I was going to use the preamble to the first quiz of the season to address what I believe to be City’s wholly inadequate work in the transfer window so far in terms of new signings. However, instead, I’m going to spend a few paragraphs talking about the under 21 team’s encouraging and entertaining showing in beating AFC Bournemouth 4-1 last night at Leckwith in the Premier League Cup.
After a pre season of very mixed results (a win at Liverpool and draw at Chelsea along with heavy defeats by Fulham and Torquay), it was a strong City outfit which took the field. Eli King captained the side and played forty five minutes as he eases his way back after missing last season with his ACL injury, Dak Mafico played the ninety minutes and, although he would have been disappointed in his part in Bournemouth’s goal, he generally showed that he has outgrown this level and really needs the loan move City want for him. Rob Tankiewicz, who I suspect will be part of the first team squad.this year, played about an hour so it all meant that Troy Perrett, a stalwart of the team for the first half of last season before his loan move to Yeovil, started on the bench.
City started with what was almost a back three as the impressive Jac Thomas spent more time on the left wing than at left back and on the other flank, the tireless winger Jake Davies was a constant threat throughout. It was from the right flank that the first half’s only goal arrived on eight minutes when a corner dropped to Jack Sykes who found the net with an angled shot from ten yards.
City’s early domination was based on a very aggressive press high up the pitch and, although that, understandably, waned somewhat as play went on in the sultry conditions, they were definitely the better side and were only denied a second goal from Sykes by a great close range save by the Bournemouth keeper after a flowing move involving Tankiewicz and Davies.
King’s withdrawal at half time looked planned, but Thomas’ was down to an injury it seemed and although Bournemouth upped their game in the early stages of the second half, their complete dominance of the opening ten minutes or so seemed to have something to do with the two substitutes (Perrett and Gabriel Keita) finding it hard to get up to speed with the game.
Bournemouth were soon level through Jonny Day and within a minute or two had missed a very good chance to go ahead. The visitors were definitely the more likely scorers of the game’s third goal at this stage, but it was then that Tankiewicz, who had been as impressive as I’ve seen him at this level, restored the lead with a drilled low, left footed, effort from the edge of the penalty area.
Tankiewicz was then taken off and, even if we do sign somebody before Monday’s game with Wrexham, I’d say he’s likely to be in the squad that night on this showing. I’m not going to sound particularly original here because I’m just repeating something that the commentators on the stream I watched said, but Tankiewicz has that ability which the best players have to be able to be fully aware of what’s going on around him. Sometimes you can only conclude that this is down to something natural which you either have or you don’t, but, last night you could clearly see that Tankiewicz has what the pundits laughably call the ability to pick their head up in spades – it was so obvious that he was taking in what was happening around him by keeping his head up both just before and just after he received possession.
Tankiewicz;s withdrawal freed up Perrett to move forward to his more natural position and he soon was transformed into probably the most influential player on the pitch as our earlier domination was restored. One other thing the substitutions made at this time did was give me my first look at Isaac Davies and Herbie James two signings from around last February who both impressed in their different ways.
Davies was credited with an assistant when he played a short free kick to Perrett, but there was still so much to do for Troy who worked himself a shooting angle and then curled a shot beyond the keeper and off the far upright from a very similar position to where Tankiewicz had netted from.
It was the best goal of the night and it was Perrett again who completed the scoring with a more routine finish from around the penalty spot when the ball broke to him following another run by Jake Davies, this time on the left.
Jake Dennis made a fine late save to ensure City’s three goal winning margin was maintained – that perhaps flattered us, but not by much because we were the better time for 85/90 per cent of the game. It was one of the most complete and satisfying under 21 performances I’ve seen from City and let me emphasise that any players I haven’t mentioned were not poor – we didn’t have a weak performer and I’d give all players involved at least a seven out of ten.
Here’s a link to the game if you’ve got the time to watch it – it’s well worth doing so.
On to the quiz then which is in the tried and trusted (well, that’s what I’m calling it!) format even if Wrexham, with their long spell out of the EFL, are probably the hardest team to set one for that we’re going to face this season.
I’ll post the answers on Tuesday morning.
60s. He’d be a number six in today’s terminology I suppose, but when he started his career he was very much a wing half. Born within the shadow of the Midlands ground used by the club all of his family supported, he got the chance to play for this team after his performances for a local non league side attracted their attention, but this didn’t mean he packed in the job he had working in a post office! In truth, he never came close to breaking into his home town team’s senior side and went on to spend three seasons with a non league county town where he was a semi professional. A transfer fee of £750 was enough to take him to a side which although not a today’s stellar level, were an established top flight team at the time. It took him a while to break into the first team, but, once he did so, he became a fixture in it as he clocked up over two hundred and fifty league appearances. It was in the FA Cup though where he enjoyed most success losing one Final, but winning another one against the team he had supported and represented as a young man – although this game is remembered mostly for the heroics of one of his team mates. A couple of other things about him while with his first professional club, he described a tactical innovation involving one of his team mates as “bollocks” and, seemingly, became the first player to score a hat trick of penalties in a game. He was thirty two when he joined Wrexham where he stayed for four years and oversaw a promotion, a relegation and a record club win. After retirement, he had a number of off field roles including manager with various clubs, but probably did best as a scout – he has a son who played international football, but can you name him?
70s. With a first name which it could be said gave away his nationality and a surname which was probably not true at the time, this forward scored at a good enough rate at Wrexham during his three years in the first team to earn a move which was not too far geographically, but quite a distance in terms of the game’s pecking order. Unfortunately, after an encouraging start when he got a first team chance, injury, effectively, ended his career at professional level as it was mostly non league stuff for him after that, apart from a very brief spell with Wrexham in which he never got to play a first team game – who am I describing?
80s. I help brat from Cardiff (4,5).
90s. Sounds like correct grade for a mode of transport!
00s. Paint job completed.
10s. Which current League Two manager played for Wrexham at Wembley during this decade?
20s. Lady vocalist meets man who sang he was a dreamer to become Wrexham defender!
