09-03-2015, 14:11
Accidentally On Purpose
So after a tiring weekend, I do my match review a little late. I could actually have written this on Friday as the game went exactly as I predicted.
We start sluggishly
Nuhui misses sitter
We improve after half time
We score a goal then sit back
We win 1-0 against a bottom three side
We have seen this exact performance five times previously against the three sides (except Millwall got injury time equaliser back in August) destined for L1 next season.
We might be a poorly organised side with poor tactics but we sure know how to put away the terrible sides. That's 16 points out of 18 against Millwall, Wigan & Blackpool.
As usual, we started with no real purpose and neither side created anything until Nuhui had a free header from six yards but he headed over.
We started the second half better and took the lead in semi fortuitous circumstances. McGugan swung the ball in from wide on the left with a free kick, which was missed by everybody & nestled in the far corner. While this was fortunate, it was earned because the ball was put into the area that defences hate. We have wasted free kicks for many years but in McGugan, we have a player who has excellent delivery and can score goals.
After that we had a few more half chances and shots from distance but even though we sat back, Blackpool never really looked like scoring.
Westwood - 6 - no shots to save
Palmer - 7 - got forward better
Lees - 7 - important headers & blocks
Dielna - 6 - mixed distribution
Helan - 6 - got forward, couple of shots blocked
Lee - 6 - quiet game
Hutchinson - injured
McGugan - 8 - assured, match winner
Maguire - 6 - mixed afternoon
Nuhui - 5 - missed great chance
Keane 6 - linked play well
........................................................
Vermijl - 6 - eased back into side
Mattock - hardly involved
SG was reported as saying that goalscoring midfielders are a dying breed. Maybe he hasn't noticed Gerrard, Lampard & Yaya Toure in the PL or even Leadbitter (12), Antonio (11), Ritchie (11), Sako (11), Johnson (10), Lansbury (9), Mowatt (8), Pritchard (8) Pugh (8) - all on course for double figures in the Championship. Maybe he has a blind spot with Antonio but he should be aware of the others. That said, McGugan is a player we must add in the summer as the chants of "Sign Him Up" from the fans made clear.
We learned nothing from this match that we didn't already know. 442 doesn't work for us, we don't create enough & we miss chances.
I really feel this was another missed opportunity to try a different formation and really go for it. If we are to make a serious promotion push next season, we have got to be able to do far better than beat L1 standard teams by a single goal. Happy with another win but we need to do much better if we are to move forward.
Should be another win against Fulham next week but after that we will play games that will show how good we really are.
So after a tiring weekend, I do my match review a little late. I could actually have written this on Friday as the game went exactly as I predicted.
We start sluggishly
Nuhui misses sitter
We improve after half time
We score a goal then sit back
We win 1-0 against a bottom three side
We have seen this exact performance five times previously against the three sides (except Millwall got injury time equaliser back in August) destined for L1 next season.
We might be a poorly organised side with poor tactics but we sure know how to put away the terrible sides. That's 16 points out of 18 against Millwall, Wigan & Blackpool.
As usual, we started with no real purpose and neither side created anything until Nuhui had a free header from six yards but he headed over.
We started the second half better and took the lead in semi fortuitous circumstances. McGugan swung the ball in from wide on the left with a free kick, which was missed by everybody & nestled in the far corner. While this was fortunate, it was earned because the ball was put into the area that defences hate. We have wasted free kicks for many years but in McGugan, we have a player who has excellent delivery and can score goals.
After that we had a few more half chances and shots from distance but even though we sat back, Blackpool never really looked like scoring.
Westwood - 6 - no shots to save
Palmer - 7 - got forward better
Lees - 7 - important headers & blocks
Dielna - 6 - mixed distribution
Helan - 6 - got forward, couple of shots blocked
Lee - 6 - quiet game
Hutchinson - injured
McGugan - 8 - assured, match winner
Maguire - 6 - mixed afternoon
Nuhui - 5 - missed great chance
Keane 6 - linked play well
........................................................
Vermijl - 6 - eased back into side
Mattock - hardly involved
SG was reported as saying that goalscoring midfielders are a dying breed. Maybe he hasn't noticed Gerrard, Lampard & Yaya Toure in the PL or even Leadbitter (12), Antonio (11), Ritchie (11), Sako (11), Johnson (10), Lansbury (9), Mowatt (8), Pritchard (8) Pugh (8) - all on course for double figures in the Championship. Maybe he has a blind spot with Antonio but he should be aware of the others. That said, McGugan is a player we must add in the summer as the chants of "Sign Him Up" from the fans made clear.
We learned nothing from this match that we didn't already know. 442 doesn't work for us, we don't create enough & we miss chances.
I really feel this was another missed opportunity to try a different formation and really go for it. If we are to make a serious promotion push next season, we have got to be able to do far better than beat L1 standard teams by a single goal. Happy with another win but we need to do much better if we are to move forward.
Should be another win against Fulham next week but after that we will play games that will show how good we really are.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.