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Parrot
23rd November 2008, 11:55 AM
MY Ratings;

Gk Evans 8.5 MOTM great save just before we sealed the game with 2nd goal.

RB Moncur 6 Got forward well but his crosses were abysmal.

LB O'Brien 8.5 Great show of defence & attack play by the youngster, brilliant run and finish into bottom corner for goaljump:
CD Lee 6 Looks back to the form he showed at the start of the season.

CD Clarke 5 Usual shaky display from the clumsy clogger!

RM Daley 7 Great runs and looked our only attacking threat until Conlon came on.

LM Osbourne 5 Looked out of his depth and even their full back was beating him at times....Doesn't look ready yet on this showing!

CM Mclaren 5 Struggled to make any impact, came off injured which probably helped the side TBH.

CM Law 7 Great game from the loanee and he got stronger as the game went on scoring a goal similar to Lukes.

CF Thorne 5 Poor yet again but visibly improved when Baz was introduced.

CF Boulding 4 Really poor display from the lad, really looks like his confidence has took an hammering.

Subs;

Conlon 7 Soon as he was Introduced the ball starting sticking more upfront, bringing Thorne and others into play.

Clarke 6 Did a better job than Mclaren in the holding role.

Nix 6 Looked back to his bustling best and added more balance on the left in the little time he was on.

1st Half;

First things first, it was fcuking FREEZING!....despite this the turnout was great again from the City faithful.

Despite what had been said about the Don Valey, I thought the facilities were good and the view wasn't as bad as made out.

Onto the game, we started off on the back foot with Rotherham doing all the attacking for the first 20 mins or so, at this stage i told my mate i couldn't see Rotherham scoring as they looked toothless and i thought we'd grind them down and nick a goal or two ;)

The rest of the first half was more even with attacking play at a premium from both sides, who's players were more busy kicking each other probably to keep warm in the freezing conditions! lol.....City only looked dangerous from Daleys attacking play on the right or young OBs foraging runs from left back.

HT

2nd half;

City started the game on the attack this time and started to get more ball in the Rotherham half, something we had struggled to do in the 1st.

Thorne & Boulding were inefective though and you couldn't see where the breakthrough was gonna come from?....Cue the introduction of Baz and a minute later a great strike from OB! :)

The young full back picked up the ball on the half way line, got his head down and beat a few challenges from the Rotherham defenders before placing a perfectly placed low shot into the far corner beyond the keepers outstretched hand!....This resulted in a mini pitch (track?) invasion by about 50 overjoyed City fans jump:jump:

Before the fans had much time to settle down the main turning point in the game occured, at the other end Rhys Evans pulled off what can only be described as a Gordon Banks type save!.....It was hard to see through all the players bodies at the other end but i'll never know how he kept the ball out as he looked to be on the floor when he made the save and the Rotherham fans were already celebrating!.....That didn't seem to bother the City players as in the same move they moved the ball up the pitch and this time it was Law who went on a similar run as OB and this time curled a shot low into the same corner as the first goal, although im sure the Rotherham keeper on loan from Fulham(?) should have done better!....Cue yet more jump:jump:jump: from the City fans.

Rotherham huffed and puffed but they were never gonna beat Rhys in this type of form, he was excellent throughout, catching every cross put into the box and commanding his area well.....The save he made was top drawer and earns him my MOTM just over young OB!

While the performance wasn't great by any standards it was another win against a Rotherham team who many say is the best team in the division.

We struggled all game to get Thorne and Boulding involved and it wasn't until the introduction of Conlon until we started holding the ball up and began to look a threat....Tom Clarke also had more of an impact when he replaced the dissapointing Mclaren and these subs certainly tilted the game in our favour!

Im sure they will be some City fans who will like to moan that we didn't play like Brazil for 90 mins or that we were lucky as Rotherham didn't do more with their chances, but i'll take plenty more away performances like this if it means more 3 points on our travels.

Like I said earlier, during the game i said we'd soak up the pressure and nick the game with a goal or two....looks like I called it right eh?tup:

CTID

Mallorcabantam
23rd November 2008, 12:26 PM
Cheers for all that P tup:

billybantam
23rd November 2008, 12:34 PM
I think the large away following may have been due to the fact we were playing at the Don Valley Stadium :jawdrop: as it was another ground for people to chalk off, remember round 1 of the JPT away at Doncaster last season

As mentioned in another thread it is possibly worrying that a striker hasnt scored since Barnet, in three and a half games though it is pleasing the other way that defenders and midfielders have stepped up, hopefully one of the three can score on Tuesday

Bantam-in-Greece
23rd November 2008, 01:00 PM
Re the strikers not scoring since the Barnet game.
Reports suggest that we are about to sign Burnley striker Steve Jones.
I believe that this lad will be the answer, also something new/fresh up front.

Overlord
23rd November 2008, 01:09 PM
Wasn't there but Boulding is not looking too good. And Clarke is looking like a bigger liability every game we have. Good show though.

Parrot
23rd November 2008, 01:12 PM
Wasn't there but Boulding is not looking too good. And Clarke is looking like a bigger liability every game we have. Good show though.

I dont think the Thorne/Boulding partnership works most times tbh and both looked better when they played alongside big Baz.

Bantamtim
23rd November 2008, 01:24 PM
Re the strikers not scoring since the Barnet game.
Reports suggest that we are about to sign Burnley striker Steve Jones.
I believe that this lad will be the answer, also something new/fresh up front.
Jones is more of a winger from what I've heard, he's likely to be Colbeck's cover on the right hand side.

