Ricardo's report v Millwall

[ricardo 8,034]

There was a touch of frost on Ricardo''s front lawn this morning so it

was an easy decision to press the thermal undies into service this

afternoon. Couple that with the ever thoughtful Mrs Ricardo slipping a

minature bottle of Jamesons into my jacket pocket you can understand why

confidence was high on the stroll up to CR.Redmond was an

obvious addition to the starting line up and City set off attacking the

Barclay end in purposeful style. They should have taken a first minute

lead when Johnson hooked the ball forward and Jerome out muscled two

defenders to give himself a clear chance from twelve yards only for his

miskick to send the ball five yards wide. A few minutes later the ball

was in the net but the cheers died in our mouths as Hoopers close range

effort was flagged for offside.Redmond and Whit''s were combining

well down the right and it was no surprise when the goal came from this

avenue. Redmond reased the defender before slipping the ball to his

fullback who let fly with an angled shot that the keeper seemed to parry

but could not keep out of the net. It got even better on eighteen

minutes when Jerome harried the keeper and cut out his attempted pass.

The City striker was quickly on to the rebound and tucked in the second

goal from a narrow angle.It was a superb start for City and a

real blow to Millwall but to their credit they seemed to step up their

game and pressed City at every opportunity. The next ten minutes or so

were very untidy with the City defence unable to assert authority over

the Lions lively front three. The ball buzzed about outside the City

area and several corners needed to be strongly defended but Millwall

were denied any clear cut chances. Johnson and O''Neil were looking very

strong in midfield and both shone when the game began to get a bit

physical. The ref was allowing play to flow and it made for an

entertaining encounter. Jerome should have been on a hatrick

before the half hour but somehow contrived to miss an even better chance

than his first minute bloomer. Perfectly placed and with all the time

in the world his wild swing sent the ball horribly high and wide.

Redmond then tested the keeper with a mazy run and shot before Jerome

again failed to get enough contact to net in a close range scramble.

With half time approaching Howson picked up the ball and ran thirty

yards before firing just wide from just inside the box. All in all it

was a satisfactory first half but in truth City should have been long

out of sight when the whistle blew.The second half began much as

the first ended, with Millwall still throwing men forward and pressing

very high up the field. City survived the early pressure and should have

put the game to bed with a lightening break from the their own eighteen

yard line. Jerome and Hooper exchanged passes a couple of times before

Hooper stabbed the ball well wide when an open goal beckoned. Thankfully

the City striker made amends a few minutes later with a superb turn and

run from the halfway line before sliding the ball to Johnson. The City

midfielder hit a powerful drive from twenty yards past the bemused

Millwall keeper.Now it was a matter of how many and by rights we

should have been celebrating a record score today. Millwall''s pressing

game began to look suicidal as Redmond raced clear down the right and

there was Johno again to net number four easily from a superb low cross.

Then Howson was foiled by a wonderful save from the Millwall keeper as

he broke clear and shot low only for Forde to palm it round for a

corner. On came Wes for O''Neil and was immeadiately into the action

slipping Hooper clear on the right and the City striker at last got on

the board with a powerful strke just inside the near post for number

five.Millwall still wouldn''t lie down and finally got into a

shooting position but failed to trouble Ruddy. We then got a first look

at McGrandles as Johno left to great applause but there was no let up in

the action. Somehow Millwall cleared another Norwich break as Hooper

and Wes both had bites at the cherry from good positions. Then Grabben

netted only for Hooper to be flagged offside.The Lions finally got on

the scoresheet with three minutes left when Ruddy could only parry a

free kick and the ball was headed into an empty net. It was no more than

they deserved.The action still wasn''t over however as in time

added a quick break saw Hooper with all the time in the world, side

stepped the keeper to roll in number six. It sent us all home full of

Xmas cheer but still wondering how on earth we didn''t see ten goals

today. Holloway set up Millwall to have a go but they were well and

truly taken to the cleaners.So a happy stroll home and the hope

that we can now put a run together because we are a different class to

most in this league when we put our minds to it. Top marks from me for

Johno, Hoops and Redmond.Happy Xmas to all[:D]

[YankeeCanary 0]

 

Thanks Ricardo. Didn''t get to see anything today so this was appreciated.

