I was a little surprised that with 10 to go Bez wasn’t replaced with Richard Kone. He can’t play next week and giving Kone a few minutes would have been ideal. I know he hasn’t got his defensive game right yet but surely he’s going to have to play Sunday.
I still wonder why that German defender ran off to the other side of the pitch, rather than confronting the much more dangerous Hurst at 3-2. He leaves him to a clear run in on goal.
In fairness, Ricardo in that game produced one of the all-time great shootout performances by a goalkeeper. Saves with his gloves off then scores the winning kick. Absolute nutcase.
Great team but most fans who are old enough to remember that far back (im not!) thought the 1970 team was even better. But even if England had beaten Germany they'd have eventually found themselves up against the best team of all time - Brazil 1970 so probably not two wins on the trot. With Brazil, England,Germany Italy and more all fielding teams up there with their all time best I'd personally say the 1970 world Cup was the time when football reached its highest point. Everything about that tournament was superlative and that's from someone who only got to know about it second hand.
My earliest football memory was us beating runcorn at Wembley... id like to say I remember it well and that's when I got the Wycombe bug...... but it would be a lie. I remember being invited.... I remember we got on the supporters coach to get there, I remember being at Wembley stadium.... I remember looking at men on a grass pitch.... I remember being encouraged to cheer at the appropriate times...... but thats it..... I can't tell you if I saw any goals or if I enjoyed it.....
its not an excuse, it’s a fact and since at least 5 of today’s starting X1 are unlikely to make the lineup at Wembley I would argue that a point at Blackpool with a much changed team is a very good result irrespective of the entertainment value.
Absolutely. I didn’t expect anything from that game but it goes to show our strength in depth. Blackpool have a very good home record, so I am more than happy with the point today and we could have come away with all three at the end.
Glad I'm not quite the only one who thought that was decent enough entertainment for a 0-0. Probably no fun for a neutral but some decent football from both sides at various times and a tense ending.
Poor Josh's body language suggested he knew he'd miss the final but I hope I'm wrong on that count.
Agree with the above comments - earning a point to steer us closer to official safety was vital, and it gave a rest to Wembley bound players. The games are going to come "thick and fast" (which is evidently the only way one is allowed to refer to a crowded schedule nowadays) so getting any points in the bag up front to safeguard against an exhausted squad at the end of the season is welcome.
A Blackpool steward said to me after the game he thought Wycombe deserved to win. I said I was surprised how poor Blackpool were at home. He said "That's because they're ****!".
I didn’t say it wasn’t a good point. Just curious that you highlighted the six changes in your summary. I assumed you were making a point but obviously not.
I quite enjoyed the game actually but the season has shown I am quite easily pleased. The Hayes/Vokes comparison is a very lazy one in my opinion...late era PH would still have been on the halfway line rather than in the box. Two great saves late on and two chances to nick the points so I was happy. Agree about getting Kone on for a pre-Wembley runabout though.
I’ve realised why the match day threads seem so negative... As you wade through the thread the comments made during the match (generally instantaneous one-liners) are just comments without context, just as you might hear at the game itself, even when the crowd isn’t particularly on the players backs. Those comments tend also to be made when a good opportunity has arisen, but the chance goes begging (comment directed at the miss rather than the build-up), so it can feel like it’s all moans. Hence a post-match read-through can give a falsely negative impression, which is generally balanced up when the more analytic or reflective type contributors get back from the game and say their piece.
The positive part I take from this is this quote re. Scowen:
“We don’t know the severity of the injury.
“He blocked a shot and got a knock.
“He wanted to carry on but we couldn't take that risk.”
I was interpreting Scowen’s absolute thundercloud face and body language at the time of being subbed to mean that he thought he’d blown his chance at playing in Sunday’s game, but it sounds a little better if he thought he could carry on.
Obviously whatever the medical advice is should be the key though.
Late Wycombe Hayes was being shoehorned into a wide attacking role with Bayo central. Hayes was struggling both with legs and being able to control the ball.
Vokesy is definitely not particularly mobile now but isn't in the same league just yet.
