Showing posts with label Sol Campbell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sol Campbell. Show all posts
Saturday afternoon was an unusual one because we created very few chances and I am not used to that.
Manchester City didn't create much either - they were highly focused on defending well. They didn't give us any space and we could not find the opener. For as long as we couldn't do that it was a locked game basically. We saw two teams who played well defensively, had very good discipline but created very few chances.
But I am not surprised City did not attack more. They may think that if they can get a point against us and beat Tottenham at home then they will finish fourth. As for us, we are 90 per cent sure of third place.
Emmanuel Adebayor's appearance made the game a bit livelier because our supporters responded, while he was focused, motivated and sharp. But even then City didn't create much - they played a lot on the counter-attack and we weren't in trouble often.
Robin van Persie started his first game since November and he was sharp for 60 or 70 minutes. After that he dropped physically, but that's understandable. I left him on because I thought a set-piece could have been decisive and he could score from a free-kick or deliver a corner. Having been out for such a long time, Robin's performance was very positive.
Sol Campbell was excellent - since he has been back in the team he has been outstanding. I never really expected this from him and that is a great credit to him. I will sit down with him at some point to talk about his future.
Finally, a word for Lukasz Fabianski. He was spot on from the first to the last minute on Saturday. He read all the situations very well and that is what you want from him. I have always said he is one of the most talented goalkeepers and when he gets his concentration right he will be fine.
It was a very big win at Hull on Saturday.
When you play a difficult game in midweek there is a lot of mental tension but we went to the KC Stadium and won, so of course it is a big three points. We know what is at stake every time you go away like that. We needed the three points and we got it after 90 minutes, exactly like at Stoke. It tells you that it was a difficult game, but as well that we have desire and mental strength and we never give up. And for such a young team that is great.
I did see us scoring a winner but I could also see us missing out because we had the chances to score. And when you miss so many obvious chances, then you think you will be punished. We're always leaving it until late at the moment, maybe it's not good for my heart, but for the championship, it's not bad.
As for the title race, I believe that we are in the fight and we have eight games to go. We are in there, so why should we not believe? What I especially believe is that we will give absolutely everything to win it and we have seen that again at the weekend. We got jaded but still kept going. There is team spirit there and it is special. You can see that.
Some people have said that Sol Campbell should have been sent off in the second half but I don't agree - it was a good tackle on Zayatte. Some thought Sol might have received a red card when he gave away the first-half penalty but, having seen it Vennegoor of Hesselink played it in an intelligent way.
He did what a striker does in the box, he went straight at Sol and the defender had no other option but to touch him. But there was no real intention to give away a penalty. It was accidental, and the striker was not in a position to score at the moment he was touched. But of course, Vennegoor of Hesselink was offside at the start of the move.
Nicklas Bendtner scored once again, that makes it four goals in two games since he missed those chances against Burnley. You are always judged on the performance of the day, and on that day maybe he deserved the criticism. But the best way to answer the critics is to come up with a better performance and he has done that.
Finally, we should have some good news on the injury front because Tomas Rosicky and Cesc Fabregas both have a good chance to be ready for the West Ham game. William Gallas will not be fit but Sol Campbell is OK to start if we play once a week. When we play three games per week it is a bit too much.
