Imps 2-0 Reading is up and running.
It seems less important in the current game because there is no Premier League or Championship, therefore some clubs start playing weeks before others do. As a result, elite clubs operate later and make unexpected, last-minute decisions. It seemed unjust to me that we lost Ethan Erhahon a week or two before the season began, and it felt even more devastating to lose Jovon Makama just hours before kickoff.
It meant that at 2:59 this afternoon, I didn’t experience the surge of hope for which I have unintentionally gained notoriety. I have always been a pessimist, but in recent years, my attempts to be measured and balanced have come across as pessimism, rose-tinted pessimism with a dash of club jargon. I was so depressed at kick-off that even people who think I wake up on Jez George’s sofa every day couldn’t have predicted it.
There are several explanations for this. One of my favourite players was Ethan Erhahon, and I thought Jovon Makama would be crucial this season. Everything felt a little flat because it was the first game that my dad wasn’t well enough to attend due to his continuing battle. While everyone on social media was giddy with anticipation for matchday, I was mocking Nick Oxberry for a silly rumour he messaged me about involving Jovon and Norwich, and I was missing the excitement of the new season. Later that day, I expressed my regret.
I simply didn’t sense it. The time then changed to 3 p.m. I realised that too much football is played on paper, on TV, and in people’s minds when we started out looking like a diminished version of ourselves from the previous season. We don’t perceive players, signings, and tactics for what they are: crucial for ninety minutes on a Saturday. Adrenaline took over, and I forgot we were missing Jovon and Ethan for five minutes when that whistle blew, giving Reading’s terrible blue shirts the upper hand. Football had returned.
After a few hesitant minutes, we began to resemble the team that had played in the top eight during the final ten weeks of the season, even though we felt like a weaker version of ourselves from the previous campaign. We did what we are excellent at, and we did it well, even though it isn’t always fluid and never is on opening day. Without Ethan Erhahon’s shadow, Conor McGrandles appeared composed and confident as he intercepted balls and put in a tremendous amount of effort. With Rob Street and Reeco Hackett’s speed out wide, Reading’s high line was dangerous. Street was the centre of attention, replacing Jovon late in the game, and he performed admirably in the first forty-five minutes.
When we gained the lead, McGrandles had already had a good shot deflected. If it weren’t considered an own goal, Adam Jackson would receive a “second assist” for his role in returning the ball to Wickens. Street went behind extremely nicely after that, and it was route one, over the top. I must remark on Street’s touch, which was a fantastic moment since he managed to keep it moving and bring it down with genuine elegance. He managed to get a cross in for Hackett thanks to his speed, but the defender deflected it home before it could cause any harm. City wins 1-0.
I don’t think there’s any need to criticise the long ball. It made sense for us to expose Reading’s high line by putting the ball in danger alley, where our wide men could increase the pressure. This was a longer, more deliberate kick rather than a massive ball to the forward’s head. Nevertheless, James Collins did a good job attacking when the large balls did fall on the defenders. Collins played well overall and wins many more goals in the air than a diminutive centre striker should, but he didn’t get a sniff in front of goal.
The game slowed down a bit after the goal. With the safety net of a 1-0 lead to fall back on, we pressed more judiciously rather than collectively. With the luxury of the lead, we did slow things down a little, but not to the point where we became defensive.
Despite my criticism of referee Martin Woods in the first half, I believe he gave us a pass during Reading’s risky moment. Camara scored the follow-up, but it was offside after Wickens knocked Lewis Wing’s long-range attempt onto the post. There’s nothing wrong with that, but Adam Jackson shoved one of their boys in the back in the vicinity just before the attempt. Their guy was backing in a little, but I didn’t see it at the time. The replay shows that it’s two-handed. In my opinion, Woods gave them a lot during the game, but that was a huge letdown.
The Royals didn’t have anything going forward, even with Wing, Savage, and Elliott playing well, so halftime didn’t bring any relief. Our defence steadied after a shaky opening thirty minutes or so, and Sonny Bradley proved why we had brought him in by winning a tonne of headers—eight in all. Only Adam Jackson, the man behind the New Contract, beat it with nine. Even though Ryley Towler looked like a centre defender playing left back, he did win a couple games as well. That is a stylistic observation rather than a critique.
Read more news on www.sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply