...So we can all calm down now.
The Puff the Magic Dragon start to the season has been given a reality check. Not that anyone was expecting a 38 game win season but the circumstances in which the deserved draw was obtained will certainly put a lot of things in proper perspective.
First of, it is important wedraw (I'm beginning to hate the word) derive a balance into the meaning of the result - a 2-2 score against a for-some-reason recently dogged bogey Stoke team at the bet365 is not a disaster. Contenders often drop points there and one has even recorded a loss there this early season. In recent years, the Potters always seem up for it whenever United is in town and Sparky also seems to have a potent antidote (including on the sidelines too) for our Special One in these fixtures. In summary, our final output was totally commensurate to our total input. Even Stephens. Fair enough.
Secondly, I think we need to once and for all dispel the myth of P.I.B.F.S. i.e. Post International Break Fatigue Syndrome. Having 16-18(?) first-teamers away for the now standardised 2-week International fixture period is to be expected and appropriately managed by big clubs. It should not serve as an excuse for sub-par performances. City*, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs all have established internationals who participated in the qualifiers but they all returned to put in cohesive performances and administer spankings to their opponents. (Would we rather have faced Liverpool?) None of ours came back with any significant injury, some didn't even get to play and the farthest traveller was Ecuadorian Antonio Valencia who followed up his country's torrid qualification results with a poor performance yesterday. Perhaps he is to be exempted...until you look at the neighbour's South Americans and those in Catalonia and environs and then...nah...no excuses. The management simply has to find a way to eke out adequate performances under the circumstances.
* City did not administer a 'spanking' to their opponents - that was a mauling. Kinda like what Sadio Mane managed to do, deliberately or not, to Eduardo's profile.
Another to be forever banished, is the so-called "fixture pile up" excuse. Starting with Stoke yesterday, there's a Sat-Tue-Sun-Wed-Sat-Wed-Sat run of matches all through September which consist of Champions League, League and League Cup games. Isn't this what we've always wanted? Sooooo I expect the team to relish and own these competitive fixtures rather than treat them like Vice President Selina Meyer basically treats anything - with disdain and complaint. And that's specifically to you, Jose. I'm sure a certain Rafa Benitez would be willing to swap places given the opportunity...anyways, like Smokie said, don't play your rock n' roll to me. Get in!
FC Basel is coming up 2 days away in the Champions League (Hurray!) and there are a 3 things which are becoming more evident by the day concerning the squad which I would want to enumerate here. One I've mentioned severally, one I'm only fully coming to terms with and and the last I've only just discovered. My thoughts, folks...just my thoughts...
1. Romelu Lukaku will score goals but...
4 goals in 4 games. You can't, on those basic stats, ask for more. And I know he's still going to score many more barring injuries. Very likely in line to be the 1st Manchester United striker since RvP to score 20 league goals in a season. 89 league goals in 190 games. 24 in 59 for his country. 150 in 322 career numbers averaging 1 in 2. He's still only 24 years young. This man will score goals. The problem however is that...how does one put this?..Romelu has some very very essential shortcomings. Have you watched a learner trying to reverse/turn a car on a narrow road? Can you try and imagine Shaq as a footballer? šµ"You got me tripping...stumbling...flipping...fumbling...______ cos I'm falling in love...". Ever heard the term 'flat-track bully'? Do you get my drift?š .
On the biggest stages, that lack of coordination, composure, awkwardness and ungainliness will be exposed and eventually, bitterly regretted. I hope not. There is still time to improve. Then again, some of the best strikers in the world had many limitations but the secret to their success (which isn't much a secret) was to play to their assets. Ronaldo de Lima had how many headed goals for instance? Pippo Inzaghi was never going to leave the entire back line on its backside before calmly placing the ball in the net and Ruuuuud! was not expected to give you a 35 yard howitzer. Not when you had Giggsy to your left, Becks to your right and Keano and Scholesy behind you...Ah, nostalgia...
Romelu is all power and pace. The team then has to quickly and consistently learn to play to his strengths. Play the ball into spaces behind the defence. Play the ball over the top of the defence. Try and get him isolated with a defender. Provide accurate dangerous crosses into the '18 which brings me to...
2. Our sterile wing-play
This one drives me absolutely nuts. Right from last season, and in some cases 5 years back, we knew that 1. Valencia could not cross accurately. 2. Fosu could not cross accurately. 3. Rojo (when played as a full back) could not cross accurately 4. Blind (who should) could not cross accurately 5. Lingard could not cross accurately 6. Martial could not cross accurately 7. Rashford could not cross accurately 8. Mata is not a winger. 9. Shaw's appearances are like the total eclipse and 10. Darmian is generally as useful as a one-legged person in an ass-kicking contest. And I'm not talking the rare/occasional cross which surprisingly finds its target in a spectacular manner. I'm talking 'consistently'.
