Ian Buxton's Bat

Whatever we were playing resulted in 2 great chances being created and squandered so it was effective to some extent. But as @DavesaRamand @Ellafellahave alluded to it was another game where the clear plan was to avoid playing on the deck through midfield which I just don’t understand. The ball from Smith to NML was a beauty but suspect he was off-script. Yes, missed chances but PW to blame overall tonight imo.

Safe journey to those going tonight. I'm veering between the completely nervous and phlegmatic. Nervous that we've had some horror shows on the road against mid table mediocrity. Phlegmatic, in that we've got 2 games against teams that are dreaming of reaching the dizzy heights of mid table mediocrity....plus Orient (which in my brain has already been filed in the just turn up and win category) plus tonight. Fundamentally, if you'd offered me these 4 games left with promotion still in our hands at the start of the season, I'd have taken it. Barnsley have gone, win the next two and I think the wind exits Bolton and Posh's sails. Don't hate Wycombe but hate their chairman for what he did during our admin. Give him plenty. COYR

I think he plays Smith and Adams if he anticipates a battle - both are very good at breaking up play and getting back quickly to shield the defence. However, if you look at Who Scored stats, neither of them have anywhere near the number of touches that Hourihane has in a game. Hourihane is capable of dictating play if - and only if - we decide to play through midfield.......and he's better in a 3. Personally, I'd play all three of them if we intend to try and control a game - with NML, CBT and Collins ahead. If we intend to sit back and play on the break, or have a 90 min scrap then Smith and Adams are currently the best bet imo.

1Wildsmith 5.5.......overall not great but made 2 very good saves 2Wilson 6.5.........defended well, didn't get forward much 35Nelson 7.......under serious pressure throughout in horrible conditions. Not his best game but decent. 6Cashin 7.5.......same as Nelson but marginally more composed.......apart from an awful cross to unmarked Collins at the back stick 17Sibley 7........did well against a very good winger 23Ward 8........goals get headlines but a very good performance overall 16Thompson 6.........did OK 12Smith 7.......a bit of a midfield Nyambe. Gets in defensive positions and jockeys players very well. Also a good organiser - one very obvious rollicking of CBT 4Hourihane 6....no time 32Adams 8.....another very good performance 27Blackett-Taylor 7.5......getting much better going forward. He must be very, very quick - for the first goal he looked like a bone idle stroller.....as he left about 4 of their players in his wake! 14Washington 6......no time 11Méndez-Laing 6......taking one for the team by playing up front. Not his best position and won't see him at his best until he goes out wide again imo. 9Collins 7.5........brilliant first half - genuinely excellent. Faded in second but you can see Warne's pecking order when Wash and Wag are kept on the bench until 80+ mins 10Waghorn 6......no time Good game. Great point. Means Pompey won't be on the beach when they visit Bolton. Watched on Sky TV. Interesting that, apart from Sir Curtis, the coverage - and commentary/co-comms - was inferior to Rams TV imo.

Proper game of football. Pompey very decent but we just about matched them. Nerves were shredded at the end. Another tough watch where we sat back on a lead but doing otherwise could have cost us what could be one of the best points of the season. Hopefully that’s the last time we go full park the bus this season. 4 or 5 nil vs Ambulance Chasers FC please. How good was Collins for someone with 20 mins under his belt?

Whaaaat? Pompey to beat Bolton all day long.

It's on Rams TV I think

ATG 1Wildsmith 6.5…one v good save. Would like to see him come for crosses in corridor of uncertainty 2Wilson 8.5…my MOTM. Just always wants to make things happen 35Nelson 8.5…..apart from one sliced clearance, utterly commanding 6Cashin 8…..another top performance 17Sibley 7….did OK in the game. Did very well considering he’s not a left back 23Ward 7……couldn’t work out if he’d got a free role or was failing to hold position but he did OK 10Waghorn 6…..no time 32Adams 8…..another great game. Goal looked very good from west stand. Just seen highlights from north stand camera and it’s sensational 12Smith 6.5…..gets in good defensive positions but hardly gets involved on the ball. A good selection on the basis we chose to give Blackpool the ball and watch them play 4Hourihane 6….no time 27Blackett-Taylor 6.5…..more threatening on the ball than previous games. Takes him an age to twig that he has to do defending. Don’t know if it’s attitude or lack of awareness but he’s strolling when others have reacted immediately and are already busting a gut to get the ball back or back in position. Left Sibley exposed 16Thompson 6…..strange that he came on instead of Waghorn. Did OK 11Méndez-Laing 6…..not his best showing but his presence was huge lift and probably a huge disappointment to Blackpool 22Fornah 6…..did OK. Good to see him back 14Washington 5…..tried hard. Battled well for some stupid high long balls he didn’t have a chance of winning. Sorry to say it but not surprised he didn’t score the 1 on 1 9Collins 7……showed what we’ve missed. Hold up and link up was good. Wardrobe-esque foul in our half was a thing of beauty PW knows what he’s doing and may well get us over the line. I just wish he’d stamp our style of play on the opposition rather than changing so much and making games bitty. Thought we played pretty well first half but no idea what the formation was! But…..it’s the business end of the season and I was very happy with the result…..and results elsewhere were a right bonus.

