I did actually write something last night, but fell asleep just as I was due to hit the “publish” button.
Seeing as I wrote it, I’ve published it anyway, albeit miles too late.
You’ll see that I thought the only way we could win was to out-work Wolves, which I’m happy to say was pretty much how it panned out.
I only saw the second half and had to settle for the WM commentary for the first, as I drove home from work.
I’d really wanted to watch this game, but we had a job that needs to be completed by 10AM tomorrow.
I think I was expected to stay late to finish it tonight, but you have to draw the line somewhere and I called a halt.
Paying £8 to Sky to watch half a game grieved me, but the game sounded so compelling that I couldn’t resist.
And I’m glad I did, as to my mind we trounced Wolves in that second half.
You can see that Wolves are a classy side and I now realise why some clubs want them looked into, as they’re a cut above, skill-wise. When you consider some of their players have played in the Champion’s league, yet are not on their way down, it does make you wonder how Wolves have got them in.
Whatever, I thought we made them look very ordinary today and what won it for me was the tactics.
We played at such a pace that I thought we’d never be able to keep it up.
The battling and bodies-behind-the-ball attitude is outstanding. How Bruce and his staff have managed to so totally turn this around is beyond me, but you now see a team that look like they’re willing to die for the shirt.
Brucie simply has to be doing something right.
So we played at a high pace, that Wolves matched, but it was our sheer work-rate that did for Wolves, it seemed to me.
We simply stopped them playing and hence dominating.
Don’t get me wrong, they still looked very dangerous on the break, but we stopped everything they tried.
I tried to call the MOTM, but found it tricky.
Adomah got the official award, but there are so many others who deserved it too.
Chester got his second in two games, while being masterful in defence along with Terry.
Snodgrass was excellent with his delivery and I grudgingly add his “chicanery” (cheating).
Grealish, for his pure trickery, that draws fouls, along with one excellent tackle that would have done any defender proud. I really never knew he had that in him and that has to be down to the management again.
Grabban got what? His 4th in 4 games? Outstanding.
In fact, when you’ve beaten the league leaders so convincingly, it’s difficult to not name the whole team as MOTM.
I listened to the after-match chat and one comment from some ex Wolves player summed it up for me.
He talked about how through most of the season, one of our players has always stepped up when other players aren’t doing quite so well.
He spoke about Adomah, then Grealish, then Snodgrass, then Hogan, then Grabban etc.
And he was exactly right.
This is the sign of a very good team.
And to see so many of them punching the air after the game makes even the very cautious me think the title isn’t quite decided yet.
Second place definitely isn’t and it’s going to be some very decent team(s) that finish above us.
Consider that today was probably our toughest game left and I think we look decidedly strong.
All it needs is for Cardiff to drop some points.
I’m off to send my Derby mate some abuse.
Oh well – unless we turn it round second half looks like play offs after all
Boos from the fans, as the result up to now isn’t right.
QPR haven’t even played well.
Still think we’ll score, but 3???
I doubt it 🙁
And the ref’s crap.
We could score 4 second half in all honesty! Next goal key. If we dont score before 65 then the 3 points are gone. Mad how 1 game and with current scores it looks like playoffs only.
Yep, agreed, but I was expecting one before half time and it isn’t happening for us.
Still plenty of twists and turns, but this isn’t good, as it stands.
Have to agree Badger, Johnstone cannot find a player or its out for a throw in.,
anybody fancy the playoffs
Davies maybe coming on.
Not before time if you’re going to pump high balls in.
Cardiff now ahead and Wolves winning – we need to hold onto third place if we can’t get automatic promotion – however it looks like Fulham and Cardiff just can’t lose the moment.
Hourihane off for me. Done nothing.
But it might make us weaker in the middle.
Oops, no it’s Taylor.
Jedinak into a back 3
3-5-2
Cardiff 3-1
grabban off, Hogan on.
Even Grealish is being dragged down by the rubbish around him.
Looks like playoffs for us now. Been an off night for us but you just keep plugging away. Its a funny league and things can swing over the space of a few games. As a previous manager used to say “We go again”.
Congratulations to Cardiff… they didn’t buckle under the pressure. Absolute disaster for us, not a prayer of automatics now and if Cardiff pip Fulham, we arent going up at all as we havent got a hope in hell of beating Fulham over two legs or on a wide wembley pitch.
So dissapointing, the club has gambled and its looking like its going to backfire
3-0.
I’m utterly disgusted and i’m off.
Thoughts tomorrow, if I can be more arsed than the players.
At the end of the day we still have to play Cardiff so its not over yet. We need this to serve as a massive wake up call. We are not too big for this league and we are not guaranteed promotion.. Maybe a chance to give murphy a run out next game?
2nd is over, even if we beat Cardiff (wouldnt surprise me) we’ll slip up to Reading or some other nothing side like tonight. Simply not good enough from the players and Bruce, he said he’d guard against complacency… yeah right…. good job Steve
Bad night for us and I’m bitterly disappointed. Cardiff will slip up though im sure of it. We just need to regroup and push hard for the last 9 games. We have to stick with it till the end. We can’t afford to loose again this season. Total high on Saturday followed by this is tough to take and the players will feel it too. Can’t get on their backs for this though. 7 points in this league is nothing even with only 9 games to go. It can all swing in our favour again over the next 3 or 4 games.
Slip up? Cardiff are on a 7 game winning streak and 11 in total unbeaten in the league. They’re not gonna just slip up. Our fans are vastly underrated how well they’ve done.
We had a seven game winning streak and it came to an end. Their next 4 fixtures are Derby, Burton, Sheffield United and then Wolves. After that they come to us. If they are still unbeaten by then I’ll take my hat off to them as they will totally deserve it. If we can win our next four the gap will be less than 7 points by the time we play them. I won’t stop believing we can do it until its mathematically impossible. I’m keeping the faith for now.
That’s some faith you got there. Derby, Burton and Sheffield should be pretty easy for Cardiff and they beat Wolves away in the other fixture. It’s hard to be hopeful with how they’ve played that they’ll just drop points. They’ve beaten Boro, Bristol City, Ipswich, Leeds in this run. Hasn’t been all crap teams.
Even if Cardiff have a meltdown, it will be Fulham who profit not us.
On a seperate note, how does Bruce still doesnt realise Jedinak cant play two games in 3 days, it is baffling. Very poor management. Got a funny feeling Pulis and Adama Traore will come back to bite us in the play offs – you heard it here first.
Had that same argument with a few Villa fans before the game. They claimed you don’t change a winning side, but you have too when there’s only a 3 day break. Bjarnasson must be pissed he stayed.
Hourihane also looked jaded. The best managers whether on a winning run or not change up the side to keep them fresh. We looked lethargic out there.
I was always worried that the postponement of this game round work against us. Trying to lift the team so soon after Saturday was always going to be a challenge.
I think you’re underestimating Cardiff and Warnock if you think they are going to surrender seven points in 9 games. It’s the lottery of the play offs now but then, if we’re honest after our rubbish start, wasn’t that always the target?
I think we’ll finish 4th which means we’ll play the fifth place team and if we get through that, most likely Fulham at Wembley.
Still all to play for then.
I just hope the fans don’t turn on Bruce and the team because of one poor result – that would spell disaster.