A win
Monday, December 30, 2002
A patched-up side, 2 premier league starting debuts, 2 players limping off - a win under those circumstances has to be good news, even if Boro were really dire.
If somebody out there can explain why we ended up with Allback totally out of position on the wing while Angel was invisible up front for the final quarter...
Postma: Good distribution (esp the throws). Saves when required. Perhaps a bit slow coming off his line? Looked worth a run of games.
Edwards: Debut, out of position but did OK, very good passing for a cntre-back. Like CT I felt his slide-rule pass to UDLC was a rare highlight in the second half. Struggled a bit against the more physical Whelan late on.
Samuel: Good first 45 back in his favoured position. OK second half.
Mellberg: Mellberg-esque.
Johnsen: OK, a bit iffy defending set-pieces. Managed to pick up ankle, thigh and back knocks in just 45 mins. Is he made of glass?
Wright: OK, didn't look too rusty but could have perhaps done more as the 'spare man'? Vital off-the-line clearance but even with 10 they got in behind in on occasions.
Kinsella: Maybe his best 45 mins in a Villa shirt. Tackling and pressing as we took control in midfield. Faded and too many backward passes after that.
Hitz: Another snappy first half showing and also tired. Did well to support Edwards by providing an outlet. Boro closed down any shooting chances.
Barry: My MotM. Key pass to set up the cross for the goal. Never stopped making forward runs. Strong in the tackle (something our lightweight midfield has missed with him playing in defence). Just very good.
De la Cruz: Surprisingly effective, so much so that Queudrue was moved into midfield cos he couldn't cope with him. He's not great but he didn't deserve the critcisim he got for that display - or to be subbed.
Angel: Excellent cross to set up the goal but largely anonymous. Failed to hold the ball up and a poor second to Dion in terms of work-rate. I'd still like to see him and DV have a run togther, tho.
Dublin: Easily the more effective of the front 2. Key defensive contributions, too. Impressed (and surprised) that he troubled Ugo so much.
Hadji and Allback didn't really feature.
So how did we win it? A patched-up side on the back of 3 defeats and Boro had just swept Manyoo aside...For me it was the pressing and tackling in midfield that turned it our way, both for the goal and the sending off. Barry's strength helped but it was really Kinsella and Hitz that played somewhat out of character and out-hussled their midfielders. All of which meant Wilson, in his role as Boateng replacement, was outgunned and had to do a lot of diving in (his first yellow). The frustrated Wilson (who wasn't getting a lot of help from his fellow midfielders) then tried to get Hitz booked by taking a spiteful quick free kick straight at the German's legs. The ref was very unimpressed and looked ready to book him for that. Instead he waited for his next foul - which came as a result of more good midfield pressing and that was that.
A footnote on Boro. Very disappointing. Nemeth didn't want to know, Geremi was just going through the motions, I only noticed Wilkshire was playing when he was subbed and Queudrue - outplayed by UDLC!
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Copyright 2008 - Captain Vulture
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