Back From The Game - Sheff Wed (H)

[Sun Tzu]

I thought the 1st half was really good, considering we played 120 mins in mid week.
We should have at least been 1-0 up within the first 20 mins if we had taken our chances.
2nd half, we were all over them but then faded the last 25-20 mins and they came back into it.

To be honest it was more like we were 5-0 up, comfortable and Wednesday were not going to score if we played until Thursday. Can;t blame the players for taking their collective feet of the pedal.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Wednesday couldn't handle Church's pace

They handled it brilliantly I thought, he had a couple of one on one chances and the defenders outpaced him and pushed him out wide every time. Even with the goal he scored I don't know how he didn't sail through and score, looked like the danger was over after the defender got back and got in front of him. Church never looks like he's going to score to be honest.

imo it was finally pumping the ball (properly) into space and allowing Church to chase that opened the game for us. Personally I thought he pulled their defence all over the place in the second half

[alton-royal]

Also any news on griffin? went off at end with what looked like hamstring injury.
and i hope the sig will be ok for villa

[Elm Park Old Boy]

Church never looks like he's going to score to be honest.

Long may opposing defenders remain as blinkered as you!

Two other points:

- I wouldn't claim McD is the Messiah, but he is at present pretty much calling every decision right. He's doing the simple things, making sensible substitutions at the right time and his handling of the players seems spot on. He has got Chruch scoring, transformed Kebe, and seems to have fostered a really strong team ethic. He seems able to keep players happy when they're out of the team for a spell and then they come in and perform when needed (Howard and Tabb are recent examples). He just seems to have the right judgement in handling people, and isn't blinded by ego from doing the basics right.

- anyone else notice Sir John's guest in the Upper West, former Labour deputy leader (and notable Wednesday fan) Roy Hattersley? Always had a soft spot for him - unlike most politicians, he always seemed to have a life outside politics. (Glad he had to suffer his team getting pasted though - it isn't that soft a spot!)

Bring on - as they say - the Villa.

Oh - PS - any news on Mills?

[FiNeRaIn]

Church never looks like he's going to score to be honest.

Long may opposing defenders remain as blinkered as you!

Not blinkered at all, he's got a poor goalscoring record as a striker. I would rather he scored tap ins and one on one's than thirty yarders as it shows he can finish team moves and score the chances strikers should score. Who was it who missed the sitter from the gylfi cut back for our second? was it him or howard, genuinly don't know.

That said, I really like him and he gives us so much around the pitch. He's not going to go down in history as a prolific striker, I can tell you that.

[Elm Park Old Boy]

Only History will tell...

[PEARCEY]

Church never looks like he's going to score to be honest.

Long may opposing defenders remain as blinkered as you!

Not blinkered at all, he's got a poor goalscoring record as a striker. I would rather he scored tap ins and one on one's than thirty yarders as it shows he can finish team moves and score the chances strikers should score. Who was it who missed the sitter from the gylfi cut back for our second? was it him or howard, genuinly don't know.

That said, I really like him and he gives us so much around the pitch. He's not going to go down in history as a prolific striker, I can tell you that.

Whats wrong with his goal-scoring record? I don't care about other clubs he's played for. His record for us is 1 goal every 3 games. For a young lad in his first full season at this level thats pretty good. If he stays fit he should end up with around 15 for the season.

[winchester_royal]

Well said Pearcey....despite playing 110 mins on Wednesday, Church still managed to drag the Wednesday defenders all over the place, and his goal today was very classy.

[FiNeRaIn]

If he gets 15 this season it will have been a good return, can't argue that.

[sandman]

Not blinkered at all, he's got a poor goalscoring record as a striker. I would rather he scored tap ins and one on one's than thirty yarders as it shows he can finish team moves and score the chances strikers should score. Who was it who missed the sitter from the gylfi cut back for our second? was it him or howard, genuinly don't know.

That said, I really like him and he gives us so much around the pitch. He's not going to go down in history as a prolific striker, I can tell you that.

He's only 21 you can't tell what he's going to do in the whole of his career based on his first full season in a team that was struggling.

[facaldaqui]

- I wouldn't claim McD is the Messiah, but he is at present pretty much calling every decision right. He's doing the simple things, making sensible substitutions at the right time and his handling of the players seems spot on. He has got Chruch scoring, transformed Kebe, and seems to have fostered a really strong team ethic. He seems able to keep players happy when they're out of the team for a spell and then they come in and perform when needed (Howard and Tabb are recent examples).

He also seems to have motivated Long, who had lost his way even more than Kébé. Btw, thought bringing on Matejovsky was also a clever move, to help Marek feel part of his plans, and to let him have a run out in a no-lose situation. I wonder if he will do with Marek what he's done with Long and Kébé, and bring the best out of him--which no one has done yet.

[Focher]

i have to say up until before xmas i thought Church was rubbish, i think the turning point was scoring at home to Liverpool. It was a shit goal that he knew nothing about, but it appears to have given him a massive injection of swagger and confidence, if he can score against Liverpool he can score against anyone.

