My Wembley trip and thoughts

My Day
It has to be said that this was my best trip to Wembley, maybe it was that I didn’t have such great expectations compared to previous trips. Maybe it didn’t seem so daunting having been three times and now knew what to expect.
Previous trips I had been up on a normal coach and after nearly missing kick off last year due to it breaking down I decided to go for something a bit better. I couldn’t have asked for more, a party mini bus with some great people, could plug in the Iphone to the stereo and have it was blasting. Had plasma screens for films, or Karoke, disco lights and even a pole dancing pole, the set up was brilliant as we could even stand in it. Not too crowded either which was idea, all food, all drink all in for £50 – BARGAIN, spent £65 all day (usually way around £150 but substandard transport). Only thing lacking was of course a toilet but it was good to visit all the services on the way lol)
So many funny moment of the day but the funniest or oddest has to be turning up to the first services, the driver had an 80’s CD on which was fine, we were all a bit tired and just getting into the day and swing of things. Anyway we pulled up, open the doors and the sound was blasting, song changed to track number 7 which happened to be “Girls just want to have fun” :/ Christ we had some odd looks by a packed out services station car park lol. Did we care?? Noooo lol. We soon decided to put our own music on though.

The team and the game
Prior to the game I was fully confident of the team, depending if McPhail was fit or if Conway and Mason would start. When it was announced I was amazed to see Rudy, Miller and Mason inthe same team. I felt he had got it wrong but I was wrong very wrong, tactically he got it so very right. We played so narrow and allowed them to play wide, Enrique and Johnson had so much room but we were so tight in the middle they could do little. Most shots coming from outside the box, we limited them. We got men behind the ball and defending brilliantly, people say its “Anti Football”? nonsense, they know nothing about football. We were never going to go to Wembley and out play Liverpool. We had to go with a game plan and we did it brilliantly.

Heaton 9 – What a safe pair of hands, a very good keeper and so pleased for him to have a big day. What a save from the S.Gerrards Pen

McNaughton 8 – struggled early on a little but grew into the game, covered in the middle a number of times. Involved in Masons goal.

Hudson 9 – Risky bringing him back after injury but he proved his manager right, top defending and I believe he can still play in the prem if we go up.

Turner 9 – Block, tackle, score, Christ he earned his money. A captain of the future for our club.

Taylor 8 – had an easier job than Kev with Enrique and Henderson but did his job well, calm collected and got forward well.

Mason 8 – What a bargain this kid is, got forward well but covered in midfield, gave us that extra edge I felt. His finish for
the goal was top draw

Gunnarsson 7 – I don’t like him playing infront of the back four personally, seems wasted but did a job, so much more to come from this lad. MM best signing.

Witts 8 – Calm collected and kept things going, kept possession so well and such an influence on the team. It was clear to see how much the others look up to him.

Cowie 8 – Brilliant game, seemed to have the experience of the big occasion, aware of what was happening around him.

Miller 7 – hard for bother strikers because Liverpool were always going to have attack more. Worked so hard and his set up play for Masons goal was top draw. Unlucky with his 88m strike after a brilliant touch. An inch away from the perfect pen but thats still two pens in succession off target.

Rudy 7 – A thankless role upfront, it was almost mission impossible but he kept working, rarely lost a header and held the ball up better than he ever has for us. He brought other into the game and a massive asset on set pieces defensively.

SUBS
Kiss 7 –came on and gave us the energy and legs we needed in a key position at a massively important time.

Gerrard 6 – Shame we didn’t have a better player to come on, not good enough. Should have done better with the clearance that lead to Kuyts goal and the penalty was just terrible but at least he had the guts to take one

Blake 7 – freshened it up and did well.

MM 9/10 I think he got everything spot on, when I heard the team I didn’t agree at all but thats why he is the manager. Im not sure who decided who took the pens but Gerrard shouldn’t have been put in that position.
Ref 8/10 Let the game flowed but it wasn’t a nasty game, played some very odd advantages but did well.

Atmosphere
Best atmosphere at Wembley for me, didn’t feel that horribke tense feeling like against Blackpool. I was massively surprised at Liverpool fans though, very quiet, other than YMWA at intervals they had no vocals at all. I felt us Cardiff fans did us proud, even the Liverpool players Kuyd, Gerrard and even that tw*t of a manager Danglish mentioned us.

Summary
PROUD and thankful to our great club for another unbelievable day at Wembley, and memories I will never forget.

Spot on

Regarding Gerrard taking a penalty - I've been pondering it ever since he stepped up to take it. The only reasons I could possibly evoke are a) nobody else wanted to take one so he had to be chosen/take responsibility and b) everyone else was knackered and he was a lot fresher than the majority of them so he was selected.

When you going to go away with us again Luke ? fair play you had a great day.

