Sheffield Wednesday (H) (Sat 3rd Dec 2022, 12:30 KO)

[Mr Tibbs]

I think we were alright considering all the circumstances today. A drab game but at least we tried to play a bit, take the point and move on. Good minutes into all the injury returners. Centre mids at both left and right back doing ok again, old timer MOTM... it wasn't all bad. 

I've not seen much of Wednesday over recent years but if I could have guessed what a Darren Moore coached side looked like it'd be close to that. There was only Barry Bannan that wanted to play football. 

I know s*** refs are a given at this level but they can at least try and be consistent with their s*** decisions. Some baffling decisions considering what he was letting go. 

[Tamworthram]

12 minutes ago, Wistaston Ram said:

Yes it was bizarre as Smith had been treated for at least two minutes, maybe longer. In the World Cup we'd have got 10 minutes!

The whole incident was bizarre. I know it might seem harsh but as Smith was off the pitch, the ref should really have resumed play immediately. He was able to receive all the treatment he needed without the need for the game to be stopped. Then Smith is rolling around as if he’s dislocated his knee only to get up and continue playing after a few minutes. The generous side of me assumes he was indeed caught awkwardly and in pain but it wore off after a little treatment.

[Rev]

I'm struggling to remember the last 12.30 kick off I actually enjoyed.

Forest or Wolves 5-0 perhaps? 

Everyone seems flat in the stands, the atmosphere doesn't really get going, and more often than not the game is poor too. 

We should have had more faith in England, and kept the 3pm kick off. 

Onto the game, Fozzy was outstanding again, and Cashin wasn't far behind. Sibs did OK, likewise Smith. 

Dobbin is a typical academy product, under prepared for mens football after years of being the best player amongst his peers in the unders, but struggling to make his mark in the grown up game. No doubt he's learning with every game, but it's not happening fast enough to benefit us, only him. 

He may be decent given time, but it won't be to our benefit, and he's not offering enough right now to deserve a spot.

[Wistaston Ram]

17 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

The whole incident was bizarre. I know it might seem harsh but as Smith was off the pitch, the ref should really have resumed play immediately. He was able to receive all the treatment he needed without the need for the game to be stopped. Then Smith is rolling around as if he’s dislocated his knee only to get up and continue playing after a few minutes. The generous side of me assumes he was indeed caught awkwardly and in pain but it wore off after a little treatment.

Agreed but I thought at first it was something serious like a leg break and he needed treatment quickly i.e. stop the game to allow the medical team access across the pitch.

It was also strange when the ref did not stop the game when Bird was crocked and the ball ended up back with Wildsmith. The ref then restarted the game with a drop ball, giving the ball to Wildsmith. What was that all about?

Edited December 3, 2022 by Wistaston Ram

[Tamworthram]

6 minutes ago, Wistaston Ram said:

Agreed but I thought at first it was something serious like a leg break and he needed treatment quickly i.e. stop the game to allow the medical team access across the pitch.

It was also strange when the ref did not stop the game when Bird was crocked and the ball ended up back with Wildsmith. The ref then restarted the game with a drop ball, giving the ball to Wildsmith. What was that all about?

I agree but once the medical team were treating Smith the game should have resumed. Not the best ref I’ve seen but probably not the worst.

[Chester40]

All very regimented, functional and a tad frustrating.

Pass across the back, slide a pass down the wing (or bounce a pass to a striker and then pass wide) either way inevitably then swing a hanging cross over... which is nodded away. 

Sibley never looked like beating his man, Collins never looked dangerous and Hourahan never looked like having a shot.

Forsyth MoTM, Cashin decent. Bird usual steady eddie but no risk taking.

Not especially drab....but not edge of the seat stuff either. 80% decent but no spark of inspiration or real character to grab the game out of its patterns of play.

 

 

Edited December 3, 2022 by Chester40

[Wistaston Ram]

1 minute ago, Tamworthram said:

I agree but once the medical team were treating Smith the game should have resumed. Not the best ref I’ve seen but probably not the worst.

Yes we have certainly seen worse this season!

[BramcoteRam84]

My daughter has chicken pox so had to make do with Rams TV today, and with me going down under before our next home game I won’t be getting to a game until the Barnsley FA cup clash in Jan. 
 

