Our back 5
I'm running out of words for them. Another quiet night for Rocky - the third game this season in which he's not had to make a save - but he's come up trumps when he's needed to.
4 goals conceded in our last 10 games - only 1 from open play (Peterborough's first)
5 clean sheets in a row for the first time in just over 11 years
7 clean sheets in 10 games and 11 in total
14 goals conceded this season, the second best record in the division behind Ipswich (12) and bettered in the top four tiers by only Liverpool, Leicester, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Forest Green
2 penalties conceded so far, both in the same game, at least one of which shouldn't have been awarded
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But it means nothing. NOTHING. Because we lost an FA Cup replay. The entire squad should be crucified from lampposts along Wycombe High Street while fans wear sack cloth and ashes and weep uncontrollably. BWK.
Trolls chewing their knuckles and left to stir uncomfortably under their bridges. We would have beaten Chichester...
Best stat of all: 10% of league goals at Adams Park this season have been scored by Southend
Do they comprise our best defence ever?
Individually I'd say definitely not (apart from JJ), but they are far more than the sum of their parts.
What is this garbage? Some of us are able to be simultaneously absolutely thrilled with our league form and position and upset that we've lost a great opportunity to make it to the third round of the FA Cup.
It was irony, mainly aimed at Glasshalfempty. Sorry if you didn't get the joke.
Not very ironic.
This is no time for humour @MindlessDrugHoover
Sorry. Are fish puns still allowed?
I think we should skate over the last few comments
You’ve just made a rod for your own back
This is all getting a bit Punch & Judy
For me the reintroduction of Curtis in to the midfield is a major reason for our defensive showing.
No fish pun
Ooh, how did I overlook that? Just under 1 goal conceded per game without him in the side, 0.5 with him.
You make a good point - the best teams defend from the front backwards. You couldn't describe many of our games as 'backs to the wall' defending, the fact is that many teams just aren't able to create many chances against us and that's down to our terriers in midfield as well as the great tracking back and pressing from the likes of Wheeler and Kashket, plus of course the countless defensive headers that Bayo wins from set plays.
No trout about it............
Perhaps the most encouraging thing about this team is that you could just as easily have a similar thread about the attack or the midfield.
Now I feel like I'm missing a penalty. Was it really just those two in the Trevor Kettle Show?
I know this thread is about the astonishingly effective back 5, but...
Gape, Thompson, Bloomfield, Freeman, Ofoborh, Pattison. What a set of midfielders that is!!
And that's before you look at Akinfenwa, Kashket, Wheeler, Smyth, Samuel, Onyedinma, Aarons - hugely capable individually and all well equipped to defend from the front when necessary.
If opposition fans are thinking they should be beating "teams like Wycombe", they really should wise up, take another look at our line-up and their own 'shots on target' column against us, and respect the league leaders. We're not there by accident.
Absolutely superb point Righty. Curtis Thompson is a sensational player, and so important to us.
And at the risk of labouring the point, what the hell were Notts County thinking of????
We are really blessed this season with our squad. And I know we've got a bit more money, but people like Thompson, Wheeler, Grimmer for example were hardly considered stellar when we signed them. In a way I'm very happy with the fact that GA and Dobbo used the money to pick up underestimated gems rather than splashing on a Marquis, Grigg, Hylton 'marquee signing'.
I believe he fell out big time with the manager over something... their loss, definitely Wycombe's gain.
Yeah, I saw a Notts County fan say it was perceived attitude problems.
Kevin Nolan thinks that Kevin Nolan may have had a part in it...
I largely agree, although I'd argue that the Wheeler signing was quite a big deal (excuse the pun). I was certainly pretty shocked that we managed to pull that off.
Hopefully our lack of perceived 'star players' will keep anyone from poaching any of our squad in January. This really is a superb team and I've run out of superlatives for Ainsworth and Dobson for continuing to find those diamonds in the rough.
Classic thread derailing @DevC
Trouting pollocks
It's tough for him when people are talking about the actual football
It's worth noting the defensive play of the two wide forwards too, whoever they happen to be. Their covering play this season has been top notch.
@YorkExile must admit I was not aware of him, but it seems he was not really given a chance at QPR.
Isn’t it satisfying how opposition fans like that sweary chap from Ipswich only criticise us when their team has failed to beat us? We are incredibly hard to break down for all the reasons that have been mentioned and most of the successful teams in history were built on not conceding many goals. We go from strength to strength.