Elliot Lee seems an odd scapegoat to me. He’s still involved in most of the good things we do.
Its not scapegoating to acknowledge that a player is having a poor run of games.
Only my second game this season but Lee is so clearly head and shoulders above any other player I find any singling out of him in the negative as totally bizarre. If we can't sign him and other quality to match it will be a poor state of affairs.
It was a bad result against a well organised Ainsworth team but can't fault the effort nor the ref really come to that. We had no answer to missing Stockley in personnel or tactics. I enjoyed Leko's effort and involvement. Maybe he didn't start for fitness reasons as others have said.
That was a game that made it obvious this squad isn’t good enough. That’s not to say the season is over but we’ll need a very strong window and top two form for the rest of the season to make the playoffs. I’ve seen a lot worse, we were still better than we were under Adkins but we struggled to break down Wycombe when they defended deep and in numbers. It would have been a different game had we scored first, Wycombe would have had to push forward and we’d have been a threat with Washington running in behind and Leko running at them.
In November TS said we’ve “probably got the best squad and the most depth in the league“ - he needs to completely revaluate that view to ensure we make the right moves this month and in the summer.
Last season we had a big group of squad players and no best team. This season we’ve gone the other way, so many players are almost undroppable because of the poor alternatives. Souare, Watson and Morgan are only on the bench to make up the numbers. None of them are serious options to threaten Purrington, Dobson, Lee and Gilbey’s places. They aren’t going to come on and change the game. Same for Arter who can’t even make the 18.
Up front Davison is another in that group. He started the season well getting a few goals and showing he had improved, but he’s not kept that up and is back looking like a player who needs regular games at a lower level.
Felt Bustow and Inniss came on too late but it comes back to the above points. I expect the reason is much more to do with limited options on the bench than a manager who is unwilling to use subs.
Going to be interesting to see where we go from here - does JJ change the formation to make us less predictable? He could switch to a diamond to add another midfielder, but who would you want to pick as the fourth CM? Perhaps we’ll see a flat 4-4-2 with Gilbey or Lee as one of the wide midfielders. The team is pretty much picking itself, we need a good window to improve the overall quality of the squad and options from the bench.
Elliot Lee seems an odd scapegoat to me. He’s still involved in most of the good things we do.
Its not scapegoating to acknowledge that a player is having a poor run of games.
Only my second game this season but Lee is so clearly head and shoulders above any other player I find any singling out of him in the negative as totally bizarre. If we can't sign him and other quality to match it will be a poor state of affairs.
It was a bad result against a well organised Ainsworth team but can't fault the effort nor the ref really come to that. We had no answer to missing Stockley in personnel or tactics. I enjoyed Leko's effort and involvement. Maybe he didn't start for fitness reasons as others have said.
Nice to see some football. Glass half full here.
He is head and shoulders above them ability wise, but what's he creating with that? Not done much with the ball since Burton, and has been well below his own standard at Shrewsbury, against Ipswich and again today.
I like him a lot, but he's not been playing well recently.
Not a very enjoyable game to start the new year, the cheating, diving and play acting was off the charts today by both teams, ref didn’t have a clue and got sucked in every time. Games like that make me wish for the old days when it was a man’s game, not a bunch of wet wipes playing, pathetic really, pissed me right off.
The league season is over now for me, but lets use the January window to put together a strong team ahead of next season. Hopefully come August we can hit the ground running this time and avoid the shambles that was last summer.
In the mean time it would be nice to try and win the pizza trophy, its probably the only thing we can realistically go for now and another Wembley day out would be great.
Don't normally comment but infuriated by the constant shirt pulling and time wasting tactics of the chair boys who must surely be renamed the shirt pullers. That the referee, who normally officiated in the the national league dealt with it early on it would have been a different game. That said, from what I have seen this season, whatever the question the answer cannot be Davison. Yes he may have come through the academy but was definitely not good enough.
David Stockdale was a total disgrace and contributed more than 5 minutes of time wasting on his own.
All that Jacko can do is write his report on the performance of unfit and incompetent officials and make sure that we can recruit somebody that will allow Davison to go out on loan or be sold.
First half was awful, we looked miles off the pace, JD was the whipping boy, nothing came off for him and he was rightly subbed at half time, just does t look up to the required standard at the moment, covid hangover?
