Burton v BWFC

That video is a clip to cause nightmares. It's a wonder there weren't more careers ended. In addition to the brutality it also illustrates the bravery of those on the receiving end- a far cry from Neymar or even our own Dapo.

I don't think IE is remotely in the Keith Hill league of post match nonsense. Also I do have some sympathy for managers trying to give interviews 15 mins after a match and then having their words dissected subsequently. IE might do better to waste lest time being outraged with linesmen and opposition managers and more preparing his interviews or making decisive substitutions.

To pursue the tennis analogy I remember once watching a Wimbledon match with Tom Okker and someone, maybe Arthur Ashe who played like this too, where the victor in a hard serving match paced themselves reckoning to win serves and only expend energy on returns when occasionally given a glimpse of a break. Not the modern fashion but faster courts, harder balls. Similarly I'm not too fussed about last night's ten minute debacle and I do not think we were dreadful throughout. It was nothing like before Christmas or indeed often last year. We were on top in the game. Their keeper had to make two or three good saves. We had lots of shots and were quite direct. I thought Bodvarsson ( less so Baka) did well on the ball and at times Saddlier and Dempsey were very good indeed. Had Baka taken that beckoning chance on his favoured foot we would have been right back in it. But all in all we carried two injuries, rested our two best players after Lee and made some changes for the 2nd game in quick succession and did well really in the conditions, at least I think so. I think we could afford to concede that game in order to preserve the forward momentum.The changes ere a risk worth taking with the proof awaiting us next Sat/Tue

A dilemma though is that having at last found our best counter attacking formation with attacking wing backs we have now acquired Saddlier who may in some respects be better than all the others in terms of talent and goal threat ( albeit not defence) so do we break up a team formula. A dilemma. Also will Bodvarsson score or hit better final balls. I rather doubt it this season. Still, we are a whole lot better placed than when relegation threatened. So if it's a year of consolidation and experimentation that's not a disaster when viewed over my sixty one year enslavement.

I do wish though we had bought a proper centre half. There are lots about. Johnston if week aerially is just about OK, but Aimson ( is he better than Delaney) and Santos are most certainly not. They may have some strengths but against strong and forceful centre forwards eg Stockport, Rotheram we'll be kippered aerially and  even against average movement our marking is so all over the place that even modestly paced forwards can steal a march. Last week we had the debate as to whether Santos had conceded a penalty accurately. The FA took Evatt's view and I still don't agree but what was he doing when he was front on in no man's land. Lots of examples last night, lolloping back ball watching on the wrong side, blocking his keeper, half turning to avoid a proper challenge, outfought by smaller players and headers going from here to everywhere and decelerating dozy cross field passing. Yes there were some good interceptions and tackles and recoveries but the overall result is that whenever a team counter attacks, as Burton seldom did, watch out and if they can get it in the box we have to hope that keeper commands ( rare) or that someone else maybe a forward does the heading ( and even Delfouneso was beter at defensive heading than Baka and Bod? O for SKD). No it should be the centre halves who scare the xxx out of the forwards and the keeper who shouts and yells and bashes into them if need be. Instead we fight with a combination of the demure and the lummox. It need sorting out pronto.  Alas these frailties occasioned the scoreline. but overall I remain of the view we played quite well for most of the game

Bloody hell, there’s a blast from the past
You been in the nik BTiD