There's been a few references on here to our decline since the covid break. But it's actually been a theme of Gareth's time as manager - we always seem to slump after Christmas. He gets us playing like sharks but when sharks stop they die. We always struggle after a layoff and I can think of only one season, the League 2 promotion season, where we recovered quickly enough to not let it ruin the season (last year obviously a special exception).
We did ok in the playoffs in the summer after a long lay off for sure but I tend to agree with the point about our squad tiring out as the season goes on. Our style does take it out of the players.
I also think we could draw a line from where in each season the under soil heating crusts up the surface of the pitch and makes it bobble loads.
Obita hasn’t got me thinking he’s up to JJ’s level yet at any part of his game. We are so lucky to have JJ
@Twizz said:
I really struggle to understand the point being made by those suggesting Bloomfield shouldn't have started while offering no constructive alternative.
I’ll answer.
Firstly, I have no idea what role he was supposed to be playing today so there is no obvious direct replacement because I can’t imagine anyone else in the squad would have spent so much of the match trying to butt into a teammate’s position and getting in their way.
He ambled back to centre mid so slowly all game that Uche kept having to drop back to cover his supposed position - our target man was further back supporting the defenders than one of our central midfielders. That is always going to seriously limit our chances and it did a number of times today as the ball came back in the right direction, bypassing Uche, with Blooms trudging towards it as the only player anywhere near their box.
So, in answer to your question - if he’s supposed to be an attacking mid, I’d have Wheeler, Memehti or Adeniran there, if he’s supposed to be box to box, I’d have Wheeler, Thompson or Adeniran there, if he’s supposed to be a playmaker I’d have Wheeler, Memehti or Adeniran there, if he’s supposed to be a defensive mid I’d have Thompson or Adeniran there.
For clarity though, I’m not scapegoating Blooms, we’d still have lost. And I’m also not saying that awful cliche of this level is a step too far for him - I think he’s been very good in a few games this season. What I am unequivocally saying though, is that he did us more harm than good today, whatever the hell role that was that he was playing. And I’m also not saying that’s necessarily his fault - I can’t even imagine how that performance could have been a deliberate tactic given how much it limited Uche’s ability to affect the game, but if he was actually told to hang around in front of the forwards and tackle our own players then he did a good job.
I’m just thinking back to the games against Cardiff and Boro. When we played a 4-2-3-1 and looked so much better. I know we lost to Middlesbrough but we were undone by some great attacking play and we were in the game and looked exciting. My only hope for the rest of the season is as many have commented: let’s try to develop a slightly different style over the next 20 games. Play 2 holding midfielders and Mehmeti in the hole. 2 out and out wingers from McCleary, Horgan, Wheeler, Fred and Uche up top. Thought we looked far better and would like to try this going forward.
Been browsing on Facebook and noticing a fair few calling for Ainsworth's head.
Whilst this is obviously very knee jerk, and probably due to the reality, that we look certain to go down.
What concerns me, is Gareth has said openly he was hugely influenced by John Beck. I just dont think he will sit back at the end of the season and analyse what could be changed or done better.
I think he is absolutely immersed with work rate and direct football, and will never adhere to a possession based or even a mixture of the two.
It's a cheap shot to call such a young manager a dinosaur, but his style of football has been sadly found wanting so many times this season.
"We made more mistakes than Nottingham Forest, that's the key to the game today. Three-nil looks worse than it was and I thought we were the better team in the first half, if I'm being honest.
"The referee gives that penalty - it's a real soft penalty and that changes the game. It gives them the impetus to go and play more expansive football.
"The third goal's a fantastic finish from Knockaert and you've got to give him credit for that, but the first two goals were our mistakes. We've got to eradicate that because, as I keep saying, at this level you get punished."
Ah thanks. Wasn’t on the club Twitter so assumed he had skipped it.
It’s a bit of a repeat of probably half our games this season. He must be as bored saying it as we are hearing it.
The penalty was not soft from the officials it was soft from the players. Probably both had a chance to play it safely out and Knight (I still think) made the push. You do that against Glen Murray in the box it’s a penalty all day long.
@ChasHarps said:
Been browsing on Facebook and noticing a fair few calling for Ainsworth's head.
Whilst this is obviously very knee jerk, and probably due to the reality, that we look certain to go down.
What concerns me, is Gareth has said openly he was hugely influenced by John Beck. I just dont think he will sit back at the end of the season and analyse what could be changed or done better.
