Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on February 03, 2026, 11:39:06 pm
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Not a place we have had a lot of joy at in the past, and a nightmare to get in and especially away from after a game but at least we go there with the monkey off our back of being in a relegation position for now and need to push on to stay clear of it.
Everything this season about Wycombe suggests a mid table side and built on a better home record their last two results 0-0 at Mansfield and a 2-0 win at home to Wigan built on a solid defence, and moved them up to 9th in the table on 40 points so will be looking for a very good end of season run to get among the play off places being 8 points behind Huddersfield.
Our last two games have been defensively much better especially when we have seen little of the ball but created a fair share of chances in attack. Is this a new way we have learnt to play? even at Bradford we looked dangerous and lacked a bit of luck.
The new signings we made look to have been instrumental in our upturn in form and in Bailey and Molineux we have potent players in front of goal at this level, and if others can join them and show form in front of goal they have been capable of in the past there is no reason for us not to do better in the second half of the season, in a division we have had to learn what it takes to be competitive.
Pearson's substitution following Sharps earlier at Burton showed another change from previous games when we threw men on about the same time every week and tried to make it a multi player game regularly which didn't always work, and with us now better at keeping in games without a lot of possession of the ball a less knee jerk reaction seems to be in favour and working better for us.
That's two things to pick up on that have made a difference and look very much for the better, better class of player, and better management that in recent games has shown to be a benefit.
Can we keep it up? this game is going to be a big test, and with teams very close to us points wise as we have shown things can alter quickly with a couple of bad or good results and we can't relax at all. How we get results like tonight really does not matter as long as we pick up points to stay out of trouble.
As for the weekend the players must be a little more confident, deserve the shirt apart from any tactical reasons for change and the squad as a whole need to band together and keep plugging away every week.
A lot more to look forward to now, have we come of age in this division? can we go to places like Wycombe and get something out of the game? Are we seeing a different side to our game, not as gung ho and much more dogged? Certain players Molineux and Bailey are looking more important to us with every game that passes, we very much need them to keep clear of injury.
Lots to talk about and lot's to look forward to, also a lot of work to keep out of trouble and take one match at a time. Please have your say.
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Historically, Wycombe must be the very worst away ground for us, even worse than Reading. We have played them 6 times dating back to 1993 and have a record of won 0, drawn 1 and lost 5. We are currently on a 4 match losing run there and have failed to score in exactly half of all our games there. The last goal we scored there was actually under McCann in January 2019. This is historically, the very toughest of places for us to go.
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All runs come to an end though.
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That one draw was in the League Cup back in October 2006 and we subsequently lost on penalties.
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Good battling performance last night but some very tired legs on show. Sterry in particular had a difficult night and might benefit from a rest.
Lee looked great, TLT was good and will probably be needed again on Saturday. McGrath had a good game, as did Byrne and Pearson looked solid when he came on, so any two from three there.
Otherwise same team to start, and stop this Wycombe hoo-doo!
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Good battling performance last night but some very tired legs on show. Sterry in particular had a difficult night and might benefit from a rest.
Lee looked great, TLT was good and will probably be needed again on Saturday. McGrath had a good game, as did Byrne and Pearson looked solid when he came on, so any two from three there.
Otherwise same team to start, and stop this Wycombe hoo-doo!
Talking of Sterry, what the hell was he doing or thinking when he just stopped playing and allowed their attacker a free run into the box?
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Glad someone mentioned that “Sterry” moment - it was one of the most bizarre things I’ve seen, what was he doing?
Did he think the ball had gone out?
Was he thinking we had, or was claiming a free kick?
He didn’t have the best first half, and neither did Senior, but they were much better in the second.
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That one draw was in the League Cup back in October 2006 and we subsequently lost on penalties.
A 100pc losing record. Great!
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Obviously a win here would be historic given our previous record but McCann like breaking them so why not.
Would help alot to bridging the gap in the table to those teams on 37 points and maybe create a little buffer to the drop zone.
Another weeks training with Lee in the team will only help refine things offensively and help McCann select the best options around him.
Hope the news on Clark isn't too bad and the prognosis on Frankie remains two or three weeks more.
