Liam Liam Liam O Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Did OK today, would no doubt be helped by the removal of Butt as his midfield partner though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quayside Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I thought he was anonymous today and the fact that some think he was alright tells me how far our standards have lowered. Anonymous as in playing his first game with a bunch of strangers as team mates, putting in a shift and having the wit to get in position on the goal line to stop the other side scoring... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Noticed he was in the box trying to get onto the end of the ball, rather than actually picking up possession himself. I'm not sure whether that is a good thing or not, perhaps it would be ok with Guthrie in behind but it's the behaviour of an 451 midfielder IMO. However, i have no doubt he will pop with a goal and work his arse off for the cause. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heneage Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Bolton want to be careful Davies was good very good infact, but wait till he's played 5-10 games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElDiablo Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Didn't notice him, would like to have seen him get in the box a bit more when the ball was out on the left as most of the time it was just strikers in there. Other than that, saved a goal so a decent debut all round. Tough game to come into as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenBartonCentrePartin Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Yup. Excellent instincts to get on the line to make the block. Did alright on the whole I thought. Did his best trying to get forward and managed to find a black and white shirt. Was interesting to see him doing the talking in the pre-match huddle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Did OK today, would no doubt be helped by the removal of Butt as his midfield partner though. Butt was shite again, didn't Nolan hit one off the line? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigTrev Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 he did ok what were people expecting him to come in to a team with no cofidence and all of a suden change everything and score a hattrick he made alot of runs into the box early on but when he realised he was not getting picked out or even aimed at he stopped and went looking for the ball Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cajun Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Thats the problem with some of our fans, we sign a 26 year old English player for £4m but people expect them to control a game like Gerrard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigTrev Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 the way i see it is he did ok stopped a certain goal, got forward when he could and spread the play at times been a while since we had a midfielder do that Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Liam Liam O Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Did OK today, would no doubt be helped by the removal of Butt as his midfield partner though. Butt was shite again, didn't Nolan hit one off the line? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Did OK today, would no doubt be helped by the removal of Butt as his midfield partner though. Butt was shite again, didn't Nolan hit one off the line? Butt was much better than Nolan, and that's coming from someone who thinks Butt is 10 yrs past his sell by date. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Did OK today, would no doubt be helped by the removal of Butt as his midfield partner though. Butt was s**** again, didn't Nolan hit one off the line? Butt was much better than Nolan, and that's coming from someone who thinks Butt is 10 yrs past his sell by date. both were ok. no major balls ups and the most 50-50s i've seen us win in a while. lacking in creativity which i hope nolan will make up for with forward movement when we have forwards. today twice nolan got a head of the ball. how often have our central midfielders done that the last couple of years ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Butt was much better than Nolan, and that's coming from someone who thinks Butt is 10 yrs past his sell by date. Butt could have been sent off before he was booked, he's so slow that I sometimes think time is standing still. That pass that almost crippled Coloccini was typical of him and he does it far too often. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Did OK today, would no doubt be helped by the removal of Butt as his midfield partner though. Butt was s**** again, didn't Nolan hit one off the line? Butt was much better than Nolan, and that's coming from someone who thinks Butt is 10 yrs past his sell by date. both were ok. no major balls ups and the most 50-50s i've seen us win in a while. lacking in creativity which i hope nolan will make up for with forward movement when we have forwards. today twice nolan got a head of the ball. how ofyen have our central midfielders done that the last coupke of years ? Two slow turgid twats in tandem. Absolutely soul destroying to watch. Fuck off to the Championship the pair of them. I just hope they aren't with us when it happens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtype Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Agree that there wasn't much difference in performances between teh two. Butt always has a decent game when he's coming back off two weeks rest. That was the best we'll probably see from him. Nolan was signed 24 hours ago and linking up with new teammates for the first time. He can only get better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasy Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Did OK today, would no doubt be helped by the