First half was back to our passing best but at the end of the second half not so much. Mascoll and Samuel were excellent and some of the passing moves early on were sublime. Keeping up that high pressing pressure was always going to be tough and when Bayo came on we seemed to revert to the hoofing it up to the big man strategy which abjectly failed and felt like we were lucky to hang on in the last few minutes. More first half and less second going forward please.
On another note I saw the famous Tom Kerrige pies on Tuesday. I laughed my arse off....£4 for a "pie" the size of a small mr Kipling cup cake...for that money the pie either needs to the be the best thing ever tasted or have two pound coins hidden in the pastry. People buy them so I guess they must be good. I wonder what size the "large" ones are for £7......
I had a couple of the small ones and they were great - very happy to spend a couple of pounds extra to get something with actual meat and proper pastry
Tuesday demonstrated exactly why I've been advocating not starting with Bayo this whole season. He really constrains our style and is far less effective than in the past, with better defenders knowing how to manage him and our two wide men rarely close enough to get onto his knock ons. Samuel holding the ball up, Freeman playing creative triangles with Wheeler and McCarthy... This is how we win matches. I suspect Bloomfield got the nod ahead of Thompson because Gareth wanted at least one of his three generals on the pitch. But perhaps it's time to create some new generals in Gape, Charles and McCarthy, at least until the end of the season. A midfield three of Gape, Thompson and Freeman with Ofoborh as first deputy would really sing.
Indeed with samuel, freeman, smyth and wheeler running about confuses and alarms the defence expecting to deal with.a big central focus. Having said that i hope bayo comes on and scores at the shopping centre ground this weekend.
The "Bayo constrains us" thing is never too far away is it. It first showed its head last year, as early as Doncaster away, 1 or 2 games in. I vividly remember all the "this is why Wimbledon got rid" stuff.
It's second only to the "Gaz is tactically inept" that tends to come along every time we go a few games without a win.
It always needs the balance that Bayo was absolutely key in our form that had us top of the league for quite a while.
Samuel had a good game midweek. But he has many games of utterly getting battered and not looking at all like scoring.
It's all about the right players for the right games, which more often than not Gaz gets spot on.
In @aloysius comments on why Bayo should not be played he comments on what I think has actually been the problem in the last couple of games he has played in: in my opinion it's not so much Bayo himself that is a problem as the fact that our other players aren't playing close enough to him to benefit from his knock-ons or lay offs. In recent games Bayo has done some good work getting the ball down to his feet, under control and ready to pass on, only to find he has nobody to pass it to.
@Uncle_T said:
In @aloysius comments on why Bayo should not be played he comments on what I think has actually been the problem in the last couple of games he has played in: in my opinion it's not so much Bayo himself that is a problem as the fact that our other players aren't playing close enough to him to benefit from his knock-ons or lay offs. In recent games Bayo has done some good work getting the ball down to his feet, under control and ready to pass on, only to find he has nobody to pass it to.
Exactly. At the end of the game he seemed increasingly isolated. Samuel can receive and hold a ball and on Tuesday turn with it. Bayo has a beautiful touch that works best when he can receive and release straight away. Remember when he and Scotty first linked up? Seemed they knew where each other were and were going and always looked a threat.
@aloysius said:
Tuesday demonstrated exactly why I've been advocating not starting with Bayo this whole season. He really constrains our style and is far less effective than in the past, with better defenders knowing how to manage him and our two wide men rarely close enough to get onto his knock ons. Samuel holding the ball up, Freeman playing creative triangles with Wheeler and McCarthy... This is how we win matches. I suspect Bloomfield got the nod ahead of Thompson because Gareth wanted at least one of his three generals on the pitch. But perhaps it's time to create some new generals in Gape, Charles and McCarthy, at least until the end of the season. A midfield three of Gape, Thompson and Freeman with Ofoborh as first deputy would really sing.
What about the second half before Akinfenwa came on? What does that demonstrate?
@aloysius said:
I suspect Bloomfield got the nod ahead of Thompson because Gareth wanted at least one of his three generals on the pitch. But perhaps it's time to create some new generals in Gape, Charles and McCarthy, at least until the end of the season.
It seems there are five 'generals' now, from a recent JJ interview on Sky:
"The gaffer has a little team - 'generals' he calls them," Jacobson explains. "There is a couple of us, me, Matt Bloomfield, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Darius Charles and Dominic Gape. The gaffer wants us to run the changing room.
