Last night's performance have brought a number of areas that have been discussed here into sharp focus. The Manager - over the last year Waddock has consistently stated that the biggest strength that we have is the team spirit - it is evident after the last couple of performances that this has gone. This is his squad - with a couple of exceptions he has brought in each one of the current group of players and we do not have any strength in depth and are very weak in most areas. I see the game against Rochdale in a couple of weeks time as being the crunch - if we lose that 6 pointer he will have passed the point of no return ! The Defence - one statistic says it all - we have only managed one clean sheet this season ! This is the area that needs an immediate fix and at least one new centre back during the transfer window - especially given the injuries to Winfield and LJ (no word on the injury last night yet?). We just don't have any solidity or confidence - just think of the number of goals we have conceeded this season from corners / set plays. Also, as with Huddersfield last night - we just cannot defend against any team with pace in attack - also a significant number of goals let in by the backs being caught out of position. The Midfield - we do not have a single player with the skill to take the ball through the midfield on the ground and beat players in the middle of the park. Hence the constant ball over the top (usually a hit and hope rather than targeted pass) which any reasonably well marshalled defence can cover all game. Our distribution is terrible - how many passes do we actually complete - for most teams this is around 80% - we would be lucky if our stats are half that ! Also, the midfield is generally slow in getting back after attacking moves break down - exposing our weak defence even more. Forwards - let's hope that the report that we can hold on to Trotta for the rest of the season is true - although after last night Fulham may re-consider whether Wycombe can provide an environment to continue his development. After the amazing start he has had with us it will be interesting to see how he react to the reality check of the last couple of games. If he and Beavan don't get the service... we won't be getting the goals. The other concern here is that other than Beavan and Trotta we do not have any strength in depth here - I think that Rendall is finished here and hopefully will go during the transfer window and Strevens, despite some good performances last season, is a bench player at best at this level. The positives:- - The support - the Valley End did us proud last night despite everything happening on the field. - We won't have to play Huddersfield again this season ! - We are not dead yet... and only 3 points away from being outside of the drop zone - a couple of astute signings in the transfer window, a few good results against fellow strugglers and who knows ? .... or am I being over optimisitic ?
Yes last night was depressing, but the defeats against Stevenage and Bournemouth were probably more damaging. The injuries are mounting up and further exposing the fact that the right signings were not made in the summer. Unless Waddock works a miracle in January by signing a minimum of three genuine league 1 players (two strong midfield players and a centre back) and keeping Trotta, there is no chance of picking up enough points to stay up. I also think he needs to show a bit of flexibility with the formation. Playing 4-4-2 with two wingers is fine if your two central midfielders can get enough of the ball, but we are outpassed in midfield week after week by teams at both ends of the table. We need to make ourselves harder to play against, and at the moment he hasn't got the personnel to achieve that.
I would imagine the Huddersfield players find their training much harder that that game was. It was oh so easy, as if we weren't there. They must have had a good laugh on the way home. There could be jokes about us now.
the cold hard facts are we dont have a good enough squad our owner doesnt give a toss about our club waddock is not very good tactically we shouldnt have played 4-4-2 against huddersfield, if he wanted to play with wingers he should have changed to 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 3 nil down so early and everyone in the ground knew it wasnt working but still waddock didnt change it. start of the second half same side same formation,its not rocket science we all knew we were in for a hammering ,bloody change it waddock. as has been said we wont be playing huddersfield again so thats a bonus,lets just hope waddock learns from his mistakes leon out injured is a big worry ,tunny halls and co are useless so we need replacements rapidly where do we go from here ......i guess it all depends on if we can get the right players in and how quickly they settle into the team and thats if we have any money to do so
Who is Steve Hayes? Anyone heard anything from him since his planning permission was refused (other than the Wasps Sale - has that gone through)?
I agree with the back room stuff and Steve Hayes being an issue but it's deeper than that. I won't mind if we get relegated but at least put a fight up about it. Sadly there doesnt seem to be much fight in the team. To often the player haven't appeared up for the game. We need a couple of players willing to battle as that's the only way we are going to get anywhere. When we 1 st signed Lewis I thought he was the answer but I haven't seen him flying in with tackles for a while. We need a brown or cousins type player in my mind.
Waddock looks like someone who is expecting to be sacked. He is really down. You need a team of players whose heart is in it. It is clear that the players are just despondent, no belief, no heart. They have "what is the point?" written all over them. You only need one player like that in the team to have an adverse effect but when you have so many, it's hopeless. And when the manager is in the same frame of mind it's almost "give up" time. It must be difficult to stoke up the players when there is something having this effect on everyone. That something can only be Steve Hayes. Of that there is no doubt in my mind. I'm a great believer in self motivation personally but here we have 11 players on a pitch with some, if not all, just going through the motions and unable to be lifted, let alone lift each other. The situation is dire and can only be turned round when there is a ray of light at the end of the tunnel (hope). The gloom has got to be lifted. No manager, or players alone can lift the gloom. We need a passionate owner to provide that hope. So **** off Hayes.
