MATCHWATCH : Wycombe Wanderers (a)

[URZZZZ]

Ok,

Joao can f**k off with penalties and
Pauno can start thinking about f**king off if he's not careful

Pauno:

1) Why the F**K disrupt the back 4 AGAIN? CB at LB?
2) Putting Joao - proven clueless at penalties with 2 misses and one almost-miss as penalty taker? We knew he'd cock up and he did. Can't Pauno see this?
3) Rino/Laurent - ain't broke so... disrupt that, obviously.
4) 1-0 down and wait until 78 (SEVENTY EIGHT MINUTES) to bring on Puscas, especially after our recent crticisms of him not bringing him on?
5) And...for OLISE? Our most dangerous player?
6) Wait several minutes later to FINALLY bring a defender off (given we're playing 10 men!) for Aluko...
7) Take off our other most dangerous player Ejaria for toothless Baldock?

Losing 1-0 against bottom of the table side not even fighting for their lives. He couldn't cock it up more if he tried. 1% of me is asking if he's been lucky until now.

Joao:

Just f**k off and accept you're SHIT at penalties. SHIT.

Sorry but to say Wycombe are a team “not even fighting for their lives” is borderline ridiculous. They’re a team with tremendous character and it was only 10 days ago they came down from 2 goals down to win

[URZZZZ]

FWIW fans always massively overreact to losses against bottom of the table. Its like the implicit assumption is bottom of the table means they will lose comfortably every game, whereas in reality they only lose around half the time, so for the other half they picked up results, deservedly or not.

Not so much the fact Wycombe are bottom that's causing the reaction, more the poor performance from us. I think Wycombe haven't looked that bad in some games this season and been unlucky not to pick up more points, but tonight they were very ordinary. Sadly we were worse.

Yeah that's very fair, but lots of teams make us look poor once they take the lead. Before that, the first half performance was decent, and their keeper made a couple of good saves, which is more than can be said for other recent games. A small crumb in what is quite clearly a disappointing result

Also notable that the set piece goals have dried up - they were major source of goal threat for us in the first half of the season, and Joao v Bristol City was the only one I cant think of since Morro header from a corner against forest.

McIntyre vs Luton
Swift vs Coventry
McIntyre vs Bournemouth
Joao vs Brentford

Recall these all being set piece goals too

[JR]

On the positive side, I thought the Wycombe commentary was a bit local but quite balanced, usually right and fairly entertaining.

So...that’s something...

Absolutely, I thought it was very fair and entertaining.

Was a good example of clearly supporting your team but not through rose tinted glasses.

[JR]

So the pen misses now of cost us 5 points at least.

Arguably 8. If we draw level with Brum you have to fancy the win against ten men. We lost. So three dropped points. If he scores against Preston it’s very likely to be the winner. We drew. So two lost points. If he scores tonight we have plenty of time against ten men to get the winner. We lost so potentially another three points lost.

The missed pens are killing our season.

Yes, definitely 8 points in my view.

He’s doing his best to make his net point impact surprisingly small.

[JR]

Couple of things:

Joao can be the penalty taker - but not like that. Watch Ribery or someone. That technique is ridiculous.

The technique isn't the issue. I don't think any of us here can teach a top championship professional striker about penalty technique.

The issue is simply his mind.

Far too emotional to be taking penalties. We could see that in his first miss, and his second miss, and his third scuffed shot/lucky goal, and his many other sulks when things don't go his way... he doesn't have the mental strength for pens. You can't teach someone that.

I was gobsmacked when I saw him step up for the last one, and even more so now. No idea what Pauno is thinking keeping him on as the number one man for pens.

Pauno probably knew he shouldn’t be on pens, but took the calculated risk that keeping him on was better than taking him off and that impacting his wider game/frame of mind given how fragile he appears to be.

However clearly backfired and Pauno’s comments last night show that is one miss too far. You would hope Joao knows that too.

