At 1-0, I felt we were still in the game and at the start of the second half it was ‘all us’. I don’t mean pouring all over them like hot custard over sticky toffee pudding, but we were in the ascendancy. We had the better possession, we got into some half-decent areas, but every time we did, something let us down. With House and Plange as a two you felt we might create something, and we even won a corner (which was, obviously wasted), but when it came to the big players needing to produce a moment of quality, we didn’t have that. Diamond has, with the greatest of respect, done very little in the last few months.
Still, what does that tell us? That we lack quality in attacking areas? That’s as predictable as a message from Nick Oxberry on WhatsApp when we lose. Sadly, our wide players were as anonymous as a Nick Oxberry message on WhatsApp when we win. Not a great combination.
I never felt Posh were dominating the game, even as we began to fade. We lacked inventiveness, going long a bit too often, but it wasn’t like they were peppering our goal with shots. I recall five efforts for them, and they scored three. That’s what a budget gets you, that’s facts, and we need in the summer to ensure we have wide players who can produce a bit of magic. Look at their lads today – Ward and Mason-Clark, quality. Mitchell for Exeter last week, Mendez Laing for Derby, Goodrham for Oxford a couple of weeks ago – they’ve all got them, wingers who beat full-backs, deliver crosses, track up and down the field. I’m a firm believer that if we add a couple of those to this squad, we’ll be in a better position next season than this season. As it goes, even with today’s disappointment, we’ll be in a better position this season to last season. When you finish in a better position than the season before, that’s called progress. When you’re in the middle of such a transition, as we are now, that’s called a work in progress. Please, don’t @ me on Twitter rubbishing that statement, because it is fact. Also, I won’t read it until later on tomorrow.
Anyway, they did get their second, but not before some moments from the referee and Posh which were ridiculous. They broke the game up at 1-0, bought a few free kicks with loud yelps as tackles went in but walked away fine moments later. To be fair, Ben House did similar when he was kicked in the face early doors, but they took it to another level. For a moment, I felt they were reffing the game, certainly for one free kick. They were wasting a lot of time too, such is their prerogative I guess, but it’s up to the referee to get a grip. He didn’t, and I’d be surprised if we saw 55 minutes of actual football today.
Still, the big difference between the teams was when they got anywhere near the goal, they had the quality to cause issues and create a chance. Their second goal was one I felt we had a chance to deal with, but didn’t, and despite the deflection, it was a decent outcome for them. Fair play, it woke their supporters up, apart from five minutes after the first goal they were almost as quiet as us, despite the fact they had something to sing about. After the second they were loud, asking if they could play us every week. No, but I’d wager money you’ll get to play us at least twice next season. We might turn up for one of those matches, you never know.
A couple of people around me left as the second goal went in, which was a bit too early to sneak out, but you pay your money, so go when you like. In fairness, those that did go missed nothing, because from the second goal until full-time, we were really poor. I can’t analyse much of it for you, other than we lacked ideas, and the changes we made were of no consequence at all. Ted Bishop did show a bit of composure, but that was it. We didn’t knock on the door, we didn’t look like scoring and the players who had faded in the first half disappeared in the second. Part of me hoped we might throw caution to the wind, bring Boyes and Duffy on the flanks for Mandoriu and Diamond and see what they could do, but we didn’t, and perhaps that’s best for the younger players. Jovon did come on, but he wasn’t able to impose himself enough. It wasn’t a striker we needed, it was pace, adventure and unpredictability out wide. We didn’t have that, and when the third went in, another good, well-worked team goal, most around me went. I hung on for a while, just in case we might get a chance to cheer.
Spoiler alert if you’re going to watch the highlights. We didn’t.
That’s that. What more can I say? It wasn’t atrocious or whatever else people say in the heat of the moment, but it wasn’t good. I think 3-0 flattered them, but 2-0 would have been fair. We have the spine of a decent team emerging, but when those players you rely upon either have an off game or get injured like Erhahon, then everything falls apart. I feel we’ve been going out most weeks with nine or ten looking like they’re fully firing, and one or two struggling to do their job (not through a lack of effort by the way). Today, it was evident the nine showing their best versions was more like six. I’m afraid at six against eleven and a few hangers-on, you’ll get exactly what we got today. Nothing.
I hope this doesn’t feel too generous, or too scathing. I felt Rushworth had a decent game, not much he could do about the goals. O’Connor and Jackson looked ok, but Montsma struggled. Roughan didn’t do badly, Sorensen was okay, and Erhahon and Virtue both looked decent until they came off. Ben House worked hard but got no joy and the two wide players were, for want of a better word, anonymous.
I don’t know what more to say. It wasn’t pretty, but to tar the whole team with one word, such as ‘terrible’ isn’t right. O’Connor didn’t do much wrong at all today, he was my Man of the Match once again, and personally, I feel if we had a couple of wingers in the mould of Ward and Mason-Clark, we’d be an above average, top half, League One side. Instead, perhaps we’re just an average, midtable League One team.
I’m not sure that’s quite as bad as some might think.