Right, what a bloody day. I thought we lined up with the right idea - two wide men, boggy up front, attack down the wings. From the outset I thought we looked positive and we controlled the match, as the first half faded the quality of Wolves was starting to show and they looked like a dangerous outfit. I was glad to see half time, but nervous as hell. Second half I thought it could go either way. When we scored I couldn't believe it, because typically we hadn't been creating chances. Macken took it well at the second time of asking. Was it just me or was there a definate lift when the Ponty started making noise? the noise was just constant, building and getting stronger - you reds, sing your hearts out for the lads, barnsley we love you, you reds... just rolling on and on. Wolves fans tried to respond but just got drowned out and shut up. It just kept going and the players responded. The whole thing culminated in the goal. It was amazing. After the goal went in I think everyone in the ground was nervous. The players included. We've got to a stage now where when we score we get apprehensive. The whole side looked more worried at one-nil up than it did at nil-nil. The only thought that went through my mind was 'At least we're more likely to get a draw now' - crazy. I didn't for a minute feel, with any confidence, that we could carry that one-nil lead for the remainder of the game. That was based more on recent games though - because actually, on the pitch we were doing ok.</p> The real turning point after that was the injury to Hammill though. I think the whole ground was thinking 'Devaney for Hammill'. Davey made his classic - 'we'redoing ok - but I'm going to **** it up with a daft substitution'. Defensive midfielder on, one less outlet for the defence to release the pressure to. We getpinned back inside our own 18 yard box. Que the inevitable equaliser and the crushingdisappointment.</p> I thought the wolves fans disgraced themselves with the pitch invasion after their goal. McCarthy was furious with them. Wish he was our manager - the way that he urged them forward after the equaliser and kept communicating with them constantly on the pitch... legend.</p> I couldn't see usgetting a second after that - although surprisingly, at the very death, Andersonmissed a wonderful opportunity with a header, and Mifsud has a good shot blocked on the turn.</p> Our fans that invaded the pitch atthe end looked like morons.</p> So we go to the last game of the season. Thank you very much Simon Davey.</p> With theresults and fixtures yet to come in I was glad to see that Birmingham lost to Preston. Now Readinghave a hope ofgetting promoted automatically by beating both Norwich and Birmingham on the last day (although I'm fairly sure that Warnock will roll over for Sheffield United).</p> I think Norwich will have a hard game against Reading as a result.</p> Clearly, as things stand, Norwich, Us, Forestor Plymouth could go down.</p> If Norwich lose - Forest and Plymouth are safe. Whichis good news for us on the final day. In this circumstance Norwich will have to win to stay up, and we would have to lose. A draw for us would be fine on the final day.</p> If Norwichdraw - Forest are still in the mix, Plymouth are safe. Norwich would still need a win to stay up (and if they did win, we'd have to win too).</p> If Norwich win - both Plymouth and Forest are injeopardy. This would bevery bad news for us - although the issue would still be in our hands, we'd have to beat Plymouth at their place, and relegate them, to be sure. Clearly if Norwich lost,we'd only need a draw (and so would Plymouth) - but we couldn't really play for that with any sense of confidence.</p> If asked what I think is most likely - I would suggest that Reading will make a concerted effort to beat Norwich, and ought to win. I think the most likely result for us against Plymouth is a draw. That would make us safe. If Reading don't beat Norwich I will seriously be fearing for the worst.</p> At any othertime I would have been pleased with the overall performance today, and the result, giving the side we were playing. AsDavey has taken us into this mess, we have to leave a resultlike that with an enormous sense of regret. The truth is the poor results against Norwich,Ipswich, Forest, Blackpool, Charlton, Watford, etc etc have put us in this **** state biting ournails. Davey must go- he simply has not made the most of the players at his disposal.</p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p>
"Not made the best of the players at his disposal" - correct up to a point. Signed a load of **** players also. His tactics at home have cost us, if he'd have lined up like today all season at home I think we'd have been safe. Hume situation hasn't helped Davey but he must go whether we stay up or not.
Agree with everything you said there. Next weekend is going to be a nervy one, just hope we can pull it off.
i was among the constant racket from the Ponty - and i say among, when i mean my 3 mates deafened me! Sang their hearts out, as did i, and we'll be doing the same next sunday! YOU REDS!!!
RE: worst thing he did was sign andranik who he felt he had to play,thus us playing with the 3 midfield players!your spot on when you say we would have been safe playing with the 2 wingers at home.The numpty has to go,surely cryne won,t keep him for another season wether we stay up or go down.
