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Nothing like a comfortable win with some good goals to make everyone feel a little better about things on a Monday morning. We're still going to be frustratingly inconsistent across the season though - even within some matches - but having players who score goals regularly will make a big difference.
The first half on Saturday was, of course, pretty rubbish from both teams although a little bit more competent than the first half at Burton last week which was truly dreadful. That little bit of composure from Bru, where he took the time to think about a pass and some nice interplay stood out a long way amidst the dross around it. That and a well placed shot deserved the fortunate response of an inept wall; the keeper had looked dodgy all half.
Contrary to some claims, I'm not sure there would have been much booing had it been 0-0 at half-time, it would have taken too much effort to pull the crowd out of it's collective apathy. For all that though, those who were there remained supportive, wanting to get behind the team but needing a little bit of encouragement from those on the pitch.
The second goal so soon after half-time allowed us to relax, I'm sure everyone was aware that had that half started like the first we would have ended up sitting back too much and inviting shots from distance. Bru again with the patience and composure, an excellent cross from Spence but that header from McGoldrick. I wasn't expecting him to win that and beat the keeper as the cross came in but he did brilliantly.
After that it was comfortable, Jonas is going to score with one of those first time shots from distance at some point, Neil Thompsonesque that one on Saturday, but his attacking play gives an extra dimension to the side. As discussed a bit yesterday, he just looks more confident in his ability this season.
Celina has probably never had a problem with confidence, he might drift out of the game at times but when he's involved the ability shines through. Mick spoke about his judgement this week which was probably fair but it's improving and he's becoming more involved in play. Add the goals to that and he's going to be great to watch this season. The confidence and composure to hit that shot so early and so hard didn't give the keeper a chance. Anyone know who the kid in red was he celebrated with? He had ran all the way down that section and I'm sure his Dad's efforts to get him to support Town got a massive boost at the weekend.
Preston were ideal opposition though, the early threat from Hugill was severely curtailed by his booking but also by Webster who might have had his best defensive game for us. He didn't try and do anything on the ball which probably reflects some poorer games since he came back from injury; it looked like MM had told him to defend first and then try and play after that. Other than two early chances we defended a lot better as a team, and kept Preston to long shots from distance or impossible angles.
The one real concern I have remains the balance of the team: playing four forwards is entertaining when we are going forwards but it does leave us very stretched in the middle of the pitch. It was a factor in both the appalling lack of cohesion in the first half as much as it was in the excellent attacking play in the second. The suspicion remains that MM hasn't worked out the best balance yet, even without including Huws and Adeyemi.
In 2014-15 we had a solid defence but, in our best spell in the Autumn, rotated in midfield: two of Skuse/Hyam/Tabb with Williams, Bru or Bishop and then Hunt or Anderson wide of Murphy and McGoldrick. That worked because the structure and shape of the team remained consistent and we didn't change the defence much (although Parr and Mings interchanged and Berra missed a match through suspension). That is what we need to manage this season if we are to push on from where we are now.
Can we do that? If we can get a bit more continuity, turn a few defeats into draws then possibly. This division looks wide open at the moment with only Wolves and Sheffield United really looking consistent over more than three or four matches (well and Sunderland of course).
Had we had a new manager last Summer and managed the same set of results then I suspect the sense of optimism would be a lot higher; that's understandable under any manager the failings and blind spots become more obvious over time. If we can be a few points off the play-offs by the end of this year though, things might look quite interesting going into January.
And here are the goals again, real shame they don't show the move that lead to the free kick.
Awful first half, even the ball had enough and retired to the safety of the roof of the Cobbold Stand. McG's control and attempted volley the only other bit of excitement in the whole half. I remember thinking the PNE wall was very large and full of big (proper) blokes, so the 'keeper may well have been unsighted for the free-kick.
The second goal gave us confidence and breathing space, when we actually attacked, it was clear that PNE had a patched up defence and the 'keeper was a rick waiting to happen, so we actually then had a go and scored a couple of goals, before putting the cue on the rack for the rest of the match.