2nd half a lot better, if we’d played like that in the 1st half we might have got something from the game.
I don't think things were nearly as bad as some people are making out. Plymouth was bad but I kind of discount that given the Covid issues we now know were in the side. Morecambe second half and Shrewsbury were not good. In this game, we just lacked our first choice center forward and consistency with our final ball. We had two of three balls in that were just cleared.
We are short a striker, probably two as Davison needs to go out on loan or just moved on. He's never looked like he has the technical ability to be a League One player, and when he plays in a front two, it's clear he lacks the tactical ability as well. When playing up front on his own, his constant movement can be an asset, but when playing with a partner in a better tactical team it's clear he just doesn't make the right decisions in his running.
Wycombe are a good side relegated from the Championship last year. We kept their front three relatively quiet, except for their one chance where Gilbey and Purrington switched off and a moment of quality from McCleary was the difference.
The problem with games like today isn't the result in a vacuum, it's the awful start to the season and letting Adkins stay too long. If we had, say, the average points per game we've had since Jacko took over, we'd be in and around the playoffs and matches like today would be unfortunate but one in which we probably just about deserved a draw and lost. But because we're so far back of the playoffs, we basically have to win or draw all of the close ones and all of the ones against playoff rivals. And that just isn't going to happen, unfortunately.
I disagree with those who say this shows were a mid-table League One side. We weren't massively outplayed or outclassed, especially in contrast to the reverse fixture. We were relatively even with a team in the playoff places. And that's been the case pretty consistently since Jacko took over. It's actually teams lower down who park the bus who we've struggled against more.
As I said above, we lack a striker, maybe two (and we did lose one outside of the transfer window), and someone to provide cover for Lee. This squad doesn't need to be completely torn down and rebuilt. Our keeper is decent, back three are solid even if Pearce can't do it forever (and we now have Gunter and Iniss back fit as cover), our first choice midfield three are quite good, and Stockley and Washington are good together up top. It's about adding depth to what we have in different places, not starting again.
That was horrible. Even the coverage was crap. Why keep a feckin camera on a player off the ball for so long when the game is being played on?? So slow, Were they from Wycombe to?
As for us we palyed right into WW hands. Sod all urgency. No real movement, sluggish all game. Davidson had an absolute mare. Was leko returning from covid or injury, as he should of started. Putting Innis up top at the end highlights how much we miss Jayden.
Utter bollocks.
Agree. Not worth 10 quid for the quality of the coverage. It's much better but there are strange camera issues as you say but mostly streaming isn't the same quality as normal TV.
Well that game has probably proved to anyone but the most optimistic fan that the play-offs are way out of reach this season. That was always going to be the case after our poor start to the season and the fact that this team could never consistently produce the sort of displays we saw against Plymouth and Ipswich at home.
You don't have to be a genius to work out that if you take either Stockley or Washington out of the team, our threat up front is considerably reduced. I like Davison, and hoped he would come good, but even I have to admit he was poor today. We desperately need a forward in the transfer window - I wonder if Steve Gallen can persuade LB to let us have Aneke back on loan?
Otherwise, we huffed and puffed but never looked like blowing the house down. Don't think anyone (apart from Davison) played that badly but there was just something missing today.
Finally, that ref was another hopeless case. The longer the game went on, the more Wycombe wasted time and he never once tried to hurry them up or book one of their players. We need to get out of this league asap just to get away from these referees.
That was a game that made it obvious this squad isn’t good enough. That’s not to say the season is over but we’ll need a very strong window and top two form for the rest of the season to make the playoffs. I’ve seen a lot worse, we were still better than we were under Adkins but we struggled to break down Wycombe when they defended deep and in numbers. It would have been a different game had we scored first, Wycombe would have had to push forward and we’d have been a threat with Washington running in behind and Leko running at them.
In November TS said we’ve “probably got the best squad and the most depth in the league“ - he needs to completely revaluate that view to ensure we make the right moves this month and in the summer.
Last season we had a big group of squad players and no best team. This season we’ve gone the other way, so many players are almost undroppable because of the poor alternatives. Souare, Watson and Morgan are only on the bench to make up the numbers. None of them are serious options to threaten Purrington, Dobson, Lee and Gilbey’s places. They aren’t going to come on and change the game. Same for Arter who can’t even make the 18.
