It didn't take long, but as it happens today at least I have! I wanted to check that my memory wasn't playing tricks on me. At my age it pays to check.
Late goals that cost points really sting. They are often the product of fatigue. I think that is why we suffered regular late blows in the league above - we had to work so hard and concentrate for so long against good teams to give ourselves a chance and it often caught up with us.
Hopefully this season we will be more on the front foot and like last time in this division we will be net winners on the late goal front. Hopefully Saturday will prove to be an exception rather than the rule, because we were on top for long spells.
It is a given of course that Wednesday will score late to beat us at our place and that we will do the same to them at theirs. You can chalk them up already.
As to game management there is something quite crucial to be understood.
On Saturday we won the first half handsomely. If it were a boxing match as per the Olympic format I would be unhappy with a 3-2 verdict. However, the second half was more difficult to score. Wigan punched at range and we had no willingness from the side lines to take the game to them as we did in the first (rounds) half. We're we bug-gered by the effort , and then succ-um-bed to the technical prowess of wigan coaches ? Should we have filled the midfield or brought on a sick and ailing ladapo ?
My experience was that wigan out thought us in that second half. Punching at range, moving us around the pitch and drawing us into fouls. They saw what we had and countered it. That's worrying for fights (games) to come.
In the championship it could be said we flattered to decieve. In L1 it seems we may decieve and be beaten.
I do think PW is still down mentally . His general demeanour is not what it was and his language is very cir***spect and borders on resignation at times. He needs someone to pick him up and dust him down or he needs to find that within himself. If he is down then the players won't be up on their toes either.
PW, wants value for money just like the chairman. This means what? I think it means not taking risks and keeping to the industrial method . In this case we can't expect changes to our style or recruitment.
On paper this squad should be good enough for a top 6 finish. Afterall it is not remarkably different than the championship team that PW felt was definitely good enough to stay up. He needs to remind himself of that belief and optimism he had perhaps .
This season we have the possibly re-emergence of ogbene and the effectiveness and trusted nature of smudge. We have added rathbone who looks to be as good as and possibly better than , or at least adds to a decent midfield. Ferguson looks as good a left sided player as we could have hoped to have recruited at this level. Victor is an up and coming keeper. And, Ladapo has a great record of goals but isn't played often...so, I think there needs to be some urgency and some truth spoken in that dressing room. It's only 2 games in but I can see some unbelief and some disbelief already.
-- Edited by ian on Monday 16th of August 2021 05:15:45 PM
