League 1 - Wycombe Wanderers vs Ipswich Town Preview & Matchday Thread

[Bluemike]

^^^
I meant inconsistent scoring, BM. He’s not a bad striker, I just think he needs to score a few more.

Yep agreed, I'm still backing him to hit 20 for the season, that is a good return in anyone's book, of course he needs to be on the bloody pitch to achieve it, all this rotation crap is the one big issue and criticism I have of Mckenna.

[hallamblue]

All I can say is , when ever I see Ladapo I’m not thinking …” he’s going to score in a minute”. He spent practically the whole game with his back to goal, and wrestling with a defender, usually ending up on the floor. He just doesn’t fill me hope that he’ll bang the goals in regularly. We rely so much on Chaplin and he’s off the boil now. Burns May as well not be in the team. He had a poor and ineffective game again yesterday . Our biggest goal threat was Harness and he’s out with a minor sprained ankle 8njury..oh, no of. Purse not..it’s another 3-4 month injury isn’t it. Sea will be all but over by the time he gets back 8n the team.

We need some new blood in the side now. I’ve just got a horrible feeling we are going off the boil whilst teams like Barnsley and Derby are just starting t9 get up a head of steam. Promotion is nowhere near a “ dead cert” as far as I can see,

[rossi]

It was always gonna be a difficult match at Wycombe. This is a tough league, and I'm as guilty as anyone for expecting us to beat most of the teams. Just a bit of tweaking in January, and we should still be alright for automatic promotion. We need Chaplin to start finding the net again, and it would be awesome if we can pick up a natural finisher in the window to aid Ladapo's inconsistency.

2nd in the league at Christmas, ain't that bad...is it Denny?

9, I thought Ladapo had a really good game yesterday which the commentators alluded too also, some of his touches and turns and hold up play was really good, did you not think he did ok? Clearly goals define strikers but I thought that aside he had one of his better games.

I thought he had a great game too, as did Morsy and Keogh before he came off.

I have to admit, though, that I did struggle to see how Burns stayed on for the duration when other forward players were substituted - I do hope there is no favouritism being shown

[shabba]

I thought he was very good - as you say he held the ball well, some lovely turns etc. I think it’ll be hard to find a striker to fit this system KM plays, maybe we need a stone cold killer number 10, or at least get hanress back and scoring again.

[Bluemike]

It was always gonna be a difficult match at Wycombe. This is a tough league, and I'm as guilty as anyone for expecting us to beat most of the teams. Just a bit of tweaking in January, and we should still be alright for automatic promotion. We need Chaplin to start finding the net again, and it would be awesome if we can pick up a natural finisher in the window to aid Ladapo's inconsistency.

2nd in the league at Christmas, ain't that bad...is it Denny?

9, I thought Ladapo had a really good game yesterday which the commentators alluded too also, some of his touches and turns and hold up play was really good, did you not think he did ok? Clearly goals define strikers but I thought that aside he had one of his better games.

I thought he had a great game too, as did Morsy and Keogh before he came off.

I have to admit, though, that I did struggle to see how Burns stayed on for the duration when other forward players were substituted - I do hope there is no favouritism being shown

Morsy and Keogh were the Two Stand out performers in the first half, I said at the time Burns was awful, totally off it first half.

[valleyroad]

I'm going for Town to push on and win again.
2-0 to Ipswich

don't give up your day job

Your comment says more about you

[ashfordblue]

Well, all I can say is definitely for Kieran in the Jan window to get a couple of excellent consistent strikers on board like Ferguson and Whittaker, we must not make the same mistake that Mick Made when we were in a position for automatic promotion. We then blew it, so at least two more strikers and another central defender should sort it out, we can't rely on the inconsistent strikers that we have at the moment.

[Ricco]

I'm going for Town to push on and win again.
2-0 to Ipswich

don't give up your day job

Your comment says more about you

What, you mean Rossi? But he's an absolute angel? Who always stands up for what is right and never tries to bully or annoy anyone

[rossi]

I'm going for Town to push on and win again.
2-0 to Ipswich

don't give up your day job

Your comment says more about you

Oh no - it was said after a great deal of thought and there is a hidden meaning in it that might just surprise you.
Have a think about it - it's not that difficult really

[valleyroad]

don't give up your day job

Your comment says more about you

Oh no - it was said after a great deal of thought and there is a hidden meaning in it that might just surprise you.
Have a think about it - it's not that difficult really

Keep digging your hole.

[rossi]

don't give up your day job

Your comment says more about you

What, you mean Rossi? But he's an absolute angel? Who always stands up for what is right and never tries to bully or annoy anyone

pot......kettle.........black

[Frosty]

Can we just draw a line under this folks, it's the festive season and the board has been fantastic recently, let's keep it this way.

cheers Dave

[shabba]

Can we just draw a line under this folks, it's the festive season and the board has been fantastic recently, let's keep it this way.

cheers Dave

Agree, it’s utterly boring - let’s just focus on town please.

