20/21 Matchday Thread

[Kenneth E End]

Apparently the Wycombe v Rotherham game at the weekend, the ball was in play for just 35 minutes - shortest amount of time since data was recorded.

 

[SF_]

Shite that, badly missed Daniel Johnson and playing Alan Browne at right back was a poor decision.

Massively highlights our need for a new striker, doesn't even need to be a proven goalscorer, just someone who can create the space and occupy defenders like Hugill did.

 

[thewwfc]

Apparently the Wycombe v Rotherham game at the weekend, the ball was in play for just 35 minutes - shortest amount of time since data was recorded.

Doesn't surprise me. We usually have about 20-30% possession per game, but it was a lot more equal vs Rotherham...presumably because neither team was arsed about actually having the ball.

 

[Super_horns]

Fans at 3 Championship games this weekend .

Crowd pilots: Eight English Football League weekend games to host up to 1,000 fans

Up to 1,000 fans will be allowed to attend eight different EFL games this weekend as part of the government's crowd pilots.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Fans at 3 Championship games this weekend .

Crowd pilots: Eight English Football League weekend games to host up to 1,000 fans

Up to 1,000 fans will be allowed to attend eight different EFL games this weekend as part of the government's crowd pilots.

www.bbc.co.uk

This is interesting as Gary Sweet was saying this morning we now no longer have enough time to prepare for the weekend!

Hatters CEO reveals Luton have been forced to give up on hopes of welcoming fans back against Derby

Sweet admits there's 'not enough time' for Hatters to get ready

www.lutontoday.co.uk

Given the timelines were always going to be tight to get something organised I dont think we should have applied, we dont have a fully electronic ticketing system in place as it is.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Kenilworth Rd is probably (if not definitely) one of the most dilapidated grounds in the Championship and definitely not suited for social distancing. By that reckoning, the club should be top of the list for trials as it’ll be a lot harder to implement than at other stadiums.

I do think it’s a bit amateur hour all round though.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Seems like we have officially turned down the opportunity. Reflects poorly on the club for me, to apply one day and then literally the next day say you don’t have enough time is just properly amateur stuff. Who ever is in charge of operations should have been planning for this eventuality for some time.

Ah well, they have done a heck of a lot right than they have wrong 2020 so can’t be too harsh.

 

[MagpieBee]

Seems like we have officially turned down the opportunity. Reflects poorly on the club for me, to apply one day and then literally the next day say you don’t have enough time is just properly amateur stuff. Who ever is in charge of operations should have been planning for this eventuality for some time.

Ah well, they have done a heck of a lot right than they have wrong 2020 so can’t be too harsh.

Not great for any of us really, fewer trials actually going ahead just pushes back the date everyone else can go in

 

[SF_]

Norwich. Another tough one.

If everyone is available.

Rudd
Fisher, Bauer, Davies, Rafferty
Pearson, Browne
Barkhuizen, Johnson, Sinclair
Maguire

Ripley, Hughes, Ledson, Gallagher, Potts, Harrop, Stockley​

 

[Kenneth E End]

Derby tomorrow - another team who we beat in the second half of last season. We gifted them a victory at Pride Park, and considering the resources at their disposal, looked a very average side. It also looks a good time to play them today considering their start and what their supporters are saying. And really they appear to be a club in disarray on and off the pitch, so I fancy our chances again. We are one of only four clubs who have won every game so far this season.

Going to be a fair amount of rotation over the coming days. What a week we have in store - after Derby, we have Manchester United and Watford within 4 days of each other. I'd expect we go with this side:

GK Simon Sluga
RB James Bree
CB Tom Lockyer
CB Sonny Bradley
LB Rhys Norrington-Davies
DM Glen Rea
CM Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu
CM Luke Berry
RF Jordan Clark
LF Harry Cornick
CF James Collins
Subs: James Shea, Martin Crainie, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Matty Pearson, Danny Hylton, Elliot Lee, Kazenga LuaLua
Not Used: George Moncur, Peter Kioso, Andrew Shinnie
Unavailable: Dan Potts, Brendan Galloway, Eunan O'Kane

 

[Atavistic]

We've got Buendia back from suspension for Preston tomorrow, but it's unclear how fit he will be and if he'll be able to start or not. If he is, I'd expect him to take Dowell or Cantwell's place in the starting 11 we used last week, and if he isn't 100% match fit I'd at least expect him to be on the bench to come on and get some minutes.

Having our absolute best creative force back will be a blessing, but Preston are a solid side at this level so it's by no means an easy fixture. I'm feeling a draw here after we laboured to beat Huddersfield last week; as with Farke's very first season here, we've become much more solid but our attacking play has notably slowed and may take a while to get back up to the speed that won us the title ~ 18 months ago.

 

[SF_]

We've got Buendia back from suspension for Preston tomorrow, but it's unclear how fit he will be and if he'll be able to start or not. If he is, I'd expect him to take Dowell or Cantwell's place in the starting 11 we used last week, and if he isn't 100% match fit I'd at least expect him to be on the bench to come on and get some minutes.

Having our absolute best creative force back will be a blessing, but Preston are a solid side at this level so it's by no means an easy fixture. I'm feeling a draw here after we laboured to beat Huddersfield last week; as with Farke's very first season here, we've become much more solid but our attacking play has notably slowed and may take a while to get back up to the speed that won us the title ~ 18 months ago.

