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I’d like to get down to head quarters more often than I do. Last season I managed only one trip down and that was before the arrival of Rogue junior who despite being photographed sporting the hoops (just in case there’s any argument at a later date) is already curtailing a lot of activities I once considered an inalienable right.

  

My one and only game last year was a midweek game where the clock was well and truly turned back. For 45 minutes saw the R’s produce football that I haven’t seen in twenty years and in truth I’m not sure I’ve ever personally witnessed. Committed, aggressive, slick, controlled and above all intelligent. Buszacky and Rowlands gave a master class in midfield artistry and after 44 minutes a 2-0 lead flattered our opponents. While it’s frustrating that the whistle didn’t blow there and then it shouldn’t detract from the sheer quality of what I’d witnessed.

  

That final minute saw the start of what I can safely say was as good a performance from a forward as I can remember, the fact that it was the seemingly ‘over the hill’ Andrew Cole that produced it was only surprising for that fateful first goal. A dangerous but defendable free kick struck the wall and dropped to the thus far immobile striker…not for long, the blur of movement hurled a missile of a shot post the helpless Camp…in truth I had to watch sky sports news frame by frame to work out how he’d managed it. Notice had been served.

  

The second half was as one sided as the first, shorn of a comfortable lead and Rowlands we retreated into a previous guise and the Cole show took over. We were treated to a master-class of economy of movement, efficient use of the ball and a world-class eye for goal. In the end we were lucky to lose 4-2. Driving back I was, possibly for the first time, amused by Steve Claridge. Hosting that nights phone in, he’d witnessed the first half and having left at half time couldn’t believe we’d been beaten.

  

It wasn’t a classic, bustling centre forwards performance, but it proved once and for all that Cole was a great player.

  

I’m marking by Loftus road debut on Saturday, Home to Forest and guess who’ll be leading their attack…

  

…Andrew Cole!

  

Couldn’t happen again…could it?

  

Rogue Male.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 at 11:21 pm and is filed under Rogue Male. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.