Player Ratings v Middlesbrough (h)

[Machiavelli]

Stockdale 6
Bruno 6
Greer 5
Hunemeier 5.5
Calderon 4.5
VLP 4
Stephens 6.5
Kayal 7
Murphy 4
Hemed 4.5
Wilson 5.5

Goldson 5.5
Zamora 5
Crofts 4.5

Ratings perhaps are harsh, but we looked extremely tired, and down to the bare bones. Boro will finish higher than us, and I suspect anyone that finishes higher than them will be champions.
We've had such an amazing start to the season, it's easy to get carried away with it. It's not so much that Saturday was a wake-up call, nor that it was following on from giving two leads away, it's more that we've got three more games to play in six/seven days, with all those injuries to key players (OK, Baldock might be back), those left behind knackered (think how many minutes Bruno, Greer, Stephens and Kayal have played in the last month, and then add in what Murphy and Calde have played too), and even against Wolves we'll be without VLP. I'm just glad that after Wolves, we might not have to play in the Championship until the 16th, when our squad might get a boost from new signings, and perhaps even the returns of Bong and KLL.

 

[perseus]

Stockdale 6.5
Bruno 6.5
Greer 5
Hunemeier 6
Calderon 5
VLP 4
Stephens 6.5
Kayal 6.5
Murphy 2
Hemed 5
Wilson 5.5

Goldson 6
Zamora 6
Crofts 6

 

[goldstone]

Ratings perhaps are harsh, but we looked extremely tired, ...... those left behind knackered (think how many minutes Bruno, Greer, Stephens and Kayal have played in the last month, and then add in what Murphy and Calde have played too),

I find all this "tired" and "knackered" stuff hard to take. They're professional footballers. That's what they do. They train all week in order to be fit to play football once, maybe twice a week for 90 minutes. What's so tiring about that for a fit athlete? Beyond me.

 

[nwgull]

I find all this "tired" and "knackered" stuff hard to take. They're professional footballers. That's what they do. They train all week in order to be fit to play football once, maybe twice a week for 90 minutes. What's so tiring about that for a fit athlete? Beyond me.

Your body doesn't care how much you get paid. A modern day player will cover about 10-12k over 90 mins, and it's all stop, start, sprint, so it takes its toll, particularly on players in their 30s. Managers would make such use of a squad of it wasn't the case.

 

[seagullwedgee]

I know the Bloom and CH interviews recently suggested Kaz is about 10 days away....

But I have to report that apparently he will not be back before St. David's day, 1st March.

Just trying to help inform the debate as the window is about to open.

 

[goldstone]

I know the Bloom and CH interviews recently suggested Kaz is about 10 days away....

But I have to report that apparently he will not be back before St. David's day, 1st March.

Just trying to help inform the debate as the window is about to open.

Too many somersaults earlier in the season ...

 

[perseus]

I ws a bit tired and knackered and I was just a spectator.

 

[Acker79]

Average Player Ratings

Highest Rated
Kayal 6.64 (94mins, 21 votes)

The Rest
Stockdale 6.45 (94mins, 21 votes)
Stephens 6.36 (94mins, 21 votes)
>Goldson 5.69 (33mins, 16 votes)
Bruno 5.64 (94mins, 21 votes)
Wilson 5.57 (94mins, 21 votes)
Calderon 5.50 (94mins, 21 votes)
<Huenemeier 5.48 (61mins, 21 votes)
>Zamora 5.32 (19mins, 14 votes)
>Crofts 5.12 (19mins, 13 votes)
Van La Parra 4.93 (94mins, 21 votes)
Greer 4.64 (94mins, 21 votes)
<Hemed 4.36 (75mins, 21 votes)
<Murphy 3.98 (75mins, 21 votes)


Squad Average: 5.41

 

[biddles911]

Feel quite depressed just reading this thread! Yes, it was a bad day all round for us but look at the other sides around us and see how many games they've lost, including Boro.

The real disappointment is how often we've let leads in previous games slip to allow the opposition to draw.

We've only got 50% of our best starting line up so the surprise really is how we've kept going this long.

Won't try adding to the marking fest as they probably all deserve a 5 at best.

Was amazed at the possession stats. Certainly didn't feel like we had 62% of the ball and the fact that both Kayal and Stephens often had to drop back well into our own half to pick up the ball says it all about the quality of our possession.

Only one comment to add and that is the suggestion that BZ should start the game, presumably expecting him to last the distance?

BZ is still a great player with an amazing instinct for goal but I just can't see him as more than an impact player these days, preferably in the last 30 minutes or so when the opposition defence is getting a bit tired.

He's just too slow and static these days and doesn't have the pace to get past his marker these days so he's only really useful in the box.

Hate to say it as I used to watch BZ in his prime at Fulham and thought he was great then but he's not the answer to our striker issues.

Still have hopes that Hemed will come good and he's still our top scorer, of course, but he needs Lualua and March and Murphy back and on song to give him the service he needs to score regularly.