Mildenhall MOM? - Absolutely - here's why.

[mattytheshrimper]

christophe for me

 

[Irate Ian]

christophe for me

Superb and toe ended ball away on a number of ocassions, different class.

 

[wiggy]

So we have had debates on whether Mildenhall was a good keeper or not, better than Flahavan or not and now whether he was MOM against Hereford or not.

Well, I can sort of see both sides here. Often you hear someone talk about a "Man of the Match" performance and this is where a player absolutely runs the game and is head and shoulders above everyone else. Obvious really. Mildy wasn't in that category.

But it is for instance possible for a striker to score a hat trick but not actually play very well. So would the striker get the MOM award if the team were to win, say 3-2 (with the winner coming in the last minute)? I would say that he probably would, because his contribution to the game was such that he clearly won the match for his team. (Contrast this to Luther Blisset who got 3 for England against Luxembourg once when we won something like 9-1 but he was fairly poor and pretty lucky with at least one of his goals)

For me, the MOM is about the entire circumstances of the game and the result as much as the actual individual perfomance.

Mildenhall has had a torrid few weeks prior to Saturday. Whilst tall, he has often fumbled and not been as commanding as he should be. He has had the boo boys on his back and there have been calls from everyone at the club for the fans to lay off him. His confidence was on the floor.

So going into the Hereford match it was quite simply a game that could make or break his season.

After just a few minutes Hereford had a free kick which was pumped into the penalty area. Mildy came quickly off his line and claimed it, probably 13 or 14 yards out in a way Flahavan never would have done. That is a long distance for a keeper to come and was a brave decision, given the circumstances. If he had spilled the ball or been beaten to it by a striker then everyone would have been on his case.

But he didn't. He claimed it safely and securely... i.e. he did what he had been brought in to do. Nothing spectacular about that... except when you consider his state of confidence and then you realise what a brave decision that was to make.

Throughout the game his handling was safe and assured. It was easily his best game for the club. Good saves don't have to be spectacular... because of the height difference a routine diving save for him would have been a spectacular full length one for Darryl. There was one full length one on the deck in the first half that Darryl simply would not have reached.

He got better as the game progressed and the save he made when he got injured was very good indeed.

And then, with no sub keeper on the bench, he decided to play on, albeit in obvious pain, because a half fit proper keeper is preferable to one who has never played there.

That alone elevated him to hero status. If the x-rays had revealed a break (and they thought at that time it was broken), he would have been renowned for "keeping a clean sheet with a broken leg" and would have gone down in SUFC folklore.

But if he had gone off and been replaced with Revell, then the whole team tactics would have changed. We would have defended deeper, Hereford would have adopted a "shoot on sight" policy... we may well have dropped 1 and possibly all 3 points.

As it was all Hereford knew was that his foot was injured... no-one knew the extent of the injury AT THAT TIME... and we were able to hold a higher line.

In my view, although not a spectacular (in the flamboyant sense) performance, he wore his heart on his sleeve, was prepared to die (metaphorically) for the club - incidentally, isn't that the sort of player we all want down here? - and in my view last Saturday Steve Mildenhall was the figure whose actions and perfomance most influenced the result.

Therefore, in my opinion, he was a worthy MOM recipient - even if he wasn't flying around the goal and keeping the visitors at bay single handed.

Never did take your ratings seriously and this claptrap proves why?

 

[wiggy]

Never did take your ratings seriously and this claptrap proves why?

.... my old granny could have kept Hereford at bay!

 

[Blueshrimper]

Might of needed a hip replacement after the clash he was in on Saturday...

 

[ElstreeBlue]

Best save I've seen at Roots Hall for quite a few years. He covered a lot of ground to get that block in. It was a real top class save.

At first, I was thinking "Oh no, they're going to score" when their man was so free just a few yards out, but by the time Mildenhall had got around, come out, narrowed the angle and spread himself so huge, it was hard to see how the striker was going to get through him - he could hardly have seen the goal. Top, top goalkeeping.

I agree with everything else that has been said by FBM. Top post. He not only did everything that was asked of him, he stopped himself having to make some saves by the way he dominated the area (rather than rely on one of our defenders to leave their man free 6-12 yards out and have a free shot/header at goal).

Apart from 2 occasions when he kicked the ball out (trying something ambitious that might have come off), it was hard to see how he could have improved on that performance. Think of the circumstances - recent goals against, the dreadful boo boy treatment and then playing through incredible pain after the injury (followed by his saves from Christophe's suicidal backpass and then the free hit from Clarke's stupid free kick in the last kick of the game). In that context, what a performance.

