Yesterday’s performance was so far removed from that of a team managed by Gareth Ainsworth. It’s going to take some time to get used to and I’m really not ready to move on.
The season clearly isn’t over but the direction is clear for all to see.
I know a number of posters don’t like the saying ‘ a must win game’ but I feel Tuesday’s game against Fleetwood is a must win game. We need to get the momentum going again if we are going to keep up with the playoff contenders. Clearly injuries are hurting us at the moment but we need the three points on Tuesday.
Where do you think the Ainsworth factor was not in evidence on the pitch?
I agree we were tactically sloppy at times with the width but Ainsworth was not adverse, as all managers are, to not being able to solve a problem in the game. I watched Manchester United get torn apart in the same way goal after goal yesterday, and yet they were unable to make a change to solve it.
Two poor performances on the bounce but some of the top six are also struggling, so play-offs still possible.
If Josh’s injury means he misses two/three games then that will have a massive impact.
For me, looking at our bench on Saturday you realised how depleted our ranks have become. We have Willis, Taff, Obita, Tommo and Gape out injured and we lost a number of our squad in Jan.
Six of the players on the bench on Saturday were in the B&B team that lost to Basingstoke.
We certainly need a good show on Tuesday night.
That said, I have no doubt that Matt will be a very successful manager for us and I really don’t think Ainsworth would have done anything differently.
I’d say a 1 in 10 chance of promotion was generous.
If we were to get into the playoffs our chances would be approximately 1 in 4, so they must be saying something like their expectation is that we would get into the playoffs 2 in 5 from here.
11% chance of promotion is probably 0.25 x c.40% to win the play-offs plus a 0.x% chance of finishing in the top 2 - 200/1 with Bet365 to go up automatically
The supercomputer has spoken and has done the number-crunching ahead of the new League One campaign.
Reach's in-house boffins have run the rule over the 24 clubs in the third tier in 2022-23 and have monitored the necessary algorithms to give a predicted final table. And in a field of heavyweights, Wycombe Wanderers have been tipped to come out on top this term.
I dreamed we went 3-0 up on Barnsley last night, but they grabbed a goal back and I missed the ending. De Barr with a close range header our second and a goalie howler from a McCarthy shot for our third, since you ask.
This all means we are going to be fine, of course.
We had our share of performances like that under GA. Chaotic chases where all we had were lumps forward, where it appeared that Vokes's head was shaped like a thrupenny bit etc etc. And then other days it clicks, a lump forward becomes a precise flick, every Hollywood pass comes off. There is no way that the past 2 games reflect an Ainsworth or non-Ainsworth performance. We had five wins on the bounce 2 against really good teams where we were superb. We could never maintain that, especially against a background of player losses. We are still very much in the Ainsworth era, his DNA is all over this team (stop it!).
I'm just basing my judgement on the Exeter City performance. It felt completely different, especially the longer the game continued. It felt more psychological, at least to me.
Things are different of course and there may well have been some confirmation bias at play. It'll just take some getting used it.
I think we just need that first win under Blooms. I would liken it to Al-Hamadi. I know he scored a goal in one of the cup competitions, but when he made any appearances in the league, it felt like he got in good positions but snatched at the chances a little. It always seemed as though he would relax and the floodgates would open a little when he got that first - as it happens, it is Wimbledon who are seeing that, which is great for both club and player.
But back to us - I agree there could be something psychological, but it feels like that block could be removed as soon as we win - and the sooner the better, obviously. We may even need to come from behind or get a last gasp winner just to cement it. Either way, it is a very mental sport, and it is understandable if the players are in a weird transition zone right now.
I am convinced we are not going to go quietly into the night, either way.
I’m certain the players think Blooms has what it takes, as do most of us here. @Shev is right that they and we need a win to really feel he has what it takes, to regain tbe sense that we are, if not unbeatable, never really beaten, even if we have a lousy game or two. We had a few drinkers under Gaz but the belief that it was a blip, it would come good, a miracle was possible was always there.
Tomorrow may well provide that, although horrible weather may level the field a bit. COYB
IMO, the current top 4 are safe. Two of the the next 4, Bolton, us, you and Posh, are going to claim the other playoff places. Your little blip looks like it might have ended. 11 games for us, 12 for you. Lots to play for. One of us 5th, the other 6th and see you at Wembley?
Comments
Yesterday’s performance was so far removed from that of a team managed by Gareth Ainsworth. It’s going to take some time to get used to and I’m really not ready to move on.
The season clearly isn’t over but the direction is clear for all to see.
is it that this season’s has ended, or next seasons just started?
I know a number of posters don’t like the saying ‘ a must win game’ but I feel Tuesday’s game against Fleetwood is a must win game. We need to get the momentum going again if we are going to keep up with the playoff contenders. Clearly injuries are hurting us at the moment but we need the three points on Tuesday.
Not sure how seriously to take some of this, we’ll be three points off the play offs if we win on Tuesday.
Well that’s a big ‘if’ right now. We are making heavy weather of games right now. Time to step up and put someone to the sword.
Where do you think the Ainsworth factor was not in evidence on the pitch?
I agree we were tactically sloppy at times with the width but Ainsworth was not adverse, as all managers are, to not being able to solve a problem in the game. I watched Manchester United get torn apart in the same way goal after goal yesterday, and yet they were unable to make a change to solve it.
