It has been a season to remember for sure for the Lads. Whilst it ultimately ended in heartbreak in Bedfordshire, we can proud of what they have achieved in what has been a test of both physical and mental strengths. I’ve decided to do a season review in a different style to most: little subsections and a few words to go along with them.
MOGGA PROVES TO BE A MASTERSTROKE
When the Rat (I’m sorry but I can’t forgive AN at this moment still) decided to swap the passion of the SoL for the surroundings of the Bet 365, we did wonder how we would end up. Enter a son man in the North East in the shape of the wizened veteran, Tony Mowbray, a son of Saltburn and a former captain of the Smoggies during his playing career. Mowbray had left Championship rivals Blackburn at the end of last season despite turning their fortunes around and coping with the infamous Venkys and their brand of football ownership.
Obviously a number of supporters were sceptical due to Mogga’s Smoggie connections, but I had no such concerns: he plays football the way I want to see it which is on the deck. I don’t know how he did it but he made players better than ever. Players have been given licence to play their strengths and put them into the team ethic that he has instilled. Watching a Lads team under Mogga is like a Da Vinci canvas, a work of art. We would be stupid to let him go if the rumours are to be believed. A contract extension would be better.
GOALS, LOTS OF WONDERFUL GOALS
This season has seen some amazing goals, either superb individual efforts and team ones in equal measures. The fact that none of them were even considered for the goal of the season award remains, in my opinion, to be an absolute travesty. Sure, to score from range remains a great individual effort. But when a team score from a move that goes the full length of the pitch then surely that is worthy of some consideration? After all, isn’t football supposed to be a team game?
Of all the goals we did score, I’m sure that we all have our own top three and to be honest that I’m no different. Therefore in reverse order, I’m going to go with the following ones: Patrick Roberts at home to Watford, Jack Clarke away to Reading but my personal winner has to be Dennis Cirkin’s second goal in the away win at the Hawthorns. Considering where the goal started from and the amount of passes between players which left the home side chasing shadows; to the finish by Cirkin was nothing short of outstanding. If that had been in the Premier League, they would be salivating about it even now. We really have been spoiled.
INJURIES, TOO MANY OF THEM
One of the common themes that we have seen a lot of in the 22-23 season has been injuries. Plenty of them as well. Every position in the starting eleven has been affected by it, some more than other. In the all the time that I have watched SAFC, I have never seen a squad so ravaged by injuries so much so that it could have been a scene right out of Casualty: in fact there could have been an entire series dedicated to the SoL’s treatment room.
We seemed to pick up injuries when we least wanted them and I’m convinced that without so many, we would have been higher than sixth this season. To lose one commanding central defender in the business end of the season was bad but to lose two more plus the first choice left back as well as focal point of our attack really hurt us. If it wasn’t for bad luck, then we would have no luck at all. It certainly had a major impact.
STRIKING OPTIONS
Most of the season, we had to play with one or sometimes no strikers whatsoever. I’ve never seen a team play with false nines as often as we did in the season just finished. When Simms and the Loch Ness Drogba were in situ, they were as good as any striking partnership in the Championship. Take one out of the equation and the team took on a different look, lose both then it was a massive stroke of bad luck. Asking relatively unproven talents like Joffy or playing attacking midfielders as 'false nines' were options we had to go through constantly.
It wasn’t helped with Everton recalling Simms when we didn’t want them too. I am sure that having plenty of options in this particular area of the pitch is going to be one of the main priorities when the window opens again. Also, tie the Loch Ness Drogba down to a new long term deal to scare off any potential new suitors of his services.
SIGN RIGHT HERE...
The Lads made some real good signings over the season, some permanent and some temporary. Obviously, the stand out was the loan signing of Manchester United’s highly rated Amad Diallo on a season-long temporary deal. Diallo had spent the last few seasons on loan at Rangers and didn’t really impress, so would a spell in the tough confines of the Championship be a success? Well to be honest, we should never had any doubts. They say you should never fall in love with a loan signing, because he’s technically not your player, but by gosh didn’t we just do that. He repaid us with dazzling goals and displays which we will never forget.
Amad wasn’t the only signing that impressed. Dan Ballard, when he wasn’t sadly injured, became a vocal presence in central defence. Apparently some of his team-mates have said he never shuts up. Aji Alese was plucked from West Ham with limited experience under his belt and has blossomed into a defender with some serious promise about then. West Ham also brought us Pierre Ekwah who, once he got used to life in the Championship, grew and kept growing into a proper defensive midfielder and he’s just 21. His performance at Preston was absolutely sensational. I for one am excited for the future with these young talented footballers.
RESULTS
The Lads turned in some cracking results home and away it has to be said. I think that only two sides were able to complete the double over us: Sheffield United and Swansea City. Not even the runaway Champions Burnley could stop us from taking a least a point off them thanks to that outstanding goalless draw at Turf Moor where we became the only side stop them scoring on their own patch, and with a bit of luck could have come away with all three.
The remarkable thing for the season as a whole results-wise, is that we were more successful away from home than we were at the SoL. Perhaps there’s less pressure on them away from home? If we can convert those dropped points at home into wins next season then I’m sure we won’t go far wrong. It’s all about taking things to the next level, and fulfilling the five year plan which we’re currently ahead of schedule.
FINAL GRADE
Putting my schoolmaster’s head on here, and not the fan one, I have been thinking how I would grade the season as a whole. I’ll probably say it’s an A minus overall. Promotion would have taken it to an A plus. It has been a season that’s brought us more great memories and safe to say, we have been spoiled to high heaven with them over the last three seasons or so. We have the makings of something special here at the SoL, it’s all about seeing where we can improve further. The city has a stadium and a support that befits the Premier League, the team just need to get over the finishing line.
And when they do, there’s going to be a hell of a party going on. The ride is just beginning....