Well done, Mildy.

And to the boo boys, I'm afraid you'll have to move on and find another target. Mildy's stood up to you and won. Shame Matt Harrold wasn't able to do so. Or if you really want to help the cause, why don't you pick an Orient player to boo at the next game? That might actually channel your venom in the right direction!

Scriv - please can you print off the pro-Mildy posts and show him how much his efforts have been appreciated and what a minority the boo boys are in.

Up the Blues!

 

[wiggy]

At first, I was thinking "Oh no, they're going to score" when their man was so free just a few yards out, but by the time Mildenhall had got around, come out, narrowed the angle and spread himself so huge, it was hard to see how the striker was going to get through him - he could hardly have seen the goal. Top, top goalkeeping.

I agree with everything else that has been said by FBM. Top post. He not only did everything that was asked of him, he stopped himself having to make some saves by the way he dominated the area (rather than rely on one of our defenders to leave their man free 6-12 yards out and have a free shot/header at goal).

Apart from 2 occasions when he kicked the ball out (trying something ambitious that might have come off), it was hard to see how he could have improved on that performance. Think of the circumstances - recent goals against, the dreadful boo boy treatment and then playing through incredible pain after the injury (followed by his saves from Christophe's suicidal backpass and then the free hit from Clarke's stupid free kick in the last kick of the game). In that context, what a performance.

Well done, Mildy.

And to the boo boys, I'm afraid you'll have to move on and find another target. Mildy's stood up to you and won. Shame Matt Harrold wasn't able to do so. Or if you really want to help the cause, why don't you pick an Orient player to boo at the next game? That might actually channel your venom in the right direction!

Scriv - please can you print off the pro-Mildy posts and show him how much his efforts have been appreciated and what a minority the boo boys are in.

Up the Blues!

Signed, Mildew's mum!

 

[ElstreeBlue]

Signed, Mildew's mum!

How did you guess? I'm biased. I'm really his mum. I'm unable to consider Mildy objectively. Well spotted.

Good to hear it from someone who's clearly impartial in this debate.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Signed, Mildew's mum!

Signed, Flahavan's lover.

:thump:

wiggy, it's not big and it's not clever. And I'm talking about your constant player-bashing, as opposed to Darryl.

Do change the record, it's getting rather tiresome. If you can't appreciate a clean sheet and a player playing through the pain-barrier, then you really ought to take up trampolining, since there's nothing else that's going to give you a lift.

Matt

 

[wiggy]

Signed, Flahavan's lover.

:thump:

wiggy, it's not big and it's not clever. And I'm talking about your constant player-bashing, as opposed to Darryl.

Do change the record, it's getting rather tiresome. If you can't appreciate a clean sheet and a player playing through the pain-barrier, then you really ought to take up trampolining, since there's nothing else that's going to give you a lift.

Matt

Who woke you up? I'm not player bashing but all this bigging up Mildenhall is pathetic!

 

[Shrimper51]

Who woke you up? I'm not player bashing but all this bigging up Mildenhall is pathetic!

Yeah because it's not as if we support the team he plays for or anything!

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Who woke you up?

My neighbours getting into their van at 5.50 a.m.. Why?

:p

I'm not player bashing...

LOL - pull the other one. You only ever come on here to moan.

...but all this bigging up Mildenhall is pathetic!

So, according to you, it's "pathetic" if people come on here and show their support for someone who has played a great game and kept a clean sheet, in the context of having been barracked from the stands against Orient and also having sustained a leg injury which has kept him out for a month.

Pathetic? That is an extraordinary statement.

I'd always understood "supporting" to constitute getting behind the players for the common good of our club.

That's a concept of "support" with which you seem to have a really big problem, don't you? For you, "support" appears to constitute a campaign of vilification of those players whom you deem not to like or not to be worthy, just so you can come on here after so many months in order to bask smugly in your own prescience.

Now that's what I call pathetic.

Matt

 

[OldBlueLady]

Great response MtS, Wiggy's use of "pathetic" in this thread and "credibility" on the ratings one seem extraordinarily out of place in the context of what we've come to expect.

 

[fbm]

Never did take your ratings seriously and this claptrap proves why?

That's ok wiggy. I never take anything you say seriously. This post shows everyone exactly the sum total of your combined knowledge of not only how much you know about football but also psychology, human behaviour and the correct use of punctuation.

