Bluemike wrote: βSun Feb 24, 2019 11:28 am
I'm struggling to put into words how I am feeling after yet another chain of unfortunate events yesterday at Wigan, I can't lie this bloody season cannot end soon enough for me, week after week I am coming away from a game wondering firstly how we didn't win it and secondly how can so many things conspire against us on such a regular basis, they say you make you're own luck, for me that is total cobblers.
Having said a while back on this very forum that Paul Lambert would never go 3-5-2 lo and behold that is exactly how we lined up yesterday with captain Chambo back in the defence to form part of the back Three. Town started the game very well and were knocking the ball around with confidence, neat little triangles of passing causing Wigan problems, the first half chance coming inside the opening ten minutes, Nolan putting his header wide when in a really good position. Wigan were finally starting to see some of the ball but it was still Town that looked the more competent side going forward, One or Two half chances came at either end before Wigan keeper Jones was forced to get down and tip away Keane's shot for a corner. The striker had started the game very well and was looking a real handful to the Wigan defence. The corner so nearly saw Town go ahead, again Keane was on hand at the back post to get the vital touch but the ball was gatherd up easily by Jones when it looked like a tap in for the Town striker.
What followed moments after was ultimately going to have a major impact on the game, a high lofted ball over the Town defence caught them all a bit flat footed, Knudsen & Chambers are chasing down the striker who is clear and Knudsen stretches out an arm and tugs him back, clearly the guy falls to the ground like he's been shot and red card is out quicker than a rat up a drainpipe, now I don't like Knudsen one bit and yes it was reckless but how the hell that is Red card is beyond me, Chambers was level and more than capable of cutting it out, add to that the guy was not in a clear goalscoring position, i've seen it time and time again in slow motion and I still believe my original thoughts to be correct and that is that we are once again very hard done by by a p*ss poor ref who seemed to give pretty much every little decision their way....again !!!
Despite a few minutes of pressure following the sending off we somehow got ourselves a crucial lead, this time we seemed to be the beneficiaries of a poor decision as we are awarded what looked like a soft penalty after Quaner is tripped when racing through, Keane stepped up to rifle the spot kick home off the inside of the post, incredibly down to Ten men we got ourselves ahead but no more than we deserved having dominated the game in the opening twenty Five minutes. Thankfully we saw out the remainder of the half with little threat to Bart's goal. I thought in the opening half every player did their job well, Keane & Quaner had linked up the best I have seen so far, Bree and Judge were getting into some good positions and providing good ball into the box, Chalobah had been a stand out player for me with his willingness to get stuck in and link up with the forwards, Bart's handling from crosses etc had been the best for a long long while and yet still we knew there was a long second period to come thanks to what for me was a woeful decision once again.
Two started the second half with Edwards on for Quaner as we looked to keep out the undoubted Wigan barrage that was coming our way. The first real attack of the half however went to Town as keane and keeper Jones both raced for a ball which unfortunately the keeper just got to first, sending the Town striker flying through the air as the two came together. Wigan were soon into their stride and showing us what was to come, efforts from Pilkington and Windass flew high and wide, a cou8ple of dangerous balls flew across the Town penalty area but thankfully nobody in a Wigan shirt was on hand to stab home. Town did have some respite and Judge found himself in a great position but he got it all wrong as he tried to bend it into the far corner and the effort was miles wide. Not long after Judge was even closer to giving us a second, this time the keeper getting his outstretched arm to it to tip it away.
It was end to end at times now with Wigan having far more of the territorial advantage as the extra man was starting to tell, they were stretching us well, first coming down our left then switching to the right but Town were standing firm. Midway through the second half Town were dealt yet another really bad piece of luck as Will Keane pulled up with what looked like a Hamstring problem, he had been having a very good game and was our outlet to ease the pressure on the defence as his hold up play was very good all afternoon. I personally think this was as big a turning point as the Knudsen Red card, Jackson was sent on to replace him. Despite Wigan now being unsurprisingly on top Town were still looking a threat on the break, good work from Jackson saw Edwards with a shot which he got all wrong, at the other end Bart made a rare save, defenders were putting their bodies on the line to block anything that was thrown at them, time was running down and still we stood firm. With a few minutes left Town brought on Downes and Wigan Garner as they chased the equaliser, you just kinda knew what was coming. With the clock almost ticking down Bart was called upon to pull off a cracking save from a strikers header, hearts in mouths stuff.
