Wycombe is a place that seems inappropriate for the home of a Football League team with its ground on the well-to-do outskirts of an affluent Buckinghamshire town. There is a sort of commercial park area up the hillside alongside the ground where you can park with a fighting chance of getting away from the residential bottleneck in less than 20 minutes and, as I have mentioned before I think, Red Kites circle above...
But we aren't playing there I know, and this unusual club have been in higher echelons of football society since we beat them at the Keepmoat in their last game of their promotion season.
It is difficult to weigh them up. When I have seen them at their home they always keep trying and last time there they won 3-2 from being 2 down I think. The time before when I was present, their energy was noteworthy. And they have Akinfenwa who is truly phenomenal.
However at the Keepmoat we have won comfortably recently and their away form this year is a marked contrast with how they have been at home. But we all know that we are not the force we were.
We now have the MK Dons victory to our credit admittedly on a day when they disappointed their manager and we have gained some fitness and mutual understanding through more time to train together. There will also be a skilful addition in the shape of Taylor. The question is whether it will be enough.
Wellens continues to build up his squad with encouraging words and I am hoping that I will be soon able to relate what he tells us with what we see on the pitch.
Wycombe's strength against us has been at their own ground and they have gathered more points there in this campaign, having only won once at Shrewsbury. However, losing at Sunderland and MK Dons and getting points at Wigan and Oxford shows they have had a difficult ride.
Forecasting a win is as much an expression of hope as of realistic assessment and whilst I do not doubt that there are ground for optimism and so the avoidance of a bad defeat, I do not expect better than a draw, but I am not convinced we will manage that.
So 1-2 with Rowe/Anderson scoring.
DPL v Wycombe
posted on 16/10/21
0-2 to Wycombe but hope I'm wrong
posted on 16/10/21
Wellens needs to look at alternatives for both Knoyle and Williams.
posted on 16/10/21
Probably Bostock too
posted on 16/10/21
I've never had confidence in R-S Williams, and as I have said before, I'd rather see Olowu in that slot - or Cameron when fit.
If I had been manager, Bostock would have been the first I'd take off - so many passes to the opposition!
When Dodoo first arrived, I thought he had potential, but his lack of quick control when the ball arrives denies him of the chance to score when a great pass arrives.
Vilca is an enigma - at times showing great ball skills, but when an opportunity arrives, almost falling over the ball.
Cukur had by far his best game for the Rovers - OK, Donaldo, he only had a very low bar to climb!
It was good to see Taylor back, and sad he created a chance for himself but shot weakly.
However, my biggest concern was another game of inconsistent refereeing. I understand he was a late substitute referee, and I'm not saying everything was all against the Rovers. Last season I called it "The chickification of football" when almost all contact was called as a foul to "protect the payers". This season refs have been given latitude to be a little more lenient. This is fine if they are consistent.
While I agree Wycombe players had occasion to complain, I thought we should have had a foul just outside their area just before they broke, won a corner, and scored their first. What about when our player (can't remember whom) was bundled over by two of their players in their penalty area?
However, it is not just in League One. After the Rovers game I watched Brighton vs. Chelsea. The ref, Anthony Taylor, was more inconsistent than our ref, and if I was a Brighton supporter I'd be very angry.
posted on 16/10/21
Whoops, Brentford not Brighton!
posted on 17/10/21
Wellens is said to be “taking the positives”. Having seen the extended highlights there are occasional impressive individual contributions. What is lacking is what Wellens is responsible for. Coordinating the play his his job. The defence is awful, littered with mistakes and incompetence and without cohesion and these are his first choice people.
Although his words may be optimistic, compared with his more successful predecessors, he says little to encourage me to believe that he has a proper understanding of what he should be doing.
posted on 17/10/21
Quote from RW "We had a fair idea they would score from set pieces!" So Richie what we're your plans to counter the threat? Escaping from the drop zone looks even less likely.
posted on 17/10/21
Not scoring is bad enough but letting them in is worse. The defensive system and who plays in it needs a complete rethink. Get this right first and at least you are avoiding defeat. Beef up Midfield and use what attracting options we have to best effect. Not sure RW is the answer. In fact he's not.
posted on 17/10/21
My back 4 would be Seaman, Anderson,John and Rowe. Alternatively Seaman,Olowu, Anderson, John with Rowe moving to left midfield.
Maybe Close, Galbraith and Rowe midfield. Taylor, Cukor and Hiwula up front
posted on 18/10/21
Nookie, although I have not seen too much of Seaman's defensive capability, I like your alternative with Close, Galbraith and Rowe as the mid-field three. I know John prefers playing as a centre-back, but Rowe can add more by playing as a wing-back.
Pity John and Taylor are out at the minute.