25-09-2014, 11:26
An interesting evening in Manchester.
Firstly, a lot of empty seats at kick off as many Wednesday fans arrived last minute and were held up by the body searches at the turnstiles. I heard several say that they had never come across security like this. Clearly they haven't been to an away match recently.
Couldn't help but be impressed with the Etihad. Two high definition screens plus stats updates every five minutes on passes, possession, shots etc. This is where we should be; in a modern stadium with sell out 40,000 crowds.
SG's team selection was a strange hybrid of half regulars & half reserves. My first thought was that it was indecisive thinking that could cost us the match & reduce confidence. I would much rather change the full team (like Forest did) so that there is no risk of league momentum being lost.
We started brightly, keeping the ball for 90 seconds. In fact we passed the ball well for most of the match.
We had an early half chance when Madine peeled away excellently in the box & Maghoma spotted him but somehow the ball dipped in flight & Madine made only a slight connection.
After that we created little in the first half but defended stoutly. Lees & Zayatte were outstanding winning every ball played into our box. Mattock cut out several crosses. Buxton looked out of sorts for 20 minutes but gradually got into the match.
We started with a sort of 433 formation with May & Maguire playing wide with Maghoma in CM with Palmer & Coke. This seemed to work ok in the first half. Towards half time, City cranked it up a notch, hitting the bar & going close a couple of other times. We needed a change at half time because both full backs were facing two against one situations and Maguire & May were not able to give enough assistance.
In the second half, we were completely outclassed. Things happened so quickly that I may have got things out of order.
The first goal was poor defending. Buxton was the wrong side of Lampard and Kirkland went down too easily. After that.........
City's crossing was brilliant. Milner looked world class. Navas had pace to burn & Lampard's off the ball running was brilliant. That is without mentioning Toure & Dzeko.
Kirkland was beaten on his near post for the third. The penalty was correct but the red card was harsh.
Dielna replaced Coke, Nuhui replaced Madine and Helan replaced Palmer.
Helan again looked bright and added something to the team. Nuhui linked the play as well as Madine but was guilty of a terrible miss when May's shot was parried straight to him & he had a simple diving header from five yards but instead he tried to bring it down & the chance was spurned.
We also had one shot scrambled off the line & Maguire had free kick comfortably saved.
In the final 15 minutes, they scored three more as we got increasingly ragged.
I had never rated Milner but seeing him live, you realise his qualities.
Rating the players is tough because of the quality of the opposition plus first half, everyone played well. Second half, the wheels came off the wagon but a few still performed admirably.
Kirkland - 4 - partly at fault for at least three goals, sat down for the penalty, looked a shadow of the player of the last two seasons
Buxton - 5 - settled into match, at fault for first goal, repeatedly stripped
Lees - 7 - solid & commanding, stood firm while everything collapsed around him
Zayatte - 6 - outstanding until a harsh red card
Mattock - 6 - faced Navas & Sagna with little help
Palmer - 5 - passed the ball well, but caught out of position & gave up a few times second half
Maghoma - 6 - kept going & passed the ball well, good defensive qualities
Coke - 5 - passed it well but went missing when needed
Maguire - 5 - out of his depth
Madine - 6 - one half chance, led the line and linked play well
May - 5 - one good shot that forced keeper fumble but left full back exposed by not tracking back well enough. It is a waste of his talent having him play this role
...................................................................
Dielna - 5 - barely noticed him but the goals kept going in
Nuhui - 5 - terrible miss but held it up well
Helan - 6 - impressed again but to little effect as little movement ahead of him
Playing May wide is a waste of his talents. He ran himself into the ground defending so was knackered & couldn't offer much up front where he can be a match winner.
SG got his team selection wrong. You either treat the match as important and play your best side or you use it for the squad players. With an important match 68 hours away, I would suggest the latter. All he has done is risk destroying the confidence of several players.
The tactics & formation worked for over half an hour but once City attacked our full backs, May & Maguire effectively became defenders. It needed a change at half time or else the inevitable would happen. Lees & Zayatte did a great job of repelling their attack with great positioning but Buxton & Mattock were left exposed. Palmer & Coke gave the defence minimal protection.
I couldn't work out why in the second half Palmer played further forward. Several times he was left upfield as City attacked our box.
In the end, it was a total humiliation. I don't think it will affect our league form because only two of our regular back five were playing although playing a hard 90 minutes only 36 hours before setting off for Cardiff won't help Lees, Mattock, Maghoma, Maguire & May.
I do wonder if SG has it in mind to make changes at Cardiff and that Lee & Drenthe might start there rather than Coke & Maguire, hence resting Semedo and leaving Drenthe on the bench.
On a final note, it took 45 minutes to get half a mile from the ground as all traffic lights were put on red for 20 minutes after the game which meant all the traffic congested. A tough taste of what it might be like in the PL both on & off the pitch.
