I have no idea where to start. Maybe I should start by placing a health warning on this blog? If it brings back memories of last night, it will after all cause the blood to boil – I’m still seething over 24 hours later. I should also add that it will probably be slightly biased and there is likely to be a (what I consider provoked!) attack on one of the substitutes. I have no idea whether I should launch straight into what may be perceived as the ‘melodramatic ramblings of a mad man’ or, try my best to re-live the match in some form of chorological order. I fear the former will win. This season has been one of hope, joy, frustration, misery, hope, joy, frustration, misery etc etc you get the pattern. However that basic pattern seems to be the norm for every club in this league – whether they are fighting relegation or promotion. What seems a typical month is roughly as follows: A good win, followed by a good draw, followed by disappointing draw, an undeserved defeat and finally sealed with a shocking defeat. No one has built any momentum so far, though Bristol City now have one poor games worth of breathing space. They say the team that wins the Play-Offs has the momentum behind them, but at this point no team seems able to build the crucial momentum, in fact it seems who ever does will not go up through the play-offs anyway, but automatically. They say it every season, but I think the Play-Offs will be an even greater lottery than ever before because of this. For a neutral fan the Championship must look incredibly exciting for this reason. Before the season began I was under no illusions – I knew it would be tough. I only predicted a top 8 finish and there are teams in the bottom half (e.g. Preston) that I thought would finish higher, whilst there are teams in the top I thought would struggle (e.g. Ipswich). Each week it seems there is a perceived shock result. Besides on the surface I’m not even fussed about going up, true if we don’t there is a chance we will be forced to sell ‘the big players’ but there will be replacements. Players, managers and chairman all leave in the end anyway. So what is the main reason for my lack of enthusiasm for another season in the Premiership? In truth it is the risk of further heartbreak. All the other arguments (ticket prices, over paid stars, kick-off times) are just half hearted, bitter, excuses because deep down I know if we were guaranteed promotion and the chance to stay up I’d grab it. But without the surprises, and suspense it wouldn’t be the same, and therefore if I dig even deeper down I realise I probably do want us to go up because there is the hope that if we do manage it, next season will be different from last. For months I’d tried not to overreact to the bad results over November and December. In February a great, winning start was followed by a good point at Charlton, a draw against Preston which wasn’t a disaster in itself and ended at Burnley. Burnley….2 points dropped or 1 gained? In the end, I convinced myself it was another good point, and that the throwing away of a lead (twice) was an expensive lesson we’d learn from and wouldn’t repeat in the remaining 11 games. Onwards and upwards and all that. I took that late equalising goal pretty badly last night partly because I’d stopped trying to fool myself (see above paragraph) about how I felt and more importantly it came from nothing. Yes from the 75th minute I’d started counting down the minutes, yes we all joke about Watford making it difficult for ourselves, yes we all know that if you don’t score a 2nd (or 3rd in our case) you are always at risk of ‘the sucker punch’. More importantly we all know the risks when Jordan Stewart is brought on to act as a defender. Maybe that is harsh, but as a senior member of our squad, someone who has been in the starting line up for near enough 3 full seasons, it should not be beyond his capabilities to play in his natural position without causing a disaster. In short, whilst taking off Sadler may have messed up the balance, Stewart should have been able to slot in with no problems. Thanks to my blissful ignorance I continued to believe there were no worries, Norwich weren’t doing anything in the second half, certainly not in the build up to the goal. All the action was down the Rookery end which made a pleasant change, but despite all the possession there was no end product – in truth no real chances. But it seemed Danny Shittu’s goal would be enough – it should have been, especially if we’d learnt the lessons from Burnley. The lesson(s) which should have been learnt (and many times before Burnley) is: Close down and don’t allow players to be unmarked around or inside the box. As soon as the ball went down the left my heart started pounding and I experienced the muscle spasms my mouth seems to suffer from when we are attacked on that side. Stewart didn’t even attempt to make the tackle, he didn’t have to slide, but he had to do something