Given He seems to have fully recovered from his mid-season dip. He didn't have too much to do today but he was very good. Made one crucial reaction save on the line in the second half, and controlled the sodden football well with hands and feet. 7Onuoha Brought in at right-back for his first start since February. While Burnley didn't pose too many problems he was solid throughout, even getting forward a few times with some effect. 6
Touré Another decent performance from the captain. Didn't have too much to do in the first half but held things together in the sodden second period. 6
Kompany Effectively had the first half off, but called on more later on - making a few important interceptions and heading home his second corner of the season. 6
Sylvinho Replaced Javi Garrido but didn't look fully comfortable - pressured by Burnley and gave the ball away more than he ought to have done. Went off injured in the second half. 5
Bellamy Proved just how effective he is in these away games where he can break into space. Took his goal excellently and was involved in future forays. 7
Vieira Still doesn't look as good as we might hope - a bit sluggish, slow to react to certain circumstances. But he formed an important barrier in front of the defence and his experience was crucial in calming us down in the second half. Took his header excellently. 6
Barry Free to break forward more than he usually does and he enjoyed it. Smart whenever on the ball and gave Vieira enough help at the back. 7
Johnson Coming in off the right, he beat the left back at will, always causing problems. Didn't threaten the goal much himself - one shot was deflected onto the post, but three of our goals came from his corners. 8
Tévez Another excellent performance. Drifting behind Adebayor in what was more 4-2-3-1 than 4-4-2, he was allowed to run the game at will. He's got a better football brain than people credit him with, and he was our creator-in-chief. He slid Bellamy in for our second goal and Adebayor in for our fifth, as well us picking up a poacher's tap-in himself. 8
Adebayor Did not have too difficult a job leading the line - he didn't really have to hold the ball, he could just run with it towards Burnley's goal to create opportunities. He took his first excellently, slamming home from a corner, and his second was a victory of gameplan: Tévez slid him through and he finished comfortably. 7
Subs:
de Jong Came on for half an hour and avoided getting booked, which is all that mattered really. 7
RSC Got into good positions twice, didn't do much with them. Got stick off the locals, understandably. 6
Nimely Debut for the Liberian youngster. n/a
4 comments:
go on with yer, viera was worth a 7 at least. it was like watching schumacher show the young tykes how it's done when the rain comes down.... err... well, like the schumacher of five years ago, anyway. gorgeous technique. he dominated his two opponents repeatedly in the second half.
and I thought neddy nutmeg turned in a lovely performance, comfortable and cultured in possession. nutmeg...dragback...cute pass? Moar!!!!
vieira was better than a 6 lol...
The times called him 'imperious'
He did well, but it was against burnley.
So is Vieira finally playing into some form, or was it just a case of playing against a poor opposition midfield that made it easy for him? They weren't fast, skillful or even willing to get stuck in. But I would give him a 7, he played a great ball through to Adebayor (was it the one he butchered - a lot of Ade's first touches were not great today) and scored and indeed was imperious. You can only play against the opposition that are there on the day, and yes it was Burnley but I still think he should be kept on the bench for the derby and Arsenal. Let's see how he goes against Birmingham. They have nothing much to play for but I fancy they will at least try to fight. If he's back to bad old Patrick he must not start again. The remaining games are too important to take the chance of say even just 10 bad minutes of poor touches, woeful passing, late into tackles and being done for speed. I don't want to be a fatalist but I can see us being punished on the scoreboard at the end of something embarrassing initiated by him when we are up against quality midfields (three of the last four). Give him a start against West Ham on the last day when it's all sewed up, I reckon.
"Nimely Debut for the Liberian youngster. n/a"
Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni:
born in Monrovia, raised in Canada, qualified for England.
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