Going by how reasonable, if not spectacular our performance was, this thread has almost half the posts the thread about a fixture in what is essentially a reserve team competition against a glorified youth team in Brighton and Hove Albion U21s had.
In some ways it was a fairly uneventful game, though in others it was a pretty encouraging display against a team team pushing for promotion being made to look decidedly average. Their keeper had a good game, dealing well with crosses and pulling out some good saves against decent efforts from Taylor and Lubala. On another day we wrap up a comfortable win, though the way our season has been going we'll accept a draw, clean sheet and decent performance. In some ways we'll be glad that the signs are good for avoiding being dragged into a relegation dogfight, on the other hand you can't help be feel that there is a so much untapped potential waiting to be exploited. Hopefully this season will serve as the nadir in Matt Bloomfield's redemption arc in fantastic season next year, similar to how Gareth Ainsworth's near-catastrophic 2013/14 season was the precursor to the incredible season where we were within a whisker of automatic promotion.
On the subject of KVY or Leahy at left back, don’t forget we also have Saxon Earley who hasn’t yet had a look in. He comes highly rated and is presumably biding his time for an opportunity, as opposed to injured.
20yrs ago I was in a hospital bed next to Bill, and he told me he disagreed with the club at the time not taking on a young Jason Roberts who he was informed was not strong enough. The irony being of course that he became a hell of a powerful player! If memory serves correct didn’t he get a trial via Cyrille Regis as he was his nephew? Roberts I mean, not Bill!
I think it’s a sign of the importance, IMO. Let’s face it, few will feel we will get dragged into a relegation battle having surely turned the corner now and we are miles off the play offs. But the pizza cup now actually has something riding on it.
Does anybody know why the police were armed with batons along Hillbottom Road? I asked a couple of them and they seemed a bit embarrassed 'we're just here to watch the game mate.'
2024 UK and someone has given the green light for this sort of thing. Really scary stuff.
Really hope this was nothing to do with WWFC or the Couhigs
Agree with all of this. Really feels like a corner has been turned and Bloomfield will go on to be a good manager for us.
It's a bit sickening to think where we might be without the back 3 experiment though. I know part of being a young manager is learning from your mistakes, but had his preferred formation been 4 at the back all along, I reckon we'd be nipping at the heels of the playoffs rather than the drop zone.
The back three experiment, the variable quality of the young loanees, sorting out the wheat from the chaff of the summer signings as a whole, an improving injury situation and what look like some good January signings.
A word of caution for all you optimists out there. It feels like Potts is absolutely key to how we play when it works. His absence led to some of the worst football I'd seen from us for quite a while and it seemed clear that MB was struggling to find anything that worked.
I know that the switch to four at the back slightly pre-dated Potts return and we were starting to look at least vaguely coherent, but it does make me worry a little bit about how we will be able to play long-term without someone who seems to have a lot more time and space on the field than other players.
Having said that, I do agree that we came out of the January transfer window better-balanced than we entered it and certainly the last few performances have been something to enjoy.
I’m amazed at how few man of the match votes he’s had in this recent stretch of games. I think he’s our best / most influential player by an outrageous margin.
I really enjoy watching Potts play and I feel the signing of Butcher and now the return of Scowen has allowed him to kick on again. He'll need more end product to really advance his career though. I'm sure that'll come, but to date he's only scored 2 and perhaps 1 assist. Would be great to see him add a few of both before the end of the season. I suspect at the moment, it might be a Championship loan next season for a few months at least before he's be considered ready for the Premier League.
I think Josh made a massive difference on Saturday. Brannigan and Rodrigues were totally out of the game first half with Scowen and Potts running the show. Josh was everywhere.
Don’t get me wrong I like Butcher and think he is a great signing but Josh is next level.
As you say @Shev , Joe Low must also be in the hunt for player of the season and Sadlier is on fire.
Scowen was elite level in the first half on Saturday. I think there's a danger that we become a bit blasé about him because we know him so well but the way he reads the game and manages to be in the exact spot he needs to be time and time and time again is breathtaking to watch. I've certainly never seen anyone do it better in all my years watching Wycombe and he is easily a starter in my all time Wycombe XI.
I just can't believe he's playing in League 1. He is miles better than that. I am very grateful that he is mind you.
My feeling is that he will have a stunning season next year in the Championship with someone and then be in West Ham's starting lineup and after that. Ready for World Cup 2026 in the US.
I should have been clear that was now, not next season when of course some of our older players will have left and some not willing to sign new contracts.
If they do, I've never noticed..but fortunately not had much dealings with the Peelers. On Sat they had them clipped to the front of their armour just above the crotch so everyone could see. Completely unneccessary I thought and with a cold economist hat on..how much did this cost the club?
At the last home game v Oxford some absolute retards from both sides were trying to have scrap right outside the gates after the game. Loads of kids about, they didn't give a shit.
If you want to blame anyone it's helmets like that.
Comments
If anything was worth breaking your no moaning about refs rule, it’s this.
Going by how reasonable, if not spectacular our performance was, this thread has almost half the posts the thread about a fixture in what is essentially a reserve team competition against a glorified youth team in Brighton and Hove Albion U21s had.
In some ways it was a fairly uneventful game, though in others it was a pretty encouraging display against a team team pushing for promotion being made to look decidedly average. Their keeper had a good game, dealing well with crosses and pulling out some good saves against decent efforts from Taylor and Lubala. On another day we wrap up a comfortable win, though the way our season has been going we'll accept a draw, clean sheet and decent performance. In some ways we'll be glad that the signs are good for avoiding being dragged into a relegation dogfight, on the other hand you can't help be feel that there is a so much untapped potential waiting to be exploited. Hopefully this season will serve as the nadir in Matt Bloomfield's redemption arc in fantastic season next year, similar to how Gareth Ainsworth's near-catastrophic 2013/14 season was the precursor to the incredible season where we were within a whisker of automatic promotion.
