After
the protests and the dip into the eerie world of Roland, the focus does switch
back to matters on the pitch. Now I can’t comment on just why we seem to have
performed a good deal better on Sunday than against MK Dons (and other recent
games), just offer up possibilities. Of course Middlesbrough had problems of
their own, which may have taken the edge of their commitment (and they may have
been less prepared mentally than us for the disruptions during the game). It is
also possible that a group of players still getting to know each other may be
on an improving trend just through greater familiarity. And my favourite
possible reason is that the players knew there would be a good deal of media
attention on the game not least in light of the protests; the cameras were
watching them, which may have encouraged some of the less committed to make the
extra effort, which then rubs off on those around them.
Whatever
the cause, may it continue. For once of late the weekend saw the gap to our relegation rivals narrow rather than widen;
and it seems you can now get only 9/1 on us avoiding relegation, shortened from
16/1 before (although not surprisingly we are by a distance second-favourites
to go down and the odds you get backing us to stay up are somewhat different
from those available if you want to put money on us going down). Staying up is
a little more realistic than before the weekend, but still improbable. It is
tempting (as Roland did in his letter) to focus on seven points out of nine
closing the gap, but it’s probably more telling to look at Riga’s 10 games in
charge (leaving aside the Hull debacle): won three, drawn three, lost four.
Extend that over a full season and you’ve got 55 points and just about
mid-table mediocrity. Extend it over the remainder of the season and we’d have
43 points, which is highly unlikely to be enough (teams have gone down with
over 50, apparently the average points total for 22nd place in recent years is
just shy of 46, while not long ago Birmingham stayed up on goal difference with
44 points).
So
it would seem that staying up requires something approaching promotion form
from us in the remaining games – possible if we are indeed on an improving
trend but not likely. Already under Riga this time around we have had false
dawns, most obviously the win away at Rotherham followed by home defeat to Bristol
City, then victory away at Brentford and the MK Dons draw at home. If we are to
stay up this one simply cannot prove to be another, with some momentum and better
confidence hopefully to assist us.
Each
game as it comes is the only way, especially given the opposition we face in
the remaining rounds and the fact that for us staying up is now as much down to
the results of those above us as our own. This time around, Rotherham travel to
Ipswich, MK Dons are at home to Brighton, Fulham are away at Birmingham, while
Bristol City are at home to Bolton. Bolton by sacking their manager would seem
to be preparing for life in the third tier, but hopefully they can at least
prevent Bristol from securing three points. Otherwise we are all up against
teams with promotion hopes. The onus is on us to do better than our rivals and
close the gap further; just a failure to do so would see our odds on survival
lengthen again.
No
doubt everyone is eager to hear about the weekend outcome for my adopted French
team, Lyon Duchere. I’ll end the suspense right now: we did see a Duchere goal
and a Duchere win! But it wasn’t quite the game my partner Suzanne and I had
hoped for. Fresh off the back of winning 2-0 away at Grenoble to narrow the gap
at the top, there was a mood of optimism at the Stade de Balmont, perhaps even
a touch of complacency as the game against lowly Le Puy began. And Duchere did
start in good style. They have a number nine who it is fair to say is a big
guy, and one of those who can be deceptively capable with the ball at his feet
too. Alongside him was a number 10 who seemed able to beat players at will. The
two of them linked up well and Le Puy basically had no answer. In the first 10
minutes Duchere were denied one of the most blatant penalties I’ve seen, only
to go ahead when a wicked inswinging corner came off the top of a Le Puy
defender’s head and found its way inside the far post.
It
seemed that would be the first of many. However, as we know football just isn’t
that simple. Duchere actually sat back a bit and then the number 10 picked up
an injury and limped off. A number 11 moved inside to take his position and he
spent more time remonstrating with the (admittedly poor) ref than affecting the
game, getting yellow-carded and to add insult to injury getting dumped unceremoniously
into the athletics sandpit by the side of the pitch. Le Puy gained a measure of
control, with the number nine increasingly isolated (and knackered).
Into
the second half and the Duchere fans (have to say I thought the crowd was a bit
disappointing, given the season they are having) were getting restless,
questioning how Grenoble could be beaten so well and then this to follow up,
with some suggesting it was the worst game of the season. Le Puy, having
nothing to lose, sent on an extra forward and in the space of five minutes they
had one header from a corner come back off the bar with the keeper beaten and
then the Duchere keeper beating away another effort. Duchere were hanging on,
but with Le Puy gambling they did have the chance to seal the points. A breakaway
and the substitute winger was clean through with only the keeper to beat but a
way to go. He had the pace to stay free of defenders, but perhaps too much time
to think about it. He ended up shooting rather lamely and the effort was smothered.
Into the final minutes and Duchere’s task did get a little easier. A Le Puy
defender had been yellow-carded in the first half and he was penalised for a
challenge when it looked as though the ball had already gone out. He reacted by
slamming the ball into the ground; out came the second yellow and off he went.
So
Duchere managed to see it out, with Le Puy feeling justifiably hard done-by at
the end. Good teams win ugly and this win was pretty ugly. No matter, we later
discovered that Grenoble could only draw 0-0 away at Villefranche. That means
for them three games in a row without scoring, two defeats and a draw. For a
team still top of the league and a record of 13 wins and five draws from 21
games that’s quite a blip, at just the right time for Duchere. They are now
just two points behind Grenoble with a game in hand; draw the game in hand and
the teams are level (with a very similar goal difference), Duchere win it and
they go two clear.
Looks
like it’s going to go to the wire – and we did get clarification that for this
league it is a case of just the top team getting promoted. The next round sees
Duchere travel to Jura Sud, while Grenoble are at home to Mulhouse. Those two
are fifth and sixth respectively in the league but with really nothing but
pride left to play for. Us to stay up and Duchere to get promoted? Just need to
find a bookies able to give me decent odds.