well I thoroughly enjoyed that. Never thought (after first five/ten minutes) we were in any trouble. Our high press was there for all to see. We ping the ball about so well. I was especially pleased for Mayenda. All the talk about the need to get a proven centre forward... I'm as guilty as anyone for that.... the kid rammed that down my throat. Also a mention for Rigg. This kid is so special, we have a diamond on our hands here.
So we’ve named 7 as MOTM (it was Jobe…), says everything. Of those not mentioned let’s not fail to mention that Hume & Alese were immaculate. Roberts and Clarke were both a constant threat. Just shows how good a showing it was. We like this Reggie fella. That’s 2 weeks ina row Jobe had been superb, in 2 different positions. He was tactically flawless today and absolutely murdered their CM.
Just home. Wow such a solid professional performance. RLB's shape and tactics is so solid such a short time Great team performance thought Rigg and Jobe were immense and a shout out for Mayenda who never stopped great to see him get a couple. Early days but think we have a half decent team and by the looks of it a more than half decent manager
Ballard must be looking at two clean sheets and wondering about a transfer ... ... seriously, we've done well without him so far. Fair play to RLB for playing Rigg, Jobe, same age as Bannan combined ... and Mayenda who needed a boost. Speakman must be sitting back thinking his purchase of Mayenda isn't quite as embarrassing as some believe. I'm gagging for a pint
I was the same Rooch, even at 3-0 I was waiting for the sucker punch but these lads were having none of it. This shadowed the Southampton game just missing a 5 th goal, said to the missus with 15 to go that I thought it was time to relax and enjoy it, which I did.
I enjoyed that so much today and would have even if it had only been 1-0. We already look so well coached and drilled. The press today was almost flawless (last week the right intentions were there but the orchestration and execution of it was occasionally/quite often lacking). In possession, our rotations are so smooth and well rehearsed, everyone in the right place at the right time throughout almost the whole 90+ (I missed the first ten due to an issue with my season ticket). Weirdly the spell I enjoyed the most/was most impressed with was ten minutes or so in the second half after they changed their shape when we sat deeper and allowed them a load of the ball but all of it infront of us. It was a complete change in pace and approach but the players adopted/implemented it so seamlessly and perfectly. They had all the ball and still didn't lay a glove on us. To continue the boxing analogy it was like a top fighter having a breather and just holding his opponent at arms length whilst he does it. I've said alot on here I think the importance of experience (not that I think we're particularly lacking it anyway) is exaggerated. We managed the whole game superbly today and most of that comes from the coaching.
Was just thinking that if Mayenda was 30 and we'd just signed him this window, after scoring those two goals and putting their CBs through it physically we'd all be saying the search for a CF is finally over. Absolutely not saying it means we don't need one but it certainly looks like he's going to be a viable option this season.
For me wasn’t the goals. He linked up better and he put himself about more. To have that in a week is crazy. I didn’t think he was bad last week but the step forward in a week is crazy.
Really encouraging from Mayenda. A lot of people didn’t want to see that Mayenda had something about him due to the frustration of the CF situation. But all pre-season and these two games it’s clear to see there’s something there with his movement, pressing etc. his first goal was a lovely striker and the second we wouldn’t have seen last season. Right place, right time which is what we have needed for strikers. I’d like us to still get one senior striker in but let mayenda be the backup. I wouldn’t want to block his pathway after a performance like that
There’s a load of recency bias that comes with football fans. Plus it’s so much easier to remember bad things (the last defeat or a bad game) than good things. I reckon for every bad game a player needs three good ones to counteract it in the minds of the fanbase. We’re no worse than other fans for it, but it’s not a helpful thing. However we’d be well to remember that we’ve seen many good games from these young players over the past few years. More good than bad certainly. The squad is more than capable at this level. As for big DB, I’d have him and Seelt as our best two on paper (really rated what I saw from Jensen last term), but Ballard - and later JS - are gonna have to be patient to get past O’Nien and Alese at this rate.
Just back in from the match OMG, what a performance! Sheff Wed didn't even get a chance to lay a glove on us. Midfield was immense, Rigg and Jobe play well above their years. Pleased for Mayenda to get off the mark. Didn't even realize that the greatest player ever to grace the game Sir Barry Bannan was playing until near the end of the first half!
I thought the story of the match was our high press and set pieces, and also Sheff Weds inability to deal with them. I hope I'm not putting a dampener on what is a fantastic result, but I think there are very few teams who would capitulate to us like that. Great start to the season, still way too early to know our arse from our elbow but we're seeing a lot of good things.
just back great start to season now get us another striker to really go for top 6 so happy i was wrong on prediction earlier in threat
