Holmes_and_Watson

Hostel

Pressure

Meeting

Forward

40? A dream! Why in my generation of working 36 hours a day in the loom factory followed by a double shift up lums, we'd never think of getting past 25. I didn't make it past 20, after that workhouse explosion, but do I moan about it? No! I count my blessings! Or I would, if there had been a school to go to so I could count. 🙂

Pull

I reckon in Ralph's mind he was hoping for something like Arsenal. Concede pretty much everything, try and nick a goal by punting to Broja, then hold on for dear life. We didn't get a break away in either, but did get a good individual goal from Redmond here. Ralph must have been reaching for his hanky to stem the flow of tears. But we never looked like holding onto it. A team carrying injuries to FF, Perraud and Stu prompted some changes. I don't know if Romeu is carrying a knock and Bednerak hasn't been stellar of late, and there's that lose of focus to his national team thing. AA seems well out of contention. Rather than play Adams, Ralph is pinning his hopes on a hoof to Broja, who just looks isolated. Using Small one as a link, didn't work at all. That may have been the plan against the might of Liverpool. But that wasn't the team we faced. It's the lack of realisation that we could do more than allow them to shoot at will that disappoints. We had one plan and stuck to it until it was far too late. Despite weakened opposition and despite everyone else seeing that their goals were coming. We've already seen that JWP and Diallo doesn't work. Tella would probably work better with Stu, which may not have been a starting option. But Stu replacing him was surely an option earlier than we got. We had opportunities to switch it before the second. But Ralph chose not to do anything. You could look at all those points dropped as a plus in that at least we're getting into those positions. That, like Brighton's xG, it's improvements in personnel that will allow us to keep those leads. But it's every bit as much that we have a manager who is unable to alter a game plan once it's set in motion, and offers no contingencies when it goes wrong. Ridiculous fawning comments on this being our Champs League final won nil points either.

Most of the game was a capitulation to a second string Liverpool team. Our tactic of allowing them all the shots they wanted, on the off chance of a counter, let them grow into the game. When no counter ever appeared, we didn't change the tactic. We just let those shots come in until they got the goal. It's when things are clearly not working, that things should change. Instead we will always persist with a failing plan. The timing of the subs, bringing on players who should have been starting, was far too late. We had a little late surge, as Liverpool dropped back a little. What a surprise, we looked much better. If only we'd been doing that earlier, if not throughout. No drive to take on the tiring Milner. Removing Broja for Adams still left us light up front, when chasing the game.

Whew. Great to see Romeu and Stu on to shore things up. That should stop them dominating so much and taking the lead.... Oh

Coming a mile away.

Cracking goal from Redmond, followed by us thinking we were playing in yellow, considering all the passing straight to their players. I wasn't at all convinced by our line up. But theirs isn't the strongest either. With luck, they'll push up to get a second and Broja will nick one.

Well, too... Just when we'd got out a bit.

Cheating from Gomez. Diver. Grrr

Yuuuussss!!

It's been 14 minutes here on MLG watch...

Duff

Horse

And you were right. 🙂

It was a really enjoyable game. I was just about to shout at the screen when Kerr didn't pass it, for it to deflect and go in. Cuthbert's goal was a belter, and interesting to watch two top teams with different playing styles. City looked a lot more fluid than they were earlier in the season, when they could still call on internationals, but had lots of injuries.

And if the new keeper, can't be sold for whatever reason, we'll be paying less in wages across the contract.

Cannon

He'll have been secretly training Redmond for all this time, just to activate him against Liverpool. Watch for the trigger sentence "You are a footballing genius Mr Reed." 🙂

100% managerial record. Well, from one game managing Kilmarnock.

Bound got half a dozen appearances, I think.

Anchor