However, he's been slowly moved to the bench without much comment so it's got to be in the balance whether he's around next season.
The problem with Vokes is he is not effective as a lone striker. We don't play a second striker close enough to him to win flicks and we don't get up to up him quick enough if he is able to hold the ball up. Yesterday they had 3 big centre halves so he was 3 against 1. If you are not mobile then it is easy pickings for the defenders.
We have had a roller coaster of a season. Bloomball led to the five at the back 17 game disaster run and now we are learning to be hard to beat again. And with mid-table pretty much secured after that 17 game run I am almost relieved that this season is all but over. So I don't blame the management for not wanting to roll the dice and playing Kone or Bez alongside Vokes.
Hopefully next season we can combine hard to beat with goals. Having our star striker on 4 goals won't make for much of a challenge next season. I suspect we will change the man and not the system.
Second half was a decent game of football after a very dreary first half I thought. Vokes should've done better with the volley just before he hit the bar I think. Bez wasn't particularly effective when shifted out to the right - surprised Kone didn't come on at some point. Decent point in the end I think.
Campbell was not overly impressed when he was subbed off, but he was pretty rubbish for 60 minutes so hardly a surprise that he was the one who was hooked!
Assuming no KVY (not in squad since Stevenage but I actually don't know why) then I think JJ would be the 15th outfield player available, so we should see him on the bench.
We are not playing to Vokes strengths. When we do he is an absolute handful. It's quite simple, get in behind the opposition and cross the ball in.
Burton away we did it countless times and he was magnificent. Yesterday, McCarthy was overlapping and getting in behind, low and behold Vokes comes alive.
Our biggest issue is we just don't beat a man or overlap in wide areas enough and Vokes is then completely nullified by US and not the opposition. It's so frustrating, as it is so obvious.
I completely agree with others on here, our attacking threat is pretty woeful, we really do expect the strikers to feed off scraps. However, the first part of any succesful team is to sort out the defence. We appear to have done that in majority of matches now.
For the next few weeks I'd really like to see us attack. In particular, we need to take the handbrake off, we are too cautious. Teams that move through the thirds really take risks. We rarely do. As an example, I think Campbell could be a cracking footballer but he is so cautious, this for me is the management teams job to tell him it's ok to lose the ball - be brave. He has shown glimpses of his ability but seems to have a ball and chain attached to him.
A number of times yesterday, we slowed down promising moves to protect the ball.
I still believe we are not fit enough as a team, we do not have enough agile players or quick players to make this work. Hopefully with another window we can get the final pieces in the jigsaw.
Campbell is 21 now, his game has not changed in 2 loan spells with us and clearly Charlton didn't think he was effective either. Beats a player, checks back, rarely gets a cross in. He definitely has ability but unless something unlocks in his head or someone coaches him better he will fade away down the leagues. He should look at GMac and see how a wide player can race away down the line, take a full back on AND check back giving the defenders pause for thought. This loan spell has been less productive than his previous one for me and I have my fingers crossed that Sadlier and GMac are available for Sunday.
You say that our attacking threat is woeful but we have scored 51 goals, more than 9 of the 11 teams below us in the table and the same amount as Stevenage who are pushing for a playoff place and have played a game more than us.
Comments
I was a little surprised that with 10 to go Bez wasn’t replaced with Richard Kone. He can’t play next week and giving Kone a few minutes would have been ideal. I know he hasn’t got his defensive game right yet but surely he’s going to have to play Sunday.
4-4-2 will have its time again like any formation. Look at City - they've effectively been playing a WM recently.
Mad tournament that one.
Rooney in wonderkid mode, then gets injured and we dribble out on pens to Portugal.
A Portugal we wouldn't have even met at that stage if we hadn't managed to turn a 1-0 90th min lead v France to a 2-1 deficit.
I still wonder why that German defender ran off to the other side of the pitch, rather than confronting the much more dangerous Hurst at 3-2. He leaves him to a clear run in on goal.
