Post by skally on Sept 25, 2006 18:48:59 GMT
Hello all and welcome to the Gay Meadow for (probably) the last ever fixture against Darlington to be held here.
As you all strolled through the narrows before today’s game I’ll bet you all had a pretty good feeling about today’s game, expecting a win weren’t you?! In previous years this has not always been the case of course, more of a feeling of ‘I hope we don’t lose’ was to be expected. The last two games have brought an air of optimism which has risen above the town and we fans can again dare to dream of scenes of promotion celebrations in May as Gay Meadow takes its final bow.
I’ve been racking my brains over when the last time we won two away games in a row by 3 goals was but have not come up with the answer yet. In fact, I’m struggling to think of the last time we won two away games in a row was at all. I suspect that it may have been at some point in the Conference season. I could of course consult my copy of ‘Breathe on ‘em Salop’ but at the moment I can’t be bothered!
Suffice to say that the joy and shock of seeing two 3-0 away victories in the space of just five days has left me with some rather strange emotions. As a Town fan I’m more used to seeing two away victories in a season, and even then they are usually ‘backs to the wall, defending a 1-0 lead for your life type jobs’. The victories over Stockport and Hartlepool came in such convincing fashion that I am now really excited about the future of the club.
For the first time in ages we seem to have several match winners in our team. In the past we have usually relied on just one or two of this type of player in the squad which of course meant that if these names were injured/ suspended or were just having an off day then the team as a whole were pretty stuck. Ben Davies, Andy Cooke and Derek Asamoah in particular all bring a certain air of expectation when they are on the ball. As a fan you expect them to do something special with the ball. The ‘clack-clack’ of seats can be heard flipping back into an upright position whenever Asamoah goes on a run or Davies has a dead ball at his feet.
It would be amiss of me not to mention Andy Cooke’s wonderful hat-trick ten days ago. They say that the perfect strikers hat-trick is a header, a left foot shot and a right foot shot. Well a sharp header, a thundering volley and a blistering long range run and strike in off the upright seemed pretty perfect to me. I was surprised to learn that it was only Andy’s third hat-trick of his career, I hope that this will not be his last in a Town shirt. I believe that it was Luke Rodgers who last hit a hat-trick in a Town shirt, but that was against Conference opposition.
The form of the strikers has meant that we currently have 4 players in form vying for only 2 positions up front. Lately the ever-popular Kelvin Langmead has reverted to centre-back, firstly to cover for Richard Hope, then for Sagi Burton. Kelvin has done so well in this new position that Sagi may be unlucky enough to have to settle for a place on the bench for the time being. Gary Peters would be a brave man to leave out either Cooke or Asamoah, but then again how can he drop Langmead after 3 such assured performances at the back? Michael Symes meanwhile, who has looked an excellent player whenever given the chance is having to make do with a ‘super-sub’ role at the moment. Poor Glynn Hurst just isn’t getting a look in at all.
I believe that competition for places is the key to a successful side. Knowing that there is a good player just over your shoulder waiting to take your place is always going to bring the best out in someone. I’m sure that Dave Edwards’ recent exclusion from the team has only made him more determined to work even harder on his game and force the manager to re-instate him.
We currently sit in 8th place in the league table with four wins, two draws and two defeats from our eight league matches so far. This statistic becomes even more impressive when you take into account that we have so far played five away matches but only three at home. This will be evened up by Tuesday night as we welcome neighbours Walsall here and a real test of our strength. Six points from these two games and our heads really will be spinning!
Keep enjoying all things Shrewsbury Town.
Skally
www.themightyshrew.co.uk
As you all strolled through the narrows before today’s game I’ll bet you all had a pretty good feeling about today’s game, expecting a win weren’t you?! In previous years this has not always been the case of course, more of a feeling of ‘I hope we don’t lose’ was to be expected. The last two games have brought an air of optimism which has risen above the town and we fans can again dare to dream of scenes of promotion celebrations in May as Gay Meadow takes its final bow.
I’ve been racking my brains over when the last time we won two away games in a row by 3 goals was but have not come up with the answer yet. In fact, I’m struggling to think of the last time we won two away games in a row was at all. I suspect that it may have been at some point in the Conference season. I could of course consult my copy of ‘Breathe on ‘em Salop’ but at the moment I can’t be bothered!
Suffice to say that the joy and shock of seeing two 3-0 away victories in the space of just five days has left me with some rather strange emotions. As a Town fan I’m more used to seeing two away victories in a season, and even then they are usually ‘backs to the wall, defending a 1-0 lead for your life type jobs’. The victories over Stockport and Hartlepool came in such convincing fashion that I am now really excited about the future of the club.
For the first time in ages we seem to have several match winners in our team. In the past we have usually relied on just one or two of this type of player in the squad which of course meant that if these names were injured/ suspended or were just having an off day then the team as a whole were pretty stuck. Ben Davies, Andy Cooke and Derek Asamoah in particular all bring a certain air of expectation when they are on the ball. As a fan you expect them to do something special with the ball. The ‘clack-clack’ of seats can be heard flipping back into an upright position whenever Asamoah goes on a run or Davies has a dead ball at his feet.
It would be amiss of me not to mention Andy Cooke’s wonderful hat-trick ten days ago. They say that the perfect strikers hat-trick is a header, a left foot shot and a right foot shot. Well a sharp header, a thundering volley and a blistering long range run and strike in off the upright seemed pretty perfect to me. I was surprised to learn that it was only Andy’s third hat-trick of his career, I hope that this will not be his last in a Town shirt. I believe that it was Luke Rodgers who last hit a hat-trick in a Town shirt, but that was against Conference opposition.
The form of the strikers has meant that we currently have 4 players in form vying for only 2 positions up front. Lately the ever-popular Kelvin Langmead has reverted to centre-back, firstly to cover for Richard Hope, then for Sagi Burton. Kelvin has done so well in this new position that Sagi may be unlucky enough to have to settle for a place on the bench for the time being. Gary Peters would be a brave man to leave out either Cooke or Asamoah, but then again how can he drop Langmead after 3 such assured performances at the back? Michael Symes meanwhile, who has looked an excellent player whenever given the chance is having to make do with a ‘super-sub’ role at the moment. Poor Glynn Hurst just isn’t getting a look in at all.
I believe that competition for places is the key to a successful side. Knowing that there is a good player just over your shoulder waiting to take your place is always going to bring the best out in someone. I’m sure that Dave Edwards’ recent exclusion from the team has only made him more determined to work even harder on his game and force the manager to re-instate him.
We currently sit in 8th place in the league table with four wins, two draws and two defeats from our eight league matches so far. This statistic becomes even more impressive when you take into account that we have so far played five away matches but only three at home. This will be evened up by Tuesday night as we welcome neighbours Walsall here and a real test of our strength. Six points from these two games and our heads really will be spinning!
Keep enjoying all things Shrewsbury Town.
Skally
www.themightyshrew.co.uk
