We'll never keep consistent clean-sheets with El-Abd in the side. He simply cannot organise the backline.
It's a wonder to see such fluid, attacking football coming from all angles, but I worry every time the ball goes near our defence with him in the team.
This is a throw back to the heady days of Gormania. Three front men with hundreds of career goals between them, Saunders and Eze worth the ticket price alone, subs that cause problems all over the park and man of the match Bean. I know players look after themselves better these days but wow that guy deserves all the plaudits. 80 plus minutes on the clock and he is charging up closing down their back line before dropping and defending. Outstanding.
May it never end.
Very much enjoyed that today - not least as I turned up and so did the team. It's the first time I've seen them win in three visits to AP this season. We looked very good going forward, but also had re-found that tenacity in chasing down the ball when the opposition was in possession. Barnet played some pretty stuff, but rarely looked threatening. Hats off to Brown today - much better than he was on my previous visits. El Abd was better, but I remain exceedingly luke warm to him. His left foot isn't even particularly useful for standing on; in the first half he went for a ball in the area that was clearly Stewart's, and was lucky it ended up falling between them; his distribution played colleagues into trouble on three occasions - and he got hopelessly caught in possession early in the second half. To be balanced, he also did some good stuff - but looked very ordinary against Stewart's imperiousness. Bean was the right call as MoM - the headless chicken stuff seems to have disappeared from his game and for 80 minutes until he tired, he was everywhere in midfield. Finally, a special mention for Freeman. Eze had let the big CH boss him, and went down too easily on three occasions. Freeman kept his feet and gave Santos everything he deserved. A lovely goal.
Not seen much better at AP over the years than the hour from after the goal. Special mentions to Stewart (I wonder if Northampton think they ended up with the wrong one), Saunders, who ran the midfield and Bayo who gets better and better with his ground touches and lay-offs.
It’s gone 8 and no sign of @WWFC_ or @trevor. I am seriously worried about all this positivity. Someone find something to moan at please. It doesn’t feel like a proper Saturday night without it
As someone mentioned earlier I remember leaving the Barnet home game just under a year ago thoroughly depressed, looking forward (if that’s the right expression) to a long hard winter and relegation struggle (my natural optimism kicking in as usual).
How different it all now feels. There is a genuine joie de vivre about the place that hasn’t been around for quite a while - even in the play off season there was always the feeling that we were imposters up the top end of the table.
And at a ‘kid a quid’ game too! I can’t remember the last time we managed a performance for one of those.
Genuine question for @fedup1980. As one of the more articulate and reasonable critics of Ainsworth on here, would you still like him to go at the moment?
(It will probably all go pear-shaped, but it is a lot of fun just now)
I really dont understand the constant criticsm of El -Abd ? yes, he's not the quickest anymore and is at an obvious aerial disadvantage. But his reading of the game and positional play is exceptional at Lge 2 level. He short passing game and and awareness is smething to be applauded. He's as tough as 'old boots', and expects the same desire of those alongside him.
I'm more than happy when his name is announced in the line up.
Very satisfying. Excellent sub use today as well and that Bean. Now he has a team around him that moves he can win a ball and there's players in space he can pass to without having to become overly creative. I'd love to see him score one. Note to players. Any game we're 2 up in stoppage time please adopt the 'tee it up for Beano' formation. Odds are the shot will end up in the trees but hey ho, it's more seconds wasted.
After we scored we really upped our game cms and Eze are so exciting to watch, I was getting frustrated at 0-0 but as soon as Eze got on the ball we scored........special mention to Brown who kept it 0-0
We might be getting a bit carried away here. Second half was very good but we were fortunate to be leading at half time. Barnet ran the game for the first half an hr and only some wasteful finishing and a couple of good saves kept them out.
Second half I thought we improved a lot, with Saunders deeper and Eze pressed on.
As others have said, the most exciting part in all of this is the strength we have on the bench and in the treatment room.
I fancy at some point during the season we'll put together a long unbeaten run that will put us firmly in the play off mix and we should have the squad depth to see it through and manage at least a top seven finish.
