Well...finally back in posting position after yesterday

And I have to say, we weren't too bad...with two exceptions. Step forward Jason Jarrett and Andy Hughes, OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD. Where did we find those two?

One thing I will b***h about before I start is the total lack of movement off the ball. Far too often, the ball was passed in to someone in a blind alley (And often they were sold short into the bargain) for 3 of ours to stand around and see if he can make anything of it. Piss poor, and Worthy's comments about workrate won't wash, because they're rubbish. We didn't do the hard yards off the ball.

Very quickly reading below, I thought Flem was excellent last night, he put in some real vintage challenges despite the massive void in front of him and Shacks (Who must have been MotM - brilliant.)

Greeno 7 - Not really too much to do, but did it well. Left horribly exposed for the goal.

Drury 7 - Put himself about and did all that was asked.
Flem 7.5 - Some really top-class tackles when badly exposed by the midfield, exceptionally unlucky that a really top-class tackle broke to a Crewe player for the goal. Busy and very solid.
Shackell 8.5 - A virtuoso performance from Shacks. You're the man.
Louis-Jean 6.5 - Not too bad, but too short. I don't think he won a single thing in the air.

Huckerby 6 - A relatively quiet night for the Huckster, and is it me or has he lost quite a bit of pace? He was regularly reeled in by their fullback, their centre back, their midfielders...
Jarrett 5 - Achingly slow of leg and thought, caught dithering on the ball far too often, and had little impact in breaking up the play. Worst of all, he looked scared about going into some challenges. Maybe he's just unfit, but a box-to-box midfielder he most certainly is not. Then again, it would be hard to look good alongside...
Hughes 3 - Fucking hell, we actually paid money for this comedian? Didn't pick up, didn't tackle, didn't close down, couldn't pass for toffee. A total liability. Should have been sent off for a ludicrous lunge, but fortunately didn't make contact.
Marney 7 - Hindered immensely by trying to cover for the pillock inside him. Hopelessly overhit most of his crosses, but delivered some real gems in between.

Ashton 6 - A very quiet night from Deano. Very little he tried came off, and he was well marshalled by their defence.
Leon 7.5 - Legend, and what a wonderful solo goal.

Subs:-

Safri - wow, a real midfielder. He was everything the other two clowns were not, and probably the best player on the park. 9/10, even if only for 20 minutes.

Leon had a bit of a bad night, and he copped a real battering. The bloody thing would *not* go in in the first half - he collided with the post trying to get to one, and he got absolutely cleaned up by the fullback in hitting the bar from close range. It was pretty obvious after 60 minutes that he was done for the night - there were a few situations where he needed full speed but the legs were just too battered and bruised. He might even be a doubt for Saturday.

Hughes was just hopeless. Where do you start? Almost completely ineffectual when they had the ball, and our biggest liability when we had the ball. There were several almost amusing episodes where 3 Crewe players passed to each other while Hughes ran in circles, and didn;t get within 10 feet of the player or the ball. He has been described as "good at breaking up the play" and he was, he was f**king excellent at that...the only problem is that it was OUR play he was breaking up. Any slightly promising attack which came his way he seemed to f**k up either by dithering or a bloody dreadful pass. Just f**k off back to Reading - I'll even drive him. Anyone, A N Y O N E but him on Saturday, PLEASE!

And before I sign off, can I have a word about the filthy c*** in the 15 shirt for Crewe? Spent the whole evening putting the boot in, but worst of all, anything in the air he couldn't get to, he just lined the player up and smashed the s**t out of them.

Posted By: Iwan Husarmi, Aug 10, 20:53:43