The stupidity on this forum infuriates me almost as much as the result itself. When we win 3-0 against an average CL side, we are unstoppable and are sending a message to Chelsea, Man U., etc. When play just as well but fail to get a result against Villa and Citeh, we are suddenly rubbish. As some of the more rational posters have mentioned, this wasn't at all similar to the woeful away perrformances of last season.
Indeed it is worrying that we have throughly dominated two PL games yet only have a point to show for it. Henry is clearly in preseason form, but he is still the most likely to score for us. On another day, he would have had three goals and we would have cruised to victory.
I would have liked to see Rosicky more involved today, but he was very impressive when he did get involved. He had some absolutely sparkling moments, and I expect a lot more from him as he further acclimates to our style of play. Overall, a classy PL debut.
I absolutely love Hleb and have been one of his staunchest supporters, but he needs to diversify his play. He's one of the best dribblers I've seen in my lifetime (and I'm a pensioner by A-M standards), but he needs to release the ball quicker on our counterattacks. At our best, we play at such pace when counterattacking, with each player taking only a touch or two and then playing it forward. He tends to over-dribble on our counterattacks, allowing defenders to get back a bit more.
Also, he effortlessly beats defenders, but always cuts inside when he reaches the box. Just once I would like to see him take the ball to the endline, if only to keep defenders honest. It's as if he's allergic to the endline. That's one thing that Theo and Freddie provide: they mix it up on the wing, sometimes cutting inside, sometimes taking it to the line and crossing. Hleb would be unstoppable if he followed their example a bit more. And don't even get me started on his fear of shooting.
Theo is electrifying and I understand the hyperbolic enthusiasm, but he clearly benefits from coming on late when the opposition is tired. I'm not sure he would have quite the same impact as a starter. At this point he is the closest thing we have to a difference-maker off the bench. He will be a first-team regular, but not for another year or two. Let's try to keep a bit of perspective here.
As a team, we seem to have transitioned from a lethal counterattacking style to a more deliberate, possession-based, total football style. Despite the disappointing start to the season, we are playing some lovely football. If only we can add a bit more width and diversity, and re-discover the pace of our counterattack, we will be great again. We obviously need signings, but I don't see how Gallas, Mascherano, Torres, Platini, or Maradona would have solved our problems today. We just aren't been attacking with quite the same pace or purpose.
And Uriah ****** is a Championship-calibre referee at best.
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