City 2 Totton 2
Dec 17, 2011 20:17:11 GMT
Post by Rijs on Dec 17, 2011 20:17:11 GMT
The name of Christ was invoked alongside me as the late Totton equaliser went in, and one can understand that this second blow at the death of a game in four days could leave one wondering about some divine retribution, but the truth is that City have only themselves to blame for letting yet another two points slip at home. At the moment, when we have a second half lead we sit back and defend it. The midfield drop deep and the gap between them and the forwards is too long, so they can only resort to hoofing it clear and hoping someone might get on the end of it. As we are outnumbered up there, statistically it is going to come straight back more often, so the pressure continues until the opposition finally get a goal. Cue the whistle, ref.
If only we went looking hungrily for the two-goal lead, all this could be avoided, but when one is watching from the clubhouse end in the second half we are so far from most of the action that the players can barely hear our encouragement to get forward.
A case in point: into added time, a throw to City near the Totton corner flag. A chance to get men forward and pressure the goal? No. Defenders stay put, Ballard and Malone are near the halfway line, we have only two in the box and the ball goes directly back into our half. Until we adopt a more positive approach in the final third of both the pitch and the game, we are going to keep on giving away late goals and dropping potential points, and if we fail to make the play-offs, this failing will be a major reason. Is it lack of confidence at home? It's been a long time since we won a home league match...
To be fair to Totton, they thoroughly deserved their draw on the balance of play and they created more chances--about eight to our four. Had Jason not been on good form, we would have lost to what is arguably the best, as well as the wealthiest, team in the league. City cannot be faulted for lack of effort. The defence in particular put in a great shift. Willmott impressed (a good signing, that), Bloss was excellent, Learoyd adapted well to his new role (though he is less useful when attacking down the wing) and Marv Martin was very steady. Andy Ballard's arm injury put paid to the long throws which had troubled them in the first half hour and led to the first goal, but he gave his usual battling display, and Steeley worked like a Trojan up front, with too little support. Dec had a good game too, and Liam did little wrong even if he is not quite his old self yet--his injury maybe not quite healed yet. Mike made sensible substitutions but apart from that one shot by Fish which their keeper did well to get down to, we never looked like scoring in the second half.
Still, we would have won if the ref had not added on what seemed an excessive amount of extra time--by my reckoning, the goal went in in the seventh minute of it!
If only we went looking hungrily for the two-goal lead, all this could be avoided, but when one is watching from the clubhouse end in the second half we are so far from most of the action that the players can barely hear our encouragement to get forward.
A case in point: into added time, a throw to City near the Totton corner flag. A chance to get men forward and pressure the goal? No. Defenders stay put, Ballard and Malone are near the halfway line, we have only two in the box and the ball goes directly back into our half. Until we adopt a more positive approach in the final third of both the pitch and the game, we are going to keep on giving away late goals and dropping potential points, and if we fail to make the play-offs, this failing will be a major reason. Is it lack of confidence at home? It's been a long time since we won a home league match...
To be fair to Totton, they thoroughly deserved their draw on the balance of play and they created more chances--about eight to our four. Had Jason not been on good form, we would have lost to what is arguably the best, as well as the wealthiest, team in the league. City cannot be faulted for lack of effort. The defence in particular put in a great shift. Willmott impressed (a good signing, that), Bloss was excellent, Learoyd adapted well to his new role (though he is less useful when attacking down the wing) and Marv Martin was very steady. Andy Ballard's arm injury put paid to the long throws which had troubled them in the first half hour and led to the first goal, but he gave his usual battling display, and Steeley worked like a Trojan up front, with too little support. Dec had a good game too, and Liam did little wrong even if he is not quite his old self yet--his injury maybe not quite healed yet. Mike made sensible substitutions but apart from that one shot by Fish which their keeper did well to get down to, we never looked like scoring in the second half.
Still, we would have won if the ref had not added on what seemed an excessive amount of extra time--by my reckoning, the goal went in in the seventh minute of it!