I met McCarthy for Dinner...
FA Cup 4th Round and a match v Ipswich Town, one of the form sides of the Championship, who are on a run of only one defeat in fifteen matches. Ipswich were my second favourite team in the 80s, the team with Thijssen, Muhren, Brazil, Mariner, Gates, Wark. It was however mainly due to the presence of Bobby Robson and I have to say it rankles a bit to see Roy ‘take that you c***’ Keane, who freely admitted to trying to maim another player (and who made a pretty good job of it) , doing Sir Bobby’s old job.
Saints for their part hit the transfer market again yesterday and brought in Lee Barnard from Southend who is the second highest scorer in League 1 this year behind Sir Rickie. Due to being suspended for Southend’s 3rd Round game, he was eligible to play today but other new boys Fonte, Seabourne and Otsemobor were not. There was a welcome Return of the Jaidi who came into the side with Holmes and Barnard, replacing Fonte, the suspended Schneiderlin and Antonio. I was approaching this game with a ‘whatever will be, will be’ attitude… I wanted us to win of course but wasn’t going to be too bothered if we didn’t. That’s how today started anyway…
The first fifteen minutes of the game were all about one man and he wasn’t wearing red and white and he wasn’t wearing blue. He was the referee and he started badly with endless needless stopping of the game for real nothing fouls. Both teams had started brightly with Ipswich looking neat in midfield and Saints looking lively up front with Lambert and Barnard both working hard. Not working hard up front for Ipswich was Stern John who was ambling about in his usual manner. He made the mistake of wandering to the left to pick a ball up and got ‘trained’ by Thomas the Tank who just chuffed straight through the back of him. A great foul… Stern didn’t seem to fancy it much after that.
On twenty minutes Saints attacked down the left with a cross from Holmes that was headed away towards Thomas in the right back slot. Despite a crap first touch, the crowd yelled ‘shooot’ and he did and fuck me, it arrowed right into the far top corner and was still going up as it went in. Amazing goal and I was sitting directly behind it as he hit it. Anyone remember a similar goal the great Ivan Golac scored at the Dell in the late 70s / early 80s ?
Ipswich were were busy and quick in the midfield but were let down by the forwards with the ever lumbering John being partnered with Walters who was getting no change at all out of Jaidi who was heading away a succession of balls with ease. It amazes me that teams don’t try and get Jaidi to turn because he turns like a very large boat. Ipswich managed two or three 20 yard plus efforts without every troubling their ex-keeper Kelvin Davis.
Saints for their part were looking ok but a bit too long ball for my liking. Lambert was winning his fair share but it’s clearly not Barnard’s game though he was working incredibly hard, coming back into the midfield to win the ball back. The first 45 had flown by and 1 minute extra was all there was. 1-0 up and can’t complain about that.
Conscious of being overrun in midfield, Pards dropped Barnard into a kind of right-midfield role and having the extra body in there meant that Saints started to exert some level of control with Wotton and James making their presence felt. Despite their efforts we were being forced back by Ipswich who stepped up a gear and I was having nightmares with the ghost of Davis past as the crosses came over and he stayed rooted to his line or tried to flap it away in a sea of obstructing players. We got away with it though until it looked like we’d made a complete balls of it when a long throw in from the left hand side was curiously left by Jaidi which wrongfooted Davis before ending up in our net. Luckily it was disallowed either for a push by Counago, or because no one touched it. Either way we were very very lucky not to concede what would have been a totally abysmal goal.
Antonio was brought on for Barnard with 20 left in at attempt to try and force Ipswich back a bit. Straight away you could see that the little Ipswich left back had to think more about defending than attacking when Antonio came on. Antonio is probably still an unknown quantity to many and so the left back had to track back just in case Antonio manages to keep a cross on the pitch.
On 73 minutes, a ball was played forward to Lambert who controlled (with his arm quite possibly) before being bumped to the ground, twenty yards out, just left of centre. It’s Rickie time. It’s a bit close to get the ball up and down so he smashed it low, the keeper spilled it and Antonio couldn’t miss from two yards. Keano – what’s the score? What we really needed then was a concerted chorus of ‘There’s only one Mick McCarthy’. It was nearly dreamland a few minutes later as an ipswich centre back miscued a header and Sir Rickie tried to surprise the keeper by belting it over him from 40 yards. It was a quite magnificent effort which landed on top of the net and was omitted from the abysmal ITV highlights program that evening. (Robbie Earle.... Jeezus)
Pards must take some of the blame for what happened at the end of the game when he took off James and Wotton within minutes of eachother and replaced them with Gillett and Lancashire. James had had a decent match in there and was all over the pitch and Wotton had got better as the game had gone on and is the sort of player you need on the pitch to close a game out. I guess though that at 2-0, with another game on Tuesday and James and Wotton being the only two fit and available central midfielders, we needed to protect them. Within a minute of the subs coming on we were under the cosh again with Gillett being bypassed and Lancashire not having a clue where to play or how to play it. To be fair he isn’t a midfielder and to be fair further, he isn’t a footballer. I always find it interesting to note that Gillett is listed as being 5ft 7. He looks about 5ft 3 to me.
