torres and babel

[floyd the barber]

made the difference today, rafa has gotten alot of stick in recent weeks but definetly deserves the credit today....stuck with an unchanged side..rightly, when seeing it wasnt going our way...he made the changes..

 

torres truely is our first world class striker we have purchased for a long,long time...his first touch is exceptional, hes going to be a legend for us..no doubt..

\

Babel is also starting to show some confidence now...and could prove to be a vital player this season.

 

also special word for voronin - who carried on from his excellent performance in midweek with a quality performance today

[Guest RedIsMyColour]

Agree about Torres and Babel.

 

Voronin on the other hand....

[Guest JV]

Voronin played well. Showed a s*** load more the kuyt ever does aswell.

[Earl Hafler]

made the difference today, rafa has gotten alot of stick in recent weeks but definetly deserves the credit today....stuck with an unchanged side..rightly, when seeing it wasnt going our way...he made the changes..

 

torres truely is our first world class striker we have purchased for a long,long time...his first touch is exceptional, hes going to be a legend for us..no doubt..

\

Babel is also starting to show some confidence now...and could prove to be a vital player this season.

 

also special word for voronin - who carried on from his excellent performance in midweek with a quality performance today

 

Rafa was right to stick with the same side, he made the right substitutions - brought on pace as Fulham tired and they couldn't cope with the burst we had. Torres' control is fantastic.

 

It's been a good week.

[floyd the barber]

Agree about Torres and Babel.

 

Voronin on the other hand....

 

 

.....carry on.

 

did you watch a different game?

[Sion]

Torres made the difference on his own, don't think Babel offered much.

[meepins]

Torres made the difference on his own, don't think Babel offered much.

..apart from pace, direct running and beating players and then setting up an opportunity that led to a penalty.

[Guest RedIsMyColour]

.....carry on.

 

did you watch a different game?

 

No. Voronin was poor. What did he do apart from miss a few chances and generally lose the ball. He's clearly not good enough.

[Magic8Ball]

..apart from pace, direct running and beating players and then setting up an opportunity that led to a penalty.

and setting up Benny for the shot Niemi saved

[leemac]

Agree about Torres and Babel.

 

Voronin on the other hand....

 

Voronin is a great player in my opinion and I am sure in the opinion of many others.

 

Thought he had another good game today and was very unlucky not to be on the scoresheet.

[RafaShanks]

I thought Voronin was superb today (along with Masch). Was unlucky not to score with a couple of chances.

[Tones]

Voronin had a very good game today. Torres is just great!

[meepins]

Voronin is a great player in my opinion and I am sure in the opinion of many others.

 

Thought he had another good game today and was very unlucky not to be on the scoresheet.

Great is going way overboard. He is a good footballer, linked decently with others. He clearly isn't in the Torres class but so few are. I can't see Kuyt getting a look in anytime soon as long as Voronin keeps this level up and even go on to improve.

[The_MC]

I thought they both did excellant. Babel gave us penetration and carried the ball very well, very effective against Fulhams tired legs. What can you really say about Torres? Im just so glad we have a top class striker again, and now he's back to fitness surely the goals will come more easily again.

 

Benitez definately deserves priase. He stuck with an unchanged team and gave them time to break Fulham down. The team stayed patient and kept going at Fulham, and when we needed to up the tempo we brought on Babel and Torres against their tired legs (and also brought on Lucas to try put another goal threat into midfield).

 

Good team performance imo, and thoroughly deserved the 2-0 win.

[diggy]

Voronin did well today, unlucky not to score but maybe that can be the difference between 0-0 and 2-0. Torres is that difference. Absolute class.

Babel still lakcs a bit of craft, seems to be very direct, pacy and also good strength. With his confidence improving he appears to be looking more danagerous and will bring more tricks to his game.

 

Also well done big Sami, solid throughtout and didn;t hoof the ball for a change, laid it off and offered for it back.

[bobbyboulders]

Torres made the difference on his own, don't think Babel offered much.

 

It's early days yet, but imo Babel is unconvincing. To his credit he did offer something a little different when he came on, but what position was he bought to play in cause he's not a wide player?

[Sion]

It's early days yet, but imo Babel is unconvincing. To his credit he did offer something a little different when he came on, but what position was he bought to play in cause he's not a wide player?

 

I can see where you're coming from but I think he'll come good.

 

What does worry me however, is that already he has had one or two interviews, and has been harping on about being a striker not a winger.

[Earl Hafler]

Great is going way overboard. He is a good footballer, linked decently with others. He clearly isn't in the Torres class but so few are. I can't see Kuyt getting a look in anytime soon as long as Voronin keeps this level up and even go on to improve.

 

Voronin has never had a great game because he isn't a great player...

[Guest petelfc]

Voronin has never had a great game because he isn't a great player...

 

That's up there with some of Kaizers best.

 

He had a great game on Tuesday.

[Guest petelfc]

It's early days yet, but imo Babel is unconvincing. To his credit he did offer something a little different when he came on, but what position was he bought to play in cause he's not a wide player?

 

He's an attacking player.

[meepins]

Voronin has never had a great game because he isn't a great player...

That was my point. Leemac believes him to be a great player and suggested others thought similarly.

 

On a seperate point, I'd like to see Babel up front if Torres isn't playing. It looked like one of those nights against a stubborn organised defence. The pace was crucial to break that defence up and get in behind them. It's a quality the others sorely lack.

[redjersey]

Voronin has never had a great game because he isn't a great player...

That's patent nonsense. By that logic an average player can never have more than an average game, or a good player never more than a good game, a poor player a poor game etc etc.

[usualsuspect]

It's early days yet, but imo Babel is unconvincing. To his credit he did offer something a little different when he came on, but what position was he bought to play in cause he's not a wide player?

 

So is your rproblem with Babel or Rafa for playing him wide?

[windy city red]

Voronin played well tonight, things were not going for him, but he kept the ball well. I personally thought he was more effective than Crouch.

 

Marsh started misplacing alot of passes in the second half. Not entirely his fault as there were times we hardly had any movement around the field.

[Magic8Ball]

Voronin has never had a great game because he isn't a great player...

misunderstanding of a statistical concept - the average - a player is rated as good or great because thats his average level, sometimes he will exceed that level other times drop below it - so an average player can have a great game he just wont have one as consitently as a great player.

Its an importance concept because most teams replace their first teamers with squad players who on average are less capable but if we're lucky during the time they're a replacement they will bring their A game.

 

Re Babel, he's a left or right attacker not a Left Midfield - so Left wing MAY be ok if he's there to attack only ie a left sided attack -- he's not a Rafa style Left Midfield, that would be more Riise