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ricardo

Ricardo's report v Stockport

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I almost missed the start today thanks to hanging on to the last minute watching Yeovil and Leeds on Sky. I was hoping for a Yeovil equaliser which never came and I wondered several times this afternoon whether I''d conjured up a bit of bad Karma against the boys in yellow.Doc and Wes were missing from the normal line up so it was back to 442 with MacNamee and Zac Whitbread coming in. We started very well once again and an early goal should have settled the nerves. Macnamee found a lot of space on the right and was allowed to move unchallenged into the box and loop a a dipping shot into the far corner. From there the Canaries should have spread their wings and flown but it wasn''t to be. Stockport looked no great shakes but we were a bit lethargic in midfield and gave the ball away too easily. We paid the penalty for this when Whitbread got his legs in a tangle and despite a good save from Rudd the rebound was not cleared and Stockport were gifted an easy tap in equaliser. Cue nervous moments at CR as City found it increasingly difficult to assert any authority and Russell Martin and Drury were finding too many of there forward passes drifting out of play. Macnamee was our main danger and eventually a freekick on the right led to the second goal. His free kick cross looked to be too deep but a Whitbread header was blocked and after a scramble Holt found himself with space to net number 30 for the season. Martin should have wrapped things up just before the break when he set Holt away on the left and just failed to net from his cross. Holt, Russell and Lappin failed to put in the rebounds and somehow Stockport survived to hear the half time whistle. Apparantly it''s been 46 years since a City player has scored that many  and I was wondering during the break how many besides myself can remember those goalscoring exploits of the great Ron Davies.City looked a lot better in the second half and totally dominated without being able to find the killer goal. Martin had an effort blocked at point blank by the keeper after being set up by Holts precision header and then had another effort come off a post with Holts follow up again blocked on the line. Somehow Stockport survived a series of scrambles but their forays forward were few and far between. At 2-1 you never feel totally safe but the City defence looked more solid than it had in the first half. Nelson was strong and as assured as I have seen him all season and Whitbread improved after his shakey start. Two corners in injury time kept the nerves jangling but at last the final whistle sounded and a feeling of blessed relief swept over the nervous faithful.Nelson MOM for me with Anthony Mac a close second and Drury third. Russell, Smith and Lappin all seemed a bit nervous and I thought they missed the outlet of Hoolahan when things got a bit tight. Holt ran himself ragged while Chris Martin must be wondering how he didn''t get a hat trick today. Rudd did all that was asked of him and was unlucky with the goal. Russell Martin was a bit sluggish although he had a much better second half and I would make the same commets about Whitbread who was obviously short of match practice.A couple of wins and a couple of draws will do it for me and I still can''t see more than one team getting over 90 points.

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Very accurate summary for me, Ricardo. I wonder how much of the quality today was affected by the Tranmere effect of 80 mins down to 10 and a forced reshuffle.

Nelson was a great stopper and along with Holt was a leader on the pitch. His passing was usual standard but for guts he was my motm.

The game had sucker punch scripted but City saw it home and at this stage that is all that matters.

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[quote user="Twitchy"]Cheers Ricardo, purr yourself and Snowy a Peroni on me, settle the nerves a bit.[/quote]Certainly needed it today Twitchy. These sort of games are no good for the old ticker.

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City were from at their best today, a decent side would have punished us today, not really sure anybody can claim to have had a good game other than Nelson & McNamee.

Disappointed with the atmosphere today, seemed everybody thought we just had to turn up to win against the leagues bottom side.

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" seemed everybody thought we just had to turn up to win against the leagues bottom side"

Not too sure about that, from where I was many seemed to worry that we wouldn''t turn up a win.

I sensed an awful lot of nerves todays. Not so much stockport scoring but us not being able to add to our total. Yes we should have done but by the very superstitious nature of football fans there was an air of was Tranmere a ''one off'' or a beginning of something else.

The nearer the trapdoor the harder teams like Stockport will fight. We won by a goal when we should have, looking back, won by a margin of 2 or 3.

Two more games gone and second place has gained two points on us and third place has gained one point. That''s only six games now for those teams to make up the difference.

To put into perspective we need to play worse than any relegated team has ever played and two teams need to play better than title winning team has ever played. One win and a draw would most likely do it and I''ll bet with anyone that we will achieve that over the next six games.

