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)

Pool Panel - Huddersfied (a) Draw 1-1

Another game where we’ve dominated the first half but failed to capitalise and been pegged back.  Friday night was a great performance in the first half, where we dominated the game despite the loss of key personnel in Ferguson, Orr and Osbourne.  Despite plenty of probing, we didn’t really create that many chances, as we didn’t have that final ball when needed.

When the goal came, the incisive ball through was a header from Broadfoot, allowing Fuller to bear down on goal.  He coolly drew Smithies, went round him and then left Clarke floundering on the line as he passed it into the unguarded net.  A great finish.  Despite continuing dominance we then failed to extend the lead and could have been punished only for the linesman’s flag to rescue us.

In the second half we were unable to maintain our dominance and seemed to start defending deeper.  The Huddersfield substitutions also gave us more concern as they started finding space between defence and midfield.  That brought dividends through a fine finish and equaliser.  We were comfortably weathering the challenge though, until Huddersfield broke quickly and Scannell went down in the box for a penalty.  From my perspective at the other end it looked like minimal or no contact as Robinson and Martinez tracked his run, but the referee saw enough to send off the latter.  The second very harsh sending off against us recently.  The delay seemed to affect Vaughan who blazed his penalty against the bar. 

In the end, a decent point but I’d like to think that a little more ambition could see us winning these games.  We had seven forwards on the bench.   I’d like to see at least one of them start.

STARMAN: Ricardo Fuller

Pool Panel - Millwall (a) Loss 3-1 and Leicester (h) Draw 2-2

It’s been a week for the team to show some character and they came up trumps on Saturday.  Tuesday night at Millwall was all going to plan as we approached halftime, but a contentious penalty gave Millwall the belief they’d been lacking, and they forced home that advantage with two quick goals in the second half.

On Saturday, Leicester started brightly but we gradually asserted ourselves and took a deserved lead with a fine header from Basham, once again playing in another role for the good of the team.  We were good value for that lead at half time but the second half was a different game as Leicester came on strongly. 

Despite their pressure, I thought we were defending well enough until another penalty was given against us as Drinkwater went to ground easily under challenge from Robinson.  There was minimal contact, but the midfielder was given the opportunity to go to ground and took it. As at Millwall, we then immediately conceded again with a shot from distance from King.  Against one of the form teams in the League we could’ve then crumbled, but the resilience in the side came to the fore.  We pressed on, but didn’t really look like getting an equaliser until Schmeichel  rashly came for a throw in and conceded a penalty.  Ince smashed it straight down the middle and we got the point we deserved.

We now face a Friday night game, games in which we’ve had a poor record recently.  Time to turn that round and go back to the top of the table.

Finally, I thought the crowd showed some real class in their applause of the returning Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

STARMAN: Barry Ferguson (Millwall); Chris Basham (Leicester) 

Pool Panel - Bournemouth (a) - Won 2-1

Saturday saw us take on a side who had won their previous seven home games, but the fortnight’s break had given our injured players time to get back into contention, giving Paul Ince the luxury of a strong bench.

Bournemouth started brightly, with players making clever runs from deep, a tactic we struggled with but eventually came to terms with.  By contrast, our first meaningful foray forward forced a throw in level with the area.  From the long throw, Ricardo Fuller was on hand to head home and give us an early lead.  That didn’t last long, as we fell victim to the same tactic barely five minutes later.

The rest of the half was fairly even with both sides unable to achieve dominance, although we went closest to scoring as Ince hit the post following a breakaway.  The ref was being particularly fussy, with a number of cards that seemed harsh. 

The second half started brightly as we forced a corner, and Bishop got ahead of his marker to score at the near post putting us back in front.  The tone of the game then changed as Robinson received a second yellow for an innocuous coming together with their winger.  Blackpool reorganised with Bishop at left back and Fuller as a lone outlet, and kept Bournemouth playing in front of us without really threatening.

As the game went on, it was us looking most likely to score on the break, with Delfuenso missing a great chance, and Ince having a goal chalked offside.  We hung on and stay top.  No-one really expected this start, but long may it continue.

STARMAN: Gary Mackenzie

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