Can’t really understand how anyone could find anything negative to say about yesterday’s game… The only thing I came away feeling disappointed about was Morris’ potential injury to his finger. A very competent and professional performance against a shambolic Port Vale side that looked completely lost.
Sturrock picked our best eleven yesterday. If each of those players is fit, that’s the team I want to see selected unless there’s a specific, tactical reason to warrant otherwise. There’s balance across the middle, a number of options for movement and passing and just the right blend of creativity and workmanship. The midfield we had on show yesterday screams of promotion-clinching ability, but the true strength of it is the balance. With Ryan Hall our only natural winger in recent weeks, we’ve tended to become lopsided and it has been too easy for teams to cancel Hall out, leaving us trying to engineer attacks with three industrious midfielders. David Martin’s presence means the opposition’s defensive line is instantly more stretched, creating bigger gaps for Dickinson and Benyon to operate within.
In the centre, the midfield pairing of Kalala and Timlin looked fantastic. Kalala’s presence instantly settles us as a team far better than Grant or Ferdinand’s has in recent weeks. You know what you’re getting from JPK, he’s arguably our most consistent performer as he knows exactly what his role commands and he never tries to expand on it. At this level, that’s all you can ask for. His dispossessing and interceptions were timely, accurate and concise, leaving us to win the midfield battle yesterday even when Vale attempted to go with five across and three at the back (for all of 10 minutes, admittedly).
Having JPK in the side brings out the best in Timlin, who absolutely flourished safe in the knowledge that there’s a stable presence behind him. He was everywhere yesterday, picking the ball up in the middle and stringing passes to both wingers, getting into the box when able to and he even popped up at left-back on a few occasions. I walked out of the ground trying to remember a more complete midfield performance, and the only comparison I can draw is when Luke Guttridge tore Yeovil to bits in *that* second half a number of years ago. A truly fantastic acquisition, and his barking of tactical instructions in the first half was a very positive sign. He kept instructing Martin and Hall to get wider so we could stretch them out a bit further, something which ultimately led to Dickinson getting in around the back of the centre-half to win the corner from which we scored.
I was also impressed by David Martin, who portrayed some nice little touches and movement without being fully involved in everything we had – which is to be expected when you’ve only been at the club a week. He looked a little confidence shy and a little rusty, his touch especially let him down on a few occasions, but that’ll return to him in time. His movement inside and ball to Gilbert in the lead up to the sumptuous OG was great, and the balance he offered us with a natural left-foot in the opposition’s third was much needed.
Martin’s inclusion instantly released the shackles from Ryan Hall, who took to the game with a renewed vigour that had perhaps been missing in recent weeks. He was visibly lifted by having just the one defender to handle, and he looked completely instrumental. A few of his passes, particularly to Clohessy, looked to be hit too hard, but his deadball delivery was sublime and the corner for the opener was simply perfect.
The whole right-hand side of our attack at the moment looks great. The understanding between Clohessy and Hall just goes from strength to strength, and when Timlin slides over to join in, you’re left with our three best “footballers” playing together in a very neat triangle. Some of the football played down that flank yesterday was amongst the best I’ve seen from this side, particularly the neat play that lead towards Hall’s shot in around the 30th minute which the ‘keeper initially spilled. More of the same, and we’ll be unbearable.
Speaking of Clohessy, you won’t see a more competent example of full-back play all season. I only noticed him make one error, which was early on in the first half when he deemed a ball too high for the opposition winger to claim, but he tracked back well to cover for his mistake. He gets forward well and his deliveries are vastly improved on last season. The lad’s in sparkling form at the moment, and if any scouts had travelled down to watch Hall, they’d have gone back with a sidebar regarding Clohessy.
That isn’t to say the rest of the defense weren’t adequate or impressive, because they were – particularly Mark Phillips who looks more and more like the Mark Phillips of September/October with each passing game. Commanding and decisive, he’s one of several leaders we have on the pitch now. His tackling is well-timed and executed, and his mistakes are very rare at the moment. Well taken header for his goal, but it was put right on his head and just needed to shape it into the net.
Barker looked a little off still, though. He was fine defensively, but his distribution looked shaken and nervous – almost as if his numerous slips on Monday had knocked his confidence on the ball, especially considering he’s usually happy to dribble out with the ball first. Might’ve been an instruction from PS after Monday too, as I know he can’t stand the ball-playing centre-half.
Bit of Gilbert-knocking going on here, which I kind of expected given how he seems to have adopted this hate-figure role for daring to say that Mohsni might not be the best person to have at this football club a few weeks ago, but there was nothing wrong with his performance yesterday. The balls he plays over the top and onto the left channel aren’t always successful, but they serve a definite purpose that makes much more sense when we’ve a natural winger on the left. They’re knocked into an area that causes the full-back or centre-half to draw into that area, meaning that they have to commit to the ball or risk having a winger charge at them. Under pressure, the defender has two options – he can either clear it aimlessly, more often than not giving us back the ball, or he can clear it into touch, which gives us an opportunity to work something into the box. It might not be pretty, but Gilbert doesn’t possess the same attributes as Sean Clohessy, so it’s probably his best possible delivery. Kalala shows for the ball at times, but that pass inside can be suicidal.
Quick word for Morris, who I thought looked incredibly sharp for a ‘keeper who’s been out of the first-team for so long. His distribution was better than Daniels’, he had an understanding with our defensive line and his reflexes looked as if he hadn’t been away. Good to see him back.
Up top, and I thought Dickinson played with admirable temperament considering that he was constantly getting kicked, nudged and pushed by a Port Vale defence that looked very rough and ready. The big #25 was utterly hopeless and was more interested in arriving late on Dickinson in the air, but Dicko wasn’t having any of it. He won the vast majority of his headers and played some very neat link-up play with Benyon, particularly in the build-up to our first. He took his header exceptionally well to put us two up, and generally fought well all afternoon. Still some detractors in the crowd who want him carted off, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact now that, much like BBBC last season, these idiots will never take to a committed, hard-working targetman with a good touch. (some news on BBBC, I understand that after a post-surgery infection gave him some grief, he’s had his first pain-free week in some time and is now confident of seeing some reserve football before this season’s end).
More of the same from Benyon too, who continues to impress me with his touch, passing and movement. He puts it about too, an admirable feat considering his size and stature, and was a constant thorn in Vale’s side. He’s like an irritating gnat who won’t leave you with a minutes peace, constantly striving to put you under pressure. Unfortunate to see him hauled down for the sending off as he was pretty much through on goal, and I’d have liked to see what he can do when presented with a one-on-one.
Overall, we completely blew Vale away yesterday, but it was never difficult or even in doubt. They were shambolic at best, with the only player escaping with any credit being Griffith. Their JPK equivalent looked good on the ball and composed in spite of the shambles around him. We bossed the game from start to finish, starved Richards of any service up front and done the job needed with consummate and professional ease. A similar standard of performance next week will see us claim all three points and, with any luck, give us the impetus into an all-important fortnight at the end of the month.
