7 to go. Will Wilder be brave?

[Woodwardfan]

7 games to go and 4 of them against teams hoping to sneak into that 6th league position.

There were positive signs of a return to form at Brentford and the players were 'at it' again but I sense we need to really kick-on somehow.

Our strikers are not very hot at present and we are short of what you might call 'heroes' these days.

Wilder needs one or two players to get on hot streaks and that's all we need actually. I forecast we will get 14 points from the 21 remaining but do we need more? We are vying with 5 other teams for 2 places and have to finish 1st or 2nd in that mini-league within the league. None of the teams looks clear favourites to me, far from it, anything can happen.

Within the 3-5-2 'die that's cast' it's perfectly possible for Clarke and/or Sharp to get back on track. It's possible for any one of Duffy, Holmes and Brooks to get inspired and see us over the line.

My fear is that we will fall just short even though only Millwall can be said to be flying at present.

What should Wilder do?

I fear our wing-backs in the 3-5-2 are not productive enough for a big finish to the season. Does our manager select different wing-backs? Change to 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, 4-5-1? If not from the start of games, maybe as an early 'Plan B'?

History can be in the making. Legends can be born hereon-in. If we don't step up somehow we will just miss out. Does the manager 'stick or twist'; stick and hope or twist and gamble, which is what any significant change would be, a gamble.

 

[Fanny magnet]

It doesn't look like it

 

[Ricky]

If we miss out by being cautious it will be incredibly disappointing.

 

[Worksop II]

I reckon he went for it Friday,

We had the better of them as the game finished, and to be honest we should have been in front

The sending off cost him a sub, even so maybe he had this Monday in mind for Brookes, who is still getting back to fitness

No need to go mad each match

 

[McGrath]

Wilder's always brave. Who else plays allows their centre forwards to join in the attack as inside forwards?

It's not bravery in the coaching department we need. It's ruthlessness in front of goal, that comes from within the player

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

Not sure “caution” is in Wilder’s vocabulary..

 

[Woodwardfan]

I think I should expand on what I mean by 'brave'.

Yes of course Wilder is already a very positive manager but will he CHANGE anything for the run-in? Indeed, do we need to?

 

[McGrath]

I can't believe my eyes that some of you are really questioning Chris Wilders bravery.

The man who went for the win against Bristol City when we're down to ten men by taking a defender off and putting a striker on. Is that not brave enough for some you managerial geniuses.

Or how about turning a team of no hoper journeymen into a 100 point winning promotion team. Not brave enough?

Pray tell. .. what's your backgrounds that makes you all know better?

 

[Beans]

Can’t see it being any other way. That said, if “brave” equals what we did against Forest where we chucked on a load of forwards, gave up any control in midfield and didn’t create a thing... I’ll stick with “cautious” for now

 

[blademark]

I'll just settle for enough points to finish 5th or 6th. Not too bothered how we achieve that, but I trust him to do what's necessary.
We are in complete bonus territory now anyway, it's quite nice that the season can't possibly go wrong.

 

[GuangzhouBlade]

The only time Wilder has ever been cautious was against the pigs at home where the risk of losing was just too great. Throughout the season he has always gone out to win. Bristol being the obvious casing point, where even with 10 men we were pushing for a winner only to be done on the counter. The chase for the play off spots will probably go right to the end so need to change much in my eyes.

 

[Dkc]

Starting Brooks v Cardiff would be brave. I hope he does.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I can't believe my eyes that some of you are really questioning Chris Wilders bravery.

The man who went for the win against Bristol City when we're down to ten men by taking a defender off and putting a striker on. Is that not brave enough for some you managerial geniuses.

Or how about turning a team of no hoper journeymen into a 100 point winning promotion team. Not brave enough?

Pray tell. .. what's your backgrounds that makes you all know better?

Who are you talking about McGrath? Can't see anybody doing anything of the sort. Not a single post.

 

[Maidenhead]

Starting Brooks v Cardiff would be brave. I hope he does.

I don't.

We need big strong players or they'll overrun us.

