That’s better. Do you see the difference one player can make to a team? It has been obvious that we were missing a vital cog and no matter how much juggling Brucie does or how much effort the other players exert there can be no denying the return of international class. The poise, the movement off the ball, the work rate, the hunger to win and bust a gut for his team mates. Yes indeed, welcome back Damien Johnson!
Oh and Emile Heskey of course.
Didn’t watching England toil pointlessly against Wales with the Shrek like Rooney alone up front remind you of some of our own toothless performances? We all know that there is a time, a place and a team to play with the lone striker. But it’s not at home to Middlesboro! Nor away to Wales!
Often last season we played with Emile on his own up front and at times I wanted to go down and give the big guy a hug and tell him it would be alright and that we still loved him. He was so lonely. The one up front works if the midfield is dynamic and burst past him. It wasn’t often last season Savage, Clemence, Johnson et al raced into the opponents half let alone the penalty area! If only we’d signed that Izzett fella!
The Boro result and the return of Emile and Johnson allowed Brucie to make a number of changes for the Albion match. To be truthful, after the Boro game he could have drawn lots on who to drop.
What an impact it made playing players in their right positions and to have the pressure release of a target man who could hold the ball up and bring his team mates into attacking areas.
Three good headed goals from inch perfect crosses were good enough to beat a battling Baggies team who should be good enough to survive this season. I know there have been some complaints about allowing them back into the match but Heskey and Forssell were shattered and had put us into a good position and Brucie had to put his trust in the remaining players that they would have the strength to hold on. And they did. Just.
Forssell is returning to fitness, albeit slowly. His stamina seems to be back but his pace seems a tad shy of what it was over the first yard or two. A couple of goals and some more time playing off Heskey will do him the world of good and goals will surely follow. Which means what do we do with the Rifle?
I like Pandiani, he works hard, is willing and I’m sure there are a bundle of goals in him. But he ain’t gonna score many playing on his own up front or from the bench! In Spain his job was to get into the box and sniper some of the plentiful balls that headed his way. In the Premiership he is expected to work harder and not be a goal hanger standing with one hand on the post and tapping the ball into the net claiming all the glory.
Against Boro he came deeper and deeper in search of the ball. As long as he has got a hole up his backside he isn’t going to pick the ball up in our half and beat six players on a John Barnes mazy run.
Surely with the sublime Pennant and the Forrest Gump-esque Lazaridis back to fitness there is going to be a scattergun of crosses hitting the penalty area and with Big Emile creating havoc there is a need for the vultures like the Rifle and the Albino to take the scraps. Unless Heskey just heads them all home! We live in hope.
I was told last week that as we had lost to Boro 3-0 and that they then went and lost to Charlton 3-0 that we should therefore lose 6-0 to Charlton. Logical really! How silly of me to not realise? I’d like to thank the Villa fan who pointed that out to me.
Curbishley’s Charlton have started very well indeed. No big stars, no huge egos, just good honest grafters who can play a bit. Danny Murphy suffered terribly when he first went to the Valley but his quality has slowly revealed itself. Young Darren Bent has stepped up from the lower leagues and shown that there are good players down there if clubs are willing to take the chance. Players like Dean Ashton, Andy Johnson, Clinton Morrison etc
They are normally good games as both sides play fairly free flowing football. Last season we managed to eke out a draw, after Damien Johnson was sent off for mindlessly kicking out, thanks to a Dwight Yorke header! Remember that? Oh for a moment we all thought we’d got a diamond but it turned out to be cubic zirconia.
So a probable Taylor, Melchiot, Upson, King Kenny, Clapham, Pennant, Jarosik, Izzett, Lazaridis, Forssell, Heskey line up will be entrusted to bring home a second win of the season. Don’t let me down. Or else!
Keep Right On dear readers and don’t panic. Not yet anyway.