Strangely, I feel more relaxed approaching this game from 3rd place than I would if we were top?!
Let's hope that the extra time bounce that we had at Wembley continues tomorrow. I'd like to see REG back in the starting line-up alongside Wood and Icky and also start with Miller and Ogbene out wide. I assume Freddie will partner Smudge up front and the rest of the team should pick itself.
An early goal would do wonders for our confidence and wouldn't it be nice to have a comfortable win? However, at this stage of the season, that sort of luxury is most unlikely!
For whatever reason we have lost our way. It's a long time since we were the better side in a league game. There is a loss of confidence. The players lool afraid to try things and we become predictable. The crowd gets edgy and the nervousness becomes contagious. We can still get automatic promotion but it will need a dramatic turnaround in form. If that doesnt happen we have a few games to at least find a bit of form to carry into the playoffs.
It's difficult to put your finger on what's gone wrong. Until the recent break, I put it down to fatigue but that surely can't be the case any more. So there are two possibilities; firstly my brother went to Tenerife for a prolonged holiday during which we didn't lose and won most - he returned for the MK Dons game at NYS - he could be a Jonah! More likely though, I don't think we've been the same side since Will Grigg's injury. I think he was the stabilising influence up front and brought Smudge into the game giving him better opportunities to score.
Our offensive play at present looks feeble. Smith's role is almost like it was when we played one up front in the Championship because Freddie's contribution is virtually non-existent. I would have taken him off after 20 minutes yesterday and put on JJ who, although unlikely to be a goal threat, puts defenders under pressure and offers Smudge more time and space. I truly believe that my contribution from the West stand yesterday was much more potent than Lapado's!
We're still in with a shot at promotion. However, if we start needing to play catch-up and hope that teams around us drop points, I fear we're doomed. Moreover, I really don't want another play-off campaign - I don't think my heart could take it!
Pompey will be our season decider on Tuesday; anything less than a win and I suspect we'll fade away.
That said, it has been a fantastic season and a poor end will not take away the thrill of that 21 game unbeaten run and the triumph at Wembley!
I agree with you that the value of Grigg's contribution was underestimated. I would also like to see REG involved again. He was a standout performer during our long unbeaten run. The dilemma is whether to stick with what worked so well and try and rekindle the confidence that we had earlier in the season, or whether the have a reboot and try something different. Maybe a late season switch to a different formation. For me the big difference lately has been the dip in form in midfield. Wiles has been pretty consistent but Barlaser and Rathbone, who were fantastic earlier in the season, havent been the same driving force recently. We have become a bit of a one trick pony - get it forward, get it wide and get it crossed. That's fine but you have to carry other threats. A win of any kind at Portsmouth might give us the impetus we are looking for. Maybe playing away from home will help. Our home form has totally deserted us.
