Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
ricardo

Ricardo's report v Sheff Wed

Recommended Posts

It's been very difficult to sleep again this week what with all the permutations going through my mind and at three fifteen this afternoon I was starting to convince myself that it was all going to pot. I watched the Blades win against ten men and when Leeds went one up against the ten of Wigan I was certain it was all a terrible conspiracy. Thankfully there was another twist of fate and on the ride down to the ground I was telling my son that one more win and it would all be over.

With Leitner back in the team I thought we had plenty enough to see off the Wendies but right from the off the visitors looked pretty sharp and were in no mode to play second fiddle. City had to defend strongly in the opening minutes but when City sprung onto the front foot they looked very dangerous. Pukki forced his way between two defenders but couldn't keep his shot low enough to bother Dawson.

At the other end Boyd had the ball in the City net from a fine through pass but thankfully the flag was raised for offside. The tension in the crowd was obviously transmitting itself to the players as passes went astray and the visitors continued to look dangerous. When City broke down the right Dawson handled the ball outside his area and received a yellow card with the home faithful baying for a red. Stiepermann stung the keepers hands from the free kick but eventually the ball was cleared and Wedensday again came forward swiftly. Krul then did well to get in the way of a swerving thirty yarder that dipped right in front of him.

It was all very end to end stuff and looked far too open for this early in the game. Hernandez almost opened the scoring just before the twenty minute mark but somehow Dawson got a foot to it and deflected the ball over the bar. City were really pressing now and Carrow Road was soon a cauldron of noise as Hernandez picked out Stiepermann on the edge of the box who finished hard and low into the net. The relief was palpable and City now began to get well on top for a while. Pukki had a couple of half chances as the visitors lived dangerously but the second goal would not come.

As we passed the half hour mark there seemed little danger when Forestieri got the breaks in a duel with Trybull. He was fully thirty yards out but his powerfully struck shot flew into the top corner giving Krul no chance. Oh dear, we seem to give far too many goals away at Carrow Road but getting out of this league is never going to be easy. Just before the half Aarons almost got on the scoresheet but his effort at full stretch didn't have the power to beat the keeper.

So all square at the half and probably a fair reflection all things considered and to be perfectly honest I was somewhat surprised at enterprise the visitors had shown. City's performance was good in parts but it was apparent to me that Leitner was not up to his usual game sharpness which was no real surprise after fair length of time on the sidelines.

City sprung forward straight from the whistle and a corner flashed just wide of Dawson's far post. At the other end Krul had to pull off a stunning save to deflect another thirty yard bombshell from Forestieri, over the bar. However  a second goal from Wednesday was not long coming.  A cross from the left seemed to elude everybody accept Fletcher at the far post. I couldn't see from my end but there were big City protests when the ball ended up in the net. Ref Eltringham would have none of it and Krul was booked for carrying on for too long.

Very disappointing as for the third game in a row City found themselves behind with half an hour to play. Stieperman crashed o low cross shot a yard wide and then Keeny McLean was a similar distance off target with a flying header from Aarons centre. City were putting lots of energy ito chasing the ball down and a couple of times seemed to be unfairly penalised when winning the ball back cleanly. There were cries for a penalty when Aarons was dumped on the floor but from my vantage point the ref got this one right for a change although nothing came of the free kick.

It was all getting rather desperate and Krul had to make another good stop to his left as City began to leave gaps at the back. With ten minutes left Vrancic came on for Trybull, then it was Srbeny for Lewis and finally Klose for Hernandez. Steipermann and then Aarons both almost wormed their way down the by line but were crowded out by defenders as the frustration grew. Stieperman and then Zimmerman put too much on final passes and with three men screaming for the ball at the far post, Godfrey, to the obvious dismay of the crowd played the ball the other way.

It looked all up as the final seconds of five added minutes ticked away only for Vrancic to win a free kick just outside the "D". Time was added as the ref arranged the wall but we must have been into the seventh minute when Vrancic struck the ball.

For a split second there was silence, then the roof came off as the ball hit the back of the net with the keeper stranded. Thank you God for answering my prayers, it saved a point but in the context of the big picture it certainly felt like a win to me. Three games left, five points clear, surely we can dig another win out somewhere because that is all it will take.

Please Emi, come back Monday, we really need you to put this season to bed.

Tim Krul my MOM.

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 5

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 minutes ago, Drazen Muzinic said:

A lot of threads on here about the ref Ricardo, what was your view?

Over fussy and didn't stamp down early enough with cards. Couldn't see for Fletchers goal from my end but he was correct on the Aarons non penalty call. We've not had the rub of the green with decisions these last three games.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, ricardo said:

Over fussy and didn't stamp down early enough with cards. Couldn't see for Fletchers goal from my end but he was correct on the Aarons non penalty call. We've not had the rub of the green with decisions these last three games.

Definitely handball Ricardo and bad enough that it would also have been a yellow card.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fletcher clearly handled their second goal - I thought so at the time and for me it was poor at this level that neither the ref nor lino saw it.

I’m not sure the keeper’s handball decision should have been red as many think, but it did seem to hamstring the ref into not challenging the guy when time wasting later in the game...could easily have had a second card.

For me, the ref played longer than he should but I’m in no way complaining as it was a great free-kick and fully deserved - I’d have been fuming had we lost to their second goal.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fair report. The ref also lacked the courage to book the goalie for blatant time wasting, knowing that he would have been off. Awful officiating, but we looked laboured and, frankly, Leitner did not offer anything above young Todd.  In fact I thought we looked poorer. Magical Mario must surely start on Monday.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I thought their keeper was going to see red, but I looked it up and a keeper handling outside the box when it isn't a goal scoring opportunity is a yellow. 

Quite surprised to see mo lumping weyward balls into the stands. 

We had had enough corners and opportunities to attack crosses, but we proved ineffective in that department.

That being said, win on Monday and we're back in the big time. 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Tumbleweed said:

Fair report. The ref also lacked the courage to book the goalie for blatant time wasting, knowing that he would have been off. Awful officiating, but we looked laboured and, frankly, Leitner did not offer anything above young Todd.  In fact I thought we looked poorer. Magical Mario must surely start on Monday.

Thought the same, ref should have sent him off, warned him several times about time wasting but the keeper called his bluff thinking the ref wouldn't have the bottle to show him a red, and he was right.

Until Vrancic's goal flew in I was going to spend the evening raging at the injustice of the decisions, now I'm just relieved.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes Ricardo. I think we are all hoping the return of Emi, the most skillful players we have, will see us return to winning ways. I think you are being kind to the ref. He just seemed to be unable to be consistent. Trybull fouled on the edge of their box, play on and seconds later, an identical tackle/foul by us and he gives a free because no doubt it was on the halfway line.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
12 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

Thought the same, ref should have sent him off, warned him several times about time wasting but the keeper called his bluff thinking the ref wouldn't have the bottle to show him a red, and he was right.

In all the years I've been watching football I've never seen a goalie sent off for timewasting. True, he'd been booked for the handball but you do have to wonder whether the ref knew they didn't have another goalie on the bench.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Of course the ref knew, he’s given the team sheets prior to kick off!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...