
Have never understood why it's called a bicycle kick. I can see the similarities, but nobody rides a bike upside down, no?
Before I get to the player ratings then, a little word on the silly yellows we picked up. We were clumsy all night. Picked up four, when Villareal had none. Just shows. Cesc's was totally unnecessary - he should've known, nobody falls for that free-kick routine anymore; Song was his usual ambly clumsy self; Nasri's was for talking too much; and Ade's was the referee's fault. Fingers crossed these don't come back and haunt us later (if we get there of course).
Almunia 6 - Silly injury to have picked up. Twit.
Sagna 7 - Had a useful night creating all sorts of chances on the right. Seemed the most vaguely interested in the first half.
Toure 6.5 - Good game, but could've done better getting the defence together in the dodgier first half.
Gallas 6.5 - Coincidence that we got tighter after he left? Who knows.
Clichy 7 - Does he ever get tired?
Song 5 - Song sang from his usual hymn sheet. Lazy, clumsy, gave away needless fouls. Aarggh!!
Denilson 6.5 - Like Song, slipped into his usual. Efficient, nothing spectacular, but nothing really telling.
Fabregas 7 - Not his best by far, but still the most visionary. Hey, it's 3 for 3 in assists for Ade.
Walcott 6.5 - Great runs, tormented that side of Villarreal, but nothing really threatening came of it.
Nasri 6 - Playing behind Ade doesn't seem to be his best position. Seemed lost at times.
Adebayor 8 - Nothing much in the first half, but after that - what a menace. Super goal of course, but Villareal must be so sick of the non-stop harrying they got from the Octo from Togo.
Fabianski 7.5 - Never really threatened, and look confident enough to stamp his authority.
Djourou 7.5 - A good run from the young man. With him and Silvestre back, we may not even miss Mohawk Billy.
So it's 1-1 that we take to the Emirates. An excellent result from a far from pleasing performance. I suppose it's exactly such performances we need to get to Rome. Not exactly top-notch, but it's the result. Far better than Man U in any case!!
Finally, a word for Bobby Pires. Coincidence that we actually looked fragile for the last 10-15 minutes that he came on? He'll always have that influence with his excellent sense of passing into space. But alas, he will never have more than 15-30 minute appearances in him. Best of luck with Villareal. Only not at the Emirates in 2 weeks.
Oh yes - must say something about Marcos Senna. That was one super performance. He had/has everything. Everytime he had the ball, you feared something was going to happen. If he weren't like geriatric, I'd say SIGN HIM NOW! We need Senna behind Cesc, not that Song person.
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