A couple of random comments. PCH and Matt Bloomfield were doing the Woodland tour today (remember them?) and both talked about the luxury of not feeling under pressure to play before they felt fully fit. PCH reckoned that he'd tended in the past to return prematurely from injury and had wound up being out for a month or more.
He returned to some basic training this (yesterday) morning. Matt is recovering from the shoulder injury he incurred against Luton and reckons he's very near to a full recovery.
Someone said earlier that Barnet ran the game for the first half an hour. I thought we took charge after Akinfenwa scored in the 22nd minute following good work by Eze who, I think, had just got his first touch.
In some recent games, I've felt that we have put a bit too much effort into the first half. We seemed to pace ourselves better today and, although the first half was somewhat dull, the customary energy and commitment returned with a vengeance in the second half.
First game of the season for me, straight from the airport. Phenomenal effort from the lads today, kept our shape and put the ball in the back of the net with another first goal (Umerah) and two sub goals as noted above.
One gripe being the supposed game management near the end with Bayo on the ball in the corner: he controlled it for less than five seconds each time and it went out for a goal kick! Surely there are better ways to use time at 3-1 up than this. GA just needs to look at how much time is used this way versus a shooting move and trust the players not to give the ball away in a difficult position and we may see more routs, especially with the quality coming off the bench.
Our team fitness seems spot on, camaraderie and goals from open play. Goals conceded seem to be from not tracking opposition forwards well enough in the box.
All I all, happy days! Hope I can make it to Cambridge next week.
I don't see the point in taking the ball into the corner when two goals up. Fair enough if we're seeing out a 1-0, or in a cup game against higher division opponents, but at 3-1 up against Barnet? We did it at 3-1 up against a dreadful FGR side too. I hope I'm not being the guy who moans after three consecutive wins, but I'd far rather we continued to play the game properly in these situations, instead of instinctively trying to run the clock down. My fear is this shows a lack of confidence that might instill itself in the players' individual and collective psychologies and come back to bite us when we we really are up against it defending a lead (like the Spurs game for example).
Lots of positives to take from the game yesterday, a good entertaining match where we made/earned the breaks that fell our way. Barnet will be disappointed that they didn't make their intricate play and movement count, and get themselves into an early lead. On another day it might have been a proper goal feast for both sides. It's to our credit that we stuck at our task and clinically punished them with a great Jacobson-esque cross from Tyson onto Bayo's head.
Our strength in depth is also very encouraging, Freeman and Umerah coming off the bench to score and generally put in performances that will be giving Ainsworth the sort of pleasant selection headaches he won't have been too familiar with in his time with us. With Paris and Scott also waiting in the wings, there'll be an embarrassment of riches (by our standards at least) up front.
The youngsters on loan and Nick Freeman also provide some youthful foil and balance to a modern day version of the Garner and Regis golden oldie double act (or as close as our budget will stretch to these days!)
In defence El-Abd and Brown have bedded themselves in and justified Ainsworth's faith in playing them when seemingly out of form at the start of the season. Stewart continues to show more and more leadership qualities, filling Pierre's sizeable boots more than adequately.
With the usual caveats about luck with injuries and suspension, we really have a lot to look forward to this season with this squad. If not promotion then watching some enjoyable football will do after so much panic hoofball over the past couple of seasons.
Comments
Was nice to see early subs for a change hope this continues good week all in all lots of positives really feel this could be our year.
We'll never keep consistent clean-sheets with El-Abd in the side. He simply cannot organise the backline.
It's a wonder to see such fluid, attacking football coming from all angles, but I worry every time the ball goes near our defence with him in the team.
This is a throw back to the heady days of Gormania. Three front men with hundreds of career goals between them, Saunders and Eze worth the ticket price alone, subs that cause problems all over the park and man of the match Bean. I know players look after themselves better these days but wow that guy deserves all the plaudits. 80 plus minutes on the clock and he is charging up closing down their back line before dropping and defending. Outstanding.
May it never end.
Bean is so important to this team. He's having a fantastic season.
