08-09-2025, 04:33 PM
As has been said on the match thread, there were loads of positives to take from a victory that would have absolutely been a draw last season. I'm encouraged by the patterns of play today, by the structure, the passing movements, and how well prepared everyone in the side was. We faced a team that was always going to be right up in our face and out fought them, but with control. We let them have the ball in areas they couldn't hurt us and moved as a unit to press when the time was right. I was also really encouraged by how many players we had in the box when attacking and how we mixed up playing through the middle and launching it depending on the pressure; a really pleasing performance.
We still have a few areas to improve, we struggled to build anything meaningful through the middle, and we didn't use our wide players to stretch Blackburn. We let the game become very congested and scrappy in the middle, and we still can't quite find that bit of quality with a final ball. Too many set pieces seemed harmless too, but this is pretty typical early in the season where the most important thing is just getting over the line with 3 points.
Griffiths - 7 - Didn't have to do a lot, but stepped up when asked - hopefully builds confidence from here
Styles - 7 - I would like to see him get forward a bit more, especially given he can unleash a rocket or two, but understand why he was kept so far back today
Heggem - 7.5 - Loses .5 for a silly foul that should have been a penalty, but otherwise his usual self
Phillips - 8.5 - the CB we've been crying out for - a vocal leader who loves defending, and a shit house - more of this Nat!
Furling - 8 - Great shout for MOTM - his recoveries, his positioning, and his threat from throws are all top notch - no idea why so many of our fans think he needs replacing, a very, very good RB for this level. Loses .5 for the red card, but he had to make the tackle!
Mowatt - 6.5 - sure Lurker will come along and give a load of stats to make me look silly, but I just didn't see it today. I want him controlling the middle, I want him putting his foot on the ball and getting us motoring, but I saw none of that today.
Molumby - 7.5 - A game that was designed for him - got around, hassled, pressed, turned over the ball, a real box-to-box display, but as ever, lacking the quality at the end of his good work.
Grant - 7 - I wish he was just a little bit faster - he does so much right, but every fullback seems to catch him up. He was steady without getting me out of my seat.
Price - 8.5 MOTM - a 10 for the first half but faded in the second - Blackburn really targeted him after the goal (and rightly so as he was running the show for 25 minutes) - and we didn't have enough threat from elsewhere to compensate. Growing as a 10, and thought he showed better awareness, made better runs and used the ball intelligently.
Fellows - 6 - Bit of a passenger today - We didn't get the best from Tom and was rightly hooked.
Heggebo - 7 - Lots of effort but will take some time to bed in. Think his reactions are just a touch behind where they need to be, but he showed lots of running, decent hold up play and is building a decent understanding with Price.
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Wallace and Diakite 6
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Thought Mason prepared and drilled a very good game plan, and the players looked like they knew what to do and when, and had faith in what they were being asked to do. Made sensible subs, albeit I'd have liked to have seen MJ come on at the same time as Wallace, but I understand MAson's caution on the opening day.
2-3 more players into this mix and I think we look like a good side!
We still have a few areas to improve, we struggled to build anything meaningful through the middle, and we didn't use our wide players to stretch Blackburn. We let the game become very congested and scrappy in the middle, and we still can't quite find that bit of quality with a final ball. Too many set pieces seemed harmless too, but this is pretty typical early in the season where the most important thing is just getting over the line with 3 points.
Griffiths - 7 - Didn't have to do a lot, but stepped up when asked - hopefully builds confidence from here
Styles - 7 - I would like to see him get forward a bit more, especially given he can unleash a rocket or two, but understand why he was kept so far back today
Heggem - 7.5 - Loses .5 for a silly foul that should have been a penalty, but otherwise his usual self
Phillips - 8.5 - the CB we've been crying out for - a vocal leader who loves defending, and a shit house - more of this Nat!
Furling - 8 - Great shout for MOTM - his recoveries, his positioning, and his threat from throws are all top notch - no idea why so many of our fans think he needs replacing, a very, very good RB for this level. Loses .5 for the red card, but he had to make the tackle!
Mowatt - 6.5 - sure Lurker will come along and give a load of stats to make me look silly, but I just didn't see it today. I want him controlling the middle, I want him putting his foot on the ball and getting us motoring, but I saw none of that today.
Molumby - 7.5 - A game that was designed for him - got around, hassled, pressed, turned over the ball, a real box-to-box display, but as ever, lacking the quality at the end of his good work.
Grant - 7 - I wish he was just a little bit faster - he does so much right, but every fullback seems to catch him up. He was steady without getting me out of my seat.
Price - 8.5 MOTM - a 10 for the first half but faded in the second - Blackburn really targeted him after the goal (and rightly so as he was running the show for 25 minutes) - and we didn't have enough threat from elsewhere to compensate. Growing as a 10, and thought he showed better awareness, made better runs and used the ball intelligently.
Fellows - 6 - Bit of a passenger today - We didn't get the best from Tom and was rightly hooked.
Heggebo - 7 - Lots of effort but will take some time to bed in. Think his reactions are just a touch behind where they need to be, but he showed lots of running, decent hold up play and is building a decent understanding with Price.
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Wallace and Diakite 6
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Thought Mason prepared and drilled a very good game plan, and the players looked like they knew what to do and when, and had faith in what they were being asked to do. Made sensible subs, albeit I'd have liked to have seen MJ come on at the same time as Wallace, but I understand MAson's caution on the opening day.
2-3 more players into this mix and I think we look like a good side!
