Post
by Bluemike » Sat Aug 04, 2018 7:03 pm
Well we are up and running and we've got a point on the board. The general feeling I have is one of relief tinged with a little bit of disappointment as I suppose the excitement of the new dawn etc had me expecting just that little bit more. I think what was very evident was that this is a group of players that are not yet a team, Paul Hurst has the task of molding them into a unit that is cohesive and organised, at times we looked a little ragged and disjointed, some players are definitely raw and have much to learn, hopefully that will come, we also need those new faces in, the defence especially needs strengthening, but there was positives too and definitely things to take from the game.
It was only Five minutes into the season and Town found themselves One up, a raking cross field pass from Freddie Sears saw debutant Gwion Edwards arrive at the back post to send a cracking header across goal and into the net, the fans erupted and noise levels, just as they were before kick off were superb, just the start we dream't of and something to build on. Chances failed to follow though but it was Town who for Twenty minutes looked the better side with Blackburn offering nothing as an attacking unit. That was all to change though as the ref incorrectly awarded them a free kick in a dangerous position and from the resultant kick a real comedy of errors in the Town defence saw them draw level. First of the attacker at the far post was given way too much time and space to get his header back across goal and quite what Bart was doing god only knows as twice he flapped at it before gifting it to Danny Graham who rifled it home, can't get away from the fact it was rank bad goalkeeping while our marking also left a lot to be desired.
The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Town and our decent start had evaporated into a nervous looking bunch of players who didn't quite know what they were supposed to be doing, what was clear to me was that we were not playing that high pressing game that we saw against west Ham and which PH speaks so much of, instead we were gifting them way too much space at times. With the visitors now on top it wasn't long before they went ahead, again sloppy defending saw Town caught out as a simple ball over the top down our right side had them in yards of space and from the cross Chambers had to try to get across to block but in doing so Dack was left in space behind as nobody covered the skipper and he had the easiest of task of putting the ball in the net. Such a bitter blow and not what we had all expected.
Town tried to rally and did improve a bit towards HT but we only mustered a half chance from a Skuse header which cleared the post and a shot from Edwards which went high and wide right on the whistle. Spence had to be repalced by Woolfenden with Jonai Donacien switching to RB.
The first part of the second half was pretty uneventful with Town finding it hard to create anything of note, all too often passes went astray while we were seemingly getting outmuscled in most Fifty Fifty situations. Harrison was battling manfully up front and putting himself about while Gwion Edwards was looking really impressive out wide and he looked to be the one who could unlock the Blackburn defence. Chalobah too was catching the eye but at times his passing let him down. Mid way through the second half we saw Tayo Edun enter the fray and almost immediately he caught the eye, composed on the ball and with a bit of skill too he soon got involved into the pace of the game. A rare break into their box saw a delightful ball across the face of goal by Harrison go begging as nobody got in there. With the game approaching the final Fifteen minutes we almost fell further behind but Bart was on hand to smother a rather weak Bradley Dack effort when he should have done much better, it was a let off for Town for sure. Town sub Ben Morris came on and was so so close to being an instant hero but his effort was saved by the Blackburn keepers foot.
With time running out another brilliant piece of skill from Town MOTM Edwards saw him flick the ball over a defender before charging in on goal and firing a shot which was charged down by a defender and away for a corner. However Town were not to be denied but it took a big piece of good fortune for us to get back level, Edwards layinbg a pass off to new boy Tayo Edun who plays a hopeful ball into the box which somehow evades everyone and nestles into the net, the North Stand erupts and suddenly things don't feel quite so bad again as all the players mob the unlikely hero who it has to be said looks a player, what I saw of him I liked a lot, maybe not a squad filler after all.
I think a point was about right come the end but there is no doubt that there is much to work on. Players are clearly still getting to know each other and it will take time, some have barely met their teammates so patience is key. I thought Gwion Edwards was a cut above every other Town player, Ellis Harrison worked his socks off but needs more support, playing the system we do there is no place for Freddie Sears in the team, Grant Ward returning will help, at the back Chambo and Knudsen were solid but for me Spence is weak, the new guy Jonacien started quite shakey but improved at Fullback, we need Nsiala Tilt and Nolan for sure, we also need another Striker with Waghorn on the way out, this next few days are crucial to our chances. I think we definitely missed the tenacity of Tristan Nydam too, his work rate and closing down is so vital to us now, for me Cole Skuse was pretty ineffective today and Downes looked the better of the Two. There isn't anything to be alarmed about but there is much business to be done and plenty of things to work on and improve. The journey has only just begun.
Bart (5) Spence (4) Chambers (7) Jonacien (6) Knudsen (7) Downes (6) Skuse (5) Chalobah (6) Sears (6) Edwards (8) Harrison (7)
SUBS ;- Woolfenden (6) Edun (7) Morris (6)
Would love to hear that “admirers” conversation.
COYB.
