... I summarised yesterday's performance in the context of the season as a whole. We have an inexperienced, young squad, producing inconsistent and erratic performances, containing a number of players who have individually made errors on a regular basis that have resulted in the position in the table we are in. HOWEVER. Yesterday they were every inch, and in every area, looking a Championship level side against a team with multi million pound players. Yes, Fulham, particularly the keeper, played badly, but in the main that was because they were not allowed to by a skilful, tenacious team who for 90 minutes harried and pressed their opponents giving them no time to settle. We mixed it up with fast breaks and slick passing moves but also the long direct ball which on at least two occasions should have produced a goal (one being when Cauley and Woodrow were put through with just the goalkeeper to beat from a fantastic kick from our GK and conspired to get in each others way. (I suspect Conor was better placed but Cauley wanted to score in open play against his old club.) Conor was also clear on the left a couple more times but fired wide on each occasion. Anywy, my point is, you cannot fluke performances like that if, like some on here keep claiming, you have a team made up of Division 1 and non-league standard footballers. Quite a few have blamed inexperience and lack of onfield guidance from an experienced player, rather than lack of ability and I think yesterday confrimed that they were 100% correct (for at least the 13 players used yesterday). Solly was highly influencial (and vocal) in marshalling the troops and he and Halme were immense in stifling the opponents multi million pound front line. Even our GK was assured and both shot stopping, positioning, coping with crosses and distribution (especially given the wind and rain) were excellent.No Reds fan would want to have swapped him for Fulham's keeper of that I am 100% certain! We may still go down, but after yesterday I hope we see an end to the " they are all cr*p" -" Sunday League players"- "get em all sold" posts although I suspect the doom mongers will continue. I repeat. A 'cr*p side can underperform but cannot fluke performances like that. COYR
I've only seen the highlights but if it had been the other way round we'd have gone mad at the defenders and goalie! A great win but I do worry about getting too carried away and then we mess up against another side and the vitriol all starts up again. Anyway, great to wake up to a win ( not that I got much sleep with the wind!)
Good post, sir. It also shows that GS has not 'lost' the dressing room because that was an all for one and one for all performance. Going forward so much depends on settled team selections and big players being consistent. If the same Bahre as yesterday turns up in all the games remaining that would be a fine start.
I think one advantage of younger players is that it is harder to lose the dressing room with them as they are more likely to be exuberant and have belief and passion that they can win. I've never questioned that this team have played for each other , and by extension for the fans . A room full of journeyman and big egos and its it's a lot trickier.
The chalk and cheese of the last 2 games is the worry. No guarantee which way we will play against Middlesbrough on setday.....
We got the wins the wrong way around. If we had beat Birmingham and lost to Fulham it would have been more expected than the way around we've done it.
I'm not sure I've read many posts on this forum over the past season saying that we're just a pub side. The tragedy of what's happened is that we do have some good players and on our mettle we play good football. But in general the defence has been so poor it's dragged everything else down with it. And that problem originates in catastrophic recruitment.
Yep, and that's why the remainder of the season isn't just about the players stepping up to the plate - it's also about Struber getting his head together over selections, man-management and tactics. We're going to need a holistic, unified response to our situation now. It's difficult but not impossible - just unlikely on past evidence. Hey, but let's see how much everybody wants this.
I don't think anyone claimed it was a fluke. Correct me if I'm wrong. There was nothing lucky about it. We played well and thoroughly deserved it.
You possibly need to read through this thread again. It's all a joke about the OP mistakenly describing Cauley and Woodrow as 2 separate people. Nobody was "having a pop" at anybody.