"It creates a bigger link than just one captain to the manager to the players, because there can be pressure with that. Rather than one person looking after 25 players you've got five looking after a couple each. We make sure everyone is okay, we discuss our personal lives and that breeds the culture.
"We are experienced boys who have been around, seen good times and bad times in football, you get to know what works. The way they do it here with the 'generals' - that is something I have never seen before and it really works here. You have four or five guys who are totally different characters. We can give advice in lots of different ways."
My post was not intended in any way as a slight on the big man at all @Malone, in fact I was hoping for him to come on and bully a tiring back line on Tuesday and perhaps Samuel being knackered was the reason he was less effective than usual. And nothing to do with his assets and skills, I do think however that the ref was less whistle happy and the game flowed more because the officials are constantly expecting to and waiting to penalise him (often wrongly) and opposition players are happy to let them. Having two nippy little fellas chasing about in Samuel and Smyth put the wind up them. Just a thought. I fully expect Bayo to be our top scorer!
I don't think it's a great look when a player is allowed to go off on a jolly (even if it's probably technically work) on a match weekend, but they could at least say that's what he's doing - fans will quickly figure it out anyway.
Imagine what a legend a player would be if they took the week off for Cheltenham, or went out with the Barmy Army for the winter tests. I think people would be pleased to see the honesty.
"Matt Bloomfield is unavailable on Saturday as he's going boxing in Vegas. We wish Matt an enjoyable trip and will see him back in the side next week."
I think for some the sight of a player they believed to be past it, useless and the reason we did not play to feet not being available to play produced some pearl clasping vapours!
It would be interesting to see what percentage of British NFL fans are supporters of either the Raiders, Niners, Fins or Pats. It feels like the majority.
@Wendoverman said:
I think for some the sight of a player they believed to be past it, useless and the reason we did not play to feet not being available to play produced some pearl clasping vapours!
My vapours are purely and light heartedly about which, if any, NFL team he cleaves to. Oh and playing to him when there’s no-one near him. And whether a man chooses to clasp his pearls or not is between him, his closest companions, and when necessary his physician
@chairboyscentral said:
I don't think it's a great look when a player is allowed to go off on a jolly (even if it's probably technically work) on a match weekend, but they could at least say that's what he's doing - fans will quickly figure it out anyway.
Surely its a pretty known fact by now. He's done it the last two years and is part of his agreement with Wycombe. His role with the NFL basically covers the salary we can't afford to pay him and the club is applaudably unique is seeing this as a positive.
I actually enjoy hearing the moans of those who just don't get it.
Comments
First half was back to our passing best but at the end of the second half not so much. Mascoll and Samuel were excellent and some of the passing moves early on were sublime. Keeping up that high pressing pressure was always going to be tough and when Bayo came on we seemed to revert to the hoofing it up to the big man strategy which abjectly failed and felt like we were lucky to hang on in the last few minutes. More first half and less second going forward please.
On another note I saw the famous Tom Kerrige pies on Tuesday. I laughed my arse off....£4 for a "pie" the size of a small mr Kipling cup cake...for that money the pie either needs to the be the best thing ever tasted or have two pound coins hidden in the pastry. People buy them so I guess they must be good. I wonder what size the "large" ones are for £7......
The large ones are the size of a Pukka Pie. However, the quality is exponentially higher
Oh and the fiver hidden in the middle helps
You sure it wasn’t a large one that you saw @Ozzie_the_Relaxed . Pound coins in pastry sounds a tad unhygienic.
God, how I hate that word.
I had a couple of the small ones and they were great - very happy to spend a couple of pounds extra to get something with actual meat and proper pastry
Tuesday demonstrated exactly why I've been advocating not starting with Bayo this whole season. He really constrains our style and is far less effective than in the past, with better defenders knowing how to manage him and our two wide men rarely close enough to get onto his knock ons. Samuel holding the ball up, Freeman playing creative triangles with Wheeler and McCarthy... This is how we win matches. I suspect Bloomfield got the nod ahead of Thompson because Gareth wanted at least one of his three generals on the pitch. But perhaps it's time to create some new generals in Gape, Charles and McCarthy, at least until the end of the season. A midfield three of Gape, Thompson and Freeman with Ofoborh as first deputy would really sing.
Indeed with samuel, freeman, smyth and wheeler running about confuses and alarms the defence expecting to deal with.a big central focus. Having said that i hope bayo comes on and scores at the shopping centre ground this weekend.
