Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Albion 1 Tottenham 1
Saturday 11th September 2010, 5:04PM BST.
An Albion team giving it their all for the cause ground out a battling point against Tottenham.
A committed second-half display for the Baggies kept their much-fancied hosts at bay, proving enough for a deserved point.
It looked like it might be a long afternoon for Roberto Di Matteo’s team after Luka Modric put Spurs ahead in the first-half, but the home side were level before the interval through Chris Brunt’s equaliser.
Albion could have even won the game, had it not been for two superb saves from goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini from Jonas Olsson and Peter Odemwingie late on.
That was a far cry from what home fans were expecting after Modric’s opener on 27 minutes, the midfielder firing in from 12 yards after Rafael van der Vaart, in his first game for the club, had beautifully flighted a ball over that the defence failed to react to.
But Modric had to be replaced through injury soon after, worryingly for Spurs nursing the same leg he fractured last season.
And the visitors luck didn’t improve as they found themselves pegged back by an equaliser four minutes before half-time.
Albion poured forward around Marc-Antoine Fortune’s forceful run with his shot bouncing off Cudicini, Odemwingie beat the goalkeeper to flick the ball on and Brunt got ahead of Gareth Bale to prod in at the far post.
But it was in the second-half where the Baggies really had to dig deep, as Spurs attacked with purpose looking to get back in front.
Goalkeeper Scott Carson had to be at his best to twice deny the visitors, first from Bale in a good position and then to push aside a stinging shot from Younes Kaboul.
Spurs’ other debutant, William Gallas, then found his way into the referee’s notebook.
Howard Webb, refereeing his first game since the World Cup final, issued a yellow card for hauling down Odemwingie.
The Albion fans, who were on his back throughout, launched into another chorus of “Gallas is an Arsenal fan.”
Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch then entered the fray for Spurs but it was Albion who dominated the closing stages, evidenced by the two saving graces from Cudicini.
The goalkeeper somehow kept out Olsson’s header and Odemwingie’s curler as the spoils were shared.
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A good e+s unbiased report for a change
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Get in Albion! Holding our own against a championsleague team stock full of proven internationals, excellent stuff :)
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A great performance from the Baggies,Spurs were hanging on at the end.When the new players really gel,we look like being a force to be reckoned with this season.At least the idiots from the dark side should be quiet after losing,it sounds like wolves put in an X rated shocker,with 6 yellow cards and a sending off in the last half hour.The F.A. have made the future wolves games kick off after 9.00 p.m.,the watershed,so as not to frightened any children watching.
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we should have won!! come on albion
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EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE BOYS!! WE CAN HOLD OUR OWN PLAYING CHAMPS LEAGUE TEAM, PLUS NICE TO HEAR WOLVES LOST… BTW WHEN IS KARL HENRY GONA GET SENT OFF 4 BREAKING SOMEONES LEG… UP THE BAGGIES!!
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superb performance by albion who held their own throughout the 90 mins
as for you know who up the road – WHO CARES
boing boing
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He comes from ashford park, he’ll rob ya in the dark, karl henry whoa karl henry whoa. And how can you say he should get sent off, today’s challenge on zamora was a fair tackle and won the ball, oh and we ain’t got nothing to worry about, we done the double over spurs last season n will beat em again next week so u lot keep parkin ya bus for a point n opefully u might finish 19th , 1 better than last time aye aye.
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We looked a little apprehensive at the start, giving Spurs too much respect maybe, although to be fair, they moved the ball around in superb fashion. Nice goal too by Modric from an exquisite forward pass. A bit later Modric did a questionable ‘block’ tackle on on one of ours and came off worst. Minutes later he went in again and that finished him for this game. I couldn’t raise sympathy, he almost asked for it! Overall, a great game, plenty of slick football and I think maybe at the end, Spurs were happy with a point as it might have been none. We shall get better too.
Mulumbu was Mo’M., but could have been almost anyone, especially Jonas in my book.
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Update on the PA system. A deciBel meter registered between 91dB and 98dB today, better than last home game but still above the recommended noise in a ‘working environment’. A step in the right direction though and it was possible to exchange comments in the quieter bits. The upper figures were registered at 2.50pm onwards.
Thanks Dan if this was your doing.
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I think its strange that the stoke game had one thing in common, two strikers were injured
and are out for a few months
and the bookings too
i would be very worried ill put on luke moor when we play them
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And the great attendance mystery deepens.
23,642.
There were a couple of hundred empty seats in the corners. Okay I’ll be generous and say 500. So where were the other 2,500 empty seats? If people turn up expecting to fill them will we have to have them sitting on our laps.
Down Sir Terry, that wasn’t a serious suggestion, the list of eligible ladies would be too long.
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What happened to my earlier post that suggested this report was written by a very short sighted reporter or one that didn’t attend the game?
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Off subject.