 

[Southend_Lady]

I think this is a great thread. Exactly what Mildenhall needs, some confidence for the lad. I have to admit (as much as I hate to because of my love for Darryl) watching Mildenhall does show where the weaknesses were when Flavs was in goal. Don't get me wrong he was a fantastic shot stopper, fans favourite, and the rest. However, despite a shaky start for Milds, I think he is far more commanding, much more confident on corners and set pieces, and as someone mentioned earlier, he comes out a lot further to take the pressure off the defence. I think 6 months down the line we wont look back....

 

[wiggy]

My neighbours getting into their van at 5.50 a.m.. Why?

:p



LOL - pull the other one. You only ever come on here to moan.


So, according to you, it's "pathetic" if people come on here and show their support for someone who has played a great game and kept a clean sheet, in the context of having been barracked from the stands against Orient and also having sustained a leg injury which has kept him out for a month.

Pathetic? That is an extraordinary statement.

I'd always understood "supporting" to constitute getting behind the players for the common good of our club.

That's a concept of "support" with which you seem to have a really big problem, don't you? For you, "support" appears to constitute a campaign of vilification of those players whom you deem not to like or not to be worthy, just so you can come on here after so many months in order to bask smugly in your own prescience.

Now that's what I call pathetic.

Matt

Did you go to the game? He did not have a great game, that's all i'm saying!

 

[Moridin]

At first, I was thinking "Oh no, they're going to score" when their man was so free just a few yards out, but by the time Mildenhall had got around, come out, narrowed the angle and spread himself so huge, it was hard to see how the striker was going to get through him - he could hardly have seen the goal. Top, top goalkeeping.

I agree with everything else that has been said by FBM. Top post. He not only did everything that was asked of him, he stopped himself having to make some saves by the way he dominated the area (rather than rely on one of our defenders to leave their man free 6-12 yards out and have a free shot/header at goal).

Apart from 2 occasions when he kicked the ball out (trying something ambitious that might have come off), it was hard to see how he could have improved on that performance. Think of the circumstances - recent goals against, the dreadful boo boy treatment and then playing through incredible pain after the injury (followed by his saves from Christophe's suicidal backpass and then the free hit from Clarke's stupid free kick in the last kick of the game). In that context, what a performance.

Well done, Mildy.

And to the boo boys, I'm afraid you'll have to move on and find another target. Mildy's stood up to you and won. Shame Matt Harrold wasn't able to do so. Or if you really want to help the cause, why don't you pick an Orient player to boo at the next game? That might actually channel your venom in the right direction!

Scriv - please can you print off the pro-Mildy posts and show him how much his efforts have been appreciated and what a minority the boo boys are in.

Up the Blues!

Great post, and I think the part I highlighted sums a the views of a lot of fans perfectly.

I've seen a lot of Mildenhall playing for Grimsby where he is a hero. Good to see him stand up the the rubbish that has been going on, he will work out to be a great signing for us.

 

[Sammy The Shrimp]

Who woke you up? I'm not player bashing but all this bigging up Mildenhall is pathetic!

Your pathetic!!

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

.... my old granny could have kept Hereford at bay!

Who woke you up? I'm not player bashing but all this bigging up Mildenhall is pathetic!

Did you go to the game? He did not have a great game, that's all i'm saying!

Having read all the posts I don't think anyone is saying Mildenhall played a blinder, making world class save after world class save.

They are saying however given the circumstances he deserves recognition.

A player who after a few below par performances received disgraceful abuse from certain sections of our "support", and came back with a much improved performance to silence his critics and then played through a serious injury (which we now know will sideline him for a month) for the sake of his team.

Is it so hard for you to give him a little credit? No-one said you have to say he's better than Flahaven. What's pathetic is your trying to knock a player who's just starting to rebuild he's confidence. Anyone would think you want us to lose.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Having read all the posts I don't think anyone is saying Mildenhall played a blinder, making world class save after world class save.

They are saying however given the circumstances he deserves recognition.

A player who after a few below par performances received disgraceful abuse from certain sections of our "support", and came back with a much improved performance to silence his critics and then played through a serious injury (which we now know will sideline him for a month) for the sake of his team.

Is it so hard for you to give him a little credit? No-one said you have to say he's better than Flahaven. What's pathetic is your trying to knock a player who's just starting to rebuild he's confidence. Anyone would think you want us to lose.

:clap: Exactly right!