Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

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Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by officer_dibble » Thu Apr 07, 2022 8:51 am

They are the form team - most league goals since the calendar year turned.
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Our squad all of a sudden looks depleted - biggest loss will be captain Rico who is pretty fundamental to how we play.
In my opinion we need to go back to basics - 4 at the back (Jones/Aimson/Johnston/John). Tell the centre halves to concentrate on defending. MJ is a certain starter again sitting in front and then Morley as well. Kachunga and Sadlier with JDB and Charles again.

However I think he will keep the back 3 which leaves Aimson spare to surrender possession on a regular basis.

All this coupled with our season being over…could be a spanking.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Harry Genshaw » Thu Apr 07, 2022 10:12 am

They were really poor when we played them and should have beaten them, at Hillsborough. Fair play to Moore though, they look a different side now.

They're a good club Wednesday, Megson admiration aside, always turn up in numbers and I'd not be unhappy to see them go up. They can feck off Saturday though.

Agree with the back 4 idea if Johnston goes left back. Put the shackles on Bannan and get Charles some service and we'll nick it.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Worthy4England » Thu Apr 07, 2022 10:43 am

Their form since turn of year isn't too dissimilar to ours. They've scored more but conceded more. They're averaging 2.06 ppg v our 1.89, in the round it's one win more than us. MKD are "the" form team since Jan.

With a full squad, I'd hope for a close game, as it was at theirs. I think the injuries in the defensive 5 might be the decider Flossie and Santos big losses, think we're better placed to cover Dempsey and Dapo...

A back 3 of Jones, Aimson and Johnston ain't great with all due respect to Geth. It sorta needs Aimson in the middle for headers, coz Geth isn't the tallest and Johnston can't spell it. Obvs that leaves us with too little ball playing as I probably wouldn't allow Aimson to attempt a pass longer than 5 yards...might be time to try a 4.

I worry for us, this game...1-3

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Prufrock » Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:15 am

Harry Genshaw wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 10:12 am
They were really poor when we played them and should have beaten them, at Hillsborough. Fair play to Moore though, they look a different side now.

They're a good club Wednesday, Megson admiration aside, always turn up in numbers and I'd not be unhappy to see them go up. They can feck off Saturday though.

Agree with the back 4 idea if Johnston goes left back. Put the shackles on Bannan and get Charles some service and we'll nick it.

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I've been advocating for Johnstone at LB but can't see it Saturday. There's no fecker else to play at centre back! I don't think Geth could do it in a four but even if he could you're on to Senior or Sadlier at RB. I'd pick Geth-Aimson-Johnstone-John.

I think he'll go back 3 again. I'm not optimistic.
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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Worthy4England » Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:00 pm

^^ That's what I think I'd be contemplating too...

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:13 pm

Aimson’s pass completion this season (75.4%) is better than Gethin’s and Johnston’s. It’s also better than Capo’s, Izzy’s, Dion’s, Sadler’s, Fossey’s, Baka’s and Bod’s. But it’s sharply below Rico’s (82.7%), who’s third in the current-players list behind MJ (83.5%) and Sheehan (87.1%).

Perhaps interestingly, Aimson is also our busiest passer, averaging 54.9 passes per game over the season - a shade above Rico and George, who are well clear of the next busiest (Morley, 49.6). He certainly doesn’t hide from the ball.

Where he does fall down statistically is his average long-ball accuracy. Per 90 minutes, Rico averages 5.8 accurate long passes and 5.3 inaccurate, but Will gets his easy Aimless nickname because he averages 4.8 accurate long passes and 8.5 inaccurate. Clearly he’s not always useless - his cross earned us a point at Wigan, so that’s now 2 more goal involvements than Rico’s zero - but he’s less reliable over distance.

Could be the position, though. George Johnston averages 4 accurate v 8.8 inaccurate. Gethin, who admittedly has played in different positions, averages 2.5 good to 3.4 bad. So it may just be confirmation bias. I suspect Geth and George’s bad passes tend to be vertical “alley balls” that are picked up by oppos, whereas it feels like Will more often tries the big switch that wafts out of play, irritating the audience.

