Something else I know nowt about is golf, but I must’ve listened to the blokes behind me banging on about it for half an hour during that 1st half. ‘And you’ll never guess how many times I’ve had a go at that par 3’. No, I wouldn’t. I’m trying to watch a game here, one we’re actually being vaguely entertaining in, and you’re rattling on about where to buy the best ‘golf grip’. JUST SHUT THE F*** UP. (One of the 2 normally sits in my row and usually doesn’t even offer a grunt when he wants to be past for his half-time beer long before half-time arrives.)
We went one up early, DKD snaffling the rebound after Ogbeta’s cross was fumbled by the keeper. I was relieved for him, he’d missed the same chance a couple of minutes earlier after the keeper fumbled a Connell shot. I’m not sure about this keeper. Then, minutes before half-time, said custodian legs it out of his goal to decapitate McGoldrick outside the box. Fair play McGoldrick, he sees it coming and lobs the ball goalwards despite knowing the keeper is incoming. I’m not sure it needs the 14 rolls though. (Hilariously, on the highlights, he’s still rolling as they cut to a replay.) With 10 mins to the interval, could we nick one before half-time?
Yes, we most certainly could. Connell (who’d only given the ball away twice to provide breaks to Hudds in our half) hits one from the edge of the box through a crowd of players. One kindly deflection and a despairing dive later, it’s two nil. Then I get greedy, could we nick a third? No, though we had the ball in their final third. It’s fair to say that I felt confident, but not supremely so. The champions of England had thrown away a two goal lead against 10 men at the Mags this week, so I’m sure we could do too.
Second half...who had 10 men? For 20 odd minutes we were all over the place and there were plenty of half chances for our Terrier friends. Then Coach Conor sent on the ‘finishers’ (Kelly and Faruggia) for Bland and McGoldrick and we were all over them. Kelly driving from midfield, slick one-touch moves in their third, we were slicing them to pieces. DKD scores a tap-in after one such move, but he’s marginally ahead of the cross, offside. Boooo. Then, just as in the 1st half, he makes up for it within minutes, pouncing on the rebound after Phillips’ blockbuster was saved. ‘He loves a tap-in’ said I. Slack. Yes, he does. But this is to do him a disservice. He’s PROACTIVE, always on the sniff for such chances. What a world away it was when we had Max Watters up front. He’d still be there, somewhere on the backpost, gawping.
This was the queue for the away end to empty. They’d held on at 2-0, as I’m telling you, we gave them hope. So it’s with almost a smile that half of them missed their late consolation as Ogbeta’s backpass was never reaching Cooper. How will Coops ever keep a clean sheet with this defence? It brought a smidgeon of disappointment at full-time, as this could’ve been a chance to score 4 or 5 without reply. Still, I’d have taken 3-1 at 3pm.
Onwards and upwards!
*** Watson. Intercepted passes, made tackles, passed the ball consistently to a Red, got up the pitch. Perfect.
** DKD. Scored 2, had a 3rd narrowly offside.
* Earl. Confident in possession, faultless in defence.
Official MOTM: DKD.
Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. DKD 2. Watson 3. Earl
Despatches:
Jonathan Bland. Everyone loves him. A world-beater in the making. (I’m surprised none of the Big 6 have been linked.) Even yesterday I saw the messages at HT about what an amazing game he had 1st half, centre mid. I just don’t see it. Or, others didn’t see the 3 times he lost the ball, plus the poor defensive header after McGoldrick’s initial poor defensive header put the ball in his own box. For me, it’s no coincidence we ran riot after Kelly came on. He’s simply more dynamic. He runs FORWARD with the ball, gives and goes, makes things happen. Bland is just...tidy. Let’s see how the season develops, but there you go, I’ve nailed my colours to the mast. I’m now hunkering down for the expected incoming...
McGoldrick. Good job we have a DKD, cos after a couple of games without a goal, McG will soon match Dire, about 1 in 3. I loved his miscontrol when put clean thru on Satdy (by Vickers?), Rammellesque, controlling a ball 20 yards to the keeper. That woud’ve made it 3 nil early 2nd half, and who knows how many we’d have racked up?
I thought we were generally solid, though Shepherd had irked one Reds fan on Praise or Grumble, asking whether ‘he’s trying to be Beckenbauer with all his Cruyff turns’. WTF? Unpick that one.
Vickers continues to be good value. Best loanee since...? The way he turns and spins on a sixpence with the ball, leaving 1, if not 2, defenders dead and then creating space, is a joy. OK, he’s not your typical winger, running down the wing and whipping a ball in, but he’s great. Love him. Watch him be bought in Jan by some Championship side, a la Danny Drinkwater back in the day. (Actually, is he the best loanee since Drinkwater? Maybe.)
Finally, it’s transfer deadline day today. If we’ve any intention of challenging for the play-offs (let’s not get carried away with top 2, we’ve barely got a defence) we absolutely need to keep hold of Phillips and DKD. Let’s see what the ambitions are of our owners. (And for top 2, a pair of decent centre halves, pls, and another centre forward.)
Drink du jour: Back on the Lightbulb at Spiral.
Away: 4,831 (15,783) ‘Barnsley’s a sh*thole, I wanna go home.’ I live near Huddersfield, so listen lads. Get back on your poxy rail replacement buses (cos your station’s closed for a month), back to your poxy town centre and go buy some vapes, cos there must be a gazillion purveyors of said product within that ring road of yours. ‘People in glass houses’ etc.
The Damage:
c.£20 petrol
= c.£20
plus a new tyre. £95.
