One half wonders, rubbish referees and baffling substitutions - nothing changes

It was all looking so good in the first half. A terrific goal from SSW and he nearly had another but for an unlucky off the inside of the post effort. We were playing some decent stuff and should have been 2 or 3 goals to the good. On the other hand they were exposing our woefully weak flanks time and again but low crosses were fizzing across our six yard box or shots were sailing wide. There was loads of good humour among the 600+, the best of which was when the home crowd appealed for a ludicrous hand ball (turned down) and the wags in our lot were shouting"hand ball" for a couple of minutes after every time somebody touched it. Even the keepers! It was funny and added to the good natured atmosphere of a terrific ground run very well (or so it seems at least).

It could have been about 3 or 4-2 to us at half time, but a solitary goal was all we had. But what a goal! SSW took a superb ball from Scowen on the run and rifled the ball into the top corner without breaking stride. It was Sam back to his best, and we hoped there would be more. Alas, he hit the post then seconds later put one just wide. We were good value for the half time lead but there was that nagging doubt that if we carried on letting them have so much of the ball then we would suffer in the end.

We really were on the back foot for a lot of the second half and we were living up to our reputation as one half wonders. How many years has that been going on? It's so rare that we get two good halves in one football match. And then we come to the substitution of George Smith. Now I like both Smith and Mason Holgate. They are good prospects. But Holgate just lately has been caught out at full back often enough. So what is LJ's solution to a problem that I didn't realise was there? He subs Smith and puts Holgate at LEFT back. He was pretty woeful there to be honest and there was one incident just after he came on where they went past him and he seemed to freeze, in the penalty box, watching the game go on. Very odd that. Maybe Smith was injured - I didn't think he was. If not, why replace him with Holgate?

Hourihane went off for Berry, just like Saturday. But this time he got a rousing round of applause from the 600+. So how did CH react? He sullenly and very SLOWLY walked off, and he stupidly got booked for it. He was walking away from us but there was no acknowledgement of the applause for him. Not good that Conor, not good at all. I'm afraid he had a poor game again. He had a great chance in the second half but his weak effort cannoned off a defender and hit the top of the bar. Should have scored.

Finally we come to the ref. Graham Salisbury. Error after error after error - it just got laughable. He booked Alan Smith when he should have sent him off. He booked a defender near the end for hauling down Jabo when he was bearing down on goal, actually causing an injury to our player. He booked him - no red card again. He gave them a throw because our player tried to steal a couple of yards up the line - just like all players do. Yet he allowed them to take free kicks from all over the place but nowhere near where they should have been.

But his piéce de resistance SURELY has to be chalking a line that nobody wanted to stand on. We had a free kick in the first half, to the right of the box, and he drew a shaving foam line around the ball then paced out ten yards and drew a line. Their "wall" (one player I think) was several yards to the left of this line. Bizarre and, again, totally laughable. It just added to the first half entertainment.

All in all it was an entertaining game and one we should have won. How often have we said that this season? I'm not going to criticise LJ because it is far too early for that but we're not finishing the season as well as I thought we might. At least we can put the play off hopes to bed now and start planning for next year. I hope he gets it right in the summer. I think he will.

 

Thanks for posting, I enjoyed reading your summary. I'm also optimistic about the summer but I'm a little worried that LJ seems to be playing players out of position which is something he said he wouldn't do.

 

I don't think you can blame CH for not applauding the fans. Fans that ridiculously booed him 3 days earlier.

 

True enough but a bigger man might have at least turned round and clapped once. Not over the top, just an acknowledgement. If he can't put up with being booed or jeered now and then he is in the wrong job.

By the way, I didn't boo him off on Saturday. I recognise what a good player he is. He's gone downhill though since the turn of the year.

 

Yes and that's what worries me. He's not alone though - most managers seem to do this. Give him the benefit of the doubt. He is being well paid for knowing what he is doing. We're just baffled onlookers

 

was Winnall more central tonight rather than out on the wing ? its not rocket science is it playing players in their best form and in their best positions.

look at eddie howe at Bornmouth, they are a brilliant example this season of a manager getting the absolute best out of all his players, by doing all the simple sensible things any normal manager would do.

 

No he was on the right wing again in a 4-5-1 formation.

Poor tactics second half. All 600 of us knew they would get an equaliser. Pity LJ couldn't see it coming.

Very early days but so far I'm not overly impressed with his team selections, tactics, substitutions and overall quite negative approach to games. It's almost back to the Wilson approach, play for a draw and hope we pinch one or get in front then hang on for grim death.

Let's hope it changes when he ships a few players out and gets a few of his own players in

 

Well tbf, Winnalls been our best winger this season.

 

Not exactly a winger. He was all over the pitch really. Defence, midfield and in the middle occasionally. There was very little shape about the whole team so u never knew where he was going to turn up.
You could argue that his energy is wasted as a centre forward. The thing is though that this is what he is and we would have more goals if he played there all the time