Two poor performances on the bounce but some of the top six are also struggling, so play-offs still possible.
If Josh’s injury means he misses two/three games then that will have a massive impact.
For me, looking at our bench on Saturday you realised how depleted our ranks have become. We have Willis, Taff, Obita, Tommo and Gape out injured and we lost a number of our squad in Jan.
Six of the players on the bench on Saturday were in the B&B team that lost to Basingstoke.
We certainly need a good show on Tuesday night.
That said, I have no doubt that Matt will be a very successful manager for us and I really don’t think Ainsworth would have done anything differently.
Have the megalomaniacal Berks & Bucks FA annexed Hampshire now? 😉
Not only a big "If" we win, but also we'd need Barnsley to lose at home for that to happen to. So two big ifs and we'd have played a game more too.
However, hope springs eternal, so let's get that first Bloomfield win first and go from there.
Bracknell - apologies
Bolton are the team to catch i think. We ought to be able to best Fleetwood at home, even in extremis.
Roman name for Exeter but why would we be playing them there?
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/league-one/
Statistically the season is far from over.
I’d say a 1 in 10 chance of promotion was generous.
If we were to get into the playoffs our chances would be approximately 1 in 4, so they must be saying something like their expectation is that we would get into the playoffs 2 in 5 from here.
I wonder if Rob has given up on the autos yet?
I was worried about Gareth not getting a fair crack at QPR. Apparently Blooms has blown it here after two games!
11% chance of promotion is probably 0.25 x c.40% to win the play-offs plus a 0.x% chance of finishing in the top 2 - 200/1 with Bet365 to go up automatically
Supercomputers are never wrong.
The supercomputer has spoken and has done the number-crunching ahead of the new League One campaign.
Reach's in-house boffins have run the rule over the 24 clubs in the third tier in 2022-23 and have monitored the necessary algorithms to give a predicted final table. And in a field of heavyweights, Wycombe Wanderers have been tipped to come out on top this term.
(Daily Mirror last July)
I dreamed we went 3-0 up on Barnsley last night, but they grabbed a goal back and I missed the ending. De Barr with a close range header our second and a goalie howler from a McCarthy shot for our third, since you ask.
This all means we are going to be fine, of course.
I thought there was a noticeable drop in intensity, compared with the win over Bolton Wanderers, for example.
It didn’t look like we had control of the game at any point. It became too chaotic and frantic at times.
We looked so open defensively. As did they.
There was almost an inevitability that we would keep a clean sheet against Bolton Wanderers.
There was almost an inevitability that we would concede against Exeter City.
We had our share of performances like that under GA. Chaotic chases where all we had were lumps forward, where it appeared that Vokes's head was shaped like a thrupenny bit etc etc. And then other days it clicks, a lump forward becomes a precise flick, every Hollywood pass comes off. There is no way that the past 2 games reflect an Ainsworth or non-Ainsworth performance. We had five wins on the bounce 2 against really good teams where we were superb. We could never maintain that, especially against a background of player losses. We are still very much in the Ainsworth era, his DNA is all over this team (stop it!).
I'm just basing my judgement on the Exeter City performance. It felt completely different, especially the longer the game continued. It felt more psychological, at least to me.
Things are different of course and there may well have been some confirmation bias at play. It'll just take some getting used it.
You're not alone, I felt the same
I think we just need that first win under Blooms. I would liken it to Al-Hamadi. I know he scored a goal in one of the cup competitions, but when he made any appearances in the league, it felt like he got in good positions but snatched at the chances a little. It always seemed as though he would relax and the floodgates would open a little when he got that first - as it happens, it is Wimbledon who are seeing that, which is great for both club and player.
But back to us - I agree there could be something psychological, but it feels like that block could be removed as soon as we win - and the sooner the better, obviously. We may even need to come from behind or get a last gasp winner just to cement it. Either way, it is a very mental sport, and it is understandable if the players are in a weird transition zone right now.
I am convinced we are not going to go quietly into the night, either way.
I’m certain the players think Blooms has what it takes, as do most of us here. @Shev is right that they and we need a win to really feel he has what it takes, to regain tbe sense that we are, if not unbeatable, never really beaten, even if we have a lousy game or two. We had a few drinkers under Gaz but the belief that it was a blip, it would come good, a miracle was possible was always there.
Tomorrow may well provide that, although horrible weather may level the field a bit. COYB
IMO, the current top 4 are safe. Two of the the next 4, Bolton, us, you and Posh, are going to claim the other playoff places. Your little blip looks like it might have ended. 11 games for us, 12 for you. Lots to play for. One of us 5th, the other 6th and see you at Wembley?
I really like the sound of that!
I think we will have a much clearer picture at the end of this month at which point the top 8 will all have played 38 games.
My prediction for the top 8 at that point for what it is worth is
Wednesday, Argyle, Ipswich Town, Barnsley, Derby, Wycombe, Bolton, Posh - I expect there to be no more than 4 points covering positions 5-8
I also have a sneaking suspicion that the top 2 will edge past 100 points & Wednesday will be crowned Champions with 2 games still to play
That would be wonderful. But Ipswich will be tough !!
Sorry, I’m getting carried away.
Who said “you jolly well should be ?”