Back from the game - Ipswich (H)

[manny96]

TBF, most people thought Karacan had a blinder.

The radio pundits thought it was his best game EVER.

I agree, thought he was magnificent.

So when you read someone criticising him, it does read a bit strange.

His best game(s) ever were definitely outclassing Stevie G all over the park at the Madejski and at Anfield. He stood out for me on Saturday, particularly during the first half, because he was the only one with energy and running in him - chasing down balls and looking to make opportunities.

[Snowball]

TBF, most people thought Karacan had a blinder.

The radio pundits thought it was his best game EVER.

I agree, thought he was magnificent.

So when you read someone criticising him, it does read a bit strange.

His best game(s) ever were definitely outclassing Stevie G all over the park at the Madejski and at Anfield. He stood out for me on Saturday, particularly during the first half, because he was the only one with energy and running in him - chasing down balls and looking to make opportunities.

I see your point. I guess it's about definitions.

Besting Gerard ought to, logically, be "best-game" defining, but I just loved him Saturday,
his energy, his sharpness. I just wished he could have got a goal to put the icing on the cake.

[skipper]

That's a hell of a backpass all the way to the bench if Wright was catching it!

DOH! I thought he was playing... So it was Arran Lee-Bennet... I don't remember hearing either name during the team announcements...

[manny96]

I see your point. I guess it's about definitions.

Besting Gerard ought to, logically, be "best-game" defining, but I just loved him Saturday,
his energy, his sharpness. I just wished he could have got a goal to put the icing on the cake.

You're right though, criticising his performance on Saturday seems pretty odd.

[Elm Park Old Boy]

I took a friend to the game, visiting from the US. He's a photographer and chose just the right moment to shoot some video, capturing Pearce's goal.

Enjoy.

http://youtu.be/1O3GqQ_fU48

[Snowball]

Bloody Hell!!

That nearly blew my computer

I am sitting in the wrong (West) Stand

[Elm Park Old Boy]

Bloody Hell!!

That nearly blew my computer

I am sitting in the wrong (West) Stand

My son and I are usually in the West too. we moved seats so we could be with Pete the photographer. It was only really noisy for the goal!

[RoyalBlue]

I think the best that can be said about this game was that we ground out three points.

For most of the 90 + minutes, entertaining/good football it very definitely was not.

A worrying aspect is that, once again, we saw that if an opposing team can neutralise our wingers and/or the wingers have an off day, we become a very ordinary team worringly lacking in spark and creativity going forwards. A creative midfielder to offer us a 'Plan B' is still very much needed.

An OK performance in terms of finally grabbing a goal and then seeing the game out but, IMO, there were very few players playing near the top of their game. Exceptions being Jem (by a very long way our best player on the day), Pearce, Church and Hunt. The lack of concentration and quality by the majority of the team, particularly in the first half, was also worrying. Griffen demonstrated this particularly well with two dire moments but very few could be exempt of that criticism. Is it really that difficult to return an easily controllable pass from your team mate's throw in from a few yards away?