|
|
Post by bale-droed on Feb 29, 2012 22:57:19 GMT
Ledley's played all over the place for Celtic, Wales and Cardiff, but Lennon thinks his best position is central midfield. alongside Allen as part of a deep -lying pair with Ramsey ahead of them could work...especially away from home. Collison has played all of WHUs recent game and looked sharp when he came on. In fact, I thought he was our best player! if lennon think his best position if centre mid then why for every game for the last 3 months for celtic has ledley started on the left wing? |
|
|
|
Post by njdragon on Feb 29, 2012 22:59:34 GMT
the worst perfomance ive seen from wales since the first england game last year. Worse than Australia? Not by a long shot in my opinion. i was there for australia and we played well in the second half. I didnt see anything close to that tonight. Pathetic performance but not the player fault. Half of them cant have been fit, morrison, vaughan, crofts, price, allen all been out recently and to play adams on the right??!! |
|
|
|
Post by flynnfan on Feb 29, 2012 23:00:36 GMT
the worst perfomance ive seen from wales since the first england game last year. Worse than Australia? Not by a long shot in my opinion. Agreed. It was a much, much better performance than Australia. And we could (perhaps should? ) have grabbed a draw We must have had about 15 corners. Costa Rica should be given credit though - technically, they were excellent. It was also roughly ten times better than the performance vs Ireland in Speeds first game. |
|
|
|
Post by njdragon on Feb 29, 2012 23:02:38 GMT
better than the second half performance against australia?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 29, 2012 23:02:41 GMT
Just got home to find out Crofts got the MOTM award! hard to judge the players tonight, it must have been difficult for them in the circmstances surroundig this game.
|
|
|
|
Post by njdragon on Feb 29, 2012 23:03:01 GMT
costa rica also hit the bar if im mistaken?
|
|
|
|
Post by flynnfan on Feb 29, 2012 23:09:26 GMT
better than the second half performance against australia? It was only the last 15 mins or so we played well vs the Aussies. they were all over us the first 15-20 of the second half and could easily have gone 3-0 up. tonight, Morison hit the bar, Bellamy could have scored with a bit more composure, HRK forced the keeper into a great save, Earnie had an unlucky offside given against him... |
|
|
|
Post by flynnfan on Feb 29, 2012 23:18:49 GMT
Just got home to find out Crofts got the MOTM award! hard to judge the players tonight, it must have been difficult for them in the circmstances surroundig this game. Crofts MOTM?! is that a joke? |
|
|
|
Post by Tim P on Feb 29, 2012 23:24:34 GMT
Just got home to find out Crofts got the MOTM award! hard to judge the players tonight, it must have been difficult for them in the circmstances surroundig this game. Crofts MOTM?! is that a joke? It's true. My mate also called it about five minutes before they announced it! |
|
|
|
Post by njdragon on Feb 29, 2012 23:30:34 GMT
costa rica goal scorer should have been MOTM, looked a threat until he was taken off.
|
|
|
|
Post by President Bale on Mar 1, 2012 1:45:43 GMT
Njdragon - 'the worst perfomance ive seen from wales since the first england game last year.' Well, that's what I was thinking. Although considering the unique context of this game, its certainly understandable why they were below par. Trying to stay focused on the actual football in training must have been very difficult indeed and in that respect maybe a slip up was always on the cards. That doesn't change the fact that we should have drawn level though!
|
|
|
|
Post by welshorp on Mar 1, 2012 8:02:01 GMT
I thought crofts played well tonight. Joke to think you want Ledley ahead of him. He is utter poo! Can't pass. In my opinion he is the worst midfielder we have. Give me crofts king collison over him any day. My starting line up for future would have Allen Rambo and collison. Vaughan doesn't start for sunderland any more not even on bench and until he does we can't pick him, same with darcy Blake. Plays well but last night showed without regular football he's not sharp enough.
|
|
|
|
Post by matty on Mar 1, 2012 9:08:06 GMT
Crofts played well yesterday. If you're talking of poor performances then Vaughan was dreadful. There are many things Crofts can't do, he is certainly no Ramsey or Allen, but he has never claimed to be that sort of player and does exactly what is asked of him. The sheer amount of tackles he made in midfield probably got him MOTM, although Morison was superb and I'd have given it to him.
|
|
|
|
Post by llannerch on Mar 1, 2012 9:31:40 GMT
I thought Crofts was ok. A couple of passes went astray but the same could be said of Gunter, Morison, Blake, Matthews....I actually thought Crofts took it upon himself to push on and make some passes late in the second half. That's not his game though and he got found out on occasions. But credit it to him for showing some guts.
