HarryfromBath twtd. good read as always with his posts.

[hallamblue]

Plenty of Scope for Optimism - Reflections on Yesterday’s Game at Shelbourne 19:10 - Jul 12 with 1218 views HarryfromBath

Growing up in Dublin in the Seventies and starved of any decent live football, my main diversion on a Sunday was to go and support Bohemians at Dalymount Park. If the football was terrible – and it often was – the comments from the diehards on the terraces were often as warming as the Bovril and Crunchie Bar which kept this teenager going on cold winter afternoons.

When Bohs were away from home, Tolka Park was usually Plan B. Home Farm played there at the time and the standard of football was often even worse. I remember a frosty sterile 0-0 with the now defunct Cork Celtic in which the most memorable event was a corner kick taken four yards in from the quadrant.

Tolka Park is very similar to Twerton Park in Bath in so many ways. It is a similar size and also littered with incongruous stands. Vast quantities of redundant concrete were similarly used when it was being constructed. However, the atmosphere is the same with the shabby fabric of the ground counterbalanced by the warm welcome from people who love both their football and their club.


It was odd returning as a Dubliner to see Ipswich play there. After an early start and an uneventful flight from Bristol, our small West Country contingent pitched up in Dublin City centre for an Irish breakfast in a pub on the aptly named Suffolk Street before heading over to Fagan’s for an early ‘lunch’.

The number of ITFC supporters present made Fagan’s a home from home. Irish politicians do not so much have constituencies as fiefdoms, and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern loved nothing more than bringing the great and famous into Fagan’s, the seat of power in his North Dublin realm.

One of the huge treats would be watching the game in the company of my teenage nephew, who plays as a central midfielder for one of the city’s academy clubs. We often watch ‘Match of the Day’ while chatting on the phone. Listening to his thoughts brings home that the game we played as teenagers is a world away from the sports-science approach youth players embrace nowadays.


So to our seats and straight away my nephew commented on the differences in the two teams’ warm-up routines. Our players were crammed into a postage-stamp sized area playing tight touch passing. Shelbourne resembled a funfair with penalties, showboat long passing and keepie-uppies all part of the entertainment. Fabio Capello once said that you could call a game’s outcome by looking at the differing attitudes in the warm-up. If he was right, this would be one-way traffic.

We were perched behind the Ipswich dug-out waiting quietly, well, quietly until Mick strolled over to take his seat. A weary smile dawned on his face as the inevitable ‘Super Mick’ chant struck up. Mick never takes praise for granted but I think it sometimes leaves him bemused, such as the occasion when a Wolves fan videoed him making a cup of tea before a Press Conference in his previous club.


When Alex Henshall ripped through Shelbourne’s left flank for the opener we feared the worst for the hosts, although an early deluge failed to materialise as our makeshift team didn’t strike up a decisive enough rhythm. Like a number of our players, Henshall seemed less of the willowy winger who came on from the bench at Birmingham a year ago and carried more of a physical presence.

Our right flank featured Josh Emmanuel and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. They were both bright and inventive, if occasionally not on the same wavelength. Shelbourne tried to exploit Emmanuel’s habit of occasionally drifting inside, but he drew the foul late in the first half which resulted in the set-piece which led to Skuse hitting one of his now characteristic 30-yard pile-drivers for our third goal.

Maitland-Niles should blossom as he develops a rhythm with his new team-mates. He is both energetic and athletic and he reminded me a little of Wolves players such as Dicko or Van La Parra. His touch is good and he was constantly trying to get involved. When he and Emmanuel did combine they were a right handful.

I said to my nephew before the game to focus on Cole Skuse for 10 minutes as he would learn so much from seeing an expert at work. To be honest, it was impossible to take your eyes off him as he was so in command of the midfield in the first half. His reading of the game made it seem that he was everywhere, patrolling outside our area and regulating the tempo and direction of our play.

His midfield partner Adam McDonnell was assured and mostly did the simple things well, but my nephew wondered if he might fare better at the front of a midfield trio where he could have imposed himself on the game a little more. He interchanged with Darren Ambrose a few times and linked up well with Freddie and the wide players.

“How strong is Sears?” This was the first comment my nephew made when watching Shelbourne players bouncing off Freddie with increasing regularity. We know him to be nippy and we know him to be a first class finisher, but his strength is something worth watching out for during games.

My nephew was likewise impressed by Chambers’ leading the back four. “Absolutely nothing was ever going to get past him” was the comment. He could see what Luke was trying to do when he did get the ball, but his attempts to get moves started sometimes foundered with the team lacking familiarity.

This was not a day for the defence to be tested, but as the half-time whistle blew I wondered if Jonathan Parr could operate in a left midfield role with a nippier full-back bombing past him, as he and Alex Henshall were quieter as the half progressed. That idea went clean out of the window within minutes of the restart and the arrival of Ryan Fraser.


