Re: Capoue, it's almost as if playing him in his correct position gets the best out of him or something. Neither Wally nor Silva grasped this, but Javi could see that he is one of the best defensive midfielders outside the top 6. His partnership with Doucoure is almost perfect, between them they have every attribute you could want in a midfielder. I think Capoue is also someone who thrives in a good dressing room atmosphere, again that's down to Javi.
26 passes I make it for the 4th gole. Would be more but it was touched by a Cardiff player in the middle of a longer sequence. For you Sportsmania users it now has a VOD feature - you can watch a full recording of any match.
Apart from the points and the great display, a nice bonus is that it piles the pressure on Silva to replicate our performance against Cardiff in Everton's next game. Imagine if they actually lost..
Le Tissier very complimentary about our performance and goals last night. And then about us a while this season. Doesn’t fit the narrative that the whole media is against us, someone should put him right....
GD has mastered the art of looking slow when he isn't. For his second he doesn't seem to be moving all that fast... until you look how far behind him the Cardiff defence were. Feels bad to be wanting this result, but Muff 1-0 up.
He also depends on having a clear instruction on what is expected of him when playing. He isn't asked to be a creative player or to force passes but he's capable of making killer balls on occasion, and the same with his shooting. First and foremost he's asked to effectively be a more capable Behrami.
I reckon there are at least 5 prospective PotS. Season to date, I’d give it to Gracia. Honourable mention to medical team in Most Improved category.
All good points. A lot of really good, eye-catching displays last night, but I would also say two immense games from Marriappa and Hughes. I find it difficult to think where Marriappa put a foot wrong. Hughes gets up and down the pitch and never hides, always trying to have a positive effect on Watford's game. He breaks up play and he also plays creatively. It is usually possible to find some occasion when he has made a mistake, but that is because he gets through such a lot of work. Shouldn't forget Cathcart, either.
Somewhere in a parallel universe, Cardiff got the penalty and scored it to go into half time 1-1. Then in the second half we scored 7 and win 8-1. Warnock should be thanking the ref in my opinion.
The weight of pass from Capoue on occasions last night was absolutely beautiful. He played superbly. Geri gave us one of those performances that make you fall in love with him. Sure, it’ll be 10 games until we see him play like that again, but he can live on this performance for a few weeks. Absolutely a foul by Janmaat, but I think it was just outside the box. Unbelievable that the ref didn’t give anything, though. Quality all round in the second half. Can’t wait to go again.
Colin said emotions of players got better of them due to penalty that wasn't and they had to calm the players down at half time. Not sure Colin is the best person to achieve that, if there is one manager who let's emotion get the better of him, it's Colin. Cardiff fans are adament it was a pen but also seem to place blame on Colin for team selection and style of play. Morrison gets a lot of stick
Hopefully, Geri/Del will be inspired by the big stage on Wednesday. Likewise, Pereyra. Btw, I like the Geri alternative. More him then Delboy.
Was it Mariappa who over committed on the right near half way line which led to counter attack where Janmaat fell over and Capoue got booked. Love him, but prone to the odd rush of blood to the head.
I have a dilemma. I'll either have to change my nom de forum or restrict myself to reading the politics section.
Cardiff might feel aggrieved about the penalty but they basically gifted us the first 3 goals with school boy defending/passing/free kick taking.
Yep I think I he was a little bit of effort and a little bit of discipline of a champions league player, he has a great touch and is probably our most likely to score out of the box player
For me Foster first , he really is exceptional quality and has probably won us a fair few points , like last nights game when the ball hit him when he came out , you could say luck but he makes to many lucky saves for it to be luck - if you know what I mean I know he isn’t intersted in England any more but for me he is the best England goal keeper at the moment
I think when VAR comes in next season this gets given as a free kick on the edge of the area. Initial point of contact outside the box. Irrelevant if more contact is made in the box it’s that intial point which will have to be used and quite rightly to. Definite foul, free kick on edge of box.
Funny thing but I think it depends how the ref calls it initially. If he gives no foul at all, it gets brought back and most likely sees a freekick awarded. Clear and obvious error thereby corrected. If he gives a penalty or freekick, I don't think VAR intervenes. It's a marginal call (mere contact not automaticslly making it a foul) and not a clear and obvious error to decide one over the other. On field decision upheld.
Maybe. I think this is the area that VARs use is most brought into question. If this was at the other end and the ref gives a pen I don’t think I’d be livid if VAR was used to say contact outside, no pen but free kick, as long as it is consistent. It may be marginal but the foul started outside the box. I think you at least let the ref see this. If he sticks with his call then fair enough but you can’t have someone make the judgement that it is not a certain error here as what is the definition of this, how “obvious” an error does it have to be. If there is doubt the ref must view the screen at the side of the pitch.
I think you've just summed up what we have to look forward to over the 2-3 seasons until it beds in properly!
Is it really going to go like this? It all seems unnecessarily complicated. Surely the ref should go with what he believes VAR has shown him - was his original decision right or not? Why do anything else? Of course, we are dealing with the FA here - so fudging the issue, introducing debate and controversy, screwing up through a mixture of incompetence and deviousness are unthinkable, aren't they?
Finally seen the goals. What a match that must have been to be at. Deeney's turn on the halfway line before the 5th goal was sensational.
I don't think this is correct - I read an article recently where a player picked up a second booking, the ref saw VAR, and bought him back on to give him a straight red. Can't recall what the straight red was for, but clearly VAR showed an infringement and the ref changed the view (all be it for the same result). I personally think the ref will delay giving the call until it's seen via VAR - Like Janmaat yesterday - clearly a foul, so blow for it - Take a breather, check VAR - find out if it's a free kick or penalty?
Haven’t they stopped the ref trotting to the touch line thing? Rather lame. Much less cool than when his RefWatch buzzes on the goal line decisions.
I think what Gracia has done best with Capoue is demand more positional discipline to his game. He used to infuriate me when he’d wander onto the flank and leave us exposed if we lost the ball. Gracia has simplified his game and deserves credit for this
