The second period has been a bit of a problem for us in recent weeks, hasn’t it? 2-0 up against Morecambe, battered in the final 45. 2-0 up against MK Dons, lost 3-2. Shrewsbury, 1-0 up, drew 1-1… the list goes on (and on). It’s as if being in the changing room feels like job done, and when we come back out, we get hit for six. I feared that more than anything yesterday, especially when my mate Matt said “it feels like we’ve watched a whole game” during the break. There had been enough packed into 45 minutes for an entire Saturday (more Imps efforts at goal than the last two home games combined it felt like). Could we survive the Witching Hour, and come away with that precious point?
Very quickly, it became apparent we could. It wasn’t end-to-end, but it was thrilling enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. City put a couple of decent corners in, whilst Berahino nodded over in front of the subdued visitors. For 17 minutes, we played well, got a handful of chances but never quite got our break. Then, on 62 minutes, it finally happened. City came back after conceding a goal.
It feels surreal looking back at the goal, because it happened in slow motion in my memory. Regan Poole played a super ball into the channel, where Tom Hopper chased, having just stayed onside. He seemed to have gone too far, right to the byline, but from nowhere he picks a pass to Brooke Norton-Cuffy. The impressive Arsenal youngster didn’t need a touch, he stroked the ball home from the edge of the area. 2-1 City, and things started to seem real.
I know I’ll get stick for this, but my first thought when that happened was ‘2-2 will be a great result’. I just didn’t think we had it in us not to concede. I know, a pessimist is never disappointed, but you and I have watched enough Lincoln this season to known that’s not a defeatist attitude, it’s just been something of a reality.
Usually, when we concede a goal, we crumble, and I felt that happened to Wednesday. They still looked a threat; I liked the full back Palmer, and obviously Barry Bannan is ridiculously talented for this level, but it was City who pressed on. Fiorini, the obvious Man of the Match for me, had an effort narrowly wide, before a cracking chance to make it three for Hops. Now, I’ve watched this chance back, and I spotted something I really liked. It was a bit of luck, McGrandles’ solid tackle turned into a great ball for Tom, and as he entered the area he had two options; chip the keeper, or square to John Marquis for a chance. He opted for the former, and the keeper made a save before it was headed off the line. However, the big thing for me is Marquis. He was in a better position, arguably, for a shot, but when Hops didn’t square it do you know what he did? He chased the ball, and when it went out of play he did nothing. He didn’t yell at Hops, he didn’t moan. I liked that; he respected Hops had a decent chance and he just got on with it.
I like John Marquis.
I liked him a lot more six minutes after. Norton-Cuffy found McGrandles with a throw, he slipped a great ball back into Marquis who finished from a tight angle, across goal to Peacock-Farrell’s right hand side. Almost immediately, the away end began to empty a little, the volume around me went up a decibel and a home win seemed very possible. Not inevitable (we all remember Boxing Day), but almost inevitable.
It was pretty much the last serious action of the game, although Jordan Wright might disagree with you as he came on to make his Football League debut in goal just before the end, but a rampant (I use that word without hyperbole) City had done a job on Sheffield Wednesday, a team I once watched play in two cup finals in the space of a couple of months (but who only have as many Premier League seasons behind them as Wigan). Still, it felt massive, and the Weds supporters I know were massively impressed with us. “Put this on your podcast,” my mate Chris messaged me after the game. “Best team we’ve played all year.” I’ll take that.
So, where did it go right, when last week went so wrong? Firstly, the 3-5-2 looked very effective. It protects the midfielder, McGrandles, much more than having two at the back. He’s able to play with a little more confidence, knowing if he does lose the ball, there’s an extra man in behind. TJ Eyoma was outstanding as part of that three, as were Poole and Walsh, but we looked relatively solid. Also, having extra protection for McGrandles meant Lewis Fiorini was able to get forward more, and boy, he did. I thought he was outstanding, and in a game where a player bags a brace, it’s not usual to pick out a midfielder with no goals or assists as the star man, but he was. No doubt.
The wing backs were both brilliant as well. Norton-Cuffy is built for the role, without a doubt, and he proved it by causing the opposition no end of problems. Whittaker was a little quieter on the other flank, but as a right winger playing left wing back, I thought he did well. My guess is the ratings on the site will have him less than a seven because of his previous outings and a bit of bias, but it would be harsh; I thought he did well.
As for Hops and John Marquis up top, it worked, but almost in an ‘independent of each other’ way. What we always had was a target to hit, whether we needed to go long, or come inside, but we had it without detriment to the attack. Let me give you an example; how many times last season did we see Hops pick up a ball on the right and deliver a cross, only for nobody to be in the area? We’d scream out for someone to be on the end of it and I remember writing ‘we need Hops to be on the end of his own balls’. Now we kinda have that; if Hops drifts out wider, John Marquis is the man in the middle. If John comes deep, Hops goes forward. I’m a big fan of two up top, to few teams play it in this day and age, but when you have the players we have, and that includes Draper, House, Scully and even Charlie Kendall (who scored again yesterday), it’s promising to see Michael trialling the formation.
There are plenty who are ready to call Michael ut when he is perceived to have got it wrong, but in the interest of fairness, let’s make it very clear; yesterday, he got it right. Many doubted the team selection, and it came off. It’s not the first time the manager has made the right call either; Sunderland away was a big one as well.
I’m way over my usual word count, I knew I would be, but I have two final things to say. Firstly, lots of people have told me they feel this season has been like 2010/11, where we showed no passion, no game plan and ambled blindly into relegation from the Football League. I’ve bitten my tongue on that subject, but I can’t anymore. I never saw a Steve Tilson side play with the passion and skill we did yesterday, nor did I ever see Steve Tilson implement a plan, as MA has in games, that can be attributed to us winning it. Also, I have never once felt the players don’t want to play for MA. I’ve been told it, more than once by multiple people, but I don’t believe it, I didn’t then and watching their reactions on the field yesterday, I don’t now.
Secondly, we’re now seven points clear of the bottom four, with at least one game in hand of every club in the drop zone. Five points separate us and the team immediately below us, Fleetwood, whom we have to play away and who have not won for nine matches. I saw someone, I cannot remember who, who said they’d rather be in Doncaster’s shoes than ours after the defeat the other week, which seemed mad without the context it was intended in. However, our next four games are Ipswich (A), Rotherham (A), Wimbledon (A) and Sunderland (H), and the crazy thing is, I’m more worried about Wimbledon than the other three. Why? Because after yesterday’s game, I can see us taking seven points from Sunderland, Rotherham and Ipswich, but bugger all from Wimbledon!!
Whatever happens, we’ll always have yesterday. Dad and I play pool every so often, and the winner buys a football team badge, which we glue onto a trophy. It’s a family thing, honouring my Granddad who once started to glue badges onto a trophy as a project. Last night we played and we both vowed whoever won would buy a Wednesday badge, then in years to come, we’d always remember we played on that day, the second time we beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 at Sincil Bank.
Enjoy your Sunday, I’ll be enjoying mine.
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