i consider 10 games to give a decent time to look at the squad and manager and see how things are shaping up, of course, there is always the chance we go on a run winning or losing which would alter things a bit but until/if that happens we can only go from what we have seen thus far. personally, i am more than happy so far, losing AN could have really stalled what had been a very good start but lots of credit goes to the squad for basically just getting on with the job and letting others worry about it, most will say Tony Mowbray would not have been first choice for them and not many would blame them but he came in with minimum fuss and time and everyone has taken to him...which says a lot about the man. the past three games, all away and against expected 'top opposition' for this league have shown that the squad can play, they can battle, they can score goals and defend but most of all have proved they can play without the LND leading the line which was a massive worry for most, still need him back though he offers so much on the pitch apart from his goals. the new players...and those that have been 'on the fringes' so far have all stepped into the team as if they have been part of the squad for a season or more, we all expected a probable game or two to find their feet but massive credit to the three new lads, they have not hid and have shown they can hold their own and play a bit, embo and roberts have come into the side as if they have started every game, i am not sure what is going on at the club now but each and every player that has come in has just slotted in with ease and if this is a sign of what is to come i hope i have a few years left in me yet so i can watch it unfold, if not then there are plenty of you more than capable of enjoying it i also want to mention a lad that seems to get less attention lately and that is Patterson, when you get a good look at him beside the other players he looks a real unit, not sure if he has bulked up over the summer or not but he certainly looks the part now...strangely, he does not seem to be having to make as many saves so far, whether this is purely down to the defence or that teams in this league take less attempts at goal while trying to create better opportunities i have no idea, i prefer to think the defence is working well but when he has been needed, sometimes only once or twice in a game he has usually pulled off the saves and i can't think of a goal where you think 'he could have done better'. when you consider the lads who are currently injured, each one a definite starter that has not let the side down, they could have a fight to get back in. too early to make a real call on TM but early signs are that the squad and fans have already taken to him and that can't be bad, some of the football has been damn good as well. performances, to be top 5 after ten games speaks for itself, there has only been one bad performance (boro, and it still rankles me after watching them earlier) with the rest being more than acceptable for what we expected and what is looking like every chance of improving still, we could/should have had more points on the board but i am not complaining as the lads have done well, i will give them 8/10 and would have been an easy 9 if not for that boro performance.
I’m well chuffed, the squad looks gelled and Mowbray speaks very well, he will keep them grounded and pointed, there is no turning back now and with the promise of cash in January who knows
Agreed about Patterson he's stepped up again this season and looks the part. He seems to attract strong criticism but most of it is unjustified and the rest is a natural part of learning the job. Pretty sure he has been on the weights and he's a decent size he just needs to get used to clearing people out on his way to claiming the ball.
Been a great start tbh, not just points wise but we have also shown we can compete in this division. The lads have shown great quality so far and it's going to be very exciting to watch them develop over the season. I didn't expect to see Ba or Michut so soon but they obviously have impressed in training, for Ba to get on against a relegated Premier league side speaks volumes. The break has come at a good time and it's a great fixture imo when things resume back at the SoL, the place should be bouncing. The world Cup break should work in our favour as well and help prevent a bit of burnout for these younger lads like we saw with Neil, Doyle etc under Johnson. All very positive, but I do expect some Premier league sides to be sniffing around our lads if we continue to perform like this.
Agreed. Thought he should’ve done exactly that for their second yesterday. Still a young lad but I’ve been impressed
The other thing about that Watford goal was that it was a daft trip and yellow card for Evans that gave them the opportunity to hoy the ball into the box in the first place. Yes Patto should come out but there were other things we could have done to avoid that goal. Onien does get a nudge as well when he goes up for it. Patto will be a very good keeper for us imo, just needs time and more games, once he comes and cleans attackers (and his own defenders tbh) out of the way to punch/catch things he will be an excellent keeper.
Aye it's just about the one thing he needs to improve on because the rest of his game is very good. Brilliant shot stopper and his distribution is reliable even under pressure. I don't think he suffers from indecision in general he seems like a confident lad, so I'm sure learning when to claim and when not to will be a natural part of his progression.
Agree with all that is written above, we are way ahead of schedule, and considering the circumstances this is nothing short of remarkable. OaU
Imho Patterson is turning out to be a good keeper...he saves a lot of goals, ie prime duty , stop shots. He will improve with experience in coming out for crosses.
now i seem to remember he was far more likely to come and claim balls in the box when he first went between the sticks...it is something i have noticed with most recent keepers, they seem to want to stick on their line, maybe it is the modern coaching that tells them to let their defenders sort it out if the ball is in the air. looks like onien was pushed from both sides for that OG...he was pushed onto gooch by one of watfords lads and gooch put his hands up to stop onien falling on him, happens every corner so just another bit of bad luck for us.
Feels like a play off spot is already a very realistic target for end of season. If we hold that position then can only help plans for getting LND to sign a new contract plus any incomings in January window.
Yep a lot of time is now spent in training sessions on how to block goalkeepers and defenders from getting to the main attacking player who is going to head ball goal wards. America football if you like. Keepers therefore may stand a better chance of saving a goal if they are on the line not flapping 6 yards out. Of course a lot of training time is spent by defenders and goalkeepers in how to avoid being blocked in making a clearance from a set piece.
The important thing for me is the defenders know one way or the other what he's doing. I played at a decent amateur standard as a defender and in one team had 2 seasons with a brilliant shot stopper, great on one on ones, but ****e at crosses. We as a defensive unit knew he wasn't coming for a cross unless he absolutely had to, so we defended accordingly and fought for every high ball. When he left, the next keeper would come for absolutely everything, didn't matter who was in the way and we adjusted as a unit (often one of us dropping back towards the goal) when he came flying out. He will gain us more points with his shot stopping than he costs us by not coming for loads.of crosses
As long as KLD sticks it out I'll be happy. Play offs will come when we are good and ready, not too far off either on current form.
The one thing I've noticed about our squad already is nothing seems to knock their confidence, they go a goal down they just get on with the job in hand, I think this will be a huge positive for us this season, there will be times when we get turned over this season but from what I've seen of these players that will not affect them going in to the next game , they seem to be playing with no fear, I also think Mowbray is the right coach for this, although I wouldn't have agreed when he was first appointed. Yesterday proved with his substitutions no matter who the opposition are he wants his teams to attack them and every game I believe he expects his team to win
If a keeper isn't confident coming for crosses he's better off staying on his lins, like you say especially if the defence know this
Well I was well & truly in the Anyone But Mowbray camp (and still not happy), but I’m more than happy that the team appears to be playing better under his leadership than the snakes’. It’s certainly great that we are now playing fast, attacking football, with plenty of skill on show. Seems a lifetime ago since the turgid football played under O’Neil, Grayson, Coleman etc. but in reality that wasn’t that long ago, so we’ve already come a long way in a relatively short period of time. Some of these players are clearly going to go far in their careers, and I hope it’s with SAFC. I wonder how we’re going to feel when some of them start to get sold, rather than build the squad. Need LND tied down quickly, as I think he’ll be key to our league position this year and next. I’m certainly looking up the table rather than down, which is amazing really, considering where we were just 2 seasons ago. I feel we could achieve playoffs, and other teams would want to avoid us. But a Top 10 finish would still be a relative success to push on from next season. FTM Bart
It's a bloody tough league, and we are competing in it. Very long way to go but the start is better than I'd expected.
