true faith: TIFOSI (Chelsea (h))

by | Nov 3, 2013 | Match reports | 2 comments

true faith: TIFOSI (Chelsea (h))

After Chelsea, the TIFOSI will file in their reports, presumambly some are still lost in space somewhere. Or pissed.

SAM DALLING

Maybe I shouldn’t be such a cynic.’AP may have lined up his excuses pre-game, but he hadSamDalling copy no reason to trot them out come the final whistle.’The less said about the first half to be better.’It was cold, the football was drab and the crowd was less than lively.’However, most of us would happily have taken a repeat performance in the second period.’What we got was infinitely better.’The game burst into life about 10 minutes in as we finally showed some attacking intent.’A lumbering Shola was replaced by Papiss and Cheik limped off for Anita and all of a sudden we looked a different side.’Now don’t get me wrong our stand in skipper was having a decent game, but its become clear for all to see that the little Dutchman has the ability to make us tick.’Gouffran, fresh from 120 minutes of tireless running midweek, got his just rewards when he nodded us ahead from Yohan’s free-kick.’Credit where its due to Pards, he did have a quick word with Cabaye about whipping the ball into the box, but even he couldn’t have imagined just how well the set piece would be executed.’Time ticked away agonisingly slowly, before Remy got a second after some great work by Anita.’We’ve got to find a way of getting that lad into the side next week.’This took the pressure off and injury time was much more relaxed than it might have been had our lead remained slender.’Another cracking game plan and this time it worked to perfection.’Hatem is going to have to work to get back in that side.’Oh and a late cameo from Obertan set a new record for the most mistakes in such a short space of time.

Steve Farrell’

I think we must be the most ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ team in the league. We go from getting SteveFarrellbeat by the worst team in the league to beating one of, if not THE best side. The first half was a non-contest but we fully deserved to take all three points in the second. My boy Mbiwa was brilliant again as was Willo. Anita needs to start every game. Better than Xavi’.maybe.

Ignoring the game for a moment, I was a bit dismayed checking out the ol’ social media following the game. It was full of nonsense like ‘Yeah we won’but Pardew is still this. Ashley is still that’. If you can’t enjoy beating the Champions elect, then I don’t think football is for you. I love social media ‘ but it’s turned us all into amateur politicians. We all think we know best. Life is so much less complicated if you put aside all of the politics and who is actually running the club. Ultimately at 3pm on a Saturday (or whatever ungodly time telly companies force us to kick off) it should be about what’s going on the pitch. Forget your petty gripes with Ashley or the fact you don’t like Pardew’s accent. Just enjoy it. The fact that people were putting a dampener on things is really disappointing. Of course, I’m probably talking about a minority here ‘ but it’s quite a vocal minority. As much as football can kick you in the balls like it did last weekend, the game on Saturday reminded us all why we all bother.

Well done to everyone involved yesterday ‘ both management and players.

MATT STARK

I think I joined the ranks of the majority of our fans, slouching through the freezing rain, Man wearing ski maskexpecting little else but a heavy defeat at the hands of Chelsea. last season’s 3-2 was one of those fluke occurrences wasn’t it? We weren’t going to beat them again…not now. Surely?

For the first 20 minutes, that defeat looked inevitable…if we weren’t conceding possession cheaply in midfield, we were hoofing the ball up to a lethargic and inspiration-less Shola and it was only for the hardiness of our defence that we hadn’t conceded in the first 45.
After half time, things looked a little better – we were beginning to get chances, mainly scuffed shots straight at the keeper, but chances none the less. It was, however, the introduction of Vurnon Anita after Tiote’s injury that changed everything. The man’s passing is sublime, his touch is outstanding and this seemed to boost United as Chelsea’s tactics of ‘fall over’ or ‘kick him’ ‘began to wear thin. Our wall of scapegoats in defence, however, were standing strong. special mention for a solid and assured display from Mike Williamson.
Just under 70 minutes and a deserved breakthrough from my man of the match Yoan Gouffran; a header from a Cabaye set piece. Gouffran, like Anita has had his critics but today no one could deny his work-rate and quality as he sped up and down the wing, linking attacking play and tracking back. Anita assisted Remy to make it two in the last few minutes, silencing the blue plastic irritants on level seven giving it ‘their cringe-inducing ‘where’s your European cap?’ nonsense and to be honest, we deserved this win.
It’s all well and good to pontificate on how well we played and the three points, but the questions still remain why can’t we do this consistently? It feels like every game is a game of chance…today, Pardew got it right. Play like this and we can give Spurs a run for their money….or maybe we’ll capitulate like we did last week? Where does it go? Nobody knows…

NEIL GATENBY

For me, today was more about a few pints out of the house rather than going to the NeilG‘football’. To be honest I didnt actually want to go out at all, my wing man was overseas and we couldn’t give his ticket away…its becoming a regular problem when we have spares.

The game promised a decent protest about the press and NUST ban, the former of which will make no difference saying they as are a bunch of lackeys and patsies, the latter of which is far more oppressive and ominous. The political display, in the end, was pretty feeble but fair play to those who have the heart and bile to make an effort. ‘I froth vitriol on a regular basis but I cant help but think that fatty actually thrives off us loyal drones trotting, zombie like through the turnstiles then putting up some lacklustre vocals. We can all question ourselves over our lack of fight but I genuinely think that fat fucker revels in our misery…we know and he knows…we will never walk. That doesn’t make it acceptable though.
The first half, in keeping with the Halloween vibes, was morgue-esque. I couldnt pick out a could player…maybe other than Iron Mike. However, second half, cometh the hour, cometh the (little) man. The difference as far as I am concerned was Lil Vurn… no ifs, no buts, no doubt…you simply cant coach that shit. I dont care about the rest of the game, the pressure, the breaks, the goals. Show me Vurn and show me Newcastle. A class act and fucking great day.
Do one you cockney mugs.

2 Comments

  1. Tom Bates
    Tom Bates on November 4, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    Agree that if we could switch off from all the crap behind the scenes and just focus on the matches themselves being a football fan would be a lot more enjoyable

  2. Alistair Moir
    Alistair Moir on November 3, 2013 at 9:07 pm

    Steve Farrell, the man talk sense!
    A lot of our online warriers struggle to give Pardew credit for anything, such has been the level of online character assassination this past year. I’m not Pardew’s biggest fan by any means – I think he quite often talks a whole load of crap (football managers eh, who’d have thought?) He suffers all the time for being a mouthpiece for his seniors – yesterday’s post-match verbal diarrhea a great example! His tactics are sometimes dodgy and his ability to react and change tack during a game questionable. But he still carries the team with him & there are signs this season that he could guide us into the top half. He is inconsistent as a manager and behind the bullshit for the press, he seems to lack confidence in his ability and a bit of boldness when it is needed? All this is reflected in his team! Then we see glimpses of the ability of the manager and the team – they did really well against much hyped visitors Liverpool & Chelsea. Okay, these games were at SJP, but there have also been positive away performances too and we all know that on another day, we’d have at least drawn the derby. There’s no consistency, but if there was….
    The main point here is that anyone who thinks Ashley is one day going to bring a top manager into SJP needs to go up the garden shed with their Guus Hiddink videos & a crate of Dog. I’d be surprised if Ashley & his DoF could source a manager who was able to walk forward & whistle at the same time, never mind someone who’d do better than Pardew. Then, of course, there is the doomsday scenario of an ever more puggled JFK back in the dug-out.
    For me, we need to cut Pardew a bit of slack. He may not be Pepe Guardiola, but he’s by no means the problem round these parts!