I think he is absolutely immersed with work rate and direct football, and will never adhere to a possession based or even a mixture of the two.
It's a cheap shot to call such a young manager a dinosaur, but his style of football has been sadly found wanting so many times this season.
I certainly don’t advocate his sacking but he has been found out badly this season. Plan A hump the ball forward, plan B bring on the big man who can’t moveand continue to hump the ball forward. . Can we please try something different.
I think the depressing thing is not so much that we are going down, but that this season might have shown that you genuinely do need to spend silly money to have half a chance in this division.
@Shev said:
I think the depressing thing is not so much that we are going down, but that this season might have shown that you genuinely do need to spend silly money to have half a chance in this division.
Depends what you mean by “half a chance”. If you mean promotion, then I imagine that’s fair. If you mean staying in it, then Rotherham have nearly double our points total, I’m sure they have more to spend than us (bigger fanbase), but I don’t think they’re spunking wads of cash up the wall.
Gareth didn't get the sack for almost taking us into non league, so there's no way in hell he's getting sacked after two promotions, and an unprecedented year in this league.
I do worry a bit about some of our fans reactions if we're outside the top 10 by Christmas next year if we go down.
@drcongo Absolutely spot on re. Bloomfield. I'm a massive fan of Bloomfield and I truly believe that in my lifetime, i'll never see another player commit themselves to Wycombe like he has. However, I worry that we're in danger of damaging his legacy - being shown up in matches like this isn't the ending to his career he deserves.
On the game today, I'm fairly resigned to losing - these are exactly the matches we expected to lose this season against a team littered with recent PL experience. We shouldn't feel angry or disappointed - we're punching above our weight. It's hard to watch a losing team but Gaz and the team deserve our support all the way to May. And when the inevitable relegation happens, the memories of last July will stay with us all forever. That's what supporting a lower league team is all about.
Sacking GA would be insanity, pure and simple. He has earned the right to leave on his own terms, and the work he has put into building a lasting culture would be wasted.
@Shev said:
Sacking GA would be insanity, pure and simple. He has earned the right to leave on his own terms, and the work he has put into building a lasting culture would be wasted.
I don’t even need to read back to find out who’s suggested getting rid of Gaz to know that whoever they are, they are a melon that needs their head examined.
Something to look forward to next year though - I already have a Sunderland supporting friend telling me he wouldn't swap anyone in their current starting 11 for one of ours, and that we won't finish top 10 in League One next season.
I do hope the crowds can be back to clap these lads for a lap of honour after the last home game. They deserve to feel that affection. Nothing but respect for the effort, endeavour and heart.
@Shev said:
I do hope the crowds can be back to clap these lads for a lap of honour after the last home game. They deserve to feel that affection. Nothing but respect for the effort, endeavour and heart.
Good call but let’s go down fighting in these last 20 games. Let’s try and play some football and stop this hoof the ball forward. Also put up statutes of Bloomfield and Bayo, thank them for their tremendous service but not play them again this season. Their time has come.
@Shev said:
I do hope the crowds can be back to clap these lads for a lap of honour after the last home game. They deserve to feel that affection. Nothing but respect for the effort, endeavour and heart.
I'm a bit overly optimistic with this sort of thing, but if we had crowds in autumn, and we're already up to 11million having been vaccinated, with probably another 10million over the next 6 weeks, then surely they can re-open the grounds again. On a similar 2,000 max, masks/distanced basis?
Infection rates by then surely cant be any higher than they were in autumn.
Good call but let’s go down fighting in these last 20 games. Let’s try and play some football and stop this hoof the ball forward. Also put up statutes of Bloomfield and Bayo, thank them for their tremendous service but not play them again this season. Their time has come.
You do know Ainsworth isn't going to do that and by constantly calling for change in style you're basically calling for a change of manager. The current squad is built to play the Ainsworth way. They are giving everything they have. Every single one them.
This league is a tough one and almost a different sport in some way. Somehow some of the rules even seem different. We'll benefit from each game and who knows what the next couple of months will bring. What us certain is our highest ever league position. I am still hoping I can see us in the Championship later this year.
Isnt it terrible that people who have been criticising and calling for his head for some time now seem sadly resigned to having to call for Gareth's head...
I remember that towards the end of MoN time at AP there were grumbling and people saying he had taken us as far as he could.
Be careful what you wish for folks. Before you know it the next Alan Smith will be turning up in his tennis outfit.