Up front Davison is another in that group. He started the season well getting a few goals and showing he had improved, but he’s not kept that up and is back looking like a player who needs regular games at a lower level.
Felt Bustow and Inniss came on too late but it comes back to the above points. I expect the reason is much more to do with limited options on the bench than a manager who is unwilling to use subs.
Going to be interesting to see where we go from here - does JJ change the formation to make us less predictable? He could switch to a diamond to add another midfielder, but who would you want to pick as the fourth CM? Perhaps we’ll see a flat 4-4-2 with Gilbey or Lee as one of the wide midfielders. The team is pretty much picking itself, we need a good window to improve the overall quality of the squad and options from the bench.
We can't go to a flat back 4 until Lavelle is fit. It's a big call for Jackson changing the system but if he doesn't we are playing with a squad of about 15 as so many are either useless or of no use.
This group of players really do lack the combination of players that are both good enough and street smart. Even our experienced pros don't seem very good at game management.
That was a game that made it obvious this squad isn’t good enough. That’s not to say the season is over but we’ll need a very strong window and top two form for the rest of the season to make the playoffs. I’ve seen a lot worse, we were still better than we were under Adkins but we struggled to break down Wycombe when they defended deep and in numbers. It would have been a different game had we scored first, Wycombe would have had to push forward and we’d have been a threat with Washington running in behind and Leko running at them.
In November TS said we’ve “probably got the best squad and the most depth in the league“ - he needs to completely revaluate that view to ensure we make the right moves this month and in the summer.
Last season we had a big group of squad players and no best team. This season we’ve gone the other way, so many players are almost undroppable because of the poor alternatives. Souare, Watson and Morgan are only on the bench to make up the numbers. None of them are serious options to threaten Purrington, Dobson, Lee and Gilbey’s places. They aren’t going to come on and change the game. Same for Arter who can’t even make the 18.
Up front Davison is another in that group. He started the season well getting a few goals and showing he had improved, but he’s not kept that up and is back looking like a player who needs regular games at a lower level.
Felt Bustow and Inniss came on too late but it comes back to the above points. I expect the reason is much more to do with limited options on the bench than a manager who is unwilling to use subs.
Going to be interesting to see where we go from here - does JJ change the formation to make us less predictable? He could switch to a diamond to add another midfielder, but who would you want to pick as the fourth CM? Perhaps we’ll see a flat 4-4-2 with Gilbey or Lee as one of the wide midfielders. The team is pretty much picking itself, we need a good window to improve the overall quality of the squad and options from the bench.
We can't go to a flat back 4 until Lavelle is fit. It's a big call for Jackson changing the system but if he doesn't we are playing with a squad of about 15 as so many are either useless or of no use.
This group of players really do lack the combination of players that are both good enough and street smart. Even our experienced pros don't seem very good at game management.
Knew it was going to be one of those days.. No buses into basingstoke so had to drive ie no beer. Valley Cafe not open so no brekkie. No Stockley and I know their a physical outfit. Had he played I am certain score would have been different. Onwards and upwards.
We have turned a corner. We look organised and are competing.
We should have had a clear penalty and hit the post in the second half. It's not as doomed as everybody is now going to make out ffs.
Where was the clear penalty? If it was the handball the lad looked to have headed it from the floor from my seat
Exactly - Obstruction. I don't think you're allowed to attempt a header from the floor while the ball is about to be struck on the grass.
I might be wrong though.
It takes about 30-40 minutes to read the laws of the game. Don't you think it'd be time well spent, considering the proportion of time you might spend watching the game?
Comments
It was a bad result against a well organised Ainsworth team but can't fault the effort nor the ref really come to that. We had no answer to missing Stockley in personnel or tactics. I enjoyed Leko's effort and involvement. Maybe he didn't start for fitness reasons as others have said.
Nice to see some football. Glass half full here.
Pick up the ball for a throw-in or put the ball down for a corner then you should either take those set pieces or get booked - simple.
= booking - simple.
In November TS said we’ve “probably got the best squad and the most depth in the league“ - he needs to completely revaluate that view to ensure we make the right moves this month and in the summer.
