Winter to test passing game

THE FIRST frost of winter had us hill-dwelling folk scraping car windows and pulling scarves out of storage.

Now, this column isn’t going to go down the Daily Express route of forecasting woolly mammoths trotting down Sheepfoot Lane amid a new ice age.

But tough weather conditions at this time of year arguably conspired to play a big part in wrecking Athletic’s flow in the big freeze three seasons ago.

In 2010-11, no fixtures were played at all between November 27 and the New Year. From February, and a starting position of fifth in the League One table, Athletic ended the campaign winning only three games out of 20 to finish 17th.

If a similar level of disruption occurs this winter, there is the question of whether regular periods of inactivity will hamper the club’s momentum when matches are eventually played.

There is also the poser, too, of just how well Lee Johnson’s men will cope on cut-up pitches which resemble a badly-kept farmer’s field.

Can a squad built on the ethos of a short-passing game prosper when surfaces are bumpier than a paddock full of camels?

Matches will inevitably become more about physical strength than pretty triangles.

Thankfully, Athletic showed up well on that front at Bristol City, to the extent that the West Country natives were bemoaning perceived rough-house tactics. Not bad for a team led by a “dwarf” (as Rotherham manager Steve Evans allegedly would have it).

Exactly how Athletic will fare when on-field conditions worsen is open to speculation. The proof will be in the pudding — quite literally, when it comes to the soggy, sticky pitches.
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