I suppose it was too much to expect a repeat of the Spurs game in terms of excitement, and that’s the way it turned out.

With safety all but mathematically assured, I still had my glass half empty head on. If it can go wrong, we are the team that can make it go wrong. I know that we’re now better than that, but there you go, I can’t help it. Burnley, after their great win at Hull last week, could be counted on to go for it, so when we lined up

Gordon
Hutton Mensah Turner Rico
Campbell (away with the flu) Hendo Meyler Steed
Jones Bent

We could be forgiven for thinking that we’d decided that as long as we didn’t get beat, that was good enough. Which is entirely correct, of course. We played the game with patience, which was right, and with a bit of verve when needed – which was also right, just to keep us on the edge of our seats, so to speak. As with West Ham last week, the opponent had done their homework on Hendo, which actually gave a lot of time and space to Meyler. The Lad took this to full advantage and moved the ball all over the pitch, but it looked like we might be waiting too long until we moved the ball sweetly around and Hutton’s eventual cross was a Godsend for Campbell. 1-0, and well deserved on 24 or so.

Hutton produced one of those mazy runs that he seems to have available, but the shot was saved, and we should have had a second on 33 when a delicious cross from the right was headed wide. When the second did arrive, it was the simplest, most efficient goal you’ll see. Bent must score those in his sleep. Graham Alexander managed to stay on the field for the whole game, which was a surprise considering his persistent fouling of Jones and the ref’s penchant for booking our lads and letting their lads het away with murder.

Mensah, who’d had an uppy downy sort of day, was replaced by Ferdy (unlucky not to get a start) after the break, and we carried on where we left off – efficient but not very entertaining. We attacked when we could, and almost got through on several occasions with Steed in particular burrowing his way through to get in almost telling balls. Burnley reminded me of us a few years ago – nothing to play for, relegation almost guaranteed, so why not have a go. Except they had more of a go than we did, perhaps. Maybe it’s just me being ultra worried. In reality, we controlled the game and were well within our rights to let them have a bit play with the ball. Bent scuffed an effort wide from near the penalty spot, then they went and scored. While there was never any chance of them winning (he said confidently) there was always a chance that they might just sneak another, although there was much more chance of Campbell of Jones adding to our tally. Bent was rightly adjudged offside, Zenden and Benjani replaced Bent and Meyler, Steed saw out 90 minutes, and the visitors huffed and puffed to no effect.

Not pretty, but good enough and two cracking goals and a performance that says that we can adjust our output to suit the occasion. I’m quite happy that we’re in a position where we can choose to stroll through a game like this without producing anything like what we’re capable of. Good enough, I’m very happy. If we can win when we’re not looking that tasty but still being very efficient, that’ll do for me.

Man of the Match: Good shift from Jones, good shift from Turner, good game from Meyler, and Rico was there again, but I’ll give it to Steed, as he repeated his first half performance in the second, and created most of our good stuff.

Keep the faith

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