Jump to content

Man of the Match  

195 members have voted

  1. 1. Select your choice

    • Bouzanis
      1
    • Wabara
      9
    • Grounds
      14
    • Byrne
      10
    • M'voto
      2
    • Wesolowski
      17
    • Croft
      2
    • Baxter
      1
    • Smith
      126
    • Simpson
      0
    • M'changama
      0
    • Winchester
      13
    • Taylor
      0
    • Mellor
      0


Recommended Posts

Posted

Could easily be Smith, Wes or Winchester but I think I'm going to have to go for Wabara.

 

While Smith was brilliant in attack I think Wabara was good in attack, defence and in-between.

 

Also gotta say that any other day Baxter would have been MotM for his block of some of Liverpool's shots!

Posted

I'd written Smith off but his performance made me think maybe he's not a non-league player. He won near enough everything launched up towards him in he air, laid off the ball intelligently, put himself about a lot more than I've ever seen before, didn't give Coates and Skrtel (who resorted to trying to maim him) any peace.

 

He still needs to become a lot more mobile if he's going to make it at this level or above and work on how he uses the ball at his feet but that was a match-winning performance yesterday.

Posted

Smith for me; for the goals and for the fact he absolutely bullied Skertl & (Get Your) Coates.

 

But, to be fair - I also thought Byrne, Wees, Grounds, Winchester & M'Voto all had very good games.

 

Makes a change for their to be plenty of deserving options.

Posted

Whole team for me, dont think any player did anything wrong, 1 or 2 bad passes but nothing to big, great team effect, need to put that into the league now for the next 2 weeks and then again against Everton. Lets go on a run of 4 or 5 games now and kick start the season, 6 months late but better late then never.

 

OWTB

Posted

8 - Bouzanis

9 - Wabara

10 - Grounds

8 - Byrne

7 - M'voto

8 - Wesolowski

7 - Croft

7 - Baxter

9 - Smith

9 - Simpson

6* - M'changama

8 - Winchester

6* - Taylor

6* - Mellor

 

*not enough time to do more.

Posted

8 - Bouzanis

9 - Wabara

10 - Grounds

8 - Byrne

7 - M'voto

8 - Wesolowski

7 - Croft

7 - Baxter

9 - Smith

9 - Simpson

6* - M'changama

8 - Winchester

6* - Taylor

6* - Mellor

 

*not enough time to do more.

 

6 is a bit harsh on M'Changama. He was only on the pitch for about 5 minutes and he set up a goal.

 

Smith was a beast. The best player on the pitch by some way. He bullied international defenders and looked unplayable. Made up for him because he puts a shift in week in week out. Yesterday all his hard work paid off.

Posted

I'd written Smith off but his performance made me think maybe he's not a non-league player. He won near enough everything launched up towards him in he air, laid off the ball intelligently, put himself about a lot more than I've ever seen before, didn't give Coates and Skrtel (who resorted to trying to maim him) any peace.

 

He still needs to become a lot more mobile if he's going to make it at this level or above and work on how he uses the ball at his feet but that was a match-winning performance yesterday.

He needs the system around him. That's the best support and supply structure he's had. He's never going to be a world beater but lobbing it at his head and then standing around is a sure fire way to have people talking about how :censored: he is.

 

On Boxing Day he was just as effective at winning the ball in the air but was completely isolated and his flick ons would land with the deep centre half or the keeper. Yesterday Simpson ran like a man possessed to make it to the flick and Baxter and Croft made sure they were tight for the controlled lay off. It was simple but effective as Liverpool for some reason didn't know what to do to stop it.

 

Once they worked that out, and tucked in their full backs to stop the flick on, Smith just moved wider (Philiskirk's doing if I am interpreting his gesturing from the sidelines right) and started laying it off to Croft. Then moved back inside later.

 

 

But, overall I gave MOM to Grounds who was brilliant throughout. Calm and composed which given he spent the entire first half (aside from the first ten mins) without the protection of a winger (a system which we got away with thanks to Rodgers' ineptitude to not stick someone with pace out there to just run at him) was phenomenal. He will ache today, burned out from an intense and committed performance.

Posted

Everyone From Youseff to Mellor they were :censored: amazing

 

But my men (and women) of the match were the ones who gave up their Saturday (or part of it) to clear the pitch of snow.

Posted

Everyone From Youseff to Mellor they were :censored: amazing

 

But my men (and women) of the match were the ones who gave up their Saturday (or part of it) to clear the pitch of snow.

 

I did say whilst we were clearing the pitch on Saturday that if we won I was taking the credit (and I told a few of the others to do the same). So yeah, cheers, it was probably the best performance of my life!

