A Spark

[robbiez666]

March has shown how solid we are as a team. It's easy to forget that we had no idea what was going to happen at the start of the season. Drawing against Forest, Ipswich or Brentford is nothing to sniff at.

However, we're in a position where a number of clubs seem to be doing their darnedest to not get in the play-offs. Any club going on a run now will get in the top 6.

We're fairly solid at the back but the problem has been scoring goals and creating chances. We're either struggling to produce chances or not taking those chances.We could keep going as we are and hope that things click.

I'd like to see Wilder be bold. We have a couple of players who can spark things for us. Duffy and Brooks. Holmes is also that kind of player but untested at this level.I'd love him to try something different and start Brooks and Duffy (or Holmes is Duffy's still injured) and see what happens.

We face a Cardiff team on Monday in such good form that a draw would feel like a success. It's no good to us really if we are going to give the play-offs a push. I'd love to see us play one upfront and give Brooks an entirely free role between midfield and attack. Role the dice and see what happens.

 

[Davalon]

I know what you're saying totally but we've also dropped points being bold.

What we've done this season has been a result of the sum of all parts.

The strikers aren't looking potent regularly I appreciate but I also think we've got to be careful not weakening other areas in pursuit of creating more chances.

Yesterday was a good example. Bentley was quick to come out and narrow the angles, and maybe we could have taken the chances a split second earlier.

I think we will need to be compact and strong against Cardiff. Holmes and Brookes together would concern me slightly.

 

[robbiez666]

I'd be vaguely tempted to play 5-2-3 with the Fleck and Evans sitting deep and Brooks and Holmes/Duffy playing either side of Clarke. When we have the ball they break wide, give us outballs and pull their defence everywhere When they have the ball they'd drop back into midfield.

It would give the wingbacks more licence to cut inside into the space they've left and also pin Cardiff back.

The best tactic against Cardiff, for me, is to have a go at them.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Looking at the post-match comments of the Brentford supporters, they almost all voted Bentley as their MotM. Give the guy credit, somewhere between poor finishing and excellent keeping, we were denied 3 points. At least we created chances, so perhaps a little more optimism rather than understandable irritation would be an accurate reflection of our standard of play.

 

[FTPE]

Performances mattered early in the season, but with the playoffs slipping it's all about results.
I thought we were good Friday.
We are solid at the back again now, Jamal is full of confidence (though clearley a pudding!) Or wingbacks.... ok, Baldock is playing fantastic, we have options in midfield, and although our strikers aren't in the form they were early in the season the chances are still coming thick and fast.

That said, with the pigs picking up form and the chances of top 6 fading I understand the negativity, though Im still really proud of the whole squad.

 

[JKBlade]

Completely agree.
Can’t argue with the fact that we’ve failed to score in 3 of the last 4 matches, and in all three we’ve had key chances to win.

I for one, also don’t understand Wilder’s thinking by playing three center midfielders. I went yesterday and for me we set up to be solid rather than attack on the front foot. Yes we created 3/4 great chances but those were late on when the game had opened up. We haven’t got this far by playing that way.

Duffy must play when fit, but why bring Leonard in with Holmes and Brooks on the bench? Leonard offered nothing yesterday, and we lacked the pace or spark that our flair players bring.

 

[TJB.]

It's very difficult to ignore the run of form that Millwall are on.

If anybody has 'the spark', it's them. Far from unthinkable for the Bermondsey bumders to snatch sixth spot.

 

[Bladezz]

Derby Who are in 5th have scored more goals than us.

It’s just the football fan mentality we have to improve game on game and have to win every game out there.

For every person who says win 3 out of the next 5 there’s someone moaning that we draw the first game. It is what it is.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Whilst I wouldn't consider questioning Wilder's selection policy, I'm a tad disappointed with what is effectively Holmes' sparse appearances since being signed. I appreciate that players are selected for a variety of reasons, so no complaints there. When we signed Holmes my eyes lit up, because I thought he might be able to offer serious competition to our midfield which, since Coutts' injury, has not always proved as effective as we'd become used to. Holmes has a goal in him, something that even the likes of Fleck, who I consider top quality, doesn't chip in with enough. So far Holmes has made cameo appearances, and yes, it's the business end of the season, so I comprehend why selection has proved difficult. My point is this, with so few games left, and with both Holmes and the superb Brooks, waiting to make an impact, it's not as if we lack their individuality, in short, both players who can make a difference.

Before anyone tells me that managing from afar is easy, don't I know it. Whatever Chris' reasons are for choosing who he thinks is best able to get us over that play-off line I'll support his decision. We have a great manager, and under his management we now have a decent squad that's in need of a little tweaking, mainly upfront, and we should be raring to go next season (which assumes we're still a Championship team).

 

[DifferentClass]

All Wendy threads to General Foot- oh wait, you're on about another kind of spark

 

[finlaytheblade]

Completely agree.
Can’t argue with the fact that we’ve failed to score in 3 of the last 4 matches, and in all three we’ve had key chances to win.

I for one, also don’t understand Wilder’s thinking by playing three center midfielders. I went yesterday and for me we set up to be solid rather than attack on the front foot. Yes we created 3/4 great chances but those were late on when the game had opened up. We haven’t got this far by playing that way.

Duffy must play when fit, but why bring Leonard in with Holmes and Brooks on the bench? Leonard offered nothing yesterday, and we lacked the pace or spark that our flair players bring.

Can't agree we were playing a good team and we stopped them playing.As the game progressed we were the team on top.
The game plan worked perfectly as we created the chances to win.On another day one of those chances would have gone in.
Credit to Wilder for his game plan and to Bentley for keeping his team in it.
All to play for ,exciting times.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Completely agree, OP

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

Agree. Chris and Alan need to get crazy in the last few weeks. People (me) would be a lot happier missing the play offs if we went down having a go like in 2017 rather than the hope just fizzling away with more 'unlucky' draws and narrow defeats like 2018.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Woops, never saw this thread. No need for my thread today.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Yesterday was a good example. Bentley was quick to come out and narrow the angles, and maybe we could have taken the chances a split second earlier.

True, though I think we’re creating the types of chance again that are at least giving us good opportunities to score. Sharp’s chance yesterday was similar to his first goal at Reading – low cross in front of him from the left that he stretches to meet, again hits the keeper, only difference this time is that there wasn’t a good rebound opportunity. Donaldson’s chance was similar too to his saved one-on-one at Reading – he’s done well initially to get away from his man, the angle has limited the amount of goal to aim at, and it’s saved (rather than dinked past the post).

 

[Caseh]

Agree. Chris and Alan need to get crazy in the last few weeks. People (me) would be a lot happier missing the play offs if we went down having a go like in 2017 rather than the hope just fizzling away with more 'unlucky' draws and narrow defeats like 2018.

People say they would be happier if we went for it, but the meltdowns we have when we get turned over says otherwise...

 

[robbiez666]

Agree. Chris and Alan need to get crazy in the last few weeks. People (me) would be a lot happier missing the play offs if we went down having a go like in 2017 rather than the hope just fizzling away with more 'unlucky' draws and narrow defeats like 2018.

I think this is essentially it for me. We've been unlucky but not that unlucky over the last few weeks. We've generally been solid but not really causing that many problems.

We have 6 very hard games coming up. If we carried on as normal we'd probably I assume do ok but not well enough to get in the play-offs.

Obviously, the way we play consumes a lot of energy and tiredness will be a factor. However, teams know how we play and how generally stop us. We've still got enough to cause them trouble, but not really in the same way as last season and sometimes earlier in this one.

I'd like to see us try something different Do or die. Fuck it. We have nothing to lose. Let's give it a go.