What does four single goal wins in a row for Peterborough United really mean? Some fans have gone quiet, so many natural leaders and a tricky balancing act for the boss
Four League One wins in a row for Peterborough United, all by a single goal, can suggest many things.
It obviously points to a confident team in great form. It also confirms manager Luke Williams’ post-match comments about a team with character and bottle, particularly at the back as Posh keep having to weather storms in stages of every match. At the end against 10-man Northampton Town and at the start against Port Vale they came under serious pressure.
Poor starts will bite if they continue to happen. Orient hit the post in the third minute of Saturday’s game, a hugely significant moment as Posh have yet to win from behind this season. Indeed they have picked up just one point on the 10 occasions they have conceded the first goal.
They’ve been excellent when hitting the front though. Posh have scored first in six of the eight League One matches managed by Williams and won every time. A clean sheet against the third highest-scoring team in the division was a fine effort.
Those 18 points picked up by Posh since Williams arrived at the end of October is a total matched only by League One leaders Cardiff City. Those who felt the players left behind by Darren Ferguson wouldn’t suit Williams have gone awfully quiet.
TALKING POINTS FROM POSH 1, ORIENT 0...
1) Other fans who should be quiet belong to Walsall who have been sniggering at the £400k paid by Posh for central defender David Okagbue. There was some merit in the claim of overpayment in the 21 year-old’s early performances, but Williams has coached him into a defensive rock as well as a player who now breaks lines in possession like Josh Knight.
2) This game was a great advert for the passion and commitment of the players found at League One level. It was less of an advert for the quality of third tier players. The fact it became an exciting end-to-end clash in the second half was as much down to a failure to keep possession when attacking as of anything else. There was a lot of sloppiness in the passing of both teams which both managers touched upon in their post-match debriefs.
3) The exception that proved the above rule was Kiwi international Matt Garbett who was head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch. The Posh midfielder just oozes quality and he has an all-round game that means he could occupy more than one position with style and grace, as he did in this game. He really ought to play centrally to ensure he’s in place to control matches and so he can launch attacks on either side, but then you see the quality of his crossing and it’s understandable why he’s also seen as useful out wide.
4) Declan Frith is the 12th different goalscorer in League One matches for Posh this season which is a surprise given how much Harry Leonard has dominated the goals count since Williams pitched up. Only five clubs can claim more different goalscorers, led by Luton Town and Huddersfield Town (16). When Frith is up to speed Posh are going to have frightening pace on either flank, although it would be good if someone sat Kyrell Lisbie down and explained the offside law to him.
5) I was confused when I saw Carl Johnston was named as skipper yesterday rather than Peter Kioso until I was reminded the former is the official club vice-captain. Sam Hughes is the club captain, but injuries and loss of form have kept he and Johnston out of the side for long spells. Kioso had effectively been deputising for them both, but might not be needed to wear the armband much more if Johnston maintains his current level of performance. He was excellent again against Orient. The armband is merely decoration anyway. As Williams said after the game Posh have four natural leaders in their current defence and goalkeeper with another, Tom O’Connor, sat on the bench and another, Archie Collins, just in front of the back four.
6) Managing players’ minutes is vital in this busy period. Every team has the same issues at least and Posh are next in action against Reading who have just traipsed to Plymouth and back, albeit after an easy win against 10 men. I find it hard to believe Tom Lees will play all four games between Dec 26 and January 4. I also sense Ben Woods and Jimmy-Jay Morgan would benefit from a break. Morgan is easily covered because of Garbett’s flexibility and an abundance of wingers, but the selection or not of Woods is a more complicated decision. Donay O’Brien-Brady is playing well off the bench and would probably keep the ball better than Woods, but the aggression of the latter is a vital ingredient early in games when the opposition press is at its best. Brandon Khela has fallen out of favour which is a surprise given his natural energy, athleticism and fitness.
7) Referee Abigail Byrne didn’t match the consistent quality of Kirsty Dowle in the previous Posh match, but any official who ignores the majority of pathetic flops is ok by me. Of course Byrne did herself no favours by awarding and then overruling a penalty in Posh’s favour. The process didn’t look great, but the officials came to the right conclusion in the end which is the most important thing.