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How we play is less important than the end result, up to the last few games we have been somewhat of a one trick pony both on the field, and it must be said game management during the game, not particularly changing tactics in games but putting like for like players on in much the same set up and hoping things got better, at least that's how I saw it up to the last few games.
Just putting very similar players on if it wasn't working from the 65th minute on sometimes three at a time, and expecting things to be different, the only difference they were fresher but had to get in the game and up to pace straight away but rarely making the other side alter their set up and testing them differently.
The last few games we have been better at that and have made the other sides readjust, the better class of player the loans have brought to the party the main difference.
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If we can go there and get a result to back up last nights win it could be absolutely massive in respect to the end of the season finish which was looking quite bleak just a couple of weeks ago. before our upturn in form.
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I hope their pitch is of a decent standard come Saturday with all the rain the country has been getting.
It’s important to have a good surface when you have players who like to get on the ball like Mols, Haks & now Lee in order for them to be able to produce those passes & runs that drive the team forward.
I’m excited for Saturday.
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I hope their pitch is of a decent standard come Saturday with all the rain the country has been getting.
It’s important to have a good surface when you have players who like to get on the ball like Mols, Haks & now Lee in order for them to be able to produce those passes & runs that drive the team forward.
I’m excited for Saturday.
Apparently good drainage there and major pitch improvements 2025. Fingers crossed, as there's a lorra lotta rain forecast there all the way from tonight through Saturday. Windy too at match time.
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It will be my first trip to Wycombe. Maybe I can be a lucky charm?
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Hopefully none of this carry on: https://x.com/wwfcofficial/status/1044504332396363777 (https://x.com/wwfcofficial/status/1044504332396363777)
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Hopefully none of this carry on: https://x.com/wwfcofficial/status/1044504332396363777 (https://x.com/wwfcofficial/status/1044504332396363777)
Straight back up!
Trying to imagine the reaction on some drama queen like Bruno Fernandes if he was on the receiving end of this!
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And he only got a yellow card.. granted it must have been his second yellow as the ref produced a red card after.
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Was it John McGrath walking away at the end of the clip, at a glance looked very much like Jay walking towards the camera.
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We had not won at Wimbledon, but they did, we have not done well at Wycombe, but they will, what happened even a few years ago have nothing to do with the current squad.
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Was it John McGrath walking away at the end of the clip, at a glance looked very much like Jay walking towards the camera.
Only if he was playing for us at 13
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TLT
Sterry
Byrne
McGrath
Senior
Gotts
Bailey
Clifton
Molyneux
Lee
Adelakun
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Leahy and Onyedinma caught my eye in the home game for Wycombe. Looked top quality players for this division.
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Any chance this is off its seems seems to have rained forever
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Tough watch so far, not been in the game at all. Hopefully come out better in the second half. You reds.
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Terrible at moment. They have done their homework on us and it has worked. Ref abysmal but that’s no excuse
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We’ve never beat these on their ground . Wycombe are a very physical side and we are just to loose in our approach and in the midfield. We are in this position in the league because our over all player stature is just too small and light weight .
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defending our own box abysmal
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defending our own box abysmal
It’s our attack that’s none existent!!!
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Absolute shite !
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defending our own box abysmal
It’s our attack that’s none existent!!!
Let’s face it we are dreadfully deficient all round aren’t we.
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I’m only staying cause my cars boxed in.
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Bit of an eye opener for any Jack Senior fans
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Poor team effort. Grant has to answer to this. A tough game Tuesday. Yes a win but needed to freshen it up. Sorry Grant you are good but this is down to you
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Any chance this is off its seems seems to have rained forever
If only.
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Outplayed by a better team. Move on.
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Let’s stay off here tonight lads, the moaners will be out in force tonight.
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Bit of an eye opener for any Jack Senior fans
One of many players who aren't good enough for League One.
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Let’s stay off here tonight lads, the moaners will be out in force tonight.
What sort of posts do you expect from a 4-0 defeat (that could very well have been even worse)? It’s one of the worst performances of the season and we are in big, big bother. Lots to discuss.
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Plenty to discuss absolutely, but we already know what’s coming. We lose a game and every player is shit and McCann needs sacking and we are going down, we win a game and every player is amazing and the “we’ve got McCann” chants come out. It’s laughable from a small portion of our fanbase.
Wigan conceded 6, Rotherham lost by 3-0 despite Cardiff being down to 10 from the 21st minute.
