I left the match last week feeling very disappointed

You can have both, even in this lwage.

 

I agree with you in some respects. I suppose it's a question of is your glass half full or empty?

We comprehensively beat last season's play-off finalists by our biggest winning margin so far this season, without actually putting in our best performance this season (IMO Millwall away - not counting the cup games). So in that respect it's provided hope that if we can do that without really getting out of second gear, we should look forward to being extremely competitive with any team in this division in future. Johnson said that he expects us to be looking like the side he wants after 15-20 games. So to be within touching distance of the automatic spots and not even be the finished article is cause for some optimism.

It didn't bother me one iota when I heard the team, which can't be said for the other two people I travel to the game with. We were playing with "no strikers" apparently. I confidently told them not to worry and that we'd probably end up knocking 5 in. Almost!

I don't think that the substitution brought about the result. For me we looked to be employing the same shape once Williams had been subbed, just using different personel - Watkins moving wide and Winnall replacing him up top.

It speaks volumes to those bemoaning the lack of strikers in the team that our goals yesterday were all scored by non-strikers (Watkins was in midfield when he scored). We've got a team full of players capable of getting us goals, from the top through to right back. Surely that's a good thing.

On another note, Townsend scares the life out of me when he rushes out to meet the onrushing striker. It cost us once, but could have cost us a few more times.

In conclusion, I'm not excited. I'm quietly optimistic.

 

He was still up front, on the shoulder of the last defender ready to spring the offside trap should the right through ball come along, which it did. Watkins scored on 22 minutes, Winnall came on after 29 mninutes.

 

I beg your pardon you're right. Thanks for pointing it out.

Even so, we were potent from all areas on Saturday.