bradley grafted his nuts off today but it's a cliche for some , he didn't seem interested , try hard blah blah blah a bit like the danny green doesn't help solly out cliche , i thought he tracked back reasonsably well today and you got to bear in mind he was one of our most attacking threats so he will be caught at the wrong end of the pitch from time to time
Blood and thunder game. Not the greatest quality perhaps but an essential part of the football experience. We deserved it by the smallest of margins because we NEVER look like conceding. Bit concerned that we aren't holding the ball up in advanced positions as well as we might but on a day like this, that's a quibble. So proud. And I haven't felt like that for 5 years.
Definately got our money's worth today. For what it's worth, I thought Hamer looked far from commanding throughout and BWP did fall over a lot. However, other than that, nearly everyone gave 100+%. But we surrendered mid-field second half which put a lot of unnecessary pressure on our awesome defence. Thought the ref had a good first half and a poorer second half. United had a very good second half but neither side had anything really incisive up front. Positives? Plenty. Another clean sheet. Another title pretender put down. 60% of our remaining games against teams in the lower half of the division. No injuries. A squad with depth. Scope for improvement between midfield and up front. Negatives? Still looking for some . . . . . Hope Sheffield Utd make the step up with us; they gave us a stiff test.
Sheff Utd and MK Dons are the best teams we have faced this season yet niether have beaten us - it has to be our season. We only need to win 9 or 10 more games this season and it's in the bag.
I'm surprised people on here are saying they thought the Blades were the best we've played. I was really unimpressed by them. Hamer made a routine save from a free-kick in the first half and the only decent chance they had was when he dropped a straightforward cross. I though we were below par today, didn't keep the ball enough in the second half an invited a lot of pressure but we still looked comfortable at the back because they had no flair or cutting edge. And how many times did they punt crosses into the stand? I thought we should have seen the game out a bit more easily than we did. As long as we don't get complacent we will win this division by a mile.
Strikers had a good work rate today but I don't see why you'd sign Clarke and Haynes and continue to play BWP when he's stopped scoring. Drop him. He'd do well to have a rest and there's less pressure coming off the bench.
Which means we wont win appeal unfortunately. Never mind, could have been a first team player. On the point of Hamer - wasn't his best game for us but he didn't let anu in and he has been very good for us lately - I'm more than happy with him in goal and think he has a lot of potential. Haynes looked very fast and sharp when he came on for that cameo. The dam is about to burst for Bradley and when it does the goal are going to flood in. But the fact that he has had a drought has had its positives. We have shown that we don't rely unduly on his goals.
You would see some comments from opposing fans to the tune of- if they lose BWP to injury , watch them drop - well we have shown them and ourselves that we are not reliant on any one player.
As for Sheff Utd, they did impress me until they got to the final third- their final ball was invariably terrible. It is going to be between them and Huddersfield for second. Huddersfiled, I think are a slightly better team but Sheff Utd are good at dispatching the weaker sides - it will be close. Both Sheff Teams in the play off will definitely spice them up.
Sheff U looked good in the first half and did cut through our defence a few times without capitalising on it. Hamer was lucky with the drop into the net, having seen it on TV. Yes Taylor was impeded on the line but many a referee would have missed it and compared to the foul against Richard Lee in Huddersfiel Brentford for a goal. it was nothing.
Our defence is awesome though and are the foundations and rock upon which our promotion is built. In this division most strike forces are cack and need luck or multiple chances to score, we don't give that and when we do come across the real deal at this level they cannot get past Morrison, Taylor, Solly or Wiggins. What the hell did Megson do to Morrison to regard him as poor.
we need to keep focused, we have only two big games left this season MK Dons and Huddersfield, but we need to keep focused on the rest and go for Champions, but regardless of that - ONE AIM
Not pretty yesterday, but we did the business and are now in a great position,, however I can't agree with the following comment:-
"Not buying into this anti Hamer business!He is the first keeper in yeeeeeeears that comes off his line for crosses!He is also the most commanding goalkeeper we have had at the club in a long time"
To me he is the one weak link in the team and if we do go up we need someone better. The reason we aren't conceding goals is because we have a fantastic back 4 not because of him. Maybe i'm being churlish considering where we are but this is what i think.
Great result, poor game. Our defence was superb despite our goalie having a wobble. Well played to Sheff Utd but they can't have played against a better back four than Charlton's yesterday. As an attacking force we offered next to nothing and the strikers had zero service. Maybe Haynes should be given a start for Green next week and Clarke for BWP as both look like they need a short break. Jackson's goal was superb but he looked out of it too after some very hard games post-injury. Give him an extra day off this week.
"Hamer was lucky with the drop into the net, having seen it on TV" "Hamer dropped the ball in his own net unchallenged."
Nonsense.
The United player pulled Hamer's shirt taking him back away from the ball so he could not reach to collect the ball. This was clear to those of us in D block in the Lower North behind the goal. The referee did well to spot this as the linesman could have had no chance of seeing the foul. The TV angle doesn't give good view of what actually happened.
