PLAYER WATCH v Cardiff City

[tonyoz]

PLAYER WATCH v Cardiff City

Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale:

 

+5    GOAL

+4    Excellent play

+3    Very good play

+2    Nice/good play

+1    Decent play

  0    Routine stuff

 -1    Sloppy play

 -2    Disappointing/poor play

 -3    Very poor play

 -4    Terrible play

 -5    Own goal

 

The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match.

 Individual Incidents (stars) and Overall Contribution (numerical score)

Kaminski                *** ***     3                          

Nyambe                 ********     15      

Lenihan                  ****************  **     26

Ayala                       ****************  ***     26

Pickering               **********  *******     8

Travis                     *********     14

Rothwell                 *************  ****     16

Buckley                  ******************* ***     27

Dolan                     **********     22

Diaz.                      ***************  ***     30

Gallagher               ****************  ********     23

 

Carter                     *********     18

Khadra                   **  **     1

Edun                       **  *     3

Highlights and Lowlights

01  Long ball over the top from Ayala almost puts Diaz in…..the goalie just gets there first. A repeat of the first minute v Barnsley. (Buckley was the provider then.)

Pickering takes a throw, receives the return and drives to the box. He lays off to Dolan who returns nicely to Pickering who centers to Gallagher but he is well marked and hooks it over the bar.

03. Great chase back and persistence from Dolan as he wins the ball, near the corner, and clears.

04  Travis wins the ball, Gallagher to Rothwell to Diaz who turns inside 2 defenders and lets a shot go from 20m but it’s saved comfortably. Nice move.

06. Ayala muscles the Cardiff man into touch about 5m from the goal line. It will be the first long throw by Cardiff.

07  Ohhhh!  The City man beats 3 or 4 Rovers in the air, on the edge of the goalmouth. It hits a startled Kaminski and The rebound is straight to Morrison. Kaminski gets his arm to his header but it’s going in until Nyambe heads off the line. A goal-saving clearance! (Worth +5). Kaminski should have punched the throw I think.

13  Lovely long ball from Lenihan for Gallagher to chase. He’s away from his man and shoots from the right corner of the box but it’s weak and nearer the corner flag than the goal.

14. A quick free-kick catches us napping and a nice cross into the box is cut out neatly by Ayala.

19  Pickering is out-jumped but Ayala cleans up in the box.

23. Buckley collects the ball in the centre of Rovers half and releases an exquisite ball over the defence. Gallagher is steaming goalwards, the ball comes over his head and he controls it beautifully without letting it bounce. One more touch takes the ball to the edge of the box and he buries it in the net. Great goal!

30  Dolan takes on his fullback, runs to the line and wins a corner. Good cross by Rothwell and it’s that man Ayala again but this time his header hits the bar! Buckley returns nicely into the box but there’s a foul. Hot stuff.

31  A long headed clearance from Lenihan reaches Dolan on the wing. He takes on his man again and beats him, releasing the perfect cross into the box for an unmarked, charging Diaz to shin home on the volley from around the penalty spot. Another wonderful goal.

33  Gallagher picks up the ball, runs back and forth and, full of confidence, unleashes a shot from well outside the box but it’s just wide.

35. I like this new Gallagher, he picks up from a throw, charges towards goal, shoots from the edge of the box but it’s deflected to the keeper.

41  Rothwell goes on one of his runs, beating men here and there, a bit of luck maybe but he’s in the box and crosses dangerously but Cardiff defend well and eventually Buckley puts the ball well over the bar.

45  Oh calamity! Hard to describe this…..you have to see it! Diaz picks up the ball on halfway. He drives forward but his pass is deflected by one defender into second one and the ball rolls magically into Diaz’s path. He's Still not fully in control as he enters the goalmouth, there’s the keeper and a defender in front of him but he dummies them both by mis-kicking…….the tortoise paced shot beats the keeper and the panicked defender kicks the ball against Diaz and it’s a goal. Diaz will never score another like that if he plays till he’s 90!

