[Statesideowl]

How many minutes since we last scored a goal from open play?

[madsteve]

This was a scruffy performance but it was three points albeit against a terrible side, courtesy of a penalty. It is over four and a half hours without a goal from open play, all against teams in the bottom half.

The only effort of any significance in the opening half hour was May looping his shot just high & wide under pressure from the keeper as he burst clear. Our best attacking moments of the first half were when Palmer & Mattock overlapped to give us an extra attacker.

The match was won when May crossed from the right but the ball was blocked by Clarke. May (who's momentum had taken him off the pitch) chased back & just beat Clarke to the ball. Clarke stupidly barged him over right in front of the linesman. It was a clear penalty as seen from the north stand although the view on the TV coverage is inconclusive.

Maguire sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

Blackpool should have been level moments later after a Semedo mistake. Palmer was left exposed and Eagles ran clear into our box. However despite two team mates ideally placed for a tap in, he greedily went for goal & missed it.

We were unfortunate not to double our lead when Maguire's pull back was deflected on to the bar & May flashed a bullet header over from Palmer's cross.

Again we were nearly undone when our midfield let Blackpool have a free run at our full back and Miller turned the ball in but with his hand. Fortunately the eagle eyed linesman saw it & he was yellow carded.

It was then the turn of the two keepers to shine as Lewis performed acrobatics to keep out May's header and Westwood kept out Miller's close range effort brilliantly.

After that we decided to close the game down and use up time rather than go for another goal. Lee & Nuhui gave McGugan & May a rest although neither added anything to the team. Miller got an injury time red card for a very late challenge on Lees.

Westwood - 9 - it would have been a draw but for that save
Palmer - 6 - solid defensively, got forward intelligently but left exposed a few times
Lees - 6 - three mistakes, not quite as convincing
Dielna - 6 - a couple of errors but Loovens hardly missed
Mattock - 6 - tidy, got forward well
Drenthe - 6 - flashes of brilliance
Semedo - 6 - made mistakes but chased back to win it back
McGugan - 7 - quiet first half but controlled the second half
Helan - 6 - a couple of runs but less effective
Maguire - 5 - looked lost up front & gradually drifted back to midfield, perfect penalty
May - 7 - good movement & unlucky not to score, won penalty
.......................................................
Lee - 5 - barely involved
Nuhui - 5 - barely involved, one good defensive header

A welcome three points but we looked pretty poor at home against the worst team in the division. If we play like that every match then we will probably hit the bottom three by mid March. We were as bad as we were in our previous two matches. It was just that Blackpool were hopeless. Having said that, without an Eagle eyed linesman, it could have been the other way round with no penalty & the hand ball goal allowed.

The three points give us breathing space but no-one should be fooled into thinking that things are getting better on the pitch. We aren't quite in a tailspin yet but we appear to have no plan, little shape & our tactics constantly leave our defence exposed. If we continue to play like that, it will be a terrible second half of the season.

What could save us is that the cut line should be lower this season and the teams currently in the bottom eight have collectively won just three out of 24 matches. This shouldn't lull anyone into thinking that we are doing ok. We are not.

Another factor is the style of play is generally boring. There were a few good flicks but crowds this season are lower than last season & that is largely down to boring football & very few goals. Six goals (including two deflected free kicks & a penalty) in 18 hours of football at home is driving the fans away.

We have some good players in Westwood, Lees, McGugan, Hutchinson (if he ever gets fit), Drenthe & May with solid performers in Palmer, Mattock and Helan, who all should improve. Our problem is that they are not gelling as a team and I just fear that if something isn't done soon then we may lose our better players.

The word to sum up yesterday was RELIEF. Had we only drawn then the knives would be being sharpened today for SG. As it is, he guarantees himself another month to turn us into a team with third bottom Wigan (five points from 27) and freefalling Forest (14 points out of 48) up next with a cup tie at Man City sandwiched in the middle.

The cup tie isn't important unless we take another tonking. Our destiny will be decided by if we can take advantage of teams who are as equally poor as ourselves. We couldn't with Wolves but we did with Blackpool. Wins against Wigan & Forest will ease all pressure but defeats should sound the warning bells even for the most optimistic of Owls.

