Holmes_and_Watson

Imcomplete pass from Smallbone. Just to show he can do one, it seems today. Meanwhile a lovely Stu ball into the box. AA had made the run, and noone else following in on the other side (which Martin has pointed out)

Oh... another nearly one for AA. Lovely run into the middle from him. More of those for him, and the goals will come.

Good to see us shift out a bit quicker in good positions to stop follow up shots from set pieces. Smallbone gets in another block there too.

Stu... ah. good space for the shot.

Smallbone puts in a massive amount of running, and is expected to pick up a lot of roles in the team. Some of the more attacking one, Alcaraz is better at. But he'd be wasted, and possibly not as ogood at a lot of the more defensive, link up and heavy lifitng ones. It will be interesting to see how Martin goes with it.

Note: The following summary doe snot take into account Martin;'s half time team talk, and our ability to chuck away points. 🙂 We showed a bit of everything in that first half. A very comfortable, accomplished performance. Right from the start, we were prepared to take the longer passes, with our players in good spaces to minimise the risk. Sule caused them problems down the left. When they closed up on that, KWP had loads down the right. We favoured the flanks for much of the half for direct attacks, but AA nearly made it three before the break when the space there presented itself. We had spells where we implemented Death By A Thousand Passes, as they were not coming out to us. So, we showed patience there. We moved it at a decent pace for a lot of of the half, and it makes such a difference. We weren't troubled much. One runner where it hit off the back of their leg, that could have led to a chip over Baz. Baz jumping into the back of one of their players, possibly a pen. The ball had been headed out, possibly making it not one. Just have to be sure we play with the same awareness and pace in the second, and not drift into passing it aorund with no intention of an end product.

Oh, just wide from AA. Just the ball he'd been waiting on.

Alcaraz helps the ref with the foul count, and a yellow is shown. 🙂

That's more like it from Baz. Nice and composed.

That was a bit of a rushed pass out by our standards there. We've passed our way out of a lot worse than that.

AA's workrate got us the ball back. But with him out there getting it, we've noone in the middle. It's one thing we could do with being a bit braver at. Making sure we have someone in there, and giving cover for that gap from deeper.

Nice pick out by Bree! Nearly a third.

Thinking that as I typed. Was definitely not pressing "submit reply" when the ball was in their possession down that flank. 🙂

We must secretly want him as Martin's repalcement. 🙂 Possession game - tick Managerial Failure? - If punted by Birningham And has played at the highest level, while still willing to work on a project in the Championship. We'll have to punt our Man CIty-lite ideals, and go for being Man Utd-lite. 🙂

Lovely move there. KWP must be loving getting this freedom. Credit to Martin, for setting things up to allow this.

As they;re now closign down Sule a bit more, KWP is getting room in that advanced right slot. Could get some joy down there. And that's where mixing it up really helps us, and not predicatble passing moves through the middle. Birmingham, aren;t sure which way we're going here.

I thought KWP just barged right into him. Thanks ref.

Offside, but Baz kept it out. Smallbone did get in an early block, where in other days he hasn;t always. So, that's positive too.

Whew! That was a hit. Thankfully form a bit wider, as we've conceded a couple form that distance more centrally. Need to get our momentum back here. And we do. Sule with a lovely run, and Alcaraz with a good run and finish!!!!! Yeeees!!!!

The Southampton sword is sadly a foam one used in LARPing. 🙂

Nice from Bednarek. When we play the shorte poossession game, they get to reset and we don;t get to see Sule's real pace. That was a nice loger pass, giving Sule a chance. A few mnore of those will be nice, as Sule will be a real handful if they push up.

Good work again by Smallbone, getting into a good position. Cross just a bit too long.

An awkward one form them over the top. Baz was running out, but it hit off the guy's heel, so we'll thankfully never know if that was going to be another chip over our keeper.

Did enough to block for a corner there. We were harrying them, but without really stopping them for a few seconds. Corner...

We had been building it. Trying different things. Testing them out. Really nice to see a ball into the box for a headed goal. Nice finish, and good to see we can create a mix of chances (that one was just a minute or two, after a low ball across the box, and a cross to the centrte form the other flank).