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ricardo

RICARDO'S REPORT V BARNSLEY

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I always think that its best to get ten or a dozen games on the board before pronouncing any judgement on how the season might go. However I think we can be fairly sure that this won''t be another relegation fight  and also that we are not going to tear this league up like we did to league 1  last year. I know it was a warm muggy day but I felt that for the first 70 minutes this was as flat a performance that we have witnessed in a long time.There were a couple of unexpected changes as city kicked off today. Rudd appeared in the custodians jersey and the King of Spain replaced Surman in midfield. Anyone who tarried an extra ten minutes in the bar would have missed nothing as it was a very cagey opening with nothing of note until Smith was pulled down on the edge of the box and Martins free kick was eventually cleared after cannoning into the wall. Two crosses should have come to more as City finally turned up the wick but Chris Martin would have needed a twenty foot ladder to get anywhere near Russell Martins cross. A few minutes later Lappin tried the same from the left and Korey Smith would only have needed a footstool to head the opener. Unfortunately none was available. Barnsley were offering nothing much going forward but City could not get a decent final ball in to the forwards and apart from a goalmouth scramble on 28 minutes we never really looked like breaking the deadlock. Just as we thought half time would come with no score, Barnsley got a cheap free kick on the right of the box and fullback McEverly dispetched a fine header, unmarked from six yards. Totally against the run of play but a 24.6k crowd was stunned never the less.City tried to up the pace in the second half but apart from a curling 20 yarder from Russell Martin in seemed that Barnsley were holding on quite comfortably. McNamee replaced the barely effective Lappin just after the hour and one or two decent crosses started coming in to Holt and Martin who had previously existed on a very thin fair. The equaliser came on 70 minutes and owed a touch of fortune when City broke forward and Hoolahan got the ball out to the right. McNamee''s cross deflected in for an own goal off a Barnsley defender and suddenly the crowd and the team were up for it..McNamee was the spark and another cross from the right eventually came through to Chris Martin inside the box on the left. He dummied a defender and curled the winner into the righthand corner to rapturous applause from the Canary faithfull. There were a few other half chances but City seemed happy with their escape and four minutes of added time were played out without alarms.The one outstanding performance for me was Korey Smith who was supreme in all departments. Wes and Crofty were not at their best but were quietly effective. The Defence were generally solid and Holt and Martin gave as good as they got on the physical side of the game. Rudd had little to do but seemed a confident enough replacement for Ruddy. All in all I''m happy with the 3 points but it was not a game that will live long in the memory.Apologies in advance to my regular readers. Ricardo will be missing for the next two home games. Mrs Ricardo is dragging me off to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Yankee Land for a long overdue holiday, while Snowy will be enjoying the delights of a luxury cat hotel. Rest assured that Ricardo will be following events via the internet and unless he gets waylaid by the duelling banjo''s and the sqeeling piggy, he will be back giving his views on the Crystal Palace game next month.

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Cheers for the report Ricardo, enjoy the trip my good man and best regards to Snowy and the Mrs., have a ball.

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Thank Ricardo, enjoy your holiday.

I thought Crofts had a cracking game actually and epitomised what we did do well today...and that was to hassle and harry when out of possession. Korey did this and I''m happy he got MoTM but he wasn''t mine.

I thought Lappin did a tidy job. He really is a team man and when substituted doesn''t let his disappointment affect him and gave Tony every encouragement.

I though Adam Drury was outstanding today. He was my MoTM. His stamina and running is truly exceptional. If we had a right back as good we would be a heck of a team.

Centre halves looked good today and kept a nice high line.

I wonder if Holty can cut it in this league. Come on Grant, prove yourself!

Surman has a knee injury. Two months? Look at next year. Shame.

McNamee is best as an impact player IMO because we have the option of changing our shape completely and this is working for us. Have we ever had a manager more successful in introducing substitutes?

Finally, I thought the baby faced ref had a very good game, especially when letting play go then booking later and letting play continue with Barnsley players performing on the deck.

This was a bread and butter win on a muggy day with a dozy crowd.

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[quote user="ricardo"]That should read "squeeling"

Anyone who has seen "Deliverance" will know what I mean.
[/quote]

Or even "squealing" [:P] .

Great report as usual Ricardo, enjoy your hol.

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The performance wasn''t great but we definately didn''t deserve to be 1-0 down at half time.  The second half was a bit of a stalemate up untill the goal but we still dominated possesion.  After the international break it was a good win.

I actually thought Crofts looked pretty good and wasn''t far of the man of the match award but it went to the fantastic Korey Smith who deserved nothing less than man of the match.  I''m glad he got a man of the match for once because he so often puts in a top quality performance but dosn''t seem to get the right amount of reward for it.