I hope we're still in the game after an hour or so and he comes on with his extra pace and rips em apart.

 

[bornablade]

With 7 games to go it's far too early to being 'brave' or 'rash' as it may also be defined.

Each game needs to be taken on its own merit. If we are drawing or losing tomorrow night then Wilder will make necessary changes.

We are still very much involved in the last 2 play off spots and for us to start adopting a too cavalier approach at the start of this run of matches is madness.

 

[Esablade]

...you don’t make that many chances away at Brentford by being cautious...

 

[Harry's Game]

We will go for I have no doubt, whether the key players still have the fitness or energy levels left will be the key factor.

 

[wizadry]

I’d rather fail knowing we’ve gambled than fail miserably.

We have been a lot more cautious since the pelters Wilder got after the Bristol City game, I preferred him and our play with attacking Centre backs up until that game than the second half of the season tactics.

I have no doubt that had we been more free in our play since the Bristol City game we wouldn’t have been on any less points now.

Fridays performance was back to how we should be playing so I have no doubts that Wilder knows what’s at stake.

 

[Dkc]

I don't.

We need big strong players or they'll overrun us.

I hope we're still in the game after an hour or so and he comes on with his extra pace and rips em apart.

Brooks at his best can skip past them regardless of their physique. We need to gamble v Cardiff imo. 60 minutes into the game and it could well be beyond us without Brooks. If we are leading and he's tiring, we can take him off.

 

[Maidenhead]

Brooks at his best can skip past them regardless of their physique. We need to gamble v Cardiff imo. 60 minutes into the game and it could well be beyond us without Brooks. If we are leading and he's tiring, we can take him off.

And with him we may be behind as we will be effectively playing with only 9 outfield defenders.

I can't see Brooks tracking back 60yds and making a great tackle a la Mark Duffy.

I think it's important that we stay in the game for an hour and we're more likely to do that with Brooks sat on the bench.

 

[McGrath]

Who are you talking about McGrath? Can't see anybody doing anything of the sort. Not a single post.

It's a culmination of several threads and posts I've seen recently from the usual people who seem to think, from their keyboard, that they know far better than Wilder and his coaching staff!

Wasn't having a pop at you, just a more general thing I suppose.

Personally I think we'd have been in a relegation battle with any other manager but Wilder in charge

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

I hope that he'll be brave. Being daring in the final third is all that we are lacking of late. Its the reason for the poor results against Forest, Hull, Ipswich and you could see him trying to put it right on Friday.

Put it this way, as things stand we'll be set to miss out. I'd rather miss out by bloody going for it than being tentative over the coming weeks. UTB as always.

 

[Davalon]

If we hadn't been top 2 for a while and a few hadnt got too carried away, and a few more of us hadnt started to think top 6 was a real possibility, then we'd be absolutely cock a hoop with our current situation.

It's understandable to be a little disappointed to drop off a bit and still see where we'd be without a number of missed opportunities and points we could or should have got.

Personally speaking i feel we will fall short based on our form for months and the games we have left.

That's not a criticism, just my observation.

I expect Wilder to approach each game just like he has since August. I don't expect any sane person to point the finger at him if we finish 7th or lower.

Carry on as we are and see where it takes us. It won't be by being fearful or over cautious if we fail. It will be because we are just short on quality. Considering our outlay by comparison, and pleasing approach and style, I'd still consider the season a success even if Wilder maybe doesn't.

 

[Ricky]

I’d rather fail knowing we’ve gambled than fail miserably.

We have been a lot more cautious since the pelters Wilder got after the Bristol City game, I preferred him and our play with attacking Centre backs up until that game than the second half of the season tactics.

I have no doubt that had we been more free in our play since the Bristol City game we wouldn’t have been on any less points now.

Fridays performance was back to how we should be playing so I have no doubts that Wilder knows what’s at stake.

That Bristol City game was indeed quite a turning point for our approach. We haven't exactly gone cautious but we've certainly scaled it back a fair bit. Is it the right thing to do? Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. But like you say I doubt we'd have any less points overall had we carried on as we were.