Another partnership working well today was Joseph Mills and Lee Holmes down the left. Holmes has been out for ages and Mills has played a couple of games at Left midfield without looking decent and even managed to do a Robinho and get subbed when a sub a few weeks back. At left back though he’s much better and offers much going forward. Holmes has never been a favourite of mine but he plays with intelligence and puts over a lovely cross. I just wish he’d try and get to the line more. He’s not the quickest but take them on son!!!
Where were we.. oh yes. The midfield had gone to shit and 90 minutes were up and Counago pulled one back. Still, no worries, there haven’t been any injuries, it’ll be over soon. The fourth official has indicated there will be FIVE minutes’. You have to be taking the piss. Is this Fergie time left over from Keane’s time at The Theatre of Debt ?
I am now desperate for the game to end and am going to throw a major wobbler if we cock this one up. We deserve to go through and if we don’t, my cat is going to get a boot up its arse when I get home. As it turn out, the cat is saved and we survive without too many real scares.
So, through to the last 16 of the FA Cup and there are a few sides left I reckon we could beat, especially at home. A quarter final place would be a fantastic achievement for a League 1 club. Due to Pompey’s surprising win against Sunderland we still have the age old question of “Do we want to play the Skates ?” I still say no but you never know, whoever gets them may well be getting a bye.
Next up it’s Brentford away on Tuesday night and it must be the first time ever where you could easily imagine us replacing the entire back 4. Thomas, Jaidi, Perry and Mills played today but it could easily be Otsemobor, Fonte, Seabourne and Harding on Tuesday. Which defence is the stronger? We now have a strength in depth which is quite remarkable and a testament to the investment Markus Liebherr is putting in. Todays win against a good Championship side shows where we are in terms of ability in the side and it feels good. Keano, what’s the score….
Saints for their part hit the transfer market again yesterday and brought in Lee Barnard from Southend who is the second highest scorer in League 1 this year behind Sir Rickie. Due to being suspended for Southend’s 3rd Round game, he was eligible to play today but other new boys Fonte, Seabourne and Otsemobor were not. There was a welcome Return of the Jaidi who came into the side with Holmes and Barnard, replacing Fonte, the suspended Schneiderlin and Antonio. I was approaching this game with a ‘whatever will be, will be’ attitude… I wanted us to win of course but wasn’t going to be too bothered if we didn’t. That’s how today started anyway…
The first fifteen minutes of the game were all about one man and he wasn’t wearing red and white and he wasn’t wearing blue. He was the referee and he started badly with endless needless stopping of the game for real nothing fouls. Both teams had started brightly with Ipswich looking neat in midfield and Saints looking lively up front with Lambert and Barnard both working hard. Not working hard up front for Ipswich was Stern John who was ambling about in his usual manner. He made the mistake of wandering to the left to pick a ball up and got ‘trained’ by Thomas the Tank who just chuffed straight through the back of him. A great foul… Stern didn’t seem to fancy it much after that.
On twenty minutes Saints attacked down the left with a cross from Holmes that was headed away towards Thomas in the right back slot. Despite a crap first touch, the crowd yelled ‘shooot’ and he did and fuck me, it arrowed right into the far top corner and was still going up as it went in. Amazing goal and I was sitting directly behind it as he hit it. Anyone remember a similar goal the great Ivan Golac scored at the Dell in the late 70s / early 80s ?
Ipswich were were busy and quick in the midfield but were let down by the forwards with the ever lumbering John being partnered with Walters who was getting no change at all out of Jaidi who was heading away a succession of balls with ease. It amazes me that teams don’t try and get Jaidi to turn because he turns like a very large boat. Ipswich managed two or three 20 yard plus efforts without every troubling their ex-keeper Kelvin Davis.
Saints for their part were looking ok but a bit too long ball for my liking. Lambert was winning his fair share but it’s clearly not Barnard’s game though he was working incredibly hard, coming back into the midfield to win the ball back. The first 45 had flown by and 1 minute extra was all there was. 1-0 up and can’t complain about that.
