Stress!

I was on the Kop for the Doncaster match last Tuesday. Watching that match nearly gave me heart failure!

I`m not sure what`s going on at the Lane at the moment, we came off the back of a win away at Barnsley, and watching the game against Donny was an experience. Still no closing down, no tackles going in when the opposition is on the attack, lack lustre passing and again loads of negativity.

The team keeps changing week after week, and looking at the SUFC site today, NC seems to be wanting to rest some players that have taken knocks or must be saving them for the play-offs. I`m sure others can remember Richard Cresswell – he had injections to keep him going during the play-off campaign the other year as he wanted to be a part of it. When you have key players with “slight” injuries I would have thought it best to field them and keep some talent on the bench for replacements when required. We drew 2-2 with Oldham in the last match, I listened to that on the radio, it was good to come back from 2-0 down, but I believe we were lucky with some of the decisions which makes a change!

NC has said he wants to put in place a system for “if and when” we go up, so we can stay up. I`m sure there`s others that watch the matches and wonder what this system is. I haven`t a clue what it is, but I do hope it`s not “grab a goal and sit back” boring football. That`s the most frustrating thing at the moment for me. When get the lead we seem to sit back and invite the opposition on. Even worse when we are losing – lack of urgency and not attack minded enough.

I`m still critical of some players recently – Coutts, Baxter, Harris and now I think I can add Howard to that list – these all seem to be playing with the foot off the pedal this season. Howard I`m adding as I`ve watched him loads and he`s one of the main culprits for not pumping the ball straight up the field – I was always taught to hit the opposition on the break, not to wait until they are all back in position before playing the ball.

Well, hopefully we will get a result on our last few games – we still need to get wins under our belt with looking over our shoulder at the teams going for the play-off places as well. Winning will give us a high to finish on this season and give us more confidence in the play-offs to come.

Anyway, hope for a win tomorrow evening then back on the Kop on Saturday for a further 3 points hopefully.

UTB!

Olly

Email: oliverlongden@aol.com
Phone: 07411 319796