lost that loving feeling - Gareth Williams' new clothes

An odd title, you may think – and it may take some explaining, but I shall endeavour to enlighten you. I sit with my brother and a bloke we met through sitting there called Graham, and we have a great laugh (which has certainly helped this season go by more cheerfully than it otherwise would have done!). Rich, my brother, used to have an irrational dislike of Riccardo Scimeca once he’d made the progression to midfield – after Des Walker took his captaincy, squad number, house, car, wife, kids, etc.

It’s fairly well-documented how we’ve missed the influence of the capable holding midfielder, although I doubt you’ll ever hear Rich admitting it). So anyway, after a particularly poor pass by Scimeca in one game, he was trotting back nonchalantly when – much to Graham and my amusement, Rich exclaimed: “Look at him strutting around – who does he think he is? Franz Beckenbauer?!” Graham and I were in fits of laughter, and from that moment on Riccardo Scimeca was referred to exclusively as “The Kaiser” as an ironic reference to that passing comparison to the German midfield playmaker.

It was with sadness for most of us that Scimeca sought a season in the Premiership with the top-flight whipping boys Leicester – and of course we’d lost a great reason to have a laugh at the game as well, no more Kaiser references (except of course when reminiscing about the great man’s influence at the base of the diamond). But this season Gareth Williams has stepped forward to be that contender. Until the Crystal Palace game, I think it’s fair to say he’s had an indifferent season to say the least – indeed, since he played in front of a back-four with Scimeca in it, we’ve not really seen the best of Gareth.

Since Des supplanted Riccy and Riccy in turn supplanted Gareth, we’ve never really found a position for him. So naturally he seemed like a natural target for our next witty footballer nickname. Since we’d enjoyed the notion of a rank in designating Scimeca “The Kaiser”, it seemed a logical progression to dub Gareth Williams “The Emperor” – because undoubtedly he’s of high class and proven quality, but it seems once attaining the throne he’s been happy to let others do his bidding rather than justifying his inclusion (don’t forget this is a fans’ eye view – I’m not stating its accuracy!), and also a seemingly prevailing interest in his appearance over, for instance, getting his shorts dirty or his hair messed up.

Now Gareth Williams has played well indeed in spells – but usually lacks somewhat in his willingness to battle for the cause, and of course, hampered by his deep position, has not had much chance to show his offensive qualities. We’ve all seen him have the odd shot here and there through recent seasons, and we know he’s not got a bad shot on him. On Saturday versus away-day form side Palace, Joe had told him to take the more attacking role in the midfield pairing, leaving the perpetually unskilful, but hardworking Danny Sonner to do the clearing up at the back. And wow did it work! I feel silly never having thought of that solution before, to be honest – my frustration at this season in general perhaps blinding me to a few options.

Williams showed an adeptness to get forward, get into the box – and well, bugger me, he took on some defenders and scored two superb goals. He well-deserves the accolades he’s been receiving from the manager, and from self-confessed rather two-faced fans such as myself. He really did look a different player and perhaps the reason for that was we have been playing him out of position? Maybe he made such a great impression in that first season because he had “The Kaiser” sitting just behind him at centre-back to advise and clear up for him? Who knows, all we know is that since then he’s not been able to make the same kind of headway in a holding midfield role.

Perhaps it took some fresh eyes on the squad to see this switch being fortuitous to us, or perhaps it was a lucky guess by the big man – for now, who cares? The performance Williams put in was a big factor in us getting a result where I was hopeful of a draw at best, and if Joe can nurture that level of performance from the Scottish midfielder then I for one will be considering formulating a less ironical nickname more befitting to a cultured attacking midfielder.

Being fickle is part of being a football fan, and well, it could be that Gareth doesn’t manage to perform to that standard again – and that it was just a case of Palace having prepared for the match expecting him to sit deep, so never planning for his roving runs into their danger area? Time will tell, and we’ve not long to wait with Burnley heading to the City Ground on Wednesday for another crucial relegation showdown.

And so, whilst the Emperor as yet has no new clothes, he was prepared to get them dirtier on Saturday, and if he keeps up this level of performing needless to say the Emperor will have a new nickname in Capital One corner!