Agree with all this. Big few days ahead, I really hope we see a full back, and another striker come in. A lot of us have droned on about getting Morley or a Morley clone in, today was further evidence this needs to happen, it’s the most important piece of business we will do this season (along with keeping Kone).
With a break from the league, 2 more weeks to get new signings up to speed, more signings to come in, Key players returning from injury, a new manager in the door and very winnable games coming in Feb there’s a lot to be positive about. COYB!
Today we were without a permanent manager head-coach, both of our right-backs, our first-choice left-back, our first-choice centre-back, our midfield playmaker (who is no longer ours) and our first-choice striker and leading goalscorer.
We also played the final third of the game with ten men having lost another centre-back and needed our goalkeeper to save a penalty.
In those circumstances it feels like a point gained.
Monday will be pivotal to our chances of completing a successful season. Once that's done, we'll have a better idea of where we stand.
Can’t argue with most of that. I thought Leahy put in some important blocks towards the end and had a hard job managing the overloads when we were down to 10.
Fred is so frustrating. There was one moment where it looked like his body physically wouldn’t respond to his urges to take the ball past someone and he looked so despondent.
Ref looked terrified at times and I lost count of the number of times the ball hit him because he was in the way (OK, it was about 3 but still).
We were OK, not great, and didn’t need to be anything above that before the sending off.
Had a decent length drive straight after the game ended so plenty of time to think about it all.
So forgive me a lengthy soliloquy on the position if I may
17 games to go and we have a 4 point lead over Wrexham who I notice have relied on a goal 87mins or later in their last 4 league wins.
They haven't won a league game by more than 1 goal since 23rd November.
After that, we have a superb 9 point gap to 4th, which is now Stockport, with Huddersfield encountering a woeful run of form, since sneaking a win at our place. Even if they win their game in hand they'd be 8 points behind us.
So while today in theory was 2 points lost, to the bottom team, we're in that period now where teams have strengthened, lowly teams are really scrapping and there aren't the easier wins of earlier season.
We didn't have our first choice full backs, Kone or Low today. We still have the two Sam's admirably holding the fort, but beyond the timescale they were probably initially told.
We've slowly got the Danish lads involved and next weekend we can properly give them starts in a bit of a freebie game.
Taylor back is a big boost however good Sonny has been. Today was one of those unfortunate situations you have a few times a season. It might be rescinded,it might not. But we're incredibly blessed at centre back now either way.
As long as the injured boys are back for the next league game, all is looking really rosy and March could possibly be the most exciting month we've had in the last 30 years or more supporting this club.
Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere, but Wrexhams 95th minute winner was helped by the referee missing an absolutely blatant foul from goalscorer Lee:
I can't remember the last time we actually did that and actually got anything rescinded - I feel like these decisions only get overturned when it's 100% openly mistaken and there's no ambiguity, e.g. the infamous Senda/McSporran double sending off when even the ref admitted he got it wrong.
We got Stewart rescinded at Mk away a few years ago.
Can't remember if there was another since.
Penalty seemed plenty for this one. I don't get how a light touch of the flat part of your arm, when you're not even looking at your opponent constitutes "violent conduct".
Spot on. Bottom line is that, despite being without our leading scorer and 3 of our first choice back 4 and despite having to play for a long spell with 10 men, we didn’t lose against a team fighting against the threat of relegation who scored an unstoppable goal. In addition, in the 4 games since MB left we have averaged better than 2 points per game and if we continue to do that we will be right in the mix for promotion.
As much as I think it was the right decision, there certainly wasn't an elbow as the ref said. Doubt the ban will be rescinded though - would have to be a clear and obvious error.
I think these situations are so unjust as it means a player and hence his team get punished 3 times for the same offence, I.e. penalty, red card and 3 match ban. In this case the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
I thought we did reasonably well today in difficult circumstances.
Missing Harvie and Pattenden is really tough. Skura and Leahy did well but just don't have it in their toolkit to bomb forward up the wings.
Likewise, Udoh did well as the hold up players and was a handful. But he's not quite on Kone's level.
Bakinson had the best game I've seen from him. Thus far I've been pretty unimpressed but he played a few nice passes today and actually helped with some useful clearing headers at the end. Nonetheless, he just hasn't got the forward passing game Morley had.
Early in the season the balance of the team was just right. We had the perfect trio in midfield, two ever-present units at centre back. Attacking full backs. And 6 fit attackers to rotate.
Injuries and the loss of Morley mean the same balance just isn't quite there now.
