Views on tonight's performance

When i heard the team mentioned on the way into the game i was slightly confused again by Ole's team selection. I thought Le Fondre needed more time to form a partnership with Jones rather than bringing Maynard back in, that Hudson deserved to keep his place in the team and that Burgstaller's replacement should have been Pilkington (the only change i would have made from last Saturday). I also said to my father that if the changes result in a decent perfomance and a win then it will be the right decision - in general terms everything hinges around the result.

In the end we kept a clean sheet (and Morrison did look very good) and while i was unconvinced that Maynard for Le Fondre was a good move he got the goal. So two out of three changes definitely justified in the end. As for the third change with Gunnarson starting?  His decent cameo on Saturday should not have been enough to elevate him to the starting line up but i can hardly point to him as being THE problem. All i can really say about the whole midfield 4 today was 'they were there'. I am not reall sure what any of them did. No commanding physical presence winning the ball back all the time, no player causing the wigan defense problems with mazy runs, no player providing the glue linking everything together, no real creativity.

No real creativity from the midfield anyway. Because by the end of the first half my view was that Brayford would win Man of the Match by a country mile. He was even better than at the weekend. Growing in confidence and with seemingly great decision making on when to hurtle forward with the ball taking players on and when to lay off the pass to retain possession, other than a couple of duff crosses at the end of it there was little to find fault with. Despite very solid performances in the center from Morrison and Connolly and a decent perfomance again from Jones despite the lack of goals Brayford seemed to be the only contender until the second half. At that point Fabio, who had definitely already stepped his game up from Saturday, starting playing like a man possessed (in a good way). By the end of the game i wasn't quite sure whether to give my own MoM vote to Brayford or Fabio but i didn't really care - i was just pleased that both of them looked so good both defensively and going forward.

So a strong defensive performance and the kind of attacking fullback play that Ole has surely been aiming for along. The midfield is still not right and with so many options and players like Dikachoi not even ready yet it might take a little while to sort out. It will need sorting out too as we can't survive a season at the top end of the division with a midfield showing so little creativity and cohesion as today. However the defense is looking better than expected (and you all know how much i like a strong defence   ) and Brayford and Fabio could prove to be a real handful this season if they can keep up this form.

It felt like an ugly win over all but one that leaves me more hopeful that Ole's plan can eventually be a successful one. Two away games now before the international break. Let's hope that optimism has been reinforced by the time those games are completed.

Excellent write up toast.   

Solskjaer is definetely earning my trust, but I do still worry that we are a little too attacking. The diamond formation looks like the way to go based on the fondness for attacking fullbacks, but where does that leave players like Noone and Pilkington, who are traditional wingers? Surely having two wingers and two attacking fullbacks bombing forward simultaneously is a recipe for disaster?

What you say is pretty much in agreement with other things I have read. The major problem of the leaky defence appears to be being resolved and that gives something to build on.

Our goals so far have been scored by strikers, which is something which hasn't happened for a few seasons, so I take that as another positive. We have an embarrassment of riches in that department and to see Guerra and The Fonz coming on so late in the game can't be good for the morale of a defence who would perhaps would prefer to be pushing up chasing the game.

We have plenty of more than adequate midfield players. Ole has said that retention of the ball remains a concern, so let's hope he addresses that as well as he has the defence.

I think once Digkachoi is fit enough, he will replace Adeyemi (who is still very young and has a lot to learn). Digkachoi is the same sort of player as Medel and will help protect our defenders as well as recycle the ball in a simple and effective way.