Posted

Dave Ragg aside, it's Smith by a country mile for me. He set the tone from the off, getting stuck into them and piling in when the handbags kicked off. It showed that we were in there to give them a game. The direction of his flicks and lay-offs was frankly awful when he first started appearing but yesterday he hardly fluffed one of them. As well as everyone played he was the difference.

Posted (edited)

Has to be Smith for his goals and his dominating of the Liverpool centre backs.

 

Baxter I thought had a (relatively) quiet game - he uncharacteristically gave the ball away 4 or 5 times and it shows the measure of respect that Liverpool gave him as they had 3 men on him giving him no time every time he got the ball. He was unlucky with a couple of cracking shots. The stage is set for him in the next round against his former club, be great if he could score against them.

 

Simmo deserves a mention too - ran his socks off and caused a lot of problems himself. Have we found the position to get the best out of him this season (supporting Smith)? He needs to start bringing it in league games and not just important cup games!

Edited by bossrocks
Posted

still thinking this one over, absolutely made up for the players that gave everything, it would have been harsh if we had only drawn the game (although at 3-1 i thought they would force a tie). Normally it is just a case of picking the best of a bad bunch. I like this problem, more of the same please.

Posted (edited)

7 - Bouzy - should have saved the first, one cross a game has to go sailing over his head when he's come for it but I loved the two safe takes near the end. Didn't time waste enough.

 

9 - Wabara - lovely header for the goal, but covered a hell of a lot of turf defensively too. Picked out Brad Jones superbly for Smith's second.

 

9 - Grounds - a couple of sliced clearances aside, that was as good a left ack performance as I've seen at Latics in years.

 

15 - Byrne - life on the line merchant. Gave it everything. Not his fault Suarez scored. Wound Sturridge up too (who I swear smacked him one, even if the cameras suggest otherwise). Immense and my motm.

 

10 - M'Voto - another immense performance by JYM and another couple of pieces of skill bringing the ball out of defence that left my underwear at risk but were actually quite lovely bits of football.

 

9 - Wesolowski - immense until Gerrard came on, then had to chase a bit.

 

10 - M'Changama - exactly the kind of cross Matt Dmith should be getting every game. Rahim Sterling should have got a straight red for the tackle that's ended the lad's season.

 

10 - Winchester - he's put in a couple of great performances in a Latics shirt that many forget. This one will be remembered for a long time. Not sure if the cross for the third was just a wild swing or a pinpoint effort to a player he knew was approaching, Regardless, with Smith or Simpson on the pitch the delivery was right.

 

10 - Croft - the ball for Smith's second was an example of his true talent. The mis-hit shot to Changy to create the first was quite funny too. But he ran, harried, defended, chased etc all game. Tremendous.

 

8 - José Baxter. Baby - not his best game but valuable in keeping the ball in tight spaces and, although it didn't all fall into place for him, clearly showed he's got more than a hard working League One player. Should have made it 4-1.

 

12 - Smith - immense. And playing as part of a front two helped him significantly. As did the service into him. If he plays, he's part of a strike duo.

 

9 - Simpson - I'm quite pleased the ref didn't send both Simpson and Brad Jones off for his reaction to the late challenge in the first half. I'm all for roughing up the opposition but Simpson really did run the risk of getting another red himself there. Great supporting role alongside mighty Matt Smith. Should have made the game safe when the ball landed kindly for him.

 

8 - Taylor - did what was needed when he came on.

 

7 - Mellor - thought he should ave come on for Changy. Glad he didn't!

 

 

8 - Me - snow clearing efforts amounted to just short of two hours. I know many others did a lot more. I'm so glad I was able to stand up all game though. The pain and effort of actually having to sit / stand / sit / stand would have wiped me out. Never did pick up the MK Dons ticket either!

Edited by opinions4u
Posted

Has to be Smith for his goals and his dominating of the Liverpool centre backs.

 

Baxter I thought had a (relatively) quiet game - he uncharacteristically gave the ball away 4 or 5 times and it shows the measure of respect that Liverpool gave him as they had 3 men on him giving him no time every time he got the ball. He was unlucky with a couple of cracking shots. The stage is set for him in the next round against his former club, be great if he could score against them.

 

Simmo deserves a mention too - ran his socks off and caused a lot of problems himself. Have we found the position to get the best out of him this season (supporting Smith)? He needs to start bringing it in league games and not just important cup games!

 

This sums it up for me from an attacking perspective - but defensively we also played top football - the back four were solid and gave their all.

As Diego says - not a poor performance from anyone - but Matty Smith, Smith, Smith was the man for me.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...