23-10-2016, 12:52
Three More Points!
We started to show some better football yesterday, probably our best of the season at home & close to the way we played at Brentford. We still only won 1-0 and were only one mistake away from letting victory slip from our grasp. It would be nice to be able to relax after an hour, knowing that a match is won but for now, we are winning by grit and determination.
Westwood failed a fitness test so Dawson got his first start, Hunt was given a chance as Palmer was rested while Bannan was restored at Abdi's expense. We always looked pretty much in control and actually took the lead before half time when Hooper cleverly diverted Jones' mishit shot past the keeper from close range.
We went close several times but never really forced Smithies into any tricky saves. We did put a few shots just past the post, Pudil hit the bar when it was easier to score and we constantly hit the ball across their six yard box. This was our big step forward because we could easily have scored three or four if a striker could get on the end of them.
Dawson - 7
Hunt - 7
Lees - 7
Hutchinson - 8
Pudil - 6
Bannan - 7
Lee - 6
Jones - 8
Reach - 6
Fessi - 7
Hooper - 7
..................................
Palmer - 7
Fletcher - 6
Wallace - 6
Hunt played much better than he usually does although he was caught out of position a few times. Palmer made two great goal saving tackles within minutes of coming on and showed why he has been favoured at RB by CC in recent weeks.
Stat Attack:
Goals: 1 - Hooper
Assists: 1 - Jones
Touches: 83 - Bannan, 73 - Pudil, Jones, 71 - Hutchinson, 63 - Lees, Fessi, 48 - Hunt, 46 - Lee, Reach, 42 - Dawson, 26 - Hooper, 12 - Palmer, 10 - Fletcher, 9 - Wallace
Tackles: 4 - Hutchinson, Bannan, Lee, 3 - Hunt, 2 - Jones, Fessi, Palmer, 1 - Pudil, Reach
Interceptions: 6 - Hutchinson, 2 - Lees, 1 - Jones, Reach
Clearances: 6 - Lees, 3 - Hutchinson, 2 - Pudil, 1 - Hunt, Bannan
Attempts: 5 - Fessi, 3 - Pudil, Reach, 1 - Jones, Hooper
Attempts On Target: 1 - Fessi, Hooper
Key Passes: 2 - Lee, Jones, Fessi, 1 - Pudil, Bannan, Reach, Fletcher
Dribbles: 2 - Fessi, 1 - Pudil, Bannan
Dispossessed: 2 - Bannan, Reach, 1 - Hunt, Pudil, Fessi
Bad Control: 2 - Lee, Fessi, 1 - Pudil, Reach, Hooper, Fletcher
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 6 - Hunt (0), 5 - Pudil (0), 4 - Jones (3), Reach (0), 3 - Bannan (1), Fessi (1), 2 - Lee (1)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
100% - Wallace (4), 85% - Jones (60), 84% - Bannan (67), 80% - Hooper (20), 78% - Lees (51), Hutchinson (55), 76% - Fessi (38), 75% - Reach (28), 74% - Lee (31), 72% - Pudil (46), 71% - Palmer (7), 67% - Hunt (24), 63% - Fletcher (8), 39% - Dawson (33)
Seven points out of nine this week against the league leaders and two teams in the middle of good runs is pleasing and consolidates our position in the top six. Three of our next four are away at Derby, Fulham & Wolves so it is useful that we are getting it together on the road. None of those matches will be easy but they are all winnable.
We started to show some better football yesterday, probably our best of the season at home & close to the way we played at Brentford. We still only won 1-0 and were only one mistake away from letting victory slip from our grasp. It would be nice to be able to relax after an hour, knowing that a match is won but for now, we are winning by grit and determination.
Westwood failed a fitness test so Dawson got his first start, Hunt was given a chance as Palmer was rested while Bannan was restored at Abdi's expense. We always looked pretty much in control and actually took the lead before half time when Hooper cleverly diverted Jones' mishit shot past the keeper from close range.
We went close several times but never really forced Smithies into any tricky saves. We did put a few shots just past the post, Pudil hit the bar when it was easier to score and we constantly hit the ball across their six yard box. This was our big step forward because we could easily have scored three or four if a striker could get on the end of them.
Dawson - 7
Hunt - 7
Lees - 7
Hutchinson - 8
Pudil - 6
Bannan - 7
Lee - 6
Jones - 8
Reach - 6
Fessi - 7
Hooper - 7
..................................
Palmer - 7
Fletcher - 6
Wallace - 6
Hunt played much better than he usually does although he was caught out of position a few times. Palmer made two great goal saving tackles within minutes of coming on and showed why he has been favoured at RB by CC in recent weeks.
Stat Attack:
Goals: 1 - Hooper
Assists: 1 - Jones
Touches: 83 - Bannan, 73 - Pudil, Jones, 71 - Hutchinson, 63 - Lees, Fessi, 48 - Hunt, 46 - Lee, Reach, 42 - Dawson, 26 - Hooper, 12 - Palmer, 10 - Fletcher, 9 - Wallace
Tackles: 4 - Hutchinson, Bannan, Lee, 3 - Hunt, 2 - Jones, Fessi, Palmer, 1 - Pudil, Reach
Interceptions: 6 - Hutchinson, 2 - Lees, 1 - Jones, Reach
Clearances: 6 - Lees, 3 - Hutchinson, 2 - Pudil, 1 - Hunt, Bannan
Attempts: 5 - Fessi, 3 - Pudil, Reach, 1 - Jones, Hooper
Attempts On Target: 1 - Fessi, Hooper
Key Passes: 2 - Lee, Jones, Fessi, 1 - Pudil, Bannan, Reach, Fletcher
Dribbles: 2 - Fessi, 1 - Pudil, Bannan
Dispossessed: 2 - Bannan, Reach, 1 - Hunt, Pudil, Fessi
Bad Control: 2 - Lee, Fessi, 1 - Pudil, Reach, Hooper, Fletcher
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 6 - Hunt (0), 5 - Pudil (0), 4 - Jones (3), Reach (0), 3 - Bannan (1), Fessi (1), 2 - Lee (1)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
100% - Wallace (4), 85% - Jones (60), 84% - Bannan (67), 80% - Hooper (20), 78% - Lees (51), Hutchinson (55), 76% - Fessi (38), 75% - Reach (28), 74% - Lee (31), 72% - Pudil (46), 71% - Palmer (7), 67% - Hunt (24), 63% - Fletcher (8), 39% - Dawson (33)
Seven points out of nine this week against the league leaders and two teams in the middle of good runs is pleasing and consolidates our position in the top six. Three of our next four are away at Derby, Fulham & Wolves so it is useful that we are getting it together on the road. None of those matches will be easy but they are all winnable.
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.