Bradley Johnson...

[Stig 0]

Had a few concerns about Johnson''s game plan against United yesterday. These aren''t exactly negative but I pick up on it when other teams do it so it''s only fair I say my piece against him. He isn''t exactly a small guy, and he had the size on Smalling and Young etc etc. but instead of holding the ball up, like I know he can - he kept trying to draw the foul.

This was annoying to watch, he more than had the capability to hold the ball up against United but he consistently went down. Even after we saw the Ref wasn''t going to be... "fair" about the game. I''m just wondering if this was what Johnson was told to do or if it was his own formula. 

Personally I''d prefer to see him hold the ball and continue play from there, specifically when it is obvious the decision won''t go his way. 

Again, not negative... just a general observation.

Thoughts?

[Gingerpele 0]

When did he do this?

I don''t remember him ever doing this, not saying he didn''t, I just don''t remember it. And the two players you''ve used as examples, can''t imagine why he''d be trying to hold the ball up against either of these...

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="Resident Canary Stig"]Had a few concerns about Johnson''s game plan against United yesterday. These aren''t exactly negative but I pick up on it when other teams do it so it''s only fair I say my piece against him. He isn''t exactly a small guy, and he had the size on Smalling and Young etc etc. but instead of holding the ball up, like I know he can - he kept trying to draw the foul.

This was annoying to watch, he more than had the capability to hold the ball up against United but he consistently went down. Even after we saw the Ref wasn''t going to be... "fair" about the game. I''m just wondering if this was what Johnson was told to do or if it was his own formula. 

Personally I''d prefer to see him hold the ball and continue play from there, specifically when it is obvious the decision won''t go his way. 

Again, not negative... just a general observation.

Thoughts?

[/quote]

 

I''m not sure that I know what you are talking about. I''m even less sure that you know.

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

In fairness, Webbo, the original poster was actually at the game. Unlike you. You see so much more if you go to games, you gain a much greater insight.

[Stig 0]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]When did he do this?

I don''t remember him ever doing this, not saying he didn''t, I just don''t remember it. And the two players you''ve used as examples, can''t imagine why he''d be trying to hold the ball up against either of these...[/quote]

He did it yesterday, during the game.

I would imagine he would want to hold the ball up against them to stop them gaining possession.

I''m not saying he was diving or feigning the foul, far from it - he was just tempting them to foul him. It wasn''t over the course of the whole game either. I just noticed it a few more times than I would have liked. To see Benteke blast Smalling away from him like he was nothing and then watch Smalling seemingly get the better of the ball by strength... wrangled.

[Bill 1,788]

We do seem to be involved in a bit more ''gamesmanship; that before.

 

It''s not always easy to see from the ''wrong angle'' and without the benefit of a replay but by the reaction of some of the Man U players some of our players had fallen over a bit easy. As with the Stoke game and the free kick (goal).  This coming on the back of Hughtons words about us getting penalties.

 

Not something I want to see, but then nor were the sendings off at the beginning of last season either. A case of when in Rome I suppose

 

 

ps it was a much better ball this week than the one used against Stoke - it didn''t fly into the stands every time any player took a shot, it did rather the opposite and stayed low  - Stoke like to hoof it and the ball used is one that flies all over the place ............. hmmmm

 

 

[Gingerpele 0]

When?

He''s a midfielder, he doesn''t hold the ball up against defenders...

[Stig 0]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]When?

He''s a midfielder, he doesn''t hold the ball up against defenders...[/quote]

I can''t give you exact minutes as I don''t have the game recorded I''m afraid. Again, I''m not slating the guy... in many regards it''s completely average play. I''m just saying that for his stature I''m surprised he wouldn''t hold the ball up more.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

I saw him go over once and won the foul. He may have been getting caught but he picked the ball up on the edge of his own penalty area 2nd half and ran with the ball instead of hoofing it. The run and free kick stopped United''s momentum.

His stamina and energy levels were tip-top. We haven''t been over- run in midfield since the Chelsea game.

[Gingerpele 0]

Yeah i''m not trying to say you''re having a go or anything, but seriously I don''t remember him ever doing that and seemingly no one else does. Like the above poster said, only time I remember him going down he won a FK.

[jedi 0]

I recorded the game and watched it back earlier today and the only time I recall he went down easy was against giggs and he didn''t win the foul, apart from that didn''t notice anything else.

[Stig 0]

Perhaps it wasn''t to the extent I was thinking in that case, I just remember thinking to myself "Why did he draw the foul instead of using his strength to play the ball?" at least a couple of times. Like I said, it could probably be considered completely average play these days. I didn''t want to insult your hero GP ;]

...Now how about Howson''s effort? Cracker!