Just got in and am going to write this before reading anything else on here simply so my comments are honest and raw.
Trying not to get carried away, I am going to caveat everything with, it was Burton Albion and they have a tough season coming up, but....
We were beyond excellent.
It would be harsh to praise individuals but I must. Luke Ayling is one of my favourites and he did everything Ayling does today but I hardly noticed him. I honestly cannot tell you if the keeper is any good other than he can pass a tidy ten yard ball when under no pressure because that is all he had to do. Anita is very tidy. Grot is very raw. Dallas is a competent left back at Championship level and is an invaluable squad member. Technically Hernandez is head and shoulders above most Championship players and made things tick today.
Now for the praise, Phillips is maturing into a very, very good player. Jannson is not a one season wonder, we were talking about offering 7 million for Bartley, what does that make Jannson worth? Cooper, we will not miss Bartley, hang your heads in shame those that knocked him. O'Kane, for me MOTM for the first hour, can't think of a player I would swap him with. Intelligent and industrious, bossed it, slightly different style but reminded me of Strachan.
And then the three golden boys!!
Roofe, came of age today - if you were scouting today, you would have gone back and said sign him, he was 11 out of 10.
Saiz, sublime, different quality, eerily good?? I'm no wordsmith but take your pick, we have to go up because this boy is too good for this level.
If I may tease Wakey (taking into consideration I consider him a friend so certainly no malice), Lasogga is so far from a donkey you would have got serious stick if you had been there today. I can think of at least five gasps from the crowd at his touch when he played people in with a clever touch. Regardless of the goals (fair play to LL because I am not sure Wood would, if you see what I mean, have scored either) he is unerring- will come back to that.
TC - who the fook is Garry Monk?
Atmosphere, never, ever went quiet, buzzing. Loved the piss taking out of the East Stand fire drill with five minutes to go
In perspective, Ben and I ended up at a table in the beer garden at the Peacock after because we needed a sit down. Met a couple called Keith and Christine and had a great chat. Christine sits in the West Stand because she can't understand how you can watch football standing up. Keith stands in the Kop because he can't understand how you can watch football sitting down! Keith has been a season ticket holder since 1965 and said, with very, very few exceptions has he ever been this excited, he was shocked at just how good we were.
Finally, we met WJ (wtf is going on with the hair and beard
) for half an hour. I said to him, "I am going to do my write up before I read yours so it remains mine". He said, "don't worry I'm doing a one word write up, sublime". He also said one of the guys sat near to him said after ten minutes and two worldies from their keeper "it's going to be one of those days where we can't score" and WJ replied "play like this and I actually don't care". We chatted about so many good performances and then I said, "does Lasogga remind you of anyone?" Instantly he said "Mark Viduka" and we both just smiled. Alioski and Saiz are immense signings but guys, it was like rolling time back today, we have one hell of a player on our hands there
I hope Burton stay up, they were just a very honest team and for those that say they will be relegated etc don't forget, we drew with Wigan twice last year and Blackburn beat the Cartoon Army twice (I think). Don't dismiss battering anyone! No idea who he was but if they had one decent player he was number 4
serious though hat was the verdict on him
