Yeh the armchair experts are full of it.
Option 1. do orbits, weaves, extra track miles etc to bleed off energy but get it wrong and you go in short. Result - Hull lose with who knows how many casulties
Option2. Get it down, carry extra speed and make sure you get it on. Result - Some blown tyres, aircraft saved and no fatalties.
Sure, when I was a fighter pilot in the air force I could glide a macchi, Hawk or equivalent in from 20nm, given enough altitude. But I trained and instructed for it regulalry. These days we don't train for this anymore chaps (rightly or wrongly), so there is a high chance of f..k ups!
I say good job, but there may be some out there who think they could have done better. Zero fatalities and a saved aircraft is the benchmark!