Morale Victory

Peter Gilbert 20.1.01

Well you have to say one thing; PT has at least tried to do something about our striker crisis albeit with an ageing Italian and a Ram Icon, both of which distinguished themselves. The former diplaying guile and the latter the purposeful use of speed, two things we have been sadly lacking in recent weeks.

Taggart was back and we looked all the more solid for his towering presence although he did spend a fair amount of time falling out with his own team mates. There were lengthy and heated discussions involving Elliott and Izzett and he clearly threatened to take physical action with Savage. Robbie was clearly shaken by the brush with Gerry and was in no great hurry to rush into the showers after the game. Gerry could have a great career in acting when he's done playing football, I see him as a menacing but silent hired assassin. He did the trick for us though and Thierry Henry hardly got near the ball all afternoon, especially if Gerry was near it.

Mancini looked like an Italian Ski instructor........it's not fair....do they all look like that? He never panicked all afternoon, he ambled aimiably around the pitch and whenever the ball came to him he did something purposeful with it. Sturridge is a flyer and will be a useful addition to the squad. He was 10 years at Derby; he made over 200 appearances for them and scored over 50 goals.....let's hope he can make more of a mark at Filbert Street.

I have to say that I, along with so many others in the crowd, was incensed by the performance of the ref. In the heat of the moment it's easy to get carried away but on reflection he got it just about right. Matthew Jones deserved to be sent off, making two clumsy challenges from behind. Vierra didn't deserve to be booked for upending Savage who looked as if he'd come from the hospital for over acting for much of the afternoon. Neither did Silvinho deserve a red card, he got a yellow, for hauling back Impey on the half way line. Let's be fair, this is Impey on the half way line, hardly a goal scoring opportunity. At the time I was as I say incensed and vocal, but .....well that's what we go to football matches for now isn't it....let off a bit of steam and all that.

It was largely an enjoyable afternoon in the cold January air......the words Mancini and Sturridge floated around in abundance and clearly the Leicester crowd were excited by the potential of these two additions who started the game, were substituted, but went off to a great reception.

City played well for extended periods of time and fully deserved the 0-0 scoreline. Towards the end of the game we were on the up and our resolute defending clearly confused the Arsenal team as we hit them on the break time and again although never putting in a venomous effort on target.

In the first half Arsenal started well and they cut through us on several occasions once hitting the post and Simon Royce was lucky to see the ball bounce back into his arms from a Wiltord effort. In the second half they constructed several good moves but when they broke through our last line Royce made his own luck with a string of fine saves. He has been a real surprise package over the last few weeks and now has earned the respect of the Filbert Street crowd, quite right too. He was on hand time and again to pluck the ball out of the air or dive at the feet of attackers.

As for City.......this was much more like it. There was a fighting spirit, a will to succeed, they were organised, purposeful and gave the passionate home support something to shout about. As the game progressed and with City down to 10 men and having the further imposition of seeing Muzzy Izzett stretchered off in a neck brace it almost looked as if they might nick it. Gunnlauggson, ice cool as ever injected a controlled cunning and Akinbiyi's speed was a problem to the tiring and expensive legs of the visitors. Edu came on for them and looked almost comically fancy but the temperature didn't suit him and his thoroughbred legs succumbed to a pulled hamstring after only ten minutes on the pitch for his new club.

Meanwhile Arnur G. raced down the left wing, cut in and appeared to shoot when Savage was unmarked on the edge of the six yard box after making a 100 yard dash to be in on the action. Whilst running back he fell to the floor near Keown who was accused of elbowing the Welshman in the face but I only saw minimal contact to be fair.

And so there was a pleasant mood in the crowd as we jostled out into the slightly lighter winter's evening, I heard someone say that we'd never lost a match this season when Gerry Taggart had started a game for us. It's an interesting statistic but basically speaking I think this game will work wonders for our team morale which has been flagging of late and we will now be able to regain our rightful position in the league and such upstarts as Chelsea will not be snapping at our heels and we won't have to look up to the likes of Newcastle, Sunderland and Ipswich for much longer. On this performance we are a match for the likes of Arsenal too....what was the name of that other team above us? I just forget now.

Player Analysis.

Royce: Excellent from start to finish, never fumbled or faultered on anything he tried to do.

Rowett: That's more like it.

Elliott: Majestic, looked composed and never ruffled......improved as the game went on.

Taggart: Welcome back Gerry......we obviously need some Irish blood.

Davidson: Good defensive tackles, alittle on the ponderous side going forward.

Impey: He was there......or thereabouts.

Jones: Playing well, and was silly to get himself sent off in the first half.

Izzett: Looked good......the injury to his neck was alarming.

Savage: Good on yer boyo.....he upset the smooth purring of the Arsenal midfield to such an extent that it eventually backfired and gave up.

Mancini: I no run, I play, I caress ze ball.

Sturridge: I run, very quickly after the ball that Roberto caresses into some very interesting places.

Subs:

Gilchrist: Came on for Izzett and hacked the ball away resolutely.

Akinbiyi: Played his usual 'Runaway Train' sort of game.

Gunnlauggson: Nippy, skilful.....very useful PT timed his appearance perfectly.

Copyright