[Franchise FC]

Given that I'm in a mixed marriage (Mrs F's family are Wycombe fans ) I though I'd take some time away from the keyboard (and the house) before giving any sort of view on that debacle.

Well, time hasn't really dulled my impression that it was really, really shite.

The Sky red button gives no replays (and I don't really want to put myself through watching it again), but just how did the goal get in ?
Liam Moore looks like he's been out of the game for a while and on the rare occasions Wycombe attacked we were getting bullied
Can I assume that Richards is being left out because his head is turned and he's not producing ? If not ... why ?
Having said that, I thought McIntyre, Morrison and Holmes all did OK

Only a few weeks ago we were discussing the potential transfer fee for Olise, quoting numbers up to £20m. Well, on that performance we'd be lucky to get £20 and a bag of sherbet lemons. His delivery from set pieces particularly was absolutely dreadful and, maybe my red mist glasses are blocking my view, but I don't remember him doing anything particularly positive in open play

Rino and Laurent seem a shadow of their former selves and I don't think that's just the positions they were filling. Even the basics were a major problem for them

Special mention for both Semedo and Ejaria - whilst not being outstanding, I though both did OK. The through balls from Ejaria to Rino should have provided a couple of goals and at least I remember Semedo winning a few challenges and going on a few runs

And then there's Lucas. I don;t know whether to feel sorry for him (he didn't get a great deal of service) or want to punch him. His reaction to missing the penalty (I know he's disappointed), but get on with it and make for it. For a professional sportsman he seems to have the mental strength of ... well, I can't even think of an analogy that defines such fragility

I don;t think we had the rub of the green with the niggly fouls, but the referee was the least of our problems

It appears I've not yet got over last night

[Franchise FC]

Sorry, forgot.
As much as I don't think Pauno is covering himself in glory at the moment with tactics, there's really no excuse for professional footballers not being able to do what they are paid to do.
Much as the tactics may have been questionable, you'd expect a decent striker to be able to at least hit the target on at least 90% of occasions. Other than changing the penalty taker the coach can't legislate for that level of incompetence. And yes, missing the target is incompetent - at least if the keeper is saving it, it has a chance

[Franchise FC]

Hat trick post !!!!

Bye, I'm off to AE in an attempt to forget that I watched it

[traff]

Always worry when managers make such baffling substitutions, usually when they are under pressure and getting more frantic and clueless.
Football is not really that complex and it is often very easy to see what needs to be done in a game and even more sensible to play the percentages. It almost appears as though they make these bizarre changes to retain some sort of air of mystique.
We are losing and need to break down 10 men., I know this will fool them all. Take off our most creative players, play centre backs as attacking full backs and bring on players who have a shocking current record in front of goal. Then blame the players tomorrow and accuse the media and fans of not understanding the game and everyone is tired.
I am afraid he is not the messiah but exactly what Chicago fans told us he was.
A very average boy.

To date he hasn't done most of the things you accuse him of in terms of post match reaction.

Wont be long I fear. Starting remind me of Paul Clements time at Derby.

[Stranded]

Sorry, forgot.
As much as I don't think Pauno is covering himself in glory at the moment with tactics, there's really no excuse for professional footballers not being able to do what they are paid to do.
Much as the tactics may have been questionable, you'd expect a decent striker to be able to at least hit the target on at least 90% of occasions. Other than changing the penalty taker the coach can't legislate for that level of incompetence. And yes, missing the target is incompetent - at least if the keeper is saving it, it has a chance

This is the thing that still annoys me slightly this morning - hitting the bar with it. If you penalty confidence is low, just drill it, make sure it hits the target - if the keeper reads you right and goes the right way and makes a save, it happens but as you say the shot had a chance - see the Brentford pen - it wasn't great but it hit the target and the keeper couldn't get enough on it despite going the right way.

If he had hit last nights as badly as the Brentford pen, the ball rolls into the net unopposed as the keeper went the other way.

