Notts Forest Travel and Christmas Meeting

Just a reminder that we're taking a bus to Forest on Saturday.

We'll be leaving Leeds station at 10.15 and can pick up en route down the M1.  Expect to be at Meadowhall around 11.00.

We're also thinking about having a drink and a meet in early December (Sunday 8th December).  I was thinking about either in York or Leeds.

Let me know your preference.

Pool Panel - Blackburn (h) - Draw 2-2

Saturday’s game was once again, a tale of two halves.  First half, we were unplayable at times, with Dobbie causing Blackburn real problems.  We could easily have been two up before Fuller was hauled down for a certain penalty.   Ince coolly slotted the ball in the opposite corner from the previous week to give us a deserved lead.   

Blackburn got themselves back into the game with their own penalty after Robinson threw himself to block a shot from Rhodes and the ball struck his hand.  After that, we were controlling the game, with the midfield again looking dominant with Bishop and Gosling winning plenty of ball and finding the forwards.  That pressure told as Gosling moved forward and fired a shot through the legs of the Blackburn player into the bottom corner for a deserved half time lead.

Second half Blackburn came back into the game but we were coping well with the pressure, which mainly consisted of long throws and free kicks and trying to pick up something from the second ball. 

The turning point in the game came as DJ Campbell, applauded onto the pitch five minutes earlier, became the villain as he went in late on Gilks, then clearly aimed a couple of headbutts.  Robinson got too heavily involved and they both received their marching orders.  That disrupted our shape far more than Rovers and it paid off as they launched yet another ball into the box in injury time. 

A deflection from the stretching Davies saw us concede.  Better communication would have seen a comfortable clearance from Bishop immediately behind him. 

Two points dropped but still right in contention.  It’s now a massive game at Forest.

STARMAN:  Dan Gosling

International Break

The international break allows time for reflection on the season so far.  To be sixth and well in touch with the promotion race after a quarter of the season is something we all would have taken after the angst of the pre-season when it seemed we were struggling to attract players and couldn’t envisage a settled side, as so many key players of recent years left.

That loss could have seen the spirit within the squad damaged, but a new core has developed with centre halves who relish a challenge ensuring we are difficult to score against, while we have a number of strikers who can contribute.  Maybe one criticism is that we’ve been over-cautious, seemingly content to rest on a one goal lead rather than finish teams off.  As a consequence we’ve drawn a number of games recently that could have been converted into victories with a little more attacking intent.

The one area that could still be improved is the midfield; while we have a number of people who can break up play, we lack creativity, leading to the forwards being isolated on occasion.  Maybe Dan Gosling can resolve that conundrum, linking our defensive strength with our attacking players.

It’s clear that the days of throwing men forward with no regard for defence are gone, but to be fair, the results are speaking for themselves.  As long as the team remain in contention for promotion, I’m sure most fans will take the different approach in their stride and continue to support the side.

If Ince can get the balance between defensive strength and attacking prowess right, then I see no reason as to why we can’t stay in the race.

Pool Panel - Bolton (h) 0-0 and Charlton (a) 0-0

Two games in a week with two goalless draws ensuing.  In some ways, the two games had much in common.  Over the balance of play we did most of the pressing but were unable to convert that pressure into clear chances, while our defensive display was solid enough, as has become the norm.

Against Bolton, a number of players had an off night, so our possession came to nought through loss of possession.  It took a fantastic save from Gilks to keep us in the game followed by a smart interception from Mackenzie, but while Fuller was consistently winning the ball, there was a lack of support, a feature also of the Charlton game.

A midfield of Bishop, Basham and Osbourne gives us a great deal of solidity but while they play their part in obtaining and retaining possession, there is a distinct lack of creativity and no real width.  Their natural game is to win the ball then look for a simple ball sideways or backwards, keeping possession.  They are not looking to make a run to get up in support with the attacking players.  As a consequence, the likes of Ince and Fuller are finding themselves receiving the ball with two or three defenders around them.  Ince has clearly been frustrated but that is a result of the current team shape.

Hopefully Gosling can come into the side and give us that linkage between midfield and attack, both in terms of creativity and also allowing a little more space for the forwards as he supports the front men.

We are looking good defensively but maybe at the cost of our attacking threat.  The international break gives us time to address that conundrum.

STARMAN: Matt Gilks (Bolton); Ricardo Fuller (Charlton)