I actually enjoyed the game. Saw loads of positives, I saw us trying to play the right way with real intent and aggression, we were just that final pass away from scoring a couple of goals. Defensively Wednesday tested us but Fozzy and Cashin were outstanding. Best centre half pairing in League 1 right now IMO. 
 

Other standouts were Dobbin who gets better every game, I’m starting to think he’s some talent.  Hourihane (second half in particular), Bird, Sibley (at times) also did well along with Smith who was solid. Didn’t think Collins had his best game today, McGoldrick and Barkhuizen were both hit and miss today. Pleased to see the bench looking stronger, get NML back to full fitness that will help.

If we can get a right back in January and some other attacking options think we can have a strong second half of the season, get in the playoffs and who knows maybe more? 
 

Feeling quite positive about where we’re at and liking how our style under Warne is developing

[RoyMac5]

5 hours ago, Bris Vegas said:

You know it’s been a crap match when everyone is commentating on the officiating which in truth it had no real bearing on the game anyway.

Warneball might make us more solid and harder to beat. But it aint half boring.

 

It wasn't boring at all - what a modern football fan you are!

The officiating was appalling - what did their player do to Sibley's ear, he nearly pulled it off. Every nudge or shove on them the ref gave, us he gave nothing.

Thinking of chances, yet again Dobbin at the back post, not even on target. Other decent ones that I've forgotten - not much thinking! Lol.

It was a close, hard fought game when after about the first 15 minutes Fozzy was immense! We didn't quite do enough but could easily have won.

[RoyMac5]

42 minutes ago, Rev said:

Dobbin is a typical academy product, under prepared for mens football after years of being the best player amongst his peers in the unders, but struggling to make his mark in the grown up game. No doubt he's learning with every game, but it's not happening fast enough to benefit us, only him. 

He may be decent given time, but it won't be to our benefit, and he's not offering enough right now to deserve a spot.

Very much this.

[DavesaRam]

And there was some football too! There has been loads of comment on the match officials and their performance, making me feel almost redundant! Radioactive Waste described the ref as being in a time warp with the fouls he let go unpunished. He might be warped, but it isn't by time. And it isn't simply down to incompetence, because if that were the case, both teams would suffer or benefit from it. Apart from a couple of incidents where Derby players got away with something, I have not seen such a one-sided display of officiating since at least the last time.

I actually thought that it was a good game of football, and was happy with the ref for the first 20 minutes, but then gave a free-kick to the Wendies because Fozzy stood on a Wednesday player's shadow, and then I knew that he had been given the obligatory "What are you messing about at?" message from EFL headquarters, and he flipped from then onwards. I know that some of our final balls were poor, but most of our problem came from the fact that we were being tripped, kicked or pulled off the ball, or the ref was blowing up for the slightest contact on a Wednesday player's shoulder - he simply wouldn't let the game flow, especially if Derby were building up some pressure. We had the 3 assaults on Smith, two on Sibley, and Max bird needing 3 long bouts of treatment. We had Collins being pulled sideways off the ball in the middle of the park, right in front of the ref who saw him disappear sideways leaning at about 45 degrees, with nothing given. Dobbin kicked the ball into the advertising hoardings, which isn't kicking the ball miles way, and was booked, while a Wednesday player kicked the ball 35 yards into the North West stand, and nothing given. Absolutely hopeless. We shouted "You don't know what you're doing" to no avail, mainly because he knew exactly what he was doing, as do most of the little Hitlers who grace Pride Park

Hourihane was very disappointing in the first half, but improved in the second, Sibley was solid ish in his customary out-of-position position. Collins didn't achieve very much, but Fozzy and Cashin were very good. The rest suffered from Sheffield's rather agricultural interpretation of the rules of football, but a point is good in the circumstances.

We have a few beatable teams coming up, so the future looks promising.

Right - wjho's next?

[PistoldPete]

1 hour ago, Rev said:

I'm struggling to remember the last 12.30 kick off I actually enjoyed.

Forest or Wolves 5-0 perhaps? 

