The last time we'd won back-to-back matches at Ewood park was in 1975, but Blackburn had only won one of their last 14 league matches on Boxing Day. Promising...
Blackburn's website said 'Essential cookies are used to enable core functionality and...' no not that bit. It said they had made five changes going into this match. Something we hadn't done.
Last time we'd played at Elwood back we'd come away with three points after a Jack Clarke brace, remember those? Ballard had played his socks off after they battered a whopping 22 shots on target. Let's not talk about when we played them in April. Please let's not.
Kick off, and we started on the back foot as usual. Here we go again. Lately the space between our high wingbacks had left us vulnerable and has led to errors, and that was how we conceded. I had a bad feeling in my stomach, which could've have been the Guinness and turkey sandwiches.
As usual this goal woke us up and we proceeded to start playing properly. For a bit. I'm a numbers man at heart so my first thought was 'what are the odds on us coming from behind to win three games in a row'?. Would you like to know the probability of us coming away with three points? It's low, very low.
60% possession their way and our one shot on target by the 20-minute mark, it wasn't looking good. Again, they used the space behind our right back to attack, but ended up blazing over. Something we'd see a lot of this afternoon. The Riversiders (really? Where's t'canal?) seemed to be trying to avoid being in their half as much as possible. A tactic that also seemed to be working while our 'two at the back everyone else on the halfway line' approach wasn't. Mepham rose and nutted some fella who, to his credit, just got up and cracked on.
Their goal scorer ran into captain Dan and we got a free kick on the edge of the box. Set pieces haven't been our strong point recently - well, they have and they haven't. It’s not that we're unorganised - last season we had five players stood over the ball in our closing game of the season for a free kick - it's that we just can't deliver. O’Cheese was easily our best set piece taker last season and I'd give him a runout instead of Mayenda. Sorry Eli, I'd bring you on after 60 mins though. Our naff free kick led to a corner, which lead to nothing. Hmmf.
Another freekick led to them attempting to clear the ball from the box, they instead smashed a ball into their own player and knocking all the wind out of him. Again, to his credit, they just cracked on. More space behind our high pressing fullbacks led to a corner which in turn lead to a goal. An offside one but still, it wasn't looking good.
We tried a corner to the far post but Cirkin couldn't catch it first time - a move we've tried a few times recently that hasn't paid off. If you're prepping for a match you're bound to have a look at the opposition and where the threats lie. But we've got to be looking at our own performances and adapting what doesn't work. That's called learning from your mistakes. In his post-match interviews RLB regularly mentions how young the team is and mentions that we're still learning. While our tactics compared to last season are much better we need to adapt as we learn what doesn't work. In the instance of set pieces - what doesn't work over and over again.
Half time. 1-0 and still one shot on target. Perhaps it wasn't the Stout and second-hand stuffing after all.
The second half began and guess what happened? Riggy happened. Game on. Again. A spilled ball from an overlapping cross after a through ball from Roberts and we were back on level terms. I was sure Paddy was going to do his 'cut inside and blaze' thing. I think the player marking him thought he was going to too. But instead, he played the ball to L09. Off we go!
Surely we couldn't come from behind again and… oh wait. I'm writing this as I watch the match and struggling to keep up.
1-2
Another run from Paddy, another proper cross and Issy did the rest. Maybe I've got it all wrong. Maybe our tactic is to lull the opposition into a false sense of security and then batter them. Everyone loves it when a hero overcomes the odds to save the day. I don't think our nerves could take it every week though. And it certainly wouldn't work in the prem. Would it?
Captain Dan drew another foul from Yoshi and Roberts supplied a superb ball in from a free kick. I'll have those earlier words for supper then. Unfortunately, Mepham was off target. Perhaps if he'd imagined he was aiming for an opponent's head he'd have been on target...and as usual, look bored while he did it.
We were now firing on all cylinders. Wilson cut down the left and was inches away from reaching a well-marked Paddy at the back post. Jobe was bossing it midfield while his fam looked on from the crowd. His Mam had come dressed like something from Sesame Street, but you wore it well though Mrs Bellingham tips cap. The Other Bellingham looked visibly grateful he didn't have to play in these elements.
Blackburn turned it up a notch and reverted to their game of 'our half is lava'. A hairy moment of their attacking play led to Mepham playing the ball past Patto, across our open defence and out for a throw in on the far side. A few days ago, at our Sunday Club Christmas buffet (Classy ey?) we discussed how we were taught at school to never play the ball across your open goal and how it's a common occurrence in today's game. Chris made it look easy though.
Mepham then tried his luck after another set piece and once again blazed wide. I'd love to see him score and I like to watch him try but stick to kicking other players for now, Chris. You're very good at that.
77 mins in a double sub came from The Blues. or whatever they're called. I'm sick of google thinking I support every team in the world just because I search for them every 4 years.
Rigg took a knock and was replaced by O'Cheese on the 85th minute. Hopefully the luck of the Irish would help see things out. It didn't though. Blackburn sprang to life and scored.
5 mins of added time. Can't we have 10 like last week?
After a counter attack from a corner kick Mayenda was through on goal with only the keeper to beat. He has skills but nowhere near the power or pace of Wild Man Wilson Isidor. Keeper saved. Dan Neil missed a sitter of a header by millimetres. O'Cheese tried a shot/cross that their keeper dealt with easily. Game over. We didn't throw it away but it was another example of the opposition ending up in our 6 yard box and our players freezing with the keeper nowhere to be seen. Blackburn celebrated like they'd won the league, while our players like we'd lost a cup final. I think earlier subs would have helped. I think if Mayenda knew he was coming off after 60 mins he'd be a better player for it. Sorry Eli. I do like you, honest.
We ended the match with more shots on target than them. So that's good. Where hesitance is usually a detrimental factor, today it nearly won us the game. For both goals Paddy put the breaks on and thought about what to do next. Staying calm under pressure is a priceless quality. 'Fire in your heart, Ice in your veins' a martial arts instructor once told me. Do that please Sunlun'.
It's great that Issy broke his 'drought' and that Rigg got another one. I hope Riggs ok.
Hopefully we won't take this too hard and we'll be proactive about how we analyse our mistakes whilst building on the positives. We're looking at you RLB.
Keep the faith
GPD
