I’ve never been more wrong
Watching the game on Saturday, between the brilliant play, I was thinking about JJ. It was a typically solid performance from him, nothing spectacular compared to some of his performances in recent months, so I’m not sure why the thought crossed my mind, but I wanted to share it to see if others had ever had similar experience for certain players.
When JJ joined I think we were all pleased, lovely left foot and a really good signing for League 2. But he did get done a few times by the more talented wingers in the division. I was absolutely certain he wouldn’t be able to hack it in League 1, where the pacier and higher quality wingers would rip him to shreds. I can’t remember ever being more wrong about a player. He not only holds his own in this division, he absolutely excels, and was one of our best and most consistent performers in the Championship as well. What a signing he has been on and off the pitch, an absolute credit to himself, his family and his profession. And I think even deep into his 30’s he’s playing some of the best football in a Wycombe shirt yet. Thank you for proving me so wrong JJ!
Comments
Great post @Quarterman! JJ truly is a fine wine.
Always been one of my favourites from the start, one of the first names on the teamsheet for me since he's arrived. No idea why Shrewsbury didn't keep him. Wand of a left foot and best set piece taker in the third tier.
Obviously at 34 he has lost a yard of pace compared to when he signed in 2014 but he's really benefitted from our move to a wing back formation as he's equally well suited to the LCB role.
However, he will go down as our best ever left back. 33 goals for us too, crazy numbers.
Hear hear to all of the above.
Having a pacy LWB to protect him has been a great move, with us still getting the full benefit from his awesome set pieces and crosses.
He is undoubtedly the best signing of the Ainsworth era.
Definitely the one player in the current squad who would make it into the greatest ever Wanderers XI.
Stockdale and Stewart not far behind?
I think Martin Taylor will take some dislodging from the all time best keeper throne, and as recently discussed, we've been incredibly blessed with fantastic centre backs over the years.
Totally agree @MindlessDrugHoover. I just felt a little uncomfortable with such an excellent squad only having “the one” candidate. We’ll reserve judgement of course but I’m hoping a “proper” promotion to the Championship will qualify the present one as the best ever Wycombe squad.
Comparisons over different eras tend to be a bit pointless but JJ is by any means a very special player and I'm sure will be remembered as one of, if not the, best Left backs we've ever had. Certainly the best in the last 20 years. He's done brilliantly recently at Centre back too. I'm sure he enjoys not having to chase wingers up and down the pitch so much but also seems to have really taken well to the positioning, timing and agro that go with being a defender first.
His free kicks and corners have been immense and I'm fairly sure him Vokes and Taff in particular can become an even bigger threat as time goes on.
Great post @Quarterman his positional play has also improved hugely, meaning he rarely gets caught out. Add that to a wand of left foot and we have a true gem. How many assists or goals must we have had from JJ over the years?
Bayo?
Akinfenwa is our greatest ever signing but JJ isn't too far behind. He'd certainly be in my greatest ever Wycombe XI
I remember meeting a Shrewsbury fan at a wedding shortly after we'd signed JJ and he was absolutely fuming they'd let him go
Agreed. I feel his improved positional play is the secret to his continued success. Playing the angles and timing his interceptions rather than trying to out pace opponents. Still a first pick at this level.
Totally agree JJ was a fantastic signing whichis why I tend to trust what Gareth and Dobbo are doing even if I have no idea about the players they are signing.
Also, in an entire team of genuinely nice guys, he's almost certainly the most likeable of the lot.
I have it the other way around. Mainly because without JJ I don't think Akinfenwa would've been so effective for us. There's not much in it though!
38 goals (23 pens)
I make it five straight from corners, one from the second phase of a corner (v Shrewsbury, 2018) and one from open play (v Cheltenham, 2014), so eight directly from free-kicks? Possible he's scored one or two from a penalty rebound, but none spring to mind.
I say this periodically, but I wish the club would release a 'Greatest Corners' video. Besides the 5 straight from corners referenced by @ReturnToSenda above, I would guess JJ has had a further 2-3 disallowed, a couple possibly cross the line and not given, several where the striker just had to tap/head in from inches out (with the ball going in anyway), several which struck the frame, and another bunch where the keeper had to make a save.
There was one at Bradford in 2018 (first win back in L1) where CMS nodded in from half a yard when it was probably bending straight in anyway.