[ricardo 8,034]

[quote user="YankeeCanary"]

 

Thanks Ricardo. Didn''t get to see anything today so this was appreciated.

[/quote]Hope you get to see the highlights Yankee. A remarkable game today, could easily have been double figures and that''s no exaggeration.

[Indy 3,471]

Good report and Millwall were not the worst team I''ve seen visit this season.

Could have been double figures and there would have been no complaints.

Good report and is it Phelan being the last of the piece of the puzzle?

Great performance and impressed with our passing and movement.

[Bury Yellow 2]

Always look forward to your professional reports Ricardo. Particularly today as I missed the game due to demands for me to appear in various local venues. I should declare that I have celebrity status around these ''ere parts but modesty prevents me.

Happy New Year OTBC

[CANARYKING 707]

[quote user="Bury Yellow"]Always look forward to your professional reports Ricardo. Particularly today as I missed the game due to demands for me to appear in various local venues. I should declare that I have celebrity status around these ''ere parts but modesty prevents me.

Happy New Year OTBC[/quote]

Kissogram ?

[Katie Borkins 1]

Street gritter is my bet.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Think the gritter got stuck behind the bin lorry....

 

 

[Bill 1,788]

[quote user="Bury Yellow"]Always look forward to your professional reports Ricardo. Particularly today as I missed the game due to demands for me to appear in various local venues. I should declare that I have celebrity status around these ''ere parts but modesty prevents me.

Happy New Year OTBC[/quote]

[Bury Yellow 2]

Best Reply Award goes to Nutty …… who else.

Subtle, yet amusing without being Nasty Nigel and yet reliably parochial

[Bury Yellow 2]

BTW - CANARYKING Having read a few of your posts over a period of time I was thinking that you may know George Dougal who a few years ago helped run Halesworth Yellows and is not a well chap now.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Happy New Prosperous Bury.....

[Dubai Mark 0]

Thanks Ricardo, one of those games today with almost zero coverage for an ex-pat, so reports like this from someone who was there are always really appreciated.

The corner has been turned, so now let''s look forward to our sguad consistently playing to potential or very close to it for the rest of the season........and its the strength of our squad together with the club bringing in MP that gives me belief that we could still get automatic promotion OTBC

[lake district canary 4,830]

[quote user="Dubai Mark"]Thanks Ricardo, one of those games today with almost zero coverage for an ex-pat, so reports like this from someone who was there are always really appreciated.

The corner has been turned, so now let''s look forward to our sguad consistently playing to potential or very close to it for the rest of the season........and its the strength of our squad together with the club bringing in MP that gives me belief that we could still get automatic promotion OTBC[/quote]

^^^ This.  In these days of internet/information/media saturation, there ought to be an option of watching a football match live, even if you have to pay for it.  Then for there to be no decent highlights show is something of a scandal.  If Canary Player was able to show a whole match after the event, I''d buy into that and I see no reason why they couldn''t.  On the football front, it looks as if MP has had a real impact on things and if good habits have been established and confidence restored, then its onwards and upwards.

[Cosmic Twin 192]

Thanks for the report, Ricardo.

What did you think of McGrandles?

[ricardo 8,034]

[quote user="Cosmic Twin"]Thanks for the report, Ricardo.

What did you think of McGrandles?[/quote]

One or two nice touches. Certainly one for the future.

[Cosmic Twin 192]

Thank you, sounds promising!

[Mr Jenkins 0]

He certainly threw himself into the game, literally, good oportunity for him to get his debut.

[morty 0]

Was difficult to pick anyone out, to be honest, as it was one of those games where it seemed everyone had a corker.But credit must go to Ruddy, I thought he really looked back to his best.

[morty 0]

[quote user="morty"]Was difficult to pick anyone out, to be honest, as it was one of those games where it seemed everyone had a corker.But credit must go to Ruddy, I thought he really looked back to his best.[/quote]And to back this up, I have just read a stat that states " John Ruddy successfully claimed more crosses vs Millwall (8) than any other goalkeeper has in a Championship match this season"