WAFC v SAFC | Page 4 | Vital Football

WAFC v SAFC

Very good second half performance, we worked hard, fought for everything and went for it - there was intensity in everything we did. When we do those things we always give ourselves a good chance. Even if we had conceded an equalisier you couldn't fault the effort.

I thought we generally managed the game very well after taking the leader. We never dropping back to invite pressure and broke in numbers for another goal when the chances presented themselves to ensure that Sunderland never had a sustained period of pressure. Richardson got his tactics spot on.

Second half we also seemed to show a real urgency to stop the crosses coming in unchallenged and it made a huge difference. More of that please and if we can keep that up that every game we probably cut the number of goals we give away by half at least.

Another big thing for me was the fact we've started to take corner properly, the short corners we've often taken always resulted in us losing possession and posing no threat. On the occasions we did try to put the ball in we so often aimed for the near post hit the first man - but today we went a lot deeper and put the ball into more dangerous areas and it gave us 2 goals. It's a huge improvement on what we were doing earlier in the season and hopefully we can keep that going as corners have been a wasted opportunity for us most of the season.

Results are obviously important at this time of the season, but the last 2 performances have been really impressive too. We've also now managed to get our goal difference better than Northampton, Swindon, Bristol which could be decisive in the finally tally.

We've seen it happen plenty of times in football where after an impressive victory a team follows it up with a disappointing performance in a game they should win. If we don't follow this up with a result against Crewe this great result kind of goes to waste - but if we show the same intensity as we did tonight we almost certainly win. The winnable games have been a sore point for us all season but on the back of the last 2 performances and safety being in sight hopefully we'll show Crewe the side that was thumped against them earlier in the season isn't who we really are.
 
Before the off I asked for a performance to match the last three and boy did we get it.

Terrific all over the park again but MoM for me was George Johnston. I will be very surprised if we can hold on to this lad, he gets better every game. He attacks the ball in the air, is clean in the tackle and strong enough to hold players off.

Close second would be Joe Dodoo who caused all sorts of mayhem at corners and ran the CB's ragged. He was strong in the air and has a decent turn of pace when needed. With Keane and Lang feeding off him we caused them loads of problems and late in the game kept the ball in their half to see the game out. Lang's control and running at defenders terrifies them, working the channels whenever he can but popping up at the back to make important intercepts,

It would be remiss of me not to mention Funso Ojo, who has grown into this team and is playing as a box to box midfielder with Evans taking the holding/creative role. He made himself available to receive all match and never shied away from the action.

Curtis Tilt doesn't get the praise he deserves when playing against big forwards and apart from the goal, which looked to me close to offside, marshalled Wycke well all night. Tilt and Johnston are now looking secure and this has brought the best out of Jamie Jones who looks far more composed than he did at the start of the season although he had little to do all night.

Finally how good is it to have players like Thelo Aasgaard to bring on from the bench along with the likes of Proctor, Whelan, Gardner and Long. We really do look like a strong side and squad now. Well done LR and GR for putting together a squad of players who, despite them being loans, frees and youth players are doing the club proud.

Edit:
Sorry forgot to mention young Robinson who is becoming a really solid player game by game and once again showed his composure against a really fast and tricky winger tonight.
 
FrancosLoveChild said:
Fuck knows how johnston was not getting in over Wooton miles better and was absolutely vital at the end. Lang deserves a huge mention aswell, where we would have been if he was not loaned out. Great week
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I do think we've got better since Wooton got injured tbh. Like you say it was strange Johnston was ever on the bench behind him.

If any scouts are paying attention job there will be plenty of interest in him this summer.
 
FrancosLoveChild said:
Fuck knows how johnston was not getting in over Wooton miles better and was absolutely vital at the end. Lang deserves a huge mention aswell, where we would have been if he was not loaned out. Great week
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Wootton is predominantly right footed, both Johnston and Tilt are Left peggers.

Not saying that is the only reason but most teams prefer to play with CB's who are left and right footed.
 
Rochdale beat Swindon to get themselves back into it the mix - if they win their game in hand they are only 2 behind us with the easiest run of games.

Wimbledon beat Ipswich 3-0 - Ipswich are close to the play offs so should be going for it guns blazing but i get the impression they are on the beach already with their recent run of results. Don't think we can rely on Cook doing us any favours against the other relegation teams.
 
TRUE BELIEVER said:
Before the off I asked for a performance to match the last three and boy did we get it.

Terrific all over the park again but MoM for me was George Johnston. I will be very surprised if we can hold on to this lad, he gets better every game. He attacks the ball in the air, is clean in the tackle and strong enough to hold players off.

Close second would be Joe Dodoo who caused all sorts of mayhem at corners and ran the CB's ragged. He was strong in the air and has a decent turn of pace when needed. With Keane and Lang feeding off him we caused them loads of problems and late in the game kept the ball in their half to see the game out. Lang's control and running at defenders terrifies them, working the channels whenever he can but popping up at the back to make important intercepts,

It would be remiss of me not to mention Funso Ojo, who has grown into this team and is playing as a box to box midfielder with Evans taking the holding/creative role. He made himself available to receive all match and never shied away from the action.

Curtis Tilt doesn't get the praise he deserves when playing against big forwards and apart from the goal, which looked to me close to offside, marshalled Wycke well all night. Tilt and Johnston are now looking secure and this has brought the best out of Jamie Jones who looks far more composed than he did at the start of the season although he had little to do all night.

Finally how good is it to have players like Thelo Aasgaard to bring on from the bench along with the likes of Proctor, Whelan, Gardner and Long. We really do look like a strong side and squad now. Well done LR and GR for putting together a squad of players who, despite them being loans, frees and youth players are doing the club proud.

Edit:
Sorry forgot to mention young Robinson who is becoming a really solid player game by game and once again showed his composure against a really fast and tricky winger tonight.
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Bloody good summary TB
 
moonay said:
:whist:
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All very well in hindsight Moonay, i posted my comment just as the game started, it was reported earlier that the same team as last Saturday would start and it should, i bet Aasgaard was gutted to find out he'd been dropped, that's my only gripe tonight!
 
Tree and Crown said:
All very well in hindsight Moonay, i posted my comment just as the game started, it was reported earlier that the same team as last Saturday would start and it should, i bet Aasgaard was gutted to find out he'd been dropped, that's my only gripe tonight!
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Aasgard's being managed ... as he should be.
Lang's been our best player, so was selected, ... as he should be.
What on earth was/is there to gripe about?
 
Very mature performance seeing the game out, looked like a very experienced team who had been playing together for years! Just a shame we didn't win by more!
 
FrancosLoveChild said:
Fuck knows how johnston was not getting in over Wooton miles better and was absolutely vital at the end. Lang deserves a huge mention aswell, where we would have been if he was not loaned out. Great week
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The worst thing is that every single Latics fan could see we had a player in Johnston after we signed him do why did we sign Wootton? A very strange one in my book
 
If we can stay up I can see us starting next season in a string position of we can tie some of these lads up on contracts. Spoke to George Johnstons Dad last week and he would love to stay at the club so it's possible depending on what's offered.

We will be one of the few clubs in the EFL to be free of debt with a low wage bill and the higher earners moving on. Just need to make sure we are switched on the last 5 games.
 
exiled tic said:
Thought we were magnificent tonight,What a club this is ,knocked down by frauds,kicked while we are down by more frauds yet still bounce back up with performances like that!!
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A performance that makes our new chairman reveal "I'm from Wigan me". Yon mon wouldn't fit in anywhere better than this club
 
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