bHappy

Five thunks from the first League reverse of the season

1- The sort of game, frankly, that I was dreading in the summer. Leeds weren’t particularly better than us – but they were bigger, stronger and, crucially, one goal up for most of the game. An equaliser was never beyond the realms of possibility… indeed, our second half flurries constituted the most convincing spell of pressure from either side – but nor did it look overwhelmingly likely. Pre-match discussion had suggested that this game would help inform whether the season was to contain unexpected revelry on a par with Norwich, or whether we were to be a soft touch as suggested a couple of times since. Unfortunately, one suspects that there will be further frustrating afternoons in store… we don’t have the physical presence to win a battle, or the depth of options to change a game that needs changing.

2- Having said which, it’s difficult to fathom Swash Buckley starting on the bench. The source of so much of our positive attacking play this season, if his selfless running and bringing other players into the game sometimes resembles the contribution of Danny Graham, Graham’s enforced absence made Buckley’s omission all the more mistifying. The frustration was exacerbated by a shambolic performance from replacement Jordan Mutch, whose showing was an exaggerated pastiche of one of Henri Lansbury’s early, less convincing games. Clearly a talented player – his one or two good moments were amongst our best – he largely struggled to contribute in his role at the front of the diamond, often needing too much time in possession and consequently losing it, shying away from the physical confrontation and too frequently shooting optimistically from distance. As with Lansbury, we have to hope that player and team work out how to benefit from each other in time.

3- Troy Deeney. Lots to love and lots to agitate over already… strong as an ox, great touch, worked hard, but (as I may already have suggested) recalls Gifton Noel-Williams in his ability to antagonise a referee (an irritating little nerk in this case) by being big and awkward. His strength will be a massive asset, we just need to suss out how to use it, and that involves Troy working out how not to give cheap free kicks away. Significantly, having been at fault in the calamity that preceded Naylor’s goal, Deeney subsequently proved very adept at dropping back to support his defence at set pieces. Plenty of raw material here.

4- Kasper Schmeichel was amongst the most demoralising aspects of the afternoon, plucking even the better of our highly variable crosses with what might have been a yawn. He has also inherited his father’s enormous kick, and only once looked troubled when a right-wing second-half cross left him exposed but unpunished as our forwards weren’t alert enough to attack the far post. One particularly aggravating moment came when Schmeichel came out bravely to pluck the ball from Martin Taylor’s head… I’d maintain that Taylor’s showings thus far constitute a big improvement on what we saw last season, but he’s still not nasty enough. Given the obstacle that Schmeichel was providing, forgive me, but I’d quite like to have seen Schmeichel flat on the floor and the ball in the net, even at the cost of a free kick. Taylor had every right to claim the header, but didn’t do so.

5-I’m completely in favour of the pragmatic use of the East Side of the ground; in the absence of a stand, the erection of commentating gantries and the like can only be interpreted as sensible, whilst the benches enjoy their long-awaited roof safe in the knowledge that nobody’s view is being obscured. It does feel rather… resigned though. Much as I know that nothing’s doing there any time soon, I’d like to be able to prolong the illusion of progress – semi-permanent constructions kinda forbid this….

1. So much a game of two halves that using more than a pair of thunks – good thunk, bad thunk – seems a little wasteful. Unless you count this as a thunk in its own right, of course. Ah.

2. Anyway, we were thoroughly luxurious for forty-five minutes. Improbably luxurious, given the combined price tag (Troy Deeney’s slightly incongruous signing aside). One year on, Malky’s managed to surprise us again: whatever struggles inevitably lie ahead in the winter months, you have to applaud the bravery of trying to assemble another team to play fast, energetic, absolutely bloody charming pass-and-move football when everyone else just phones up Neil Warnock and asks what he’d do. Under this manager, any success feels like a genuine reward for endeavour.

But you do have to claim that reward. Our second-choice – then, anyway – strike pairing combined touch, strength, pace and awareness with a comprehensive inability to stick the ball in the net; our midfield flicked passes hither and thither happily, making the most of the smoothly grassed pitch before it all turns into a battlefield again. At various times, County’s six yard box resembled a rugby try-line, forwards attempting to force themselves over by sheer weight of numbers. We looked like we could score at any moment…and we very nearly did…and we didn’t….

3. The rest was so predictable that you shouldn’t get depressed about it. What happened is what usually happens: our opponents spent the interval transforming themselves from a bewildered shambles into a vaguely competent football team, whereas we’d have been much happier carrying on without a break. County were galvanised by an early set piece goal; we discovered that glossy football is much easier when you’re not under pressure, physical and mental, and looked around forlornly in the hope that John Eustace would pop up out of nowhere to shout, point and kick things until it was all right again. He didn’t. You half-expected to see Malky striding over towards the County bench to open negotiations with Jon Harley…

4. A slightly undignified exit, then…but with a squad that already feels stretched, it’s hard to have too many regrets. The youngsters will get more than their fair share of first team experience by May; forty-six league games will last quite long enough.

5. As if to demonstrate the point, Danny Graham’s injury during a short and questionable substitute appearance was the real low point of the night, a reminder of the thin ice that separates us from drowning. You can only do so much with these resources before you have to trust to luck: lose two or three of the core first team to injuries and no amount of tactical tweaking or desperate pleas for whoever fills Will Hoskins’ boots would be able to save us. The manager would still get the blame, everyone would pick out a scapegoat to howl at…but there’d be precious little anyone could do.

It’s going to be a long season. We’re going to need some good fortune. But cling onto this: if fortune does indeed favour the brave, then we have every right to put our hands up high.