@Shev said:
I think the depressing thing is not so much that we are going down, but that this season might have shown that you genuinely do need to spend silly money to have half a chance in this division.
Depends what you mean by “half a chance”. If you mean promotion, then I imagine that’s fair. If you mean staying in it, then Rotherham have nearly double our points total, I’m sure they have more to spend than us (bigger fanbase), but I don’t think they’re spunking wads of cash up the wall.
Rotherham have spent two of the last four seasons in the Championship with the financial rewards that goes with it.
@TheAndyGrahamFanClub said:
I remember that towards the end of MoN time at AP there were grumbling and people saying he had taken us as far as he could.
Be careful what you wish for folks. Before you know it the next Alan Smith will be turning up in his tennis outfit.
Exactly that. It's madness to turn on Gareth because he can't find an extra miracle this season.
Comments
We did ok in the playoffs in the summer after a long lay off for sure but I tend to agree with the point about our squad tiring out as the season goes on. Our style does take it out of the players.
I also think we could draw a line from where in each season the under soil heating crusts up the surface of the pitch and makes it bobble loads.
Obita hasn’t got me thinking he’s up to JJ’s level yet at any part of his game. We are so lucky to have JJ
I’ll answer.
Firstly, I have no idea what role he was supposed to be playing today so there is no obvious direct replacement because I can’t imagine anyone else in the squad would have spent so much of the match trying to butt into a teammate’s position and getting in their way.
He ambled back to centre mid so slowly all game that Uche kept having to drop back to cover his supposed position - our target man was further back supporting the defenders than one of our central midfielders. That is always going to seriously limit our chances and it did a number of times today as the ball came back in the right direction, bypassing Uche, with Blooms trudging towards it as the only player anywhere near their box.
So, in answer to your question - if he’s supposed to be an attacking mid, I’d have Wheeler, Memehti or Adeniran there, if he’s supposed to be box to box, I’d have Wheeler, Thompson or Adeniran there, if he’s supposed to be a playmaker I’d have Wheeler, Memehti or Adeniran there, if he’s supposed to be a defensive mid I’d have Thompson or Adeniran there.
For clarity though, I’m not scapegoating Blooms, we’d still have lost. And I’m also not saying that awful cliche of this level is a step too far for him - I think he’s been very good in a few games this season. What I am unequivocally saying though, is that he did us more harm than good today, whatever the hell role that was that he was playing. And I’m also not saying that’s necessarily his fault - I can’t even imagine how that performance could have been a deliberate tactic given how much it limited Uche’s ability to affect the game, but if he was actually told to hang around in front of the forwards and tackle our own players then he did a good job.
I’m just thinking back to the games against Cardiff and Boro. When we played a 4-2-3-1 and looked so much better. I know we lost to Middlesbrough but we were undone by some great attacking play and we were in the game and looked exciting. My only hope for the rest of the season is as many have commented: let’s try to develop a slightly different style over the next 20 games. Play 2 holding midfielders and Mehmeti in the hole. 2 out and out wingers from McCleary, Horgan, Wheeler, Fred and Uche up top. Thought we looked far better and would like to try this going forward.
Been browsing on Facebook and noticing a fair few calling for Ainsworth's head.
Whilst this is obviously very knee jerk, and probably due to the reality, that we look certain to go down.
What concerns me, is Gareth has said openly he was hugely influenced by John Beck. I just dont think he will sit back at the end of the season and analyse what could be changed or done better.
I think he is absolutely immersed with work rate and direct football, and will never adhere to a possession based or even a mixture of the two.
It's a cheap shot to call such a young manager a dinosaur, but his style of football has been sadly found wanting so many times this season.
Assume GA is not giving an interview today. Be nice to here some thoughts.
And anyone calling for him to go I pity you.
Taken from the BBC report:
"We made more mistakes than Nottingham Forest, that's the key to the game today. Three-nil looks worse than it was and I thought we were the better team in the first half, if I'm being honest.
"The referee gives that penalty - it's a real soft penalty and that changes the game. It gives them the impetus to go and play more expansive football.
"The third goal's a fantastic finish from Knockaert and you've got to give him credit for that, but the first two goals were our mistakes. We've got to eradicate that because, as I keep saying, at this level you get punished."
Indeed. Gaz should have a job at Wycombe as long as he wants it.
I'm happy for us to be a yo-yo club at this point. Though the second yo is a lot harder to watch than the first yo.
