Thoughts from Saturday

1. The foreign antics may become increasingly frustrating, but we’ll put up with them for the skill on display from Ledesma.

2. Each week he’s gona inevitably get a mention on this list!

3. We’ve yet to see Lee Cook get into his stride but unlike his last spell with us, he isn’t the only go to guy now that we can turn to.

4. Something Dowie will be keeping an eye on I’m sure, but Parjeo is going to talk himself in to quite a few bookings this season.

5. Damion Stewart played very well; knowing he’s one mistake from being dropped certainly helped him.

6. We were much quicker out the traps but took our foot off the gas when more goals were on offer later on.

7. This column might as well now be called thoughts on Ledesma.

All eyes on

Dexter Blackstock is someone that splits the fans views on his place in the side. Apart from his run at the end, last season was pretty much a write off with injuries and suspension adding to his bad form. Mentally the death of Ray Jones hit him more than most as the pair had built up quite an understanding the season before and I believe had become good friends off it. So it was more than pleasing that he opened the scoring and celebrated with a touching acknowledgement of his late friend and former teammate. The goal spurred him on and gave him that extra lift which saw him chasing down lost causes and linking up well as the lone striker with his attacking midfielders. Before the season I believed that Blackstock could find that form of his first season with us and getting two goals in the opening four games will have helped. I would still like a striker to be signed before the deadline but I have no doubt that there are 15 goals in Dexter this season which will contribute in what is an important season for the man.

Talking Point

Fitz Hall’s two goals and penalty farce that opened the season will be talked about for a long time to come, but it’s his injuries that are going to increasingly overshadow anything he does and again on Saturday he limped out of action. For the money spent and the transfer fees previously paid for his services I thought we were getting a very good defender to sure up our defence. With little or no match practice before he signed in January maybe it was a bit too much to ask to make such an impact and once he got a pre-season under his belt then we could see fully the player we bought. He was rested against Swindon and still needs more match practice to get going but I do hope that his injury on Saturday, albeit an unlucky one to pick up isn’t going to become a theme again for this season. The always impressive Matthew Connolly came in for him and was as accomplished as ever, while Damion Stewart was on his game but for the fee we’ve paid, I do hope we get to see a fully fit One Size justify his transfer fee.

Man of the match

I’m going to run out of things to say about this guy each week…mentions for Stewart, Parejo and Blackstock but it has to go to Ledesma again, writing his name fast into R’s folklore.

This entry was posted on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 07:43. You can skip to the end and leave a response.