john@staustell wrote:MaineRoadMemories wrote:I was sat less than 5 yards away from Robinho in the same row (great seats to watch a game from) and he didn't react to anything much in the entire game. Neither did some of the other subs though. I think he knew he wasn't getting a game because he hardly warmed up.
Other interesting points to note from been sat virtually in the players area were:
- Ireland warmed up throughout the match and looked desperate to get on
- Petrov seemed quite content sat their all wrapped up warm
- When we started pressing for the ball with Tevez, SWP and Bellamy chasing their keeper and defenders Mancini was shouting and directing them to drop back deep and not bother (this annoyed me slightly as I think we should of got after Evans and Brown)
- Mancini was constantly telling Bellamy and SWP to tuck in and not be dragged out to the wings. Makes the game tighter in the middle but gave Giggs and Valencia far too much room
- Mancini was having a good old moan to Brian Kidd everytime we cocked up a move or failed to defend an attack
- Mancini was getting well pissed off with Benjani. He told him to come on but it took him nearly 5 minutes to get undressed
- He did not seem too happy with Garrido in the last 15 mins and often gestured Italian style when he gave it away cheaply to the opposistion midfielders, I think his was the reason he brought on Subinho MKII.
- When Boyata came off he looked shattered, when Tevez came off he looked well chuffed with himself
PS: Subinho is a great nickname!
Mancini wasn't the only one getting pissed off with Benjani, the man had lead boots. But the he probably suffers from going on after the clockwork mouse Tevez. Only a matter of time for Spanish Gaz, isn't Bridgey due back soon?
The winger thing is interesting. I kept wondering why we were marking Giggs and Valencia from such a distance, but from what you say this seems deliberate. Bobby obviously thinks it better to defend the narrower area in block than give them more space to come through the middle. It looked a bit scary, but as we won I guess you could say it worked, apart from their one goal!
They'll find a way through if we do that at OT. We got away with it but they only need one goal. We should have more energy for that game though.