Only team that won today is Northampton, shit day for ourselves but there’s plenty still to play for!
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Wycombe made us look poor today and they are not even a top team. Lucky it was not 6.
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Well beaten by a decent team today,write it off and onto the next one
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Not every player is crap. But today was very very poor
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That was just rank bad. Not sure who's worse, us playing like we only had 10 men or Rotherham losing at home 3-0 with Cardiff scoring all three with only 10 men.
Distinct lack of quality unable to do the basics required of a football team plus a lack of desire to do anything about it. Once again, conceding so quickly, so easily, after half time is unforgivable.
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A bad day at the office by everyone. We wont win many games defending like that & playing without a centre forward.
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Saw the teamsheet and expected the worst.
Not arguing about whether the starting XI chosen are the best players available or not.
But no changes from Tuesday - a tough game in tougher conditions - when Rovers are carrying such a big squad?!
Against a good side, at home who have had the week off and are fresh?!
Madness.
The manager has to take a lot of the blame for the performance and scale of defeat.
Let's hope it doesn't hit the team confidence which has grown so much in previous weeks.
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We're now officially the team with the most goals conceded in the league. He just hasn't addressed the clear defensive frailties at all.
4 goals today against 8th place. 3 against a shocking Wigan side a fortnight ago.
Lucky to hang on against Burton - on another day we concede 2 or 3 from that amount of pressure.
We're still in big trouble.
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Worst performance of the season. Lacked quality everywhere. Could and maybe should have been 8-0
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We can’t keep blaming the players , they maybe part of the problem if they are not good enough , but it’s McCann who picks the team and sorts out the tactics . If you know what the other teams are good at , you either set up to stop them and attempt to take the game away from them and play to your own strengths and just compete until you create opening . But We just stand back and allow things to get out of our control making it easier to be pegged back . McCann is just not lifting the players imo into wanting to compete when things go against them . Shocking to just be rolled over in this type of match , when a point would have been useful .
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Saw the teamsheet and expected the worst.
Not arguing about whether the starting XI chosen are the best players available or not.
But no changes from Tuesday - a tough game in tougher conditions - when Rovers are carrying such a big squad?!
Against a good side, at home who have had the week off and are fresh?!
Madness.
The manager has to take a lot of the blame for the performance and scale of defeat.
Let's hope it doesn't hit the team confidence which has grown so much in previous weeks.
Lets be honest though.
If grant changed the line up and we lost he would of got hammered for it.
Wycombe out played us and we had way too many players having their worst game for a long time
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Continues our 100pc losing record there going back over three decades.
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Saw the teamsheet and expected the worst.
Not arguing about whether the starting XI chosen are the best players available or not.
But no changes from Tuesday - a tough game in tougher conditions - when Rovers are carrying such a big squad?!
Against a good side, at home who have had the week off and are fresh?!
Madness.
The manager has to take a lot of the blame for the performance and scale of defeat.
Let's hope it doesn't hit the team confidence which has grown so much in previous weeks.
Just to follow up I've just heard McCann's post-match interview.
He said Rovers looked leggy, lacked intensity and worst questioned whether the players worked hard enough. Basically blaming the players for today.
This is extremely harsh on the team. They've just put in 2 excellent hard working performances away from home including Tuesday's vital hard won 3 points.
No acknowledgement that he made a mistake in trying to flog another performance out of them away at a very good and well rested team.
I hope HIS mistake and subsequent totally unfair public (and I suspect private) rebuking of the players doesn't hit the team's confidence
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Saw the teamsheet and expected the worst.
Not arguing about whether the starting XI chosen are the best players available or not.
But no changes from Tuesday - a tough game in tougher conditions - when Rovers are carrying such a big squad?!
Against a good side, at home who have had the week off and are fresh?!
Madness.
The manager has to take a lot of the blame for the performance and scale of defeat.
Let's hope it doesn't hit the team confidence which has grown so much in previous weeks.
Just to follow up I've just heard McCann's post-match interview.
He said Rovers looked leggy, lacked intensity and worst questioned whether the players worked hard enough. Basically blaming the players for today.
This is extremely harsh on the team. They've just put in 2 excellent hard working performances away from home including Tuesday's vital hard won 3 points.