Last season we had a big group of squad players and no best team. This season we’ve gone the other way, so many players are almost undroppable because of the poor alternatives. Souare, Watson and Morgan are only on the bench to make up the numbers. None of them are serious options to threaten Purrington, Dobson, Lee and Gilbey’s places. They aren’t going to come on and change the game. Same for Arter who can’t even make the 18.
Up front Davison is another in that group. He started the season well getting a few goals and showing he had improved, but he’s not kept that up and is back looking like a player who needs regular games at a lower level.
Felt Bustow and Inniss came on too late but it comes back to the above points. I expect the reason is much more to do with limited options on the bench than a manager who is unwilling to use subs.
Going to be interesting to see where we go from here - does JJ change the formation to make us less predictable? He could switch to a diamond to add another midfielder, but who would you want to pick as the fourth CM? Perhaps we’ll see a flat 4-4-2 with Gilbey or Lee as one of the wide midfielders. The team is pretty much picking itself, we need a good window to improve the overall quality of the squad and options from the bench.
I like him a lot, but he's not been playing well recently.
In the mean time it would be nice to try and win the pizza trophy, its probably the only thing we can realistically go for now and another Wembley day out would be great.
That said, from what I have seen this season, whatever the question the answer cannot be Davison. Yes he may have come through the academy but was definitely not good enough.
David Stockdale was a total disgrace and contributed more than 5 minutes of time wasting on his own.
All that Jacko can do is write his report on the performance of unfit and incompetent officials and make sure that we can recruit somebody that will allow Davison to go out on loan or be sold.
2nd half a lot better, if we’d played like that in the 1st half we might have got something from the game.
We are short a striker, probably two as Davison needs to go out on loan or just moved on. He's never looked like he has the technical ability to be a League One player, and when he plays in a front two, it's clear he lacks the tactical ability as well. When playing up front on his own, his constant movement can be an asset, but when playing with a partner in a better tactical team it's clear he just doesn't make the right decisions in his running.
Wycombe are a good side relegated from the Championship last year. We kept their front three relatively quiet, except for their one chance where Gilbey and Purrington switched off and a moment of quality from McCleary was the difference.
The problem with games like today isn't the result in a vacuum, it's the awful start to the season and letting Adkins stay too long. If we had, say, the average points per game we've had since Jacko took over, we'd be in and around the playoffs and matches like today would be unfortunate but one in which we probably just about deserved a draw and lost. But because we're so far back of the playoffs, we basically have to win or draw all of the close ones and all of the ones against playoff rivals. And that just isn't going to happen, unfortunately.
I disagree with those who say this shows were a mid-table League One side. We weren't massively outplayed or outclassed, especially in contrast to the reverse fixture. We were relatively even with a team in the playoff places. And that's been the case pretty consistently since Jacko took over. It's actually teams lower down who park the bus who we've struggled against more.
As I said above, we lack a striker, maybe two (and we did lose one outside of the transfer window), and someone to provide cover for Lee. This squad doesn't need to be completely torn down and rebuilt. Our keeper is decent, back three are solid even if Pearce can't do it forever (and we now have Gunter and Iniss back fit as cover), our first choice midfield three are quite good, and Stockley and Washington are good together up top. It's about adding depth to what we have in different places, not starting again.
You don't have to be a genius to work out that if you take either Stockley or Washington out of the team, our threat up front is considerably reduced. I like Davison, and hoped he would come good, but even I have to admit he was poor today. We desperately need a forward in the transfer window - I wonder if Steve Gallen can persuade LB to let us have Aneke back on loan?
Otherwise, we huffed and puffed but never looked like blowing the house down. Don't think anyone (apart from Davison) played that badly but there was just something missing today.
Finally, that ref was another hopeless case. The longer the game went on, the more Wycombe wasted time and he never once tried to hurry them up or book one of their players. We need to get out of this league asap just to get away from these referees.
It is so frustrating. I realize there is pressure on teams to win, but this sort of football drives spectators away in their droves.
This group of players really do lack the combination of players that are both good enough and street smart. Even our experienced pros don't seem very good at game management.
No buses into basingstoke so had to drive ie no beer. Valley Cafe not open so no brekkie. No Stockley and I know their a physical outfit. Had he played I am certain score would have been different. Onwards and upwards.