Can someone explain why I feel a tiny bit disappointed after the Sheffield United match? We were absolutely stunning, the goals brilliantly executed, Ødergaard and Rice were brilliant – but why stop at two. They were all brilliant. And to score five before half-time relieved the nerves that I’ve had with four-goal leads since Newcastle away many years back.
And yet . . .
Maybe it was the expectation of more, egged on by the constant references by the TV commentators of records to be broken. Maybe it’s because no matter how good the goal difference is becoming, we still trail City and Liverpool courtesy of those horrible results around Christmas against Fulham and West Ham. Or maybe it’s because I’m never satisfied! But the reality is, when asked about favourite matches, most people will recall the Bournemouth home match last season, when Nelson scored in the last moments of added time. Being six up for the last forty minutes doesn’t provide the same high than a late, late winner. Mind, I’d rather be six up than spending ninety minutes paranoid about losing points. Yet the euphoria of an early lead – even as big as last night’s – evaporates so quickly, especially when the last minutes play out without purpose.
There’s another thing, too. We’ve played brilliant football for much of the last couple of years. But when we don’t get an early goal, we sometimes start to lose precision and pace, and when it’s followed by a dodgy penalty or against the odds goal for the opposition, inspiring the home crowd, more often than not, we disintegrate into ignominious (sometimes undeserved) defeat. So, in a way, I hoped that, as the Blades regrouped and tried to keep the score down, we’d still engineer ways past them and signal that when the opposition is more resolute, the team could still keep it together. That way I could feel confident that, in the coming weeks, when the opposition is better, the outstanding standard of performance won’t evaporate, that passes will continue to reach their destination, not be too short, over-hit or timid. But in the last twenty minutes, that’s how it went. True, Mikel Arteta brought on players in need of matches and, in weeks to come, we’ll surely see the benefit even if last night the substitutes looked off the pace and very rusty. And, in fairness, those who stayed on had done their job and were probably easing off a little, and were probably totally exhausted by the way they’d torn into their opponents right from at the start.
The proof will be in the next matches. We flopped badly against Porto after big wins, and they’re here next week looking to defend their lead, and Brentford haven’t exactly been easy over the years.
But hang on. Last night was special. It was such a joy watching the players slip into spaces to receive a pass, and weave their way through defences and score beautiful goals. And the more I write and think about what we watched last night, the more proud I feel, and excited I am about the future. And wonder how I felt so negative a couple of hundred words go.
So long as history doesn’t repeat, the players stay confident and determined, and when it doesn’t all happen in the first fifteen – or things go against them – they can keep going and get results. And overcome their rivals for trophies.
The way they have been playing is too good to be finishing third.
Richard Smith – 5 March 2024