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After a journey that started around 6.30am and finished around 11pm, it was good to come back from a tough game at Preston with a draw. The first half showed that German is not quite ready to make the step up to making it in the first 11 esepcially away from home. He will come good, but its alot to ask a young kid who has raw telent to take on seasoned pros and I suspect he will be used sparringly up till the end of the season. Really did feel, he was in the deep end here
Tarrabt was the best player on the pitch by miles and glimpses here of what a special talent he is. Okay, some will point to a greedy selfish nature, have to say under Warnock you get none of that. He does lose the ball a couple of times, but I would sacrifice that for the intircate passes he plays and the way he sets up chances for other players. After a sketchy start to his career at QPR playing in wide positions, its clear his best position is the the hole behind the front man. I would seriously consider breaking the bank for this kid, who can only get better. The valuations between Spurs and QPR are miles apart, we need to find a middle ground. These are the kind of players needed to make a positive push next season, had a couple of decent strikers and we won't be far off.
We didn't play particularly badly in the first half, but we switched off and lost concentration from the corner. We go in 1-0 down but full of hope that the second half would see our chances turn into goals. At the centre of all the good play was Tarrabt and we came out in the second half really going for the equaliser, only to be caught on the break with Gorkss caught flat footed by the dangerous Parkin. Not sure it was a penalty as he went down like a sack of potatoes and players of that weight shouldn't be falling over. We then go 2-0 with a well taken penalty from Davidson and the game seemed to be lost.
Cometh the man, cometh Peter Ramage!! He had played well yet again and after good work from Tarrabt, places a slightly dipped shot over the keeper and into the back of the net. We pressed for the equaliser, only to be caught out yet again and once again it was Kaspers Gorkss who mis-places a tackle, though the American football style block to prevent him from getting back should have seen a free kick, but it allowed Mellor to get into the clear with a one on one chance to make it 3-1, Ikeme made himself him big and prevented the equaliser.
We push forward and this time Tarrabt sets up Priskin to make 2-2. We all know that priskin has certainly not won the fans over, but I thought he played well, though it is frustrating to see lack of effort at times and in his inability to go in for a 50-50 challenge. After 2-2, only one team that was going to win and again with Tarrabt pulling the strings, setting up Vine with two clear cut chances, for him to hit over both times
The one thing that must be so frustrating is that these chances are being set up and no-one really is converting them. We could easily have been 6-2 in that 15 minute period. Preston were all over the place, we kept winning the ball in midfield and another who had a very good game was Hogan, who broke up alot of the play. We almost lost it at the end, again we relied on a very good save from Ikeme, that would have been an injustice
Ratings to follow..
Ikeme 8..Without his two saves, we could have lost. Left exposed more than once. We already know he can catch a good ball from a corner, but today it was evident he has all round ability.
Ramage..7..Very good performance and always gives his all. Difference recently is that most things have gone right for him.
Hill..6.. For a small fella, he wins alot of headers. Got an early yellow card and was left exposed more than once.
Stewart..5.. Won one or two headers, but his distribution of the football is woeful, will need to improve and step up for next season if he wants to be a regular.
Gorkks..5.. Fans favourite, but had a poor game. Still think he ball watches too much and tries to win every ball when he should have a little more confidence in players around him and stay in his centre position. At fault for the penalty and his style of play, means if he misses a tackle we are in serious trouble. Has tendency to go more left then keep centre
Hogan..8.,Thought he had a very good game, been critical that he gets not over Cook. On this perfromance you can see why. Tracked back and hassled all the time.
Faurlin and Legiterwood..7 Very fairly average games, but did break up in play in that 15 minute spell in the second half where we were awesome and could have easily have wrapped the game up.
Priskin 6.. Done alot of things right, but that lack of 100% committment to the cause is something that is highly noticeable.
German..4.. Had a poor first half and Tarrabt set up one nice on a plate for him, only for German to misplace his first touch. Felt he was in the deep end and couldn't really get out of it.