47  Newly introduced Giles gets past Pickering easily and his cross beats Ayala but Lenihan is covering the near post, thank God!

52  Buckley collects a clearance on his chest and lays off nicely to Pickering who plays a long, delightful ball down the wing to Diaz. He crosses from the left corner of the box and Sam rises high to nod back across goal. Dolan is too quick for the defender, leaving him in his dust as he controls with his chest and slips the ball past the keeper.

55  Lenihan off, Carter on.  A precaution I hope!

57  That man Giles again leaves Pickering for dead and reaches the goal line but a charging Rothwell sweeps the ball out for a corner. Giles delivers a beautiful cross and Morrison heads home. Not sure who we can blame there.

64. Dolan off, Khadra on. Dolan laps up the adulation as he takes the longest possible route to the changing rooms!

66  That’s 2 good defensive headers from Carter. Great stuff.

Dolan leaves the pitchside having shaken hands with everyone in the ground.

67  Oh my! Giles does Pickering again and his cross is beautiful. Harris meets the ball perfectly but Kaminski tips it over the bar brilliantly. Khadra could have been better and Ayala was slow to react.

68. Excellent clearing header from the corner by Carter.

69  Khadra, on the wing slips the ball square to Gallagher, he takes it on and drives into the box but he’s dispossessed by a good sliding tackle.

71  Rothwell plays a nice ball to Khadra on the wing but he overruns it and it goes out of play.

74  Giles gets in another cross that Ayala has to deal with…..he blasts Khadra for his lack of urgency. It’s a corner. Carter blocks a powerful header with his chest, and the rebound is hit over the bar. Carter has been excellent since he came on.

76  Giles attacks down the wing, reaches the goal line and Ayala can’t prevent the cross. Giles again takes the corner but Ayala heads clear. Gallagher nearly gives the ball away near the box but fortunately the move fizzles out.

82 Edun on, Rothwell off.

83  Edun’s attempted clearance is intercepted but the danger passes.

84. Giles can’t beat Pickering this time but it’s a City throw.

85  Carter gets a foot in to break down an attack and Buckley launches one of those over the top balls for Diaz to chase and he gets a powerful shot away but it’s comfortably blocked at the near post.

86  Buckley’s  pass is too long and Diaz gives the ball away to set up a Cardiff attack. Pickering is done again on the wing and a great cross comes in. Carter wins the header well but it’s a corner. Giles takes it and Carter heads clear.

88  Travis passes to Diaz in the City half and he heads towards the right edge of the box. He releases sideways to Gallagher in the D. He has his back to goal and 2 men on him. He swivels and gets a decent shot in. The keeper palms it away and Buckley runs in but loses out to the defender. It spins to Khadra and the keeper has a rush of blood and clatters Khadra to the ground. Penalty.

The camera concentrates on Diaz. He looks fully focused. Beautiful penalty, low to the left and the keeper goes the wrong way. 

90  Nice ball from Edun to Buckley who threads a neat ball down the line for Khadra to chase. He stumbles in the box but lays off to Edun who squares the ball to Gallagher on the penalty spot. He tries to side-foot it home but hits the defender. A disappointing end.

Constructive criticism welcomed.

Edited September 27, 2021 by tonyoz

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Thanks very much Tony. I enjoy your “ blow by blow “ account of the game a lot . It reminds me of Alf Thornton’s match reports in “ The Last Sports “ back in the day.

[DeeCee]

9 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Thanks very much Tony. I enjoy your “ blow by blow “ account of the game a lot . It reminds me of Alf Thornton’s match reports in “ The Last Sports “ back in the day.