To not hit the target for 2 out of the last 3 pens is not acceptable and I hope he is off them for at least a little while now - think I'd even rather have someone like Morrison just run up and leather it at the mo.

All said though the whole team and management need to have a look at themselves after the last 180 mins of football - last night has to be a nadir - to be playing a team relatively marooned at the bottom, with the worst defence in the league and who had lost 18 of 30 games before yesterday and fail to even hit the target once when losing - and never even look like doing so, is reminiscent of some of the darker days of recent years.

One stat that is that we have gone behind 16 times this season, ignoring the final results of those games, we've only even managed to equalise 5 times.

[Hound]

Sorry, forgot.
As much as I don't think Pauno is covering himself in glory at the moment with tactics, there's really no excuse for professional footballers not being able to do what they are paid to do.
Much as the tactics may have been questionable, you'd expect a decent striker to be able to at least hit the target on at least 90% of occasions. Other than changing the penalty taker the coach can't legislate for that level of incompetence. And yes, missing the target is incompetent - at least if the keeper is saving it, it has a chance

This is the thing that still annoys me slightly this morning - hitting the bar with it. If you penalty confidence is low, just drill it, make sure it hits the target - if the keeper reads you right and goes the right way and makes a save, it happens but as you say the shot had a chance - see the Brentford pen - it wasn't great but it hit the target and the keeper couldn't get enough on it despite going the right way.

If he had hit last nights as badly as the Brentford pen, the ball rolls into the net unopposed as the keeper went the other way.

To not hit the target for 2 out of the last 3 pens is not acceptable and I hope he is off them for at least a little while now - think I'd even rather have someone like Morrison just run up and leather it at the mo.

All said though the whole team and management need to have a look at themselves after the last 180 mins of football - last night has to be a nadir - to be playing a team relatively marooned at the bottom, with the worst defence in the league and who had lost 18 of 30 games before yesterday and fail to even hit the target once when losing - and never even look like doing so, is reminiscent of some of the darker days of recent years.

One stat that is that we have gone behind 16 times this season, ignoring the final results of those games, we've only even managed to equalise 5 times.

Still proper annoyed by last night. tbh I've not been overly fussed by any defeat this year until the last 2. We are so weak when we go behind - it's simply not acceptable to constantly struggle to create any real pressure when chasing the game

Somehow we seem to be missing Swift and Meite more than before they temporarily came back in. But the complete lack of any width from us when we had Yiadom, Esteves and Richards on the bench was infuriating. Every time Holmes got it, he just passed it back inside - don't think he even attempted a cross or an overlap. Really poor.

[Millsy]

Ok,

Joao can f**k off with penalties and
Pauno can start thinking about f**king off if he's not careful

Pauno:

1) Why the F**K disrupt the back 4 AGAIN? CB at LB?
2) Putting Joao - proven clueless at penalties with 2 misses and one almost-miss as penalty taker? We knew he'd cock up and he did. Can't Pauno see this?
3) Rino/Laurent - ain't broke so... disrupt that, obviously.
4) 1-0 down and wait until 78 (SEVENTY EIGHT MINUTES) to bring on Puscas, especially after our recent crticisms of him not bringing him on?
5) And...for OLISE? Our most dangerous player?
6) Wait several minutes later to FINALLY bring a defender off (given we're playing 10 men!) for Aluko...
7) Take off our other most dangerous player Ejaria for toothless Baldock?

Losing 1-0 against bottom of the table side not even fighting for their lives. He couldn't cock it up more if he tried. 1% of me is asking if he's been lucky until now.

Joao:

Just f**k off and accept you're SHIT at penalties. SHIT.

