apologies for any repeats, at the game so not read through.
Football tourists are what a bigger stadium and success brings. Those tourists will spend more than me in the club shop and put more pics on social media, but they don’t know the shelf side song nor are too bothered about the result. In the new ground, without cashback and what I assume is a mix of general sale amongst season ticket holders they will still bring their money but more likeminded fans will be sitting together creating an atmosphere and supporter behaviours that will be the norm rather than the extreme. The wolves fans I discovered behind me claimed they ‘welcomed 250 of our lot’ in their end at Molineux but whilst I respect those who follow their clubs away from home and it’s a lot easier to be gracious in victory I don’t recall this happening domestically at WHL and would not expect the same in the single tier at new WHL. I remember a 3pm Saturday kick off being a privilege, let alone the ticket itself.
On the pitch, it was one game too many. The depleted midfield was running on gas, combined with the one paced full backs we gave the ball away too often and without the extremes of fortune against Southampton and Bournemouth there was nothing left in the tank when they equalised. I thought we’d defended well up until the corner but didn’t have enough on the ball to ask enough questions to push them back. I’ll watch the second again but at this point in time I feel Lloris could have done a lot better. My views on him can occupy a thread.
In summary, the end of the year is a good a time to stock as any. It’s been an amazing year, filled with over achievement, of especially given our budget , setbacks with the stadium and first team injuries that are seldom acknowledged. Who’d have thought that Sissoko would be undroppable, I’d be wishing we had Lamela on the bench today or calling for KWP and Skipp to be brought on. In the same way the August born slow, paced Kane developed a technique and desire that took him above his peers when things evened out in adulthood, I believe this team is continually getting stronger by swimming against the tide and will be stronger at the end than those that are being pushed along with it.