Palace Report Card
By: Dr Fishy
Date: 03/03/2002
DR FISHY has compiled match statistics and a report card for the Grimsby Town side that beat Palace 5-2. The Mariners scarcely resembled the side that lost 5-0 to the Eagles at Selhurst in September.
Home > 2001-2002 Season > Report Cards > Palace (h) |
Grimsby | Palace | |
19 | Goal attempts | 9 |
9 | On Target | 4 |
10 | Off Target | 5 |
0 | Hit Woodwork | 0 |
3 | Corners | 8 |
10 | Fouls | 14 |
5 | Offsides | 2 |
Coyne: It has become a regular occurrence that our Welsh Number One doesn't get seriously tested. In the past three games he has had it very easily in comparison to the early part of the season. Whether or not you could blame him for the two goals yesterday is debatable.
Grade: C+
McDermott: He gave the ball away again in the first half and Freedman tested his pace and stamina once in the same half. Other than that, the Captain was as solid as a rock and looked for every opportunity to get forward. One occasion springs to mind when he pulled the ball back for Allen to miss.
Grade: B-
David Smith: He may be aging these days but he has surprised everyone coming in and filling the left back position. You know he has a good game when he scores! It was a well-taken goal, but defensively he blocked cross after cross.
Grade: B
Todd: This lad is so classy questions must be asked how Charlton can afford to have him out of their side and away from the club. Distribution, as always, was perfect and scored a cracker of a goal, perhaps deflected.
Grade: B+
Groves: He played just as good as Todd, bearing in mind that Groves is the manager too. Everyone under his leadership seems to have a role and Groves was exceptional once more. He may be 36, but he can still play consistently at a high level.
Grade: B+
Butterfield: I don't know how to describe his performance yesterday, especially in the second half. Against palace he showed all his qualities, getting two or even three assists, and he never gave up. A massive pat on the back should be given to Danny B.
Grade: A-
Campbell: Again he was probably our poorest outfield player and looked a little lost on the left (as usual). Drifted in too deep at times but seemed settled with Smith behind him. Can't really criticise the player because he wasn't bad.
Grade: C
Burnett: When Town play well, the midfielder plays well. He gave more support to the strikers when going forward and this was more of a battling display by Burnett, instead of his usual mistakes of losing the ball because he didn't look up.
Grade: C+
Pouton: He got stuck in, he hassled and harried the Palace players, and he won the ball in the middle, setting up other advancing players to create opportunities. It did make me laugh, however, when he attempted an outside of the right foot cross when his left foot would have clearly sufficed.
Grade: B-
Allen: Off the ball he was magnificent, and wasn't scared of throwing himself in where it hurt. He had an understanding with Boulding and the two of them played off each other very well. Grabbed a scrappy goal, and that's now two in two games.
Grade: B
Boulding: He scored a great solo goal, twisting and turning the Palace defence inside out. He was a thorn in their defence all game and they never adapted to cope with his pace. For once Boulding looked like he'd always score, instead of his routine dribblers that don't test the opposition keepers.
Grade: B+
SUBS
All three subs were made late in the game, but all at different times. Todd was taken off and replaced by Ford, Stace came near the end and played the ball for Butterfield to set up the fifth, and Rowan made an appearance too, but probably didn't touch the ball. No marks for these players as they entered the game too late.
Best part of Town's performance: The attacking play (once more). Every time we came forward, Boulding and Allen pulled apart the palace defence and they just couldn't cope. We were slightly fortunate with the first and fourth goals, but the others we deserved and no player gave in or seemed to tire. Also the defence, despite conceding two, played very well and gave confidence to the rest of the team.
Areas for improvement: Palace have two exceptional strikers and to think we'd shut them out was hoping for a bit, but Freedman was kept relatively quiet, but at times we couldn't keep with him, and I think Todd's injury may have just hampered his game a little. Overall the only improvement I can suggest is to keep playing like the way we do, instead of being inconsistent and lose at Gillingham.
Entertainment scale: The Liverpool got 10 and I don't think that will ever be beaten. This is as close as you can get to 10 (and I don't normally do decimal points) but just for the purpose of this magnificent performance I'm going to allow myself to give it 9.5
Grade Guide
A* | This is almost impossible to achieve as I will refuse to give anyone this grade - unless they score six goals and get opposing players sent off. |
A | This is more possible to achieve, although the player must have had a brilliant game i.e. he can't have put a foot wrong all match. |
A- | The player must have performed superbly, setting up goals, scoring goals, making match-winning tackles etc. |
B+ | The player played to a very high standard indeed having been influential throughout the 90 minutes. |
B | This can be achieved if the player had a very good game overall but could be forgiven for making one or two minor mistakes. |
B- | The player put in a performance worthy of special mention for his efforts on the pitch or otherwise having a good game. |
C+ | A mark for players who have had an average game but at the same time played well in patches and may have had an impact on the final score. |
C | An average performance but not worthy of being dropped for the next game - a competent performance. |
C- | Start thinking about the player's attitude and commitment on the pitch. Showed little effort and was probably invisible for most of the match. |
D+ | Poor game and realistically shouldn't feature in the next game. |
D | This player shouldn't be playing in the near future. |
D- | The player deserves to be fined for his abysmal performance |
E | The player should be sacked |
F | And then shot |
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