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[quote user="canary cherub "]

I wasn''t there but for those who were, did we lack creativity without Hoolahan?

 

[/quote]We just looked disjointed due to the changes and the change of system.

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[quote user="morty"][quote user="canary cherub "]

I wasn''t there but for those who were, did we lack creativity without Hoolahan?

 

[/quote]We just looked disjointed due to the changes and the change of system.[/quote]Relax Morty, Doc and Wes will be back in time for the Promo celebrations.I just asked Snowy and he can''t believe anybody is still worried about it.

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[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="morty"][quote user="canary cherub "]

I wasn''t there but for those who were, did we lack creativity without Hoolahan?

 

[/quote]We just looked disjointed due to the changes and the change of system.[/quote]Relax Morty, Doc and Wes will be back in time for the Promo celebrations.I just asked Snowy and he can''t believe anybody is still worried about it.[/quote]I''m relaxed, we got 3 points.[:)]

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[quote user="Twitchy"]If it''s alright with Snowy then it''s alright with me.[/quote]He''s happily asleep on Mrs Ricardo''s lap dreaming of Championship football whilst I quall another dram of finest malt whiskey.How good is life?

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Thanks Ricardo, first thing match day I look for is your report.

Couldn''t be there today for health reasons (everyone elses as well as mine!!)

I can remember big Ron and his goals. Was far more of an out and out center forward than Holt is.

By the way, under your recomendation tried a pint of Peroni (draught) at a pub out in the sticks. Won''t be the last one either[:D]

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[quote user="The Butler"]

Thanks Ricardo, first thing match day I look for is your report.

Couldn''t be there today for health reasons (everyone elses as well as mine!!)

I can remember big Ron and his goals. Was far more of an out and out center forward than Holt is.

By the way, under your recomendation tried a pint of Peroni (draught) at a pub out in the sticks. Won''t be the last one either[:D]

[/quote]Yes, it''s a nice drop of stuff Butler.IMO Ron Davies was the finest ever out and out CF I''ve ever seen in the yellow and green. Although Ted Mac was my all time greatest goalscorer.If you had to bet your life on a player scoring in a one on one with the keeper it''s got to be Ted.

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Good report again Ricardo. I too remember Ron Davies very well.

An tall elegant brilliant center forward. Good in the air and on the ground. All this and he played in a very average team for most of the time.

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I have to say that we were poor today. In fairness, Stockport raised their game and looked (a little bit) better than their league standing. McNamee''s goal took a huge deflection from where I was standing, and I had hoped that we would capitialise from it. The last 20 minutes were, quite frankly painful. But, another 3 points towards the finishing line.... Come on!!

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[quote user="The Butler"]

Thanks Ricardo, first thing match day I look for is your report.

I can remember big Ron and his goals. Was far more of an out and out center forward than Holt is.

By the way, under your recomendation tried a pint of Peroni (draught) at a pub out in the sticks. Won''t be the last one either[:D]

[/quote]Yes - but I seem to recall the season after we had sold him to Southampton (who were in Div 1, the top flight) we had an evening League Cup game against them at Carrow Rd . In a one sided match, Davies picked the ball up deep in his own half, galloped down to the River End and scored.

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I can still see in the mind''s eye two goals he scored in an evening game (a 3-3 draw) against Man City.

A run from the halfway line ending with a ferocious shot from the edge of the box, and a massive farpost header.

I also remember that when we were signing him Watling said that if he failed the medicak we would sack the doctor!

Of course, that didn''t stop Watling later selling him (Davies, that is, not the doctor) for a knock-down price...

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[quote user="PurpleCanary"]I can still see in the mind''s eye two goals he scored in an evening game (a 3-3 draw) against Man City.

A run from the halfway line ending with a ferocious shot from the edge of the box, and a massive farpost header.

I also remember that when we were signing him Watling said that if he failed the medicak we would sack the doctor!

Of course, that didn''t stop Watling later selling him (Davies, that is, not the doctor) for a knock-down price...[/quote]It broke my heart when we sold the great Ron Davies, my favourite player then and still the finest CF to wear the Y&G. No wonder Matt Busby described him as the finest CF in Europe. The headed goal he scored at the Barclay end against Cardiff City will stay in my memeory for ever. I doubt I''ll ever see a goalkeeper beaten by the pace of a header from around half way in their half. Just incredible but then that was RD. I watched him stick 4 past us for Luton Town at Kenilworth Road just before we signed him and was thrilled when we signed him. I couldn''t believe that we gave himaway for £66K when a week or so before Wrexham sold Wynn Davies to Newcastle United for £100K, a player not fit to lace RD''s boots despite hime being the first choice Wales CF.  Great memories of a truly great player.

