required field
- 14 Jul 2010 13:55
It is now time to switch to a new Money AM football blog as the world cup is now over and we all look to the future.....World cup 2010 is over, Bravo Espana, and Forlan, once again and bring on the new season !.....I never expected the last thread to be such a success...thanks all.... so this new one might go on for years without the need to edit the title...we shall see...
Stan
- 27 Dec 2013 06:20
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Thats "rare" Burnley reverse at Boro was indeed a bit of a shock result D/C, but if you are going to lose then against a bottom team is not as bad as loosing to the other top teams around you. Any further investments at the bookies that you are considering should be run past me 1st can I suggest D/C... No charge -):
Stan
- 27 Dec 2013 06:22
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No news from Dill for some time... Confirmation from the hillsides of suicide shortly to be confirmed I expect -):
Stan
- 27 Dec 2013 14:02
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Malky Mackay has been sacked as manager by Cardiff City after a meeting of the club's board of directors.
The club says a new first team manager will be appointed in due course.
Dil
- 27 Dec 2013 18:10
- 2424 of 6918
Mixed feelings on the sacking. Nice guy who can leave with his head held high after taking Cardiff to the Carling Cup final and the play offs in his first season and running away with the Championship title in his second season, He also leaves with Cardiff being out of the relegation places and with a better than fifty fifty chance of still being in the PL next season ... BUT
his style of play has been like watching paint dry. 3 out of 4 best performances have been live on Sky so unless you watch them week in week out you wouldn't believe how negative the tactics are. It was the same the previous 2 seasons but we got away with it in the Championship.
All I hope is whoever we get is that Tan fecks off back to Malaysia and stays there and the new manager tries to get the team playing some football instead of playing 9-0-1.
Good luck to Malky you will always be a legend at Cardiff City for what you achieved in your two and a half years in charge.
Dil
- 27 Dec 2013 19:44
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lol Vincent Tan is as low as 20/1 at bet365 to appoint himself as our next manager !
Dil
- 29 Dec 2013 02:00
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Control the game for 70 minutes then bring 3 subs on to defend the penalty area !
M ... u really don't want Malky or any of his negative backroom staff (who will be gone next week) unless you like watching paint dry !
Stan
- 29 Dec 2013 08:39
- 2427 of 6918
Building any successful team has to come from the back, but having said that if you don' t/can't score at the other end then only defending is not going to be the complete answer. Sounds like Malky has fallen into the same trap as a lot of up and coming managers in that they can organise a defense all right but can't get it right enough at the business end.
Our man Sean Dyche seems to be of the same school, We are hoping that he proves to be the exception to the rule after we get promoted this season -):
Stan
- 29 Dec 2013 08:45
- 2428 of 6918
Back to the joyous one's:
Burnley ease into last eight in U21 Cup
Burnley became the third team to reach the last eight of the Under-21 Premier League Cup last Monday, joining Wolves and Manchester City in the next round after a comfortable 3-0 win against Bolton.
Chris Carson
- 30 Dec 2013 00:03
- 2429 of 6918
om My Seat: Southampton (H)
By Ken Buckley :: 29/12/2013
Comments (6) jump to end
Everton 2 - 1 Southampton
After just a short break we all assembled for ‘Lunch in L4’ a sell-out crowd and our local soon filled up with one or more fans making their debut at sampling match day ‘scouse style’ I wonder what they all made of it. One of them should be happy as not only did the Blues win but they won the card too. A text from a mate said Jags out with hammy trouble and when the team arrived he was proved right. Five changes from Boxing Day and how they might line up was well discussed.
Clattenberg was ref but when discussed the only comment was that he should not be reffing full stop after being caught favouring one team over another. All agreed and we moved on to the ground where the buzz started well before Spellow Lane and intensified the nearer to the ‘Old Lady’ you got. The fat van had run out of bacon and sausages so many had to do with chips. The Goodison Road was knee deep in the Blues and the yellow carry out food wrapper bins overflowed as we made our way to designated turnstiles. Almost 40.000 passed through.
