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Skuse: We're Enjoying Ourselves Monday, 21st Aug 2017 06:00
Stand-in Town skipper Cole Skuse says he and his team-mates are enjoying their 100 per cent start to the season, a stark contrast to their struggles during 2016/17.
The Blues, second in the Champinship behind Cardiff on goal difference, have won their opening five games in all competitions for the first time since 1999/00 and they were last victorious in their first four league matches in 1974/75.
“We are definitely enjoying ourselves and it is certainly a bit different to last season,” Skuse said having worn the armband during Saturday’s 2-0 home win against Brentford with regular captain Luke Chambers absent due to an ankle injury which is expected to sideline him for a month.
“Back then we had a bit of a topsy-turvy season, especially at the tail end. We are not getting ahead of ourselves though, we know it is only the beginning of the season so we are looking to these next couple of games, then go into the international break and recharge the batteries.
“We have had a cluster of injuries the like of which I have never seen before in my career. I have never known so many injuries and illnesses hit a team so early in the season.
“What it’s done though is show the true make up of the lads. There has been no grumbling, everyone has just got on with it and done a shift, like today with Jonas Knudsen and Jordan Spence playing at centre-half.
“They were immense, like leaders, dug in and kept a clean sheet. The two young lads either side were outstanding too.”
Strikers Joe Garner and Martyn Waghorn took their goal tallies to three and four respectively since joining the Blues from Rangers with the team overall having scored nine times in the Championship, more than anyone else in the division. Skuse, 31, says the duo’s early success hasn’t come as too much of a surprise to him.
“I expected it of them in a way because I have played against them before and know what they are like," he continued. "You don’t want to be playing against them because they are horrible in the nicest way.
- 550 minutes played - 30 headers won - 18 clearances - 13 shots - 7 goals - 4 key passes - 1 assist– Championship Stats (@Champstat) August 20, 2017
“To come in and kick-off they way they have though, I have never seen that before, the pair have been incredible and Didzy has come into his own too.
“It is looking good, we are doing our bit at the back to stop them going in, then giving the ball to the boys up front to do their magic and it is working.
“We had been working on taking a very shrewd look at Brentford. They are a very good side. We knew that and it showed, they are not going to be where they are in the league right now for very long.
“They are expansive and play very good football, so we knew we had to be tight, narrow and then hit them on the break.”
Brentford defender Harlee Dean says the Bees, who dropped to the bottom of the table following Saturday’s game having taken only a point from their four games this season, need to improve in front of goal.
“I think we've got to be better offensively,” he said. “We've had 20-odd shots on goal and not scored.”
The 26-year-old, who insisted he was fouled by David McGoldrick in the run-up to the corner from which Garner scored Town’s second goal, also says they have to be tighter at the back.
“The goals are poor,” he admitted. “But they shouldn't have had a corner — it was a foul on me from the long ball.
“We've got to defend it better. I've looked at the corners in there and they've had the first contact with every one but two.
“The marking has to be better and we have to be better all round. We moved the ball but never looked like scoring, especially in the second half.
“In the first half, I thought we were really good. For the first goal the fella [McGoldrick] just ran through the middle of the pitch, fell over, got a touch on it and it became a through ball.
“We can't get the rub of the green at the minute. We've got to be better when attacking, cleverer and a bit more patient."
The Blues’ second goal was given after Hawk-Eye had indicated to the referee that the ball had crossed the line from Garner’s header.
“Regardless of the goalline [technology], their lad has got the first contact and headed it at the goal,” Dean added. “Nico [Yennaris] did all he could and if there wasn't the technology it wouldn't have been a goal.”
He added: “We're playing well but we're not scoring goals and conceding. Whether they're lucky goals, maybe. We've got to score goals and stop conceding. That's it. It's as simple as that.
“Luck on their side or otherwise, I'm not happy with the corners. There's no way they should have a free header in the six-yard box.
“Yes, it was a foul on me and they shouldn't have had it. But after that, we've got to stand up and be counted and defend with our hearts and be strong and brave.”
He believes he and his team-mates need to work on defending corners: “It's down to the gaffer. It's my opinion. It's something I've looked at and am disappointed with.
“At the end of the day, we've got to get wins. I'd rather play ugly football and get wins like Ipswich did. Maybe we've got to do that, get back to basics and put points on the board.”
Photo: TWTD
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"For the first goal the fella [McGoldrick] just ran through the middle of the pitch, fell over, got a touch on it and it became a through ball". Yeah right!!
Great performance from stand in skipper Skuse. Disciplined and organised team effort had much to do with Skuseys leadership. Well done Cole. Up the town!
I thought Skuse was excellent, he was attacking and made the first goal. Also, how can Harley Dean say we played ugly football. Yes, we didn't dominate the whole game but the back 4 did well and Bart. Midfield had good games and up front we were excellent. IMO, he is just jealous that we won and they didn't.
