Who else do I think was auditioning for a place in the starting XI post-Wimbledon? Almost certainly Harry Anderson, who got a goal and an assist at the weekend, so to say he failed would be tough. I think he is yet another who has really struggled to get up to pace since being out injured, again someone who will benefit from the break over the summer. Harry was one of our best players before Christmas, he tore Crewe apart at their place and did the same against Forest Green. I think he’s been unlucky, getting injured and seeing Rogers come in and do well making those cherished wide positions even harder to claim, but he will be useful from the bench in the play-offs, no doubt at all. Did he play well last night? Not especially, no, not many did, but he did get a shot on target to score, and he did complete five of his eight dribbles. He didn’t get much into the box, but our crosses weren’t great all night. That’s as much down to some good defending from the opposition as it was our own wastefulness.
I think the other player who was looking to send a message was Anthony Scully. He seems to go from hot to cold quicker than the mixer tap on my bath, he was sensational against Peterborough and yet very quiet indeed last night. He made a point in his pre-match interview I found interesting, he said he doesn’t feel he struggles from the start of matches, but that in some games it is harder to get on the ball and affect play. Actually, whilst I was inclined not to agree at the time, his stats from last night do back that up. He made 17 accurate passes from 20, that’s 85% accuracy and well above his season average of 77.7%. He got one cross in, which was accurate, made two dribbles, one successful and his only long pass was also accurate. What he did, he did well, but he just didn’t do enough. Maybe he didn’t get the ball enough, maybe he was crowded out, but rather than play badly, he just wasn’t able to get on the ball. I think it still leaves him outside the XI for the play-offs though.
I saw a bit of stick for Regan Poole too, and I often see stuff directed at newer players. I always refer to Tom Pett when talking about January signings, he wasn’t popular at all after he arrived from Stevenage, until he bagged against Yeovil. The following season, with the benefit of a full pre-season, he was excellent. Now, I don’t think Poole has played badly at all, I think there is a perception from some he has struggled, which is wrong. I saw him make one or two crucial interceptions last night (he made four in total by the way) but sometimes play happens so fast you don’t see who cleared the ball. Even in commentary, one clearance of his, a stinging header away, was called as Montsma by Michael, and I thought it as too. It was only by me looking back now at the Wyscout actions that I saw it was Poole. His crossing was also fairly consistent too, he made six crosses (more than both starting wide players combined), two of which were successful. On the other flank, Cohen Bramall is showing great pace which is winning him admirers, but he only delivered one cross, which was unsuccessful. Regan Poole put more balls into the box than all three of the other wide players combined, but he still had a bad game? Perception is an interesting thing.
My point with this rambling defence of a team I readily acknowledge did not play well is intended to show two things. Firstly, all is not always as t seems and whilst opinion is all part of the game, to lazily described a player as ‘no good enough’ fails to tell the whole story. If the players who auditioned for the play-offs (and even those who failed) are not good enough, how have they formed part of a top six League One squad this season? Secondly, I want to underline that even those players stepping into the side have plenty to offer a squad, if not the first team, and whilst last night’s defeat stings, it is not the world-ending, play-off threatening result many feel it is.
As for positives, Joe Walsh coming back is huge. I think coming up against Sunderland, Blackpool, Charlton or Portsmouth could be tough, all have experienced strikers happy to leave in an elbow or able to show awareness to peel off a defender and find space. Our recent run has been good, Eyoma and Montsma have done well, but Mageniss, Stockley and Clarke-Harris have all scored against us. When it comes to big-name strikers, we do tend to struggle, with Wyke and Marquis also putting the ball into our net. I think the back four needs Joe Walsh, a defender with a little more know-how and a willingness to indulge in the dark arts. At times, I thought Stockley bossed Montsma last night, albeit with a nasty elbow shot at one point, but that is what he does. Having an older head in there might serve us well come mid-May.
I also think it is a bonus Rogers, Johnson and Bridcutt did not play. I think all will play some part against Wimbledon but look at it like this: Michael knew Charlton were going to be at it last night. They had to win, so tackles would fly in (they did), and there would be scraps and battles all over the pitch. Was it worth risking players who could turn a play-off game on its head for us? No, not in my opinion. It was disappointing to lose, but there is no cause for concern around momentum. We have been excellent in recent weeks and as long as we turn in a decent performance against a Wimbledon side with little to play for, we can put the Charlton game behind us as the last seconds of the Peterborough game.
Don’t panic, it is all part of Michael’s plan and right now, there is no reason to think he’s doesn’t know what he is doing, is there? Who knows, we might even get that elusive win at the Valley in mid-May, and I firmly believe a full-strength Lincoln City has little to fear based on what I saw last night, even though we were soundly beaten.
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