Sorry but to say Wycombe are a team “not even fighting for their lives” is borderline ridiculous. They’re a team with tremendous character and it was only 10 days ago they came down from 2 goals down to win

Perhaps yes they have some sort of fight, but I was trying to pre-empt the idea that "oh but teams battling for relegation fighting for their lives are the hardest teams to play". Bollocks in WW's case. Rooted to the bottom of the table 11 points off safety, 8 points below the team above towards the end of the season, is very different to a team with three games to go only in the relegation zone by a couple of points ir goal difference. Those guys are always notoriously difficult to beat. WW may have some fight, sure, but it was noticeably less than the fight they showed last time we played when Ainsworth was jumping around on the touchline like a drugged monkey as most of them including Ainsworth know now they're a relegation team. But yeah sure they have some fight.

[Norfolk Royal]

Sorry, forgot.
As much as I don't think Pauno is covering himself in glory at the moment with tactics, there's really no excuse for professional footballers not being able to do what they are paid to do.
Much as the tactics may have been questionable, you'd expect a decent striker to be able to at least hit the target on at least 90% of occasions. Other than changing the penalty taker the coach can't legislate for that level of incompetence. And yes, missing the target is incompetent - at least if the keeper is saving it, it has a chance

This is the thing that still annoys me slightly this morning - hitting the bar with it. If you penalty confidence is low, just drill it, make sure it hits the target - if the keeper reads you right and goes the right way and makes a save, it happens but as you say the shot had a chance - see the Brentford pen - it wasn't great but it hit the target and the keeper couldn't get enough on it despite going the right way.

If he had hit last nights as badly as the Brentford pen, the ball rolls into the net unopposed as the keeper went the other way.

To not hit the target for 2 out of the last 3 pens is not acceptable and I hope he is off them for at least a little while now - think I'd even rather have someone like Morrison just run up and leather it at the mo.

All said though the whole team and management need to have a look at themselves after the last 180 mins of football - last night has to be a nadir - to be playing a team relatively marooned at the bottom, with the worst defence in the league and who had lost 18 of 30 games before yesterday and fail to even hit the target once when losing - and never even look like doing so, is reminiscent of some of the darker days of recent years.

One stat that is that we have gone behind 16 times this season, ignoring the final results of those games, we've only even managed to equalise 5 times.

Still proper annoyed by last night. tbh I've not been overly fussed by any defeat this year until the last 2. We are so weak when we go behind - it's simply not acceptable to constantly struggle to create any real pressure when chasing the game

Somehow we seem to be missing Swift and Meite more than before they temporarily came back in. But the complete lack of any width from us when we had Yiadom, Esteves and Richards on the bench was infuriating. Every time Holmes got it, he just passed it back inside - don't think he even attempted a cross or an overlap. Really poor.

That's true but partly the result of playing four centre backs in those positions. The McIntyre move to left back was forced in a way after Richards' poor performance in the last game. You can't play a player in the next game after a display like that, whatever the reasons for his poor form are. McIntyre's distribution from left back was awful. He shouldn't play there again. I think Holmes is going to make a cracking centre back if he is ever allowed to play there.

There were more square pegs in round holes last night than a Persimmon Home.

[PistolPete]

Couple of things:

Joao can be the penalty taker - but not like that. Watch Ribery or someone. That technique is ridiculous.

The technique isn't the issue. I don't think any of us here can teach a top championship professional striker about penalty technique.

The issue is simply his mind.

Far too emotional to be taking penalties. We could see that in his first miss, and his second miss, and his third scuffed shot/lucky goal, and his many other sulks when things don't go his way... he doesn't have the mental strength for pens. You can't teach someone that.

I was gobsmacked when I saw him step up for the last one, and even more so now. No idea what Pauno is thinking keeping him on as the number one man for pens.

He misses not because he's emotional - he's pretty cold blooded when it comes to finishing. It's the hop skip pause technique in this last one, and the incredibly close standing foot verses Preston that makes the whole thing harder. He's clearly working on it, I'd say though that he needs to keep it simple!