to try and halt the quick Norwich attack. He didn’t because that isn’t his defensive style, instead he looked like one of the deer in Ashridge when a big 4x4 is heading towards it. Shocked and confused, ultimately thinking so much it ignores the obvious solution. At school there was the argument if you forced the opposition into a pass you had done your job. This was always the argument of the losing team – I should know I was always on that team – it was a way of trying to instil some belief. It seems Jordan always played for that team and believes allowing the opposition to get the cross in or to pass is job done. So there the ball was moving towards Cureton who has not done much for Norwich this season. Next the ball was moving towards goal, as soon as he hit it the bloke behind said that’s in. I didn’t have time to agree but it was clear from my central position in the Rookery Lee was beaten. It was a good shot, also a nice bit of intelligent play to make space, but there should still have been a yellow shirt throwing themselves in front of the ball. Re-wind. 11 minutes into the game we got the goal we deserved, Danny Shittu rose above everyone else, and proved in this league at least he is a true goal scoring threat. It was no less than we deserved at that point. But there were dangers, Norwich seemed to cut through the midfield quite easily but the defence looked solid. The referee was suspect blowing the whistle for any contact on a Norwich player, but mainly it seemed any problems we would encounter would be caused by ourselves. It hadn’t helped that there was very little creativity in open play and any half chances that were created were wasted. Ellington was the biggest culprit but McAnuff also seemed to suffer from poor decision making in the final third when he got himself in good positions when taking on the Norwich defence. However whilst it was 1.0 the fans were willing to ignore these failings, but tensions were definitely mounting (albeit slowly) as the half progressed. At half time Bristol were losing and West Brom were drawing, it could have been so different. It never is with us. (Wrote this yesterday but didn't have time to post - still annoyed 48 hours later)
an extremely angry post there Aber - well written thouugh. blowing a lead twice at Burnley? - they could and should have been 4-2 up with that rock solid defence you are happy with sadler in. I like sadler, but your anger at JS is ignoring all the other bad points of the team of which v naffwich in the 2nd half were obvious for all plus the first half misses, where Elly yet agian sqaundered an extremely good chance after just 2 mins which lets say hadn't affected our play had he scored and we did get the 2nd at 2-0 we probablywould have gone and won. A bit like at Burnley when Elly was one on to one ( not for the first time this season) and made a pigs ear of it which again would have put wfc 2-0 up and again we would probably have gone on to win. So is it PURE FACT that Jordon Stewart is to blame for the points dropped at burnley and home to naffwich - i accept his standing off of players is very frustrating and indeed poor defending, however the true problem lay in the area of attack where the forwards, ARE NOT SCORING ENOUGH THUS PUTTING THE ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THE DEFENCE AS TEAMS GO FOR THE EQUALISER AS WFC ARE INSTRUCTED TO WASTE TIME, GO FOR THE CORNER FLAG AND LAY ON THE GROUND PRETENDING TO HAVE A SORE SOMETHING OR OTHER as they manage the game -winning ugly, which they are not very good at in truth. This isn't defending JS as I am much happier with Saddler in defence, he does look good and has fitted in really well at left back - but you like many blatantly putting all the blame on his (JS) shoulders - are covering up the major inadequencies of our team being - Midfield not scoring enough strikers not scoring enough.
I also agree with what you say PYA, every defeat, like a victory is as a team not an individual. Agree the strikers and midfielders need to score more - imo although some argue we've played better since King left, i think it has more to do with the signings and not his leaving. Ellington is no where his standard, and with a fully fit King we always had someone who could create something from nothing. Deep down i know JS wasn't the only one responsible, but when i wrote the above he was easiest to blame (and i've always hated the way he backs off!)
The goal was a direct result of JS doing what he usually does - nothing. The defeat was not his fault though. As has been said, Hendo and Ellington spurn every chance given, O'Toole is unbelievably shyte at pretty much everything, Our CBs are still hoofing it up far too much and our FB do not join in attacks adequately. Every game we are losing confidence as well, which only makes things worse. We need to win the next two games well. Put in Williamson and CJ and see if we can freshen things up a little.