-Lex-
23rd November 2008, 01:28 PM
Great result, I could see us getting a pie on our faces after the comments in the T&A by TJ...

Whats this Steve Jones lad like then, anyone seen him play for the clarets?

Hopefully with Bowser and T Clarke both fit we'll see some change in the defence, M Clarke seems to have been a liability on the floor week in week out.

mowgli
23rd November 2008, 01:46 PM
I think your ratings are spot on Parrot and really feel we need to drop M Clarke, he even gave the ball away when there was no-one near him and not under any pressure, massive liability. Get Bower back in the side ASAP. tup:

Bantam-in-Greece
23rd November 2008, 02:28 PM
Steve Jones has always been a striker, not a winger, as far as I know.
Burnley signed him from Crewe where he was a prolific goalscorer.
Hasn't McCall got Seb Carole in line for the wingers job?

Parrot
23rd November 2008, 02:40 PM
Steve Jones has always been a striker, not a winger, as far as I know.
Burnley signed him from Crewe where he was a prolific goalscorer.
Hasn't McCall got Seb Carole in line for the wingers job?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jones_(footballer_born_1976)

Says his position is midfielder/striker so maybe he has being used on the wing before now?

He his only 5ft 10" so maybe not a target man?:confused:

Where Is he linked with us then Bantam In Greece?

Bantam-in-Greece
23rd November 2008, 02:42 PM
In today's Sunday people, also the Burnley web site.

Parrot
23rd November 2008, 02:45 PM
In today's Sunday people, also the Burnley web site.

I think he's a decent player but i'd say we need a target man like Baz but maybe more consistent? ;)

I reckon Carole would also be a good addition to the side.

Toki
23rd November 2008, 03:39 PM
Danny Carlton on loan at Morecambe from Carlisle

Watch this space

Tallinnbantam
23rd November 2008, 08:22 PM
Did Baz get a yellow for picking up the ball after the 2nd goal, and blatently booting it 120yards into the crowd?! :D

billybantam
23rd November 2008, 10:00 PM
Did Baz get a yellow for picking up the ball after the 2nd goal, and blatently booting it 120yards into the crowd?! :D

I saw that, pmsl jump:jump:

Parrot
23rd November 2008, 10:05 PM
Did Baz get a yellow for picking up the ball after the 2nd goal, and blatently booting it 120yards into the crowd?! :D

Worse thing was he was aiming for the goal! :)

Yeadon Bantam
24th November 2008, 09:42 AM
Apparently seb carole would rip league 2 to bits according to a Leeds fan!;)

Kop Kred
24th November 2008, 09:43 AM
Apparently seb carole would rip league 2 to bits according to a Leeds fan!;)

Yeah... like McClaren has with assists:rolleyes:

billybantam
24th November 2008, 12:18 PM
Yeah... like McClaren has with assists:rolleyes:

He has 4 in a third of a season so is on course to get 12, am I right in thinking he got 13 last season....

http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/DivisionalAssists/0,,10794~200826,00.html


Most of the assists have/will come from free kicks, which is the only time he gets forward. I'm beginning to think he was never meant to be an attacking midfielder. Played very well against Wycombe IMO.

bantam87
24th November 2008, 12:27 PM
McLaren seems to similar player to what Whalley played in our promotion to the PL. He not an attacking player nor will he score 10 goals a year.
But he will set up more than his fair share of goals this year. He seems a good passer of the ball (when he plays forward) aswell

Kop Kred
24th November 2008, 12:40 PM
McLaren seems to similar player to what Whalley played in our promotion to the PL. He not an attacking player nor will he score 10 goals a year.
But he will set up more than his fair share of goals this year. He seems a good passer of the ball (when he plays forward) aswell

Whalley was a much more consistant player IMO and had more to his game than McClaren... I don't know how they can be compared TBH?.. and if McClaren was only brought in to provide scoring opportunities then it's a failure.

tdwn:

bantam87
24th November 2008, 01:26 PM
I wasnt trying to compare them as that would be stupid as Whalley was different class in his peak, what I was trying to say is that he is a simialr player to him.
Hes a poor mans Whalley in the same way Big Bad Barry is a very poor mans Heskey.

Tills
24th November 2008, 05:19 PM
Thanks for that P. 3 points is 3 points. Now lets drop the McCall this that and the other and get behind all of them as we push onwards and upwards tup:

king billy
24th November 2008, 05:32 PM
Can't disagree with any of that mate - but i thought we were fookin poor TBH, as were Rotherham!!
Clarke, McLaren and Boulding have been absolutely abysmal for a while now, i'm really fooked off about it - i had the highest of hopes for all 3, dunno if its a confidence thing or what but the team doesn't look balanced with any of those playing - we really need to drop all three if were to move forward.....

Tills
24th November 2008, 05:41 PM
Can't disagree with any of that mate - but i thought we were fookin poor TBH, as were Rotherham!!
Clarke, McLaren and Boulding have been absolutely abysmal for a while now, i'm really fooked off about it - i had the highest of hopes for all 3, dunno if its a confidence thing or what but the team doesn't look balanced with any of those playing - we really need to drop all three if were to move forward.....

I reckon you are pushing at an open door with most supporters Billy.

Clarke - Bower

McLaren - Bullock (As soon as poss)

Boulding - Steve Jones.

I think all 3 of our own players will have a part to play again before the end of the season but it is time for a few shake up's at the moment.