Huge games coming up now, looks like a bumper crowd for the next one too.

I’ll not be able to get up to PR until end of Jan now.

Suspect evans will be back next week and would expect Aluko to start, and maybe we will see Harness back on the bench.

[MasseyFerguson]

Can we just draw a line under this folks, it's the festive season and the board has been fantastic recently, let's keep it this way.

cheers Dave

Thank you.

[rossi]

Can we just draw a line under this folks, it's the festive season and the board has been fantastic recently, let's keep it this way.

cheers Dave

Agreed.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all members of the forum, and in particular to Ricco and Valleyroad.

[AzzurroMark]

I think that this column puts things in perspective if people are looking for positives

https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/23200302.i ... eague-one/

We finished 13 points and 5 places behind Wycombe last season, however we now lead them by that same margin, meaning a 26 point swing! That is some level of progress in my eyes!

[Bluemike]

To be honest I don't get most of the negativity one bit, if people honestly believe we should be winning every game and steamrollering everyone then quite frankly they are fools. If second in the table at Xmas on the back of our injury situation is reason to be doubtful they are deluded, we top most of the stats despite our occasional blips, look at the damn positives just for once and you might just enjoy the bloody season, should we fail then be down in May, not for Nine sodding months, have some belief in the process, we are building something really special, trust in those that are turning it around instead of being part of what helps it to fail. We will succeed.

[arana peligrosa]

Weren't we top at Holidays some years back when McCarthy was manager, 2014 maybe if memory serves. Remember now a trip to Brentford - it were supposed to be a particularly tough game but we played real well and came out of it with a 4 - 2 victory. At the time, it were almost like going back to the Sir Robson era, we were putting a number of wins and great performances together. It didn't last particularly long but we were blazing a trail for a time. It must have been the play-off season where we came unstuck to, "those others".

It's simple this, the team will have a promotion place by the final game. Not auto by any means but it's an absolute certainty within the top six.

I worry about Sheffield Wednesday, they're right behind the team and losing more ground or dropped points from us, they'll take advantage and push us out the top two auto slots. I don't want to drop into Third position, Ok we'll return to first and second once again, but would feel a whole lot more confident about our chances so long as the team occupies the automatic promotion places.

You look at teams like Derby and Portsmouth, some would argue big swingers of the league who were maybe expected to make it out, but last look at the table, they're so far off the distance, you wonder if they really have the capabilities to make it.

[valleyroad]

To be honest I don't get most of the negativity one bit, if people honestly believe we should be winning every game and steamrollering everyone then quite frankly they are fools. If second in the table at Xmas on the back of our injury situation is reason to be doubtful they are deluded, we top most of the stats despite our occasional blips, look at the damn positives just for once and you might just enjoy the bloody season, should we fail then be down in May, not for Nine sodding months, have some belief in the process, we are building something really special, trust in those that are turning it around instead of being part of what helps it to fail. We will succeed.

Couldn't agree more. I just don't understand the boo boys. They are at every club though, just how it is i guess.

[Andym]

Before I start, let me say that I didn’t see or hear Saturdays game.
Let me also say that I am pretty happy with our position in the league and the quality of football we have played this season.
But I think it’s true that we are currently about 8th in the current form League (based on the last 6 matches) and that doesn’t surprise me.
We started the season with some delightful football, crisp one-touch short passing through midfield. At the time I was not only hopeful for promotion but also that our current squad could compete and be to half of the championship. More recently I don’t think any of that is true. We dominated possession but we have become rather one dimensional and predictable. We can get down the wings but we either can’t cross, can’t find a target or can’t finish. Much of this might be down to injuries of course. But I can’t honestly say that I think we are playing as well as we did at the start of the season. I can’t honest say I’m as confident of promotion as I was. And if we should achieve it, I’m far less confident about the current squad being a top-half championship side.
Of course the last part is irrelevant; I assume that we would strengthen the squad if promoted. And I hope this doesn’t sound negative. We are still good to watch, we are still serving in the league, and I’m generally happy. I just think we have lost some of the spark, the ingenuity and the varied play that was the highlight of our first 10 games or do.
KMK has done a brilliant job; he started out turning someone else’s squad into a really good footballing team. The test will be whether he can get the current squad back playing the way they were.

[hallamblue]

Excellent post Andy.

I think you are correct on so many points you’ve made. I feel injuries are taking their toll on the players who are left fit to play. Because they’re not getting much rest and that’s important with high tempo we’ve started the season at. Thh J sys what opponents couldn’t deal with. But hectare McKrnna can’t rotate as much players are playing longer minutes and in some games look decidedly leg weary. So, injuries are having an impact .

The other thing that’s happening is opponents study us like we do them. Wycombe success against us will undoubtedly be scrutinised by other clubs and similar tactics will be adopted. Next up is Oxford. The biggest bunch of shytehousers to visit PR last season in my opinion. They time wasted, kicked the ball away, and did everything in the book ( and what wasn’t in the book) to disrupt our flow. They’ll do it again Boxing Day, and some. The biggest challenge for McKenna in second half of the season will be tweaking his tactics to gain the edge again.