Conscious of being overrun in midfield, Pards dropped Barnard into a kind of right-midfield role and having the extra body in there meant that Saints started to exert some level of control with Wotton and James making their presence felt. Despite their efforts we were being forced back by Ipswich who stepped up a gear and I was having nightmares with the ghost of Davis past as the crosses came over and he stayed rooted to his line or tried to flap it away in a sea of obstructing players. We got away with it though until it looked like we’d made a complete balls of it when a long throw in from the left hand side was curiously left by Jaidi which wrongfooted Davis before ending up in our net. Luckily it was disallowed either for a push by Counago, or because no one touched it. Either way we were very very lucky not to concede what would have been a totally abysmal goal.
Antonio was brought on for Barnard with 20 left in at attempt to try and force Ipswich back a bit. Straight away you could see that the little Ipswich left back had to think more about defending than attacking when Antonio came on. Antonio is probably still an unknown quantity to many and so the left back had to track back just in case Antonio manages to keep a cross on the pitch.
On 73 minutes, a ball was played forward to Lambert who controlled (with his arm quite possibly) before being bumped to the ground, twenty yards out, just left of centre. It’s Rickie time. It’s a bit close to get the ball up and down so he smashed it low, the keeper spilled it and Antonio couldn’t miss from two yards. Keano – what’s the score? What we really needed then was a concerted chorus of ‘There’s only one Mick McCarthy’. It was nearly dreamland a few minutes later as an ipswich centre back miscued a header and Sir Rickie tried to surprise the keeper by belting it over him from 40 yards. It was a quite magnificent effort which landed on top of the net and was omitted from the abysmal ITV highlights program that evening. (Robbie Earle.... Jeezus)
Pards must take some of the blame for what happened at the end of the game when he took off James and Wotton within minutes of eachother and replaced them with Gillett and Lancashire. James had had a decent match in there and was all over the pitch and Wotton had got better as the game had gone on and is the sort of player you need on the pitch to close a game out. I guess though that at 2-0, with another game on Tuesday and James and Wotton being the only two fit and available central midfielders, we needed to protect them. Within a minute of the subs coming on we were under the cosh again with Gillett being bypassed and Lancashire not having a clue where to play or how to play it. To be fair he isn’t a midfielder and to be fair further, he isn’t a footballer. I always find it interesting to note that Gillett is listed as being 5ft 7. He looks about 5ft 3 to me.
Another partnership working well today was Joseph Mills and Lee Holmes down the left. Holmes has been out for ages and Mills has played a couple of games at Left midfield without looking decent and even managed to do a Robinho and get subbed when a sub a few weeks back. At left back though he’s much better and offers much going forward. Holmes has never been a favourite of mine but he plays with intelligence and puts over a lovely cross. I just wish he’d try and get to the line more. He’s not the quickest but take them on son!!!
Where were we.. oh yes. The midfield had gone to shit and 90 minutes were up and Counago pulled one back. Still, no worries, there haven’t been any injuries, it’ll be over soon. The fourth official has indicated there will be FIVE minutes’. You have to be taking the piss. Is this Fergie time left over from Keane’s time at The Theatre of Debt ?
I am now desperate for the game to end and am going to throw a major wobbler if we cock this one up. We deserve to go through and if we don’t, my cat is going to get a boot up its arse when I get home. As it turn out, the cat is saved and we survive without too many real scares.
So, through to the last 16 of the FA Cup and there are a few sides left I reckon we could beat, especially at home. A quarter final place would be a fantastic achievement for a League 1 club. Due to Pompey’s surprising win against Sunderland we still have the age old question of “Do we want to play the Skates ?” I still say no but you never know, whoever gets them may well be getting a bye.
Next up it’s Brentford away on Tuesday night and it must be the first time ever where you could easily imagine us replacing the entire back 4. Thomas, Jaidi, Perry and Mills played today but it could easily be Otsemobor, Fonte, Seabourne and Harding on Tuesday. Which defence is the stronger? We now have a strength in depth which is quite remarkable and a testament to the investment Markus Liebherr is putting in. Todays win against a good Championship side shows where we are in terms of ability in the side and it feels good. Keano, what’s the score….
UPDATE:
As you will no doubt be aware by now, we got the Skates at home. Personally I would rather have played them away as there would have been absolutely no expectation on us to win and they'd have made less money out of it, especially if they didn't sell out their end after their massive 10,000 gate v Sunderland on Saturday. At home I feel we have a shout and who knows what sort of team they'll have by the time the game comes round. It is entirely possible that three or four could have been sold and with what's been going on down there, you never know but some players may have quit after not being paid yet again. Also of course, they may have been wound up by HMRC who have the Skates in Court four days before the game. Whatever happens, it gets people talking. Their fans are expecting to win and if they do, then aside from the sick feeling of losing to those bastards at home, we'll get over it. If we win however, imagine how they'll feel... Perfect scenario for me is that we draw at SMS and then go down there and win on penalties in front of the Fratton End.
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ReplyDeleteYou are an evil bastard sir and I salute you :-)