It’s been a tough month has February. It always feel like the calm after the storm, the furore of January and the transfer speculation dies down and you’re left with a tough period.
It’s not close enough to the end of the season to be truly nerve jangling, but it’s a time when the league has taken shape. Fans see the end game and feel it’s close, but there’s a lot of football to be played. Pitches are still heavy, but the nights get lighter and fans think spring is in the air.
It’s been tough for us. We’re unbeaten of course, top of the league, so it’s a tough we can get used to, but it’s not easy. Some of those teams in the middle of the pack are making a big push up the table, the teams at the bottom fight for their life and traditionally, the leaders do fall away. We haven’t.
We’ve stumbled, maybe grasped out for the bannister rail to hold on to, but we’ve not fallen. We’re still top, words that offer comfort every week as our lead is reeled in and teams get closer and closer.
I think February is the toughest month of the season, I genuinely do. For a football writer it’s a nightmare, the transfer window has gone and there’s little to write about. I don’t put lots of importance on my page views but they drop in February. August and January are the best months by far, February is the worst. Nobody is talking players, everyone is just focused on the matches.
I’ve felt flat, the site has felt a bit flat and across the country fans and teams have felt, well, flat.
I could sense it a bit in the stands this week, which brings me to the point of the article. I could not only sense a certain malaise, but also I heard some rhetoric rolled out that I’ve felt compelled to rebuke. Things like ‘Angol on for Akinde’, things like ‘Tom Pett isn’t a winger’. These are untruths being spoken and believed across the Coop Stand.
Not for much longer. Here’s my attempt to dispel some of the popular myths around Sincil Bank right now.
Good article probably your best of Feb 2019!
Just disagree on the Akinde and Rhead partnership at home. Sides are just sitting in especially the poorer sides. It may be something to try at the start of games at home or for a longer period before Akinde tires.
You have missed Frecklington just passes it back.sideways (see side to side passing) or Rhead is better than Akinde (although you have covered that one extensively)
Great article Gary. Really sums up all the talking points accurately and puts them to bed… Well done!
Vast majority of supporters know little about the tactical side of the game, myself included. Danny does through his press conferences try to explain as he did today what the plan was but on the day were not able to execute effectively. Part of the game is that fans have a view… its part of the interest. Danny need not and should not listen to any of it because he is far more qualified. A draw at home to 5th place team should not be a surprise… if and when we are promoted… fans need to get a grip. Losing 4 in 34 games is not the norm! It will be much tougher next season!
Great article. Probably just add that Gilks could do with some work on his distribution.
I don’t mind them passing it across the back, but often it is too pedestrian and predictable. We need to vary it, in my opinion. Other than that, I’m with you.
Agree with all of the points.. ?
Of course it should be made clear that it is only your opinion that these common held fan opinions are not accurate. In fairness I agree with large parts of what you have put. Glad you chose not to tackle the ‘Tom Pett isn’t a winger’ one……… he isn’t. Gilkes’ distribution (as per comment above) was awful and with regards to the Bolger sub, no issue per se other than it was used to put Bostwick virtually up front, which I found slightly strange. That said, when it works like it did and we score a 96th minute equaliser then who can argue?
Well I watched the Exeter match, read this article and then watched the highlights twice. I am afraid there were mistakes made by a number of people in the Imps games and I guess Danny will be acknowldging them in the dressing room if not in the interview. Gilks had a poor game – the goal should have been a straight forward catch and the distribution was poor. Several players were below par and were lacking in normal skills. Exeter were a better team and there seemed to be no tactic which worked in this respect, except Rhead and route 1 at the end, which often does work but has a limited life if we are to go further up the leagues. Finally, it would be better if the management could keep calm during the course of the game – their enthusiasm and success is what we are all enjoying – great – no complaints – but making good decisions is must easier when you keep calm!