One of the very best games I've seen us play, and perhaps the very best given the circumstances...but I guess when there has been a big prize on offer, Bristol Rovers and the Rotherham FA Cup game spring to mind. But Id still say Monday night was better. I've seen most of the games since last Wednesday on sky, and our pumped up display is the only one that springs to mind where a team has shown full on commitment and treated it as their last...
I cant also praise Curle enough. He's been here one full season. Taken us to Wembley as well as the FA Cup 4th round. Whilst halving (give or take) the wage bill...
Why he gets stick, is simply beyond me. He's also made it abundantly clear off the record that his plan is always to evolve the style of play. He clearly believes he doesn't currently have the right set of players to play a more possession based game (subjective and I personally would disagree with that) and in order to get the best out of them...win your battles first and foremost, get the ball up field early, and then 'play football'. We've done that a few times this season already with great effect, most notably at Burton.
I feel a lot of people mistake this as just pure hoof ball. The problem with it is, if a defender has our target man in his pocket, it does often backfire. Hoskins was a big miss as well last week, he provides pace and non stop running. Which in turn creates space for his team mates. We really really did miss his presence, and like with KC, I don't buy into those views who continuously slate him because in my mind 'they are missing something'.
Win or lose on Monday, this season has been a success and we have over achieved given the mess we were in 18 months back. I hope we see KC given the opportunity to evolve this current squad next season, hopefully in league1, but if not, then it wont be the end of the world.
One final point. There's only been 2 or 3 years in the last 30 plus where we've had a dressing room that 'is so close'. That alone can take you places.
Roll on Monday...I would absolutely love to see KC win his first promotion with us. And it would be bloody well earned.
Those are the only two games I would compare this game with. It was good watching on the telly, but I imagine had I been one in a near capacity crowd, I might now also be saying better than those two performances (though for me, Rotherham away was THE best game).
I've said all along this season, the players we have are more than capable of playing better quality football and succeeding with it, and that's the infuriating thing.
The only thing missing on monday was a Ricky Holmes type player.
Bring on the final.