Another thoroughly enjoyable match. Really enjoying it at the moment, and looking forward to games
All you can ask for really
Very much enjoyed that today - not least as I turned up and so did the team. It's the first time I've seen them win in three visits to AP this season. We looked very good going forward, but also had re-found that tenacity in chasing down the ball when the opposition was in possession. Barnet played some pretty stuff, but rarely looked threatening. Hats off to Brown today - much better than he was on my previous visits. El Abd was better, but I remain exceedingly luke warm to him. His left foot isn't even particularly useful for standing on; in the first half he went for a ball in the area that was clearly Stewart's, and was lucky it ended up falling between them; his distribution played colleagues into trouble on three occasions - and he got hopelessly caught in possession early in the second half. To be balanced, he also did some good stuff - but looked very ordinary against Stewart's imperiousness. Bean was the right call as MoM - the headless chicken stuff seems to have disappeared from his game and for 80 minutes until he tired, he was everywhere in midfield. Finally, a special mention for Freeman. Eze had let the big CH boss him, and went down too easily on three occasions. Freeman kept his feet and gave Santos everything he deserved. A lovely goal.
Not seen much better at AP over the years than the hour from after the goal. Special mentions to Stewart (I wonder if Northampton think they ended up with the wrong one), Saunders, who ran the midfield and Bayo who gets better and better with his ground touches and lay-offs.
What a satisfying week!
The beauty this year, is that we truly do have a strong squad, for the first time in years.
There's O Nien, Paris and Kashket to add into this , and even the bench looked pretty tidy, rather than the mere filler we've had other years.
Subs coming on early enough to make an impact and both scoring was a huge plus
Going forward we look as threatening as we have at any point since Gormania
It’s gone 8 and no sign of @WWFC_ or @trevor. I am seriously worried about all this positivity. Someone find something to moan at please. It doesn’t feel like a proper Saturday night without it
As someone mentioned earlier I remember leaving the Barnet home game just under a year ago thoroughly depressed, looking forward (if that’s the right expression) to a long hard winter and relegation struggle (my natural optimism kicking in as usual).
How different it all now feels. There is a genuine joie de vivre about the place that hasn’t been around for quite a while - even in the play off season there was always the feeling that we were imposters up the top end of the table.
And at a ‘kid a quid’ game too! I can’t remember the last time we managed a performance for one of those.
Genuine question for @fedup1980. As one of the more articulate and reasonable critics of Ainsworth on here, would you still like him to go at the moment?
(It will probably all go pear-shaped, but it is a lot of fun just now)
I really dont understand the constant criticsm of El -Abd ? yes, he's not the quickest anymore and is at an obvious aerial disadvantage. But his reading of the game and positional play is exceptional at Lge 2 level. He short passing game and and awareness is smething to be applauded. He's as tough as 'old boots', and expects the same desire of those alongside him.
I'm more than happy when his name is announced in the line up.
Very satisfying. Excellent sub use today as well and that Bean. Now he has a team around him that moves he can win a ball and there's players in space he can pass to without having to become overly creative. I'd love to see him score one. Note to players. Any game we're 2 up in stoppage time please adopt the 'tee it up for Beano' formation. Odds are the shot will end up in the trees but hey ho, it's more seconds wasted.
El Abd has got over his early jitters, as has Brown. He doesn't look likely to get a booking a game now either. Much improved.
Scarr coming in for the odd game in place of either seems like clever planning to me too.
After we scored we really upped our game cms and Eze are so exciting to watch, I was getting frustrated at 0-0 but as soon as Eze got on the ball we scored........special mention to Brown who kept it 0-0
We might be getting a bit carried away here. Second half was very good but we were fortunate to be leading at half time. Barnet ran the game for the first half an hr and only some wasteful finishing and a couple of good saves kept them out.
Second half I thought we improved a lot, with Saunders deeper and Eze pressed on.
As others have said, the most exciting part in all of this is the strength we have on the bench and in the treatment room.
