From the observer report http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story...1456278,00.html

 

Hoity-toity rival managers are quick to criticise their style of play, but in Stelios, Jay-Jay Okocha, Kevin Nolan and Fernando Hierro, they have a nucleus of fine players who string together neat passing movements that, inevitably, bring goals.

 

 

Surely they can't be talking about us? Must be a northern journalist!

Going back to the long balls that we supposedly use constantly, if you watch carefully, a number of these are played by Hierro and Okocha.... supposedly the "skilful" and "crafted" players in our team.

The fact that its not just some skullhead centre back yob humping the ball forward should start to come to the fore.

Yesterday it was evident that both Stelios and Nolan were getting much further forward so that Davies could head it on rather than controlling it on his chest and just heading it to no-one. Not noticed this as much as yesterday. Was it due to Fulham having one less in the midfield though?

If we played the same length passes out wide to a winger then thats skillful but as soon as you deliver an acurate long pass to davies in the area then thats hoofing it!!

And the press find it perfectly acceptable that Gary Neville, Man U and England right back, constantly 'boots' the ball down the right channel when on 'duty' for club and country. Have yet to see this boy yet build up play at a consistent level. He's the biggest long ball player of all time.

He'd even put Phil Brown to shame the amount of times he 'whacks it' sorry, plays it down the wing.

 

Long ball or short-passing, who gives a f??ck. If it goes in the net, I don't. I was only concerened this season when we went through a spate of only being able to score from set-pieces and throw-ins. We seemed shite at open play goals. But not anymore.

 

btw. Everyone hailed Dave bassett a genius with what he did at Wimbledon.

goals on sunday today, rob mcaffery was defending us a bit, asking what the difference was between us this year and chelsea and liverpool last week, and the final 20 mins of chelseas game yesterday agen brum.

 

big sams on it next sunday.....