In fairness, Ricardo in that game produced one of the all-time great shootout performances by a goalkeeper. Saves with his gloves off then scores the winning kick. Absolute nutcase.
Great team but most fans who are old enough to remember that far back (im not!) thought the 1970 team was even better. But even if England had beaten Germany they'd have eventually found themselves up against the best team of all time - Brazil 1970 so probably not two wins on the trot. With Brazil, England,Germany Italy and more all fielding teams up there with their all time best I'd personally say the 1970 world Cup was the time when football reached its highest point. Everything about that tournament was superlative and that's from someone who only got to know about it second hand.
My earliest football memory was us beating runcorn at Wembley... id like to say I remember it well and that's when I got the Wycombe bug...... but it would be a lie. I remember being invited.... I remember we got on the supporters coach to get there, I remember being at Wembley stadium.... I remember looking at men on a grass pitch.... I remember being encouraged to cheer at the appropriate times...... but thats it..... I can't tell you if I saw any goals or if I enjoyed it.....
My proper wycocombe memories start about 1999....
(I was born 85)
its not an excuse, it’s a fact and since at least 5 of today’s starting X1 are unlikely to make the lineup at Wembley I would argue that a point at Blackpool with a much changed team is a very good result irrespective of the entertainment value.
Absolutely. I didn’t expect anything from that game but it goes to show our strength in depth. Blackpool have a very good home record, so I am more than happy with the point today and we could have come away with all three at the end.
Glad I'm not quite the only one who thought that was decent enough entertainment for a 0-0. Probably no fun for a neutral but some decent football from both sides at various times and a tense ending.
Poor Josh's body language suggested he knew he'd miss the final but I hope I'm wrong on that count.
Agree with the above comments - earning a point to steer us closer to official safety was vital, and it gave a rest to Wembley bound players. The games are going to come "thick and fast" (which is evidently the only way one is allowed to refer to a crowded schedule nowadays) so getting any points in the bag up front to safeguard against an exhausted squad at the end of the season is welcome.
Can they be banned for that? I’m much happier when we’re talking about people who were at Grammar school long before o was born…
A Blackpool steward said to me after the game he thought Wycombe deserved to win. I said I was surprised how poor Blackpool were at home. He said "That's because they're ****!".
1985 was the year for Wycombe fans. My first game was Runcorn at Wembley too.
I didn’t say it wasn’t a good point. Just curious that you highlighted the six changes in your summary. I assumed you were making a point but obviously not.
I quite enjoyed the game actually but the season has shown I am quite easily pleased. The Hayes/Vokes comparison is a very lazy one in my opinion...late era PH would still have been on the halfway line rather than in the box. Two great saves late on and two chances to nick the points so I was happy. Agree about getting Kone on for a pre-Wembley runabout though.
I’ve realised why the match day threads seem so negative... As you wade through the thread the comments made during the match (generally instantaneous one-liners) are just comments without context, just as you might hear at the game itself, even when the crowd isn’t particularly on the players backs. Those comments tend also to be made when a good opportunity has arisen, but the chance goes begging (comment directed at the miss rather than the build-up), so it can feel like it’s all moans. Hence a post-match read-through can give a falsely negative impression, which is generally balanced up when the more analytic or reflective type contributors get back from the game and say their piece.
This is a very shrewd observation and I have often wondered why people post during games as things can change very quickly in football.
i was on holiday in Greece at the time. We had a brilliant time with the locals. 😊
https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/24224428.matt-bloomfield-wycombes-draw-blackpool-plus/?fbclid=IwAR2ZBaqm6e6hwbxaCiQZhVzOag3GRViiiYCEqSexWot8iuphCY6Vles6Uck
The positive part I take from this is this quote re. Scowen:
“We don’t know the severity of the injury.
“He blocked a shot and got a knock.
“He wanted to carry on but we couldn't take that risk.”
I was interpreting Scowen’s absolute thundercloud face and body language at the time of being subbed to mean that he thought he’d blown his chance at playing in Sunday’s game, but it sounds a little better if he thought he could carry on.
Obviously whatever the medical advice is should be the key though.
