The only thing I’d say is I don’t think we played all that badly over the first 80 minutes. We were completely dominant for the first 40 minutes or so and could easily have scored - but we were up a determined and organised defence and couldn’t quite squeeze the opening. The annoying thing is we got frustrated (I’m looking at you Buendia) and started getting petty, making rash decisions. The refs haven’t been supportive of us for a few matches and the players need to not let it get to them. As a result we failed to be patient. It was always going to be the case that in the final 15 minutes having worked so hard Wednesday were going to be tired. That’s when Vrancic is most dangerous (for much of the match he’d been finding it tricky). And I also think Martin’s style means he’s also best then with space. Some may disagree but I actually think this went more or less as Farke expected - no doubt he would have hoped for an earlier goal and not to concede, but otherwise this was absolutely textbook Farke tactics.
Agree with that Rob, but had Handley's header gone the other side of the post and into the top corner I think we might have won more easily. I thought that heads could go down after their goal but we stuck in there and the substitutions made a difference with fresh legs and Tettey's nous to tighten things up in front of the defence.
The difference being that SW are only in the bottom 3 because they started the season with a points deduction
So im on the hook for the next MDT then? Im not one for superstitions, but ill put the wrong date and time up in the first draft, just in case that tipped the scales of fate this time out.
Glad to see you liking this, Robbie. It suggests that, no matter how much you love statistical approaches, you accept the essentially irrational nature of being a football fan.
I was just teasing Robbie, but I'm sure he'll take it in the spirit that's intended. After a win like that, we all love each other.
He seems to only lurk about when we're losing to say I told you so . I'm sure there's some stats to prove how utterly **** we are that he will dig up
Rob, you must be joking. The tactics are to score the first goal, force the opposition to come out, and then put the game to bed. Going behind and playing catchup have no place in it. Rather than textbook Farke tactics, it was textbook Farke having to rescue something out of nothing. The players managed it today, but they didn't manage it last Wednesday.
Yes, but roll back 10 minutes and it was exactly as I predicted, Aarons upfield, possession given away, a quick counter, and a great cross from the man I highlighted as a special danger -- Reach -- onto Windass's head and into the net: 0--1 Wednesday. If you'd asked me before the game how I thought Aarons should play if we went behind, do you think I would have said he should curb his attacking instincts?
Just back from the game. A deserved but edgy win against a well drilled and organised Wendies. A game we dominated but found frustrating and apart from Hoadley’s header we didn’t really look like scoring imho. The Wendies goal was well taken from a beautiful cross and to be fair they should have had a pen when Hoadley pushed over one of their forwards. That decision went for us. Bringing on Martin for a very poor Stieperman was the changing point and he took his goal well with a certain maturity. After that there was only going to be one winner and we got our deserved win with Aaron’s well taken goal. The atmosphere in the ground was a bit surreal at first but as the game wore on the crowd got louder and it was a fantastic final 10 minutes. Mario deserved his MOM, McGovern, apart from one dodgy kick early doors, was competent and grew in confidence as the game progressed and Sorensen impressed me. We fannied around a bit too much at times, especially around their box and that was my biggest beef. Was great to be back inside the Carra again and the victory topped an excellent day OTBC.
Great to have a balanced report from someone at the game OCF, Can you do this every home match please?
Just checked the match stats ( not the robbie ones ) and they blocked 7 of our 19 attempts at goal, but we blocked zero of their 11 attempts. Do we stand off too far?
Watched the highlights this morning. How come the fans were mostly not wearing masks, is that not a requirement any more?
Not compulsory out of doors unless within 1 metre of persons outside your family "bubble". Actually most fans started off wearing one, but after the Delia orchestrated rendition of OTBC at Stiepi's "100 appearances" presentation, they had largely been blown away. The huge cloud they formed in the sky was later spotted in West Norfolk, as reported here in the EDP: https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/what-was-in-the-sky-over-west-norfolk-6445038 And well done Stiepi -- to think that nobody rated him when he started those 100 appearances as a makeshift left back!