Firstly, a lot of empty seats at kick off as many Wednesday fans arrived last minute and were held up by the body searches at the turnstiles. I heard several say that they had never come across security like this. Clearly they haven't been to an away match recently.
Couldn't help but be impressed with the Etihad. Two high definition screens plus stats updates every five minutes on passes, possession, shots etc. This is where we should be; in a modern stadium with sell out 40,000 crowds.
SG's team selection was a strange hybrid of half regulars & half reserves. My first thought was that it was indecisive thinking that could cost us the match & reduce confidence. I would much rather change the full team (like Forest did) so that there is no risk of league momentum being lost.
We started brightly, keeping the ball for 90 seconds. In fact we passed the ball well for most of the match.
We had an early half chance when Madine peeled away excellently in the box & Maghoma spotted him but somehow the ball dipped in flight & Madine made only a slight connection.
After that we created little in the first half but defended stoutly. Lees & Zayatte were outstanding winning every ball played into our box. Mattock cut out several crosses. Buxton looked out of sorts for 20 minutes but gradually got into the match.
We started with a sort of 433 formation with May & Maguire playing wide with Maghoma in CM with Palmer & Coke. This seemed to work ok in the first half. Towards half time, City cranked it up a notch, hitting the bar & going close a couple of other times. We needed a change at half time because both full backs were facing two against one situations and Maguire & May were not able to give enough assistance.
In the second half, we were completely outclassed. Things happened so quickly that I may have got things out of order.
The first goal was poor defending. Buxton was the wrong side of Lampard and Kirkland went down too easily. After that.........
City's crossing was brilliant. Milner looked world class. Navas had pace to burn & Lampard's off the ball running was brilliant. That is without mentioning Toure & Dzeko.
Kirkland was beaten on his near post for the third. The penalty was correct but the red card was harsh.
Dielna replaced Coke, Nuhui replaced Madine and Helan replaced Palmer.
Helan again looked bright and added something to the team. Nuhui linked the play as well as Madine but was guilty of a terrible miss when May's shot was parried straight to him & he had a simple diving header from five yards but instead he tried to bring it down & the chance was spurned.
We also had one shot scrambled off the line & Maguire had free kick comfortably saved.
In the final 15 minutes, they scored three more as we got increasingly ragged.
I had never rated Milner but seeing him live, you realise his qualities.
Rating the players is tough because of the quality of the opposition plus first half, everyone played well. Second half, the wheels came off the wagon but a few still performed admirably.
Kirkland - 4 - partly at fault for at least three goals, sat down for the penalty, looked a shadow of the player of the last two seasons
Buxton - 5 - settled into match, at fault for first goal, repeatedly stripped
Lees - 7 - solid & commanding, stood firm while everything collapsed around him
Zayatte - 6 - outstanding until a harsh red card
Mattock - 6 - faced Navas & Sagna with little help
Palmer - 5 - passed the ball well, but caught out of position & gave up a few times second half
Maghoma - 6 - kept going & passed the ball well, good defensive qualities
Coke - 5 - passed it well but went missing when needed
Maguire - 5 - out of his depth
Madine - 6 - one half chance, led the line and linked play well
May - 5 - one good shot that forced keeper fumble but left full back exposed by not tracking back well enough. It is a waste of his talent having him play this role
...................................................................
Dielna - 5 - barely noticed him but the goals kept going in
Nuhui - 5 - terrible miss but held it up well
Helan - 6 - impressed again but to little effect as little movement ahead of him
Playing May wide is a waste of his talents. He ran himself into the ground defending so was knackered & couldn't offer much up front where he can be a match winner.
SG got his team selection wrong. You either treat the match as important and play your best side or you use it for the squad players. With an important match 68 hours away, I would suggest the latter. All he has done is risk destroying the confidence of several players.
The tactics & formation worked for over half an hour but once City attacked our full backs, May & Maguire effectively became defenders. It needed a change at half time or else the inevitable would happen. Lees & Zayatte did a great job of repelling their attack with great positioning but Buxton & Mattock were left exposed. Palmer & Coke gave the defence minimal protection.
I couldn't work out why in the second half Palmer played further forward. Several times he was left upfield as City attacked our box.
In the end, it was a total humiliation. I don't think it will affect our league form because only two of our regular back five were playing although playing a hard 90 minutes only 36 hours before setting off for Cardiff won't help Lees, Mattock, Maghoma, Maguire & May.
I do wonder if SG has it in mind to make changes at Cardiff and that Lee & Drenthe might start there rather than Coke & Maguire, hence resting Semedo and leaving Drenthe on the bench.
On a final note, it took 45 minutes to get half a mile from the ground as all traffic lights were put on red for 20 minutes after the game which meant all the traffic congested. A tough taste of what it might be like in the PL both on & off the pitch.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.