Wimbledon

[New Forester]

Didn’t go today. Bit old fashioned. New Year’s Day is one of those days I like to spend with my wife. But listened to Radio Solent. So we got through unscathed. Luton and Barnsley dropped points so despite Sunderland winning another good day for the Blues. At least we can now relax for a couple of weeks.

[Rocketman]

It was a very frustrating game. First half we played some excellent football except for only putting the ball in the net once - I think we missed at least 4 almost open-goal chances. Second half was ridiculous, we were outplayed for much of it, we went to sleep, and had the old disease of seeming unable to pass to our own player. It was no surprise at all when they equalised. That seemed to wake us up a bit and it was a good Lowe-Curtis combination again that brought us the winner. Thompson was substituted in the 9th minute to a standing ovation, so that may mean he may well be off now.
Overall, a good 3 points in the end, and Luton dropped points, so an effective afternoon for us. If Thompson does go, he will be difficult to replace. Hawkins had a frustrating afternoon, being regularly fouled but not given by the ref, and Pitman didn't do much when he came on. Around me, everyone wondered why Green wasn't given a run after 60 mins.

[No Shot Sherlock]

I had one of my now rare outings to the Park today. Thought we bossed the first half without capitalising on our superiority. Complete turn around after the break and their goal was always coming. In hindsight, probably fortunate that it came with circa 15 minutes to go as it left time for us to respond. As others have been saying, on today's evidence we certainly look like we need a 20+ per season goalscorer in order to make the most of the opportunities we create.

Edit: posted prior to seeing the near identical analysis by Richard above.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

You never know if your team will show up on New Years Day so gotta be happy with a W and as mentioned, Luton dropped points so a nice 5 pt cushion at the top of the mountain.

[New Forester]

If that Wimbledon goal had been scored by Ronaldo or Messi it would have been hailed as brilliant. And at 1-0 any team is vulnerable to that happening.

[Pompey Penguin]

Couldn't have had a greater contrast after the last home game against Sunderland. Just demonstrates the range of styles that contending teams have to overcome if they are to be successful in L1.

I am sure that if you talked to Wally Downes he would say that (in that football cliché) Wimbledon showed us too much respect in the first half. As a result we totally dominated, but didn't create enough real goalscoring opportunities. Second half, Wimbledon remembered how they are supposed to play, everything hoofed up into the air and lots of niggling fouls (which the referee consistently ignored). Inevitably, (and another cliché) Pompey got dragged into the same game and couldn't retain possession, and the scrappier it got the more Wimbledon prospered. Even during that period Pompey created the best of the chances, with Curtis, Evans and Lowe all missing when they would normally expect to score. To Pompey's credit, at least the defence's credit, for all their scramble, threat and attacks, Wimbledon didn't actually create much themselves apart from a couple of long shots. Unfortunately, one of those long shots was an absolute beauty; a dropping ball got away from Thompson and Appiah just hit it first time without giving the Pompey defenders any time to close him down. Good character (it's cliché day) shown by Pompey to keep going and eventually take a chance to win the game. At the end, a feeling of relief to have won, especially after the first half and the chances missed second half, but knowing that at 1-1 Pompey could easily have crumbled and lost.

This was really a game won by the defence in the end. That is a defence with an average age of 21.75, which is ridiculous. Clarke and Whatmough were immense in resisting the aerial barrage. Walkes and Haunstrup fitted in well, although both looked exhausted at the end, probably due to a lack of game time leading into a very physical challenge.

[Rocketman]

Good post Penguin, I agree with everything you said about the game

[streetrifle]

What is encouraging is that yet again, v. Wimbledon, we somehow found a way to win, as the football expression goes. There are so many positives about this team that Jackett has assembled, one of which is that there are four or five potential goalscorers, unlike having to rely on just one or even two as has happened so many times in the past. We know now that Lowe and Curtis have a goal in them at any time and should reach 15-20 goals each this season, and we can add Evans and Ben Thompson as potential goalscorers. Clearly another incredible positive is the outstanding central defensive partnership of Clarke and Whatmough, not to mention the consistently reliable McGillivray in goal. Add to that Nathan Thompson's performances have gone up to another level this season. The only thing that worries me is injuries to the aforementioned and the replacements from the bench not being adequate replacements.