Decent display once we got the equaliser. Three quality strikes, though I feel we made ours and gave them the opportunity. Entertaining fayre. A much sterner test awaits on Saturday!
I was in the Rookery, and seemed a fairly positive atmosphere (despite a fairly light attendance I felt at kick off). First 20 minutes was a bit scrappy, and we seemed to get quite sloppy after we went in front. But otherwise felt good. We pressed well, battled well, had a bit of luck and some good moments of individual skill and generally looked more fluid going forward. Really liked Doumbia’s attitude in particular, and pleased Vata finally got a start and made good use of it. Still strange not to see Baah get any minutes though.
Yes, Mark, Doumbia's best performance? And there were many other excellent run-outs: Selvik made a superb save from close range header - seemed to pull it out of net, magnificent; Vata's work-rate put them on the back foot from the start of the game, and we started playing with our forwards on the ball, not just interminably passing across the back à la 1970s Liverpool. I was very proud again of my team for being able to implement Javi's new way of working without hangover of Paolo's. That was impressive. Imran was MotM sure, and deservedly, but there were many other performances on the shortlist this time. Suddenly you're watching a side that won't necessarily get spanked by all of the top half of the table, that maybe could put a few noses out of joint.