I look at this season as an opportunity missed. It is the weakest Championship for years with several hopeless sides like Blackpool, Leeds, Millwall, Brighton, Wigan, Huddersfield & Rotherham. The relegated sides (Norwich, Cardiff & Fulham) have underperformed so far which has opened the door for well organised clubs with a decent manager. Ipswich & Bournemouth could take advantage & I can't help but think that it could have been us.

Those four wins in our opening eight matches should be enough to save us but 16 points from the last 15 matches should spell
it out loud & clear that we are now a far worse side than we were a year ago in SG's first month in charge.

On a positive note, it doesn't take much to turn things round in this division. Bolton, Fulham & Birmingham have all joined us in mid table after being in the bottom three a couple of months ago. If we could go on a similar run........who knows?

[Wellowlbe...]

Mad Steve, that was a terrific post; you summed up our season perfectly and I couldn't agree more.
Ok, brown nosing over....  
HNY y'all

[Statesideowl]

Absolutely, can't disagree with anything in that post MS.

Over 4 hours without creating a goal from open play is shocking. We've now scored as many as the mighty Blackpool! And 6 goals in 18 hours at home is beyond dismal.

I didn't think there was a great deal of difference between the two teams yesterday, only that we have a keeper whom has single-handedly kept us in games otherwise we'd be resting on Blackpool's shoulders IMO ( Not meaning to take away any praise from the solid CB displays this season from Lee's & Loovens )

We started the season so well, gradually negative tactics and poor game plans have cost us dearly reducing our season to a more likely push for mid-table (12th or 13th) When I think of the points we've thrown away you can't help but believe it could have been us in the top 6 for Christmas as MS says.

At least this season won't be another relegation battle, it's just such a shame when the chance has gone begging.

[Southeyowl]

Westwood is a cracking keeper, but that save actually hit his head!

He did not know much about it! Price's save from May's header was 1st class!

[madsteve]

Westwood is a cracking keeper, but that save actually hit his head!

He did not know much about it! Price's save from May's header was 1st class!

Westwood threw himself at the striker. I am still not certain what it hit.

Credit also to Palmer for being first to the rebound.

[Daffodils on the piano]

Fook me I've only just sobered up,from yesterday,did we win,what a fookin great day out.Thing is I'm getting too old for getting pissed,takes too long to recover but it was funny as fook,I think.

[Statesideowl]

No doubt 'that save' is over hyped, it looked to me also that it hit Westwood in the side of the face, making himself big was the right move as he was uncertain where the ball was.. I mean Miller was only 2 yards away with a good header the only person whom could've tracked that ball with their eyes would have to be Superman!
More often than not, Westwood has pulled off some great saves.

All credit to their keeper for saving May's header, he looked a big lad but somehow got down very quickly.

[OvalOwl]

Over 4 hours without creating a goal from open play is shocking.

The reason for this is painfully obvious. Whenever we get the ball out wide there is NOBODY in the box. I lost count of the number of times Blackpool had six or more back marking three players one either side and one somewhere outside the D.

Still we did win and I just managed to escape from Sheffield. That bus that got stuck up Meadowhead left Pond Street just before mine (there was a reyt argument when my bus turned up before their relief) but we went round by the Parkway and Prince of Wales Road. It still took us over an hour and a half to get to Chezzie mind!

[madsteve]

Over 4 hours without creating a goal from open play is shocking.

The reason for this is painfully obvious. Whenever we get the ball out wide there is NOBODY in the box. I lost count of the number of times Blackpool had six or more back marking three players one either side and one somewhere outside the D.  

Still we did win and I just managed to escape from Sheffield. That bus that got stuck up Meadowhead left Pond Street just before mine (there was a reyt argument when my bus turned up before their relief) but we went round by the Parkway and Prince of Wales Road. It still took us over an hour and a half to get to Chezzie mind!

We were commenting yesterday how rarely Maguire gets in the box. Pretty much only May gets into the box.

I think playing 352 would help us to get more men into the box.