Said as a compliment I'm sure, Alf didn't have the tools to confuse his colour blind readers 😪😀

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

44 minutes ago, DeeCee said:

Said as a compliment I'm sure, Alf didn't have the tools to confuse his colour blind readers 😪😀

The reports Alf did back then ( before your time I presume ? ) were more of a detailed play by play account starting with who kicked off and which way Rovers were playing. IE Rovers kicked off attacking the Darwen End. Alf then gave you a running account of who did what as the game evolved. Today’s reports are more of a general summary of what happened.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Glad to see Tony’s system backs up what I thought I saw with Carter - he contributed a lot for only being on the field 35 mins.

[DeeCee]

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

The reports Alf did back then ( before your time I presume ? ) were more of a detailed play by play account starting with who kicked off and which way Rovers were playing. IE Rovers kicked off attacking the Darwen End. Alf then gave you a running account of who did what as the game evolved. Today’s reports are more of a general summary of what happened.

I read the sports pink etc from outside the station, from about 1969, I was alluding to the fact I was colour blind and the (very informative) post was "challenging" for me.

[tonyoz]

11 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Thanks very much Tony. I enjoy your “ blow by blow “ account of the game a lot . It reminds me of Alf Thornton’s match reports in “ The Last Sports “ back in the day.

Thanks Tyrone, I will take that as a compliment for sure. The mention of Alf and the Last Sports made me smile. I used to run to the Boulevard to get an early copy of the Last Sports. The vendor repeated the doublet….”Last Sports” …..(then in a lower tone)……”Telegraph”. I devoured every word with pleasure. Even back then I used to write up my own reports of the game….I guess nothing much has changed.

[tonyoz]

2 hours ago, DeeCee said:

Said as a compliment I'm sure, Alf didn't have the tools to confuse his colour blind readers 😪😀

Sorry about that DeeCee; technology sometimes isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I hope you got something out of it.

[tonyoz]

2 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Glad to see Tony’s system backs up what I thought I saw with Carter - he contributed a lot for only being on the field 35 mins.

I was amazed at how assured he looked. I think Ayala’s influence is having a big effect on the youngsters. He never shuts up! I should have given him an extra big blue star for that aspect of his game. (I did think about it.) This is a benefit that could be long lasting….that’s the beauty of it.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, DeeCee said:

I read the sports pink etc from outside the station, from about 1969, I was alluding to the fact I was colour blind and the (very informative) post was "challenging" for me.

It was still the “ Last Sports “ and on white paper when I was buying it. I was playing on Saturdays myself in the mid to late 1960’s so the only time I could get to Ewood in that era would be for night matches.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

30 minutes ago, tonyoz said:

Thanks Tyrone, I will take that as a compliment for sure. The mention of Alf and the Last Sports made me smile. I used to run to the Boulevard to get an early copy of the Last Sports. The vendor repeated the doublet….”Last Sports” …..(then in a lower tone)……”Telegraph”. I devoured every word with pleasure. Even back then I used to write up my own reports of the game….I guess nothing much has changed.

I used to get my copy from the Boulevard and then read it from cover to cover on the bus back to Rochdale.

[Exiled in Toronto]

1 hour ago, tonyoz said:

I was amazed at how assured he looked. I think Ayala’s influence is having a big effect on the youngsters. He never shuts up! I should have given him an extra big blue star for that aspect of his game. (I did think about it.) This is a benefit that could be long lasting….that’s the beauty of it.

Ayala reminds me of a better non-psycho John McNamee: veteran, slow, but transformative to those around him.

[rigger]

9 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Ayala reminds me of a better non-psycho John McNamee: veteran, slow, but transformative to those around him.

You mean a McNamee without the killing zone.

[tonyoz]

13 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Ayala reminds me of a better non-psycho John McNamee: veteran, slow, but transformative to those around him.

My favourite veteran story is Ferguson admitting that he had let Kevin Moran go too early after he had given a masterclass for Rovers v Man U. Apparently Kenny offered him a coaching opportunity at the end of his career.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/kevin-moran-reveals-how-kenny-22091209