Before kick-off we had a moment of applause for those Blues who had passed up to Blue heaven during the year of 2013. Their names displayed on the big screen, sadly there seemed to be too many of them.
The half started with us attacking the street end no doubt in an attempt to gain some help from the sun shining brightly in the eyes of their keeper and defenders. It was a low key start but it only took about 10mins for Osman to find Coleman with a decent pass and the Irishman set of at great pace down the right, cut inside his man took a few more paces and then let fly with a rocket of a shot that flew across the keeper and bulged the net. Happy Blues celebrated in good style, it was a stunning shot. He seems to be getting good at these. 3 in 4 games now.
The half meandered on with some decent football from both sides and slowly but surely the visitors were winning the midfield battle but Everton seemed prepared for this as they set up a line across the pitch just in front of the 18yd line. This seemed to work well and we thwarted anything the Saints could muster. Barkley was working well with finesse and power and had a few rounds of applause for his efforts. McCarthy was settling in to his anchor role and it was good to see Alcaraz settling in quickly in fact we were no weaker for the changes as we looked after the lead as well as attacking when we could.
Around the 20min mark Naismith went for a ball in the box and seemed to be pushed over but nothing doing from the ref.
The half wasn’t electric by any means and good chances were in short supply. Lambert brought a good save from Robles but was offside anyway. Lukaku had a powerful run down the right but just kept going and ended up being unable to pass to anyone. Shame really as Oviedo had made a good run to offer himself unmarked.
One more scare for us before the break when Lallana sort of squeezed between Osman and Distin and into the box but thankfully shot wide. Then one more chance for us as a delightful free kick from Baines was attacked by Naismith but his resultant header was shuffled away. Right on the half time whistle as Distin was seeing a ball out for a goal-kick he was barged by a Southampton player and handbags took place. Just a talking to from Clatters.
H/T and in keeping with the first half everything seemed a bit downbeat and flat from the speccys.
The second half started and within seconds the impressive Shaw raced down the left and fed a good ball into the box and but for the sliding McCarthy Lallana could have profited.
Oviedo got booked for a foul slide but it didn’t put him off as he raced down the left and looked up and fed Barkley open in front of a gaping goal but the youngster contrived to side-foot wide, what a miss, I hoped that would not come back to haunt us. Shame for the lad though as he was having a good game in his deeper midfield role.
Southampton were now in the ascendency and it was taking some sterling work from McCarthy to keep us together as well as the Distin Alcaraz partnership looking more solid as the game progressed.
We had a spell of both teams putting some good joined up stuff together but both teams promised more than they delivered. We had a scare when from a decent shot Robles let the ball squirm from his grasp causing him to produce a sprawl and smother to thwart the incoming forward.
All seemed very quiet in the ground and even the baiting from the travelling Saints fans barely caused any retaliatory action. Maybe we were just absorbed in the ground and fearful of an equaliser yet at the same time with the promptings of McCarthy and Barkley we were not looking in much danger.
In the 70th min all that changed when sub. Ramirez thumped one in from the edge of the box and it just seemed to be too fast for our keeper who just seemed to wave two hands at it as it went right through him and into the net. He couldn’t blame the sun as it had gone down!
The ground went even quieter but within minutes we were all on our feet as a delightful interplay between our sub Pienaar and the excellent McCarthy saw the latter pick out Lukaku in front of goal and he duly thumped the ball high into the net and the Goodison roar was heard once more. I bet Robles was happy to see that go in.
The points were now ours as the clock ticked out the final minutes. Still time for a half chance to them and two half chances for us. In their case Shaw fired over and in our case Lukaku fired over then had a shot saved low down. Final whistle but not any wild celebrations but many did stay to clap the players off after they had saluted the fans.
M.O.tM. --- McCarthy
Overall a good day out and a game that was played in good spirit in the main between two footballing teams. I thought the manager managed the subs well when he introduced Pienaar for Oviedo on the hour mark and the link up with Baines looked much more productive yet Oviedo had not done much wrong. The Mirallas for Osman on 70mins gave the fresh legs.
