front page Player Match Ratings: The city is still ours!

[John]

This was a game of two halves in which we were the better team in both. We gave a passable impersonation of how we had played against WBA in the first half although as we were playing a more limited team we still shaded that half. The substitutions made at half time and the decision to play football in the second half left Small Heath with much more than they could handle and perhaps fortunate to escape with just the one goal defeat.

As Rowett said prior to the game Small Heath had nothing to lose last night. But lose the game they did and they have been rather good at doing that over the years. I was almost surprised how poor Bloose were last night and their manager must have been wearing blue glasses if he really thought they “more than matched” us last night. They seem to be in a false league position to me or is it that there really is such a gulf between the two divisions?          

My player ratings from a game that has left us just two wins from a semi-final appearance are:

Brad Guzan – 6 – Gathered a weak Maghoma shot at the second attempt on 74 minutes after Gray had put him clear inside the box. Otherwise this was a quiet day at the office for Brad.                                                                        

Leandro Bacuna – 6 – Got forward well.                             

Michah Richards – 8 – Won everything in the air and was also very dominant on the floor.    

Joleon Lescott – 5 – Joleon was substituted at half time. Was starting two games in four days asking a touch too much of him?                        

Jordan Amavi – 7 – Jordan was solid at the back and so dangerous when running at them.                          

Ciaran Clark – 6 – He is no midfield player but he looked much more comfortable when he was pushed back to play alongside Michah in the centre of our defence for the second half.            

Ashley Westwood - 6 – Had a decent game in the middle.                                        

Jordan Veretout – 7 – Stood up to be counted last night and this was an encouraging display particularly in the second half. He needs more games now.                 

Scott Sinclair – 7 – Much more involved in the game than he had been on Saturday, got into good forward positions but he appears to have lost his goal touch. Veretout played the ball to Scott on 9 minutes but Scott’s effort was blocked by Caddis before running on to Gestede who was unable to get a shot in before a combination of Kuszczak and a defender scrambled the ball clear. Kuszczak made a save at his near post to keep out Scott’s 39^th minute shot and he hit one over the bar on 52 minutes after the ball had run to him after Gestede had been unable to get a cross from Grealish under control. He headed a cross from Bacuna that was slightly behind him wide of the post on 54 minutes. Had a free kick turned around the post by Kuszczak on 79 minutes after Grealish had been pulled back by Morrison to bring his latest dangerous run to an end.      

Gabriel Agbonlahor – 5 – Put himself about more in 45 minutes than he did in 90 on Saturday before his half time substitution due to injury. Could not quite stretch to get on the end of Bacuna’s 11^th minute cross to the near post after Westwood had found Leo with a nice ball. Gabby screwed a shot well wide of the far post on 29 minutes after Westwood had found him on the edge of the box.       

Rudy Gestede – 6 – Better in the second half, lacking control on the ground but give him the crosses and he will head them home! Rudy controlled a ball from Veretout with his chest on 3 minutes before snatching at his shot from the edge of the box and sending it harmlessly wide of the post. Got on the end of a splendid cross from Amavi to power a header into the corner of the net and give us our winner on 62 minutes.                

Substitutes:

Jack Grealish – 8 – MOTM - Replaced Joleon at half time. His introduction and that of Ayew sparked our upturn in performance. At times he seems to have the ball glued to his feet doesn’t he? Teased defenders at will and really enjoyed this win. Gestede found him just inside their half on 68 minutes, he then took the ball forward and made a great run into their box that was halted by a deflection off Kuszczak’s leg at the near post.

Jordan Ayew – 7 - Replaced Gabby at half time. Jordan made a great run into the box on 82 minutes before playing the ball back to Veretout whose ball towards Sinclair just needed a slight touch that he was unable to provide. He then played a one-two with Grealish on the edge of the box 5 minutes later but his shot was kept out at the near post by a one handed save from Kuszczak. This was his liveliest and most effective performance for us to date. Jordan looked very good on the right and should start the next game for me. This performance will do his confidence a lot of good and will see Gabby face a big challenge for his usual starting place.   

Up for the Cup Villa!

John Lewis

[Guest av1]

Good read as always John.

[John]

Thanks very much. 

[rjw63]

Your very first sentence flies in the face of what all the knuckledraggers have been spouting.

1) They were better first half

2) They've only spent 500k

3) You only won 1-0

 

Retards!

 

Anyway, your marks are pretty near mine...Gabby and Mr Worf would have got 4, and Westwood continues to make "incisive" 2 yard passes back to the player who gave him the ball, and his set pieces are appalling. 5 for him.

 

[John]

Yes those from the dark side of the city have a lot of difficulty in accepting that we were, are and always will be the best team in the city by some distance.  

Ratings are a matter of individual opinion but it is good to know that our ratings were quite similar for this one.