Verdict: Definate bright future.

[PEARCEY]

- I wouldn't claim McD is the Messiah, but he is at present pretty much calling every decision right. He's doing the simple things, making sensible substitutions at the right time and his handling of the players seems spot on. He has got Chruch scoring, transformed Kebe, and seems to have fostered a really strong team ethic. He seems able to keep players happy when they're out of the team for a spell and then they come in and perform when needed (Howard and Tabb are recent examples).

He also seems to have motivated Long, who had lost his way even more than Kébé. Btw, thought bringing on Matejovsky was also a clever move, to help Marek feel part of his plans, and to let him have a run out in a no-lose situation. I wonder if he will do with Marek what he's done with Long and Kébé, and bring the best out of him--which no one has done yet.

Really good point about Matejovsky...but will he make the starting 11 in the near future?

[Royal Rother]

Wayne Rooney scored 17 goals in his 77 appearances for Everton.

Simon Church has scored 15 goals in his 1st 72 appearances at a whole variety of clubs.

Suggesting nothing in particular except we should give the guy a chance. It's not a great habit to get into, but the number of times he has shot wide by an inch or two this season suggests that he just needs a little adjustment and could actually become quite prolific.

[Royal Lady]

For the first time this season, today was a game that I thoroughly enjoyed from kick off to final whistle. It wasn't always pretty football, but we did a job against an albeit dire Wednesday side.

I think the players are feeling really settled now, their tails are up following the great wins in the FA Cup and I think McD has got them believing that they can and will move up the table. Next Sunday will be tough, and as with all our previous FA Cup games this season, I'm not going to expect to get anything from the game and hopefully be pleasantly surprised again!

Whatever the outcome next Sunday, McD, his staff and the players should all be thoroughly proud of the turnaround in our fortunes and of the way they have risen to the challenges and fought back.

Long may McD reign.

[Focher]

For the first time this season, today was a game that I thoroughly enjoyed from kick off to final whistle. It wasn't always pretty football, but we did a job against an albeit dire Wednesday side.

I think the players are feeling really settled now, their tails are up following the great wins in the FA Cup and I think McD has got them believing that they can and will move up the table. Next Sunday will be tough, and as with all our previous FA Cup games this season, I'm not going to expect to get anything from the game and hopefully be pleasantly surprised again!

Whatever the outcome next Sunday, McD, his staff and the players should all be thoroughly proud of the turnaround in our fortunes and of the way they have risen to the challenges and fought back.

Long may McD reign.

im loathed to agree with a woman about football, but will make an exception RL.

[FiNeRaIn]

Wayne Rooney scored 17 goals in his 77 appearances for Everton.

Simon Church has scored 15 goals in his 1st 72 appearances at a whole variety of clubs.

Suggesting nothing in particular except we should give the guy a chance. It's not a great habit to get into, but the number of times he has shot wide by an inch or two this season suggests that he just needs a little adjustment and could actually become quite prolific.

Fair post.

Time will tell, Im not knocking him as a player as his all round game is really impressive and he has a great attitude, just needs some big work in front of goal. Even with the one on one against WBA it was lucky the rebound ended up at his feet. Thats the only part of his game I'm concerned with, if he can find the net more regularly then we have one hell of a player on our hands.

[Whore Jackie]

Fed - 7 - the little he had to do he did well enough
Griffin - 7 - not quite as good as he has been, but solid
Ivar - 7 - competent
Zubar - 8 - held it all together at the back IMHO
Kebe - 9 - the boy's a fooking genius. 10 if he'd got a hat-trick
Tabb - 8 - like Sidwell, you don't notice a lot of the good stuff he does
Howard - 6 - fine
Sigurdsson - 6 - deliveries usually overhit and didn't influence the game as muc as he might have liked
Church - 8 - not the finished article by any means but he works hard and scored a cracker
Rasiak - 7 - didn't get massively involved but scored twice and gives us something extra in the air

Don't usually do r8tings so happy to be argued out of any of these.

Jimmy is a love vote btw

Pretty much spot on, though it seems a tad harsh anyone receiving only a 6, given the result.

[Plymouth_Royal]

Wayne Rooney scored 17 goals in his 77 appearances for Everton.

Simon Church has scored 15 goals in his 1st 72 appearances at a whole variety of clubs.

Suggesting nothing in particular except we should give the guy a chance. It's not a great habit to get into, but the number of times he has shot wide by an inch or two this season suggests that he just needs a little adjustment and could actually become quite prolific.

Wayne Rooney was 17/18 when he was at Everton with that record and he did it against Premiership Opposition. Simon Church has been on loan at some shite clubs and hardly scored. He's now 21 and has the record mentioned above. I know what you're trying to point out is that given time he could improve greatly, but It's not a great comparison. However, he's done well so far and you can't fault his effort. whether he will develop his finishing, only time will tell.

[Whore Jackie]

The best thing about the fat bloke, was that he didn't prolong his exit, like last season.