Harvester on PP is designated away pub but is always a mix.

A clock for, say, 60 mins playing time that stops literally every time the game stops is the best solution……goal kicks, throw ins, subs….the lot. Doesn’t stop the antics that stop momentum but it renders time wasting a waste of time. It would take a load of pressure off the refs and 4th officials

RTV 1Wildsmith…..6.5 largely a spectator again. No chance with the goal 35Nelson…..6 looked a bit shakier than usual under the high ball. Did OK 5Bradley…..4.5 poor for their goal, edgy on the ball and utterly unprofessional with the red card, knowing that Fozzy is injured 6Cashin….6.5…..did OK, tried to make things happen 2Wilson….6.5...played well first half 32Adams……5….missed that sitter and thought he had a poor game overall 12Smith……6…..tidy enough 4Hourihane…..5.5….haters will hate him but offered a lot more than Adam’s today. Should play in a 3 though 17Sibley….5….not a lot happened for him today 20Elder…6….OK 23Ward….6…Ok 10Waghorn…..5…missed a good chance and offered very little 16Thompson…..5…played out of position and did little 27Blackett-Taylor…6….did OK and made a few things happen 11Méndez-Laing….6.5….lively….will be a big miss 14Washington…..6…..looked better than Waggy to me. I’d start him on Friday if Collo not fit Wrong formation imo and too many players off colour.

Agree with PW on Radio Derby to some extent…..didn’t play well but missed sitters cost us. Clear foul in build up to their goal but Bradley should have put the ball and the player into the stand to stop the cross. There’s been loads of talk about back 3 vs back 4 vs back 5 but the thing PW keeps getting wrong in my opinion is playing 2 in midfield. Hourihane isn’t a good enough athlete to play there in a 2, Adam’s….despite all the plaudits…isn’t a good enough footballer to play in a 2. Put in a third player and hey presto, they both become very good players at this level. I don’t always agree with Eric Steele but I’ve no idea why you’d play Thompson anywhere else other than in midfield - really odd set up today.

I’ll agree with you rather than disagreeing with the haters…..CH passing is OK today

Not sure about ‘we’ but I have…..but then maybe I’ve been looking for the good in him as I think he’s a decent player. 5 goals, 7 assists plus lots of good deliveries e.g Cashin’s header that hit the post v …was it Reading? Granted, he’s not scored any worldie free kicks as far as I can remember

It's because he's no longer in his prime.

RTV Wildsmith….8.5…..two magnificent saves 35Nelson….8…..it’s getting boring now……Solid. 3Forsyth…8.5….superb return. 6Cashin….8…..see Nelson 23Ward…..5.5……did Ok. Essentially played in a back 5 which isn’t his forte. 2Wilson…..7.5….good goal and runs the clock down better than anyone else. Really good. 32Adams…7….another very good afternoon. Everywhere. 4Hourihane….5.5….funny one. Thought he deserved to be hooked and then thought we really missed him for 30 mins. Needs an extra body in there if it’s a back 5 rather than a back 3 16Thompson….6….poor for 30 mins then came good at a vital time 17Sibley…..6….essentially played in a back 5. Did ok 20Elder…..6.5…good first touch! 7Barkhuizen…..6…..ok-ish in a poor-ish first half. Hope he’s fit as he’s great at relieving pressure when we’re under the cosh 10Waghorn….6….glad he’s fit….needs to find proper decent form now Gayle is out 25Gayle……6….quiet before injury 12Smith…..7.5……very quietly had a fantastic game 11Méndez-Laing….7…..not his best game but constant outlet and threat. Worked hard.

Rammie. Good lad.

Looking at Peterborough fixtures between Saturday and the last game of the season, it may not be a bad thing if they beat Portsmouth....provided we beat Bolton! It would put a lot of pressure on our game V Portsmouth but I wouldn't be wholly surprised to see Posh +1 go up in the autos with Portsmouth in the play-offs. Portsmouth have a horrible run-in.

