A Balanced View

Comments (13)

It would appear that we are going for the record number of negative posts regards today?s match.

Anthony Newell, you obviously believe Moyes has had enough time and should go that is up to you. I, on the other hand, do not think the same. I look at what has happened and give what in my opinion is a balanced view.

Yes, I was pissed off and with the result today and yes, we had a chance of taking points. But I am not going to scream for Moyes head yet. In fact it will take a lot more than a one-nil loss against Man Utd.

I do not believe I see things through blue-tinted glasses but although at times it is difficult I try to provide a balanced view. Maybe our expectations have risen and some are looking through NSNO-tinted glasses. Those days are long past and five years ago I never thought we would ever get them back. Today, I can see signs they will return ? especially now that proper money as started to be spent.

We didn?t make space for the pass during the match and this made it difficult for us to play a passing game. I put the majority of the blame for this on the players. This is a basic skill of a footballer even at the low level I used to play and I do not believe the coaching staff not just Moyes have told them to do otherwise...

Wessels not at fault for the goaland over all had a quiet game but was confident with what he did. Only negative was that on a couple of occasions he did not come out for balls the centre-backs expected him to claim. He appears to be good back-up for Howard. It cannot be easy to not play in the first team and then be thrown in the deep end.

Hibbert: solid not spectacular, as expected; he is an out-and-out defender, nothing more. It would be easy to criticise him for his distribution but today no-one was making space for the pass. In addition, Arteta tended to be drifting in looking for the ball so he had no-one on the right to link up with.

Lescott: solid dependable rarely looked in trouble only negative was he and Yobo dropped back too much despite Moyes shouting for them to push out.

Yobo: as with Lescott, shame he did not put the ball in the net at the end but still a solid game.

Baines: my Man of the Match. Is he this year's Lescott? Confident, good touch, good engine, can defend and attack down the left, was our best player on the pitch by far. Made Ronaldo look ordinary which in itself takes some doing.

Overall the defence was solid and kept United at bay for most of the match this resulted in Ronaldo throwing him to the floor in desperation and receiving a deserved card for this.

Jagielka: to be honest I was disappointed with him today. He played like a younger faster Neville, they got in each-other's way at times and because of this we lacked creativity in midfield. In addition, they failed to close down players in possession allowing them to pick out passes. Neville: you get what you pay for... honest graft, nothing more; I would play him as right back where he's just that bit better than Hibbert.

Osman: tried hard, some decent touches but nothing special. Pienaar replaced him and added nothing to the team. Yes, he looked lively but running around is not enough and end product is needed. They appear to be similar in that they play in bursts. I will not criticise Moyes for starting with Osman as he did make a difference against Bolton in the last match.

Arteta: showed glimpses of what he is capable but only glimpses. One telling moment was when he was shouting at Neville after yet again not being provided the ball when in space. He ended up looking for the ball but when he did receive it he was nearly always closed down by two players.

AJ and Yakubu: is it me or do both look slightly off the pace? Especially Johnson ? he does not appear to be as quick as he was; hopefully this will come. Yakubu was provided no protection from the ref ? any barging was given as a foul against him even when the defender or in some cases defenders had their hands all over him. Too soon to comment on the partnership as this is only the second game.

McFadden: would have put him on before Pienaar to be honest. He had too little time to make an impression but did make the keeper pull out a good save.

Anichebe: tried to throw himself around but as with Yakubu any 50-50 was given as a foul to Utd.

Overall as I watched it had 0-0 written all over it as the two teams were cancelling themselves out.

Of the Team selection the only one I was surprised with at the start was Hibbert. However, if Jags or Neville had been right back Carsley would have been in midfield so even more defensive.

Other than putting McFadden on earlier, I cannot think of what else could have been done with the players available as all of them were progressive in nature the only unused outfield sub being Carsley.

A disappointing result which for me re-enforces a need for a creative central midfield player. We do have a good defence, we do have a good attack, but we do not have the link in midfield. This is needed if you are to beat teams like Utd who were themselves off the pace today but still had a near first-choice back-line that marshalled the unsupported strikers well.

Best squad in years? Well, we will see... An improvement, yes, but we still need more. Here?s to Thursday when I will watch a match that ends with a better result. COYB

Tony Miller, Liverpool     Posted 15/09/2007 at 21:12:02

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