I''m seriously wondering now if Grant Holt can make it at this level.  I have been to all three home league games this season and he has looked no threat what so ever in either of them.  Chris Martin hasn''t looked that good either but he did score the winner today and I didn''t go to Forest where apparently he was very good.  Also Hoolahan was woeful today.  Yes McNamee is a very good impact player but for how well he is playing and how poor Hoolahan is, he deserves a start.

Lambert has already proved himself at this level IMO.  We have one hell of a manager!

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[quote user="Mustachio Furioso"]

[quote user="ricardo"]That should read "squeeling" Anyone who has seen "Deliverance" will know what I mean.[/quote]

Or even "squealing" [:P] .

Great report as usual Ricardo, enjoy your hol.

[/quote]Thanks MF, I knew it didn''t look quite right. Sitting through the first 70 minutes must have dulled the brain.

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Time to break my long silence I think.

From my point of view, Barnsley came here with one game plan - to stop us playing and to try and nick a goal.

I thought we were the better footballing team all of the way through the game. But again, as I have said before, with the shape and personel we have we always seem to be found a little bit lacking in the phases of play when we don''t have the ball.

I realise it''s unreasonable to expect 100% pressing the ball for the entire game but I still think one or two players could work on it a little harder. Hoolahan was very stop start today as was Holt.

Contrary to the pinkun report the midfield didn''t shuffle across when Lappin came off, Hoolahan pushed up, Martin dropped to left wing and Crofts and Smith battled in the middle.

The reason why we then started to dominate is because Hoolahan couldn''t hurt us when we lost posession. Crofts and Smith one nearly every ball they could challenge for.

The own goal I saw as justice for such boring, negative play from Barnsley. All that time wasting, diving and gamesmanship may well get you points here and there but its not going to impress or win any more fans.

Once it was back even they didn''t seem to know whether to try and sneak another one or to sit on the draw. Whilst they were still deciding we scored another one. Then their game plan was out the window.

Overall whilst it was a pretty ''flat'' show I don''t think Barnsley can have any arguments with the result which saw them create one oppertunity from open play.

My assessment on Holt is that he is still recovering and could have done with the games in quick succession rather than a two week break, I expect him to improve with each game.

Winning like we did shows we are more than a one trick pony - I just hope Lambert noticed how well the 4-4-2 worked when MacNamee came on, a very, very viable plan B.

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My sympathies, I have successfully avoided the USA to date. We see enough on TV.

And a note. Sporting Life told me that we''d had 7 shots by halftime, 5 on target and 2 off.

Will miss your reports.

OTBC 

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Have a great holiday, and thank you for another well thought out report.I never knew that "bluegrass", as well as a fairly annoying type of music, is also so called because the grass is actually blue in some states down that way.  Of course, if I''d thought it through then I would probably have worked it out.  I fully intend to do some kind of 6 week driving holiday across the USA once in my life, just to see what gives.

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[quote user="CT"]Pretenious self righteous rubbish  from Ricardo back on the agenda then....[/quote]I won''t correct any spelling, but I''m not sure that giving a match report qualifies as "pretentious".

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[quote user="CT"]Pretenious self righteous rubbish  from Ricardo back on the agenda then....
[/quote]

you''ve had it now mate ... have a pop at one of the "great post mate " inner circle at your peril [:D]

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[quote user="pennywise "]

[quote user="CT"]Pretenious self righteous rubbish  from Ricardo back on the agenda then....[/quote]

you''ve had it now mate ... have a pop at one of the "great post mate " inner circle at your peril [:D]

[/quote] CT will no doubt be consoled by the fact that the site will be pretentious and self righteous free until Oct 19th.

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[quote user="Mr. Chops"]Have a great holiday, and thank you for another well thought out report.I never knew that "bluegrass", as well as a fairly annoying type of music, is also so called because the grass is actually blue in some states down that way.  Of course, if I''d thought it through then I would probably have worked it out.  I fully intend to do some kind of 6 week driving holiday across the USA once in my life, just to see what gives.[/quote]There''s plenty that gives, Chops. Once you get out of the big cities and off the tourist trail you will find the real America is quite an experience. .

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[quote user="BlyBlyBabes"]

And a note. Sporting Life told me that we''d had 7 shots by halftime, 5 on target and 2 off.

OTBC 

[/quote]I think half those shots were in the 28th minute goal mouth scramble Bly. Else I must have dozed off and missed them because in truth it was pretty poor old fare all round.We''ve got to be happy with the points but both today and the Swansea match could have easily ended up differently. I think we have yet to put in what I would call a good performance at home.

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