Back In The Merde After Dispiriting Defeat

Stoke was a massive three points. Last night was if anything be more important. Win again and we could just about lay serious claim to mid-table. Lose and suddenly Portsmouth would be just three behind us with a game in hand, Blackburn four with a new manager bounce, leaving otherwise just West Brom and Leicester, both in dire form but – like Southampton, Sheff Utd and Norwich before them – not teams you anticipated being in a relegation scrap and quite likely to pull themselves together when they acknowledge the reality of their situation. Comfortable it most certainly would not be.

Putting temporarily to one side the merited goodwill they and their supporters generated with their behaviour over the sad demise of Headphones Norm, no doubt we owed Portsmouth one for the outcome at their place over New Year – even if we had no-one to blame but ourselves. And although their home form is reasonable, Portsmouth pre-match stood above only Sheff Wed in the away performance table, with just two wins and five draws in 14 games, scoring only nine goals in the process, while also carrying a lengthy injury list (nice for it not to be us for a change) but they like us bolstered by January additions. So you felt before that game that a good, committed performance by us, plus the rub of the green, might be enough for us to secure the points. A draw wouldn’t be the end of the world, given where it would leave them, but a win would be so, so much better. So close it seemed - but as it turned out so far away.

We were outmuscled and outfought pretty much from start (leaving aside the first minute) to finish. You give credit to Portsmouth for coming with a gameplan which worked, playing decent football to create space and to feed a front line which we never managed to dominate, while ensuring our wing-backs were pressed back, leaving the front two and Carey in support to feed off scraps. When we play like that – you may say when the opposition makes us play like that - we look a poor team, the opposition dominating possession, us unable to do anything with the ball when we get it (a few passes across the back followed by the inevitable long ball forward). You could feel the frustration both on and off the pitch, one factor behind the steady accumulation of yellow cards.

The only saving grace from our perspective was the nature of their goals and the inevitable ‘if onlys’. We weren’t battered (like against Southampton or Sheff Utd before their red cards), Portsmouth actually created few chances. Their goals came curtesy of two long-range strikes, tricky ones but both of which Kaminski should have kept out, and a questionable penalty (I don’t agree the decision was a mistake, but it was harsh). Chasing the game against opposition comfortable on the ball and strong enough to hold off challenges was dispiriting. How different the game could have been if we had taken the lead in the first minute. The only positive to be taken from the game was the contribution of Fevrier, so far rather the forgotten man of the transfer window.

As for the details, with no sign yet of Antonio to take the final available squad place, the team was expected to be largely unchanged, but it seemed that Godden picked up a hamstring injury and as one exited left another returned, with Leaburn deemed fit again after his shoulder injury and going straight into the starting XI. Otherwise it was as you were, including the subs.

You might say with hindsight that the game turned on the first minute. An ordinary ball forward was helped on by Leaburn, then eluded Dykes and his marker, to find Clarke inside the box with only the keeper to beat. His effort was saved by their keeper’s legs, but really he should have been given no chance. Nothing wrong with scoring in the first minute but the chance went begging and the night would turn only for the worse after that.

It was an open and after our opportunity a pretty even opening period, with our basic and direct approach looking capable of delivering more opportunities against what seemed fragile opponents, even though they were playing all the football. But as the game progressed we became less effective and they grew in confidence. Before 20 minutes were up both Clarke (kicking the ball away) and Chambers (late challenge) had seen yellow. And after 21 minutes we were behind.

They advanced into our half and the ball was played square to their right back. He was allowed to progress unchallenged, but was still a fair way out when he hit a crisp, swerving effort, one which deceived Kaminski, who failed to get enough of his body behind it. A little like Carey’s effort against West Brom, the keeper ended up looking rather silly. Just an error, no accounting for it.