removal of Butt as his midfield partner though. Butt was s**** again, didn't Nolan hit one off the line? Butt was much better than Nolan, and that's coming from someone who thinks Butt is 10 yrs past his sell by date. both were ok. no major balls ups and the most 50-50s i've seen us win in a while. lacking in creativity which i hope nolan will make up for with forward movement when we have forwards. today twice nolan got a head of the ball. how often have our central midfielders done that the last couple of years ? What about the awful back pass that let Chopra in for what could and should have been the winning goal for Sunderland? Butt had one of his better game, but he was still a liability at times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Did OK today, would no doubt be helped by the removal of Butt as his midfield partner though. Butt was s**** again, didn't Nolan hit one off the line? Butt was much better than Nolan, and that's coming from someone who thinks Butt is 10 yrs past his sell by date. both were ok. no major balls ups and the most 50-50s i've seen us win in a while. lacking in creativity which i hope nolan will make up for with forward movement when we have forwards. today twice nolan got a head of the ball. how often have our central midfielders done that the last couple of years ? What about the awful back pass that let Chopra in for what could and should have been the winning goal for Sunderland? Butt had one of his better game, but he was still a liability at times. ok then ,1 major balls up bit presumptuous with the could've should've....not like it was the only chance in the game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Darth Toon Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Steady debut - showed for the ball, got forward plenty and solid enough passing. Another 6 footer for helping attack and defend set pieces too - that line-up we had out yesterday was probably the tallest starting XI we've ever had - Wimbledon mk 2! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 He talked and shouted more in just the 90 minutes alone than any of wor lot have done all season, absolutely berating Shola for lack of movement and Carroll once for not dropping back to help the midfield. In that sense he was very good. Performance wise he put in a solid shift, nothing spectacular but nothing abysmal. A reasonably decent debut I'd say. I did notice in the first half he was being used as the defensive midfielder as he was reticent to get forward, in the second half he got forward more and made several good runs which begged a good ball, balls that never came in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest battyleespeed Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I thought he was pushing forward way too much and without any real effect. He's fairly big for CM so his runs in to the box are good to unsettle their defense but he is lacking pace to recover his position quickly and just like with Bowyer I don't think these runs are an effective tactic in a long run. Leaving Butt alone in the midfield is just asking for a trouble so instead of running in to the box all the time he'd do better to give another short pass alternative to wide players like Jonas who can't cross to save his life. I liked the fact that when he received a pass he looked to switch sides unlike Butt who tends to keep the play at the same side or try the hollywood diagonal pass. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ_NUFC Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I'm glad Shola converted the penalty, and it was a solid one too, but man was he fuckin' annoying. Lovenkrands should've come on at the beginning of the second half. I just don't get it... the whole Carroll/Ameobi combo when Xisco is on the bench, who at the very least could offer us something different than what Shola gave us yesterday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanj Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 He talked and shouted more in just the 90 minutes alone than any of wor lot have done all season, absolutely berating Shola for lack of movement and Carroll once for not dropping back to help the midfield. In that sense he was very good. Performance wise he put in a solid shift, nothing spectacular but nothing abysmal. A reasonably decent debut I'd say. I did notice in the first half he was being used as the defensive midfielder as he was reticent to get forward, in the second half he got forward more and made several good runs which begged a good ball, balls that never came in. Even the Setanta commentators were saying something like "Look at Nolan, taking the lead of that huddle" during the team's prematch huddle, if remember correctly it was Nolan who was talking followed by Stevie Tayls and Harps. That alone had me proud to see him playing - Nolan just signed 2 days prior and was already taking up an assumed role as a vocal leader. That speaks volumes on the type of player he is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubaricho Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Wouldn't mind him being captain by the end of the season to be honest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonTastic Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Though he played great, yeah he wasn't involved much in making runs with the ball (which is all some people on here seem to notice) but he was always in good open positions calling out for the ball. He was bossing not only the midfield but also the defence and the strikers. At one point he was telling Shola exactly where to stand and when he didn't move he gave him such a bollocking. Should definatly take over the captains arm band in my eyes and will be a great player to take over the role of holding up the ball and spreading the play about a bit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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