I was disappointed by Allen. Some lovely touches and excellent control but he didn't impose himself on the game in the way Bale and Ramsey have done. If they aren't available, then he's the next in line.
That said, it's hard to have a downer on any of them in the circumstances
|
|
|
|
Post by matty on Mar 1, 2012 9:48:15 GMT
That said, it's hard to have a downer on any of them in the circumstances Exactly. Me and a few friends sneaked into the stadium in Bulgaria to watch the players train, and Speed had a very happy camp. The players really seemed to be enjoying the session - laughing and joking etc - so I imagine these last few days meeting up without him must have been anything but enjoyable. |
|
|
|
Post by stu on Mar 1, 2012 11:27:02 GMT
Maybe I was at a different game but I didn't think we were anywhere near as bad as people say we were.We had a lot of the ball but we lacked that creativity in the final 3rd but we always knew we would without Ramsey, Bale and even Taylor.
We had 12 corners last night, we need to be putting some of those away.
|
|
|
|
Post by welshiron on Mar 1, 2012 11:52:47 GMT
personally don't think he is good enough but he is a lot better than people thought he was.
Tosh got right pelters for playing him and maybe he's in the premier league because of this.
A valuable squad member
|
|
|
|
Post by evsbech on Mar 1, 2012 13:58:17 GMT
Maybe I was at a different game but I didn't think we were anywhere near as bad as people say we were.We had a lot of the ball but we lacked that creativity in the final 3rd but we always knew we would without Ramsey, Bale and even Taylor. We had 12 corners last night, we need to be putting some of those away. Toyally agree with Stu on this one. I didn't think it was that bad especially under the circumstances. I think a lot of people's expectations have risen after 4 wins out of 5 at the end of last year. There were a few individual errors but what struck me was how much we missed Bale. Without him there was a lack of pace, no switching the play from one wing to the other to stretch them and no quality crosses. As we kept possesion slowly they got players behind the ball which made it difficult for us. With regards to the atmosphere again I didn't think it was that bad and it was an unique match. The only way you will generate a good atmosphere in all seater stadiums is if the team is winning and playing on the front foot hence the atmosphere being better against Norway and Montenegro. |
|
|
|
Post by Baxter Cymru on Mar 1, 2012 14:21:10 GMT
Didn't think Crofts played to bad, was very impressed with Morison mind
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2012 14:35:30 GMT
He's limited but was improving under Speed. Could not understand why you would play Crofts and Vaughan in the same midfield. That's slightly worrying.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2012 14:49:14 GMT
What are you on about? Andy Crofts was probably one of the best players last night! and has been one of our best over the last couple of matches, he breaks play down and plays a good pass, works hard to tackle and get the ball back! David Vaughan was not good enough - sometimes he's class BUT he is not consistent enough. Neil Taylor should have played last night i thought...maybe he wasn't quite fit enough to play, Sam Ricketts was very good when he came on - and Steve Morison played well too. We need Hennessey, Rambo and Bale in our team for every game if we want a chance of qualifying for the world cup.
My friend who is a spurs supporter says that lately Bale has been sh*t for them, big-headed and diving all the time, he thinks maybe all the reckognition and hype has gotten to his head - bit like Wayne Rooney maybe. Bad performance from the team on a whole last night, let's hope they can move on now and play the good football that we saw a bit last night, Costa Rica are actually a very good team fair-play :-) judging them on rankings was stupid, people said we'd thrash them with no knowledge at all on the team at all.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2012 19:21:43 GMT
My man of the match would also have been one of the Norwich brigade, Morison for holding the ball up well like a target man should and Crofts for tackling, breaking up the opposition play and laying off some good balls.