The trouble is we reacted poorly to going behind, appearing rattled. Portsmouth created havoc in our box with a corner, then the ball was driven across the face of goal without getting the necessary touch. And after a yellow for Leaburn (hand in the face in an arial challenge) things went from bad to worse on 32 minutes. On their right side again, the guy brought the ball forward and Bell backed up, moving into the box. The cross was hit from close range. The way I saw the incident was that Bell instinctively tried to move his arm out of the way, but failed and as the ball made contact it could appear that his arm was in an unnatural position. So a harsh call but not an obvious error (IMO). I suspect that if Bell had kept his arms by his side the ball would have hit the arm but no penalty would have been given. Kaminski (who added to the yellow card total with his protest) dived to his right and the ball was sent in down the middle.

Now it would be the proverbial mountain to climb. And we failed to get one back before the break, which might have changed the mood in the dressing room. Instead there was another yellow, for Jones (pulling their guy back). The half-time stats showed we had just 38% possession, managing five attempts on goal (two on target) against nine (five) for them.

Jones the Boss registered his dissatisfaction at half time with three substitutions. On came Campbell, Coventry and Fevrier, replacing Leaburn (who had looked out of sorts and rather rusty), Coady (something had to be done to try and win some control in midfield) and Clarke. This also involved a change in formation, to a back four (Ramsay, Jones, Bell and Chambers), two in front of the defence (Coventry and Docherty), and three (Campbell, Carey and Fevrier) operating behind Dykes.

Obviously we needed to go for it from the off, to get one back and install belief. We didn’t manage that, not least as it seemed to me we didn’t play to the strengths of the changed formation. Balls were still sent in the air for Dykes to contest, but if he was able to flick it on it was to nobody, with Campbell and Fevrier wanting the ball to their feet and Carey not throwing the dice to get beyond Dykes. Surely the instruction should have been to play balls forward that Dykes might be able to hold up, to then bring the others into play. There was no sign of that.

Before we worked it out, and after another yellow, for Coventry (late challenge), the game was done and dusted. Same guy, this time he read a situation and collected the ball, moved forward and tried his luck from distance again. People may say it was a wonder-strike, it did for sure move around a fair bit. But ultimately Kaminski was beaten at his near post by a shot from distance, which he can’t be happy about.

We did manage to pull one back, on 63 minutes. A Carey long throw was nodded on by Dykes and Fevrier met it sweetly on the volley to tuck it into the corner of the net. Still around 30 minutes to play, could we really get something out of the game?

For a short while it seemed possible, with Campbell causing problems down our left side. But nothing materialised and as the clock ticked down Portsmouth understandably regained their confidence and to be honest saw out the game with little trouble. Carey picked up a yellow (late challenge), in a final, desperate throw of the dice Jones sent on Kelman and Berry for Chambers and Docherty, which had the unfortunate effect of Campbell moving to wide-right. Campbell blazed over in stoppage time but by then the game was up.

We all know the impact the defeat has, with a tough trip to Southampton coming up next on Saturday, then away at West Brom in midweek, February concluding with a home game against Wrexham. Whether Jones concludes that last night was just one to be forgotten, or opts to shake up the pack, I’ve no idea. The latter wouldn’t in any event amount to a change of approach or formation. We are very much the underdogs for Southampton at least and it really is time now to pull out an unexpected result. We are back in if not the merde something close to it.

Another Massive Three Points Won

Having missed the QPR game (weekend trip back to the UK to see friends which left me with a hangover and a couple of busted ribs) but been more than mildly encouraged by comments from others and the highlights, and given the other results in the interim, the permutations for last night’s game were simple enough: win and we put seven points between us and the drop zone, moving back alongside Norwich and Sheff Utd, teams that nobody expects to get relegated. Of course the reverse also applied: lose and we are back looking over our shoulders, hanging on the results for Portsmouth and Blackburn on Saturday ahead of our clash with the former on Tuesday night. With our opponents without a win in five games and depleted by injuries, but still harbouring play-off ambitions, nobody could call the outcome with any confidence.

Well, we got that massive win. It wasn’t pretty, a tight game in which the first goal if it came would probably be the winner, one that could have gone either way. We dominated the opening spell and had good chances to take the lead, but once Stoke got into the game their passing and movement carried danger and they had a couple of first-half opportunities, both of which fell to Rak-Sakyi. And for much of the second half they looked the more likely to nick one, although from set pieces especially we carried a threat too. Then it was one mistake capitalised on and we took the points. Deserved/not deserved? Doesn’t come into it. We scored, they didn’t. And we needed those points more than them.

