I think if you'd been walking out of the Exeter game on Boxing Day and my summer with Des style arrived at last night's game, you'd think you were watching a different team. Sure, it took us a long time to score, but we always looked like we had a plan to score, which wasn't true earlier in the season. I never felt like Cheltenham were a real threat.
I'm interested to know how many people are watching online and how much additional income the club is making from that, which isn't reflected in attendance or 'gate' figures. My son and I were unable to attend the game in person last night but were both able to watch online from different locations, so the club made £20 from us over and above what we paid for our season tickets. If you multiply that a few hundred times having a small crowd isn't necessarily as bad as it might seem.
I thought it was a decent game and if it were not for a brilliant display by their keeper, plus hitting the bar and having a penalty saved, we would no doubt have won much more comfortably.
I think we all need to try and be more positive as you can see the change starting to materialise as the squad (many who only joined us in January), start to gel and build a real togetherness.
The squad is certainly talented and potentially very exciting. We have Joe Low, Max, Scowen, Sadlier, Taylor and Potts who are all very talented players and they are supplemented by some real seasoned pros and battlers like ; Grimmer, Leahy, GMac, Taf, Butcher and Wheeler. Then we have the lesser tried players like Bez, Kone, Kodua, Lonwijk and the dependable Jason McCarthy plus the young fullback whose name escapes me.
Then add to that our injured players such as Kane Vincent-Young, Chis Forino, Brandon Hanlan and Pattenden, plus our backup keeper Ravazollio who had a good game last night.
Considering he has enough money to buy Chelsea perhaps he's a canny businessman who thinks the money needed to take a League One club into the Premiership is a bargain by comparison. Or maybe....
Lomtadze has won respect, too, for his philanthropy. Apart from support for WWII veterans, he has led contributions and campaigns for children’s medical treatment equipment, children with autism, and education to increase financial literacy countrywide.
It’s curious how some people seem to regard positivity and optimism as a weakness. I have had so many wonderful experiences following Wycombe since the 1970s that I’m not going to allow one indifferent season-in which we are still on course for a mid-table finish and a Wembley cup final-to change my opinion that the positives of being a Wanderers fan far outweigh the negatives.
I was in the "this game is dull" camp for the first 60. Cheltenham's substitutions made it more interesting. The game was crying out for some pace, some energy and some creativity.
I'm really pleased for Matt, the management team, the players and fans that we have got another three points under our belt, it's fantastic.
I cannot, however, change how those first 60 felt. Watching Terry Griffiths, Steve Davis or Peter Ebdon compiling a 120+ break in snooker is very different to watching Ronnie, Jimmy White or Alex Higgins do it. We seem to currently be more of the former in terms of our style rather than the latter.
I'm ok with this approach if we're picking wins up. I would certainly be very happy to see us moving towards the latter but maybe not as far as Gormania!
I've always been a big Vokes fan but the last 6 or 7 weeks he is well below his best and a little isolated when he starts games. I'm starting to wonder if this will be his last season. He has a touch of the Paul Hayes about him at the minute. Hopefully it is just a carry over from his injuries. Fingers crossed.
I think Sadlier was hooked with one eye on Saturday. We need him all guns blazing against better opposition. I was really disappointed last night when he went off but today it was potentially the right call to keep him fresh for Saturday.
Just shows how things are viewed differently, I thought we had plenty of shots in the first half (surely the point), that it was fast moving (no vast added time) and both teams were fairly positive. I too had the sneaking feeling we might be on for another 0-0 as 'Nam were defending for their lives and the keeper was playing a blinder, but thought Saddlier (good as he was) had disappeared by the time he was hooked and the subs brought some fresh threat (also surely the point).
I did not find it dull at all. Perhaps I lack the proper expertise to appreciate the game and a fool and his ST subs to naive, over-promising US lawyers are easily parted.
Have you listened to the latest Ringing the Blues? This week's Till Death us Do Part made me feel very old, but it was interesting to hear such a young fan with a proper grasp of where this club has come from to be where it is today, much more than quite a few of the posters on here. Maybe it's easy to get one's head stuck in the now and forget about the bigger picture.
Feb was a big month. We've come through it with 4 wins from 7 (including a 5-2 dribbling of a promotion candidate), plus a decent point from a game that could easily have been won.
Both defeats away to top 6 teams and we lost by a single goal, having made a decent start in both games.
As an added bonus, one of the wins also got us to Wembley.
I can't see how that can seen a anything other than very good outcome.
