I will eventually stick a picture as a 'Big Ask' right here. Watch this space
Being totally overshadowed by getting drawn against the Skates, was an away League game at Brentford who are one the teams we are going to have to overhaul if went want to get in the playoffs at the end of the season. Higher in the league than us they may be but it’s one of those games that we should be expected to win.
Changes from the cup tie with Ipswich were inevitable with the cup-tied Fonte, Otsemobor and Seabourne coming back in with Thomas, Perry and Jaidi dropping out. Antonio coming in for Holmes was the only other change meaning Barnard and Lambert started up front in a 4-4-2 formation.
Saints came out of the traps fast and for once turned it into an early lead as Lambert’s chip in from the left set up Lloyd James to fairly lash in from the edge of the box for his 2nd goal of the season. Now to push on a get a 2nd to put it to bed. Well, we did push on but could we get a second – could we bollocks. First off, Lallana was teed up by Barnard and curled a great shot onto the bar. Then Antonio brought down a cross from Barnard, turned the defender in one balletic falling down movement and got up and shot left footed, only for the keeper to make a good save low down. Brentford in truth were not offering much and Davis had to keep out one volley towards the end of the half which was probably going wide anyway. One for the cameras methinks.
On 34 minutes Saints were forced into a change with James hobbling off to be replaced by Schneiderlin, fresh from a miraculous reprieve from the Football League who decided his 3 match ban for mildly shoving that MK twat who grabbed him by the throat was only worth a 1 match ban. For some reason I felt that in an away game on Tuesday night, Schneiderlin’s presence makes the team weaker but if you looked at the bench, Pards didn’t have a lot of choice bar maybe bringing Jaidi or Thomas on and moving Fonte into midfield.
Half time, 1-0 to us but in the 2nd half I feel that we need to push on and make it happen, rather than just hope that it will. Again, we tried to make it happen and Barnard chased a through ball and the last defender slipped. The 17 goal man had just the keeper to beat and he took a touch, then he took another touch and another and another and then sidefooted it wide as eventually someone got back to him. In truth, it was a shit effort and that miss brought Brentford back into the match. From here on in, the only team making it happen were Brentford who started peppering Kelvin at regular intervals.
The referee got in on the act and decided to lend a helping hand when he decided that a cross that hit Wottinho’s hand from about three yards range was worthy of a penalty. I’ve seen it replayed a couple of times and it looks like a real home-town decision to me. Our Brazilian midfielder wasn't too impressed either and stomped over to the linesman (who had 1-1 in the sweepstake) and got a booking for his troubles. Up steps O’Connor and saved by super Kelv down to his right. Surely Saints would wake up after the escape and see the game out.
Not a bit of it.... in the 84th minute following another great save from Davis, the ball was crossed back into our box and no one had picked up the 7 foot bloke who was stood on the six yard line with no one within a mile of him. Fonte and Lambert were underneath the cross as it sailed over them and I’ve no idea where Seabourne was. The upshot was that Leon Legge had a free header which gave Super Kelv no chance. We’d done it again…. “One nil and you fucked it up” as the song goes.
Saints wake up in a frantic effort to rescue the two points that would not be going back on the team bus with them but it was too little too late and so once more, we had to settle for a point in a match that we were leading and really should have won comfortably.
Dammit. In previous away games like this one (and there have been many), I’ve always managed to see a positive in getting an away point or at least, in seeing us heading in the right direction. This one feels different though and it’s a poor result. Whilst our league form is not bad, not bad isn’t going to be good enough to get us in the playoff positions at the end of the year. If we’d held on for the win today we’d have been 11th whereas we are still 15th which tells you that a lot of teams are in reach but if you look a bit higher, there is now a gap of 13 points between Millwall in the last playoff spot and our good selves.
I will now use a phrase that many football pundits now use and in my opinion, it a stupid phrase. Why do we now say that it’s a ‘big ask’? Is that ‘big task’ with a letter missing? I got asked my opinion on something at work this week and said that it was a big ask and my female boss thought I said 'big ass' which was a bit embarrassing. Anyhow, it’s going to be difficult unless we go on a 5+ match winning run pretty soon, a big ask, in fact a big great fat wobbly ask.
Next up is Stockport at home which we really have to win. Keep the faith, he said through gritted teeth.
Here’s a league table… see for yourself.
6 Millwall 27 10 43
7 Huddersfield 25 19 42
8 MK Dons 27 4 42
9 Bristol R 25 -2 38
10 Brentford 27 -3 34
11 Carlisle 25 -3 32
12 Walsall 24 1 31
13 Yeovil 27 -4 31
14 Hartlepool 28 -9 31
15 Southampton 26 13 30
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