FACup Quarter Final

[50sQuiff]

Incidentally, what was with Wheater taking that FK?

God only knows. Perhaps fate deigned that Wheater would knock in a comical pea-roller of a free kick so it would set up Robbo's wonder pass.

Pulsating game, spine-tingling atmosphere at the end when Coyle came over to the fans. Best game I've been to since Munich.

[TANGODANCER]

I apparently met my phone on the way down Blackburn Road. A consequence of not proof-reading. It should, of course, read 'friend'

I did, thought it was on purpose so I left it being that mobiles are life essentials these days.

[HMX]

Incidentally, what was with Wheater taking that FK?

God only knows. Perhaps fate deigned that Wheater would knock in a comical pea-roller of a free kick so it would set up Robbo's wonder pass.

Pulsating game, spine-tingling atmosphere at the end when Coyle came over to the fans. Best game I've been to since Munich.

And to think - when Elmander tried to control the ball, I was angry - then all of a sudden.. cross - Davies heads it on.. Chungy..

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHSSSSSSSSS

[William the White]

Good read, true white. Good day n all!

[finlayson]

Oddest moment of the day...

Rodrigo and Alonso walking down the road towards the city centre and no one batting an eyelid!!

[Salford Trotter]

Will Zat be fit for the Semi? Will he get his spot back?

[CAPSLOCK]

Possibly. Hope not

[Tombwfc]

I don't know, I think he'll find it quite easy if Wheater keeps up the level of performance he has in the past two games. Might be a new signing and might have a lot of potential, but he's been shocking.

Zat himself said in the BEN during the week that he thinks he'll be fit for the West Ham game.

[BWFC_Insane]

I don't know, I think he'll find it quite easy if Wheater keeps up the level of performance he has in the past two games. Might be a new signing and might have a lot of potential, but he's been shocking.

Zat himself said in the BEN during the week that he thinks he'll be fit for the West Ham game.

Still been miles better than Knight IMO! I'd rather Wheater kept his place. Think he and Cahill look a more natural partnership and the run of games before Brum and Villa we looked our most solid all season.

[Tombwfc]

Our most solid all season? It was only the two cup games and Newcastle after Knight was injured, I don't think that's a long enough run to judge a defensive partnership.

Fact is he's made two near-comical errors (the Villa penalty and Jerome's goal) in two games, and who knows what the feck he was doing for Brum's second. He made Cameron Jerome look like Didier Drogba all day. He has looked decent at times and Zat is no Cannavaro himself, but it's still only new signing optimism that's seeing him through at the minute.

[BWFC_Insane]

Our most solid all season? It was only the two cup games and Newcastle after Knight was injured, I don't think that's a long enough run to judge a defensive partnership.

Fact is he's made two near-comical errors (the Villa penalty and Jerome's goal) in two games, and who knows what the feck he was doing for Brum's second. He made Cameron Jerome look like Didier Drogba all day. He has looked decent at times and Zat is no Cannavaro himself, but it's still only new signing optimism that's seeing him through at the minute.

Yes we'll need to judge him over a longer period. I'll give you that. I'm not sure either the Villa penalty or the Brum goal were "near comical", not in the way some of Knights mistakes have been this season, look back to West Brom away as an example, did his best to gift em quite a few that day, falling over the ball etc.

But in terms of solidity if we count the Everton game (where Wheater played more than half) we went for more than 240 minutes without conceeding a goal. Which is far greater than anything else we'd achieved this season or I'd suggest the season before!

[Lord Kangana]

Wheater played well in his first couple, then he seems to have suffered a bout of jitters. i get the feeling opposing managers have spotted he's a bit slow on the turn and not quick from a standing start.

The pluses outway the minuses though, as he's not Danny Shittu. Be interesting to see what happens when Zat is fit again.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

Another good problem to have, in my opinion.

[boltonboris]

He's made a couple of rash decisions Wheater. Missed the header that he didn't need to come for and should have laced it for the first one. Other than that he's impressed me.. A definite improvement on Knight.

[hisroyalgingerness]

End of the day, it's like this

Approx one incident of misjudgement per game. No improvement
BUT
He is so, so much better on the ball. Much more comfortable with the ball being passed to him. Nice to see the midfield going back to the back four and it not getting leathered out of play Wilkinson-style.

I gather he's more of a talker on the pitch too.

[Verbal]

End of the day, it's like this

Approx one incident of misjudgement per game. No improvement
BUT
He is so, so much better on the ball. Much more comfortable with the ball being passed to him. Nice to see the midfield going back to the back four and it not getting leathered out of play Wilkinson-style.

I gather he's more of a talker on the pitch too.

Aye. One moment was pretty cool I thought. Big ball over top coming at him with Jerome chasing. instead of just pumpiing the ball back with a header he noticed that Jerome wasn't going for the challenge, but anticipating a header back to the keeper. So he just took a few steps back and controlled it just as Jerome ran past him looking rather the fool. And we had possession. Like this.

[BWFC_Insane]

End of the day, it's like this

Approx one incident of misjudgement per game. No improvement
BUT
He is so, so much better on the ball. Much more comfortable with the ball being passed to him. Nice to see the midfield going back to the back four and it not getting leathered out of play Wilkinson-style.

I gather he's more of a talker on the pitch too.

It depends on what you class as a "misjudgement". I don't think any of his errors have been absolutely horrific, or ones I've not seen plenty so called "top class" defenders make. Time will tell I suppose whether he's had a "honeymoon period" and the real Wheater is actually a mistake laden boober.

But yes he's good on the ball which has surprised me somewhat.

[hisroyalgingerness]

They just been poor decisions really, rather than say a missed header or a missed volley. Like the first goal on Saturday, tried to cushion the ball rather than leather it (ironically) Zat-style.

[boltonboris]

They just been poor decisions really, rather than say a missed header or a missed volley. Like the first goal on Saturday, tried to cushion the ball rather than leather it (ironically) Zat-style.

There is nothing to prove that Zat would've been in the correct position in which to 'leather it' in the first place, like Wheater was. He doesn't know where the feck he is on the pitch half of the time!

[keveh]

God only knows. Perhaps fate deigned that Wheater would knock in a comical pea-roller of a free kick so it would set up Robbo's wonder pass.

Pulsating game, spine-tingling atmosphere at the end when Coyle came over to the fans. Best game I've been to since Munich.

Holy crap, now there's a blast from the past!