In the spirit of reconciliation and happiness at the end of the Banter Era (RIP) and as a result of promotion I have cleared out my ignore list. Look forwards to reading your posts!
Cheers Steve. Pretty much my view of the game too.
As you say, the balance is still off with 4 attackers, which you've got to think will change to 3 attackers when Adeyemi and/or Huws are back. But even within that it seems we're getting much, much closer to the settled side of 2014/15. The back four looks first-choice now and the attacking four look to be his pool of starters even allowing for some rotation and changes in formation.
With our youngsters plus Ward, Bru, Connolly, Sears, Smith etc. we also appear to have some decent squad depth for the first time in a very long time.
I just hope that we won't still be lamenting the absence of key midfielders into December and January ...
Cheers Steve. Pretty much my view of the game too.
As you say, the balance is still off with 4 attackers, which you've got to think will change to 3 attackers when Adeyemi and/or Huws are back. But even within that it seems we're getting much, much closer to the settled side of 2014/15. The back four looks first-choice now and the attacking four look to be his pool of starters even allowing for some rotation and changes in formation.
With our youngsters plus Ward, Bru, Connolly, Sears, Smith etc. we also appear to have some decent squad depth for the first time in a very long time.
I just hope that we won't still be lamenting the absence of key midfielders into December and January ...
Some more thoughts from me (very brief) on the basis of the season so far.
We had a defensive crisis that we muddled through. We're now muddling through a crisis of sorts with midfield.
We have an international break and hopefully we'll see the return of Huws (class act from last year) and Adeyemi (who has also looked good in what we've seen from him so far).
We're scoring plenty of goals, which is a welcome change.
We're not dominating games, but there has been an evident change, just not the ability to carry it out for a full 90.
At the start of the season, had we been offered the table as it stands, the vast marjority woud have said "yeah, i'll take that".
We're not too badly placed and we're not playing that well. I think we'll be in with a shout of the play offs this year still.
Some more thoughts from me (very brief) on the basis of the season so far.
We had a defensive crisis that we muddled through. We're now muddling through a crisis of sorts with midfield.
We have an international break and hopefully we'll see the return of Huws (class act from last year) and Adeyemi (who has also looked good in what we've seen from him so far).
We're scoring plenty of goals, which is a welcome change.
We're not dominating games, but there has been an evident change, just not the ability to carry it out for a full 90.
At the start of the season, had we been offered the table as it stands, the vast marjority woud have said "yeah, i'll take that".
We're not too badly placed and we're not playing that well. I think we'll be in with a shout of the play offs this year still.
Agree that things look better overall, certainly from last season.
Re: actually challenging for the play-offs, I hope we'll be in with a shout. But we'll need more of a settled period along the way. It takes a toll on a side always having to cover for absences let alone the fact that we need to be at our best to beat sides around and above us.
Some more thoughts from me (very brief) on the basis of the season so far.
We had a defensive crisis that we muddled through. We're now muddling through a crisis of sorts with midfield.
We have an international break and hopefully we'll see the return of Huws (class act from last year) and Adeyemi (who has also looked good in what we've seen from him so far).
We're scoring plenty of goals, which is a welcome change.
We're not dominating games, but there has been an evident change, just not the ability to carry it out for a full 90.
At the start of the season, had we been offered the table as it stands, the vast marjority woud have said "yeah, i'll take that".
We're not too badly placed and we're not playing that well. I think we'll be in with a shout of the play offs this year still.
"We're not dominating games, but there has been an evident change, just not the ability to carry it out for a full 90."
Yes, I think that's right and the one thing I didn't mention in my OP was how confidence fluctuates with this team. The way we played against Sunderland and in spells once we were 2-0 up on Saturday was very fluid but at other times - after Norwich scored for example - we look devoid of inspiration.
