Rotherham United had three games last week – away at Wigan and Gillingham and then, on Saturday, at home to Bristol Rovers.
So, what have we learned from those three games?
The first, and probably most important (?), is that we CAN defend. You can’t argue with three clean sheets.
Once Michael Smith has shrugged off the opposition players who are using him as a climbing frame he’s one hell of a footballer. He can hold the ball up, he can make runs, he can play the ball in for his team mates and his goal on Saturday was top class.
Will Vaulks back-flip was back! Vaulks scored the only goal of the game in our mid-week game with Gillingham and it was the first time we’ve seen his goal celebration since Boxing Day.
When Matty Palmer had to go off injured Semi Ajayi, for the second time in two games, came off the subs bench and made his presence felt. Kyle Bennett was starting to run the game from midfield but once Ajayi came on I’m not sure he won the ball again.
Richard Wood must have the hardest face in football. He gets pulled and pushed and when that doesn’t work the opposition marker finds he has elbows and poor old Woody ends up with a dislodged nose, black eyes or a split lip.
I think, for some of our young players, three games – plus the travelling – was a bit too much and it definitely showed on Saturday. It’s difficult changing a winning side or a side whose given all for the club but perhaps it might have been wise to ‘rest’ a couple of them for the game against Bristol Rovers? Though Warney has implied that he may bring in some of the players who haven’t had much game time of late for the next couple of games.