So we were lucky that a goal was given that crossed the line? The technology doesn't alter the fact that ball went across the line. A bit of advice, if you don't want a goal given against you don't let that round thing cross over that line between your goalposts. The first goal looked like a nailed on penalty before we scored, but it may have been on the edge of the box. Anyway, great work by the officials at Portman Road this weekend.
I love these comments from the opposition. Shows we got a bit about us - clinical and tough. Anybody remember Rosler whinging about us when we did his Wigan side early doors on a sky game during the play off season? It's got a bit of that about it. Bring it on!
So McGoldrick just fell over but he was fouled in the lead up to the corner. A distorded view typical of Brentford! We deserve some luck on the pitch, we're certainly not getting any with injuries!
An excellent turnaround in our fortunes; some inspired close season signings, a more palatable way of playing and a clear indication of the spirit of the players and MM. No one could have expected such a strong start, especially given the injuries.
So all good so far on the pitch, but where are we in the programme of critical care that IM should have in place to woo back the missing thousands?
Whilst I am enjoying this as much as anyone, this initial burst of success shouldn't offer IM and ME a smokescreen to avoid re-building the relationship of the club with it's supporters.
Again, a start has been made in this respect, but personally I'm a long way from trusting either of these 2 characters with the long term responsibility of running this club.
I have always maintained that MM can only be judged when he is given money to spend - the early signs are that he has invested a comparatively small amount well, but what about the place of the club in the community? What about the long term future of the academy? What about building on some of the good things done with ticket pricing in the close season? [Hastily put in place after ME/IM got found out, I would suggest.] What about the 5 point plan? It's all gone a wee bit too quiet in that respect for my liking!
I am not trying to burst the bubble or trying to take us back to the gloom and doom of last season, which as MM said himself ''was horrible''. I do think that some realism is required though.
My message is very simple: Enjoy the moment, hope to God it lasts for the rest of the season, get behind the team, but don't forget the bigger picture!
Great to see us win and the performances are better. But we can't allow teams to have over 60% possession and 20 shots at our goal our luck will only last so long.
Sounds like he was interviewed right after the match and sounds cheesed off at losing. He did his best not to be bitter about it, but clearly was. You would want that reaction from your players.
NBVjohn: if I remember rightly some parts of the plan included:
1: Play more youngsters (✔ï¸) 2: Play more attacling football (✔ï¸) 3 and4: Make compatible funds available for transfers and wages (waghorn and garner will Ben used as evidence that works) 5 Stable management (âœ”ï¸ Mick still there)
So: I'm nt yet convinced yet either, and deeply sceptical of Evans, but then that goes to show you: you can spin anything into a plan and a marketing tool and it works!
Yes, agree, so far so good, but also a great time to build on this improvement off the pitch too.
I note only 15,000 ish in the ground on Saturday - will be interesting to see what happens in the next 2-3 home games once the holiday period is over. Now should be the time for the club to get on a charm offensive. I appreciate it's still the holiday season, but what's still stopping the missing 3-4,000? Price? Remaining cynicism from last season? General mistrust of ME/IM? The club needs to take the opportunity to find out, regardless of form on the pitch.
If the form dips and/or results aren't so great, it won't be hard to undermine the short term tick box you have [at this point] correctly included above - but I'll leave that to the more reactionary posters on here!
For me, part of the charm of the season so far is the way the players have reacted to the injury situation. 2nd in the league with a back 4 made up entirely of full backs? Ridiculous, but a wonderful testament to them all. Would be great to give them the bigger audience they deserve.
Good to see Cole Skuse getting the recognition his play deserves. Always been a big fan and has been unfairly judged in the past mainly because he has been hampered by the poor quality of his central midfield partners in the last 2seasons. Always there to break up opposition attacks and put his body on the line, his forward play was admittedly poor but now he can trust his midfield colleagues he can play his natural game, strong defensively and at last being able to look and play forward. I noticed on three occasions on Saturday that he was our most advanced player. Thoroughly enjoying the season so far.....we can only hope it continues and that a few thousand more turn up for Fulham match to lend their voices to our excellent supporters.
Harlee Dean reminds of the Brentford fans 'moan, moan, moan', your just not that good lads! Seen plenty of comments from their fans that were 'lucky' it's hilarious their trying to hide that there possession means nothing when we score more than them.
DMcG didn't fall over, he was massively fouled. We were lucky tref didn't blow for a penalty as it fell sweetly for Waghorn. There was nothing fortunate other than that. F** O** Brentford. They makes Allardyce sound reasonable. Tw**s.
If goal line technology wasn't there it wouldn't have been a goal?? Yes and if I'd had different parents may have been 6'4" and looked like Ben Affleck!
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