For some reason the video yesterday couldn't deal with motion and stuttered throughout. I half watched it and saw the highlights. The injuries disrupted a solid unit bar the powder puff attack. Hendry was dominant in the middle and Merrie proved more evidence he has the best pass at the club.
Burton's header was very poor and a good chance, however his left foot effort was quite a wide angle. Saunders had a one on one and his execution could not have been worse. Your diagnosis of the Hemmings chance above, is incorrect. The ball came to his side with little power, he side footed with his left on the ground causing the keeper to dive and palm it away. The only thing I would want more would be to direct it nearer to the post, whether he could open his foot enough you cannot tell.
I've read Hemmings as guilty of back kicking a chance when it was behind him, the notion of options continue to baffle me and he has been criticised for heading crosses over when they were just too big. As happens at corners, the better ones, the ball is too high for an attacker to get on top of it and head into the goal. If the height becomes marginal defenders will try to squeeze you under the ball. I do worry when fans convince themselves of things which are technically incorrect.
I read comments yesterday that Hemmings should not come straight back into the team. Every other striker at the club either tries power or completely fluffs it. Another issue not often recognised they all have issues with playing the final ball in and Saunders never seems to even look for a better placed team mate. Most finishes are best placed with a side foot, they always have been. However good Hemmings is, he was an established tier 3 but is ageing, he is the only one at the club even attempting the basics.
Hawkes has come on, but his final ball can be poor and he looks to blast everything; his penalties are a miss waiting to happen. Saunders may hit a scoring patch through a confidence boost, his work is tremendous but he looks a striker most unlikely to strike. You know get the feeling that Mumbungo like Jamieson is on the bench despite the fact Mellon has planned to ditch them. People claim Burton does not get a chance with Mellon, I'd argue the opposite as I see him ending up in Warrington.
Before Xmas you suspected Joe was the only competent keeper since Davies, we now know that.
There was a decent back four with no back up, that remains the case
There was a competent midfield four and Lewis, that has been replicated with another competent midfield on top. T-C will never be effective when his good match was treated by benching him again.
Up front you still have one striker.
Imbalanced by design and the misfortune over injuries has really been quite lucky, imagine if they were defenders and not midfielders!!!!
