The Season So Far...
James Richardson
(Written 14/9/01)
It is such a refreshing change to see City make a good start to a season. Usually a defeat on the opening day which had occurred every season since 97/98 until this season had seen City struggle with results and get rhythm going. This season is different, true the football being played and the squad is far superior to those teams but after City went behind a St James’ Park a lesser side would fall away and end up conceding a couple more and City set the tone for this season by coming back and winning 3-1 with a superb display.
Pre-season was just a taste of what was too come, the team is continually gelling together and when those who are out injured return and play regularly the team should be strong enough to gain automatic promotion by a conformable margin. Outstanding players so far are Dudfield, Johnsson, Beresford, Whitmore and more recently Glennon. The squad is strong enough now as well, Matty Bloomer made a good impression on his debut at Derby and even the much maligned Lee Philpott put in a useful display at York.
Despite some worries about creativity in the middle of the park in the games against Plymouth and Carlisle the team seems to have overcome that and is creating plenty of chances and with Dudfield and Alexander up front along with Whitmore supporting them they should be finished more often than not. Perhaps adding David Lee as well would increase the goal output even further although with the team playing well and Lee still seemingly recovering from injury it looks like he’ll have to knuckle down in the reserves and earn himself a place although his free-kick against York wont have done him any harm at all. Adding new loanee Michael Reddy into the squad City probably have the best forward line in the division with more than just the front 2 capable of getting into double figures this season.
In my eyes, Dudfield and Johnsson are contenders for buys of the season even at this early stage of the season. Dudfield came with a big reputation from Leicester and despite not playing a vast amount of football has settled in pretty well and has the ability to unlock the most stubborn defences. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s worth more than double what we paid for him by the end of the season. The same applies to “JJ”. Johnsson is pretty much the perfect midfielder for this division, he is strong in physic and also on the ground and in the air and is surprisingly mobile for someone of that size. Also, his work rate is phenomenal.
I must admit I wasn’t convinced of the signings of Beresford and Glennon, My one memory of Glennon previously was his sliced clearance to David Brown who hit it past him from 35 yards. His kicking isn’t the best although his agility and confidence when claiming crosses make up for it. Beresford had spent a heck of a lot of time on the treatment table at Huddesfield and the only time I’d seen him play he didn’t set the world alight. He seems to be fully fit now though and his pace is of major benefit to the side although he does seem to hug the touch line a bit to much and is left isolated when he’d receive more of the ball if he came inside slightly more.
I don’t think that any player has played poorly throughout the campaign so far and although Mike Edwards has been on the end of a lot of flack he hasn’t been truly awful and a few people have forgotten him when he was at centre half and reckoned to be one of the best prospects in the lower leagues, he could still be although as a Centre Half and not a right Back.
Although Edwards has been off form in some of his games the defence as a unit has been as solid as ever and despite some worries when Mohan and Whittle went for the same ball and ended up getting in each others way they have formed a very solid partnership. However where does this leave Ian Goodison? He was growing into his temporary Left Back role until his accident and Andy Holt has since returned from injury so it leaves Goodison in the lurch on he has recovered. He is far too good to be left out of the side although if the team is still performing well he won’t be included.
So far so good then! Up the Tigers! |
