Argh. What a game. Someone said it best earlier - what got me most excited was that we played as a *team*! Yay! So, so happy about that. SO HAPPY. I didn't want to crawl under my pillow at our play. We looked good, we looked like we had a clue, and we scored on a setpiece! Hallelujah!!!!!
Thoughts: Seamus Coleman, I adore you. You get a ball straight up into your face, I worry you're concussed, and then the next time I see you you're all over the pitch like a jumping jelly bean. If only you didn't have slow Neville holding you up on the right hand side you could be even more boss. MOTM for the 2nd half. And you *owned* Ashley Cole like no one's business (who has been owned by our right wingers for the last two years - ROCK ON.) His pace and work rate are amazing. He looks older (in a good way) than his 23.
MOTM for the first half = Fellaini. The single-handed disposition of Essien to put Rodwell in was *brilliant*. You had some misplayed passes, but all in all you are looking scarily good out there and will be attracting attention from other clubs. You are not clomping/stamping as much either. Kudos for bossing the midfield and interrupting their play.
Oh Tim, you kill me. Two fabulous saves in the first half when we could have been down 2-0 (let's give credit where credit is due), and then bad positioning on the goal (take away credit where credit is due to be removed). But, all in all, you were not the problem today. Thank goodness. I hope the Mucha-in threads are gone for good.
Distin & Heitinga looked good minus the nutmeg for Distin, but they did boss the game. Neville was just ok. Baines had some unusual misplayed passes, but still was awesome and where our power came from. Our corners are much better through him.
Rodwell - not comfortable in his position. He just looked awkward out there to me - didn't know where to stand, and had some bad passes. But with that said, he had some good pressing...
Saha - looking more comfortable no? And his blocked shot off Ramirez was stunning to watch. Other than his Orange hair which I have to admit kinda freaks me out. But ever since he dyed it he has been better, so whatever, keep coloring it bud!!! Beckford took an excellent shot at the end too - he is looking less deer-in-headlights of late.
Arteta - meh. And his free kick into the wall towards the end of the game - ARGH. Fine passing game today, but still not creative enough, and still looks slow. Still needs his creativity back. Although the last 20 minutes were much better when he got more urgent. Maybe he's just overthinking everything.
So...that brings me to everyone's favorite. Mr. Bily. I think you guys are being a little too generous today with him. Listen - he clearly can play. He has some good shots. Here's my issue: HE'S NOT A WINGER. I know a few of you have said that, so I'm agreeing with you. He was nonexistent in the 2nd half, in particular in the first 20 minutes. Plus, there were times where I was like: why is Louis out wide left? Oh, Bily's in the center. He's also a tad slow - Baines passed him up a few times and got stranded out left waiting for Bily to come out on the wing. Bily naturally gravitates towards the center - it's where he wants to play. He is just not our left hand side solution, though it looks like if we're getting no one in he's going to have to be. Unless he steps it up on the left in a big way and gets more comfortable out there, he is going to be redundant in the middle, and I think he should be sold in the summer. Not good enough for me on the left - sorry folks. He was NOT the scapegoat today, I repeat, NOT the scapegoat, but having him in limits our options on the left. It would have been very interesting seeing him play Rodwell's role today, but that would have left us stranded on the left. Conundrum and he is WELCOME to prove me wrong in coming weeks.
