Trusting a multiple promotion-winning Peterborough United manager, an attacking goalkeeper, a selection suicide note and enjoying the brilliance of Kwame Poku while we can
Multiple promotion-winning managers tend to know when to be kind and when to administer a kicking.
Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson actually did both after Saturday’s defeat at Wycombe Wanderers. He delivered a dressing room dressing down, after borrowing his father’s hair dryer, before meeting the assembled media to pin the blame for an erratic start to the season on himself. ‘I’m failing’ he said, two words guaranteed to become a headline.
Ferguson fancied the response would be positive, but a 5-1 home win over Blackpool might even have exceeded his expectations. The manager’s own reaction to poor defending undermining some fine attacking play was to go even more gung-ho. Until injuries clear up and a settled team emerges it appears all-out attack will be the best form of defence for Posh and nights like this one will justify the means.
TALKING POINTS FROM POSH 5, BLACKPOOL 1…
1) It was a big call to replace goalkeeper Jed Steer with relative rookie Nicholas Bilokapic considering the youth and inexperience of the back four. GIven Ferguson’s current state of mind even selecting a goalkeeper might come down to who is the best attacker! Joking aside Bilokapic, after giving us all an early attack of the collywobbles by letting the ball slip under his foot, did pretty well and he played a big part in the second Posh goal with his rapid and accurate distribution to set Ricky-Jade Jones scorching away down the wing. There are still flaws to iron out of course and he needs to improve his starting position so he can sweep up on the edge of his own area behind a defence who played a reasonably high line. He was far better at that in the second-half so maybe someone had a word. He also made a poor decision to try and confront a Blackpool player who had escaped beyond the Posh defence to set up the visitors’ only goal. The actions of Bilokapic made scoring that bit easier.
2) Blackpool’s starting line-up turned out to be a suicide note. It was pretty much 4-2-4 in possession which was impressively aggressive, but also ridiculously dangerous against a forward line with so much pace and quality. The Posh forwards were constantly left one v one when any footrace was always going to favour them. Posh still had to take advantage which they did and the link-up play between Joel Randall and co was thrilling to watch. I doubt Posh will face a defensive set-up like this again though.
3) Randall was excellent, Malik Mothersille and Ricky-Jade Jones were electric, but Kwame Poku delivered a performance of such brilliance the chances of Posh keeping him beyond this season probably lengthened dramatically. Such is life for clubs who attract just 6,000 fans for Tuesday night games. We must enjoy him while we can as the winger is threatening to have a career-defining season. After the dropping of Steer, Poku is now the only ever-present starter in League One for Posh this season. He already has seven goals and four assists in 13 outings.
4) How great to see old fashioned wingplay at its exhilarating best. There was none of this Manchester City nonsense of running down a flank before stopping and passing backwards. Poku, Mothersille and Jones just darted down the outside leaving panting full-backs in their wake. Poku appears to have improved that right foot. In the last two games he has set a goal up with crosses with his weaker foot. If defenders now don’t know which way he will go they will be in trouble.
5) For the statistical nerds out there. Posh have had 70% possession in games this season and lost. They had 46% possession last night and won 5-1. Go figure.
6) Do you bring Emmanuel Fernandez back into the starting line-up for Saturday’s game at a Bolton Wanderers side who have yet to fire on all cylinders this season? Oscar Wallin seemed far happier as the right-sided centre-back where he was posted in his regular partner’s absence last night. And George Nevett brings natural balance with his cultured left-foot, while a coolness under pressure suggests he is well suited to the Posh preference for playing out from the back. I suspect the superior physicality of Fernandez will get him back in the side at Nevett’s expense, while the vital role he plays at set-pieces at either end of the pitch is also a factor.