As is always the case heartbreak was to come Town's way once more, we literally watched the clock tick round to Ninety as Garner slid in to tap home the equaliser and send us into the pit of despair once more, so so cruel and given how heroically we had played for nearly Seventy minutes with Ten men undeserved. The feeling of numbness was awful as it had just started to feel like just maybe it was our day but it was not to be. News had come through that Rotherham had leveled up at Reading which was the perfect scenario but again we failed to capitalise. Lambert has since stated that Downes should really have stopped the cross from coming in and that is all it takes, one small moment of loss of concentration and Ninety Five minutes of good hard work counts for nothing.
People will look at and blame Knudsen for his reckless pull back on the striker and I totally get why, however on this occasion I feel he was done no favours at all by a poor decision , if that is a Red then there should have been a dozen Reds yesterday, it's that simple but what's done is done and it cannot be changed. Aside from that I was proud of the boys yesterday, to a man they played very well and deserved more, they were visibly gutted at the final whistle and rightly so, we know we are going down but keep the majority of this squad together and play like that and we will rip up league One cus in recent weeks we should have beaten Sheff Wed, Derby, Stoke and now Wigan, we just don't seem to be able to see the job through.
Bart....(7) The best his handling has been for ages, solid and assured, cracking save at the end.
Bree...(7) Turning into a right good signing, wing back suited him too and he got forward so well, some good delivery.
Knudsen....(6) Caught out for the Red but was harshly treated, much better as part of a back Three.
Pennington...(7) Solid and dependable as always, his positional play at times is excellent for one so young.
Chambers...(7) Solid effort from the skipper with no scary moments, was devastated at the final whistle.
Kenlock...(6) A bit more like it from the youngster and played the wing back role quite well.
Nolan....(6) Solid enough game, no stand out moments just plenty of hard graft when needed.
Chalobah...(8) A super game for me, breaking up play, a good array of passes, drove forward when he could and worked so hard. MOTM
Judge....(7) A real talent and links up well with the strikers, his delivery is getting better and better, so close to finding the top corner.
Quaner...(6) A decent effort and linked up well with keane during first half, his run won the penalty.
Keane...(8) Was a candidate for MOTM until going off injured, great hold up play and super touch, always an outlet, Led the line so well and kept his coll with the penalty.
SUBS :-
Edwards...(6) Has all the tricks and when on song is an asset, Two efforts on goal but should maybe have done better with them.
Jackson....(5) Never stops running and chasing down the ball but is no Will Keane
Downes...(5) Sent on the shore up the Midfield and ended up losing his man who teed up their goal, will have better days.
All in all I am still gutted today, we deserved the win yesterday and battled valiantly against all the odds for so long, how cruel this game can be at times but when you are down you really are down, I could not ask any more from my team yesterday, they gave it everything and I was proud of them. The fans as always were fantastic throughout, nearly 900 making the trip and they were so close to be rewarded in the best way possible. Still the same Nine point gap but games disappearing fast.
One of the real highlights of yesterday was meeting up with Three posters off here for the first time, was so great to meet Derick and his lovely partner Julie (AKA "The Blue Spook"), we shared a couple of beers and enjoyed the game together, never thought I would celebrate a Town goal hugging Derick but it was a pleasure, top bloke, and many congratulations on the birth of your granddaughter yesterday mate, was almost the perfect day. Was so good to also meet Todd and Blue Wilf for the first time too, so good to put faces to names, hopefully it won't be the last time, and of course my old mate Mach, away games would not be the same without seeing you bud.