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The Butler wrote:

Thanks Ricardo, first thing match day I look for is your report.

I can remember big Ron and his goals. Was far more of an out and out center forward than Holt is.

By the way, under your recomendation tried a pint of Peroni (draught) at a pub out in the sticks. Won''t be the last one either

Yes - but I seem to recall the season after we had sold him to Southampton (who were in Div 1, the top flight) we had an evening League Cup game against them at Carrow Rd . In a one sided match, Davies picked the ball up deep in his own half, galloped down to the River End and scored.

Yes i remember Ron & Ted Mac.

I was working up in Scotland at the time Ted Mac was sold. That night, i was in a nightclub in Dundee, and Jack Charlton was also in the nightclub after watching a game there. I asked Jack how on earth Norwich could sell Ted for a piddling £50,000. His reply was that Macs workrate was non-exsistant. I just laughed and said with the amount of goals he scores we could allow him to be "lazy"

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Great report as always Ricardo. To be fair Butler. Kevin Reeves was a decent replacement and we went onto to make some sizeable cash out of him too.

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[quote user="crafty canary"][quote user="PurpleCanary"]I can still see in the mind''s eye two goals he scored in an evening game (a 3-3 draw) against Man City. A run from the halfway line ending with a ferocious shot from the edge of the box, and a massive farpost header. I also remember that when we were signing him Watling said that if he failed the medicak we would sack the doctor! Of course, that didn''t stop Watling later selling him (Davies, that is, not the doctor) for a knock-down price...[/quote]

It broke my heart when we sold the great Ron Davies, my favourite player then and still the finest CF to wear the Y&G. No wonder Matt Busby described him as the finest CF in Europe. The headed goal he scored at the Barclay end against Cardiff City will stay in my memeory for ever. I doubt I''ll ever see a goalkeeper beaten by the pace of a header from around half way in their half. Just incredible but then that was RD. I watched him stick 4 past us for Luton Town at Kenilworth Road just before we signed him and was thrilled when we signed him.

I couldn''t believe that we gave himaway for £66K when a week or so before Wrexham sold Wynn Davies to Newcastle United for £100K, a player not fit to lace RD''s boots despite hime being the first choice Wales CF.  Great memories of a truly great player.
[/quote]

Found this:

Also this:

And better than Wyn Davies by a mile.

OTBC

 

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Ricardo, Sorry this reply is so late but i`m in usa now (after seeing three home games) and had things to do before i traveled here, but.....I heard hoolahoop was injured, thats why he was not in team, sorry if the news is already old news, but as i say i`m in states now.I thought the game was about stopping us and Stockport done that without looking likely to score themselves, the goal Stockport scored was Rudds fault as he came out chasing the ball only to find himself too far out and stood no chance of stopping it. (to be fare i can accept it as he must have been nervous).but I thought we done enough to win but no more, also i think fridays game took it out on them as we played  80 or so mins with 10 men, and we was chasing the ball.Holt was a work horse for us as he was everywhere. Lappings miss was a shame as i would have liked to see him score. C.Martin should have had 3 goals (I think if it was Holt, he would have scored them) but thats the way it goes. The defense was to be honest, BRILL, Stockport didnt really get near .Cept for the goal.Midfield ran the show which was good for us, nice to see we have a good midfield. ( just wonder how they will cope in the CCC).As for Holt and Martin, well good for Holty for scoring 30 this season, just got to beat the record now.And Mcmenee, showed good vision, seeing the goalkeeper off his line and going for it. Really was a good chip in.As for going up, i read on here theres lots of people wondering when or if we will go up, Trust me we are there and you can say 3 teams can overtake us but i`m not going to listen, no way we will get overtook now. Remember we are NOT leeds..!!!!!!Can i just say also......Thanks city for winning the 3 games i was able to go to. Best one was norwich 1-0 leeds. Made it worth coming over for ;)Hears to a good season in CCC and hopefully getting into the play-offs, or who knows going up automatically.Keep the faith people

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