I’m certainly very impressed by how we’ve played in recent weeks. Much more comfortable with Matt as manager going into next season
It was a long time ago. I certainly made a polite enquiry
On the subject of KVY or Leahy at left back, don’t forget we also have Saxon Earley who hasn’t yet had a look in. He comes highly rated and is presumably biding his time for an opportunity, as opposed to injured.
20yrs ago I was in a hospital bed next to Bill, and he told me he disagreed with the club at the time not taking on a young Jason Roberts who he was informed was not strong enough. The irony being of course that he became a hell of a powerful player! If memory serves correct didn’t he get a trial via Cyrille Regis as he was his nephew? Roberts I mean, not Bill!
I think it’s a sign of the importance, IMO. Let’s face it, few will feel we will get dragged into a relegation battle having surely turned the corner now and we are miles off the play offs. But the pizza cup now actually has something riding on it.
Does anybody know why the police were armed with batons along Hillbottom Road? I asked a couple of them and they seemed a bit embarrassed 'we're just here to watch the game mate.'
2024 UK and someone has given the green light for this sort of thing. Really scary stuff.
Really hope this was nothing to do with WWFC or the Couhigs
Don't police always carry a baton?
Agree with all of this. Really feels like a corner has been turned and Bloomfield will go on to be a good manager for us.
It's a bit sickening to think where we might be without the back 3 experiment though. I know part of being a young manager is learning from your mistakes, but had his preferred formation been 4 at the back all along, I reckon we'd be nipping at the heels of the playoffs rather than the drop zone.
The back three experiment, the variable quality of the young loanees, sorting out the wheat from the chaff of the summer signings as a whole, an improving injury situation and what look like some good January signings.
it really does all seem to be coming together.
Oh, and as Karl Pilkington might say. I forgot. Not noisy eaters. The incredibly fine scoreline margins whilst sorting out defensive problems.
A word of caution for all you optimists out there. It feels like Potts is absolutely key to how we play when it works. His absence led to some of the worst football I'd seen from us for quite a while and it seemed clear that MB was struggling to find anything that worked.
I know that the switch to four at the back slightly pre-dated Potts return and we were starting to look at least vaguely coherent, but it does make me worry a little bit about how we will be able to play long-term without someone who seems to have a lot more time and space on the field than other players.
Having said that, I do agree that we came out of the January transfer window better-balanced than we entered it and certainly the last few performances have been something to enjoy.
I’m amazed at how few man of the match votes he’s had in this recent stretch of games. I think he’s our best / most influential player by an outrageous margin.
Totally agree. He is going to be ‘ one hell of a player’.
He was seen as the natural midfield successor to Declan Rice by many West Ham fans, including some who expected the succession to occur this season.
Let’s celebrate the fact that he’ll be with us for the rest of the season.
I really enjoy watching Potts play and I feel the signing of Butcher and now the return of Scowen has allowed him to kick on again. He'll need more end product to really advance his career though. I'm sure that'll come, but to date he's only scored 2 and perhaps 1 assist. Would be great to see him add a few of both before the end of the season. I suspect at the moment, it might be a Championship loan next season for a few months at least before he's be considered ready for the Premier League.
Outrageously optimistic of me, but he could of course achieve that at Wycombe next season!
Potts for POTS
I still think Scowen and Low have fair shots also, and if Sadlier had played all season he would be a major threat for the award.
Agreed.
I think Josh made a massive difference on Saturday. Brannigan and Rodrigues were totally out of the game first half with Scowen and Potts running the show. Josh was everywhere.
Don’t get me wrong I like Butcher and think he is a great signing but Josh is next level.
As you say @Shev , Joe Low must also be in the hunt for player of the season and Sadlier is on fire.
Potts is a class act, but if the midfield three starting next season were Scowen, Butcher, and Leahy I'd think we were in pretty decent shape.
If we could only pick Wycombe players and not loaners then this would be my team.
Max
Grimmer, Low, Taf, KVY
Butcher, Scowen
McCleary, Wheeler, Sadlier
Vokes
Subs - Rav, Forino, Kone, Hanlan, Leahy, McCarthy and JJ
Scowen was elite level in the first half on Saturday. I think there's a danger that we become a bit blasé about him because we know him so well but the way he reads the game and manages to be in the exact spot he needs to be time and time and time again is breathtaking to watch. I've certainly never seen anyone do it better in all my years watching Wycombe and he is easily a starter in my all time Wycombe XI.
I just can't believe he's playing in League 1. He is miles better than that. I am very grateful that he is mind you.
With the greatest respect, I'm not sure both Vokes & JJ will be in the squad next year.
My feeling is that he will have a stunning season next year in the Championship with someone and then be in West Ham's starting lineup and after that. Ready for World Cup 2026 in the US.
I should have been clear that was now, not next season when of course some of our older players will have left and some not willing to sign new contracts.
If they do, I've never noticed..but fortunately not had much dealings with the Peelers. On Sat they had them clipped to the front of their armour just above the crotch so everyone could see. Completely unneccessary I thought and with a cold economist hat on..how much did this cost the club?
At the last home game v Oxford some absolute retards from both sides were trying to have scrap right outside the gates after the game. Loads of kids about, they didn't give a shit.
If you want to blame anyone it's helmets like that.