The one-who-got-away-who-also-recently-renewed-his-clubvows-for-another-5years' legend (and value) continues to grow with each passing day. But weren't there any other decent full backs/wingers in the market? I know the transfer market has gone totally gaga for obvious prospects and established players isn't that why we possess a renowned scouting network? To unearth hidden gems? Nobody? Nothing? Pending when those available make drastic improvements in their final pass, prepare to be often irritated. Speaking of irritations...
3. Pogba
And I'm not even referring to the haircut(s). I'm not part of the club's (well run, I must commend) PR machine so I'm going to say it as it is -This dude need to get his finger out. We can't continue to pretend that these performances are acceptable from our marquee player. You can't have all of this obvious talent and attend to football games with all the seriousness of Sesame Street. The much-derided Fellaini, with a 1/4 of this man's talent has made himself indispensable (to his coach at least) in the big games and hate it or hate it, he often comes through. To the best of his ability, he performs at a 9/10. Paul phones in a 5. You can't continuously casually keep giving the ball away in dangerous areas while holding on the ball when there are several options around you. I'm done with the whole 'still young' thing and like I stated here previously, the time to perform is now. He still needs his hand held and with the (now, let's admit, honorary) captain and old head essentially a bench warmer, who then provides the leadership in ability and example on the field? Valencia is obviously just filling in and Christopher Smalling is the vice-captain. I repeat, it's make or break season. The goals have thankfully started coming, which is nice, but the consistency is what is most required. Pogba, please...
Bailly and Jones had individual and collective 'mares yesterday making Eric Choupo-Moting look like a cross between Roy of the Rovers and Cristiano Ronaldo but I want to consider that an aberration rather than the norm. Same with Ander (recent lack of playing time?). We know the trio is capable of much better.
There are understandably going to be a lot of rotations these coming days and I sincerely hope all called upon stand up and be counted. The slate is still largely blank. And more ominously, January, which brings another transfer window, is just round the corner. š
Still, the team is looking more cohesive, more in sync, more united, than last time around. I still hold on to my early season prediction of a domestic trophy (or two) with a Quarter-final UCL appearance an achievement. Of course, I would prefer to be proved wrong on the latter by the team going even further and possibly winning it but then again...It's still early days. Come On You Reds!
The Puff the Magic Dragon start to the season has been given a reality check. Not that anyone was expecting a 38 game win season but the circumstances in which the deserved draw was obtained will certainly put a lot of things in proper perspective.
First of, it is important we
Secondly, I think we need to once and for all dispel the myth of P.I.B.F.S. i.e. Post International Break Fatigue Syndrome. Having 16-18(?) first-teamers away for the now standardised 2-week International fixture period is to be expected and appropriately managed by big clubs. It should not serve as an excuse for sub-par performances. City*, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs all have established internationals who participated in the qualifiers but they all returned to put in cohesive performances and administer spankings to their opponents. (Would we rather have faced Liverpool?) None of ours came back with any significant injury, some didn't even get to play and the farthest traveller was Ecuadorian Antonio Valencia who followed up his country's torrid qualification results with a poor performance yesterday. Perhaps he is to be exempted...until you look at the neighbour's South Americans and those in Catalonia and environs and then...nah...no excuses. The management simply has to find a way to eke out adequate performances under the circumstances.
* City did not administer a 'spanking' to their opponents - that was a mauling. Kinda like what Sadio Mane managed to do, deliberately or not, to Eduardo's profile.
Another to be forever banished, is the so-called "fixture pile up" excuse. Starting with Stoke yesterday, there's a Sat-Tue-Sun-Wed-Sat-Wed-Sat run of matches all through September which consist of Champions League, League and League Cup games. Isn't this what we've always wanted? Sooooo I expect the team to relish and own these competitive fixtures rather than treat them like Vice President Selina Meyer basically treats anything - with disdain and complaint. And that's specifically to you, Jose. I'm sure a certain Rafa Benitez would be willing to swap places given the opportunity...anyways, like Smokie said, don't play your rock n' roll to me. Get in!
FC Basel is coming up 2 days away in the Champions League (Hurray!) and there are a 3 things which are becoming more evident by the day concerning the squad which I would want to enumerate here. One I've mentioned severally, one I'm only fully coming to terms with and and the last I've only just discovered. My thoughts, folks...just my thoughts...
