Negativity...

Why do all the people (or almost all of them) that I have seen on the top few articles think that we played really badly on Sunday? I won't name names but some say our midfield was dire, that one of our best players is in fact not worth a place and should be dropped (why not behead him aswell?!) and that we lack any creativity and essentially play like a pub team!?

I am guessing that a fair few of you will have watched the match on the unterrestrial tv at the weekend and would have been disappointed at the end with a point, myself included. That effort from Vassell at the end was agonisingly close!

However, if it was 2 inches lower, there would not have been any such complaints about playing poorly or feeding off scraps, such is the fickle nature of fans! It would have been "what a performance!" and "just what we deserved, we bossed it!"

I do note that a few are saying that we should be pleased with a point and defending the team and rightly so, but it seems to me that either people don't know what they are talking about or have a real tendency to be either negative, pessimistic and/or unsupportive.

The game on Sunday was frenetic at times, (away from home too). I have been to Cardiff 4 times in the last 3 seasons and it is a cauldron of noise when the fans get going and there would have been a few down there on Sunday. So as you can imagine, not easy for an away team... Yet we created many chances, played some good football - one touch stuff at times and got into great positions. The service wasn't awful either, however, I do agree that we maybe tried to pass the ball into the net (particularly late on). But then if you were watching Cardiff's team (which you probably weren't, because most fans only see one team on the pitch) then all of their players, bar Gestede were behind the ball (on their 18 yard box...) forgive me but penetration through 9 outfield players with only 18 yards to play with isn't easy!

They are playing some really good stuff at the moment. Vassell offers experience, service (for Abe's goal). That cross was majestic. Movement is good from both front men. I think that Anthony Gerrard got man of the match for Sky TV... Why is that I wonder? For managing to defend very well against Beckford and Vassell? Very likely. Brighton didn't have a sniff and they are supposedly the best team in the division, although personally I think Southampton are better - we beat them too lest we forget!?

Midfield wasn't dire, it was excellent. Closed down the opposition and limited their dangerous midfield to long range efforts, free kicks and trying to play killer passes themselves, but our defence held firm on those too with Mills and Bamba at the centre of it. I don't think Gelson had his best game... But Abe is a mainstay as is Wellens for his quick thinking. I would be inclined to replace Gelson with Johnson when he is fully fit and have Gelson as an impact player, hopefully to close games out with energy and tackling ability if required. King and his goalscoring record speaks for itself. Much better than Gallagher, who by anybody's standards has not played well this season.

So in a nutshell, any of you going up tomorrow night to Teesside, get behind them. I'm sure you would anyway! And lets have a little less negativity about the performances. It is those nay-sayers who are adding to the pressure the team is under by criticising good performances!?

Keep it up lads, if any of you are reading this. The points will come because the performances are starting to show!

UTF x