Just got back...
Headless chicken. Possession based football. 3min home debut. Loyalty. Loan claws. We've been well and truly sussed..
These were all talking points.
Briefly....
Our headless chicken play in possession with no structure and relying on second half improved performance is wearing and taxing on the average GasHead.
This is supported by the lack of atmosphere after the 16th minute, when, very rarely, we heard the Mem in full voice until second half where we bothered their Keeper once - a Finley speculation from 25 yards - a regulation standard catch into the belly from someone cumming.
Possession based stats are all very good and well if you get the result you desire more often than not! I disagree with JAB post match comments....he didn't have to pay to watch the stop, side and inside pass from Gordon every time or the non existent threat from the right rendering our flank attack impotent. I did. So did some of you. When does it matter having 58 % possession when you do nothing with it....?
It reminds me of a scenario of Quasimodo having the biggest c0ck in the world - what's the point?
The home debut of Quansah should be judged after 3 mins.... The naivety of no 3rd division football taught him the lesson, where fella should have stayed on his feet - he was well capable - but the challenge invited a fall , which he duly did, resulting in my (after event) m o m losing a bit of pride there.
A fall before a pride, if you will..
I think the trait most football fans will abide by is loyalty. Loyalty to one's club, colours, players etc and ours is no different. Instinctively, I feel loyalty to Belshaw, and to some extent, Evans whom both have performed above expectations before....a number of us felt bemused with both non involvement - which everyone recognised pre match as a risk - and I wonder in the light of the day whether it paid off? Do we have a goalkeeper that inspires more confidence? Are the set pieces being delivered better? Is there a wonder link between defence and attack? Can we find a Keeper to save a penalty? ....I know early days, but for me, er no to all of those fundamental questions.
Which brings us back to loyalty....in my opinion, over the last 3 matches and listening to JAB post match comments, he's made some awful decisions. We've played 3 clubs in the bottom 6 and not even looked like 1 point, let alone winning any of them, and we go on to Lincoln and Ipswich next!......so, how long can anyone remain loyal to a good manager (imo) making bad decisions?
It feels like JAB has hit a wall.
It feels like JAB has dismantled all the hard work to get us where we are, team spirit, never say die attitude etc, submitting to loan claws, yes claws because the keeper situation feels exactly like that.
It feels like JAB is turning BG like where insists on playing out defence when sometimes it's clearly dangerous to do so.
If JAB can't inspire loyalty to Belly and Evans, why should there be any for him when he underperforms regularly just as much ...?
Genuine moments of interest were...
A Sinclair shimmy in first half, graceful and delight to watch that bought him time and space to cross....worth some of the admission fee alone!
Kicking off 1970s handbag style in Tent End....well done us again. In the interest of trying to extract the last £ for paying GasHeads, reducing season ticket seats for that area has encouraged any old hooligan to chuck things at away fans! Or young, apparently...I thought Bogarde had a great cameo, so play him again..
Their number 12....I thought m o m. And their number 42.... amazing continuing to play with a broken leg!!! I mean, you don't see that sort of bravery every day? An athlete, a true wizard of fitness...
So...onto the next match.
"I'm just glad we've got 37 points" someone said to me. Hmmmmmm teams have been relegated on more!
Don't press panic just yet, but...