you know, so far it is legitimately mixed right now on who it goes to per say the press. soccernet and livescore have it going to Lewis for the own goal, sky sports and setanta have it going to Spector. IMO, you gotta give it to the guy who drives the ball, that to me, is Spector's goal. Either way, cracking game for Spector, and drives his stock up considerably in such a twoming. And this game, in a twisted way, drives up Feilhaber's stock. Davies, after today is in "why the hell not" mode, and will likely throw in Feilhaber IMO.
Could somebody educate me on the references to "Mrs. Spector" in this thread? Is there an inside joke to this?
Is Davies even going to have a job after today? But absolutely inexplicable why Feilhaber has seen so little action. He wasn't even on the bench today! Ridiculous.
It's officially an OG for Lewis, and correctly called. He stopped it on the line, then dragged it in.
Next up for Derby - Chelsea. Maybe Grant will show mercy and play the reserves. Or better yet, the WAGS.
Grant could start himself in goal, to replace the injured Cech, and Derby probably still wouldn't score.
From the description, it sounds like if Lewis hadn't touched it, it would have been a goal anyway. I thought the definition of an OG was if the ball would NOT have gone in without the defensive touch. The textbook OG would be Owen taking the shot last week, it getting saved and going away from goal, then bouncing off Campbell's face for a Newcastle goal. Or the Twellman PK against DC in the 2004 ECF, when it hit the post, then hit Rimando's backside and went in.
Every time Spector has drifted too far from starting, somebody starting in front of him gets injured. So this has started/sustained the gag that his mom has a voodoo doll (or a set of them) that she employs on his behalf. I'd say that calling her a bitch is a bit out of bounds, however.
My theory is that Feilhaber was judged to have not displayed sufficient hustle on that goal by Cesc Fabregas in the Arsenal match. That's the best explanation I have. It is absurd to keep him out under these circumstances. But I wouldn't be surprised if this is why he is being made to undergo this "adjustment period" to English soccer.
The guys on Setanta were talking about Billy Davis -- whether he was going to keep his job after this. They were discussing how hard it would be for Davis to explain how little he was using Robert Earnshaw after a result like that; they said he was a record signing for them.
Just like Bob Bradley is resting Spector for the Spurs game. It's a strange world when the guy that started in midfield for the winning (5-0) team is not on the national team and the midfielder who can't make the bench for the losing team is.
My theory is that Feilhaber isn't as good as many seem to think. I'm not saying he's not good enough to be playing some role on this Derby County team, but that if he was anywhere near as good as what I've read on these boards for the past two years, he would have never gone to Derby County in the first place. And he certainly wouldn't have found himself not even making the bench.
Guys, I just got back and it wasn't pretty. However, Benny's competition for central midfield Oakley and Pearson were probably the two least horrible players we had today. What we most desperately need is two top central defenders and a defensive midfielder. We need to stop standing by and letting teams walk through us. More attacking flair won't make us win 6-5, but a strong defence may well give us clean sheets and a few points that way.
Well, if this is the worst team in the EPL, as posters above are writing, and Feilhaber can't get on the field, that says a lot about him right there. But somebody observed that Derby looks like quitters. Os -- did it seem that way to you? Outclassed or outhustled? West Ham had a lazy squad last year; are they transformed, or are the posters right that County lack heart?
Why is it only ossieend and few other seem to understand this. Derby doesn't need Benny right now (unless he can play RWM the way Davies needs him to.) Derby needs better D - and a more defensive DM rather than a more offensive 2 way middie. Spector might have a shot on this team - at CD even. They give goals away like Halloween candy. The make Fulham look like Fort Knox. They should have signed Gooch, Spector, Dolo, Boca, Simon Elliot and Mike Bradley. They should have signed Boswell. Christ Al-dark would be a help. The last thing Derby can do is replace defensive minded 2way mids with a less defensive minded 2 way mid. Benny only is useful if they go to a 5 and play him as a defensive minded A-mid. But the good thing is Benny is learning a lot in the Derby reserves ...
Except he'd stopped the shot, then knocked it in. At least that's what it looked like to me. It was def on goal by spector, though.
It says zip about Benny. It says loads about what this team needs. Which is to not get slaughtered. Much as Davies is loved at Derby and rightly lauded for bringing them up, a few more of these and I don't know how they keep him.
That is indeed a theory. It, however, requires two axioms: Axiom 1: Davies is interested in putting out his best talent, because if anyone says "Quality Football" it's Mr. Davies. Axiom 2: That our eyes the last year, when we watched Benny play for the USMNT, were Lying, Lying, LYING. I don't buy 'em, guy.
And this game probably has Parkhurst scared away from signing with Derby. That kind of damage will be costly in two months. Derby needs some draws soon: at home to Chelsea, away to Sunderland, away to ManU, and only a home game v. Middlesborough looking like a possibility for three points in December. Ouch. But: Davies was unhappy with his side's response to going behind, saying: 'They let their heads go down too easily, they stopped competing. The confidence drained out of us, the belief drained out of us. That's a disappointment.'
Yes, I am sure in beholding this monstrosity of a Prem team week after week he is learning a lot. When the daily grind is this abject lesson on absolutely how not to play the game of soccer, one can help but not learn that.
It's a lot easier to play well in a couple nat games than week in, week out, in a high level league. Performance at club defines quality far more accurately than national team, IMO. On Derby, they simply don't have the speed needed to survive at this level. By that, I mean speed of foot, speed of thought, speed of reaction, etc... Their best chance of the day, IMO, was a free ball about six out, with a derby player with a clear chance for a good shot on goal. He had the line, and the ball was closer to him than anyone else, and yet westh cleared while he was still winding up.
Seanie said he would learn, I'm down with the blue. If only Derby quality reserve play can undo the damage of Bob Bradley ...