Route One 1- Football 0
Not an unusual state of affairs in football.
Looking at how the game went, the teams drawing at HT was about right IMO. A couple of decent efforts from both sides but nothing that caused the keepers to blush.
Derby had the possession and the nice football. Gaps between the lines and between players in a the lines allowed the Millers to play their long ball game and our zonal marking made it all the more easy for them to look dangerous.
2nd half started much the same as the first and 12 minutes into the half the teams were still, rightly, level. Then came Lawros rush of blood. A totally unnecessary challenge well after the ball had gone, studs up, back of the leg........ ref got that one right. Then came the penalty, noticed by the assistant referee and taken on board by the ref. I am not going to complain about the decision itself as when your hand is in the small of an opponent's back and is moving in a forwards direction and the player goes down, a penalty is always likely to be given. Sometimes you get away with it. We didn't. It was one of those decisions that looks a soft one that can be given. What I will say about it is that it looked to me to be less of a penalty than the incident where Mount was felled in the first half.
Then we saw how FLs football mind works. First two fromt men pulled off and replaced by fresh legs in like for like changes. Shortly afterwards, Hudds was subbed and he brought Holmes on. Go for the draw and hope for the win. All to no avail unfortunately.
They had 6 shots on target from 16. We had 4 from 12. We had a lot of ball (63%) but didn't do enough with it. We are our own worst enemies in backing off. Zonal marking is OK but noy, IMO, in the defensive third of the pitch.
All in all I found the match entertaining.
Carson - 8 Did what he had to. Pulled off some good saves. Distribution good, especially some of his longer throws
Bogle - 8 Turning into a very good player right before our eyes. Good both defensively and in attack.
Keogh - 7 Steady in defence, solid on the ball. Far fewer mislaced passes
Tomori - 6 Would make life easier for himself if he didn't commit too soon and then have to perform heroics to rectify....
Forsyth - 8 Had a very good game. 3 or 4 very necessary "saves" inside the box. Shame about the penalty
Huddlestone - 5 Not at his best. Some good tackling and heading but his passing game was off and his lack of matches showed
Johnson - 6 Did the job satisfactorily
Jozefzoon - 5 Where was the man exciting us in a couple of games immediately prior to the international break?
Mount - 8 He is not yet the finished article but he is still very good. A joy to watch.
Lawrence - 4 Pretty ineffective until he clattered one of theirs for a deserved red card
Waghorn - 6 Busy performance but nothing special
Subs used
Holmes - great at Hull reserves. Totally ineffective against the Millers
Bennett - Busy, getting into position, getting the ball but his crosses were mainly cut out leading to corners. Twice in a good position centrally but the final ball to him never arrived.
Marriott - As with his other performances so far, he is a busy little bee but lacking end product. I hope this is down to his not having trained properly and not getting game time pre season.