There’s no surprise the Imps’ cup run has come to an end. While Birmingham City wasn’t a terrible draw in terms of the quality of the ground, it was as tough as 95% of the Championship sides we could have faced.
The Blues are a Championship side in waiting, and doubtless, next season, they’ll be knocking on the door of the top six in the division above. They’re like a Sunderland or Ipswich, one of those clubs who really shouldn’t be at our level. Unlike Sunderland and Ipswich, they have the squad to match. Those two sides built teams based on the best players they thought could perform in League One, while Birmingham have just ignored the fact they’re in League One and built a Championship squad anyway.
That made life very hard for City, so we needed a quick start as we had against them at our place. On that occasion, our goal perhaps came too early and affected our game plan, and lo and behold, the same thing happened yesterday, only they got the goal, and once again, it affected us. Mainly because it meant we had to score two, and we struggle to score one right now.
I’ll confess, I didn’t go to the game. I have watched back what I can, but for me to try and tell you what it was like when a majority of you were there would be a bit false. Therefore, just like the Stevenage game, I’ve decided to pick five things from the game that struck me and those who I have spoken to since. I appreciate this is the second non-standard match report I’ve produced, but fear not; it will be back to business on Tuesday as usual!
Concentration Lapse Costs Us
On the balance of the game yesterday, there didn’t seem to be a huge amount between the teams. They wanted possession, which suited us, but didn’t have all that many shots. If they hadn’t scored early, perhaps the crowd might have got a little restless, perhaps we might have been able to flex a little. However, we did conceded early, stupidly early, and that really cost us the game (especially as, stating the obvious, it finished 2-1).
There’s no doubt it’s a bad goal defensively. Tendayi was caught out by a ball into the box, but there are chances to stop it after. The one thing we needed was to be tight from the off, to make sure we didn’t get caught and if you look back, we’re quite good at switching off early. Shrewsbury, Crawley, Northampton, Stockport and Burton have all scored in the first ten minutes against us, and while we recovered to win four of those five matches, it’s not so easy when the side you’re playing is laden with talent.
Green Shoots of Recovery
The honest shout is that after the goal, we didn’t play badly yesterday. There are certainly some green shoots of recovery poking out of the layer of poor-form frost that has formed during our season. It happened last year around this time as well, and perhaps it’s to do with a couple of bodies coming back, like Erik Ring, and a bit of time on the training ground rather than playing every three or four days. The highlights I’ve watched saw us developing some nice passing movements, which we saw in patches against Stevenage, and this against the best side in the league, albeit their reserves (99% of whom would be starters for any other League One side).
The second half, in particular, we matched them without really creating an awful lot. The train of thought is we need a striker, but a gun only fires if you load it with bullets. We did create a bit yesterday, but I feel that final third is where we’re lacking. In my opinion, it’s not a Joe Taylor we lack or even a Matt Rhead. It’s a Jorge Grant, a Peter Gain, (dare I say) a Danny Mandroiu, a player who can create from nothing, who sees passes others do not. Makama, Draper, Cadamarteri and House are not bad strikers, but they’re not missing enough chances. I know that sounds stupid, but the best strikers miss loads – Tyler Walker missed a hatful for us the season he scored 14. The key is to have the chances laid on for you – it’s a numbers game. The more you create, the more you score. Of course, you miss more as well, but every chance adds to that xG score, and if your xG is high enough, you score goals.
Of course, Jovon did get a goal, and while it might have been a penalty, I’m delighted for him. It’s his tenth goal in a Lincoln shirt, and he’ll be chuffed to get into double figures, drawing him level with Jordan Burrow, Gijs Bos, John Fashanu and Gary Birch.
I’m content that we came out of the cup exit with our heads held high, a respectable scoreline behind us and a decent second half performance. It shows there are some green shoots of recovery, and hopefully, with spring on the horizon, we can see the same sort of growth we saw 12 months ago.
Jeacock Stakes a Claim
George Wickens has had a decent couple of matches, but there’s been some questions about how quickly he has settled. I’d put him on a par with Josh Griffiths at present, which isn’t a bad thing, but he has had his bad games and good. His ‘prevented goals’ stat (which is a bit like reverse xG I guess) leaves him outside the top 30 keepers in the division, with 25.96 xG faced and 31 goals conceded. That does leave people wondering if a bit of pressure from below might be good.
For Jeacock, yesterday was a bit of a dream scenario. He’s been benched at Southend after two matches, but he gets a high-profile recall, and puts in a solid performance. One save was excellent, and he made highlight reels, but his kicking and distribution were very good as well. Usually, when a reserve keeper comes in, there’s a bit of uncertainty around them, a feeling that we’re at a disadvantage because of it. Yesterday, I think Jeacock made a good impression, and few will feel quite as worried about the length of Wickens’ injury after watching him in action.
Birmingham City Quality
Their second goal. Oh. My. Word. That’s the quality they have, and for me, that’s something you have to factor in when assessing our performance. Dykes’ effort was sublime; there’s no fault, just an outstanding piece of football you have to admire. It was a good way to highlight the difference in means between the two sides. I’ve mentioned it further up, but Birmingham are a top side, and they deserved to go through. That said, the way we’re talking about us having a strong second half, about how we could maybe have snatched something and about how there are shoots of recovery is accentuated by their quality. In recent weeks, we’ve lost to a poor Shrewsbury side, an average Rotherham team and a poor Bolton outfit. There’s no hiding from that, but Birmingham City are another level. Therefore, all of the positives we take from the game have to be considered as even more positive because of the level of opposition.
Sure, the same deficiencies were evident. Freddie missed the late chance. We created a bit, but nothing too outstanding. Of course, we need to be better against Northampton, but it is important to see this game as a chapter of it’s own, not the whole story. Bad runs are usually one of two things. They’re either a bad run because you’re rubbish and everything is going wrong (see Wayne Rooney, Plymouth) or they’re circumstantial in part. For instance, if Erhahon wasn’t sent off at Bolton, we might have got something. If he wasn’t suspended against Rotherham, we might have got something. If we’d actually been lethal against Wrexham, we deserved something. Yes, there’s been a spell of four matches where we’ve been poor, but not ten or 12. Then you add yesterday into that: yes, we lost, but against a Championship-level side, after going behind inside a minute, away from home against a team we haven’t beaten in 114 years.
It does add some perspective.
Is Paudie Injured?
Finally, a question I have been asked a couple of times today. In a recent home game, Rotherham I think, Paudie went down holding his shoulder early doors. He had the same issue against Stevenage, and again yesterday, he seemed affected by his arm. He was perhaps the Imps’ Man of the Match, certainly according to FotMob, where he made Team of the Day. It could be that once Jacko is back to full fitness, we see Paudie have a slight spell out? I’m not sure how easy it is to run off a dislocated shoulder, if indeed that’s what he had.
Conclusion
Our cup run wasn’t really the stuff magic is made of, but it was memorable. Chesham provided the televised treat, Crawley was a bonkers game that had us on the edge of our seat and a third away tie against a behemoth of the division was always going to be a big leap. That said, I don’t think we came out of it with any shame, and it certainly could have gone worse. The early kick-off and lack of coverage was obviously rubbish, but the club will have benefited financially, and it would certainly have been more lucrative than an away trip somewhere like Exeter.
At this point, fans will usually say we have to concentrate on the league now. I think if anything can be taken away from yesterday, it is that we do have to concentrate on the league, ideally from the very first minute of a game, not ten minutes in.
You must be logged in to post a comment.