For my money, that was the best performance of the season in the League. I like the way we mixed it up - the long ball to Bayo is so much more effective when it's not our only tactic.
I thought the ref was generally good except when he wasn't, if that makes any kind of sense. The challenge on Harriman looked like a pen to me and I felt he gave them some very soft free kicks.
I was dead in line with the Harriman one. Was clearly shoulder to shoulder. Harriman took the apparently compulsory option of falling down. Never a pen.. If the Kashket one was anything, it was a penalty, I'll concede. But I'm comfortable with one not being given there. If he's entitled to hold his ground with the ball above him, as I think he is, then the keeper is equally entitled to jump over him to attempt to punch the ball clear, which he did. As I said, you could make a case for a foul but I'm comfortable with not getting one.
Harriman's goal line clearance is one of the greatest things I've seen watching live football. Incredible agility and great theatre with the celebration.
Enjoyed the game and the performance today. Totally dominated Cambridge and deserved the win.
@OakwoodExile Think I'm broadly with your view of the game, at least until we scored. I liked the variety of our play, and everything we did was effective. The energy was superb and we completely squashed Cambridge out of the game, winning every second ball and using the ball pretty well. Felt a bit sorry for the excellent Cambridge fans who got scant reward for their support from their team.
After we scored, it seemed like we stopped playing. We stopped pressing, stopped supporting attacks and allowed Cambridge onto us. Suddenly, they were winning second balls. If we had conceded, we could have had no complaints. Harriman's goal-line clearance was just brilliant and Blackman's save, almost equally so. Goodness, Blackman has just got better and better this season, hasn't he? He dominated his area today. We'll really miss him.
@HCblue have to disagree on both of the pen shouts not being valid.
Kashket got himself in between the keeper and the ball, only to be wiped out from behind. Strangely given as a foul the other way.
The Harriman one I didn't get as close a view of, but was comfortable it was as you explain it.
@Right_in_the_Middle that was an incredible goalline clearance, and he looked pumped up after!
There didn't seem too much reaction in the terrace, but I dare say that's because you have an appalling view of the far end for most positions.
I wonder sometimes is that's why some of the terrace boys are off with their posts of stuff at times.
@Malone I agree with your perception of the Kashket one - if there was a foul, it was by the keeper, not Kashket. "Wiped out" is a pretty fair description of what happened to him and my initial reaction to cry foul, literally. I'm just reasonably relaxed about not getting the pen.. I'd be interested to hear the ref's thoughts on it. He was, as he generally was throughout the game, well-positioned to make the decision and may have seen something neither of us did.
The Harriman clearance was indeed a very long way away! It looked like an excellent stretch to block the shot. The highlights show it to have been even better than it looked live, and it looked good live!
@Malone@HCblue Strangely perhaps, I agreed with the referee on the Kashket non-penalty. Kashket bent down and stuck his bum into the keeper and the ref gave it for backing in. I think if Kashket had just stood up, the keeper would still have wiped him out and it would have been a clear pen
Really enjoyed today. One of the most dominant displays I've seen from us this season and as others have said I really liked the way we mixed our play, yes there was plenty of long ball to Bayo, but we also got the ball down and passed it well at stages.
Cambridge seemed strangley lethargic and didn't pose any threat until the final 5 mins. Incredible goal line clearance from Harriman, but it would've been a travesty if we hadn't won today.
Plenty of good signs for next season, especially with the Bayo/Kashket partnership which looked back to it's best again today.
Fantastic performance and the atmosphere was superb almost electric....... Really going to miss pierre next season, thankfully we've got sido who has probably been better than pierre in last few games, sido and stewert partnership would be a brilliant league 2 pairing.....ps bean was quality again today
I feel thoroughly vindicated re Sido. Before Easter I remarked on how well he had performed as a central defender on a few occasions in the past - notably away to Barnet in the FA Cup a couple of seasons ago. Then, lo and behold, he is played alongside Pierre and performs as if he has been there all his career. Great stuff and perhaps the answer in the longer term to the central defender situation.
Sido has had just as many shockers at CB in previous seasons though, particularly against Wimbledon in Round 2 after the comfortable win against Barnet in Round 1 (when Mawson was unavailable for FA Cup ties)
He didn't cover himself in glory last season either when Stewart or Pierre were unavailable, so much so that McCarthy had to be called in as an emergency CB when he is clearly much better as a full back.