Yes he was probably wrong to go for it on that occasion but there's nothing to say we wouldn't have lost anyway had we shut up shop. Managers can't win with this, it's incredibly irritating - everybody was saying "oh isn't it great how we always go for it regardless" then the first time it backfires they're falling over themselves to slag Wilder off. Sums some fans up - they don't know what they want.

 

[Wards]

No point holding back now, got to go for it. That means starting Brooks. You can drop either Clarke or Sharp for me, play Duffy too. I’d rather we went for it and failed miserably than limp to 9th place.

 

[Woodwardfan]

It's a culmination of several threads and posts I've seen recently from the usual people who seem to think, from their keyboard, that they know far better than Wilder and his coaching staff!

Wasn't having a pop at you, just a more general thing I suppose.

Personally I think we'd have been in a relegation battle with any other manager but Wilder in charge

I suppose the title of the o.p. has a certain implication but in fact the O.P. was intended as the start of a serious debate exploring the need, if any, to change anything. My o.p. was intended to be a sort of snapshot of what might be in Wilder's mind at this crucial stage and to start a discussion about his options and the risks/rewards of change.

Maybe I was looking for fans to endorse his approach, maybe I was looking for re-assurance that we are not going to fall just short. I'm not sure but the posts have been realistic and supportive so far.

As a past local league football manager I would change something that could add an impetus that is needed to get us over the line. I think we need something for our players to get their teeth into and believe in to add that extra 5% in the final third. I honestly don't endorse playing 3/4 forwards for the last 20 minutes against the 5 better teams we have yet to play but what to do different I wouldn't know. If we stay with our current ways then I fear we'll fall short.

On another thread I floated an idea from left field to play Fleck in Stevens' place as left wing-back to get some threatening crosses going in. Freeman on the right would be great. It really is 'brave' and from 'left field' but we could man the centre of midfield with Evans and Lundstram to keep solid and play Duffy in his usual place (or Holmes or Brooks). Big risks though, definitely.

 

[Davalon]

I think 'falling short' may well be where we will deserve to be based the quality of our squad.

Whatever tactics or personnel Wilder employs may not be enough.

There's no shame or criticism in that whatsoever.

I'm not being negative either. My concern in the Autumn when some were getting over giddy, wasn't to piss on people's chips as I was loving it like everyone else. I was just concerned expectations would get raised to unrealistic proportions.

I'm seeing a few comments recently on social media about what we need to do to finish top 6, and some are acting as though we 'should' get there, and if we don't then we will have done something wrong.

This squad has over achieved this season. To contend next season will see a need for at least a handful of quality players recruited.

We'll finish where we deserve and it will be more than respectable.

 

[wavy-blade]

If we miss out by being cautious it will be incredibly disappointing.

Hear Hear , foookin go for it Chris , we love you no matter what , Brookseyyyyyyyy the weapon that can do it for us , if he's fit and finds form anything's possible .

 

[wizadry]

I think 'falling short' may well be where we will deserve to be based the quality of our squad.

Whatever tactics or personnel Wilder employs may not be enough.

There's no shame or criticism in that whatsoever.

I'm not being negative either. My concern in the Autumn when some were getting over giddy, wasn't to piss on people's chips as I was loving it like everyone else. I was just concerned expectations would get raised to unrealistic proportions.

I'm seeing a few comments recently on social media about what we need to do to finish top 6, and some are acting as though we 'should' get there, and if we don't then we will have done something wrong.

This squad has over achieved this season. To contend next season will see a need for at least a handful of quality players recruited.

We'll finish where we deserve and it will be more than respectable.

I don’t think we have over achieved, infact I don’t think we have the points most of our performances have deserved.

 

[sheffielder]

Starting Brooks v Cardiff would be brave. I hope he does.

Question and this is just something that comes to my head when people say to start Brooks.. what’s your impact sub if it doesn’t work. He works well off the bench and considering he’s what had 2 career starts ever it’s probably where he should be for now.

Regards to the Op. yes brave but not stupid