New players in through the door is a given. As us the return of players such as Harness and Evans .

This is going right to the wire in my view, and I’m fully expecting us to drop out of the top two. It’s about how we react when we do.

[Bluemike]

Before I start, let me say that I didn’t see or hear Saturdays game.
Let me also say that I am pretty happy with our position in the league and the quality of football we have played this season.
But I think it’s true that we are currently about 8th in the current form League (based on the last 6 matches) and that doesn’t surprise me.
We started the season with some delightful football, crisp one-touch short passing through midfield. At the time I was not only hopeful for promotion but also that our current squad could compete and be to half of the championship. More recently I don’t think any of that is true. We dominated possession but we have become rather one dimensional and predictable. We can get down the wings but we either can’t cross, can’t find a target or can’t finish. Much of this might be down to injuries of course. But I can’t honestly say that I think we are playing as well as we did at the start of the season. I can’t honest say I’m as confident of promotion as I was. And if we should achieve it, I’m far less confident about the current squad being a top-half championship side.
Of course the last part is irrelevant; I assume that we would strengthen the squad if promoted. And I hope this doesn’t sound negative. We are still good to watch, we are still serving in the league, and I’m generally happy. I just think we have lost some of the spark, the ingenuity and the varied play that was the highlight of our first 10 games or do.
KMK has done a brilliant job; he started out turning someone else’s squad into a really good footballing team. The test will be whether he can get the current squad back playing the way they were.

The thing for me Andy is we aren't actually playing much different from the start of the season, I feel a lot of the fan bases expectations have grown massively due to the start we had. That said I do feel the injuries have stopped us really kicking on as we most probably would have done, Harness, Chaplin, Aluko and Evans all massive players to the way we play and the quality we deliver.

In actual fact look at the stats and our passing for one has improved as the season has gone on, I believe for the most part so have our attempts at goal etc, and let's not forget only a week ago we went top of the league lol.

Hallam makes the point about teams analysing how we play which of course all teams do but what we sometimes forget is that there is always Two teams out there and we more than anyone have a massive target on our backs.

[marko69]

Hope im correct in this, (and a buddy i know) ——-> Sheff Wed are the English Hibs. They’ll fold. Text from him telling me they wouldnt win at Hillsbro last week. Think they drew.

Hopefully the Pilgrims fall away (as predicted by many)…… and buddy is correct.., ITFC champions.

MASSIVE investment over summer and a good, solid Championship season over 23/24.

Few welcome days break-away with the Mrs and a few Bells have been consumed ……. Apologies for the overly positive post.

Ashton signs Messi …… ok, too far.

[Charnwood]

Although we seem to have fewer clean sheets than we did in the early part of the season which is why our defenders are getting more stick, for me it’s our poor finishing which is costing us more in terms of lost points. The number of chances getting created for our front men is virtually off the scale compared to what we created pre McKenna, but our shots on target and goals from those opportunities are woefully lacking. Sadly some of our best chances aren’t even hitting the target let alone scoring goals, in fact in the first 35 mins at Wycombe Chaplin, Lapado and I think it was Humphreys all had clear goal scoring opportunities that completely missed the target. Until now I’ve not signed up to the need for a new striker in the January window however I’m beginning to think it might be necessary especially if we can find someone sharper than we have. I just don’t understand why we haven’t got more goals out of the likes of Lapado and John-Jules especially given the number of chances that get created in games. There just seems to be something missing when it comes to clinical finishing, even Harness, Chaplin and Burns each seem to fluff more chances than they put away. If we could only improve this critical part of our game I don’t think we’ll have much to worry about, if we don’t and more teams manage to keep a clean sheets against us as Wycombe, Lincoln and Portsmouth have all done recently we may find it much harder in the second half of the season.

[mendipblue]

No team this season we have played in the league has deserved to beat us. We have not been outplayed by any team. So, why have we lost 3 and drawn 6? It is purely down not being able to convert more of the numerous chances we create the the usual mistake at the other end seems to get punished. Also, my only criticism of KMc is he shuffles a winning team. Also, his substitutions make me wonder sometimes. No way against Wycombe should he of took Chaplin off and leave Burns on, who was poor. Don't get me wrong I think he is a wonderful young coach and I also think he will get us promoted. But because we are Ipswich we will make it difficult for ourselves at times when in reality we should finish top 2 easily.

[Mauswara]

I worry about Sheffield Wednesday, they're right behind the team and losing more ground or dropped points from us, they'll take advantage and push us out the top two auto slots. I don't want to drop into Third position, Ok we'll return to first and second once again, but would feel a whole lot more confident about our chances so long as the team occupies the automatic promotion places.

You look at teams like Derby and Portsmouth, some would argue big swingers of the league who were maybe expected to make it out, but last look at the table, they're so far off the distance, you wonder if they really have the capabilities to make it.

It's nice for once to think that those fans are a darned sight more worried about us.