Holmes_and_Watson

After the last game, I put up the number of points per game the teams above us would have to drop to get down to the level of the average second place finish. It shows just what a good start they've had. Leicester and Ipswich would both have to have major slumps, and Leeds would have to tail off too. It does offer up some questions on why we've not been able to reach that level. We're on an really long unbeaten run ourselves. Are the clubs above us just that bit better than we could have hoped to be? Or is the system we've built preventing us getting those wins? We have lots of possession. We're very composed at the back and comfortable with short passing moves. We are very patient. We do look to have control and look to move teams around for marginal passing advantages, each building up to creating a chance. However, when teams don't get moved around and our team can't get that extra space, we're a bit stuck. We do create the odd chance, but we're looking at slender leads, with good finishing from few opportunities. The teams around us don't have a lot of the positives listed above that we have. In varying amounts, they give up some of that control for attacking. It does make them more vulnerable, but creates pressure, momentum and pins opponents back. We launched one out wide, like we did when Sule was fit. Like then, when it didn't work, we went back into our passing shell. Second half, they had been told to speed things up. But they simply couldn't do it, within the system and personnel we had out there. Martin trying that is exactly what led to us giving away sloppy passes, a lack of control and conceding the goal. Only when Fraser came on, did we have that direct player needed to offer an alternative. We were very one dimensional up until then. Then the game became more open. Why we had to wait until we were a goal down to our comfortable opponents is something that has to get sorted. Martin can look to the chances we did create, and AA will be disappointed. But a team looking to carve up their opponents and control the game would have had a lot more before our second half efforts. That's what the teams above us do, rather than look to eek out a winning goal and get good possession stats. Were it not for the hypnotic quality of 45 minutes of sideways passing, it would be frustrating to watch a side repeat the same trained routines, knowing they were having no impact on the game.

Martin picks up a card for being animated. Which is more animated than the side he's put out.

Smallbone going for a sideways pass gives it away. Manning not able to keep up and we're back defending. There's been a deadline that tonight.

I thought that was a good chance there too. AA wearing Che's cursed boots?

Nearly. I thought of there.

That looked close from Aribo.

Yay! Good strike.

Instructions being give. Robins telling them to keep it up. Martin showing our lot a map of where their goal is.

KWP down. Our plan to get Holgate some minutes, so he doesn't go home? 🙂

Pooh. Shot on target. Not that powerful, but progress.

I get the feeling Martin told them to up the tempo. Ascended up with them not being able to do that, resulting in a lumped ball forward, a run into no where from Charles, prone to error as we struggle to change. Now one down, and offering nothing at present. Coventry happily soaked up our possession all first half. Now, they can afford to not attack, while we wonder what to do. Subs imminent.

Utter pants of giving the ball away, leading right to a goal. We do this to ourselves. But possession stat still looking great.

Will them hitting the woodwork wake us up?

AA shoots over. Aribo was an earlier option in space.

I shall miss this garden of tranquility. It's still air, making each perfect sound clear and focused. The sound of falling water droplets from the fountain Ripples reaching outwards The sound of feet on footballs Passing, passing, passing Chances few, but meticulously crafted. Our path leads from zen calmness Towards something that will get us a goal.

Commentator questioning Baz, who did well there.

I was about to moan that Aribo too happy to pass sideways and not take it on himself. Then he did just that, going on a driving run, taking it past players, and shutting me up.🙂

Coventry shot. Baz had it covered. Since that doesn't mean it won't go in, it was wide too. 🙂

Aribo has a weird super power to make the ball stick to his foot. 2ctacles there, he wasn't favourite for.

A move of a thousand passes. Over the bar from AA. Patience is our watchword.

Smallbone in like a tackling rocket! 🙂

Like that corner, AA felt he needed a touch. And that allowed them to stop him after a nice through ball. Manning involved a lot tonight. Interesting to see how it balances with KWP

Crumbs! 2 good corners in a row. We've been getting some practice in. We blocked an effort there. But we do look very organised at the back (kiss of death)

I normally hate short corners. But we did really well there. AA's touch alerting their keeper.

Bedders making sure the ref knew that was a foul, stopping any danger. They had a shot well over, from range and a direct, through ball we dealt fine with. They are currently targeting our full back gap. We've had Charles put it in, although whistle had gone. KWP burning his opponent, some good work from Stu and Aribo.