No acknowledgement that he made a mistake in trying to flog another performance out of them away at a very good and well rested team.
I hope HIS mistake and subsequent totally unfair public (and I suspect private) rebuking of the players doesn't hit the team's confidence
I’ve always thought one of McCann’s biggest strengths is his man management but the way he’s called players out a few times recently concerns me. During our horrendous run it never looked like the players had stopped playing for him but if he keeps pinning the blame solely on them I’d be concerned that it’s a slippery slope to losing the dressing room.
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I don't go along with that flogged to death and tired theory, we now have the best facilities we have ever had for recovery and fitness, and wouldn't accuse any of them from not being as fit as they can be.
The fact is non of them are exceptionally fast in the first place, and we have few players who are consistent performers at this level, Mols, Sterry, Haks, Lee, Bailey that's about it.
So when the team is under par and some of them are not at the top of their game we struggle.
When the majority of them are off it all together, like today, we look a very poor side at this level.
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I don't go along with that flogged to death and tired theory, we now have the best facilities we have ever had for recovery and fitness, and wouldn't accuse any of them from not being as fit as they can be.
The fact is non of them are exceptionally fast in the first place, and we have few players who are consistent performers at this level, Mols, Sterry, Haks, Lee, Bailey that's about it.
So when the team is under par and some of them are not at the top of their game we struggle.
When the majority of them are off it all together, like today, we look a very poor side at this level.
Just a coincidence that the one game all season we dint run according to Grant, is the one when we play three away games in a week?
I can guarantee you these circumstances affect performances. It played its part today.
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Did anyone count how many players Wycombe had on the pitch? Seemed to me it was at least12.
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Did anyone count how many players Wycombe had on the pitch? Seemed to me it was at least12.
Does Mols have a clause in his contract that he can only be substituted if injured.
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We were poor, can’t make my mind up if Wycombe were really good or we just made them look that way. No excuse but how bad was the ref
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Teams run through our midfield with ease. We're too open. All this hype around Clifton's 'energy' his defensive numbers are terrible.
It doesn't help our full backs get done easily. Nixon for me defends better than the other 3 full backs by far. Just unfortunate offensively he's not great.
Worth mentioning as our CBs get hammered but what's outside of them and in front when we don't have the ball isn't good at all.
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Saw the teamsheet and expected the worst.
Not arguing about whether the starting XI chosen are the best players available or not.
But no changes from Tuesday - a tough game in tougher conditions - when Rovers are carrying such a big squad?!
Against a good side, at home who have had the week off and are fresh?!
Madness.
The manager has to take a lot of the blame for the performance and scale of defeat.
Let's hope it doesn't hit the team confidence which has grown so much in previous weeks.
Just to follow up I've just heard McCann's post-match interview.
He said Rovers looked leggy, lacked intensity and worst questioned whether the players worked hard enough. Basically blaming the players for today.
This is extremely harsh on the team. They've just put in 2 excellent hard working performances away from home including Tuesday's vital hard won 3 points.
No acknowledgement that he made a mistake in trying to flog another performance out of them away at a very good and well rested team.
I hope HIS mistake and subsequent totally unfair public (and I suspect private) rebuking of the players doesn't hit the team's confidence
I’ve always thought one of McCann’s biggest strengths is his man management but the way he’s called players out a few times recently concerns me. During our horrendous run it never looked like the players had stopped playing for him but if he keeps pinning the blame solely on them I’d be concerned that it’s a slippery slope to losing the dressing room.
He cannot keep blaming the players, he needs to review his tactics etc. He has said numerous times in the past that he believes in his system and will stay with what he believes. Well Grant it’s not working.
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It’s why people are being very naive when they think McCann will be fine with a complete overhaul of the recruitment department and how we do things. I doubt it is going to play out like that.
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It wasn't the best defensive performance and there were some fairly poor individual errors, but the work at the other end of the pitch was atrocious yesterday. We didn't have a single shot on target registered the whole game and managed 5 touches in their box the entire game. Their keeper statistically didn't have a save to make over the 96 minutes. We were terrible as an attacking force.
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With the mindset as it was yesterday, not sure what difference a couple of changes would have made.
Looking at the highlights and hearing Moly's comments, it's symptomatic of a lazy approach to defending as a team. The back line sits too deep and doesn't get out high enough or quick enough to support attacks, or just generally to get on the front foot.