Had one of those pies on Tuesday - was absolutely delicious
The "Bayo constrains us" thing is never too far away is it. It first showed its head last year, as early as Doncaster away, 1 or 2 games in. I vividly remember all the "this is why Wimbledon got rid" stuff.
It's second only to the "Gaz is tactically inept" that tends to come along every time we go a few games without a win.
It always needs the balance that Bayo was absolutely key in our form that had us top of the league for quite a while.
Samuel had a good game midweek. But he has many games of utterly getting battered and not looking at all like scoring.
It's all about the right players for the right games, which more often than not Gaz gets spot on.
In @aloysius comments on why Bayo should not be played he comments on what I think has actually been the problem in the last couple of games he has played in: in my opinion it's not so much Bayo himself that is a problem as the fact that our other players aren't playing close enough to him to benefit from his knock-ons or lay offs. In recent games Bayo has done some good work getting the ball down to his feet, under control and ready to pass on, only to find he has nobody to pass it to.
Exactly. At the end of the game he seemed increasingly isolated. Samuel can receive and hold a ball and on Tuesday turn with it. Bayo has a beautiful touch that works best when he can receive and release straight away. Remember when he and Scotty first linked up? Seemed they knew where each other were and were going and always looked a threat.
What about the second half before Akinfenwa came on? What does that demonstrate?
It seems there are five 'generals' now, from a recent JJ interview on Sky:
"The gaffer has a little team - 'generals' he calls them," Jacobson explains. "There is a couple of us, me, Matt Bloomfield, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Darius Charles and Dominic Gape. The gaffer wants us to run the changing room.
"It creates a bigger link than just one captain to the manager to the players, because there can be pressure with that. Rather than one person looking after 25 players you've got five looking after a couple each. We make sure everyone is okay, we discuss our personal lives and that breeds the culture.
"We are experienced boys who have been around, seen good times and bad times in football, you get to know what works. The way they do it here with the 'generals' - that is something I have never seen before and it really works here. You have four or five guys who are totally different characters. We can give advice in lots of different ways."
My post was not intended in any way as a slight on the big man at all @Malone, in fact I was hoping for him to come on and bully a tiring back line on Tuesday and perhaps Samuel being knackered was the reason he was less effective than usual. And nothing to do with his assets and skills, I do think however that the ref was less whistle happy and the game flowed more because the officials are constantly expecting to and waiting to penalise him (often wrongly) and opposition players are happy to let them. Having two nippy little fellas chasing about in Samuel and Smyth put the wind up them. Just a thought. I fully expect Bayo to be our top scorer!
Bayo will be at the SuperBowl this weekend so I'm guessing all the doubters will get some evidence on Saturday
absolutely heroic scenes from Bayo boycotting the Franchise match
What a legend
Did he ask for the Superbowl to be moved to this weekend?
Check his Insta story, looks very much like he's on a plane. I hope the club handle it better than they did last year.
No, he told them to move it to this weekend.
The club were OK. It's a few bedwetting fans that need to handle it better
I don't think it's a great look when a player is allowed to go off on a jolly (even if it's probably technically work) on a match weekend, but they could at least say that's what he's doing - fans will quickly figure it out anyway.
If he’s seen in a Chiefs jersey then I’m removing his signature from my signed shirt. With A Silver and Black pen.
On the other hand, if he's seen in a Niners jersey, I will forgive him ?
Imagine what a legend a player would be if they took the week off for Cheltenham, or went out with the Barmy Army for the winter tests. I think people would be pleased to see the honesty.
"Matt Bloomfield is unavailable on Saturday as he's going boxing in Vegas. We wish Matt an enjoyable trip and will see him back in the side next week."
I think for some the sight of a player they believed to be past it, useless and the reason we did not play to feet not being available to play produced some pearl clasping vapours!
Surely a lad his size is a Giants fan?
If he’s seen in a Raiders shirt I will marry him!
It would be interesting to see what percentage of British NFL fans are supporters of either the Raiders, Niners, Fins or Pats. It feels like the majority.
My vapours are purely and light heartedly about which, if any, NFL team he cleaves to. Oh and playing to him when there’s no-one near him. And whether a man chooses to clasp his pearls or not is between him, his closest companions, and when necessary his physician
Surely its a pretty known fact by now. He's done it the last two years and is part of his agreement with Wycombe. His role with the NFL basically covers the salary we can't afford to pay him and the club is applaudably unique is seeing this as a positive.
I actually enjoy hearing the moans of those who just don't get it.
@Manboobs not referring to any posts on here (as yet) just some of the past ones when outrage was king!