***there's a problem uploading photos...and it's not just my haplessness.
‘Get her a Slack-o-gram.’
When was the last time fans stuck around and serenaded the players off the pitch? That 4-2 against Washday? I dunno. Maybe it happens all the time and it’s just that I’m out the door as soon as the full-time whistle blows, but it was great to see so many fans stay behind last nite, as the Ponty sang ‘Barnsley’s going up again under Daniel Stendel.’ (It looks less catchy in writing.) The feelgood factor has returned! Will it stick around this time?
Another entertaining, attacking performance full of risks at the back...and another victory. Like last season, the bet appears to be BTTS (Both Teams To Score), the question being who’ll outscore who. I thank Nice Guy Chris for this stat (tho who knows where he got it from):
Most touches in the opposition box in the EFL this season:
Reds 165
Bristol Rovers 150
QPR 127
Cardiff 125
Stockport 124
That is INCREDIBLE. 15 touches ahead of 2nd, nearly 40 ahead of 3rd. Of course, one might say ‘goals scored’ is the crucial stat (if not ‘points won’) while who can say whether Cleary dilly-dallying is 100 of those touches? But still. The opposition can’t score if it’s in their box, surely? We are a pleasure to watch right now. As we were last season, when we were on the front foot. The difference is in our back 5:
Last season: Murphy/Crapman, O’Keeffe, Roberts, Shepherd, MdG
This season: Ravenhill, Kay, Gale, O’Riordan, Noslin.
I am tempted to say every single one of the current back 5 is an improvement on last season. Well done whoever signs these players. Early days, and maybe I’m still in my honeymoon period of not having to watch Shepherd and/or Roberts. (In years to come, I hope to look back fondly on quite how awful they were.)
We started slowly, Blackpool edging the opening 25 (the Tangerines hitting the post with a long range sighter), but thereafter, we looked comfortably the better side. But we still couldn’t score against a defence that included Josh Earl. (Add him to that list of hapless Reds’ defenders last season.) Even worse, when we were presented with the unmissable, it was Earl who blocked Kirk’s scuff on the line. Did I say unmissable? Kay plays in Kelly into the box, Kelly cuts back and puts it on a plate for Kirk, who can pick his spot. The pendulum has swung back in favour of ‘he’s useless’. He’s also soon to lose his place to this new Ivorian we’ve signed, surely.
That said, Blackpool had an opportunity early 2nd half which had 3 (count em!) unmissable opportunities in the same move, as the curse of the Ponty End box extended to their boots too. Maybe it was the new lights (see later)? O’Riordan (twice) and Bland cleared off the line from their unconvincing efforts, but how they didn’t score, I’ll never know.
It was end to end stuff, with Cleary seeing a good deal of ball and Kelly making runs, but it’s from a deadball we score. Noslin puts it in, it’s half-cleared and Kelly hits a bobbler from the edge of the box which is turned in by McGeehan. Johnny on the spot. It’s no fluke either, as he stretches out a stud to direct it in. I wonder to my neighbour whether we’ve gone ahead too early.
We have. Less than 3 minutes later, they’ve equalised. And if they’ve run out of creative options, there’s always the ‘letting a Red kick it to them.’ There’s a touch of misfortune as Bland’s attempt at a tackle rolls straight to their bloke, who squares it for the easy finish. Like Satdy, Ravenhill will never keep a clean sheet while we give them simple chances.
But we’re not deflated. Driven on by sub Richards, we’re looking dangerous. Richards himself has a scuffed effort (we seem to be specialising in ‘the scuff’ at mo...Kelly and McGeehan being masters too) deflected off the post by a defender and in the ensuing chaos Cleary sends a rebound across goal from 4 yards out.
It continues to be an open game and Blackpool blaze one over when the ref waves play-on after Kay chops their winger. Still, it’s nice to know some people know the rules and a Tangerine player helpfully reminds the ref about said foul until eventually, he pulls out the yellow card. Right decision, but still. (In the ref’s favour, he’s not slow in booking Blackpool players’ cynical fouls, 4 in all.)
By now, Connell is on for Bland. I didn’t see that coming. But I did call the next one, on-loan (Welcome back…Ziyad?) Larkeche on for a tired Noslin, Kay switching to right back. And did I mention Farrell coming on at half-time for Kirk? No I didn’t. Might as well be the same player. Tries hard to no effect.
And we go on to win it in controversial circumstances in the 87th minute. A Cleary cross is flicked on by Kelly for Richards to loop a perfect header over the keeper and into the far corner of the net. Seems fine to me (my instinct to look at the linesman suggested no infraction) but some of Blackpool’s players are going mad and convince the ref to consult his assistant. A photograph appears to show Kelly flicked it on with his hand, though you’d be hard-pressed to spot it in real time, and fortunately, the men in black don’t. Hopefully the Farnhams and Jonesys of this world will remember this when they’re totting up the Great Refereeing Conspiracy Theory against the Super Reds. (Or b) they weren’t there, so it didn’t happen.)
This could be a rollercoaster season. Hang on!
Onwards and upwards!
*** Richards. On at half-time for Alker, for me, he’s the difference between being on top 1st half and not scoring, and an even 2nd half, where we bagged 2.
** Kelly. Looked more like himself today, several runs at the defence gaining us yardage.
* McGeehan. Molly’s new favourite player. A steady head and always seems to know when to hold his ground and when to ghost forward to score.
Official MOTM: Kay
Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. McGeehan 2. Kelly 3. Richards
Despatches:
R.I.P. our floodlights. Well, rumours of their demise are perhaps greatly exaggerated at the moment, but it can’t be long. New bulbs in the roof make the floodlights surplus to requirements. If they’re packed off to Ken Booth’s scrapyard (ok, pedants, they’ve gone bust. And Ken died last year anyway) then I’ll be gravely disappointed. They’re part of the fabric of Oakwell. This town talks a good game with regards to its heritage, but I firmly expect they’ll go the same way of the early 20th century toilets of Peel Square. A landmark (can 4 floodlights be ‘a landmark’?) scrubbed from history.
Instead, we’ve got some (more) blinding lights off the roofs. Apparently, from the Ponty, the East Stand side looked dark. I know from my seat virtually on the halfway line, several times the brightness caught my eyes (and not in a good way). These could be teething issues, until they position them correctly, but it sounds worse in the lower decks, as the ball enters the orbit and you’re blinded by the light. Still, about time us heathens saw the light. But, please, don’t knock the floodlights down. (I believe at least one is used for communications, but let’s not leave just one up, either.)
I was also told the reason why we played Wednesday instead of Tuesday this week was cos of the transfer deadline. That makes sense. Had to make sure O’Keeffe left the building. How apt that his last ‘contribution’ was to give Leyton Orient a consolation last Satdy. Farewell, Corey. You leave with my best wishes (honestly). He could have been a contender, or, at the very least, a footballer. But he’ll never be a defender.
More crucially, we kept hold of all of our assets. I’d usually say ‘both of our assets’ (Cleary, Kelly) but I’d throw in Ravenhill, Kay and Bland (careful). The latter, especially, looks a lot better without having to kick the ball 6 yards square to Connell every time he gets it. Will Stendel resist temptation to bring the former captain back in? And how much did we turn down for Connell in the transfer window? (A club statement claimed we turned down overtures.)
Drink du jour: Beartown Inception at Spiral.
Away: c.600 (9,416).
The Damage:
£18.22 ent (Season ticket. £419/23 matches.)
£8 petrol
£55 home shirt (away shirts sold out)
= £81.22
No comments:
Post a Comment