Ryan Fraser is not a winger. He is an assassin, and he will become a legend at the club if he continues to replicate this level of performance. Once on the ball, there was only one thing on his mind – hunt for the goal and destroy the full back. Once into the box, defenders were terrified to touch him and I suddenly - and uncomfortably - found myself going all Bournemouth when he was inside the area.

Fraser is a player who could become one worth the admission fee and I hope we don’t fall into a habit of ‘give it to Ryan’ and seeing what he can do, but he will give us great joy and great memories this season. Brett Pitman is less terrifying, but on yesterdays showing will be even more of a threat in the coming campaign.

Although Pitman missed a couple of chances, it quickly became apparent that we have an out-and-out finisher who is similar to McGoldrick in some ways. He takes clever positions, sometimes dropping deep. He isn’t blisteringly fast but he has a lethal eye for goal, and he has an equally lethal eye for anticipating where the ball might break.

Bournemouth fans talked about Pitman doing well last season against lower table opponents, and I can readily see this. He would have been terrific in both Reading games and at home to Wigan where we huffed and puffed with little success. I will miss Tyrone badly this season, but we cannot say that Bournemouth have not been fair to us in giving us two highly talented players.

“I can imagine that Bru and Skuse would be lethal together.” My central-midfield nephew was impressed with how Kevin Bru was willing to take the game to now very fragile opponents, and how he was involved in many attacking moves. Bru regularly questioned the Shelbourne defence and combined well with the former Bournemouth duo as well as with Teddy Bishop.

Jay Tabb played a similar role to Skuse’s in the first half and was not to be outdone in working a clever move with Teddy before unleashing a shot which even Skusey would have been proud of.

Two of the less-familiar players made lively contributions. Dylan Connolly was ever-alert and not afraid to put himself about. There was a touch of James McClean about his bullying of opponents and his not being afraid to try to get the better of challenges which he had no real right to win.

Josh Yorwerth likewise had a decent game in a defence which was little challenged. He was not afraid to get forward and put in some decent balls and won the penalty which Pitman put away. It would be interesting to see him and Connolly in action against decent opponents, but one had a clear sense of their style of play from these run-outs.

With us ahead by a hatful and no likelihood of a turning point, it was time to break out some of the regular repertoire of ITFC tunes. The most amusing of the irregular offerings was during a break in play when there was a definite smirk from Teddy at a lusty rendition of ‘He bets when he wants…’


The game finished with a flourish with Pitman getting on the end of Bru’s delivery. The Shelbourne PA wishing us all the very best for the coming season summed up the tone of an afternoon in which our hosts were as friendly on the pitch as they were off it. The squad were happy to chat as they left the ground and Mick was patience personified as half of Dublin had photographs taken with him.

There was one last special moment in the day. Walking through the Airport concourse, there was the beatific vision of three of Suffolk’s finest skulking over the laptops ensuring that our every happiness was being taken care of. Phil Ham did look a little stressed as if a new word to replace ‘imminent’ wasn’t forthcoming or even looming, but this vision would have brought tears to many readers’ eyes.


Flying home, I wasn’t sure if we had watched one game, two games or no real game at all. That said, there was ample food for thought and plenty to fuel our optimism, although individual performances had to be tempered by the fragile opponents we were up against.

My thoughts also turned back to a conversation which took place in Fagan’s before the game, discussing why so many bookmakers have us at anything between eighth and eleventh favourites for the title this year. I know we prefer it this way, but I have a quiet and unshakable confidence that our big games at the end of this season will have a good deal more than the play offs at stake. Here's hoping...

[phily bon bon]

Brilliant post thanks Hallam for putting it up.

[hallamblue]

You're very welcome PBB

[Bluemike]

it is a very good post as most of his are, what we do have to be aware of here is the quality of opposition, it wasn't even Shelbourne's first Eleven and as such is pretty weak, I am all for optimism goping into a new season, in fact I am often guilty of it myself but these kids who we gave some game time to will find it much tougher in the cut and thrust of Championship football.

[herforder]

As much about getting some miles on the clock, and getting the legs and lungs kick-started. Always nice to win though, and glimpse some clear potential on the width and pace fronts!

[number 9]

I can't wait to see Fraser in action! He's exactly the sort of player we've been missing. His surging runs at defenses will change the whole dynamic of our attack, you watch. Also, it's good to hear young Henshall has taken a step up. I can see him being useful. Please if anyone has any video of these preseason games, please post. Thanks!

[Bluemike]

Ryan Fraser was superb at Portman Road last season, best player on the pitch and he tore Chambo a new one.

[hallamblue]

two wingers in and Henshall re ignited, and suddenly our team starts to resemble the Wolves one that MM got promoted !