Josh Parker
He clearly hasn't found his rhythm yet - hardly surprising when he's played 196 minutes of football and not featured in consecutive games - but is already being written off by some. Have players always been judged this quickly? I'm not convinced yet but wouldn't expect to be so soon - although that cameo at Rochdale was very promising and I think he will convince. I'm not even sure we know his best position yet. What do people think?
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Must be a decent player to have done well in this division last year.
But so far, I just have that slight wonder if we went one attacker too many, especially on a 2 year deal. It seems hard to see him ever starting wide, with the options there, and it's unlikely he'll get in over Bayo and Samuel without a few injuries across the front.
However, I remember thinking something a little along these lines when Samuel came in.
He doesn't strike me as a wide player.
One of my very few complaints about Ainsworth is that he likes to shoe-horn central strikers out wide to their detriment (Kashket, Southwell, Parker, Hayes, a few others come to mind).
I'd like to see him get more cup games leading the line.
The Bayo effect does quite limit the central options for players at times. Especially as we don't play 2 centrally that often.
It's certainly going to be one heck of a battle to play in the front 3 this season!
That's why it's been interesting to see Aarons play at the head of the midfield, as a different option.
I asked a Gillingham fan about him a little while back but can't find his reply now. I agree that he doesn't look like a wide player. Tbh, it's not necessarily the premature dismmising of players that's the issue, more the tone in which it's done - but that's social media innit.
Interesting. I wasn't there on Tuesday, but I interpreted his role against Posh as a winger with licence to roam from side to side - and back to front.
Agree @OxfordBlue I keep thinking oh they've signed someone to replace Bayo up front and then we get Bayo up front (not that I'm complaining) and pick two from five making up the wide front players.
Initially it looked a straight replacement for the injured Fred, but certainly to me looked like he was actually playing almost in the "number 10" role.
I even wondered at the time would we ever be brave enough to field Fred, Smyth and him all together off Bayo. That could be mouth watering, and harsh on the ones left out.
"Have players always been judged this quickly?"
Are you new to Wycombe?
I'm talking football in general and over a long period of time. I'm only a relative young'un really. Pre 2000s, were attitudes the same? I imagine yes but less obviously due to lack of social media and whatnot?
I’ve seen a couple of games where Parker has looked very useful, with great hold up play. He looked like a natural for the central striker role. But then the tinpot cup game the other night he was pretty ineffectual. I’ve been telling myself that this is because we have a squad geared up for total football and we were playing against a bunch of league two, agricultural cloggers.
I seem to recall 150 game striker Bayo Akinfenwe was dismissed as a risible over the hill joke signing by a foolish manager who would never get us up before he even kicked a ball!
Which games were these out of interest?
I’m sure with a run of games down the middle he would be more effective but from what I’ve seen so far I’m thinking more Richard Logan than Adebayo Akinfenwa.
I was impressed with Parker when I saw him for Charlton in the later part of last season. I was pleased he signed on aftee his trial as he seems like a player who works well in our style.
He'll get a chance to take at some point just like Kashket and Samuel gave had.
Was anyone else aware of what Parker went through in Serbia? A Gillingham fan was just telling me about this. All the more reason for people to cut him some slack. https://www.metro.news/josh-parker-making-up-for-lost-time-at-gillingham-after-his-red-star-nightmare/1330575/amp/
Gosh. Interesting story.
Another gem in the Ainsworth box - great find, thanks for sharing @chairboyscentral
Crikey.
To hell and back indeed. That sort of treatment must inflict mental scars that are hard to heal. To come through all that and recover sufficiently to continue/resume his footballing career is some achievement. I’m not sure if there’s commentary tomorrow evening (on match v Fulham U23s or is it U21s?) but, if there is, I shall tune in and will be delighted if he starts and has a good game.
Blimey, could explain why you dont see loads of British players move abroad, can you imagine the uproar if someone got treated like that at a club over here !
Deals abroad below the elite level can often go a bit sour with limited legal recourse, lack of player support , distance from families and shady owners, heard some real horror stories from Aussie players in lower Asian leagues and Bayos stories from his spell in eastern Europe.
Wish Parker well, don't think anyone has anything against him , just unlucky with the sheer amount of competition in the squad. Will find out in the new year wether he's being readied for a role or if he's surplus to requirements.
Oh, no one on here has anything against him, but there are some fans already writing him off. He's a proven player at this level and if Gaz trusts him enough to give him a two-year deal, that's good enough for me.
He's a decent enough player, it's just that we have such options up front, that he'll have his work cut out coming in for the odd game, and immediately having to perform.
Not going to be there tonight but I really hope Parker and Samuel get a good run out and ideally get on the scoresheet. Games coming up thick and fast so the more players we have in form the better.
Although this cup is much maligned, we do now have a big squad, so could do with progressing to have more games for keeping everyone involved.
We have to win both of the next two though.
Agreed, the cup itself is a joke, but getting through to have a few more reserves games might actually be useful this year.
A cup is a cup.
The only game I've ever been to in this competition was the semi-final at Coventry. Would I do the same again? Um, yes.
So you have "principles", but only to a certain point
That's not true. As far as I'm concerned this is a ressies fixture with a brown envelope of money for the winner.
A bell is a cup until it is struck.