DavesaRam

So having calmed down (again), here we go: First half I was ok with the Rams, because we had been competent overall, aided by Wycombe's terrible start. They were awful. Even so, we should have been 2 or 3 nil up. But most of our threats came from a long hoof upfield (the only times we played through the middle?), but there still were some concerns. We did have one move of very slick, one-touch passing which sliced them wide open, I think ending up with NML trying to convert the rugby try! But after 30 minutes or so Wycombe seemed to change things up and were getting into the ascendency. This continued in the second half when they went up another ger, and we were left chasing shadows for much of the half. The highlight of the the half was Smith's performances, with 2 or 3 "Gorgeous George" through balls - delightful. What was he doing playing the ball through midfield? 
The real issue is yet again we treated midfield as though that is where you go to catch the plague. So yet again we find a way to play that works, and then we slither back to the tied and trusted methods which we have proved over and over again don't work. Our main gambit is still "get it wide and cross it in", and just as Northampton did, Wycombe simply doubled up on our wide men, and it was effectively game over. And when we did cross it, there was only 1 or 2 of ours in the box. Were we holding back to guard against Wycombe catching us on the break? Will they did anyway, because we only had 2 men in midfield. So having played with 3 in midfield and avoided the collapse which our crop of injuries should have brought us, we went back to 2 in the middle, and spent much of the match being over-run there.
Add in that a number of players yet gain didn't show up in a crucial match and in the end a draw was seemingly a good result. Only it wasn't. I wonder if the no-show performances is because the players know that no matter how hard they try, they are being asked to play in a way that doesn't work?
And for anyone who wants to have a go at people who have the temerity to criticise what is happening: as I said earlier in this thread, with this bunch of players it should be Portsmouth who are fighting for second place, not us.

Not sure the addition of Bradley and Hourihane will 'freshen it up', or much else to be honest. Dropping Smith for the latter in particular, seems akin to an act of self-harm. We've looked ok defensively, having reverted to a back 4 and I'd fear a complete meltdown amongst the fans if we bring in the two slowest players on the roster for a game we absolutely need to be winning.

I notice Warne has been blathering on about some of the players being off par, and seems oblivious to the effect of how he sets the team to play.
Last season it was dire until injuries forced him to go 4 at the back and we went on a good run. But as soon as he could he went to a back 3 again - - - and the run ended. This season it took the fans kicking off before he let us start playing somewhere near ground level, and using midfield a bit, and we went on another good run. But gradually he slipped us back to going wide and cross it, going full on at Northampton, who demonstrated that teams had  rumbled us. All they had to do was double up on our wide men and we are stuffed, which is all Wycombe had to do to us last night.
The latest rash of injuries should have hurt us big time, but forced us to play 3 in the middle and we did ok. So why the hell did he go 2 in the middle plus “Wang it wide and punt the crosses in” last night? Wycombe doubled up on the wide boys and yes, we were stuffed - - - again! 🙄
Yes the players have a lot to answer for, but  when you are asked to do your job in a way that you know is no good, but you have a gun at your head that says “that way or the highway” it is demoralising - I know from personal experience.
For the remaining matches can we have a giant flag made to wave at Warne that says. “4 AT THE BACK AND 3 IN MIDFIELD PLEASE, PAUL”?

I notice Warne has been blathering on about some of the players being off par, and seems oblivious to the effect of how he sets the team to play.
Last season it was dire until injuries forced him to go 4 at the back and we went on a good run. But as soon as he could he went to a back 3 again - - - and the run ended. This season it took the fans kicking off before he let us start playing somewhere near ground level, and using midfield a bit, and we went on another good run. But gradually he slipped us back to going wide and cross it, going full on at Northampton, who demonstrated that teams had  rumbled us. All they had to do was double up on our wide men and we are stuffed, which is all Wycombe had to do to us last night.
The latest rash of injuries should have hurt us big time, but forced us to play 3 in the middle and we did ok. So why the hell did he go 2 in the middle plus “Wang it wide and punt the crosses in” last night? Wycombe doubled up on the wide boys and yes, we were stuffed - - - again! 🙄
Yes the players have a lot to answer for, but  when you are asked to do your job in a way that you know is no good, but you have a gun at your head that says “that way or the highway” it is demoralising - I know from personal experience.
For the remaining matches can we have a giant flag made to wave at Warne that says. “4 AT THE BACK AND 3 IN MIDFIELD PLEASE, PAUL”?

Thanks for that, mate! Actually Wycombe were better than you have just described, although our defence was fairly solid. And yes, you have moved away from the dark arts, although you were time wasting from the very start - but then so were we!  Ut you started committing a lot of quite cynical fouls once the substitutions happened, and your ball boys were very naughty when it came to giving the ball to one of our players.
Unfortunately our manager’s tactics are so one dimensional that even a sheet of paper looks like rough terrain, and you quickly worked out how to stifle us. If because of last night we end up in the play-offs, we won’t get promoted. 
 
I actually enjoyed the football you played once you had woken up, so once you get rid of your ambulance-chasing chairman you should start to go places.

Are you referring to this maybe? If so it was way behind him.

I guess it was a mixture of trying to bring the tempo of the game down because some of our players were starting to feel the effects of Sunday's match, not wanting to give you all 3 points and slight mind games but I'm not a football manager so what do I know!?
I've seen that you guys think you played poorly but our commentators are normally quite fair and they don't "big up" teams or players if they didn't think they were good, maybe our standards might be different 🤷‍♂️. Anyways, if you guys have a few more gears to move into after yesterday's performance, Auto's (or Play-off's if the gods aren't being kind) shouldn't be a problem

And here is why: as I said a few comments ago, we should have been clear in top place ages ago, but because of gutless performances and absolutely terrible formations and tactics we are now asking our rivals for favours. 