The space we allow them to play in gives them time to pick their passes and we just ball watch while not marking anyone.
With Byrne at the back and seeing his debut, he seemed to have a positive effect plus doing plenty of shouting., but yesterday the back line was all over the shop
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With the mindset as it was yesterday, not sure what difference a couple of changes would have made.
Looking at the highlights and hearing Moly's comments, it's symptomatic of a lazy approach to defending as a team. The back line sits too deep and doesn't get out high enough or quick enough to support attacks, or just generally to get on the front foot.
The space we allow them to play in gives them time to pick their passes and we just ball watch while not marking anyone.
With Byrne at the back and seeing his debut, he seemed to have a positive effect plus doing plenty of shouting., but yesterday the back line was all over the shop
Do our central defenders have the recovery pace required to get away with a high line?
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Our wing backs do to cover, if required.
Rotherham got beat 3 nil against 10 men from 21 mins. Can you imagine the hell on if that happened to us.
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I was most disappointed by our two wingers..particularly off the ball. Losing runners, lack of effort.
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Even Middleton, who's hardly played and was coming off the bench, couldn't be bothered. When Huggins hit the post, Middleton didn't go to him initially, then just let him go straight past him without tracking his run. Absolutely awful attitude.
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It’s frightening how mentally weak we are. When we lose the first goal you just fear the worst and 9 times out of 10 the game is taken away from us pretty quickly in games.
McCann has spoken recently about the group not communicating and being quiet, the group that he and his team have assembled over 6 windows now. A team who apparently dig deep into the character of a player and do their homework on them before signing. In a January relegation battle with a group of players with one of the worst defensive records in the league we bring one CB in. And that’s after losing our best performing defender in COR. You may defend McCann all you want but that is just pure ignorance and for me the reason that it baffles me that a lot involved with our club believe that we can’t do better.
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Even Middleton, who's hardly played and was coming off the bench, couldn't be bothered. When Huggins hit the post, Middleton didn't go to him initially, then just let him go straight past him without tracking his run. Absolutely awful attitude.
Middleton is really poor out of possession. He’s a passenger. Gibson gets stick for that side of the game but he’s much better than Middleton at it.
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With the mindset as it was yesterday, not sure what difference a couple of changes would have made.
Looking at the highlights and hearing Moly's comments, it's symptomatic of a lazy approach to defending as a team. The back line sits too deep and doesn't get out high enough or quick enough to support attacks, or just generally to get on the front foot.
The space we allow them to play in gives them time to pick their passes and we just ball watch while not marking anyone.
With Byrne at the back and seeing his debut, he seemed to have a positive effect plus doing plenty of shouting., but yesterday the back line was all over the shop
Do our central defenders have the recovery pace required to get away with a high line?
They have enough to push out when we have possession, it's about keeping the distances so there's no big gaps from back to front. We xan do it, we have done it better but what seems to be lacking is communication and leadership to make sure games like yesterday don't happen.
Trouble is, I don't see McCann issuing instructions when we do drop too deep. .
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With the mindset as it was yesterday, not sure what difference a couple of changes would have made.
Looking at the highlights and hearing Moly's comments, it's symptomatic of a lazy approach to defending as a team. The back line sits too deep and doesn't get out high enough or quick enough to support attacks, or just generally to get on the front foot.
The space we allow them to play in gives them time to pick their passes and we just ball watch while not marking anyone.
With Byrne at the back and seeing his debut, he seemed to have a positive effect plus doing plenty of shouting., but yesterday the back line was all over the shop
Do our central defenders have the recovery pace required to get away with a high line?
They have enough to push out when we have possession, it's about keeping the distances so there's no big gaps from back to front. We xan do it, we have done it better but what seems to be lacking is communication and leadership to make sure games like yesterday don't happen.
Trouble is, I don't see McCann issuing instructions when we do drop too deep. .
Comments on here about failing strategies are either plain wrong (which I doubt) or are not observed by those on the background staff who are paid to study such things on a full-time basis. Does this not suggest that these technical people (“Analysts”) are failing in their jobs? Do we ever hear from them?