Spot on

Regarding Gerrard taking a penalty - I've been pondering it ever since he stepped up to take it. The only reasons I could possibly evoke are a) nobody else wanted to take one so he had to be chosen/take responsibility and b) everyone else was knackered and he was a lot fresher than the majority of them so he was selected.

He was next in line against Palace as well, I just assumed he would smack it hard down the middle.
Gunnarrsson and Taylor id have thought would be better options as both great strikers of a ball but like you say so many factors, who is to know.

When you going to go away with us again Luke ? fair play you had a great day.

Havent been able to afford an away trip for a while Annis but hopefully some again towards the end of the season, always a good trip on the forum bus

When you going to go away with us again Luke ? fair play you had a great day.

Havent been able to afford an away trip for a while Annis but hopefully some again towards the end of the season, always a good trip on the forum bus

Yes and I always like a good debate with you.

When you going to go away with us again Luke ? fair play you had a great day.

Havent been able to afford an away trip for a while Annis but hopefully some again towards the end of the season, always a good trip on the forum bus

Yes and I always like a good debate with you.

Probably a lot more agreeing now DJ has gone
We'll have to start debating past and present owners

Spot on

Regarding Gerrard taking a penalty - I've been pondering it ever since he stepped up to take it. The only reasons I could possibly evoke are a) nobody else wanted to take one so he had to be chosen/take responsibility and b) everyone else was knackered and he was a lot fresher than the majority of them so he was selected.

He was next in line against Palace as well, I just assumed he would smack it hard down the middle.
Gunnarrsson and Taylor id have thought would be better options as both great strikers of a ball but like you say so many factors, who is to know.

To be fair Gunnarson could barely walk at that point and I think Taylor was having trouble too.


My choices would have been a mix of the subs Miller, Cowie and Whitts.

Spot on

Regarding Gerrard taking a penalty - I've been pondering it ever since he stepped up to take it. The only reasons I could possibly evoke are a) nobody else wanted to take one so he had to be chosen/take responsibility and b) everyone else was knackered and he was a lot fresher than the majority of them so he was selected.

He was next in line against Palace as well, I just assumed he would smack it hard down the middle.
Gunnarrsson and Taylor id have thought would be better options as both great strikers of a ball but like you say so many factors, who is to know.

To be fair Gunnarson could barely walk at that point and I think Taylor was having trouble too.


My choices would have been a mix of the subs Miller, Cowie and Whitts.

Yeah it all had to be considered, cant really imagine Blake taking a pen and couldnt imagine Gerrard taking one either (wish I never seen now). Kiss potentially but who knows. We will never know now.

Spot on

Regarding Gerrard taking a penalty - I've been pondering it ever since he stepped up to take it. The only reasons I could possibly evoke are a) nobody else wanted to take one so he had to be chosen/take responsibility and b) everyone else was knackered and he was a lot fresher than the majority of them so he was selected.

He was next in line against Palace as well, I just assumed he would smack it hard down the middle.
Gunnarrsson and Taylor id have thought would be better options as both great strikers of a ball but like you say so many factors, who is to know.

I've no idea who was next in line against Palace. For some reason thought McPhail but then remembered he'd been subbed and I was getting the Palace game confused with the Leicester play-off semi-final shoot-out

That's the best option (IMO anyway) when there's pressure on you in a shoot-out; smash it as hard as you can, preferably down the middle or in either of the bottom corners. And those two (Gunnarsson and Taylor) were the ones that were in my mind as well, yeah. Gunnarsson was the most affected by cramp I think so Taylor would've been the best option I think. Nice striker of the ball.

But I guess we'll never know.

Gerrard Tweeted after Palace that he was next to take a pen if it had gone that far

If Rudy and Miller were an inch more accurate we wouldnt have even needed Gerrard to take on, thats how close it was

Gerrard Tweeted after Palace that he was next to take a pen if it had gone that far

If Rudy and Miller were an inch more accurate we wouldnt have even needed Gerrard to take on, thats how close it was

Oh yeah, seem to remember him saying something!

That's the thing - of all of the missed penalties, only Adam's was truly atrocious. Gerrard can count himself a victim of one of the BEST penalty saves I've ever seen, Rudy and Kenny were very unlucky as is anyone who hits the woodwork, and our Gerrard's penalty wasn't the best but it was narrowly wide, not miles wide like Adam's. Should've blasted it though, John Arne Riise style

You was a bit hard on Gerrard Chief as he came on in the thick of the battle in the most important HECTIC position.
The rest was spot on, and i thought Cowie had his best ever game for us on Sunday

You was a bit hard on Gerrard Chief as he came on in the thick of the battle in the most important HECTIC position.
The rest was spot on, and i thought Cowie had his best ever game for us on Sunday

Never liked him, never rated him and he did nothing to change my mind.
I can see why MM was looking at other CB's.

His pen was poor but I praise him for taking one.