Quote Originally Posted by ramsbelong@jesmondpark View Post
PV4 - how you have "at least 4 of wildcats goals coming from high wide positions" on Tuesday night is beyond me. Perhaps we were watching different games. They mostly came through the middle capitalising on mistakes.
Maybe not watching different games, but definately interpreting them differently. I said at least 4, but right now I can't even remember two of the goals. But the three I do remember, all couldn't have happened without exposing the high/wide positions.

First of three I remember was our right mid had the ball in Jesmonds half. He pushes past a guy, is free, and passes it into the middle. Guy in middle does some ridiculous turn, power shot, keeper decides he'll drop it at his feet and striker cleans the scraps for a goal.

Second of three I remember is left mid has the ball free in Jesmonds half. Plays a ball that is half on the ground, half bobbling (is that a word? Either way I think it was a pass on the ground that Jesmond Park decided should bounce a lot) across goal to Duncan, who hits it first time for a sweet volley.

Third was I think the last goal. Right mid rounds left mid (wide-back), exposes a heap of space, gets ball to byline and cuts across goal to free man on backpost to tap in.

I legitimately can't remember the other two goals we scored, although I think they were both in the first half if that helps. I'll assume at least one came from a wide position, to make my argument valid

Whether Jesmond players/coaches believe/recognise that last Tuesday they were exposed high & wide (and apparently were on the wkend) or not - they're proven to be exploitable in those areas and as I described above I fully expect if they don't change they'll run into trouble v Mussy & Westlakes if they face either in the finals.

Also FWIW I have this suspicion that Olympic will win it all this year (by all I mean GF). I can't see teams sending understrength teams to Mussy, and I assume for finals they'll get legit refs up there (cue the Bobby rants), so I can't see their home being as much of a fortress as normal. Jesmond I think are on a decline - maybe they'll have to go back to the 10men behind the ball at all times just to shut up shop like in the first round of fixtures. Widcats I can't see lasting - I think they were lucky last year to draw Belmont who I still haven't seen play any good, and for 85mins were able to contain Les & Bobby from Terrace to pinch the GF. So yeah, I predict Olympic to come good and take the cake.

Where is the GF this year? At the Mutual Ground again?