Original photo of rugged RedRom courtesy Metro.co.uk
1. Romelu Lukaku will score goals but...
4 goals in 4 games. You can't, on those basic stats, ask for more. And I know he's still going to score many more barring injuries. Very likely in line to be the 1st Manchester United striker since RvP to score 20 league goals in a season. 89 league goals in 190 games. 24 in 59 for his country. 150 in 322 career numbers averaging 1 in 2. He's still only 24 years young. This man will score goals. The problem however is that...how does one put this?..Romelu has some very very essential shortcomings. Have you watched a learner trying to reverse/turn a car on a narrow road? Can you try and imagine Shaq as a footballer? šµ"You got me tripping...stumbling...flipping...fumbling...______ cos I'm falling in love...". Ever heard the term 'flat-track bully'? Do you get my drift?š .
On the biggest stages, that lack of coordination, composure, awkwardness and ungainliness will be exposed and eventually, bitterly regretted. I hope not. There is still time to improve. Then again, some of the best strikers in the world had many limitations but the secret to their success (which isn't much a secret) was to play to their assets. Ronaldo de Lima had how many headed goals for instance? Pippo Inzaghi was never going to leave the entire back line on its backside before calmly placing the ball in the net and Ruuuuud! was not expected to give you a 35 yard howitzer. Not when you had Giggsy to your left, Becks to your right and Keano and Scholesy behind you...Ah, nostalgia...
Romelu is all power and pace. The team then has to quickly and consistently learn to play to his strengths. Play the ball into spaces behind the defence. Play the ball over the top of the defence. Try and get him isolated with a defender. Provide accurate dangerous crosses into the '18 which brings me to...
2. Our sterile wing-play
This one drives me absolutely nuts. Right from last season, and in some cases 5 years back, we knew that 1. Valencia could not cross accurately. 2. Fosu could not cross accurately. 3. Rojo (when played as a full back) could not cross accurately 4. Blind (who should) could not cross accurately 5. Lingard could not cross accurately 6. Martial could not cross accurately 7. Rashford could not cross accurately 8. Mata is not a winger. 9. Shaw's appearances are like the total eclipse and 10. Darmian is generally as useful as a one-legged person in an ass-kicking contest. And I'm not talking the rare/occasional cross which surprisingly finds its target in a spectacular manner. I'm talking 'consistently'.
The one-who-got-away-who-also-recently-renewed-his-clubvows-for-another-5years' legend (and value) continues to grow with each passing day. But weren't there any other decent full backs/wingers in the market? I know the transfer market has gone totally gaga for obvious prospects and established players isn't that why we possess a renowned scouting network? To unearth hidden gems? Nobody? Nothing? Pending when those available make drastic improvements in their final pass, prepare to be often irritated. Speaking of irritations...
3. Pogba
And I'm not even referring to the haircut(s). I'm not part of the club's (well run, I must commend) PR machine so I'm going to say it as it is -This dude need to get his finger out. We can't continue to pretend that these performances are acceptable from our marquee player. You can't have all of this obvious talent and attend to football games with all the seriousness of Sesame Street. The much-derided Fellaini, with a 1/4 of this man's talent has made himself indispensable (to his coach at least) in the big games and hate it or hate it, he often comes through. To the best of his ability, he performs at a 9/10. Paul phones in a 5. You can't continuously casually keep giving the ball away in dangerous areas while holding on the ball when there are several options around you. I'm done with the whole 'still young' thing and like I stated here previously, the time to perform is now. He still needs his hand held and with the (now, let's admit, honorary) captain and old head essentially a bench warmer, who then provides the leadership in ability and example on the field? Valencia is obviously just filling in and Christopher Smalling is the vice-captain. I repeat, it's make or break season. The goals have thankfully started coming, which is nice, but the consistency is what is most required. Pogba, please...
Bailly and Jones had individual and collective 'mares yesterday making Eric Choupo-Moting look like a cross between Roy of the Rovers and Cristiano Ronaldo but I want to consider that an aberration rather than the norm. Same with Ander (recent lack of playing time?). We know the trio is capable of much better.
There are understandably going to be a lot of rotations these coming days and I sincerely hope all called upon stand up and be counted. The slate is still largely blank. And more ominously, January, which brings another transfer window, is just round the corner. š
Still, the team is looking more cohesive, more in sync, more united, than last time around. I still hold on to my early season prediction of a domestic trophy (or two) with a Quarter-final UCL appearance an achievement. Of course, I would prefer to be proved wrong on the latter by the team going even further and possibly winning it but then again...It's still early days. Come On You Reds!
