I've written a lot of times for many years that I'm happy if we score early and defend, if it means winning. And yesterday, that was exactly what we did so I'll be the last person to complain however I do have something to say about it.
And you'll know what's coming next as it's probably going to be in the title, but we were fortunate. And fortune can be viewed through many different lenses. Dean Smith will be looking through one but we know he knows he was fortunate and I'll look through another. You, I'm sure will also look through another lens and the person next to you another.
That said and let me remove fortune for a minute, because fortunate doesn't always come to the party when invited, it's the risk that scares me. We went out in the second half yesterday essentially to hold on to the three points and some might say that as soon as things had settled down after scoring, we went into defensive mode then. It worries me that that is our approach.
Had we played a better team, a side at full strength, a side fighting for something or let me say it, a side with fortune on their side, we could have just as easily come away with a point or nothing. I know it's taking a negative view from a victory, but a consequence of sitting back and defending isn't that you score goals or win more games. However, a consequence of attacking is that you usually score more goals and win more games.
That the man of the match for us yesterday, according to the BBC, was Tyrone Mings isn't something we should be happy about. We all know Mings is a very good defender, but all he did yesterday was what we'd expect. You could argue that the type of match yesterday was no lose for the defenders. Had Leeds scored, with one of their three shots on target, it would be accepted because of the pressure.
It wouldn't have been because we sat back and defended the goal lead.
I want Mings to get the man of the match award when we've won 4-0 and he made that sublime sliding tackle to stop the opposing striker from getting a nothing goal with ten minutes to go. I want it to be because of a beautiful moment of football, not because he was doing his job. Just because we have good defenders and we do, doesn't mean that we should risk results and treat them like work horses.
At the same time of writing the above, there is a really strong argument for stopping the rot, or in this case getting back to winning ways and to do that, you have to do whatever is necessary to build that confidence back. Yesterday could have been about that and we or I don't know and that's why I'm allowed this opinion. And why you are allowed yours.
What I do know is that in March we have Sheffield United, Wolves, Newcastle and Spurs. All of these are winnable matches and if we won them all, we'd be above Liverpool and I'll make a prediction, if we win them all and remember, it is possible, we'll be fifth in the table and within touching distance of something impressive.
And finally, with all that written, I'm happy with the season regardless of what happens now. The above is just my view and remember, fortune favours the brave. I guess your definition of brave is an important one.
Actually, one more thing. That control and the cross for the goal. El Ghazi should be told to shoot more. He'll score more.