A lot clearly hinges on how effectively the new recruits can impact the team.
Getting Caleb back is a huge boost and makes me think we might just be able to get over the line to 2nd place. He really is absolutely fantastic. A potential PL centre back in the future I think.
Taylor was fantastic today. There was a moment in the first half where he was sold a bit short with a pass back to him (not sure by) and not only dealt with it with minimal fuss but turned it into a progressive move. If we can get Low back soon, we're in a very strong position at CB. Haven't seen enough of Hagelskjaer to form a judgment yet, so I'd say those two are our best ball-playing CBs - Taylor particularly.
Having finally seen the highlights, it looks like the ref bought whatever Cambridge were selling for the pen, although Sonny should know better than to be swinging his arms around,
Wasn't there a foul in the build up for their goal too?
Felt like a point gained today in the circumstances. Couldn't really see what the penalty was for at the time and certainly not the red card and still feel the same after seeing the replay. There just nothing there for me! Still, all swings and roundabouts. We dealt reasonably well with the situation and to my mind it was a decent point considering we were missing key players and down to 10 men.
Hopefully we can put out a strong XI against Preston and have key players back for the next league game.
Comments
I think James Berry is carrying an ongoing hamstring injury.
Agree with all this. Big few days ahead, I really hope we see a full back, and another striker come in. A lot of us have droned on about getting Morley or a Morley clone in, today was further evidence this needs to happen, it’s the most important piece of business we will do this season (along with keeping Kone).
With a break from the league, 2 more weeks to get new signings up to speed, more signings to come in, Key players returning from injury, a new manager in the door and very winnable games coming in Feb there’s a lot to be positive about. COYB!
Today we were without a permanent
managerhead-coach, both of our right-backs, our first-choice left-back, our first-choice centre-back, our midfield playmaker (who is no longer ours) and our first-choice striker and leading goalscorer.We also played the final third of the game with ten men having lost another centre-back and needed our goalkeeper to save a penalty.
In those circumstances it feels like a point gained.
Monday will be pivotal to our chances of completing a successful season. Once that's done, we'll have a better idea of where we stand.
Can’t argue with most of that. I thought Leahy put in some important blocks towards the end and had a hard job managing the overloads when we were down to 10.
Fred is so frustrating. There was one moment where it looked like his body physically wouldn’t respond to his urges to take the ball past someone and he looked so despondent.
Ref looked terrified at times and I lost count of the number of times the ball hit him because he was in the way (OK, it was about 3 but still).
We were OK, not great, and didn’t need to be anything above that before the sending off.
@Shev you posted this under the wrong account
Good correction.
Apart from the heinous spelling error which has probably ruined @micra's evening
Had a decent length drive straight after the game ended so plenty of time to think about it all.
So forgive me a lengthy soliloquy on the position if I may
17 games to go and we have a 4 point lead over Wrexham who I notice have relied on a goal 87mins or later in their last 4 league wins.
They haven't won a league game by more than 1 goal since 23rd November.
After that, we have a superb 9 point gap to 4th, which is now Stockport, with Huddersfield encountering a woeful run of form, since sneaking a win at our place. Even if they win their game in hand they'd be 8 points behind us.
So while today in theory was 2 points lost, to the bottom team, we're in that period now where teams have strengthened, lowly teams are really scrapping and there aren't the easier wins of earlier season.
We didn't have our first choice full backs, Kone or Low today. We still have the two Sam's admirably holding the fort, but beyond the timescale they were probably initially told.
We've slowly got the Danish lads involved and next weekend we can properly give them starts in a bit of a freebie game.
Taylor back is a big boost however good Sonny has been. Today was one of those unfortunate situations you have a few times a season. It might be rescinded,it might not. But we're incredibly blessed at centre back now either way.
As long as the injured boys are back for the next league game, all is looking really rosy and March could possibly be the most exciting month we've had in the last 30 years or more supporting this club.
Leahy completely overloaded. And I’m sure he would recognise he’s not the athlete to cover that much space.
Where’s Harvie ?
Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere, but Wrexhams 95th minute winner was helped by the referee missing an absolutely blatant foul from goalscorer Lee:
https://x.com/theredhorde/status/1885754714991817162?t=5cI-RO4JAQE2jouKPKbOMw&s=19
I'm trying to mate back up with @perfidious_albion so made sure I didn't mention it
As Alf in Home and away might say, flaming hell.
One that Var (or decent officials actually watching what's going on) would have 100% ruled out.
Not the first dubious goal they've had late on.