Thinking about the better goals we've scored this season, we're probably better breaking than when the opposition are sat back. We've still only managed a handful of goals from set piece crosses (two for Spence, one for Garner, one for McG?) whereas in 14-15 we scored those more regularly.
"We're not dominating games, but there has been an evident change, just not the ability to carry it out for a full 90."
Yes, I think that's right and the one thing I didn't mention in my OP was how confidence fluctuates with this team. The way we played against Sunderland and in spells once we were 2-0 up on Saturday was very fluid but at other times - after Norwich scored for example - we look devoid of inspiration.
Thinking about the better goals we've scored this season, we're probably better breaking than when the opposition are sat back. We've still only managed a handful of goals from set piece crosses (two for Spence, one for Garner, one for McG?) whereas in 14-15 we scored those more regularly.
Things that can be improved upon certainly.
Not sure what was going on first half. Never seen so many head injuries and fake head injuries. I'm sure PNE had a plan to disrupt the game due to their own injury crisis. I know the ref didn't help with any flow to the game but I think players now use the head injury as refs have to be over cautious when a player holds his head. Another point. Hugill is a thug. How many times did he go in with elbows up before the ref booked him. Once he was booked his game plan was effectively over.
"We're not dominating games, but there has been an evident change, just not the ability to carry it out for a full 90."
Yes, I think that's right and the one thing I didn't mention in my OP was how confidence fluctuates with this team. The way we played against Sunderland and in spells once we were 2-0 up on Saturday was very fluid but at other times - after Norwich scored for example - we look devoid of inspiration.
Thinking about the better goals we've scored this season, we're probably better breaking than when the opposition are sat back. We've still only managed a handful of goals from set piece crosses (two for Spence, one for Garner, one for McG?) whereas in 14-15 we scored those more regularly.
Things that can be improved upon certainly.
I actually think we are much more of a threat this season from set pieces. Remember at Millwall saying at 3-3 we just need one corner or free kick and we can win this and well we got exactly that. We now have some players who can deliver a decent set piece as well.
Can anyone remember the last time before Burton when we scored direct from a free kick?
I actually think we are much more of a threat this season from set pieces. Remember at Millwall saying at 3-3 we just need one corner or free kick and we can win this and well we got exactly that. We now have some players who can deliver a decent set piece as well.
Can anyone remember the last time before Burton when we scored direct from a free kick?
Yes, probably more of a threat but I want to see Chambers/Webster/Adeyemi thumping a few headers in still.
McGoldrick against Blackburn a few seasons back was a perfect free kick (as was Ben Marshall's in that game). Actually Lawrence scored one last season against Blackburn at PR I think, helped by some dodgy defending.
That was our first clean sheet starting with a back 4 since Brentford, which is our only other this season (with a back 4). Preston had a full strength attack as well so that's encouraging.
Massive 'if' that we can kick on from this position though, especially sticking with the 'strikers on the wing' policy and looking at the fixtures.
After 7 defeats in 9, wins over Burton (who hadn't scored in 3) and Preston (who had so many injuries in defence and were on a run of 3 defeats on the bounce) haven't papered over any cracks for me.
The fixtures after the break are unforgiving, Adeyemi and Huws being back will make us stronger but we'll know where we are in a month or two.
That was our first clean sheet starting with a back 4 since Brentford, which is our only other this season (with a back 4). Preston had a full strength attack as well so that's encouraging.
Massive 'if' that we can kick on from this position though, especially sticking with the 'strikers on the wing' policy and looking at the fixtures.
After 7 defeats in 9, wins over Burton (who hadn't scored in 3) and Preston (who had so many injuries in defence and were on a run of 3 defeats on the bounce) haven't papered over any cracks for me.
The fixtures after the break are unforgiving, Adeyemi and Huws being back will make us stronger but we'll know where we are in a month or two.
Have we ever won at Hull?
We have won at Hull once, March 2007 - Hull 2 Ipswich 5.
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