Barkley again had a good game this time as part of a mid-field two and some of his surging runs and insightful passing bodes well for the remainder of the season. Alcaraz slotted in alongside Distin well so even with five changes we showed we could more than cope. It will be interesting to see what transpires in this coming transfer window as we move into the second half of the season with a shout of a high finish. Exciting times lie ahead if we can grasp them.
All the very best for 2014
UP THE BLUES
Reader Comments
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Dennis Stevens
990 Posted 29/12/2013 at 20:34:30 Ta Ken. I really appreciate they way your reports give a real feel as to the atmosphere in & around the ground, as well as the details of the match itself. What a tremendous start by Martinez! Roberto's first half season has us in 4th place on 37 points, all we need now is for that level of performance consistently over the whole season. Marvellous times for all Evertonians!
Peter Creer
992 Posted 29/12/2013 at 20:53:16 Thanks Ken for another snapshot of the game and we keep rolling on. It was very gratifying to see us play well against another team that likes to move the ball around and attack. With so many changes, especially Jags, Barry and Howard, it was great to see these forced rotations working out so well. Alcaraz in particular filled in seamlessly and made some important blocks and worked well alongside Distin. His return to fitness could not have been timed any better. The other positive for me was the work done at the heart of the midfield by Barkley and McCarthy who fought hard and had some great link up play. I would agree that McCarthy was the MotM.
The other positive was the return to goalscoring for Lukaku. He has worked tirelessly over the past few games without anything to show for it and today saw him get the goal that he deserved. Without a doubt we need to bolster the front line in the transfer window so that we don't see him burning out when the games will become even more important.
Overall, a great result against a team that played well. Fourth at the halfway point and only five points out of first. Martinez has been a revelation and the team has responded to his change in philosophy.....long may it continue!
Chris Jones [Burton]
993 Posted 29/12/2013 at 20:55:43 Given the number of changes in our line-up I think we did very well to come out of this with 3 points. Southampton have proved to be a good side this season, came here off the back of a 3 nil away win and played some lovely stuff in our half at times, albeit they didn't threaten our goal overly much.
We scored two smashing goals, one a fine individual effort from Seamus, worthy of a Giggs or Kanchelskis in their pomp, the other a really lovely team effort featuring some great passing an movement, a super first-time flicked pass and a confident finish from a striker who you'd never know had gone several games without netting.
One slightly negative comment... I noticed today, in the first half especially, the tendency of our players to pass straight to feet when moving the ball around in midfield. While this may be ok when we're playing keep ball and not pressed too close, it can leave the receiving player a bit flat footed at times.
I'd much prefer it if the passes were aimed just in front of the target player each time, to induce them forwards (rather than back) and give the receiver a little bit of initiative/impetus if they're being closed down by an opponent. This I think is likely more comfortabe than when the ball is straight to feet. Sometimes we looked like we were playing pass the parcel with a grenade.
Ian Bennett
995 Posted 29/12/2013 at 21:11:10 I watched Lukaku quite closely up in the gods today. The service in to him was pretty awful (save McCarthy's great surge). Far to many times he was dropping deep looking for the ball and miss controlling it in a tight midfield (Osman disease was catching). Needs to play on the last man more, facing goal - his team mates should see his number 17.
Si Mar
Stan
- 30 Dec 2013 23:09
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Stan
- 01 Jan 2014 18:12
- 2431 of 6918
Burnley 3 Huddersfield 2
New Year, same old story as Danny Ings was back among the goals in the Clarets’ thrilling and heart-stopping victory over Huddersfield at Turf Moor.
The Clarets striker bagged a brace to take his tally to 19 for the season, either side of a Town strike for ex-Claret Martin Paterson.
Ings slotted past Alex Smithies after only six minutes and then, after Paterson levelled with his third goal in as many games, the Clarets striker restored the lead before half time with a sublime finish.
Kieran Trippier sealed a fabulous attacking display by the Clarets with the killer third 11 minutes from time.