Last few games he's been immense, clearly a step above WDH and Muller and a back 4 next year of JJ, Stewart, Sido and Harriman would be a good starting point for a successful season.
Fame_46, we all probably knew Sido was a better option than WDH or a Muller. He has played there before as Micra points out and not playing him early as probably cost us but there you go.
It is a shame Saunders took a while to get going as he has been excellent in the last few games and did well again today. Keeping him fit could be hugely important next season.
Also really pleasing to get Kashkett back among the goals as well. We look far more potent in attack with pace around Bayo.
Overall, we've made progress off the field and on it this season. I had hoped for a play off finish and with fewer injuries we would have had it i imagine.
Interesting remarks from Gaz in the bar afterward. 19 players in contract for next season and he wants us to tighten up in defence (he indicated we've scored more this season in the league than when we reached the play offs). So it sounds like we will be recruiting some reinforcements at the back. Probably bad news for De Hav and/or Muller but I hope it isn't also a sign Stewart is on his way. I'm also hoping we bring in a more physical holding midfielder (or give Rowe a proper chance) and an alternative target man to Bayo.
Good win shame we haven't played like that and against Doncaster all season my only issue was o'nien not starting thought he should have come on at ht Matty b wasn't in the game at all I just hope we keep Stewart I'd love to keep Pierre as well but prob not gonna happen
Our play looks and feels different with Saunders playing as he did yesterday he's able to put a foot on the ball and look up. The long ball to Bayo is still there but he was just as likely to send it to MW or take it on a bit further himself great improvement.
Whilst the traffic on the motorway was indeed a breeze, the upper car park was the worst I've experienced for a long time and we didn't get out for close to an hour.
Comments
@Chris Nothing more we could have done except perhaps hold on to a 3-2 lead at home to Cheltenham Town a month ago?
I did mean today
I really enjoyed the game today Sam Saunders was the deserved MOTM but Sido was outstanding as well. I want to see that goal line clearance again
PS. Just watched highlights on Sky and Kashket was (just) offside for the goal, so let's not start a moan at the officials' decisions.
For my money, that was the best performance of the season in the League. I like the way we mixed it up - the long ball to Bayo is so much more effective when it's not our only tactic.
I thought the ref was generally good except when he wasn't, if that makes any kind of sense. The challenge on Harriman looked like a pen to me and I felt he gave them some very soft free kicks.
I was dead in line with the Harriman one. Was clearly shoulder to shoulder. Harriman took the apparently compulsory option of falling down. Never a pen.. If the Kashket one was anything, it was a penalty, I'll concede. But I'm comfortable with one not being given there. If he's entitled to hold his ground with the ball above him, as I think he is, then the keeper is equally entitled to jump over him to attempt to punch the ball clear, which he did. As I said, you could make a case for a foul but I'm comfortable with not getting one.
Harriman's goal line clearance is one of the greatest things I've seen watching live football. Incredible agility and great theatre with the celebration.
Enjoyed the game and the performance today. Totally dominated Cambridge and deserved the win.
@OakwoodExile Think I'm broadly with your view of the game, at least until we scored. I liked the variety of our play, and everything we did was effective. The energy was superb and we completely squashed Cambridge out of the game, winning every second ball and using the ball pretty well. Felt a bit sorry for the excellent Cambridge fans who got scant reward for their support from their team.
After we scored, it seemed like we stopped playing. We stopped pressing, stopped supporting attacks and allowed Cambridge onto us. Suddenly, they were winning second balls. If we had conceded, we could have had no complaints. Harriman's goal-line clearance was just brilliant and Blackman's save, almost equally so. Goodness, Blackman has just got better and better this season, hasn't he? He dominated his area today. We'll really miss him.
@HCblue have to disagree on both of the pen shouts not being valid.
Kashket got himself in between the keeper and the ball, only to be wiped out from behind. Strangely given as a foul the other way.
The Harriman one I didn't get as close a view of, but was comfortable it was as you explain it.
@Right_in_the_Middle that was an incredible goalline clearance, and he looked pumped up after!
There didn't seem too much reaction in the terrace, but I dare say that's because you have an appalling view of the far end for most positions.
I wonder sometimes is that's why some of the terrace boys are off with their posts of stuff at times.
