First half performance personifies every that has gone wrong with the team so far this season - confidence and anxiety.
If we don't score early doors the nerves set in, when the nerves set in, the crowd goes quiet, when the crowd goes quiet the opposotion grows in confidence, when the opposition grows in confidence our passing game breaks down.
The team BADLY wanted to win today and versus Man City... maybe TOO BADLY.
Rafa's body language was that of anger, not calm, cool and collected, most unlike him... I genuinely feel we are near the end of his reign - if we don't make one or two world-class signings - as the media will have a field day.
My personal ranking for tonight would be:
Reina - 6 - where have the world class saves gone when you need them Pepe?
Finnan - 6 - again, looked tired, worked very hard but showing his age when he plays two games in a week
Carra - 7 - solid, as usual
Arbeloa - 6 - overly-nervy in that cb role
Aurelio - 6 - didn't look as good as vs City
Kewell - 6 - had loads of the ball but rarely did much with it
Gerrard - 8 - My MoM, tries so hard to pull the team up
Xabi - 7 - good holding play, had his own war 1st half with Brown (again!)
Masch - 7 - decent game, not his best
Pennant - 6 - should not have played, short of pace, slowness of thought too
Torres - 7 - worked hard, decent goal - but, why was he playing alone?
Subs:
Crouch - n/a, Kuyt - n/a - Yossi - n/a - asked to be miracles workers by a woefully bad coach tonight.
Tonight my friends, tonigh Rafa and his weird selection decisions... actually lost us the game. There I've said it... I'm his biggest admirer - but if he can't send out a team to beat mighty Wigan at home... well then quite frankly we don't deserve to win the damn thing!
Good night. God bless.
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