I notice Warne has been blathering on about some of the players being off par, and seems oblivious to the effect of how he sets the team to play.
Last season it was dire until injuries forced him to go 4 at the back and we went on a good run. But as soon as he could he went to a back 3 again - - - and the run ended. This season it took the fans kicking off before he let us start playing somewhere near ground level, and using midfield a bit, and we went on another good run. But gradually he slipped us back to going wide and cross it, going full on at Northampton, who demonstrated that teams had  rumbled us. All they had to do was double up on our wide men and we are stuffed, which is all Wycombe had to do to us last night.
The latest rash of injuries should have hurt us big time, but forced us to play 3 in the middle and we did ok. So why the hell did he go 2 in the middle plus “Wang it wide and punt the crosses in” last night? Wycombe doubled up on the wide boys and yes, we were stuffed - - - again! 🙄
Yes the players have a lot to answer for, but  when you are asked to do your job in a way that you know is no good, but you have a gun at your head that says “that way or the highway” it is demoralising - I know from personal experience.
For the remaining matches can we have a giant flag made to wave at Warne that says. “4 AT THE BACK AND 3 IN MIDFIELD PLEASE, PAUL”?

Sounds like you know a bit about football. Don’t let Paul Warne read this or he’ll have you banned from the forum.

Did you really have to post that?

Sounds like you know a bit about football. Don’t let Paul Warne read this or he’ll have you banned from the forum.

Only a tactical genius would do that.

Thanks for that, mate! Actually Wycombe were better than you have just described, although our defence was fairly solid. And yes, you have moved away from the dark arts, although you were time wasting from the very start - but then so were we!  Ut you started committing a lot of quite cynical fouls once the substitutions happened, and your ball boys were very naughty when it came to giving the ball to one of our players.
Unfortunately our manager’s tactics are so one dimensional that even a sheet of paper looks like rough terrain, and you quickly worked out how to stifle us. If because of last night we end up in the play-offs, we won’t get promoted. 
 
I actually enjoyed the football you played once you had woken up, so once you get rid of your ambulance-chasing chairman you should start to go places.

They knew what they had to do before last night and before Northampton, but didn’t do it. 

come on - get off the fence.....

Not really bothered about their position or how they have 'languished' (bless them .....)
We will only go up if we get 2nd auto place. The side we have now won't be able to buy a goal in the play-offs.

They knew what they had to do before last night and before Northampton, but didn’t do it. 

Sounds like you know a bit about football. Don’t let Paul Warne read this or he’ll have you banned from the forum.

Only a tactical genius would do that.

So having calmed down (again), here we go: First half I was ok with the Rams, because we had been competent overall, aided by Wycombe's terrible start. They were awful. Even so, we should have been 2 or 3 nil up. But most of our threats came from a long hoof upfield (the only times we played through the middle?), but there still were some concerns. We did have one move of very slick, one-touch passing which sliced them wide open, I think ending up with NML trying to convert the rugby try! But after 30 minutes or so Wycombe seemed to change things up and were getting into the ascendency. This continued in the second half when they went up another ger, and we were left chasing shadows for much of the half. The highlight of the the half was Smith's performances, with 2 or 3 "Gorgeous George" through balls - delightful. What was he doing playing the ball through midfield? 
The real issue is yet again we treated midfield as though that is where you go to catch the plague. So yet again we find a way to play that works, and then we slither back to the tied and trusted methods which we have proved over and over again don't work. Our main gambit is still "get it wide and cross it in", and just as Northampton did, Wycombe simply doubled up on our wide men, and it was effectively game over. And when we did cross it, there was only 1 or 2 of ours in the box. Were we holding back to guard against Wycombe catching us on the break? Will they did anyway, because we only had 2 men in midfield. So having played with 3 in midfield and avoided the collapse which our crop of injuries should have brought us, we went back to 2 in the middle, and spent much of the match being over-run there.
Add in that a number of players yet gain didn't show up in a crucial match and in the end a draw was seemingly a good result. Only it wasn't. I wonder if the no-show performances is because the players know that no matter how hard they try, they are being asked to play in a way that doesn't work?
And for anyone who wants to have a go at people who have the temerity to criticise what is happening: as I said earlier in this thread, with this bunch of players it should be Portsmouth who are fighting for second place, not us.

Did you really have to post that?

Sounds like you know a bit about football. Don’t let Paul Warne read this or he’ll have you banned from the forum.

Not trawled through all the matchthread (gave up around p40) but I think last night was a game that has summed up our season.
Take both those early chances and we would have been celebrating another "get the job done" win and admiring a disciplined second half defensive performance. 
But we all know to score two, we need six chances, not just two or three.
To create six chances, we need the football to flow. Ward makes that happen in recent games. He's injured, so we replace that role with Collins, playing out of position.  He's a striker, not a midfielder. We leave Tommo on the bench, who would have been the natural link between our deep sitting midfield two and the attack, would have been available for the pass from Wilson and Sibley (who were both desperately looking for feet to play into and finding no-one there) and who can press and harry just as well as Collins.
Warne needed to select either Washington or Collins, not both, and play an attacking midfielder. If he doesn't rate Thommo, he could have put Hourihane in there. 
He didn’t,  and we faltered. I wish Warne would stop trying to create new systems and patterns and just do the simple stuff sometimes. 
Footballers are a bit simple too. They play instinctively in patterns that are ingrained from an early age.
Take them out of their natural positions, play them in different systems and they have to think more quickly in order to be successful.  It fails more than it works. 
Add in the factor that our forwards aren't world beaters, we need to be giving them all the help we can to play their natural games. 
I think we were one player choice away from that routine win last night. So disappointing.