I absolutely agree with you in principle but, to be fair, their keeper absolutely smacked into the post when he saved Ward's free kick.

ATG 1Wildsmith....6....Spectator. Looked a bit slow to get down for their one attempt on target. 35Nelson......7.......Solid. Again. Won everything when they put their big units on 5Bradley........6.5.....Played OK. Ultimately, at fault for their goal but plenty of opportunities for other players to have stopped it ever being a chance 2Wilson........7......thought he was excellent when he came on. Largely responsible for making 8 mins of injury time seem more like 5 rather than 15 6Cashin......7......another good game. Pity the header didn't go in 23Ward.........7........Played very well first half and great ball for first goal. Deliveries are superb 27Blackett-Taylor.....6.....looked more on it. A bit more zip but still not really happening for him 32Adams......7........as with some other games, excellent until he gets booked. They wouldn't have scored if he wasn't on a yellow as he'd have definitely stopped their midfield runner rather than politely jumping out of his way (but at least has the brains to do that!) 4Hourihane.....7......played well. Great delivery for Cashin's header. Calmer than me for the penalty! 12Smith........7........played really well when he came on. With hindsight he's been quite a big miss for the squad 17Sibley........6.5......missed a decent chance but was there to miss it. He's a proper threat when we play a back 3 rather than a back 5 7Barkhuizen.......8......just MOTM. Always adds zip and forward momentum and gets on the end of things. Possibly our best player when we're winning as he's great on the counter 25Gayle......7.5.......great goal, great speed for the pen. Froze the highlights and think he's just on-side for the goal .....player marking Cashin plays him on. Did a tap-in go under his foot after about a minute? Looks fit, fast, classy and bothered. 10Waghorn.....6.....denied by a worldie save. Did OK and is a good option off the bench 11Méndez-Laing.....6.....not his best game but they dished out some stick and doubled up because of how good they know he can be. 3Forsyth....6......great to have him back as an option One of those games where no-one played badly. First half was a a joy to watch.......and, whilst I've not been in the PW out camp, I've pretty consistently said that it's been a tough watch this season.

Fully deserved to win that. Better team by a mile. Thought we played really well first half and should’ve been up by a couple. Second half wasn’t great. Ref cemented his position at the top of the cards chart and we were the beneficiaries. Thought we went to pot with substitution roulette again. 4 subs in one go with a change of shape is what you do when you are losing isn’t it? And we kept the 3 players on yellows on the pitch which meant they couldn’t risk a tackle. Ultimately it was closer than it should’ve been. That said, I enjoyed it and agree with other posters that we’ve become easier on the eye in recent games. Really disappointing to see Robbie Savage having to be told to shut up and sit down by stewards. He should’ve known better than to give it a large celebration in the Derby end when Reading scored and should not have then be surprised he got some chirp afterwards. Don’t mind the bloke at all but he let himself down a bit imo.

Outrageous accusation. If your job is to blow a whistle, give fouls and dish out cards then this bloke is anything but incompetent. He loves a penalty too. Stats from Who Scored show Charles 'let-the-game-flow' Breakspear is currently top of the league, but others have games in hand. He's home and hosed on total yellow cards but he's not quite there with yellows per game. He'll have one eye on Carl Brook, who could take this year's pens/ game award and he'll be keeping his fingers crossed for a fight so he can go neck and neck with Simon Mather on the total reds. The rescinded red at Bolton has him only in the bronze medal berth in that category, which may have him fired up for this evening https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/8/Seasons/9623/Stages/22081/RefereeStatistics/England-League-One-2023-2024

Not quite as much of a bad luck omen as you, as I missed the Cremonese game, but I too have seen 3 play-off losses in the flesh and seen the solitary victory on TV. I also missed just 1 home game game in 1996.......v Palace. I'd rate our chances of winning a 10 game 'mini-league' with the teams in positions 2-5 higher than our chances of a knock-out with the teams in positions 3-6 so top 2 it is......and, for the right price, I'll miss the Carlisle game if it helps.

Happy with that draw. Barnsley’s next fixtures are pretty easy and that’ll have dented their confidence nicely.

Agree. And it’s exactly what Wildsmith should have done shortly after half time against both Barnsley and Charlton to break up the game and stop the momentum. Anyone understand the 30 sec delay rule fully? At one point yesterday, there was a collision where their player remained on the pitch and ours was off the pitch. Both were tended to by physios, both had to wait 30 sec to come on. Should it have applied to the player who was off the pitch?