I fancy at some point during the season we'll put together a long unbeaten run that will put us firmly in the play off mix and we should have the squad depth to see it through and manage at least a top seven finish.
@Malone not so sure about the wisdom of Scarr coming in for Brown, but hey. Why not?
http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/league-two/11061780/wycombe-3-1-barnet
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.3 v Barnet F.C. 1 | Time to change it up | (30/09/17) Matchday Vlog
A couple of random comments. PCH and Matt Bloomfield were doing the Woodland tour today (remember them?) and both talked about the luxury of not feeling under pressure to play before they felt fully fit. PCH reckoned that he'd tended in the past to return prematurely from injury and had wound up being out for a month or more.
He returned to some basic training this (yesterday) morning. Matt is recovering from the shoulder injury he incurred against Luton and reckons he's very near to a full recovery.
Someone said earlier that Barnet ran the game for the first half an hour. I thought we took charge after Akinfenwa scored in the 22nd minute following good work by Eze who, I think, had just got his first touch.
In some recent games, I've felt that we have put a bit too much effort into the first half. We seemed to pace ourselves better today and, although the first half was somewhat dull, the customary energy and commitment returned with a vengeance in the second half.
To be fair, our first goal came very much against the run of play
It did. They were on top for 20 minutes.
First game of the season for me, straight from the airport. Phenomenal effort from the lads today, kept our shape and put the ball in the back of the net with another first goal (Umerah) and two sub goals as noted above.
One gripe being the supposed game management near the end with Bayo on the ball in the corner: he controlled it for less than five seconds each time and it went out for a goal kick! Surely there are better ways to use time at 3-1 up than this. GA just needs to look at how much time is used this way versus a shooting move and trust the players not to give the ball away in a difficult position and we may see more routs, especially with the quality coming off the bench.
Our team fitness seems spot on, camaraderie and goals from open play. Goals conceded seem to be from not tracking opposition forwards well enough in the box.
All I all, happy days! Hope I can make it to Cambridge next week.
I don't see the point in taking the ball into the corner when two goals up. Fair enough if we're seeing out a 1-0, or in a cup game against higher division opponents, but at 3-1 up against Barnet? We did it at 3-1 up against a dreadful FGR side too. I hope I'm not being the guy who moans after three consecutive wins, but I'd far rather we continued to play the game properly in these situations, instead of instinctively trying to run the clock down. My fear is this shows a lack of confidence that might instill itself in the players' individual and collective psychologies and come back to bite us when we we really are up against it defending a lead (like the Spurs game for example).
Quite right @Jonny_King Tee it up for Beano is the strategy when 3-1 up and less than ten minutes left.
Or more sensibly continue to play for a fourth. The opposition will be overly committed and we have pace up front.
Lots of positives to take from the game yesterday, a good entertaining match where we made/earned the breaks that fell our way. Barnet will be disappointed that they didn't make their intricate play and movement count, and get themselves into an early lead. On another day it might have been a proper goal feast for both sides. It's to our credit that we stuck at our task and clinically punished them with a great Jacobson-esque cross from Tyson onto Bayo's head.
Our strength in depth is also very encouraging, Freeman and Umerah coming off the bench to score and generally put in performances that will be giving Ainsworth the sort of pleasant selection headaches he won't have been too familiar with in his time with us. With Paris and Scott also waiting in the wings, there'll be an embarrassment of riches (by our standards at least) up front.
The youngsters on loan and Nick Freeman also provide some youthful foil and balance to a modern day version of the Garner and Regis golden oldie double act (or as close as our budget will stretch to these days!)
In defence El-Abd and Brown have bedded themselves in and justified Ainsworth's faith in playing them when seemingly out of form at the start of the season. Stewart continues to show more and more leadership qualities, filling Pierre's sizeable boots more than adequately.
With the usual caveats about luck with injuries and suspension, we really have a lot to look forward to this season with this squad. If not promotion then watching some enjoyable football will do after so much panic hoofball over the past couple of seasons.
@bookertease , yes, a clumsily written second sentence there from me I think!
He's tall enough Malone!