brady
Active Member
If we thought the Portsmouth game represented a turning point for the season, our hopes were cruelly dashed by this most depressing of performances. It was a performance that typified the year in which we lost the title, our captain, our sense of belief, and our sense of reality. Let's face it, the team is flatlining and needs a shot of adrenalin to the heart. If only we knew where it was.
If ever we needed proof of the lack of leadership in this current team, today's game against Villa had it in spades. There was no shortage of effort, but it was mainly of the reactive variety in which players stood around and waited for the ball, for someone else to win the game on his own, for someone else to take the initiative, for an executioner to put us out of our misery. Let's be honest. No one, not one player, had a decent game. Some parts of our game bordered on the farcical, such as the free kick routine which saw Hleb running the ball out for a goal-kick after getting what seemed like an unexpected surprise from Henry.
If ever a game needed a goal, this was it. For all the so-called pressure that Villa exerted, and much of that was self-inflicted by our defence through aimless clearing of the ball even when not under pressure, they never really looked like scoring either. At least if they had scored early enough, it might have given us the jolt we needed, the proverbial kick in the pants to get us going. We gave Sorensen the day off, and in the first half, he probably had trouble keeping his mind on the game, such was the lack of attacking threat we posed.
If Henry wanted to earn the captain's armband, this was the game to do it. Villa were there for the taking but it seemed as if every time we had the chance to do so, someone (Henry on more than a few occasions) would give the ball away and Villa would break and gain some confidence that they might nick something (even though they looked like they could have gone on forever and still not score). Henry gave the ball away far too easily, and in dangerous positions at that. More competent teams would have punished us. Henry never looked like he gave a toss. But guess what? He played the whole game while Van Persie, as expected got substituted. Not that he had a good game, but he did not do any wose than Henry. Still wonder of wonders, we might have won it despite this supremely frustrating display.
If only Freddie's shot had been six inches lower and not hit the bar (if only we remembered to shoot more often from outside the box throughout the season - and not only when there is nothing else on)...If only Flamini had shown more composure when clean through (ditto for Freddie last week)... but in all honesty, it would have been undeserved.
If there are any positives to be taken away from this game, it is this (though I am tempting fate). We just couldn't play any worse. I hope.
If ever we needed proof of the lack of leadership in this current team, today's game against Villa had it in spades. There was no shortage of effort, but it was mainly of the reactive variety in which players stood around and waited for the ball, for someone else to win the game on his own, for someone else to take the initiative, for an executioner to put us out of our misery. Let's be honest. No one, not one player, had a decent game. Some parts of our game bordered on the farcical, such as the free kick routine which saw Hleb running the ball out for a goal-kick after getting what seemed like an unexpected surprise from Henry.
If ever a game needed a goal, this was it. For all the so-called pressure that Villa exerted, and much of that was self-inflicted by our defence through aimless clearing of the ball even when not under pressure, they never really looked like scoring either. At least if they had scored early enough, it might have given us the jolt we needed, the proverbial kick in the pants to get us going. We gave Sorensen the day off, and in the first half, he probably had trouble keeping his mind on the game, such was the lack of attacking threat we posed.
If Henry wanted to earn the captain's armband, this was the game to do it. Villa were there for the taking but it seemed as if every time we had the chance to do so, someone (Henry on more than a few occasions) would give the ball away and Villa would break and gain some confidence that they might nick something (even though they looked like they could have gone on forever and still not score). Henry gave the ball away far too easily, and in dangerous positions at that. More competent teams would have punished us. Henry never looked like he gave a toss. But guess what? He played the whole game while Van Persie, as expected got substituted. Not that he had a good game, but he did not do any wose than Henry. Still wonder of wonders, we might have won it despite this supremely frustrating display.
If only Freddie's shot had been six inches lower and not hit the bar (if only we remembered to shoot more often from outside the box throughout the season - and not only when there is nothing else on)...If only Flamini had shown more composure when clean through (ditto for Freddie last week)... but in all honesty, it would have been undeserved.
If there are any positives to be taken away from this game, it is this (though I am tempting fate). We just couldn't play any worse. I hope.