[bcubed]

This is the thing that still annoys me slightly this morning - hitting the bar with it. If you penalty confidence is low, just drill it, make sure it hits the target - if the keeper reads you right and goes the right way and makes a save, it happens but as you say the shot had a chance - see the Brentford pen - it wasn't great but it hit the target and the keeper couldn't get enough on it despite going the right way.

If he had hit last nights as badly as the Brentford pen, the ball rolls into the net unopposed as the keeper went the other way.

To not hit the target for 2 out of the last 3 pens is not acceptable and I hope he is off them for at least a little while now - think I'd even rather have someone like Morrison just run up and leather it at the mo.

All said though the whole team and management need to have a look at themselves after the last 180 mins of football - last night has to be a nadir - to be playing a team relatively marooned at the bottom, with the worst defence in the league and who had lost 18 of 30 games before yesterday and fail to even hit the target once when losing - and never even look like doing so, is reminiscent of some of the darker days of recent years.

One stat that is that we have gone behind 16 times this season, ignoring the final results of those games, we've only even managed to equalise 5 times.

Still proper annoyed by last night. tbh I've not been overly fussed by any defeat this year until the last 2. We are so weak when we go behind - it's simply not acceptable to constantly struggle to create any real pressure when chasing the game

Somehow we seem to be missing Swift and Meite more than before they temporarily came back in. But the complete lack of any width from us when we had Yiadom, Esteves and Richards on the bench was infuriating. Every time Holmes got it, he just passed it back inside - don't think he even attempted a cross or an overlap. Really poor.

That's true but partly the result of playing four centre backs in those positions. The McIntyre move to left back was forced in a way after Richards' poor performance in the last game. You can't play a player in the next game after a display like that, whatever the reasons for his poor form are. McIntyre's distribution from left back was awful. He shouldn't play there again. I think Holmes is going to make a cracking centre back if he is ever allowed to play there.

There were more square pegs in round holes last night than a Persimmon Home.

Bad experience?!

[Snowflake Royal]

How the hell has Semedo become the player we must unbalance the team to accommodate?

I actually think he's half decent, but he's not good enough to warrant spazzing around with the team

It's mind boggling that Pauno has decided to move him back into defensive midfield and push Rino forward.

Rino's tracking, tackling, fouling and driving runs are huge for the team. He's the midfielder who has the least goals, least assists, least shots per game, least key passes per game. And inexplicably he's been pushed up.

It's not worked once and Pauno persists in three games now. Madness.

[Millsy]

Sorry, forgot.
As much as I don't think Pauno is covering himself in glory at the moment with tactics, there's really no excuse for professional footballers not being able to do what they are paid to do.
Much as the tactics may have been questionable, you'd expect a decent striker to be able to at least hit the target on at least 90% of occasions. Other than changing the penalty taker the coach can't legislate for that level of incompetence. And yes, missing the target is incompetent - at least if the keeper is saving it, it has a chance

True, but noone is saying this is only Pauno's fault. It's a given that the primary 'blame' is Joao's.

But as manager when it has been proven time and again that the guy cant' take a spot kick, not to have the balls to change the taker is a major cockup. After the first, yeah ok. But after the second? And after the scuffed shot on the third? How did I "know" he'd cock it up last night? Even a world class penalty taker will be feeling huge pressure after 3 poor penalties, it's not rocket science. I know Pauno is all about motivation and overall it has worked, but this was just a monumental cockup.

It's almost verging on neglect allowing someone already known to be emotional to humiliate himself at something he's bad at against all the odds, no matter how much he may want it. Eg/ do I let my 3 year old continue more than a couple of attempts to try something I know she'll fail at? Much as she protests I stop her for her own good.

[NewCorkSeth]

How the hell has Semedo become the player we must unbalance the team to accommodate?

I actually think he's half decent, but he's not good enough to warrant spazzing around with the team

It's mind boggling that Pauno has decided to move him back into defensive midfield and push Rino forward.

Rino's tracking, tackling, fouling and driving runs are huge for the team. He's the midfielder who has the least goals, least assists, least shots per game, least key passes per game. And inexplicably he's been pushed up.