I'm more confident of a result with Rudd & Fisher back.

Never thought i'd say that about Rudd but he's been excellent since last Autumn, looks like a solid, experienced keeper now. Coincided with the time we employed a proper goalkeeping coach... who would have thought.

Still struggle to see where the goals come from with us though, especially if DJ doesn't play.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Big win for us tonight, great to get our first three points on the board. Thought we were pretty dreadful in the first half, showed QPR far too much respect and couldn't string a pass together whenever we actually got the ball. Appeared to be galavanised by conceding though and played much better from there on out. 2 in 2 for Matt Godden, which is lovely to see as I had major doubts over him coming into the season. Callum O'Hare and Gustavo Hamer both excellent again as well, same goes for Ryan Giles and Fankaty Dabo on the flanks. Lovely stuff!

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Callum O'Hare on free. We really did hit the jackpot.

 

[oakroader]

Top of the table we must go....
EI EI EIO....

 

[Super_horns]

No very confident about next week!

We don't look like scoring and I doubt anyone useful will be back.

And you always get a result at the Vic anyway.

 

[thewwfc]

Thumped 5-0. Gave away a cheap penalty early doors and got a defender sent off for a foul as the last man.

There was always going to be days like today for us coming up to this level, especially if we haven't really strengthened adequately (and we haven't as yet), and I'd expect more to come against established Championship quality sides.

no complaints about the result, and it actually could have been worse but for some decent saves. Next...

 

[Kenneth E End]

I say it again... dare we dream!

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Wasn’t able to watch today but what a result that is. Superb start to the season, not sure what it is about Nathan Jones here but he just seems able to get that bit more out of us.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We lost to Charlton 3-1 on Feb 22nd. Since then... 1 defeat in SIXTEEN. Unbelieveable.

This Rhys Norrington-Davies is a fantastic signing - annoyingly, he'll be ahead of Enda Stevens by the end of the season as I can't imagine Sheffield Utd will be leaving him here in this form. He faded a bit in the second half but that cross for Jordan Clark was Premier League class. Same combination as against Reading...

 

[Atavistic]

We're a long, long way off being good enough to be true contenders at the top end of the league currently, as Preston easily bullied us all over the pitch and demonstrated how physically weak we still are across the park. As a defensive unit, we're still embarrassingly bad and our attacking is currently disjointed, slow and sluggish. If not for Agent Rudd's mistake to give us our equaliser, I think we'd have lost today against a solid, no-nonsense Championship side in Preston.

Farke needs to buck up quickly and be much more willing to change the system and personnel for matches like this where teams are going to press high in our faces and bully us: Kenny McLean is a useless defensive midfield screen in such matches, and Pukki isn't enough of a physical presence to allow us to change approach in such matches. We do have Hugill to give us that option, but it doesn't mean much if Farke is unwilling to give him more than five minutes in a match that's absolutely crying out for him

I still believe that if Farke does not leave soon to be replaced by someone with better tactical nous, we won't be good enough to keep ourselves in the promotion race despite having a very strong squad on paper.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Great result but Derby came into it, dare i say, once Rea went off. Hope thats minor as we dont tick so well in mid without him and creak at the back without his screen. Berry superb. So pleased for him.

Derby looked ok, but not an auto promotion challenge on that. Their RB Byrne was great and Sibley too. Not sure what Cocu and his assistant were talkibg to the ref for so long at the end. Great start by us carrying on where we left off.

Bring em on for the big one. One week to go. Cant wait

 

[Kenneth E End]

Welcome to the Championship Wycombe!

 

[Craig]

Wank

 

[SF_]

Didn't see any of the game but sounded like we probably should have seen it out.

Bad error by Rudd but seemed like he made up for it with some good stops.

Ledson getting a lot of praise for his performance and sounds like Sinclair did well too.

Delighted for Fisher, love the guy, quality right back at this level and really hope he signs an extension.

 

[Kenneth E End]

So four games:
Norwich - "we had 15 players unavailable".
Barnsley - "they were physical and played long balls".
Reading - "we played our reserve team"
Derby - "it was the refs fault... we shouldn't lose to teams like Luton".

Not exactly much credit coming our way right now.

 

[Super_horns]

And if you beat us I guess there won't be much credit either !!

Probably be a lot of finger pointing at the owners or players not playing.

 

[Kenneth E End]

And if you beat us I guess there won't be much credit either !!

Probably be a lot of finger pointing at the owners or players not playing.

So what is the craic with Watford right now? Looks a bit of a mess in all honesty, from the outside anyway.

 

[Super_horns]

Yes - not sure who is coming and going leaving us with a limited squad.

We seem keen to try and off load the big earners but no-one wants them (no surprise there!) and now we might up selling 2 of our younger prospects in Sarr and Suarez.

Plus we do actually have the usual injuries - Gray/Hughes - 2 players who'd probably do ok in the Championship.

Really despite the hype our squad atm is nothing more than your average Championship one rather than one who came down from the Premier league.

As usual if it goes wrong sure the manager will be blamed!

 

[SF_]

Are we top of the away following table?