Soccer

» SimonMelville - Well, it stank.

Aaron Lennon looked good until they cottoned on that he was quite nippy so best to mark him.

I thought Downing showed flashes of intelligence -- but he really lacks pace and the ability to beat his man on the outside. Good at spotting the pass inside though and used his right foot well.

Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and Michael Owen received good run outs. Crouchy did some nice touches but he's still not going to score many goals at international level.

Hargreaves had a woeful match at right back. I saw him play right back for Bayern Munich against Man Utd in the Champions League and he looked good -- quick, strong, kept Giggs quiet.
Positionally I can understand him struggling a bit last night but not the lapses of concentration and the sheer number of passes given away.

Same criticism applies to Carrick. Poor distribution and no evidence that his defensive work has the required bite needed.

Jenas did nothing to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Waste of time.

A third rate performance from an admittedly second-string side.

Walcott also failed to score the hat-trick we expected and is therefore rubbish.

-- posted by SimonMelville