Ah thanks. Wasn’t on the club Twitter so assumed he had skipped it.
It’s a bit of a repeat of probably half our games this season. He must be as bored saying it as we are hearing it.
The penalty was not soft from the officials it was soft from the players. Probably both had a chance to play it safely out and Knight (I still think) made the push. You do that against Glen Murray in the box it’s a penalty all day long.
Murray was a cheat and pulled a few overly dramatic falls to the ground, but yeah, that was a nailed on pen and Knight didn’t need to do it at all.
I certainly don’t advocate his sacking but he has been found out badly this season. Plan A hump the ball forward, plan B bring on the big man who can’t moveand continue to hump the ball forward. . Can we please try something different.
I think the depressing thing is not so much that we are going down, but that this season might have shown that you genuinely do need to spend silly money to have half a chance in this division.
Depends what you mean by “half a chance”. If you mean promotion, then I imagine that’s fair. If you mean staying in it, then Rotherham have nearly double our points total, I’m sure they have more to spend than us (bigger fanbase), but I don’t think they’re spunking wads of cash up the wall.
Gareth didn't get the sack for almost taking us into non league, so there's no way in hell he's getting sacked after two promotions, and an unprecedented year in this league.
I do worry a bit about some of our fans reactions if we're outside the top 10 by Christmas next year if we go down.
@drcongo Absolutely spot on re. Bloomfield. I'm a massive fan of Bloomfield and I truly believe that in my lifetime, i'll never see another player commit themselves to Wycombe like he has. However, I worry that we're in danger of damaging his legacy - being shown up in matches like this isn't the ending to his career he deserves.
On the game today, I'm fairly resigned to losing - these are exactly the matches we expected to lose this season against a team littered with recent PL experience. We shouldn't feel angry or disappointed - we're punching above our weight. It's hard to watch a losing team but Gaz and the team deserve our support all the way to May. And when the inevitable relegation happens, the memories of last July will stay with us all forever. That's what supporting a lower league team is all about.
Sacking GA would be insanity, pure and simple. He has earned the right to leave on his own terms, and the work he has put into building a lasting culture would be wasted.
Brilliant post by Last Quarter and the perfect antidote to some of the posts I’ve read on the FB page (I won’t go near Twitter).
I don’t even need to read back to find out who’s suggested getting rid of Gaz to know that whoever they are, they are a melon that needs their head examined.
You really should stop reading FB. About half your posts are about how awful it is.
It comes up automatically in my email notifications from my time doing the media job at Wycombe
Something to look forward to next year though - I already have a Sunderland supporting friend telling me he wouldn't swap anyone in their current starting 11 for one of ours, and that we won't finish top 10 in League One next season.
Yes - the thought of plucky Sunderland spoiling for another crack at the mighty Wycombe puts a smile on my face.
I do hope the crowds can be back to clap these lads for a lap of honour after the last home game. They deserve to feel that affection. Nothing but respect for the effort, endeavour and heart.
Good call but let’s go down fighting in these last 20 games. Let’s try and play some football and stop this hoof the ball forward. Also put up statutes of Bloomfield and Bayo, thank them for their tremendous service but not play them again this season. Their time has come.
I'm a bit overly optimistic with this sort of thing, but if we had crowds in autumn, and we're already up to 11million having been vaccinated, with probably another 10million over the next 6 weeks, then surely they can re-open the grounds again. On a similar 2,000 max, masks/distanced basis?
Infection rates by then surely cant be any higher than they were in autumn.
You do know Ainsworth isn't going to do that and by constantly calling for change in style you're basically calling for a change of manager. The current squad is built to play the Ainsworth way. They are giving everything they have. Every single one them.
This league is a tough one and almost a different sport in some way. Somehow some of the rules even seem different. We'll benefit from each game and who knows what the next couple of months will bring. What us certain is our highest ever league position. I am still hoping I can see us in the Championship later this year.
Isnt it terrible that people who have been criticising and calling for his head for some time now seem sadly resigned to having to call for Gareth's head...
I remember that towards the end of MoN time at AP there were grumbling and people saying he had taken us as far as he could.
Be careful what you wish for folks. Before you know it the next Alan Smith will be turning up in his tennis outfit.
Rotherham have spent two of the last four seasons in the Championship with the financial rewards that goes with it.
Exactly that. It's madness to turn on Gareth because he can't find an extra miracle this season.