Whose fault - Howard, Osman -- or Martinez?

[TraffordBlue]

I have to disagree with you regarding Howard. The player was not that close so the pass was acceptable, Osmanshould be more aware of whats around him yet he still had plenty of time to play back to howard or move to his left/right with the ball. That probably would have happened if he controlled the ball but he didn't so he has to take 100% blame. If Howard stayed upright and still conceded he would have been slaughtered by the crowd. There is no blame attached to anyone bar Osman.

Get the feeling some people just want Osman as the scapegoat. Remember the Chelsea game at home. Howard was at fault for nearly giving a goal away in that game. It was poor from Osman but Howard should not have played him the ball there. The only thing Osman could have done was give it him straight back, proving that it was a pointless pass in the first place by Howard. Martinez should take some of the blame there too telling them to do that. Passing it out wide like that is one thing but straight down the middle is a massive risk.

 

[davek]

Get the feeling some people just want Osman as the scapegoat. Remember the Chelsea game at home. Howard was at fault for nearly giving a goal away in that game. It was poor from Osman but Howard should not have played him the ball there. The only thing Osman could have done was give it him straight back, proving that it was a pointless pass in the first place by Howard. Martinez should take some of the blame there too telling them to do that. Passing it out wide like that is one thing but straight down the middle is a massive risk.

1) It wasn't his only option to pass back (which he failed abysmally to do, btw). He also had the chance to screen the ball and come away with it. He's a professional footballer IN POSSESSION of the ball. His only other option wasn't to get stripped of the ball was it?

2) Martinez's instructions to get the ball out of our own box by playing it to feet has served us well and got us to this position we now stand at. Shall we scrap it because Osman couldn't do the basics? If you're looking to point the finger at the manager it can only be for playing Osman and not Barkley.

 

[TomDixie]

Osman cocked up his touch, it happens in football.

Howard is more culpable in my opinion, for giving him the hospital pass in the first place and then diving in with his feet to concede the penalty and red card, resulting in the worst case scenario of being 1-0 and down to 10. Two very poor decisions.

1-0 down with 11 men and we'd most likely still win the match.

 

[banno]

Osman cocked up his touch, it happens in football.

Howard is more culpable in my opinion, for giving him the hospital pass in the first place and then diving in with his feet to concede the penalty and red card, resulting in the worst case scenario of being 1-0 and down to 10. Two very poor decisions.

1-0 down with 11 men and we'd most likely still win the match.

Never in a million years was that a hospital pass. It should of been dealt with comfortably.

 

[Blue Truth]

I don't blame Howard for the pass at all but some blame has to go to him for him for his attempted tackle. He really needed to stay on his feet.

 

[ToffeeDan]

Maybe we should concentrate on all the errors. Howard should have been aware of the high pressing from Sunderland, Osman must, by now, be conscious of the number of times he's lost possession with tackles from behind - and not lost his bearings in relation to the oppo and at least have not been shrugged off the ball so easily. So it's a combination of both. When bad things happen - whatever they may be - you have to review why you get into those situations - could you make a different decision etc. etc?

 

[nsno-chris]

The amount of over reaction is unreal on this forum sometimes.

It was not Martinez's fault and it was not Howards fault.

It came down to Osman taking his eye off the ball for a split second and he lost control; to say he his now the worst footballer in the history of the game is total bull****.

What Osman did could have easily happend to Barkley if he was playing.

 

[TomDixie]

Never in a million years was that a hospital pass. It should of been dealt with comfortably.

For the 10 minutes previously Sunderland had switched to a high pressing game. To then play that pass towards Osman, who had run 20 yards towards his own goal and then receives the ball on the edge of the D, facing his own goal and with a Sunderland player on his arse ready to pick up any scraps, was ridiculous. A hospital pass.

What was Osman meant to do with it? Pass it back to Howard?! Completely pointless risk to take.

Really poor decision from Howard, who has all of the play in front of him.

He then tops it off by diving in with his feet, resulting in getting himself sent off and making a bad situation as worse as it possibly could be.

Osman's touch was horrendous, but that can happen to the best of them. The fact that one poor touch like that left their player instantly one on one with the keeper in our box proves he should never have been put in that situation in the first place, at least when Howard could have put the ball anywhere he wanted on the pitch.

 

[SteKelly]

I honestly don't think he will that close to him. I didn't see him until late at the ground to be honest

 

[GoatJR]

It was osmans and howards because howard passed it to him and osman fell over the ball abit and howard tripped over ki so they can have a peno

 

[harry]

I've just watched it again and I cant work out what Osman is trying to do, he seems to be running away from the ball before it has even got to him.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

tbh I dont think there was that much contact tbh, if your gonna make contact though charge out of box and shumacher the tw@.


Blatant dive in front of Park End in 2nd half as well, how come after play had stopped he didn't go back & book him? afterall if it wasn't a pen then it was a dive, it becomes that when they all appeal imo as opposed to 'just a tackle.'

 

[mrb85]

Osman for me. Howard just did the usual goalkeeper thing of panicking.

If Martinez did leave Barkley out because he was on 4 yellows then I agree with that to an extent. We really should be killing off Sunderland without him anyway, but as Barry will be suspended for the next game it'd be much worse if we were without Barkley too.

The lack of logic in htis view is unbelieavable. What exactly is the difference in Barkley missing a game because he goes and picks up a fifth booking, and him missing a game through the manager's choice? And, as yesterdays result showed, please don't answer because Soton was the harder fixture...

 

[harry]

i sit right above where that happened reidy and i have to admit i thought it was a penalty. i haven't seen it on tv tho.

 

[mrb85]

This slaughtering of Osman generally is an absolute disgrace. Osman is a very skilled and accomplished player. Of course he makes mistakes (who doesn't), and of course he lacks inches and strength on the ball (he's in good company there eg Modric). But lets face it if he wasn't lacking in these departments we'd have cashed in on him with a big transfer fee many years ago.

I prefer to listen to those who have played alongside him and against him and he is universally rated by his peers.