OTHER FOOTBALL

[ivoralljack]

Anyone watch Leicester v Ipswich game tonight? I started to but dozed off as I'm not feeling great right now. But I did see most of the second half when Ipswich were trying to wipe out a 0-1 deficit and they really tried! I winced when I saw them perform because, despite being a division below us last season, they looked like everything I'd like us to be but aren't.

Compared to them we play in slow motion. Apart from being way faster than we ever could be, they are fitter, stronger, more athletic and move with purpose and drive. And they also have a number of players who can beat a man with skill and trickery. Quite frankly, they are different class to us on that performance. They have individuals with pace but the entire team plays with pace and intent. Their movement as a team was excellent and a player was never isolated without the option of a pass or several passes because his team mates were always up in support.

I was really impressed. They did get their goal to square the match and that now makes 21 points they've won this season from losing positions. That speaks volumes for their attitude, their commitment and not least, their fitness. Quite frankly, if our lot managed to play with that intensity (NO chance!!) they'd be demanding two weeks holiday to recover! After seeing that I think Luke Williams has quite a job in front of him.

 

[ivoralljack]

I see that Judas Jenkins has used some of his ill-gotten gains to buy a 52% controlling interest in Newport County. I used to have a sort of a soft spot for them but no longer. With Jenkins there I hope they crash and burn.

 

[ivoralljack]

Little Maidstone United put us to shame and showed us how fight, commitment and attitude can help you win a game of football. FOUR TIERS below their opponents, Ipswich, who are hell bent on promotion to the Premier League, they went there and knocked them out of the FA Cup. Yes, the very same Ipswich who drew with runaway leaders, Leicester recently, giving them a torrid time in their successful quest for their equalising goal.

Of course Stones had their share of luck; were under the cosh for most of the game and almost had to sweat blood to gain their salutary victory. But, all credit to them, they succeeded where we failed abysmally. They fought, we capitulated. They worked their socks off to defend their goal. We waved attackers through. In short they put us to shame and I hope that Luke Williams will take a long hard look at his squad and weed out the divas, the go-through-the-motions brigade, the shirkers, the slackers, the can't be arsed element and invite them to steal their living at another club.

 

[ivoralljack]

Another example of a lower league club putting us to shame as Newport bravely went down 2-4 against Manchester United. But, unlike our shower, they gave everything they had against vastly superior opponents.

I've seen reports that we could be interested in Will Evans who got his 19th goal of the season today. I'd buy him, no question, IF he was available. He received a lot of plaudits from the comms for his display, for his link-up play, movement and his goal, which was described as that of a natural striker. This brings me neatly onto Culls because that's the sort of goal that he excels at when sniffing in the box.

I doubt that Jenkins would sell Evans to us and, even if he considered it, would squeeze every penny he could from us. But Evans is mobile, quite quick and strong, so I'm sure other clubs will be in for him given he's also a natural predator. I understand that he's played LOW for Cardiff Met and Bala so, just like my day, there's talent to be found there. Mind you, if we did sign him I have no doubt that some gormless twat at the Liberty would play him at CB!

 

[KVetch]

Jamie Vardy is still playing for Foxes, they still have a few players from the 2016 squad left. Swans haven't beat them at their home since 1950. In our last 7 away matches and 5 of those we've conceded goals in both halves.

 

[ivoralljack]

Watching Plymouth v Leeds and they've been talking about Morgan Whittaker and his 17 goals plus 7 assists already this season. Plymouth have already turned down an offer of £8 million from an Italian club and say they're holding out for £20 million, which the comms considered could be realistic given his record, age and being left-footed.

And what did we sell him for? Collectively, the gormless twats at the Liberty first refused to play him, loaned him out, then alienated him and then the suits compounded the manager's stupidity and flogged him for peanuts. DUH!!! Stand up and take a bow you know-nothing morons. None of you should be anywhere near a football club. Seems we know more about the game on this forum than they'll ever learn.

But ignorance and rubbish judgement is alive and well across the board in football as I commented in another post here. Intelligence doesn't exactly abound in this game and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of similar examples that can be laid at the door of far more illustrious clubs than ours. Years ago, Chelsea sold Mohammed Salah AND Kevin de Bruyne obviously deeming them not good enough for them. How foolish do they look now? And, to make matters worse, the present owners laid out well over £200 million on just TWO midfielders, neither of whom look worth £20 million so badly have they been playing.

And yet people in football maintain that the fans know nothing about the game. Are they having a laugh?

 

[ivoralljack]

WALES V FINLAND:

For the first time in a long time it looks like we can field a half decent side with a good chance of winning. Our lack of a form keeper is the the biggest problem so I suppose we'll have to go with Danny Ward again. But seemingly we appear to have a lot of options elsewhere and can choose a number of formations with the players we have available.

Defenders include, Rodon, Ampadu, Ben Davies, Connor Roberts, Mepham and Neco Williams. (Cabango injured)

We have a wealth of good midfielders/attackers: David Brooks, Harry Wilson, Dan James, Brennan Johnson, Jordan James, Nathan Broadhead, Keifer Moore, Liam Cullen, Rabbi Matondo and Rubin Colwill.

I quite like Colwilll - he has decent pace, a certain amount of flair and trickery and, had he been playing for us rather than Cardiff, been a far better player given our style of football compared to theirs.

 

[Yankee_Jack]

You forgot Ramsay is in the squad too. What's going to be the temptation to start him and thereby play a cart horse where a thoroughbred should be.

 

[ivoralljack]

You forgot Ramsay is in the squad too. What's going to be the temptation to start him and thereby play a cart horse where a thoroughbred should be.

I didn't forget him. I deliberately ignored him for the reason you stated.

 

[ivoralljack]

Martinball at its worst this evening. They had almost twice as much possession as Leicester but were stuffed 5-0 by the Foxes. Shooting stats were 17-7 with on target 6-0 in favour of Leicester. Possession is great but it's what you do with it that counts as we all know,