Very much so.
Late Wycombe Hayes was being shoehorned into a wide attacking role with Bayo central. Hayes was struggling both with legs and being able to control the ball.
Vokesy is definitely not particularly mobile now but isn't in the same league just yet.
However, he's been slowly moved to the bench without much comment so it's got to be in the balance whether he's around next season.
The problem with Vokes is he is not effective as a lone striker. We don't play a second striker close enough to him to win flicks and we don't get up to up him quick enough if he is able to hold the ball up. Yesterday they had 3 big centre halves so he was 3 against 1. If you are not mobile then it is easy pickings for the defenders.
We have had a roller coaster of a season. Bloomball led to the five at the back 17 game disaster run and now we are learning to be hard to beat again. And with mid-table pretty much secured after that 17 game run I am almost relieved that this season is all but over. So I don't blame the management for not wanting to roll the dice and playing Kone or Bez alongside Vokes.
Hopefully next season we can combine hard to beat with goals. Having our star striker on 4 goals won't make for much of a challenge next season. I suspect we will change the man and not the system.
Second half was a decent game of football after a very dreary first half I thought. Vokes should've done better with the volley just before he hit the bar I think. Bez wasn't particularly effective when shifted out to the right - surprised Kone didn't come on at some point. Decent point in the end I think.
Campbell was not overly impressed when he was subbed off, but he was pretty rubbish for 60 minutes so hardly a surprise that he was the one who was hooked!
I lose track of who is available Sunday. No Campbell? No Bez? No Kodua? Have I missed anyone
The 3 cup tied you mention, then Pattenden and Hanlan.
McCleary and Scowen have to be doubts.
Assume JJ has to come back onto the bench. Can we list 7 on the bench without him if those 7 above are all out?
Assuming no KVY (not in squad since Stevenage but I actually don't know why) then I think JJ would be the 15th outfield player available, so we should see him on the bench.
Max and Franco
Grimmer, McCarthy, Forino, Low, Taff, Lonwijk, Leahy, JJ
Potts, Butcher, Wheeler
Sadlier, Kone, Vokes, Taylor
KVY sustained a hamstring injury at Stevenage and was replaced in the first half.
We are not playing to Vokes strengths. When we do he is an absolute handful. It's quite simple, get in behind the opposition and cross the ball in.
Burton away we did it countless times and he was magnificent. Yesterday, McCarthy was overlapping and getting in behind, low and behold Vokes comes alive.
Our biggest issue is we just don't beat a man or overlap in wide areas enough and Vokes is then completely nullified by US and not the opposition. It's so frustrating, as it is so obvious.
I completely agree with others on here, our attacking threat is pretty woeful, we really do expect the strikers to feed off scraps. However, the first part of any succesful team is to sort out the defence. We appear to have done that in majority of matches now.
For the next few weeks I'd really like to see us attack. In particular, we need to take the handbrake off, we are too cautious. Teams that move through the thirds really take risks. We rarely do. As an example, I think Campbell could be a cracking footballer but he is so cautious, this for me is the management teams job to tell him it's ok to lose the ball - be brave. He has shown glimpses of his ability but seems to have a ball and chain attached to him.
A number of times yesterday, we slowed down promising moves to protect the ball.
I still believe we are not fit enough as a team, we do not have enough agile players or quick players to make this work. Hopefully with another window we can get the final pieces in the jigsaw.
Campbell is 21 now, his game has not changed in 2 loan spells with us and clearly Charlton didn't think he was effective either. Beats a player, checks back, rarely gets a cross in. He definitely has ability but unless something unlocks in his head or someone coaches him better he will fade away down the leagues. He should look at GMac and see how a wide player can race away down the line, take a full back on AND check back giving the defenders pause for thought. This loan spell has been less productive than his previous one for me and I have my fingers crossed that Sadlier and GMac are available for Sunday.
You say that our attacking threat is woeful but we have scored 51 goals, more than 9 of the 11 teams below us in the table and the same amount as Stevenage who are pushing for a playoff place and have played a game more than us.