Just a month ago we were 2-0 down at home to Fleetwood and facing a disastrous result. It has been quite a turnaround.
I probably wouldn't have taken Sadlier off either but both subs had a key role in the goal. Scowen leading the initial breakaway resulting in the corner, and Wheeler nodding it on the box for Low to pole home. And then not long after another sub scores the second goal. Again, very hard to interpret that any other way than as excellent substitutions.
I've been very critical of the tactics and some of the woeful football served up at times. But judged on its own merit the last month has been very good. If we can keep it going to the end of the season it will probably end up being a solid campaign overall.
Yes. I loved that moment, the teams has come together.
I was entertained enough last night after the first 20 minutes. Cheltenham couldn’t break us down and we never really looked in any danger. Then we made the right subs and job done. Bez may have found his feet and King Kone keeps showing flashes of brilliance, a pass, a tackle. I’m thinking as we look closer to safety we’ll play with a bit more swagger and the end of the season will be worth seeing.
I’m very pleased to see things shaping up. Yes it took Matt a while to adjust to management, yes he was perhaps too stubborn with five at the back and I hold my hand up to joining the ‘out’ camp. I’m delighted to find I was wrong. COYB!
Comments
I think if you'd been walking out of the Exeter game on Boxing Day and my summer with Des style arrived at last night's game, you'd think you were watching a different team. Sure, it took us a long time to score, but we always looked like we had a plan to score, which wasn't true earlier in the season. I never felt like Cheltenham were a real threat.
I'm interested to know how many people are watching online and how much additional income the club is making from that, which isn't reflected in attendance or 'gate' figures. My son and I were unable to attend the game in person last night but were both able to watch online from different locations, so the club made £20 from us over and above what we paid for our season tickets. If you multiply that a few hundred times having a small crowd isn't necessarily as bad as it might seem.
I thought it was a decent game and if it were not for a brilliant display by their keeper, plus hitting the bar and having a penalty saved, we would no doubt have won much more comfortably.
I think we all need to try and be more positive as you can see the change starting to materialise as the squad (many who only joined us in January), start to gel and build a real togetherness.
The squad is certainly talented and potentially very exciting. We have Joe Low, Max, Scowen, Sadlier, Taylor and Potts who are all very talented players and they are supplemented by some real seasoned pros and battlers like ; Grimmer, Leahy, GMac, Taf, Butcher and Wheeler. Then we have the lesser tried players like Bez, Kone, Kodua, Lonwijk and the dependable Jason McCarthy plus the young fullback whose name escapes me.
Then add to that our injured players such as Kane Vincent-Young, Chis Forino, Brandon Hanlan and Pattenden, plus our backup keeper Ravazollio who had a good game last night.
We are in a good place right now.
Well yes, it's all just idle speculation.
Considering he has enough money to buy Chelsea perhaps he's a canny businessman who thinks the money needed to take a League One club into the Premiership is a bargain by comparison. Or maybe....
Lomtadze has won respect, too, for his philanthropy. Apart from support for WWII veterans, he has led contributions and campaigns for children’s medical treatment equipment, children with autism, and education to increase financial literacy countrywide.
....we're his next charity project.
Just feels such a such a shame that everything comes down to money.
Fair point you make though.
It’s curious how some people seem to regard positivity and optimism as a weakness. I have had so many wonderful experiences following Wycombe since the 1970s that I’m not going to allow one indifferent season-in which we are still on course for a mid-table finish and a Wembley cup final-to change my opinion that the positives of being a Wanderers fan far outweigh the negatives.
I was in the "this game is dull" camp for the first 60. Cheltenham's substitutions made it more interesting. The game was crying out for some pace, some energy and some creativity.
I'm really pleased for Matt, the management team, the players and fans that we have got another three points under our belt, it's fantastic.
I cannot, however, change how those first 60 felt. Watching Terry Griffiths, Steve Davis or Peter Ebdon compiling a 120+ break in snooker is very different to watching Ronnie, Jimmy White or Alex Higgins do it. We seem to currently be more of the former in terms of our style rather than the latter.
I'm ok with this approach if we're picking wins up. I would certainly be very happy to see us moving towards the latter but maybe not as far as Gormania!
I've always been a big Vokes fan but the last 6 or 7 weeks he is well below his best and a little isolated when he starts games. I'm starting to wonder if this will be his last season. He has a touch of the Paul Hayes about him at the minute. Hopefully it is just a carry over from his injuries. Fingers crossed.
I think Sadlier was hooked with one eye on Saturday. We need him all guns blazing against better opposition. I was really disappointed last night when he went off but today it was potentially the right call to keep him fresh for Saturday.
Just shows how things are viewed differently, I thought we had plenty of shots in the first half (surely the point), that it was fast moving (no vast added time) and both teams were fairly positive. I too had the sneaking feeling we might be on for another 0-0 as 'Nam were defending for their lives and the keeper was playing a blinder, but thought Saddlier (good as he was) had disappeared by the time he was hooked and the subs brought some fresh threat (also surely the point).
I did not find it dull at all. Perhaps I lack the proper expertise to appreciate the game and a fool and his ST subs to naive, over-promising US lawyers are easily parted.
On a different issue...is it a tactical change to have Lee Harrison standing at the edge of the dug-out and shouting at people?
Or have I just not noticed it before?
Agree with your first line 100%. It felt a real snorefest, obligation to be there for a lot of the game.
Then came alive late on and a bit of excitement for sure.
Don't see the Vokes - Hayes comparison just yet, but it's clear he's dropped since his peak here, as injuries have kicked in.
Is definitely not a given he stays on, as he'd still be expensive and i'm not sure we can guarantee he'd be fit for 60-70% or more of the season.
Nobody has explained why Potts took the penalty, when Leahy and McCleary were still on the pitch.
Perhaps it's part of a cunning plan by MB to get more players involved in taking penalties, in case the Wembley final goes that far.
Have you listened to the latest Ringing the Blues? This week's Till Death us Do Part made me feel very old, but it was interesting to hear such a young fan with a proper grasp of where this club has come from to be where it is today, much more than quite a few of the posters on here. Maybe it's easy to get one's head stuck in the now and forget about the bigger picture.
Great post 👍👍
I did laugh at the "we need a Wycombe dinosaur" bit
err.....ever visited the Gasroom son?
Leahy and McCleary have both missed penalties recently so maybe it was decided it was someone else's turn? Not that out of the ordinary is it?
Thanks for the tip and I will listen to that interview.
I think everyone may have missed the clever tactics last night.
Problem: We have a habit of taking the lead early, and then gradually inviting a team on to us until they score at the death.
Solution: Don't take the lead until 4 minutes to go, and then quickly double it.
On another note, some of the pictures from Beryly's celebrations are the best of the Blooms era:
He's obviously lost the dressing room.
Someone needs to tell him it's down the tunnel on the right.
Sort of....
Poor choice of image to make a joke of @Kim_il_Swan.
https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/the-real-story-behind-world-renowned-photo-named-burst-of-joy-3a5d67e2f6d
Feb was a big month. We've come through it with 4 wins from 7 (including a 5-2 dribbling of a promotion candidate), plus a decent point from a game that could easily have been won.
Both defeats away to top 6 teams and we lost by a single goal, having made a decent start in both games.
As an added bonus, one of the wins also got us to Wembley.
I can't see how that can seen a anything other than very good outcome.
Just a month ago we were 2-0 down at home to Fleetwood and facing a disastrous result. It has been quite a turnaround.
I probably wouldn't have taken Sadlier off either but both subs had a key role in the goal. Scowen leading the initial breakaway resulting in the corner, and Wheeler nodding it on the box for Low to pole home. And then not long after another sub scores the second goal. Again, very hard to interpret that any other way than as excellent substitutions.
I've been very critical of the tactics and some of the woeful football served up at times. But judged on its own merit the last month has been very good. If we can keep it going to the end of the season it will probably end up being a solid campaign overall.
The greatest Wycombe photo for me
(insert Jason Cousins grabbing Michael Owen by the throat here)
As close as I could get @eric_plant
Yes. I loved that moment, the teams has come together.
I was entertained enough last night after the first 20 minutes. Cheltenham couldn’t break us down and we never really looked in any danger. Then we made the right subs and job done. Bez may have found his feet and King Kone keeps showing flashes of brilliance, a pass, a tackle. I’m thinking as we look closer to safety we’ll play with a bit more swagger and the end of the season will be worth seeing.
I’m very pleased to see things shaping up. Yes it took Matt a while to adjust to management, yes he was perhaps too stubborn with five at the back and I hold my hand up to joining the ‘out’ camp. I’m delighted to find I was wrong. COYB!
(I might even predict a win for Saturday)
Cheers Twizz!
Got to be right up there.
That could be in the Cistine Chapel. Pure poetry.