Listening to the radio last week, I heard a football pundit laughing at Steve Bruce’s comments that he knew when he was a Man Ure player refs gave them more decisions and as Sunderland manager he would get very little from refs against the big four.
You only had to see the end of the Everton game on MOTD to realise how ridiculous Bruce is being. Martin Atkinson plays on the injury time to allow Man U’s corner then blows his whistle ywo seconds later as Everton break away and enter the United box with a chance of scoring.
What a joke to suggest that Atkinson was frightened of a backlash from Fergie and that is why there was no more time added for returning to the centre circle after TWO extra time goals that we were told referees always add on after last seasons Manchester derby fiasco when another three minutes was allowed for Man Ure to score.
PL referees are fine upstanding individuals. How dare anyone suggest they have the spine of a jellyfish.
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a good result for the baggies well done.
3. your team get a good result and you still have to slag wolves off. pathetic really. yes we had a bad result. wouldnt get too carried away with a draw at home to Spurs if i was you they are one of many teams in the Prem that are brilliant one week and pretty average the next.to all the other baggies fans on here well done.
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5. nothing wrong with Henry’s challeng it was just the way he landed. ten years ago probably wouldnt have even been one booking in the game. just goes to show whats happened to the game.
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By the way well done lads we are going to suprise quite few teams/people this time around anyone agree?
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Bong bong, you are a 100% idiot, (nice to hear the Wolves lost) get a life and concentrate on supporting your team. You remind me of a “fan” i once met who said “i don’t care if the Albion lose as long as the Wolves lose to” your not a football fan just a albion fan.
Good luck to all the real Albion football fans for the rest of the season…..Longford Wolf.
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three chears for gera and the boys
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5 Boing Boing. obviously you didnt see the challenge before opening you mouth?…of course not! it wasnt the challenge but the way he fell,..but yes Henry has added some steel to his game this year. but we were rubbish today i will hold my hands up to that,..but putting your result into context..we did the double over Spurs last year!..they are notorious for not playing so well against the so called smaller teams so dont get too excited about your draw!!.
Also just wondered why your gates are nearly 5000 below capaticy for the 2 home games so far?
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Brilliant second half, Don’t know what
“Maestro” Di Matteo said to them at half time
but can he say it before kickoff. Nice work
again Carson also very pleased with Nicky Shorey, solid performance. The run Tamas made was great if he’d have hit the back of the net
they could have given him “Goal of the Season” now. Scharner ran himself into the ground for the cause. The whole team were fantastic.If that second half is a marker, we can look forward to a dynamic season.
(3)
CR 78,
Agree with your post. Wolves were again a disgrace to the Premiership and football in general. No doubt Mad-Mick will be adamant no
harm was meant when the Fulam guy was carried off with his leg busted. Then you get Cahill
(Bolton) sent off for much less. Come on Referees lets have more cosistency. Also CR,
GERA ran wolves ragged when he came on as
substitute. The Football Association should clamp down on wolves barbarism.
~~~~BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Karl Henry’s was a fair challenge…Wow we lost one game.
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3. Can’t resist can you? If we are gonna give stick out all season when one of loses a game it’s gonna be a long old season.
For the record, we beat Spurs home and away last season..
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Number 13.
Your arguement doesnt make sense and contradicts itself.
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Cyril,
I don’t know if it was down to me but I asked the question.
The problem with the noise is that the club want to get everybody pumped up and backing the team so the PA man is under instructions. He understands that it’s not comfortable for us lot in the line of fire but I do agree that it gets so loud in certain areas of the ground that conversation is difficult.
I do hope it doesn’t increase after this improvement.
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I stayed up well past my bedtime last night to see our highlights. For the Wulfies’ game I will say in defence of Henry, he got the ball fair and square. I had recorded it too and there is no doubt whatsoever. The bloke sent off though was an idiot. He put 2d stamps on his tackles. No wonder they arrived late. One little giggle at our game. Bloke behind yelled at 500 watts and it echoed,
‘Brunt, you’re bloody useless’ just seconds before he scored. I was reminded of an old radio comedian, Al Reed who had a lovely sketch berating one player non-stop, then the geezer scores and it’s ‘I always said he was a good un’.
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22billycodpiece. We matched Spurs for football and the game was a beauty. I deperately wanted us to win but it would have been sad for either team to have lost a great game like that one. Beat them when they come to Moulinex and we’ll doff our caps to you. Promise.
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With reply to whoever questions why there r so many empty seats.
Maybe the majority of Baggie fans r mature.
i.e. Family Mature if u take a look at the prices when it’s a category A game £40.00 adult £20.00 juniors and the young Baggie want’s to go, that means it will cost £60.00 minimum, quite a price to fork out when u could go to the Cinema for less than a Tenner.
Just a thought, glad I’ve got my season tickets already cus it’s gonna be a good un.