Everyone seems flat in the stands, the atmosphere doesn't really get going, and more often than not the game is poor too. 

We should have had more faith in England, and kept the 3pm kick off. 

Onto the game, Fozzy was outstanding again, and Cashin wasn't far behind. Sibs did OK, likewise Smith. 

Dobbin is a typical academy product, under prepared for mens football after years of being the best player amongst his peers in the unders, but struggling to make his mark in the grown up game. No doubt he's learning with every game, but it's not happening fast enough to benefit us, only him. 

He may be decent given time, but it won't be to our benefit, and he's not offering enough right now to deserve a spot.

Agree with this. Our back four were our best players, Dobbin too lightweight and little end product. Looks like a poor loan signing to me.   

[Scott129]

Hard fought point - can't really complain as neither side did enough for the win IMO.

I do think, however, that if NML played the whole game, we probably win that. That bit of quality in the final third was the only thing we were missing.

The defence were terrific too. Not sure Davies gets back in when he's fully fit.

Edited December 3, 2022 by Scott129

[Anag Ram]

I think Dobbin is going to be a good player. At present his issue is not having players with pace to play with him.

He needs someone in the middle who he can play in once he has created space.

He’s the only player we have who can beat more than one opponent.

Some of the best skill on show today came from him.

He missed a very scoreable header but generally played better than both McGoldrick and Collins.

[LeedsCityRam]

5 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

I was also a little disappointed, apart from a few isolated moments, with the Sheffield Wednesday fans. I know there wasn't a lot to shout about but Wednesday are normally better value than that. 

Yes, I was a bit surprised with how quiet they were. Noticed some of them fighting amongst themselves after a couple of minutes & their first song wasn't until about 10 minutes in. They even trotted out the archetypal lower division chant of 'Yellow' - never heard any club of any significant stature sing that before. 

As to the game, feels like we've left 2 points out there today. Were the better side in general play throughout with Bird totally outshining Barry Bannan - unfortunately we were poor from wide areas & there seemed to be a real reluctance to get bodies into the box, something we had been a lot better at recently. Consequently Collins & McGoldrick found it heavy going & they weren't helped by some poor officiating - Wendie defenders given a lot of leeway to muscle us about.

[Gritstone Ram]

1 hour ago, Rev said:

I'm struggling to remember the last 12.30 kick off I actually enjoyed.

Forest or Wolves 5-0 perhaps? 

Everyone seems flat in the stands, the atmosphere doesn't really get going, and more often than not the game is poor too. 

We should have had more faith in England, and kept the 3pm kick off. 

Onto the game, Fozzy was outstanding again, and Cashin wasn't far behind. Sibs did OK, likewise Smith. 

Dobbin is a typical academy product, under prepared for mens football after years of being the best player amongst his peers in the unders, but struggling to make his mark in the grown up game. No doubt he's learning with every game, but it's not happening fast enough to benefit us, only him. 

He may be decent given time, but it won't be to our benefit, and he's not offering enough right now to deserve a spot.

I had us not getting through the group stages so 3 would have been ok with me.

[CBRammette]

2 hours ago, SK47 said:

We are not the same team with Laing. He's our out and out threat. He frightens teams to death, they stand off him, which allows the likes of Collins to be where they need to be, infront of goal. We're no where near as dangerous without NML, players dropping too deep, not as quick. 

 

Once he's back I'm confident Collins starts scoring again.

Was funny when one of them ran into NML and spent next few minutes rubbing his shoulder

[Carnero]

1 hour ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

and with me going down under before our next home game

[Ambitious]

It was probably the most accurate advert of League One football that could've been played out. 

I thought we were marginally the better team, but ultimately not by much. I think in the grand scheme of things that both team will be disappointed not to show more quality. 

Sibley is looking more and more comfortable at left back, but if you would've told me three months ago that we were lining Sibley and Smith up at full back, whilst Forsyth starts at CB, I'd would've shuddered. Nevertheless, Fortsyth is playing his best football for many years and both full-backs looked steady. 

We will have to see how this season plays out, but we can be safe in the knowledge this is probably as bad of a situation that we will ever be in and it's competitive. 

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

Duplicate post

Edited December 3, 2022 by kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong