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Three pivotal moments in the second half changed today's game.

48' Matt Bloomfield forced off after taking a blow to the head. We really missed him.

What Gareth Ainsworth was thinking in replacing him with Curtis Thompson is beyond me? We might as well have played with ten men for the all difference he made. And with Michael Harriman and Sam Saunders sat there getting splinters in their posteriors.
*confused face

58' Joe Jacobson sees his penalty saved.

It was so predictable wasn't it? Surely this lesson has already been learned? How many times have you seen a player miss a penalty having already scored one in the same game? Someone should have stood up and taken the responsibility. Still we can all blame Darren England instead can't we?

68' Ryan Allsop and his soapy gloves.

Elliot's Lee cross had all the power of a vegetarian's fart and yet he still gifts Matty Pearson the softest of equalisers. I fear this is going to be a recurring theme and it could make all the difference between staying in League One and returning to League Two. Still at least he's an upgrade on Scott Brown, right?
*rolls eyes

For the love of all that is good and true, where the hell was our game management from the 59' minute? It was like keystone cops and completely amateurish. How the hell we can be caught four-on-one on a counter-attack from our own corner in the 89th minute? Harry Cornick really let us off the hook with his nose bleed!

We were in complete control of the game and then we have (literally) thrown it away. A golden opportunity to finally beat those conceited hat freaks at Adams Park and we wet ourselves. It is utterly infuriating.

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Comments

  • I missed the game you were watching. Sounds awful. No wonder your eyes were rolling. I watched a really good game myself between two very evenly matched teams.

  • Allsop again.. I keep saying we need Maka in goal permanently - He could keep us up!

  • Yves mum posting again.

  • Did you buy a half-and-half scarf too Wendoverman?

  • No * rolls eyes * on displays like that we will stay up and your glass will be full young fella me lad * rolls pastry*


  • Worst match summariser ever.

  • The only advantage Yves has over Allsop is that he is not playing, and therefore not subject to the criticism. It's easy to look good when you don't play! I think Allsop has mostly been good this season, mistakes against Plymouth and today aside, and even today I felt as though he thoroughly redeemed himself, and then some.

  • Oh, lorks Dr Congo! I get a Simpson's character and a "worst ever" for my first post. It's only downhill from here.

    Fortunately I girded my loins before stepping into your domain using such critical words. Working on the idea that there is debate to be had here,perhaps you could explain_ why_ you disagree so vehemently with my summary, instead of posting pictures of cartoons characters?

  • Didn't Allsopp also save well in a one on one and tip another one onto the post in the last few minutes?

  • Mate, enough broccoli and vege farts can be as powerful as meaty ones... but I digress. Our performance did go downhill when Blooms was forced off but GA obviously thought that bringing CT on was the right move; you think otherwise.

    Should we have planned for a second penalty taker (AS for example) or seen the long delay coming? Don’t be daft.

    Also dropped a cross from which they scored then made up for it time and again with some world class saves. This is League 1. Just our luck you’re not a Liverpool fan instead.

    GA bringing on Kashket and sending men forward for our corner turned into them breaking quickly and overloading their counter. How could this happen?!

    I understand that you are ticked off at the loss of two points to a “new derby” team and it is much better to have constructive criticism than mindless slagging off but I am wondering if you are @glasshalffull ‘s alter ego or if you had your mortgage riding on a win!

    All in all it was a good point against a “big team” and one that could well have slipped away as it did last season had we not had the resilience we showed today. To be fighting so evenly for points in this league is fantastic; let’s remember that the vast majority of the team have come up with the club this time around and have made the step up admirably.

    I do hope that your rant was a knee jerk reaction and that you look at this in context. I will be watching the highlights with interest but from watching the match (on ifollow) I thought it was an absolute cracker of a tie and will be looking out for the return fixture with much gusto.

    Gird your loins all you like but with sensitivity like that a butterfly at 20 yards would turn your balls to almonds in the blink of your japs eye (preemptive groveling apology for potential non-pc term).

    Did I just take the troll bait or what?!?!?!

  • @glasshalfempty said:
    Oh, lorks Dr Congo! I get a Simpson's character and a "worst ever" for my first post. It's only downhill from here.

    Fortunately I girded my loins before stepping into your domain using such critical words. Working on the idea that there is debate to be had here,perhaps you could explain_ why_ you disagree so vehemently with my summary, instead of posting pictures of cartoons characters?

    First post!

    "LOL"

  • My only disappointment with the game was how much we surrendered possession after their goal.

    For a good chunk we missed 2nd balls, couldn't hold the ball up top and never looked like we wanted to keep it.

    I get League 1 is a different beast, and we have to adapt, but would love to see us have a go at keeping the ball just for keeping the ball's sake.

  • Watching Premiership matches you see players, including goalkeepers, making mistakes so isn't it inevitable that further down the pecking order that will happen even more? In fact doesn't that add to the excitement?

  • Just watched the handball. At the time I thought it must've been a foul, as why would any player ever do that.

    But they simply cannot cope with Bayo, one gets himself into a right fuddle and lobs his arm into the air.

  • Also, being the pedant I am, you can't have 3 "pivotal" moments unless the 2nd one turned it back in our favour

    Very disappointing from such an obvious wordsmith

  • @glasshalfempty said:

    It was so predictable wasn't it? Surely this lesson has already been learned? How many times have you seen a player miss a penalty having already scored one in the same game? Someone should have stood up and taken the responsibility. Still we can all blame Darren England instead can't we?

    Is there any evidence for this? Why would the best penalty taker in the team suddenly not be the best penalty taker second time around? Sounds spurious to me. I’d be interested to see the data if any was available.

    If it were a penalty shoot out, you’d choose the same player to take five penalties if you could, right?

  • @prufrock_91 said:
    Just watched the handball. At the time I thought it must've been a foul, as why would any player ever do that.

    But they simply cannot cope with Bayo, one gets himself into a right fuddle and lobs his arm into the air.

    To add to that, the player that did handle the ball vehemently contested that he was pushed in the back. He was, by his own player!!! ?

  • Can I first point out that glasshalfempty is not me! He has stolen two thirds of my nom de plume and the clue to his outlook is the final third: he clearly prefers to see the negatives in every situation whilst I admit I am the opposite.
    For the record, I thought we played really well and looked the better team up until the second penalty. That miss gave them and their fans a major boost and they controlled the game from that point even though we came back strongly in the final stages.
    Allsop was clearly at fault for their goal but he was also the man who denied them victory with a couple of outstanding saves.
    All in all it was an excellent, entertaining game and one that proved we have what it takes to compete at this level.

  • As @eric_plant has already 'lolled', this is not your first post, @glasshalfempty. There is a very familiar style to your anger, as well as your turn of phrase ("conceited hat freaks" is just delicious).

    You make some good points. I've often thought it would be wise to have a 2nd penalty taker lined up for such instances, because you're right, it does make a difference in terms of the mind games. The 'keeper has already had a look, so do you 'stick or twist'? But does the 'keeper do the same...? However, it's not conclusive - many players have scored two pens in a match.

    As others have pointed out, whilst Allsop gaveth them two points, he also saveth us one.

    At least you didn't say "they weren't trying hard enough".

    All I want to say about yesterday is, sadly, and frustratingly, 'one could see it coming...'

  • @LeedsBlue said:
    As @eric_plant has already 'lolled', this is not your first post, @glasshalfempty. There is a very familiar style to your anger, as well as your turn of phrase ("conceited hat freaks" is just delicious).

    You make some good points. I've often thought it would be wise to have a 2nd penalty taker lined up for such instances, because you're right, it does make a difference in terms of the mind games. The 'keeper has already had a look, so do you 'stick or twist'? But does the 'keeper do the same...? However, it's not conclusive - many players have scored two pens in a match.

    As others have pointed out, whilst Allsop gaveth them two points, he also saveth us one.

    At least you didn't say "they weren't trying hard enough".

    All I want to say about yesterday is, sadly, and frustratingly, 'one could see it coming...'

    I've always thought that the best thing to do with a second penalty is to hit it straight down the middle. The keeper was almost certain to dive one way or another after the first pen went into the corner. I was willing JJ to do just that as he stepped up.

    But then again, it is easy for me to say in hindsight.

  • I've always thought that the best thing to do with a second penalty is to hit it straight down the middle. The keeper was almost certain to dive one way or another after the first pen went into the corner. I was willing JJ to do just that as he stepped up.

    But then again, it is easy for me to say in hindsight.

    Exactly what I was thinking during the "hold up" "please shove it down the middle "!
    As you state, easy to say and with hindsight! Just such a shame that the entire impetus changed, as a home crowd, most of us could feel it straight away. A real shame, but it does take spherical to be a penalty taker, especially in front of 1700 bellowing hypocrites and he was successful with that one. Not going to be harsh on the man for taking a 2nd and not succeed.

  • I trust, @LeedsBlue you meant ‘...could see it coming..’ towards the end of the game rather than earlier on (or even before kick-off!). Certainly we’d been there before (13 times, in fact) but, in all those previous encounters (in all the hundreds of Wycombe games I’ve watched, in fact) I cannot recall ever seeing four opposition players, line abreast, bearing down on goal with only one defender in pursuit. If the guy in possession had done anything but pass, that would have been us dead and buried.

    Overall, the game of two halves cliché seemed appropriate with Luton looking the more threatening and classier in the second half. I agree (and to be honest with huge fairly recently acquired respect for the guy as a player) Matt Bloomfield’s injury did seem to be the first major turning
    point in the Wycombe performance. I confess that I did do a double take when I
    read the criticism of the choice of substitute in the opening comment, not having looked carefully enough at the username. Seemed to me and others around me that it was a like-for-like substitution. Other options would either have reduced the combative element or required a change of formation.

    The three or four minute delay pending advice from the fourth official to the referee that he had booked the wrong player (or so I heard) would not have helped JJ’s concentration for the second penalty but I did wonder if he might have gone to the ‘keeper’s right rather than repeat the first one. Of course, the ‘keeper must have wondered the same but I think it is probably easier for a left-footed player to shoot towards the right hand post and perhaps not that difficult for the ‘keeper to detect from the penalty taker’s approach that he is going to change the direction of his shot.

  • Good game, could’ve gone either way. I guess Saunders has got splinters in his arse because he’s been under performing for quite a while.

  • @Chris said:

    @glasshalfempty said:

    It was so predictable wasn't it? Surely this lesson has already been learned? How many times have you seen a player miss a penalty having already scored one in the same game? Someone should have stood up and taken the responsibility. Still we can all blame Darren England instead can't we?

    Is there any evidence for this? Why would the best penalty taker in the team suddenly not be the best penalty taker second time around? Sounds spurious to me. I’d be interested to see the data if any was available.

    If it were a penalty shoot out, you’d choose the same player to take five penalties if you could, right?

    Last time jj had 2 pens he missed the 2nd.Surely that must have come across his thinking.We have won 2 penalty shoot outs recently .Surely someone else could have taken the ball off jj

  • It’s a no win situation. If another player had taken the penalty and missed it everyone would have been saying ‘why didn’t JJ take it as he’d already scored one?’.
    If a player is confident enough to take it then he should take it. The delay didn’t help but the referee had no option after the fourth official had spotted his error on the booking.

  • Trouble with taking the 2nd penalty jj then has added pressure.He has to think hit it same way as 1st etc..surely we have a 2nd choice of penalty taker.

  • A passing comment having just watched the highlights. I now agree with my son that, having done brilliantly to beat the first challenges, Stewart might have hoped to have placed his shot better following the corner in the second half...

  • Welcome @glasshalfempty. The only thing missing from the new Gasroom was your august presence.

  • @micra I feared it at half-time (not based on anything rational), but specifically felt it after the penalty miss. Momentum.

  • I'm not sure there is any evidence for a player missing second time would be interesting to see the data. Maybe @oilysailor could help out?

    I looked at it from a different angle. How many variations of penalty does JJ have? it is the natural side to go for a left footer. I would imagine Luton (and all other clubs) research this. Their keeper went that side first time, and went harder that side second.

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