Following our first back-to-back defeats of this season, we headed to Hillsborough licking our wounds. Huge questions had been asked about our squad and tactics: Does Rigg need a rest? Where will our goals come from if not from Issy? And the most worrying... Have we run out of ideas?
I'd knackered my hand last Saturday by banging on one of those metal things at the back of the stand that make an awful noise. Apologies to everyone in the north west corner but I saw one of our fans tell a lad in the executive boxes to stop banging on them. So that only made me want to bang on them even more. Unfortunately I suffer from tinnitus so there were no winners there.
Saturdays drudgery was a shock considering how many problems we'd caused Leeds and Luton. It was lethargic and I found it very hard to believe what I was seeing. Our midfield created very little. Our build up play was fruitless either because our players didn't bother to look around for options or because there weren't any options there. After a while you could see those who had been making runs give up. This slowly sucked the life out of any efforts towards link up play. No one was solely to blame, but everyone was responsible. Our momentum was gone and worst of all we'd made the Tigers look good. Even I can't make fun out of that nickname.
At first, a part of me thought Enzo might only have gone off at half time because he was sad. It turned out it was much worse. Our wizard Roma loanee and the recently-returned Ballard were both written off for the next couple of months. Mundle was back and had looked pretty good for his first 45 mins, while Browne was also ready to return. His box-to-box play in the opening games had been a tonic for seasons gone by. Hjelde was also in the wings for a bit of defensive depth.
At this point in the season we simply need to remember what we're playing for. Whether we're ready for the Prem or not, we need to find that fearlessness we had in the opening games. If playing stronger teams brings out the best in us, maybe it might work. Our promising new talent might entice interest from players coming to the club. But failing to get promoted we'd certainly lose a few players. Enzo would no doubt be snapped up by any fringe teams in the league above, so we are also fighting to keep the team together.
RLB walks a tightrope (also a French thing) between composure and complacency and the only thing keeping him from falling wasn't the width of his squad, it's was our players' belief in him. 'Losing the dressing room' defo isn't on the cards, but another balancing act would have to be considered by the board if things don't work out during the playoffs - lose the players or lose the fans.
7pm rolled round and I peaked through my fingers at the team news hoping we had a mad plan... and it look like we did.
Mundle, Hjelde and Mayenda all got their first starts in yonks. Meps slotted back in at the back. 8pm Friday kick off, i'm getting used to it again...
And off we go.
A good old fashioned affair of Red 'n' Whites v Blue 'n' Whites. Both forward-thinking teams looking for a win. SWFC tried to pressure Patto given his notorious form as of late. Mayenda showed why he was back in the team, testing their players and making his way into the box.
A wonderful tribute for a recently departed young Owls fan reminded both sets of supporters that no matter what happens in this wonderful sport that brings us together, it's still just a game by comparison.
The Owls got in our box and tried to pin us back. Aerial bombardments were the last thing we needed given our recent form against them. Mayenda was well game and clearly had 'attack' in the forefront of his mind. A clever early corner saw a training ground move fall flat but reminded us that Sheff Wed had the worst form in the league for conceding from set pieces. The home side also had that kid who flips burgers on loan from The Simpsons.
A debatable claim for a penalty came for the home side due to Hjelde having his hand in an unnatural position. It was, but only because Meps had jumped into it. Well done to Meps.
We'd pushed back by 15 and were making some progress into the attacking half. As soon as we showed promise, the play flipped and Trai Hume lost his man, tracking back with as fast as his stache could carry him. Sheff Wed showed they had something to prove.
At one point Dan Neil showed so much composure he even looked confident enough to pass it back to Patto from the edge of our box whilst surrounded by a crowd of blue shirts. Thankfully he decided to skin them all instead. We got a couple of corners and dug our claws in. Mundle drew a few free kicks like he does so well. What can I say? It's a part of today's game - "Don't hate the player..."
None of our four corners in the first thirty had been dealt with particularly well. But the Owls had played very wide and we'd played pretty narrow. Something had to give soon. It was still anyone's game. The words "we beat them 4-0 last time" were now doing their 85th lap round my head.
Jobe got kicked over by an old man, we got a free kick and Eli struck: making his way round their number three and slotting it home. His third against the Owls this season.
VAMOS.
Sheff Wed complained the ball had struck Eli's arm. In a natural position? No VAR yet, kids. The autonomically named 'Max Lowe' then had to go off, Eli had apparently properly broken him.
6 minutes of added time for the first and we clearly weren't going to sit back. Gassama was causing us lots of bother. Giant Jobe and Captain Dan were slowing things down and Hjelde became a wall and flattened a pantomime grandad. We sat too deep in the last minute and allowed the home team into our box. They couldn't do the business though.
One nil to us at half time. The Owls had conceded more second half goals than any other team. A whopping 67. This halftime start was brought to you by formidable dread.
Soon after the restart, we somehow conceded from our own throw. We made it look far too easy. Paterson vs Patterson... 1-1.
A fair representation of the game so far. I can't argue that. Tony got caught flat footed again. He lives on his goal line. After re-watching footage of his past mistakes it's amazing he hasn't learned from this and even more frustrating that we haven't tactically adapted to it. More proactive energy please. With a goal under his belt weighing him down, the old man Paterson fell down all on his own. They took five minutes to get him off the pitch.
Paddy picked up the ball and got his dodgem mode 'left and forward'. He never looks back when he's got an eye for goal. He tracked back moments later but was left with no support, causing him to complain loudly to his team mates. Rightly so.
We passed the 65 minute mark with no subs and no decent play for the last 10 minutes. I can only assume Sheffield Wednesday did something to Eli in a previous life. 'My name is Eliezer Mayenda, You killed my father. Prepare to die...'
Dan Neil won the ball after Sheffield broke and he spun in circles. Then, Hume provided an excellent ball to Eli, who scored. Fair and square this time. 2-1 Sunlun.
Izzy came on for Browne, and he and Mayenda began to rotate positions in the attacking third. I like this, it gives the defenders summat to think about and keeps us creative. This creativity lead to Romaine finding his way into the box, just before he got there he was foul and drew a free kick. Up stepped Paddy and Mundle. Romaine showed he was still king of (nearly) scoring from free kicks and forced a strong save from Springfield's fry cook.
Romaine and Roberts made space for Rigg and Cirkin. After there recent understandably knackered performances it was nice knowing they could run their legs off without having to take a measured approach. To his credit Tony had made some tidy stops after being beaten by the poorly old man. Wilson was looking string and our counter attacks looked less deflated.
7 minutes added time.
We invited slightly too much pressure late on but our counters were better with the fresh legs. The Owl slayer left the field to a well deserved din from our travelling. Harrison Jones joined the affray and was unlucky not to receive more link up play after some decent passes and promising runs.
Full time! Three points.
A double from Eli was just the tonic we need. I've been saying for weeks he deserved a start. Honest. Read my previous nonsense. After the last two dismal matches we couldn't settle for anything less.
After a day that began with me poking myself in the eye with a comb, a win was just what myself and the Wearside masses needed.
Keep the faith,
GPD
