We went to Port Vale and lost a game we shouldn't have done a couple of weeks back, as I wasn't that impressed by Vale, although we of course made some stupid mistakes second half and lost control of a game we looked like coasting to victory in, in the first half anyway.
One thing impressed me about the opposition though: their fans, who made a noisy racket, even when they were 1-0 down. Most of their noise was directed at the referee and Ryan Bowman, who they claimed had elbowed one of their players, but they certainly let Ryan and the ref know about it at any given opportunity after that. That pressure on the game they created continued second half and I sensed both teams were affected by the crowd in the second half as they wrestled the game from our hands. These are supporters who haven't had much to shout about this season and could have easily have expected to get turned over given our league position and their first half display.
On Saturday against Stevenage a very similar incident occurred, when Nicky Law was kneed in the head by a visiting player. To me it looked a straight red, a yellow at the very least and the resulting injury to our most creative midfield player made a huge difference to the pattern of the game for about ten minutes or so as Law played on with the injury. Instead of a foul given against the Stevenage player, the ref gave a free kick to them, a decision that had me screaming at my TV here in Spain. I was expecting a big reaction from the crowd too at that point, to really let the ref and player know about the injustice that had just gone down. Now it may be the way the microphones are at SJP compared to Vale Park, and forgive me if that is the case, but it seemed to me there was some anger when it happened but after there was nothing more than that. For me, these are moments to really bump up the pressure on the ref and the opposition and give our own players a boost with some extra noise.
I know I am miles and miles away and in no position to criticise those who attend, but I would love to see a bit more passion at our home ground sometimes, not just when we are playing Argyle. I think we have some of the best away fans in the division and it has been proved time and time again, but at home we can be too insipid at times, in my opinion.
Any thoughts?
One thing impressed me about the opposition though: their fans, who made a noisy racket, even when they were 1-0 down. Most of their noise was directed at the referee and Ryan Bowman, who they claimed had elbowed one of their players, but they certainly let Ryan and the ref know about it at any given opportunity after that. That pressure on the game they created continued second half and I sensed both teams were affected by the crowd in the second half as they wrestled the game from our hands. These are supporters who haven't had much to shout about this season and could have easily have expected to get turned over given our league position and their first half display.
On Saturday against Stevenage a very similar incident occurred, when Nicky Law was kneed in the head by a visiting player. To me it looked a straight red, a yellow at the very least and the resulting injury to our most creative midfield player made a huge difference to the pattern of the game for about ten minutes or so as Law played on with the injury. Instead of a foul given against the Stevenage player, the ref gave a free kick to them, a decision that had me screaming at my TV here in Spain. I was expecting a big reaction from the crowd too at that point, to really let the ref and player know about the injustice that had just gone down. Now it may be the way the microphones are at SJP compared to Vale Park, and forgive me if that is the case, but it seemed to me there was some anger when it happened but after there was nothing more than that. For me, these are moments to really bump up the pressure on the ref and the opposition and give our own players a boost with some extra noise.
I know I am miles and miles away and in no position to criticise those who attend, but I would love to see a bit more passion at our home ground sometimes, not just when we are playing Argyle. I think we have some of the best away fans in the division and it has been proved time and time again, but at home we can be too insipid at times, in my opinion.
Any thoughts?