@Malone I agree with your perception of the Kashket one - if there was a foul, it was by the keeper, not Kashket. "Wiped out" is a pretty fair description of what happened to him and my initial reaction to cry foul, literally. I'm just reasonably relaxed about not getting the pen.. I'd be interested to hear the ref's thoughts on it. He was, as he generally was throughout the game, well-positioned to make the decision and may have seen something neither of us did.
The Harriman clearance was indeed a very long way away! It looked like an excellent stretch to block the shot. The highlights show it to have been even better than it looked live, and it looked good live!
@Malone @HCblue Strangely perhaps, I agreed with the referee on the Kashket non-penalty. Kashket bent down and stuck his bum into the keeper and the ref gave it for backing in. I think if Kashket had just stood up, the keeper would still have wiped him out and it would have been a clear pen
Really enjoyed today. One of the most dominant displays I've seen from us this season and as others have said I really liked the way we mixed our play, yes there was plenty of long ball to Bayo, but we also got the ball down and passed it well at stages.
Cambridge seemed strangley lethargic and didn't pose any threat until the final 5 mins. Incredible goal line clearance from Harriman, but it would've been a travesty if we hadn't won today.
Plenty of good signs for next season, especially with the Bayo/Kashket partnership which looked back to it's best again today.
@OakwoodExile Didn't see that from where we were. That would be the missing link. Figured there was probably something to explain the decision.
Fantastic performance and the atmosphere was superb almost electric....... Really going to miss pierre next season, thankfully we've got sido who has probably been better than pierre in last few games, sido and stewert partnership would be a brilliant league 2 pairing.....ps bean was quality again today
Sido has been an absolute revelation at centre half since he's come into that position
I feel thoroughly vindicated re Sido. Before Easter I remarked on how well he had performed as a central defender on a few occasions in the past - notably away to Barnet in the FA Cup a couple of seasons ago. Then, lo and behold, he is played alongside Pierre and performs as if he has been there all his career. Great stuff and perhaps the answer in the longer term to the central defender situation.
Sido has had just as many shockers at CB in previous seasons though, particularly against Wimbledon in Round 2 after the comfortable win against Barnet in Round 1 (when Mawson was unavailable for FA Cup ties)
He didn't cover himself in glory last season either when Stewart or Pierre were unavailable, so much so that McCarthy had to be called in as an emergency CB when he is clearly much better as a full back.
Last few games he's been immense, clearly a step above WDH and Muller and a back 4 next year of JJ, Stewart, Sido and Harriman would be a good starting point for a successful season.
Fame_46, we all probably knew Sido was a better option than WDH or a Muller. He has played there before as Micra points out and not playing him early as probably cost us but there you go.
It is a shame Saunders took a while to get going as he has been excellent in the last few games and did well again today. Keeping him fit could be hugely important next season.
Also really pleasing to get Kashkett back among the goals as well. We look far more potent in attack with pace around Bayo.
Overall, we've made progress off the field and on it this season. I had hoped for a play off finish and with fewer injuries we would have had it i imagine.
Interesting remarks from Gaz in the bar afterward. 19 players in contract for next season and he wants us to tighten up in defence (he indicated we've scored more this season in the league than when we reached the play offs). So it sounds like we will be recruiting some reinforcements at the back. Probably bad news for De Hav and/or Muller but I hope it isn't also a sign Stewart is on his way. I'm also hoping we bring in a more physical holding midfielder (or give Rowe a proper chance) and an alternative target man to Bayo.
Good win shame we haven't played like that and against Doncaster all season my only issue was o'nien not starting thought he should have come on at ht Matty b wasn't in the game at all I just hope we keep Stewart I'd love to keep Pierre as well but prob not gonna happen
Our play looks and feels different with Saunders playing as he did yesterday he's able to put a foot on the ball and look up. The long ball to Bayo is still there but he was just as likely to send it to MW or take it on a bit further himself great improvement.
Really enjoyed yesterday, great entertaining football, positive atmosphere on the terrace, hope for next season. Can't wait now.
Oh and also enjoyed the late kick off, M25 was a breeze yesterday.
Whilst the traffic on the motorway was indeed a breeze, the upper car park was the worst I've experienced for a long time and we didn't get out for close to an hour.
Makes me sound like a whinger though doesn't it! Great atmosphere, good football and performance.
So who are the players out of contract?
We discussed why sido was not played there earlier.Gaz had played him there before..that might have been the difference in getting into the playoffs.
Perhaps the answer is not to park in the upper car park if you want to get away quickly!
Why oh why don't we play like that more often.