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Watching "highlights" is not exactly the best way to analyse a game, but in midfield there seemed to be little challenge going on from Rovers. Everybody seemed to retreat to the penalty area and wait for the attack and leave the challenges to a few defenders, they were not backing each other up as we have seen in the last few matches. Fingers crossed they sort themselves out, apart from the Virtu game they have plenty of time to analyse and work out why they failed so badly and come back when we play Huddersfield at home in the league.
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For me as well to many players in the box at corners and free kicks they seem to get in each others way take Burton's goal from a corner Robbie Gotts trying to mark the goalscorer ( at least 6 to 8 inches taller ) and jay McGrath stood in the 6 yard box marking nobody and if we win the header or clearance it just comes straight back
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Saw the teamsheet and expected the worst.
Not arguing about whether the starting XI chosen are the best players available or not.
But no changes from Tuesday - a tough game in tougher conditions - when Rovers are carrying such a big squad?!
Against a good side, at home who have had the week off and are fresh?!
Madness.
The manager has to take a lot of the blame for the performance and scale of defeat.
Let's hope it doesn't hit the team confidence which has grown so much in previous weeks.
Lets be honest though.
If grant changed the line up and we lost he would of got hammered for it.
Wycombe out played us and we had way too many players having their worst game for a long time
Grants complained that the players looked leggy .. yet he kept the same line up a Tuesday , where we got away with a win against a team in the bottom mix as us . So when we go up against a team challenging I would have thought altering the line up would have made more sense , as they will have had us watched !
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Saw the teamsheet and expected the worst.
Not arguing about whether the starting XI chosen are the best players available or not.
But no changes from Tuesday - a tough game in tougher conditions - when Rovers are carrying such a big squad?!
Against a good side, at home who have had the week off and are fresh?!
Madness.
The manager has to take a lot of the blame for the performance and scale of defeat.
Let's hope it doesn't hit the team confidence which has grown so much in previous weeks.
Lets be honest though.
If grant changed the line up and we lost he would of got hammered for it.
Wycombe out played us and we had way too many players having their worst game for a long time
Grants complained that the players looked leggy .. yet he kept the same line up a Tuesday , where we got away with a win against a team in the bottom mix as us . So when we go up against a team challenging I would have thought altering the line up would have made more sense , as they will have had us watched !
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Leggy or not for this game, repeatedly against teams in the top half of the division up to press this season we have been found wanting.
That points more to a distinct difference in the class of player at Grants disposal rather than a lack of fitness.
A pointed question, how many of our team would get a regular game in Wycombe's first team? and there are six or seven teams in the division with more resources than them.
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The poor recruitment means we can't make the changes we need - early in the season it was 'two players for every position', but bad recruitment meant that was rubbish, so every change we make means the team gets worse. We have one good starting 11 when everyone is fit, and apart from full-back cover which is very good, any thing else we do makes us worse - either in changes to starting line up or in subs in-game. And ironically, Sterry who's been on his arse for two games gets left in and has another shocker, when we have decent cover there.
So it's either a tired team who are decent at this level, or a fresh team of league 2 level players most of whom aren't strong enough - physically or mentally.
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I think anyone expecting we can rock up at a team like WW and compete without a proper centre forward is being a bit delusional. We've only seen Frankie for 3 or so games but certainly by the last outing he was occupying both centre backs and creating loads of space for Haks and one on ones for Mols and as a result we created havoc.
Elliott Lee is a great signing for sure but playing him as a false nine will never cut the mustard at this level.
So from about 10 minutes we had no outlet, and they just pressed us back and that enabled their two strong wide men to strut their stuff and kill us off, the result reflected the reality.
Now if we had suffered that with Frankie etc in the side it would be far more concerning to me.
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I think anyone expecting we can rock up at a team like WW and compete without a proper centre forward is being a bit delusional. We've only seen Frankie for 3 or so games but certainly by the last outing he was occupying both centre backs and creating loads of space for Haks and one on ones for Mols and as a result we created havoc.
Elliott Lee is a great signing for sure but playing him as a false nine will never cut the mustard at this level.
So from about 10 minutes we had no outlet, and they just pressed us back and that enabled their two strong wide men to strut their stuff and kill us off, the result reflected the reality.
Now if we had suffered that with Frankie etc in the side it would be far more concerning to me.
Totally agree with all of this.