So now comes the biggest question of them all: Do we deserve to win? Let's not take anything away from the Tractor lads. They played well, they fought well and they ended up like Rhaegar Targaryen himself at the Trident. [3]
Secondly, let's not take anything away from the fact that Mogga played A ****ING 5-3-2! Oh damned the horrors of anti-Mogga football! Even unto now, I still don't get it: Why 5-3-2? Is it because we're way too freakin' cowed by a certain Paul Taylor? [4] I shudder to hear the sniggers coming from the Mackems and Geordies. [5] Or maybe that worst part of the equation: them all Seasiders come our next match away. [6]
So I guess it's pretty much apparent that we rode our luck due to a 5-3-2. While it's true that we don't have much budget to work from [7], we still do have the kind of players who can hurt the other end and holding fort like how Jon Snow defended Castle Black itself. [8]
KEY GUYS TO OUR VICTORY (APART FROM THAT MOST OBVIOUS SUSPECT)
Suffice to say, his goal against the run of play was the most vital key to the victory. Granted we flew out of the traps like a bunch of hungry lions, but yet I can't deny the fact that the Tractors started rolling soon after. If not for that goal, we would be in a very serious deep end of shit. I know people will laugh at me for naming an unknown player [9], but still no one would even bother to know that Middlesbrough F.C Academy actually secured a Category 1 status for the EPPP. [10] But let's talk a bit about Luke himself. He's truly a raw talent waiting to be polished. This club will be the perfect setting for him to do so. Dave Parnaby isn't there for showboating and playacting, you know.
In him, I'm not seeing a striker/forward or an attacking midfielder. In him, I don't see an Emnes. [11] In him, I see somebody who can be given that free role with that license to kill. I still remember Adam Johnson way during his Academy years. Lad's extremely technically gifted with the only argument that he's merely a Championship standard being legit upon grounds of inconsistency. Luke will have similiar problems coming up because he's really another technically gifted fella. Unlike Jonno himself, you can't give him a fixed position and let him roar. Because versatility on the pitch IS his biggest strength. Either wing, offensive midfielder, false number 9 or your everyday striker/forward. He can just slot into the required job with minimal fuss. The only problem? He's just starting to find his feet due to a somewhat lengthy layoff. Mogga will do well to take note of this. I've seen way too many examples of crash and burn due to various reasons.
Apparently, people were sniggering over the fact that we might have wasted our resources on someone over the hill. Equally apparent though is that they will conveniently forget the fact that he had given a good account of himself here. [12] Now let's just say that his inclusion threw me off. Given the fact that he hadn't been playing much, Mogga's decision to sign him was the riskiest 50-50 I've seen for quite a while. Does it have anything to do with Rhys Williams' freak injury? Definitely so. Does it mean anything come end of three months' calling? Yes. Because everyone must fight for the shirt.
Still, his performance seemed to have won a lot sceptics over to his side. A major key to that 5-3-2 wasn't down to any requirements for Adam Reach and Justin Hoyte to hit inhuman mode on the pitch. That is something still reserved for 1966 England. [13] A lot actually hinged on the three centre backs. i.e. Woodgate, Bikey and our equally impressive Friend thus far.
By creating a three man central defence, the onus was to stifle the opponents right at dead centre. In a very real sense, it was Ipswich's wingers who were creating problems because Paul Jewell had to do so anyway. Yet a central 3 presence could be construed as an auxiliary presence on the flank defence because that would mean our two fullbacks have to curb their attacking instincts. Or maybe let's see things this way: Without going forward, we don't have any problems in flank defence, but both Hoyte and Reach would still have their moments of running forward rather than backwards.
If Woodgate's role was to marshal the ramparts, then Friend and Bikey were imperative in covering the extra mile should our two fullbacks surge forward on a break-and-counter. All three are equally vital, but given the kind of situation which we've signed Bikey, I'll really have to give it to this bloke. :)
A 5-3-2 will mean nothing without a deep lying midfielder controlling the tempo. I suspect this is the reason why Mogga was so daring do play a 50-50 formation. As per stated in a previous post, Thomson's ability to hold the ball in play is utterly vital if we're to play our own expansive football. Very little was mentioned about him in any given match reports. A lot was emphasized on how unlucky were Ipswich. A great deal was made on that Luke and Bikey show. Still, without a good ball retainer, 5-3-2 will still be shit. Because we're no 1966 Three Lions and Mogga himself ain't no Sir Alf Ramsey.
If the Mackems are still feeling butt sore over the fact that Brendan Rodgers might have upended Martin O'Neill with a shit outta luck draw result at the Stadium of Light, at least Leadbitter gave them a bit of consolation. That a certified Mackem might have shut all that derisive noise for good. Again, nothing being said on him. But still, we'll have to take note that given Tommo's penchant of experiencing injuries upon the merit of random wtf, a lot has to be emphasized on keeping this guy in cotton wool. And Grant was that cotton wool. A wool made of cold steel no less. If McEachran's role within the mid 3 was meant to be that link up guy, then Grant's role was to bite the lead. It's either that or he will end up eating lead. Thankfully, Tommo only left the pitch with 5 minutes to spare minus stoppage time. Which mean Leadbitter still gave all those Mr and Mrs/Ms Sniggers {{|└(>o< )┘|}}
[1]: Amazingly, it actually took three wonder goals for us to earn a rightful victory.
[2]: Anyone who is truly serious about English football will know about his goalkeeping stats. And believe me when I say he's consistency absurdity personified.
[3]: This shouldn't be seen as a sarcasm. Aerys was a mad arse through and through, but Rhaegar is still deserving of respect.
[4]: We tried to sign that guy, we failed due to more than one reason. Still a class footballer though.
[5]: Which doesn't amount to much since all is part and parcel of football rivalry. I'm not lying when I say football in the good ol' North East has gotta be that most underrated insanity waiting to explode.
[6]: I'm not lying when I say Blackpool had been scoring for shit and giggles. And I truly doubt Barnsley alone can and will shut Mad Ian's boys up.
[7]: Of course people won't care about that. Unless they're whining about their club fortunes. Or rather the lack of it. Human beings can be extremely shallow at times. I know because I had to deal with countless such people on all things football back in my earlier years.
[8]: The tabloids can and will break anyone. Their latest target? We all know who. Only a moron will believe in any given hype without knowing how the system works.
[10]: So exactly how many of the "true blue" football fans knew about it? It's either you know what's going on that caused England's current decline or you don't.
[11]: No racism preached here. Just that Emnes is far more of a technical wing forward while Luke's strength lies in his absurd versatility in deployment. I'm an imperfect Christian, but I'm no racist Christian.
[12]: Of course no one will crucify JT for a poor spell or two. Because it's JT. Because it's Chelsea. Just to quote an example here of course.
[13]: As per put forward bluntly by one of my ITE schoolmates at the Dover campus back then, one fella run like the father's house on fire and the other run like the mother's house on fire.
Again, let's spam this:
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| In the spirit of 1986 we trust... |
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