Vine..5.. Tendency to get into offside positions, did have slightly more know how than German in making the runs from tarrabt's passes, but ultimatelly disappointed because at the moment he couldn't finish his dinner
Tarrabt ..9.. Called the shots practically all game. Can see why Derby man marked him and that might happen more next season, but on this performance it shows what a great player he could be. Everything that was good about the game came through him at the moment he is head and shoulders ahead of any player at the club
Tarrabt was the best player on the pitch by miles and glimpses here of what a special talent he is. Okay, some will point to a greedy selfish nature, have to say under Warnock you get none of that. He does lose the ball a couple of times, but I would sacrifice that for the intircate passes he plays and the way he sets up chances for other players. After a sketchy start to his career at QPR playing in wide positions, its clear his best position is the the hole behind the front man. I would seriously consider breaking the bank for this kid, who can only get better. The valuations between Spurs and QPR are miles apart, we need to find a middle ground. These are the kind of players needed to make a positive push next season, had a couple of decent strikers and we won't be far off.
We didn't play particularly badly in the first half, but we switched off and lost concentration from the corner. We go in 1-0 down but full of hope that the second half would see our chances turn into goals. At the centre of all the good play was Tarrabt and we came out in the second half really going for the equaliser, only to be caught on the break with Gorkss caught flat footed by the dangerous Parkin. Not sure it was a penalty as he went down like a sack of potatoes and players of that weight shouldn't be falling over. We then go 2-0 with a well taken penalty from Davidson and the game seemed to be lost.
Cometh the man, cometh Peter Ramage!! He had played well yet again and after good work from Tarrabt, places a slightly dipped shot over the keeper and into the back of the net. We pressed for the equaliser, only to be caught out yet again and once again it was Kaspers Gorkss who mis-places a tackle, though the American football style block to prevent him from getting back should have seen a free kick, but it allowed Mellor to get into the clear with a one on one chance to make it 3-1, Ikeme made himself him big and prevented the equaliser.
We push forward and this time Tarrabt sets up Priskin to make 2-2. We all know that priskin has certainly not won the fans over, but I thought he played well, though it is frustrating to see lack of effort at times and in his inability to go in for a 50-50 challenge. After 2-2, only one team that was going to win and again with Tarrabt pulling the strings, setting up Vine with two clear cut chances, for him to hit over both times
The one thing that must be so frustrating is that these chances are being set up and no-one really is converting them. We could easily have been 6-2 in that 15 minute period. Preston were all over the place, we kept winning the ball in midfield and another who had a very good game was Hogan, who broke up alot of the play. We almost lost it at the end, again we relied on a very good save from Ikeme, that would have been an injustice
Ratings to follow..
Ikeme 8..Without his two saves, we could have lost. Left exposed more than once. We already know he can catch a good ball from a corner, but today it was evident he has all round ability.
Ramage..7..Very good performance and always gives his all. Difference recently is that most things have gone right for him.
Hill..6.. For a small fella, he wins alot of headers. Got an early yellow card and was left exposed more than once.
Stewart..5.. Won one or two headers, but his distribution of the football is woeful, will need to improve and step up for next season if he wants to be a regular.
Gorkks..5.. Fans favourite, but had a poor game. Still think he ball watches too much and tries to win every ball when he should have a little more confidence in players around him and stay in his centre position. At fault for the penalty and his style of play, means if he misses a tackle we are in serious trouble. Has tendency to go more left then keep centre
Hogan..8.,Thought he had a very good game, been critical that he gets not over Cook. On this perfromance you can see why. Tracked back and hassled all the time.
Faurlin and Legiterwood..7 Very fairly average games, but did break up in play in that 15 minute spell in the second half where we were awesome and could have easily have wrapped the game up.
Priskin 6.. Done alot of things right, but that lack of 100% committment to the cause is something that is highly noticeable.
German..4.. Had a poor first half and Tarrabt set up one nice on a plate for him, only for German to misplace his first touch. Felt he was in the deep end and couldn't really get out of it.
Vine..5.. Tendency to get into offside positions, did have slightly more know how than German in making the runs from tarrabt's passes, but ultimatelly disappointed because at the moment he couldn't finish his dinner
Tarrabt ..9.. Called the shots practically all game. Can see why Derby man marked him and that might happen more next season, but on this performance it shows what a great player he could be. Everything that was good about the game came through him at the moment he is head and shoulders ahead of any player at the club
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