And after Paterson struck again in the 88th minute, Tommy Smith missed a sitter in a heart-stopping few minutes to confirm the Clarets’ ascent back into the top two spots.
Another 3 promotion points for the Championship chasing Clarets.
Chris Carson
- 01 Jan 2014 23:19
- 2432 of 6918
From My Seat: Stoke City (A)
By Ken Buckley :: 01/01/2014
Comments (1) jump to end
Arriving in Stoke on a wet and windy day sort of screams bleak England in the bleak midwinter... but 4th in the Premier League and playing some good stuff, optimism abounded as we assembled. The team came through: no Distin and Stones in as deputy with Heitinga not in the squad... so it seems like, if he can negotiate the contract and wage he wants, then he is an ‘Hammer’... or is it an ‘Iron’?
We kicked off attacking the home end and within minutes Mirallas had got to the by-line with pace but the final ball found only the first man who played for Stoke and the move ended. The next 10 minutes set the tone for the half... and maybe the whole game. Everton had the possession and built well to the edge of the box; then, for a variety of reasons, our moves floundered, which allowed Stoke to get it forward quickly and we had to be aware at the back. An example of this took place around the 10-minute mark when we forced a corner after good build up. Baines took it but we bundled the ball out for a goal kick. The keeper kicked downfield and within seconds Assaidi had a shot on goal – a weak one, yes, and straight at Howard... but a warning nevertheless.
Barry fed a great ball from midfield to Lukaku out wide but the best the big man could do was force a corner which was cleared. Stoke then had a period of attacks which showed the first-time pairing of Stones and Alcaraz in a good light. Both have hardly set foot on the pitch in a Premier League game, yet they played like a partnership in waiting. Stoke had a shot that Howard did wonders to save but the offside flag was up although Howard didn’t know that. Then Crouch was just wide with a header.
At last, around 20 mins, we had a shot on goal when McCarthy surged forward and hit a soft one right to the keeper. The rain got heavier and heavier but the pitch played well and we continued to build up with neat passing but rarely if ever troubling their keeper. On the half-hour Barkley threaded a pass toward the box and someone was felled. Free kick – Mirallas took... keeper motionless as the ball thumped the crossbar with great force and the rebound was cleared.
Before half-time, Stoke had a shot deflected in our box which left Howard wrong footed and stranded; luckily it dribbled wide. Mirallas charged forward, crossed low and Barkley got it over the bar. Then we got another free kick in Baines territory but Mirallas took it and – would you believe it – keeper motionless again as the ball thumps the post this time, and then got cleared. You could forgive Mirallas for believing it was not to be his day.
Half-time: 0-0. Although we'd had most possession, we struggled to find the quality final ball. But Stoke deserve some credit for that with the memory of the 4-0 mauling just a couple of weeks ago, they certainly set up not to lose and the man who is most fans' yard-dog – Shawcross – was having a very effective game.
Second half and Stoke changed their keeper, the original one had nothing to do so he must have been injured. We started where we left off, on the attack, but again the breakup of good moves was in that last third and Lukaku was suffering more than most with his touch with plenty of others not seeming to realise we play in Blue.
We got a bit ragged and Stoke took advantage and had a sustained attack and, within only 5 minutes of the restart, we were one down when a cross was headed out by Stones but straight to Assaidi who thumped past Howard from the edge of the box. You can’t be too hard on an 18-year-old making his debut but I am sure he will learn from his error, just a pity it cost a goal.
We retaliated but our end-product was a Mirallas effort high over the bar... then Shawcross gave away a free kick which again Mirallas took but this time hit the wall. Then Coleman was wrestled to the ground by Assaidi but the ref waved 'play on' – much to the annoyance of the faithful – but it did rouse them and some good 12th-man stuff took place.
With 65 minutes gone, we still couldn’t get that decisive move that at least gets people on their feet, let alone a shot on target. Also, a few of our players were now looking a bit either mentally or physically tired... in fact, we were just not at it – yet on top – until it came to their box, where a ‘one-two’ with third man running could well have worked wonders for all assembled on and off the pitch.
