Better than last week but still not good enough to be honest. The first half an hour was pretty good, we were up for it and it looked like a matter of time before we took the lead. Then a stupid, careless mistake and just like last week Wigan get a goal with their only half decent chance of the game, blowing all the hard work we'd put in and momentum we'd built up over the first half. I don't think we ever got back in rhythm properly after that, we had a decent spell in the second half after we equalised but I didn't have that same feeling as I did in the first half, that it was a matter of time before we scored. We won't get an easier opportunity to take 3 points this season either, as based on what we saw today I'd be very surprised if Wigan weren't in a relegation battle. They kept their shape fairly well but really were there for the taking if we just stepped it up a bit. Dropping points at home to them really is criminal.
We had 22 shots in the game, only 4 of which were on target. Wigan though had 16 less shots yet only 1 less on target. We don't seem to have any real structure when we attack. Pukki is barely involved in games, we're just not getting him into the parts of the pitch where he operates best (albeit he was really unlucky with his effort that came off the bar). The end of this game we had left-footed McLean playing right back, no-one really in centre midfield as Sara seemed to be playing further forward. Sinani and Cantwell were all over the place. What exactly was the plan? I know a couple of those changes were enforced with both full-backs going off injured, but I'm just so confused as to what our tactics were to get back in the game.
There were a couple of positives to take. I thought Nunez looked really tidy, particularly in the half an hour before we went behind. Aarons was superb as well, and Cantwell looks genuinely engaged and is slowly starting to show flashes of the player we know he can be. Hernandez also undoubtedly livened things up when he came on, though I don't think he really has the quality we need when he gets in the final third. Like I said as well generally the way we started the game was very positive, but I just want to see so, so much more from this team. Rashica had some decent moments in the first half but was still so underwhelming. Practically every ball he put into the box in the second half was either blocked or not good enough to beat the first man. Sargent is a complete donkey too, I thought at Championship level he could really shine but I don't think it matters what division you play in, you're not gonna be a success if you have the first touch of a baby Elephant. I dunno, I just look at our team with players like Hernandez and Sargent coming off the bench and I do worry. I know we have the likes of Idah, Dowell, Sara and Hayden to come in, Ramsey as well now too, but I just feel really uninspired by us.
Fingers crossed Giannoulis is ok but that really didn't look good, think the poor guy may be out for a while. Obviously if that is the case we'll need another left back. I think we could definitely use another centre back too to play alongside Omobamidele. Hanley seemingly can't play on the left hand side and Gibson has hardly covered himself in glory in the last year or so.
I may as well save this sentence and copy and paste it in every week; Championship referees really are shocking. The guy today just had no control on the game at all. The penalty for the challenge on Aarons is a tricky one. I actually think if I was a Wigan fan and that was given against my team I would've been really annoyed, as their player does technically get a solid piece of the ball first. But, anywhere else on the pitch that is a foul and a red card for dangerous play. I actually thought we had more of a case for a penalty a minute later, when Onel pulled the ball back for Sargent who was blatantly pushed in the back as he went to take the shot, but the ref, looking right at it, did nothing.
I mean, a big disclaimer for everything I've just said is that we are only 2 games in. Under Farke we never started particularly well yet we all know how those seasons ended up. I'm just a bit annoyed because I can't visibly see what Deano is trying to do, and both our opening games have felt like we've come up against very beatable teams, particularly today, and come away without a result. Hull away before Huddersfield and Millwall at home are our next 3 games. We've got a really nice start to the season to be honest and we need to start taking advantage of it.
