Man of the Match - Wycombe (A)

[striker]

Wildsmith by a mile. A couple of good saves to keep it respectable and good distribution.

[Joe Jockstrap]

The fact that the 2 leading candidates for MOM v’s Wycombe are our keeper and CB says it all. 

 

We could still be playing now and we wouldn’t score. Start with Rhodes, Jesus it could not be any worse than Patterson and Marriott, they look clueless and to be honest nothing like strikers. 

[frastheowl]

 

Wildsmith - 6 - Couple of decent saves which you'd expect him to make. Flapped and fumbled at a couple of crosses into the box, but on the whole, a decent return.

 

Palmer - 6 - Defended reasonably well, offered an offensive option down the right flank throughout. Just lacks quality (always has, always will)

 

Iorfa - 6 - Despite the obvious height difference, really struggled to get on top of Akinfenwa.

 

Borner - 6 - Thought he defended much better than he has done recently. 

 

Harris - 3 - He's been absolutely awful this season, and I'm aghast as to why he seems immune from the chop. No final ball...he dithers and delays more often than Boris Johnson.

 

Reach - 6 - Our best player in the 1st half. Put two fantastic balls in the box, which deserved to be stuck away. 2nd half, his quality dropped off, but, in amongst a sea of utter averageness, he and Bannan stood out.

 

Pelupessy - 3 - He's just not good enough. In a game where he didn't have to do much defending...the bit when he needed to, he's lost concentration, lost his marker and conceded a goal.

 

Bannan - 7 - Man of the Match - Gave his all. Tried everything. Covered every blade of grass. He must be pulling his (little of whats left) hair out. Couple of lovely through balls which should've been taken better.

 

Windass - 5 - I don't think he's best suited to playing that Number 10 role, but to be fair, in the 1st half he began to find space in between lines. But, like so many others, lacks quality. Saw a lot of the ball when moved out to right wing back, but again, lacked quality when it came to the final ball.

 

Paterson - 5 - He's a trier. But, I'm convinced he's anything more than that.

 

Marriott - 5 - Just looks five yards off it. Threatened to get into some good positions, but his touch let him down on too many occasions. Unlike others, I think there's potential in him...but we need him to shake off that rustiness...and quick.

 

Brown - 6 - Looked to quicken things up, but again...how many times do I have to write it...lacked quality.

 

Kachunga - 5 - Looked to make things happen, but everything seems clumsy and rushed when he's on the ball.

 

Overalll...

 

It's another sickener. There's no excuses. Wycombe are poor. Yeah, they might be plucky...they might be try and play every trick in the book...but they are rubbish. And we should be having 75% possession against them. We should be passing them off the park. We should be keeping them penned into their half like we did in the 2nd half... but we should be creating chances. We should be making them run themselves into the ground. And we didn't.

 

It just seemed like we had one game plan...expose their isolated full backs and cross the ball, until we cannot cross no more. It was like a barrage of crosses into the box...but we generally don't have enough quality to cause them problems. Aside from the two crosses from Reach in the first half, I don't think there was any more crosses that hit the mark. 

 

We need more variety. And it's something a lot of us have warned about. We look too one-dimensional...we're a one trick pony, that's not particularly great at doing that one trick.

 

Time for change. Preferably the manager...but if not, this way of playing has to change. 

 

 

 

[frastheowl]

1 hour ago, modboy said:

Reach can't cross 

 

 

 

His quality certainly dropped off in the 2nd half.

 

But he produced two peaches in the first half, which should have resulted in at least a goal.

[Guest Bulgaria]

Bannan, again.

 

Without him we would create even less.

[Holmowl]

Bannan and Wildsmith the two candidates.  I gave it Bannan who drove and drove.

 

Anyone rate Marriott? At all? How did he get 81 minutes? Scratch that - how does he get 81 seconds?
 

Thought we deserved to win, let alone draw. But zero quality up front. So you don’t score. Always likely to give ONE great chance, and we did.

 

Reach and, to a lesser degree, Harris, finally provided dangerous crosses. If nothing else, let’s hope they stay on their strong foot.

 

 

[Utah Owl]

Why isn't there a "None of the Above" option?

[Guest]

Our goalkeeper was arguably our best player in a game our manager thinks we dominated against a team that have never won at this level, had lost 7 of their last 8 matches and haven't kept a clean sheet in even longer than we have been waiting for a home win. 

[WalthamOwl]

Any word on if the knock Brown picked up is a bad one? 

[morganowl]

2 hours ago, modboy said:

Reach can't cross 

 

 

Name one player who can cross out of this squad? Its so lacking quality its unreal. 

[Shetland Owl]

would be playing Moses rather than Harris at the moment

[Bouncing Owl]

To be fair, I think there was effort today but we lack quality. I’ve said for weeks that our recruitment has been very poor - they are all tryers but no talent. 
 

Wildsmith, Bannan, Reach and Iorfa can say they had good games. Brown was decent when he come on. The others were poor or they aren’t good enough. 

[CircleSeven]

Voted Wildsmith as he at least made a save or two. 
 

I also don’t think Paterson is all bad. He did get a half decent shot away and given something like service into the box might make a nuisance of himself. 
 

Marriott is a waste of a shirt I’m afraid. Like Stevie May without the running about. 
 

As pointed out our crossing is appalling but my god our corners are awful too!

 

We had 8 or so in the second half and not one resulted in the keeper having to make a save. Brown took one that hit the defenders knee! Even now at nearly 50 years old I recon I can still kick a ball over the first man and near the penalty spot FFS. 

I know it is a terrible and negative suggestion but I wonder how a reverse man of the match would look? (Eg who was our worst performer).

Marriott would be my choice. Probably a lovely lad and all that but would send him back to Derby and save the wages. 

[S36 OWL]

Where is the option for none of the above.? 

[torryowl]

plenty of effort ,not much luck and even less quality ......i went for borner 

[Costello 77]

I scroll through a lot of this thread to find what Fras thinks.. excellent summary usually imo..

[owls66]

My vote goes to the coach driver.

[Guest Kagoshimaowl]

We weren’t as bad as some are making out and we totally controlled the football but we are pathetic in the final third and that lies completely with Monk has his signings in forward positions have been dire.

 

Wildsmith 7 played well. Miles better than Calamity Cam

Harris 4 even I’m starting to think he needs a break

Palmer 4 never been a centre back

Iorfa 7 good to have him back. Better on the right of the three than centrally though

Borner 3 he’s crap. What the hell has happened to him?

Reach 4 powder puff again. I’d get rid in January 

Pelupessy 3 one good block but lost his man for the goal. Not his fault he’s crap

Bannan 5 probed but did nothing 

Windass 4 crap in midfield. Weirdly did better at wing back. Can’t cross though 

Marriott 2 he’s absolutely gash! He really is. I’m not sure what he’s supposed to be good at

Paterson 5 tries hard and one great strike but he’s gash. A poor mans Nuhiu!

 

Brown 5 tried but didn’t look fit

Kachunga 2 gash

Rhodes 1 utter gash. Did he actually touch the ball again. Wish he’d retire

 

Monk -10 eff off

[Snowyowl61]

Our so-called strikers seem incapable of challenging for the ball in the opposition penalty area, either on the ground or in the air. Absolutely shocking, and not only today. Also how we miss someone who can hold up the ball and lay it off (bring back memories ,anyone?}

[Kew Owl]

I’ll give it to Wildsmith - a definite improvement on Dawson