Around the 70-minute mark, the manager had seen enough and took off the two who looked to be running through treacle: Pienaar and McCarthy; both had run themselves out. Jelavic and Osman came on. It was ‘go for it’ time as a 4-2-4 system looked to be employed but, such was our need, it was a free for all at times.
Osman made an immediate impact and at last we had a player showing craft and guile; attacks became more structured which set off the faithful to start to roar the players on. Barkley and Barry were the two in midfield; both seemed to pick up on the calmness of Osman and looked the better for it as we ploughed forward more menacingly now. Of course, this left us a little exposed to Stoke breaks and a couple of times they looked dangerous. With Assaidi giving Coleman a hard time all match and Baines often caught up field, Stones and Alcaraz were sound and Barry and Barkley got back as quick as they could.
Just 10 mins to go, Naismith replaced the misfiring Lukaku and we stepped up another gear. The faithful roared louder, Jelavic had a shot blocked near the goal line, Coleman raced forward but ran into traffic on the edge, Osman cleverly played Naismith in but the ball ran away from him as he seemed flat-footed.
Soon it was 5 mins left and Mirallas hits a free kick high and long so no attempt on goal; then Osman twists and turns with purpose in the box, leaves three Stoke players stranded and crosses for Naismith to head on goal but alas a man on the line again saves Stoke.
We were in injury time, Baines takes a free kick, Jelavic connects but his shot is blocked. The din was now reaching Health and Safety limits as we roared for one last Hurrah....
Almost over... then, "Hey Up, La — Ossie’s in the box!" He goes past one but is tripped, he doesn’t go down but heads and stumbles toward goal and then Pennant ensures he hits the deck: Ref’s whistle, "Penalty!!!" Baines takes — keeper goes wrong way — net bulges — and we have a point. It may be the case that we dropped two points but, at that moment, one felt great and from the celebrations you thought it could have been the winner.
Final whistle and in keeping with a draw there was no wild talk either way.
MotM – Very hard call today but I am going with Osman. He may have only been on for half an hour but I fear without him we would never have scored.
When we scored, a smoke bomb or flare was set off yet again at an away match. It’s not my place to tell anyone how to behave but I have to say, letting those things off in very crowded areas is bloody dangerous. Plus the fact it’s your own Blue Brothers you are likely to harm!
Up for the Cup, Saturday! I love the FA Cup and winning it would be just great... yet I bet it will be quite a different atmosphere and low key with team changes as batteries are recharged to continue our title quest. Times change from banners, scarfs, rosettes, rattles... and dancing in Trafalgar square fountains. Could they come back this season?
See you Saturday.
UP THE BLUES
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Reader Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
Peter Anthony
077 Posted 01/01/2014 at 21:59:21 Thanks for another top notch report Ken, really top draw service you provide that is massively appreciated.
Come the end of the season I think this may be a point gained, since so many top sides hit the buffers at the windswept mosh pit Brittania. Onwards and upwards is the trajectory on the whole and this month is indeed pivotal on and off the pitch. In Roberto I trust... NSNO.
Dil
- 01 Jan 2014 23:19
- 2433 of 6918
Ole , Ole , Ole , Ole
Solksjaer
Solksjaer
Dil
- 02 Jan 2014 10:55
- 2434 of 6918
Just need him to bring that kid Mats Moller Daelhi with him , sign Tom Ince , a centre half and get Buttner and Defoe on loan and we'll be sorted.
Dil
- 02 Jan 2014 15:45
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.... and while your flavour of the month tell Tan we want our blue kits back.
Stan
- 02 Jan 2014 15:58
- 2437 of 6918
Ex Mold isn't he?.. Should go far with him then -):
Dil
- 02 Jan 2014 16:57
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Its Molde and pronounced moll-dey u northern git :-)
Dil
- 02 Jan 2014 17:03
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Copied from cardiffcityforum.co.uk and posted by cmorris1927
Tan's list of objectives for Solksjaer
Martini
- 02 Jan 2014 17:39
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Love it Dil