Oh and as for ESTABLISHED WOLVES?
Seen the highlight’s that was enough.
X-Rated.
Hope we get a good ref when we come across the Orange animals or we might need to put in some insurance claims if that’s to go on.
BAGGIESBAGGIESBAGGIESBAGGIES
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Oh and while I’m on, there’s gonna be jobs tommorow in WOLVO for BRICKIES, cus there’s no one there to build a WALL!!!
That stays up.
BAGGIESBAGGIESBAGGIESBAGGIES
LOL:
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22 billyfish-you may notice I said that ‘at least the idiots should be quiet’,because I come here to find out Albion’s news,and the thoughts of Albion fans,but find the place bombarded with wolves fans constantly slagging off the Baggies.If wolves had won,and Albion lost,this thread would have had been full of your lot laughing their head’s off.If you don’t like what Albion fans say on their own site,why not just spend time concentrating on your own club’s business?(By the way,my comments were only made because I knew you couldn’t resist reading them and having another dig).
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I think we missed the guile of Dorrans and Morrison.
I also thought our midfield were a little fragmented in the first half, and some were unsure of what their role was, certainly Modric was afforded far too much space.
A job well done by RDM in the second period though, his tiny tweaks allowed us to dominate possesion, and indeed chances, and i`m sure Spurs were relived to hear the full time whistle.
For me Odemwingie HAS to play through the middle, he looks such a threat there.
Finaly, the tackle by Karl Henry, there was nothing wrong with it.
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27 Brierley Hill.
Don’t know if you were replying to me or the the misinformed Wulfie.
My point wasn’t why the attendance was 3,000 below the capacity but if those 3,000 turned up, where would you put them? Apart from a few hundred empty seats in the front corners the place was choc-a-bloc.
Someone else raised this point after the last home game and I said that the figures must be correct but after Saturday I’m starting to have doubts.
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23 Cyril.
Is that really you? I ask because it’s not like you not to recognise irony but mainly because you’ve spelt argument wrong which is definitely not like you.
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19 G&B A.
I think you’ve missed the point. We’re not excited about a draw with Spurs. We’re excited about the level of performance. We battered them in the second half and should have easily won the game.
We were missing two of our key creative midfielders which threw us first half but with a lot of new players still trying to gel it was a fantastic performance.
Please don’t explain the ways of the PL to us as we have much, much more experience of it than you.
PS. I couldn’t see much wrong with Henry’s tackle but he did get away with some shockers last week (not complaining as it couldn’t happen to a nicer team than Newcastle) and if he’s not careful he will get a reputation with refs.
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Regarding Henry’s tackle,it was fair,I’m sure there was no intent to injure Zamora,but when you combine it with so many bookings and a sending off,it looks bad to other people reading the match report.You get branded by the publicity,such as the infamous ‘battle of bramhall’,when Sheff.Utd had 3 players sent off,Albion didn’t even have a player booked,but other football fans thought we were all bad boys.That’s just the way it is.
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Sorry TRBH.
I was up late watching re runs of the last of the summer wine and making comparisons with myself and compo. We both have a thing for the Nora Batty’s of the world.
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Albion really missed MOZZA and DOZZA as we
lacked any real creativity for Odemwingie
and Fortune,just hope Dorrans is ready for
next weeks derby match.
Watched the Blues game and have to say
MCFADDEN and LARSSON are the most overated
players Ive ever seen,lets hope they both play
at the Hawthorns next week.
My predictions were
ALBION 2
SPURS 1
which finished
ALBION 1
SPURS 1
FULHAM 3
WOLVES 1
which finished
FULHAM 2
WOLVES 1
BLUES 1
LIVERPOOL 1
which finished
BLUES 0
LIVERPOOL 0
Thats not bad for someone who knows nothing
about football is it `NEDBALL`!!!
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36 – DLB.
At no stage did I say you know nothing about football, I called you stupid for your comments last week, and I wasn’t the only one…..I believe the majority of people actually called you a child.
Strangely, I can sit here and tell you that I predicted the following results.
Arsenal 4 – 1 Bolton
Fulham 2 – 1 Wolves
Blues 0 – 0 Liverpool
Albion 1 – 1 Spurs
I even predicted that Man U would be 3 – 1 up with a minute to go and would only draw 3 – 3 with Everton.
I don’t like to brag about this though, as it would look stupid for me to show my predictions only 2 days after the matches had occured.
Well done though DLB, you’re a winner in my eyes. I’ll go get the crayons out for you again as a reward.
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DLB – how did getting all your predictions wrong show that you know anything about football ?? I have no axe to grind with you but some of your comments such as that make me wince !!!
Maybe I could use that argument with my Littlewoods pools collector !
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35 Cyril/Compo.
No apology necessary, especially if you’ve been watching LOTSW.
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I’ll try again:
Posts 23 and 35 are NOT mine
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