Nobody would have been surprised or upset if Jones went with the same team/squad as for the QPR game, but that all hinged on any injuries or tired legs in need of a rest. In the event he opted for just one change, with Godden replacing Kelman up front for his first start of the season.

The opening 15 minutes was all us. Clarke timed his run well to meet Carey’s corner but his header crashed against the underside of the bar and out. A lofted ball forward found Dykes between defenders and able to move towards goal. He chipped the keeper but it seemed to be weighted as one to run on to rather than with enough power to find the net and he was beaten to it by two defenders. Another corner found Jones at the far post, but with the ball at an awkward height he opted to hit it on the volley and sent it just wide. And another cross, this time from right to left, found Ramsay but his header was too close to their keeper.

Four passable chances to take the lead. We were almost running riot. But we failed to actually score and the rest of the game would be markedly different. As if to drive home the point the next opportunity was crafted by Stoke. A one-two outside our box and Jones was for once caught out not tracking/staying goalside of Rak-Sakyi. The ball was slid into his path, Jones was unable to get to the ball (his only option would have been to bundle Rak-Sakyi over and face the consequences, which he wisely opted not to do). But Rak-Sakyi put just a little too much on the shot over Kaminski and it clipped the crossbar.

The rest of the first half was nip and tuck. Their triangles and movement contrasting with our more basic approach – which is no criticism, you play to your strengths. The only further chance of note came late on when Rak-Sakyi was able to advance into our box. Bell showed him the outside and he took that, then sent his shot over the bar.

The stats at the break showed we had only 38% possession but 10 attempts on goal, two on target, against two and zero for them. Pretty much summed things up. Both managers were probably fairly content and urging more of the same, only this time put the ball in the net.

We nearly did that early in the second half. Another ball over the top found Godden with a yard of space. He was still a fair way out, on the right side, but tried to lob their keeper. It may well have gone in had it not taken a slight deflection off their defender and ended up clearing the bar for a corner – another which was to see the ref trying in vain to limit the number of offences being committed by both teams.

On 60 minutes Campbell came off the bench to replace Godden, to operate as the second striker. It offered a different threat, one which with hindsight worked out rather well. Stoke were still a danger, but we usually had the bodies back to prevent anything clear-cut, while the dangerous, driven low crosses from their left which flashed across our goal failed to get the touch they needed (and their manager after the game criticised the inability of their strikers to make the effort to be in position to score from them).

On 69 minutes TC provided his trademark cut inside from the left and shot, this one well saved by their keeper. And after more changes by Stoke to provide fresh legs, just when all the talk was about us running out of gas as against QPR, on 80 minutes the goal came. Kaminski’s kick out was touched on well by Dykes, but there still seemed little danger until their centre-back made a pig’s ear of an interception/clearance. Campbell was through on goal. His first touched seemed to be heavy and I thought their keeper would smother it, but TC still managed to get the first touch to move it around the keeper, then tucked it into an empty net.

On 83 minutes we made our second and final change, Coventry coming on for Carey with the obvious intention of tightening things up and holding what we now had. And there was really only one moment of alarm, as a tired Ramsay was done like the proverbial kipper but their guy failed to make the most of the space created. Four minutes of stoppage time were negotiated and cue celebrations.

It is hard to overestimate the importance of the three points won (our first win since before Xmas which wasn’t assisted by one or more red cards). On Saturday we can relax and hope that Sheff Utd trounce Portsmouth and QPR see off Blackburn – as despite the travails of Leicester and West Brom those two surely still have to be seen as the most likely to take the third relegation place (I know Oxford aren’t done yet) – and prepare for Tuesday night, for what remains a real six-pointer at The Valley against Portsmouth. We obviously owe them one for that ridiculous winner at their place (that point dropped and the extra two for them, plus our failure to beat Blackburn from two up still stick in the throat). That said, the reaction of Portsmouth and their fans to the death of Headphones Norm merits nothing but praise and respect. For that alone I hope they avoid the drop – just not at our expense please.