Apparently we will be looking to appeal the red.
https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/24902934.sonny-bradleys-red-card-wycombes-draw-cambridge-appealed/?
Personally I doubt we'll get the appeal.
I can't remember the last time we actually did that and actually got anything rescinded - I feel like these decisions only get overturned when it's 100% openly mistaken and there's no ambiguity, e.g. the infamous Senda/McSporran double sending off when even the ref admitted he got it wrong.
We got Stewart rescinded at Mk away a few years ago.
Can't remember if there was another since.
Penalty seemed plenty for this one. I don't get how a light touch of the flat part of your arm, when you're not even looking at your opponent constitutes "violent conduct".
We'll see though.
It depends how we appeal it. It certainly isn’t violent conduct which is the offence he was sent off for and carries a three-match ban.
Would love to chat to that ref and understand what his thinking was.
If he knew he'd sent the wrong man off a minute or so after doing it, why did he then compound the issue by then sending a 2nd man off?
Why not just leave it as an "honest" mistake?
Assume it'd be impossible to get the wrongly sent off player back out?
Or did he simply think 2 separate players had committed red card offences.
Utterly infuriating either way.
Spot on. Bottom line is that, despite being without our leading scorer and 3 of our first choice back 4 and despite having to play for a long spell with 10 men, we didn’t lose against a team fighting against the threat of relegation who scored an unstoppable goal. In addition, in the 4 games since MB left we have averaged better than 2 points per game and if we continue to do that we will be right in the mix for promotion.
Knowing I had inadvertently exposed my self to the wrath of @micra you let me hoist myself by my own petard, not very matey, mate.
I just hope the FA treat us kindly. They might hit Bradley with another match ban for wasting their time
Whoops, I'll tip you off next time so we can hide the evido.
Is that still a ting?
To be honest getting through today down to ten was the huge issue.
Between Taylor, Low, Anders and Skura we've got plenty for the future.
If he doesn't get it rescinded though it might have solved the "problem", if we can call it that of how to get Taylor back in regularly.
And without being harsh he might not get back in.
As much as I think it was the right decision, there certainly wasn't an elbow as the ref said. Doubt the ban will be rescinded though - would have to be a clear and obvious error.
I think these situations are so unjust as it means a player and hence his team get punished 3 times for the same offence, I.e. penalty, red card and 3 match ban. In this case the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
I thought we did reasonably well today in difficult circumstances.
Missing Harvie and Pattenden is really tough. Skura and Leahy did well but just don't have it in their toolkit to bomb forward up the wings.
Likewise, Udoh did well as the hold up players and was a handful. But he's not quite on Kone's level.
Bakinson had the best game I've seen from him. Thus far I've been pretty unimpressed but he played a few nice passes today and actually helped with some useful clearing headers at the end. Nonetheless, he just hasn't got the forward passing game Morley had.
Early in the season the balance of the team was just right. We had the perfect trio in midfield, two ever-present units at centre back. Attacking full backs. And 6 fit attackers to rotate.
Injuries and the loss of Morley mean the same balance just isn't quite there now.
A lot clearly hinges on how effectively the new recruits can impact the team.
Getting Caleb back is a huge boost and makes me think we might just be able to get over the line to 2nd place. He really is absolutely fantastic. A potential PL centre back in the future I think.
I'd agree that 3 games is excessive
Taylor was fantastic today. There was a moment in the first half where he was sold a bit short with a pass back to him (not sure by) and not only dealt with it with minimal fuss but turned it into a progressive move. If we can get Low back soon, we're in a very strong position at CB. Haven't seen enough of Hagelskjaer to form a judgment yet, so I'd say those two are our best ball-playing CBs - Taylor particularly.
Will be really intriguing what the new manager does in midfield. Will he go back to Scowen as the deep player and Westy and Humphreys ahead?
Or pair the 2 with Humphreys ahead.
As solid a passer as Scowen is, he's just not the same style of player as Morley.
id imagine he will play whatever defensive midfielder we sign on Monday…!
Having finally seen the highlights, it looks like the ref bought whatever Cambridge were selling for the pen, although Sonny should know better than to be swinging his arms around,
Wasn't there a foul in the build up for their goal too?
Felt like a point gained today in the circumstances. Couldn't really see what the penalty was for at the time and certainly not the red card and still feel the same after seeing the replay. There just nothing there for me! Still, all swings and roundabouts. We dealt reasonably well with the situation and to my mind it was a decent point considering we were missing key players and down to 10 men.
Hopefully we can put out a strong XI against Preston and have key players back for the next league game.