Just got back!
What another brilliant result against credible opponents! Does that make us a credible team?
Probably the best and most entertaining 0-0 I've seen in a while where anyone could have nicked it, and I thought we had the best chance of the match on 90 mins where Ollie clean through....he pointed where he wanted it and (a re insurged) Nichols played him in exactly to the tee.
We really have the spirit of 90.... where the sum of our parts are stronger than any one individual. In fact, we play to our strengths. And that is unfortunately conceding possession and space, then hitting on counter. Too many times decent through balls looked to put us in a place, but we got ourselves out of it by physical presence defending....this has resorted to team throwing themselves down (Ellis style in 2016) and refs spot this.
I really like our defensive set up. I like watching defensive play anyway, but our line is solid and communicative. We defend higher up the pitch. We usually are first to the ball on crosses into our area. We haul back most the midfield into defensive positions and have a confident, emerging amazing goalkeeper.....he will spill the odd shot, but otherwise is very stubborn. In essence, they play as a unit in the bigger picture and are major reason we are where we are. They are the jewel.... forget jch going next month, the priority is preserving that back 6. I'm including Leahy and Rodman in that mix..... what a revelation playing him wing back (a Jocky-esque decision, anyone?).
Rollin was brilliant.
Craig was and has stepped up to be the leader he was brought in for when we knew Lockyer (!) wasn't to be with us.
Kilgour plays like he's been in first team for years like Rollin.
Steady. I like it. It's a jewel in our crown.
Okies....
Nichols imporoved performance with touches....if that's your style, then fine....I saw he ran around alot today but hardly done anything of note except on the 90 mins. I'm laying off him because in this team, we are 4th. We could be higher if he bla bla bla but I'll take where we are and how he fits into the team. I have swayed my opinion, because I defer to now 4 managers picking him to start for some reason?
Jch upped the ante on his arrival. Done little else.
Tyler ran his pretty little heart out, bless.
We really need a striker!
Upson was awful in his distribution, but his tackling and tracking back was exemplary. Ollie was pedestrian, got booked again stupidly, and below par performance....he was gifted the opportunity to win it, but I saw a draw as fair result.
Ok our plat forward is slow in tempo, we struggled to find out players with the long ball and hardly made any significant moves and consecutive passes. This needs to be worked on.
So....there you have it. A very competent defensive display that again helped us to a point or points. Sometimes it ain't pretty, but that depends on your perception of beauty. 4th in table and only losing to one side in top six makes it very pretty to me..
Wombles, and Don's should be picking up points time..... Fleets a more difficult proposition. But whom would honestly swap where we are now on the pitch and where our potential lies to any position in the last 20 years?