Great result and they work hard as a side, we didnt appear to win the second ball too often, but I think a real reason was after we scored they had to come at us, we seemed content to let them and showed a lot of faith in our back four who are as good as anything I can remember in 30 years I have been addick watching
We sat deep sometimes but always looked dangerous when we came forward until BWP went off, I thought he worked hard and held the ball up well and just needs a break. Yan won so much in the air against an equally competent defence, and Heyes was an inspired sub as he showed pace a couple of times he got the ball that stretched a tiring UTD with 10 men. I came away thinking I had just seen the top two and again, if they had scored in 20 mins I think we would have had all the possession and troubled them more than troubled us tbh, it was a tactical game between two good, in form sides.
Both Sides below par would be my assesment. I honestly thought we would need to be on top of our game to win this one. However, we were some way off and still won. United bossed the first 10 mins in first half and first 20 in second. Although all their neat passing football did not produce any real threat to goal. Although you always believed it could. Yes, they are the best side iv seen, and are most likely for promo candidates after us. Lots of below par performances today, but hey 6 points from last 2 games is more than I imagined. We used a get out of jail card today, but thats football.
I thought hamer was blatantly fouled at match (i sit in west upper, near nw corner), but when I saw it on TV he just fell over and was pretty lucky. what was Beattie doing exactly by grabbing Kerms by the throat, that was disgusting.
I don't worry about hamer on a regular basis , I think he has saved us more points than cost and everyone is allowed games where they are below par ,
Talking to jacko yesterday the boys have had to be mentally strong as well as physically strong and that it was evident in some decision making yesterday that they were close to reaching a point that it is taking a toll
We have had possibly the hardest 2 fixtures the calendar could through up back to back, take until account the fulham game and we have faced 3 really tough fixtures
Ben allowed a bad one, it was a foul for the dropped in goal, but he's played well for us since joining us, and is better long term then what he's replaced.
Interesting stuff NLA, my worry with that is, that they'll drop a level against Exeter, hopefully a nice little break this week will help, plus especially with Bury straight after at the Valley
on the whole im well happy with the 3 points and at this time of the season that sall that matters so well done to the lads , another gritty performance and out back 4 superb yet again ,as for hamers handling i felt for him the conditions i feel had a lot to do with it, the thing is a keeper is on a hiding to nothing if he dont come for crosses he gets slated ,and if he comes for crosses and mishandles he gets slated , 10 more wins and i feel it will be job done.
Comments
but it's a cliche for some , he didn't seem interested , try hard blah blah blah
a bit like the danny green doesn't help solly out cliche , i thought he tracked back reasonsably well today and you got to bear in mind he was one of our most attacking threats so he will be caught at the wrong end of the pitch from time to time
Hope Sheffield Utd make the step up with us; they gave us a stiff test.
Not got time to write fully, but i haven't punched the air at the end of the game like that for many many years.
"High pitched" Yes, thanks Dan.......
You would see some comments from opposing fans to the tune of- if they lose BWP to injury , watch them drop - well we have shown them and ourselves that we are not reliant on any one player.
As for Sheff Utd, they did impress me until they got to the final third- their final ball was invariably terrible. It is going to be between them and Huddersfield for second. Huddersfiled, I think are a slightly better team but Sheff Utd are good at dispatching the weaker sides - it will be close. Both Sheff Teams in the play off will definitely spice them up.
Our defence is awesome though and are the foundations and rock upon which our promotion is built. In this division most strike forces are cack and need luck or multiple chances to score, we don't give that and when we do come across the real deal at this level they cannot get past Morrison, Taylor, Solly or Wiggins. What the hell did Megson do to Morrison to regard him as poor.
we need to keep focused, we have only two big games left this season MK Dons and Huddersfield, but we need to keep focused on the rest and go for Champions, but regardless of that - ONE AIM
"Not buying into this anti Hamer business!He is the first keeper in yeeeeeeears that comes off his line for crosses!He is also the most commanding goalkeeper we have had at the club in a long time"
To me he is the one weak link in the team and if we do go up we need someone better. The reason we aren't conceding goals is because we have a fantastic back 4 not because of him. Maybe i'm being churlish considering where we are but this is what i think.
I'm guessing you were near the front of North Upper, Block J?
"Hamer dropped the ball in his own net unchallenged."
Nonsense.
The United player pulled Hamer's shirt taking him back away from the ball so he could not reach to collect the ball. This was clear to those of us in D block in the Lower North behind the goal. The referee did well to spot this as the linesman could have had no chance of seeing the foul. The TV angle doesn't give good view of what actually happened.
We sat deep sometimes but always looked dangerous when we came forward until BWP went off, I thought he worked hard and held the ball up well and just needs a break. Yan won so much in the air against an equally competent defence, and Heyes was an inspired sub as he showed pace a couple of times he got the ball that stretched a tiring UTD with 10 men. I came away thinking I had just seen the top two and again, if they had scored in 20 mins I think we would have had all the possession and troubled them more than troubled us tbh, it was a tactical game between two good, in form sides.
Hope they go up, I liked the ones I met
ref was shocking
Let's make sure that we maintain this focus against Exeter & Bury!
Hamer gives me kittens everytime he Comes for crosses.
Talking to jacko yesterday the boys have had to be mentally strong as well as physically strong and that it was evident in some decision making yesterday that they were close to reaching a point that it is taking a toll
We have had possibly the hardest 2 fixtures the calendar could through up back to back, take until account the fulham game and we have faced 3 really tough fixtures
Interesting stuff NLA, my worry with that is, that they'll drop a level against Exeter, hopefully a nice little break this week will help, plus especially with Bury straight after at the Valley