Thought I'd copy these to here so they don't get lost as per NOTBBC.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2004

Answers

UEFA Cup Semi, 1st Leg - Marseille (home) 22/4/04

A very creditable performance against a very useful side but one that imo is beatable. To be honest I thought PSV were overall a more talented side.

Marseille's main, perhaps only major threat is the big CF, Drogba, who played up on his own. He looked a terrific player - dare I say, almost a young Alan Shearer.

He kept both O'Brien and Woodgate at full stretch through out the game, produced an excellent save from Given in the first half and crashed another effort against Shay's right hand post in the 2nd, after Robert had given the ball away in a very dangerous position - something I'm afraid he again did far too often tonight.

These chances aside, Marseille didn't create all that much and were clearly content to go home with a draw. For our part, we created 3 or 4 good chances, and unfortunately spurned them all!

The defence did pretty well despite getting away with a few errors of the kind we haven't seen recently. Woodgate made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes, but also made several magnificent blocks and tackles at absolutely vital times, which perhaps left him deserving his official MOTM award.

The reshuffled midfield did ok, and we certainly prevented Marseille from taking control there, despite playing five in the middle. Speed did ok, while looking rather weary. Viana hit a few too many casual passes that put us in difficulties, but overall I thought he did pretty well considering this was his first full game for eons, and his first in the centre for even longer. Despite his occasional casualness, he has the ability to pick the killer pass and hit it at pace.

Ambrose worked his socks off, but again his delivery going forward was generally poor. I fear this lad is working so hard on the defensive side of his game that the attacking side of his game is being neglected. I also suspect that he isn't really a winger - he looks more like a natural striker to me.

Shola frankly didn't look fit enough to play, and probably isn't. In the cirucmstances he did pretty well. He tends to do all the difficult things well and then screw up on the easier stuff. He spurned two golden chances in the first half, failing to beat Barthez at point blank range on the 2nd. You could put it down to an excellent save from the keeper, but Shola really should have tucked it away.

Robert was again disappointing for me. He rarely beat his man, and his only threat came from corners, and a number of those weren't up his usual standard.

Shearer gave a typical Shearer performance. He brought a decent save from Barthez from a free-kick - but looked desperately weary to me. Bridges was very lively when he came on. He showed some neat touches, and nearly scored the winner when he ran through diagonally and hit his shot across Barthez but past the far post by two feet. If he can shake off his stomach bug he should imho start on Sunday.

Overall, I thought we were well organised, defended stoutly, and pushed forward whenever we could. However, we lacked that pace up front that Bellamy provides, and which you need to unlock a packed defence. We were also lacking clever movement up front until Bridges came on.

Nevertheless, not a bad result and one that sets up the 2nd Leg nicely. Marseille are beatable imo, and a score draw will do it for us. There's a long way to go in this tie, and imo we still have every chance of going to Gothenberg. Getting back one or two of the lame would help immeasurably mind.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2004

PL v Chelsea, 2-1 (home) 25/4/04

Well, we gave a good Chelsea team a joke goal start and still beat them – perhaps slightly fortunately given their misses towards the end.

We seemed heavy-legged and sluggish in the 1st half, and allowed the game to get far too stretched, allowing Chelsea to repeatedly pick us off in m/f.

Early in the game Speed and Viana both seemed to be playing left centre, generally getting in each others way, and we were leaving acres of space on our right for Chelsea to exploit. I have to admit being really worried at one point early in the 1st half that we might be in for another gubbing. Nevertheless, there is some backbone is this team now, and we gradually clawed our way back into it.

Irritatingly, Viana was getting fearful stick around me but I thought he was actually instrumental in our recovery, and as the 1st half wore on he started using the ball intelligently and helped us to start retaining possession – one of our biggest deficiencies when were aren’t playing at the top of our game. It was his sharp ball to Shola that lead to the equaliser, when Shola turned away from Desailly and flashed the ball just inside the far post on the turn. A very classy goal.

I thought we were far more compact in the 2nd half, and upped the work-rate on a very warm day despite what must have been tired limbs. We were also much sharper in the tackle.

I thought we controlled m/f for a good period in the 2nd half, and Shearer and Ameobi caused all sorts of problems for the Chelsea backline in general and Desailly in particular. It was no great surprise when Ranieri finally took Desailly off. Ambrose also started to run at Bridge – which also had the effect of virtually eliminating him as an offensive threat. I'm sure this didn't happen by accident.

Shearer drilled in an absolute blinder from 22-23 yds with the keeper not even having time to move, and then perversely side-footed a great opportunity miles wide. Shearer then created a glorious chance for Robert right in front of the posts, but he had eyes on the approaching defender and spurned a great chance where Shearer would have buried ball AND defender into the net.

The failure to get the 3rd goal could have been very costly as Chelsea created and wasted 2 or 3 great chances towards the end, in addition to the goal-bound 6 yard header from Gudjohnsen that Given somehow turned away. The worst miss was in the dying minutes from John Terry, who amazingly contrived to hit the post with the goal gaping and no one near him only 2-3 yds out!

Desailly’s replacement, young Robert Huth came on like a man possessed, and imo was extremely fortunate not to be red-carded for stamping on and really hurting Shearer. I don't believe Huth was booked or even spoken to and can consider himself very fortunate. This non-decision was entirely in keeping with yet another inept refereeing performance from Rob Styles.

Everyone played their part in another encouraging team performance – particularly in the 2nd half. Without wishing to single him out or suggest he had a great game, I was again encouraged by Viana’s performance. It looks to me as though he has actually learned something about playing the game in the PL through his season of extreme frustration. He looked a little sharper than the other night, and his passing was better. The most encouraging aspect for me was his growing influence within the team in seeking to retain possession.

A hugely entertaining game and ultimately another gutsy and creditable performance. Of two weary teams in the 2nd half I thought we lasted it the better, and that this was a key factor in the victory. Unfortunately, the loss of Jonathon Woodgate to a thigh injury took much of the gloss of the win, even though it wasn’t one of his better performances. If this injury enforces his absence in Marseille it could prove very, very costly to us. Let’s hope it doesn’t also spoil his chances at Euro2004.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2004

I thought that there were enough lowlifes who were journalists without people wanting to join them! ;o)

-- Anonymous, April 28, 2004

Cannot wait for the Man City one!

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2004

Didn't see it.

Low Life. [cheeky get!]

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2004

Well I only meant why would you want to hang out with a bunch of lowlifes!

Honest. ;o)

Maybe.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2004

Nearly lost this thread!

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2004

Where is the FA Cup final report?

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2004