Howard Wilkinson was the last English manager to win the League Championship. He had a philosophy that he summarised as ‘we get organised, then we practice’. As footballing philosophies go, it doesn’t quite have the panache of gengenpressing or tika-taka; and probably explains why there hasn’t been an English manager at the top of the table for 30 years.

But, there’s a lot to be said for getting organised and practising, it’s not something we seem to be good at given how long it takes us to get into a groove each season. We can speculate as to why; the complexity of our system, the disruption of injuries, the efficiency with which Karl Robinson can communicate what he wants, the speed we make signings. It could be all, some, none or a combination of those things.

Once organised and practised, you can move on from all the trying and caring and get on with doing. And boy, have we needed to do some doing this season. The key for me is movement with the ball, and against Port Vale, that was particularly evident through Djavan Anderson, whose explosive pace was almost Baldock-esque.

We’ve missed that; in previous seasons we’ve had pace from Whyte, Holland, Sykes and ball carrying out of defence from Dickie, Atkinson and McNally. The movement shifts shapes and disrupts lines. This season, at home, we’ve faced a lot of well organised teams, and not stretched them at all. We’ve preferred neat and compact, but it’s left us static.

Anderson’s movement put Port Vale on alert, they seem like a good side, but they had to be wary of getting caught. It opened up other players; Browne is quick and strong, but he’s not explosive, he needs a space to get to cruising speed. When opponents are backing off, he suddenly gets a bit more freedom and looks menacing. Likewise Taylor – not quick, but good at exploiting space, Henry, not strong, but clever and technically gifted. As the Sultans of Ping FC once sung ‘Give him a ball and a yard of grass, He’ll give you a move with the perfect pass.’

They also say – ‘A man can have no greater love than spending 90 minutes with his friends’ and, more than all of this, we needed an afternoon at home and a comfortable win to remind everyone that it is possible to achieve. We’d won twice at home this season, and both were scratchy, difficult wins. Away has been better, but only 10% of your fans see those games, so home form defines everything.

I’m also pleased for the clean sheet and for Simon Eastwood, ever since THAT mistake against Swindon, it’s felt like Eastwood has been defined by Jack Stevens’ form, rather than because he’s our best keeper. But he still pulls off some excellent stops, none better than the point-blank reaction save against Harrison.

Robinson dismissed the save because Eastwood’s poor kick apparently led to the chance, and it was his job to sort it out. I can’t say I noticed, but it seemed disingenuous to make the point because the save was magnificent and the clean sheet an important marker for the defensive unit. 

There was a bit of criticism after Robinson’s pre-match comments about the injury situation. I thought it made more sense than was given credit. Injuries are complicated and decisions are risk-based judgements. You don’t go from injured to fit like turning on a light switch. A week or so, I cut the top of my finger off, medically, it’s healed, but it’s still tender and scarred and if I catch it, it will open up again. I’m fit, but not match fit, when I’ll get to use it properly is a judgement and my return to onion chopping duties will be gradual. That’s where we are with injuries, some things look better than they were, some things are worse, what happens next is an educated guess. 

Robinson said he was tired and needed a break. Whether 24 hours is enough to refresh himself, I don’t know, but it was good that he’s got that self-awareness. It’s often commented that he’s the sole face of the club at times and is an almost constant presence in everything the club seems to do from the community work to the commercial side to the women’s game. It’s not a surprise that things don’t always make sense or that he repeats himself from time to time, but rather like the comment about Eastwood, getting organised and practising before talking wouldn’t go amiss sometimes.