Nigel De Jong

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Seems to me a player only has to make the odd "key" pass wrong and that determines to the fans whether he had a great game or not.With the emphasis on great game as it seems that players only have a great game or are totally horse shit.

I recall more than one poor pass from Barry yesterday but I also noted that he helped on Silva's early corner which maybe should have given us a first goal and he was also the player who got back to block that Wilbraham shot when it was 2.1.He was available and linking play well as he usually does.Barry had a decent game but wasnt at his very best.

Nigel had a good game again and had an important role as the team was in serious attacking mode again.

Barry's passing stats for the game are very similar to Niges.


An intersting stat is the fact that Tevez completed 50 passes out of 57. 7 more successful passes than David Silva & twice as many as Aguero. For a guy who gets a hat trick & isn't actualy a midfielder that is phenomenal. The help he is giving to the whole midfield is on another planet to Mario or Dzeko.

When you compare that to 89 mins of Balotelli v Arsenal (10 passes completed out of 18) it makes it pretty obvious the difference he could have made if given half an hour in that game.

Tevez should have started that game or at least Mario shouldnt have.

[Rag_hater]

Didn't do anything special that you wouldn't expect a good player playing there.When Yaya came on we really stepped it up was the impression I got.

[Dunnylad]

Funny how you see things differently as I thought Barry had a good game, odd pass astray, but when we were under the cosh in the second half he put one hell of a shift in - if you're talking about giving the ball away then Kompany's distribution wasn't great & Zabaleta seemed bamboozled by Pilkington on the left in the first half

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Played well today, and you now why? Because he's back in familiar terratory with Barry in the middle of the park. The pair of them were our midfield foundation last year, and i think the pair of them have been excellent in the last 2 games, working together.

Eh ?

Barry certainly did not play well today...he was the worst player on the pitch , constantly giving the ball away.
NDJ however had an excellent game.

I actually think that one reason Barry may be giving the ball away more than usual is that Bob has told him to play it quicker. Against WBA he was much quicker in possession & more like he was at Spurs early season. I think Bob has told him to force the pace & not play everything safe, & it's working & getting us moving better.

Barry's role in the side for quite some time now seems to be to go sideways or backwards giving the ball away at regular intervals and then lumbering after the situation at snail like pace. He looks shot and has done for a few months now.
Nige looks loads better for getting a proper run in the side again.

[Grob]

Played well today, and you now why? Because he's back in familiar terratory with Barry in the middle of the park. The pair of them were our midfield foundation last year, and i think the pair of them have been excellent in the last 2 games, working together.

Eh ?

Barry certainly did not play well today...he was the worst player on the pitch , constantly giving the ball away.
NDJ however had an excellent game.

I actually think that one reason Barry may be giving the ball away more than usual is that Bob has told him to play it quicker. Against WBA he was much quicker in possession & more like he was at Spurs early season. I think Bob has told him to force the pace & not play everything safe, & it's working & getting us moving better.

Barry's role in the side for quite some time now seems to be to go sideways or backwards giving the ball away at regular intervals and then lumbering after the situation at snail like pace. He looks shot and has done for a few months now.
Nige looks loads better for getting a proper run in the side again.

I think Bary and De Jong are a solid midfield partnership who can boss most premier league midfields. Especially the West Broms and Norwichs of this world.

Against better opposition they may struggle.

But I think we've seen enough over the last couple of years to suggest their partnership makes them both look better players.