05-06-2015, 13:56
January
This was a mixed bag. After a very creditable performance in the FA Cup at Man City, we followed it up with an excellent performance and win at Forest. Ok, Forest were in freefall at this time but it shouldn't take away from a very good performance. Lee continued his habit of scoring on the road & Maguire sealed the win with a second just after half time. After that it was just a question of how many we would score.
I didn't rate this win as good as the one at Boro because Boro were a decent team whereas Forest were a mess.
Forest 0-2 WEDNESDAY
The following week it was back to the bad ways with a home defeat against Bolton. In one way, we were unlucky but we brought all the problems on ourselves by sloppy errors & ill discipline.
Bolton scored two early goals then we got a fortunate penalty. After that Bolton defended & looked to attack on the counter. We were unlucky to have a May goal ruled out for offside (it wasn't). Hutchinson stupidly got himself sent off for two yellow card offences after already being warned. After that we threw everything at it and Dielna hit the post in stoppage time.
WEDNESDAY 1-2 Bolton
Birmingham were next in town & it was another boring 0-0 draw. We managed just one shot on target in the whole match, which neither side deserved to win. This was when SG raised the issue of the pitch for the first time.
WEDNESDAY 0-0 Birmingham
We finished the month with an insipid defeat at Reading. Reading had slipped into the relegation battle but we played with no invention & capitulated easily. We showed some signs of life in the second half but by then the damage was done as Reading had converted two first half crosses as our defence was again weak. I came away embarrassed at our performance.
Reading 2-0 WEDNESDAY
Already our season was over with the Playoffs & relegation both highly unlikely.
My hope was that SG would use the remainder of the season to experiment with younger players and different formations.
This was a mixed bag. After a very creditable performance in the FA Cup at Man City, we followed it up with an excellent performance and win at Forest. Ok, Forest were in freefall at this time but it shouldn't take away from a very good performance. Lee continued his habit of scoring on the road & Maguire sealed the win with a second just after half time. After that it was just a question of how many we would score.
I didn't rate this win as good as the one at Boro because Boro were a decent team whereas Forest were a mess.
Forest 0-2 WEDNESDAY
The following week it was back to the bad ways with a home defeat against Bolton. In one way, we were unlucky but we brought all the problems on ourselves by sloppy errors & ill discipline.
Bolton scored two early goals then we got a fortunate penalty. After that Bolton defended & looked to attack on the counter. We were unlucky to have a May goal ruled out for offside (it wasn't). Hutchinson stupidly got himself sent off for two yellow card offences after already being warned. After that we threw everything at it and Dielna hit the post in stoppage time.
WEDNESDAY 1-2 Bolton
Birmingham were next in town & it was another boring 0-0 draw. We managed just one shot on target in the whole match, which neither side deserved to win. This was when SG raised the issue of the pitch for the first time.
WEDNESDAY 0-0 Birmingham
We finished the month with an insipid defeat at Reading. Reading had slipped into the relegation battle but we played with no invention & capitulated easily. We showed some signs of life in the second half but by then the damage was done as Reading had converted two first half crosses as our defence was again weak. I came away embarrassed at our performance.
Reading 2-0 WEDNESDAY
Already our season was over with the Playoffs & relegation both highly unlikely.
My hope was that SG would use the remainder of the season to experiment with younger players and different formations.
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.