Choices (with extras)

Did anyone watch Burton Albions performance at Bradford last night?

Burton employed the 5-4-1/4-3-3 tactic, perfectly I might add. It worked because the mentality of the team was not to soak up pressure and hope for the best, it was employed to prevent an ariel threat from Bradford in Hanson and the pace of a young player called Wells, get hold of the ball and get it into wide areas.

Fortunately for Burton they delivered some great deliveries into the box and thus produced 3 really high quality goals. All three were sublime strikes, the header in particular was a sweet contact whilst running on to the ball from a huge lad called Zola.

I know I will come in for some criticism perhaps for comparing Sammon to Zola, as I have seen Zola play 3 times once live and twice on the box and Sammon once live and three times on the box. However I do think I am entitled to give a view on the basic comparisons that I have noticed, and have been holding back from joining the great Sammon debate.

Sammon, 26, at 6' 2"
Zola, 28, at 6' 3"

Sammon is of slighter build than Zola, who is a very well built unit and hard to shift once on the ball. Sammon can hold a ball but needs more time and space to achieve it. There is also a difference in the way they are utilised in that respect. If Burton decide to hit Zola as their target man, they aim balls into his chest or lower in preference to head high deliveries. The fact that Zola can then either keep that ball or bring in wider options means the full backs and midfield get to push on. My final point on this is the comparison between the two as an ariel and striking threat. Zola favours a run onto a cross, where in comparison Sammon prefers to get his position get set and then strike. Last night Zola powered past a full back at an angle to goal and unleashed a great swerving strike into the far post. I have to say I have seen no evidence of that sort of quality from Connor In fact when I see him playing for us now I just can't shift that awful image of his airshot against Leicester. I actually went red when I saw that.

Anyway the gist of my article is choices. I have been given a moral stretching choice this weekend. A choice between a freebie to Pride Park for the last League game courtesy of a Friend, or spend 14 quid on a shorter trip to the Pirelli Stadium and witness a blood and thunder tie whilst standing up and being right close to the action.

Those who really know me here will already know which way I have swayed. Do I feel guilty about it? Yes. I have purposefully waited until an hour ago to book my tickets, as I would not want to think I have stopped a Brewer who is a regular from seeing this game. So I waited until the last 250 were on sale.

This is the honest truth, I am really looking forward to it. And I know I wouldn't have been the other way round.