2011-12 Match Reports CCFC v BURNLEY

18.3.2012

CCFC 0 v 0 BURNLEY

A nil score draw can sometimes be misleading, masking a thrilling battle between two evenly matched teams whose invention, enterprise and skill in attack is negated by heroic defending, where all the action is in and around the penalty box and there are skills, spills and thrills galore. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case today. Not in the slightest.

‘This is the day when things fall into place’ sang The Manic Street Preachers during the pre-match warm up. Well, yes and no. In a sense all is now transparent and everything is starting to make sense. But this is not a good thing. With 10 games left we all know what’s required to sustain a challenge. And we haven’t got it.

This was a tired display against a team of resolutely pedestrian mid-table also-rans. A performance as flat as a lorry load of pancakes with a flat tyre being driven by a man in a flat cap. On Flatholme.

We had the chance to freshen things up in January and have had the option of bringing in quality loan players in the positions that matter for weeks now. So why no action? Lack of funds? Lack of ambition? Complacency? Is Malky obstinately waiting for the right players to become available? If so this might not be a bad thing in the long run but our expectations were raised so high that to sacrifice the short term advantage in the name of longer term ambitions is a bit hard to take right now. I’ve always been intrigued by the phrase ‘a damp squib’. What is a squib? I’ve just looked it up. ‘A broken firecracker that burns but does not explode’. Enough said.

Reflecting on the ‘This Is The Day’ track,  to relieve the tedium during the game I found myself thinking of songs, appropriate or otherwise, that might be signature tunes for our players this season. I came up with the following:

MARSHALL:  Hanging On Too Long - Duffy

McNAUGHTON:  Running On Empty – Jackson Browne

TAYLOR:  You’ll See Glimpses – Ian Dury

HUDSON:  What If We Give It Away? - REM

TURNER:  I Am A Rock – Simon & Garfunkel

WHITTINGHAM:  Please Don’t Go – Van Morrison

COWIE:  Long May You Run – Neil Young

LAWRENCE:  Almost Blue – Elvis Costello

GUNNARSSON:  Here There & Everywhere - Beatles

CONWAY:  Little Wing – Jimi Hendrix

McPHAIL:  Not Much Luck In Our House – The Unthanks

MILLER:  Alone Again Or - Love

EARNSHAW:  Consider Me Gone - Sting

MASON:  The Best Is Yet To Come – Tony Bennett

BLAKE:  Waiting For My Chance To Come – Noah & The Whale

HEATON:  How To Be Invisible – Kate Bush

GESTEDE:  A Massage For You Rudy – The Specials

GERRARD:  Am I Forgiven? – Rumer

AND ONE FOR THE FANS:  Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken? – Lloyd Cole

Please feel free to add your own tunes!

As I dropped Phil off after the game, the parting shot was along the lines of ‘Well that was bloody awful. See you Wednesday.’

‘Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I......’