Holmes_and_Watson

Oh Noes!!!!!!! Baz chipped!

Adams making sure to block their 'keeper from our corner. Smart considering our record there. 🙂

Fraser looking for those cutbacks. Let's hope Adams will get on the end of one of them.

Crumbs! I had that one going in from Smallbone! Cracking move, and effort.

The changes, not unexpectedly, open us up to make a couple of errors. Which is what Rotherham have been waiting on all game. So, we'll have to stay focused and structured to deal with that; sharper to not give away errors and be ready ourselves to take advantage. Edozie a little rusty after a few games out. Again, to be expected.

Subs.... Arma, Stu and Sulemana off Alcaraz, Fraser and Edozie on More direct with Alcaraz and extra dribbling with Fraser and Edozie to hopefully open up a defence happy enough to sit back, hoping for a break.

Stu...Blazes it Over!

Booking surely! Sulemana did really well there.

That's the second Rotherham ball that could have caused problems had it had the quality to be a complete pass. Not enough to be worrying, but it's just that one goal margin.

Smallbone getting some crossing practice in today. Since he takes up so many poisitons in any game, he's being asked to have a lot of different skills.

Suleman gets it across, beating his man. No real chance of a tap in from anyone, but getting there.

We did a long hoof there, which is a least a little different. It'll be interesting to see how much Martin has instructed the team to break them down, even when we have a lead, and how he's getting them to do that.

Rotherham happy to sit deep. So we've had 100% possession. We've not done anything with it. And we give it away fro a throw in. Now we're one up, so this isn;t something that's as important as it stands. But just a reminder that it would good so see us make the most of such attacks by being a bit more incisive, when possession alone isn;t enough.

12 efforts on goal, 5 on target, 1.5 million passes... A number of nearly efforts too. 80.2% posesson Lovely early goal, and excellent work from Stu. We were patient, we kept good structure across the pitch in and out of possessioon. Lots of work from Smallbone, The Armstrongs and others. Sulemana offers a good outlet. There were a few occassions when a better, attracking pass was available. But 1) there's always going to be that and 2) there were a lot fewer of them than before, indicating a team confident in Martin's instructions faced with a side happy to let them grow into that confidence. They changed their shape, which gave them several minutes of being able to close down the gaps. But we were creating chances again before the break. On the occassions when we gave it away, or when Rotherham got forward, we had plenty back and there was cover. Another plus after some previous shambles. I'm not sure I'm ever going to fully like the pace of MartinBall. It's never comfortable on a single goal lead, but we're as in comand as we can be without a second.

Needed a tap in from Manning's ball. Anyone in the middle. Perhaps we're just not used to having a finisher up front, so we don;t have anyone in there.

Little stats bar has us with 11 shots and 5 on target,.

Arma had to really take a touch on that one, which meant the sapce had gone. Smallbone agian linking it up. Good game from him.

Another nearly one. Adams keeps it down well as he's going over...

Starting to get those spaces back, after several minutes when their back 3 was restricting it.

We gave a way a freekick, Sulemana gets booked. However, around that, Downes to start with but others had solid defensive shape. An improvement on earlier games when we gave it way.

A Stu free kick.... but Manning takes it... An Adams header.... Saved.... Bah!

Rotherham making a sub and switching tactics. Let's see how easily we get past this set up. Manager chatting to departing player to explain.

ooooooh. That would have been lovely. Smallbone doing well initially with a cross. When it comes back, he sets up AA and KWP. it's hard work by KWP to get it back and get it into the middle. Any one of these just needs that finish...

Martin will be very pleased with that. Loads of passes around part of our defence. Nice and comfortable, with no rush or panic, and we get it across to the other side. Good work from Smallbone. Lovely pass, and when it comes back he sets up another move. Rotherham get an attack, just to remind us that a second would be nice to get.

A central clearlance from Baz there. It goes to the opposisiton, showing that he can be like other 'keepers when he wants to be. 🙂