Signing Out,
B.L...
In Other News:
* Neighbourhood Watch : I'm not a superstitious person. But if for any reason Oxlade-Chamberlain is again in the transfer market, Messrs Glazer, please ignore. Even if offered for free. Particularly if he's ready to take a salary cut. Thanks. Mane madness and Salah slovenliness aside, could things have been drastically different? Does or should playing short one man give your opponents such a huge advantage (We do it every time Darmian is on to varying results so...)? Is there any credit to be given to the City's attack in that rampaging performance? We could do with a Mendy, couldn't we?
*Enemy/King-Slayer Watch: Alvaro Morata's new found heading ability and Chelsea's resilience have become as inconceivable as Bronn rescuing Jaime by pushing him into the sea, dodging dragon fire (and a waiting army), swimming what must have been a very lengthy distance, and then coming out to shore unscathed. Scary. Stockpile dragon-glass and and lay in wait behind the wall. Or bus...
* Real Madrid are so good, they've given their major rivals a head start in the league this season. Expect them to start reeling their opponents in as soon as wonder-boy returns...or does this turn out like that didactic hare v tortoise race where the hare left itself with too much to do to win the race? Messi (another hattrick) & Co. have been said, including by yours truly, to be in dire straits but they are the only team with a perfect record in Spain after admittedly only 3 games. Shockingly too, they are yet to concede a goal (Sound familiar?). But come to think about it, their capitulation, like another English team usually begins in the new calendar year. Stay tuned...
* By the time you're reading this Raphael Nadal would probably be the US Open Champion. Remarkable tennis year for the oldies but goldies. Congratulations Jide Ajao! š
* (Rich)Twat of the Month: Connor McGregor. Do I even need to explain this?
* A proper boxing fight is going to take place on Saturday between Gennady "GGG" Golovkin and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. 1 loss and 67 knockouts between both fighters in 88 bouts. Who's your money on?
B.L...
In Other News:
* Neighbourhood Watch : I'm not a superstitious person. But if for any reason Oxlade-Chamberlain is again in the transfer market, Messrs Glazer, please ignore. Even if offered for free. Particularly if he's ready to take a salary cut. Thanks. Mane madness and Salah slovenliness aside, could things have been drastically different? Does or should playing short one man give your opponents such a huge advantage (We do it every time Darmian is on to varying results so...)? Is there any credit to be given to the City's attack in that rampaging performance? We could do with a Mendy, couldn't we?
*Enemy/King-Slayer Watch: Alvaro Morata's new found heading ability and Chelsea's resilience have become as inconceivable as Bronn rescuing Jaime by pushing him into the sea, dodging dragon fire (and a waiting army), swimming what must have been a very lengthy distance, and then coming out to shore unscathed. Scary. Stockpile dragon-glass and and lay in wait behind the wall. Or bus...
* Real Madrid are so good, they've given their major rivals a head start in the league this season. Expect them to start reeling their opponents in as soon as wonder-boy returns...or does this turn out like that didactic hare v tortoise race where the hare left itself with too much to do to win the race? Messi (another hattrick) & Co. have been said, including by yours truly, to be in dire straits but they are the only team with a perfect record in Spain after admittedly only 3 games. Shockingly too, they are yet to concede a goal (Sound familiar?). But come to think about it, their capitulation, like another English team usually begins in the new calendar year. Stay tuned...
* By the time you're reading this Raphael Nadal would probably be the US Open Champion. Remarkable tennis year for the oldies but goldies. Congratulations Jide Ajao! š
* (Rich)Twat of the Month: Connor McGregor. Do I even need to explain this?
* A proper boxing fight is going to take place on Saturday between Gennady "GGG" Golovkin and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. 1 loss and 67 knockouts between both fighters in 88 bouts. Who's your money on?
Wait till Matic is given a red and Darmian is playing, then you'd understand the meaning of been one man down ....was so pissed off with Liverpool
ReplyDelete"Enemy/King slayer"... Watch out
ReplyDeleteYou were right about Nadal being US Open champion but wrong about Barcelona. Real Sociedad also have a perfect record in La Liga so far and have scored at least 3 goals in all their games. Adnan Januzaj made his debut for them today and they still managed to win.
ReplyDeleteAh...true.An oversight. Thanks. A huge lol @ "...they still managed to win"...inspite of...
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete