Four League One games into Savage-ball at Peterborough United and there's more to like than dislike, but obvious concerns remain

It’s too small a sample size to make firm predictions of how well it’s likely to turn out, although, naturally, that didn’t stop the social media experts in doom and gloom from pontificating in familiar fashion after Saturday’s last-gasp rescue act in a 1-1 draw at Bromley.

It was a performance that threw up as many questions as answers, but, and I speak as someone who strongly opposed the appointment, there has been more to like than dislike, comfortably so given Savage took over a squad lacking in confidence, belief and optimism.

I’d hoped Posh would take six points from his four games by beating Burton and Bromley, while expecting us to lose at Leicester and Huddersfield. Posh actually managed one fewer point and that was two points fewer than they deserved as they were better than Burton even though it took a 94th-minute equaliser to rescue a draw in that game as well.

The players are certainly running harder under this manager than the last one. They are running further as well and they have shown a never-say-die spirit which has enabled them to grab a couple of very late goals when defeat looked inevitable. Substitutes are making big contributions – Matt Garbett against Burton, Vernon Masara yesterday – and a willingness to gamble with formations and positional changes when behind is welcome, even if it contributed to the late collapse at Huddersfield.

Posh are now scoring more goals – they are still missing plenty of chances though – and they are playing a style that appears to suit the players at their disposal better, but they remain in the bottom four and Savage undoubtedly has plenty to ponder, a lack of physicality and an absence of threat from set pieces are among them. Posh won the corner count 14-1 yesterday and manufactured one chance, a sitter spurned by Harry Leonard.

But chief among those concerns is making the most of great attacking positions. Time and time again Posh create space for their wingers in very threatening areas, but Owura Edwards and Bolu Shofowoke find it hard, almost impossible even, to find the right cross in a team that now sends more players into the opposition penalty area. Edwards did set the goal up yesterday, but with a fine piece of control and a short pass rather than anything too difficult.

Posh have been spoilt in recent seasons by the quality offered out wide by Kwame Poku, Ephron Mason-Clark, Joe Ward and Harrison Burrows. It’s not the fault of the new manager that there has been a dramatic downgrade.

Perhaps Posh should employ a crossing coach as well as a striker coach? It would also help the boss if Harry Leonard transferred his finishing form in cup competitions to League One games.

Savage has quickly improved some players. Harley Mills is one example – the crossfield pass he delivered to help create the Posh goal yesterday was magnificent – while moving Ethan Williams into the ‘10’ role has been a success, and finally a manager has seen the light with Lucca Mendonca, a teenage central defender seen as a stop-gap, a fill-in, so far in his career, but that should no longer be the case after his excellence at Hayes Lane on top of other promising performances.

It was good to see Tom O’Connor back in action in Bromley and fingers crossed Sam Hughes can return soon so Posh will have four dependable central defenders in front of a strong goalkeeper. On-loan Villa centre-back Josh Feeney was rested yesterday.

Savage admitted Posh need to win games like yesterday’s though, especially as the next three in League One are against teams with reasonable promotion expectations in Luton Town, Oxford United and Plymouth Argyle, followed by a local derby clash with the division’s surprise package at the Weston Homes Stadium.

It’s only going to get tougher for Savage and his equally inexperienced coaching team.