JFH: My Brewers can still do better than that
EVER the perfectionist, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink felt his Burton Albion side had not been quite on their game in beating Sunderland 1-0 at the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Brewers manager admitted they had ridden their luck in the first half especially and knew that goalkeeper Ben Garratt, who was outstanding, had been made to work harder than would have been ideal by a quick-passing Sunderland team who had also gone into the game unbeaten.
Nonetheless, the Brewers prevailed and have now won all three of their League One matches so far, two of them against early promotion favourites.
“The thing is, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with the result but the performance was not as good as against Ipswich,” said Hasselbaink.
“I can understand that because we have had three really high intensity games – Oxford, Ipswich and now Sunderland – and our energy levels dropped a little. But we overcame it.
“It was hard work, with players working from the platform, staying patient and making it difficult for the opposition.
“We did that, even though we rode our luck, especially in the first half.
“But let’s not forget, Sunderland have very good players and there were always going to be spells in the game when we would have to defend with numbers – and we did that.
“They have players with a lot of experience who can manipulate the ball, play one-twos around the box and get shots off.
“It was one of the those days that we needed our goalkeeper to be on top form – and he was.
“It’s not easy. At times, you have to say, OK, their quality is there. Can we regroup, stay together, stay organised, be difficult to beat and wait our time. I think we did that well at times.”
Hasselbaink admitted he was happy to get to half-time with the game still goalless, Aiden Mcgeady having missed the best chance early in the game when he was through one-on-one against Garratt and attempted an ill-advised dink which the keeper was able to push away.
“Their chances were much better in the first half and I was very happy it was 0-0,” said the Dutchman.
“We could have a little breather and understand what was going on and why they had the chances.
“One was from our own mistake, another was just from their good play and, sometimes, you have to admit that, you have to say ‘yeah, they worked us really well.’
“But what I do like is that we keep on going. We stuck together and we got over the line.
“When we scored – and it was a great goal from Jonny Smith – we dropped back to defend that 1-0. I want us to go forward and defend that goal in their half and be frontfooted.
“I’m being very critical and maybe I shouldn’t but those are the facts of the game.
“In a way, we made it a little bit difficult for ourselves but, overall, I
Their chances were much better in the first half and I was happy it was 0-0. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
am delighted.
“It’s three points and, if we are on our game against Cambridge (on Saturday), that’s three points to play for as well, so we won’t get carried away.
“It is three very good points against a very good team but it’s important to stay humble and keep on working.
“It’s a good feeling but there are a lot of matches to play. We’ll try to get better and better and stick with it.”
Much as he loved Smith’s goal, a superb first-time strike, Hasselbaink wants more from the winger he signed from Bristol City last season.
“We expect so much from Jonny because we know he has it in him. He has not kicked off yet,” he said.
“I thought that, at times, he could do a lot better but, at the defining moment, he was there. He was sin
gle-minded and that’s what it is about.
“He didn’t take a touch, it was bang – and it was a goal. He has that and we know it.”
Smith almost added a second with a 25-yard shot which crashed against the post. The manager thought it was in.
“I was already jumping! I wanted the breather of 2-0 but it wasn’t meant to be,” he said.
Burton have now had three full-on matches inside a week. Hasselbaink knows his players will be feeling it but they had better get used to it.
“I think they suffered a lot more than against Ipswich, Oxford and Shrewsbury – a lot more,” he said.
“But if you want to win, you have to be prepared to suffer. It’s the one who wants to suffer the most who will win.”