I think a lot of people find it easy to have a go at Crofts because he looks a bit ungainley and is not one of the "hyped pretty boy superstars". He has become an easy target, unjustifiably in my book.
There were, in my opinion, players on the pitch last night who are far more deserving of critism on last night's performance, Vaughan, Robson Kanu and sideways / backwards Gunter never lets me down.
|
|
|
|
Post by flynnfan on Mar 1, 2012 19:44:55 GMT
Vaughan wasn't fully fit after missing nearly a month for Sunderland, and it showed. He has more quality than Crofts though.
HRK doesn't look ready for international football. He needs t establish himself for Reading first- something he's failed to do so far.
Did Gunter let you down vs Swtzerland gloria? (when he won the pen and got their left back sent off?)
My choice for MOTM amongst our players would have been Morison or Blake.
Maybe I was a bit harsh on Crofts, but I keep thinking about level of the quality we'll need to beat the likes of Croatia and Belgium and actually qualify. And so I'm still not convinced about him.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2012 20:29:40 GMT
To be honest the one thing that shone like a light last night was that without Bale we are very limited.
Gary Speed was fortunate in that Bale was an ever present in the recent run, the mark of Coleman will be if he can adapt our play for the games when he ain't available.
|
|
|
|
Post by richieagfc on Mar 1, 2012 21:29:30 GMT
Morison MOM for me, another solid reliable showing, he's big strong and uncompromising, these foreign types don't fancy that  I think Crofts was good to be fair, and Collison excellent when he came on, would have been good to see him start. Don't forget our back 5 (inc. Keeper) was second string (apart from Williams obviously). An arguement could be made for Blake but when push comes to shove I think Cookie will put his faith in Collins!! |
|
|
|
Post by Baxter Cymru on Mar 1, 2012 21:42:42 GMT
I don't Rich mate I think he will pair up Ben Turner and Ashley Williams!
|
|
|
|
Post by texan on Mar 2, 2012 0:10:17 GMT
Costa Rica came to Cardiff, prepared normally, were up for it and turned up ready to play just another international match. This is something the Welsh squad was never going to be able to do and in hindsight we were never going to witness the same free-flowing stuff we'd seen recently. The pressure and emotion that had been building up on the squad since Sunday must have been unbearable, we were we without 4 big players however those that were on the pitch had the unenviable burden of not only dealing with the usual pressures of an international match, but also dealing with the emotion of the occasion and the expectation of turning in a winning performance in memory of their former manager in what was essentialy the footballing equivalent of his wake.
As a result it wasn't a superb performance and we gave the ball away far too cheaply at times, we sat too deep too often and allowed the opposition to play. However having said this we still game a very good team a game, we improved early in the second half and showed flashes of what we can do and more than worried Costa Rica on a number of occasions. However its evident the pressure told on us and by the closing stages you could see the team were mentally exhausted.
This game should be taken as a one-off and it would be unfair, under the unique circumstances, to judge the players' performances, be it Crofts, HRK or anyone else, in relation to what we did in 2011 under Speed. Whilst the match had to be played in order to honour Gary I think the best thing about last night's game is that its now done, its the next match under Coleman which will show us exactly where we are as it will once again be exclusively about the football on show.
|
|
|
|
Post by welshiron on Mar 2, 2012 13:17:48 GMT
It will also show by the turn out who is commited going forward
|
|
|
|
Post by llannerch on Mar 3, 2012 13:24:51 GMT
I don't Rich mate I think he will pair up Ben Turner and Ashley Williams! Our Brummiest centre back pairing ever? |
|
|
|
Post by flynnfan on Mar 3, 2012 13:53:23 GMT
I don't Rich mate I think he will pair up Ben Turner and Ashley Williams! Our Brummiest centre back pairing ever? ..couldn't help noticing, our centre backs are considerably better than yows! |
|