It's not worked once and Pauno persists in three games now. Madness.

It's so unquestionably the wrong thing to do as well. We genuinely looked a more balanced team with Semedo further forward.

I cant think of any reasons that satisfy the need for it.

[Millsy]

Couple of things:

Joao can be the penalty taker - but not like that. Watch Ribery or someone. That technique is ridiculous.

The technique isn't the issue. I don't think any of us here can teach a top championship professional striker about penalty technique.

The issue is simply his mind.

Far too emotional to be taking penalties. We could see that in his first miss, and his second miss, and his third scuffed shot/lucky goal, and his many other sulks when things don't go his way... he doesn't have the mental strength for pens. You can't teach someone that.

I was gobsmacked when I saw him step up for the last one, and even more so now. No idea what Pauno is thinking keeping him on as the number one man for pens.

He misses not because he's emotional - he's pretty cold blooded when it comes to finishing. It's the hop skip pause technique in this last one, and the incredibly close standing foot verses Preston that makes the whole thing harder. He's clearly working on it, I'd say though that he needs to keep it simple!

Disagree again sorry as above. There's a world of difference between achieving something in the adrenaline of the heat of the moment, there's nothing cold about that blood racing around. Especially when missing is more expected than not and a goal gives you glory. Little pressure, pure adrenaline. And even then, he's definitely anything BUT cold blooded the way he sulks if the game isn't going his way. But a spot kick is an entirely different proposition. Loads of time, everyone staring at your every move, you're EXPECTED to score, and you know the game, possibly the season rests on you NOT cocking up. Cannot compare the two at all.

[URZZZZ]

This is the thing that still annoys me slightly this morning - hitting the bar with it. If you penalty confidence is low, just drill it, make sure it hits the target - if the keeper reads you right and goes the right way and makes a save, it happens but as you say the shot had a chance - see the Brentford pen - it wasn't great but it hit the target and the keeper couldn't get enough on it despite going the right way.

If he had hit last nights as badly as the Brentford pen, the ball rolls into the net unopposed as the keeper went the other way.

To not hit the target for 2 out of the last 3 pens is not acceptable and I hope he is off them for at least a little while now - think I'd even rather have someone like Morrison just run up and leather it at the mo.

All said though the whole team and management need to have a look at themselves after the last 180 mins of football - last night has to be a nadir - to be playing a team relatively marooned at the bottom, with the worst defence in the league and who had lost 18 of 30 games before yesterday and fail to even hit the target once when losing - and never even look like doing so, is reminiscent of some of the darker days of recent years.

One stat that is that we have gone behind 16 times this season, ignoring the final results of those games, we've only even managed to equalise 5 times.

Still proper annoyed by last night. tbh I've not been overly fussed by any defeat this year until the last 2. We are so weak when we go behind - it's simply not acceptable to constantly struggle to create any real pressure when chasing the game

Somehow we seem to be missing Swift and Meite more than before they temporarily came back in. But the complete lack of any width from us when we had Yiadom, Esteves and Richards on the bench was infuriating. Every time Holmes got it, he just passed it back inside - don't think he even attempted a cross or an overlap. Really poor.

That's true but partly the result of playing four centre backs in those positions. The McIntyre move to left back was forced in a way after Richards' poor performance in the last game. You can't play a player in the next game after a display like that, whatever the reasons for his poor form are. McIntyre's distribution from left back was awful. He shouldn't play there again. I think Holmes is going to make a cracking centre back if he is ever allowed to play there.

There were more square pegs in round holes last night than a Persimmon Home.

Was Richards’ performance on Saturday worse than Joao’s tonight? If not, do we expect the same logic to apply for him? The Bayern talks have clearly played on his/Paunovic’s mind as he’s gone from playing 90 minutes each week to being subbed/dropped each game for the last 4/5 but IMO its the wrong move as he’s the only only proper LB