Match Ratings vs. Milan (H)

[Coyboy]

Then how do you explain Reina saving it, if you look it at again that was the only place he could put it.

 

[felmani26]

But this is what makes him such a commanding centre half and means we win a lot of cheap possession. Of course he has to realise their are some balls he can't win, but on the whole he is excellent coming deep and robbing the attacker when the opposition are trying to play balls in to him.

Sometimes your biggest strength can at the same time also be your greatest weakness...

Oh don't get me wrong your absolutely right in that it is an attribute in his play that does work for us in the main but when it comes to the Champions League and ties on a knife edge, more than ever do we need to be tactically acute and not let a rush of blood to the head effectively decide a tie - perhaps a bit melodramatic but a valid point nonetheless.

I am a fan of Dawson's and believe he is a great asset for us in the main but he needs to box a bit clever sometimes if he is to be recognised as a great European defender - I also recognise the irony in saying this coming off two legs against AC Milan and conceded zero goals and deservedly given applause.

 

[StartingPrice]

Then how do you explain Reina saving it, if you look it at again that was the only place he could put it.

:think: Reina was ITK.

It was a big fat scam...wasn't it:shrug:

I dunno/care:grin:

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Just for the record, I have no problem with anyone "pressing the ball". But like anything else, like passing, tackling, heading, running, shooting etc etc, you apply it correctly, using judgement.

It's ridiculous to say "he was just doing what you want, pressing high up the pitch". I want attackers pressing high up the pitch. I don't want our defenders having a rush of blood and selling the defence down the river "up the pitch".

And as I have acknowledged many times, including in this thread, some players - including Dawson - aren't ideally suited to pressing, for the very reasons evidenced against Milan. They are cumbersome and not quick.

I still haven't watched a recording, but from Chrissavid's post you can get a pretty good gist of what happened. You can say Ekotto and Corluka reacted slowly/poorly. But they were all caught off guard by Dawson's lone rush of blood.

Gallas is caught out by the intelligent movement and speed of Pato (Ekotto's man) and reacts best he can, as does Gomes IMO. Once he comes he can't stop or retreat, and he had to come.

 

[Damian99]

I still haven't watched a recording, but from Chrissavid's post you can get a pretty good gist of what happened. You can say Ekotto and Corluka reacted slowly/poorly. But they were all caught off guard by Dawson's lone rush of blood.

:rofl: He makes an attempt to challenge a Milan player and if you actually watch the incident again you will see it's very debatable as to whether Dawson actually does get their first and the ball comes off him in the direction of big nose, who in turn miss controls it, that is not a pass to Pato which puts him in the clear. That's not a rush of blood as you describe it. And as for BAE not only is he slow to react and lets be right everyone should be on their toes, you need to react to whats happening and not what's just happened, he is also totally 100% the wrong side of Pato, end of.

And if you want attackers pressing high up the pitch, do you not concede it was poor play before Dawson made his challenge then, when a CB can pass a ball unchallenged straight down the middle of our team from back to front and take out our whole midfield in the process??? Add that to the fact who ever Dawson is challenging is stood in acres of space surely someone had to make a challenge and as the midfield all seem to be ahead of the ball a defender stepped out to make one.

Of course you won't as everything for you stops at Dawson :roll:

edit: Its Robinho who Dawson challenges, the last thing you would particularly want is him turning and running at our back four straight through the middle of the park, with no midfielder within positon to get back at him. IMO Dawson was right to make that challenge and a little unlucky in the outcome from it.

 

[felmani26]

Just for the record, I have no problem with anyone "pressing the ball". But like anything else, like passing, tackling, heading, running, shooting etc etc, you apply it correctly, using judgement.

It's ridiculous to say "he was just doing what you want, pressing high up the pitch". I want attackers pressing high up the pitch. I don't want our defenders having a rush of blood and selling the defence down the river "up the pitch".

And as I have acknowledged many times, including in this thread, some players - including Dawson - aren't ideally suited to pressing, for the very reasons evidenced against Milan. They are cumbersome and not quick.

I still haven't watched a recording, but from Chrissavid's post you can get a pretty good gist of what happened. You can say Ekotto and Corluka reacted slowly/poorly. But they were all caught off guard by Dawson's lone rush of blood.

Gallas is caught out by the intelligent movement and speed of Pato (Ekotto's man) and reacts best he can, as does Gomes IMO. Once he comes he can't stop or retreat, and he had to come.

Whilst I tend to disagree with your over overall assessment of Dawson's worth to us, you do make thought provoking points - rightly or wrongly.

IMO, Barcelona have shown the way in terms of how a team should operate off the ball - pressing high up the pitch, which should be capable from the calibre of player we posses.

Defending should be from the front and this is where the focus of the coaching should be. We've always been a side capable of looking very good with the ball, but our tactical nous off the ball has been sadly lacking for quite some time now and that will be the difference between a very good team (which we are) and a side winning leagues/cups.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I finally got round to watching the rerun. I'm watching it now, and there's another little example of Dawson's poor read/ slow reaction on 31 minutes. He allows Pato to walk straight past him and get a shot on goal, it was actually one of the few clear shots they got off I think (Although I'm only on the 34th minute) - certainly in the first half.

 

[danielneeds]

I finally got round to watching the rerun. I'm watching it now, and there's another little example of Dawson's poor read/ slow reaction on 31 minutes. He allows Pato to walk straight past him and get a shot on goal, it was actually one of the few clear shots they got off I think (Although I'm only on the 34th minute) - certainly in the first half.

Thanks ever so much for showing us you are right again.:rofl:

 

[jonathanhotspur]

I finally got round to watching the rerun. I'm watching it now, and there's another little example of Dawson's poor read/ slow reaction on 31 minutes. He allows Pato to walk straight past him and get a shot on goal, it was actually one of the few clear shots they got off I think (Although I'm only on the 34th minute) - certainly in the first half.

Yes. He seems to be oblivious to the presence of Pato until he's run past him. Must doff my cap to Ibrahimovic's pass, however. Top drawer.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

The treatment of Crouch was really diabolical. Very lazy refereeing. Piss poor.

 

[brett.spurs]

You still owe Benoit an apology from what I remember.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

You still owe Benoit an apology from what I remember.

You were right, it was Pienaar. To be fair to me they are probably the two most identical players in our team and Pienaar was in the LB position at the time ?

 

[steve]

The treatment of Crouch was really diabolical. Very lazy refereeing. Piss poor.

He was shocking. They backed into Crouch time and again and he fell for it every time...

 

[brett.spurs]

Yeah they back into his midriff which inturn makes it look as though Crouch is all over them.