I don’t think Will is quite quick enough of feet or thought to play the outside centre-back role, but he might be OK in the middle of a three - not so much marauding like Rico, but minding the shop with the outside lads push on. Best option without Rico, anyway. Might increase his passing accuracy.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Harry Genshaw » Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:27 pm

I'd forgotten Santos was out. A shaky back 3, or a back 4 with Baptiste and Gordon in. Hmmm
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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by BWFC_Insane » Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:37 pm

A back three would be a bit mental in my view. Given what we have available. Surely Geth to RB and Aimson and Johnston with John if fit at LB.

I’m not optimistic but will be concerned if Evatt tries to stick with a 5 in these circumstances.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Harry Genshaw » Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:49 pm

BWFC_Insane wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:37 pm
A back three would be a bit mental in my view. Given what we have available. Surely Geth to RB and Aimson and Johnston with John if fit at LB.
Aye that looks right.
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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Worthy4England » Thu Apr 07, 2022 1:02 pm

I'm not sure it's all about overall completion / incompletion rates DSB.

It's what you see with your eyes in front of you. It's what the inaccurate ones lead to. An aimless punt out of play inside their half not necessarily a major problem. That first 10 minutes after half time on Tuesday, I think most would say poor old Aimson was all ower the shop. Regardless of the overall statistical picture, was there anyone not thinking "there's a goal for them coming any minute?" and it did...

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by officer_dibble » Thu Apr 07, 2022 1:08 pm

It was noticeable against Morecambe that they let Aimson have the ball - the others got closed down, cos they could do something with it. He has plenty of the ball because he isn’t that great with it, often when looking long sticking it into touch. I think he’s ok at Centre back with a job to do - I’d make MJ the spare man have him sitting and covering the full backs, with a back 4.

I do think Evatt will stick with a 3 though.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Thu Apr 07, 2022 1:49 pm

Worthy4England wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 1:02 pm
I'm not sure it's all about overall completion / incompletion rates DSB.

It's what you see with your eyes in front of you. It's what the inaccurate ones lead to. An aimless punt out of play inside their half not necessarily a major problem. That first 10 minutes after half time on Tuesday, I think most would say poor old Aimson was all ower the shop. Regardless of the overall statistical picture, was there anyone not thinking "there's a goal for them coming any minute?" and it did...
Oh, to be clear, I always *feel* he's likely to give the ball away (or whack it out of touch), just like I always *feel* Johnston's going to get bullied at a corner. And nerves can undermine confidence, and confidence is massive.

Just saying the overall data doesn't back up the eyes. And I strongly suspect there's confirmation bias at work because people remember the long diagonals wafted Aimlessly into the stand much more than they remember, say, Johnston's alley balls almost sending John in behind but being cut out by a flailing leg (hence unsuccessful).

Per WhoScored, Aimson lost possession twice on Tuesday - same as Dempsey, Morley and Kachunga; fewer than Dapo, Sadlier, Bod (all 3), Charles (5). Perhaps interestingly, every single one of our outfielders bar the captain lost possession at least once; Pompey had five starters who didn't do it at all. He is, for clarity, one of the first I'd look to upgrade this summer – but he's far from alone in being improvable.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by GhostoftheBok » Thu Apr 07, 2022 2:57 pm

I don't really have an issue with Aimson, but I also don't trust him to make good decisions on the ball. When Geth misplaces a pass I feel like it's usually trying the right ball, but cocking it up. Aimson seems to be left in a lot of space by the opposition, in a way Geth isn't, and invited to pick the wrong pass. As with our goal the other day their player seems to take a step back as an "Oh, it's Aimson, we don't press Aimson" and then realise his roll forward has opened a crossing lane and suddenly try to close him down.

He's far from useless, but I'd rather have Johnston, Santos and Geth in there than Aimson replace any of them. It may be unfair, I can't say I've done a deep-dive watching him all game when I'm at games and you can't do that kind of analysis with the camera angles on iFollow.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Worthy4England » Thu Apr 07, 2022 3:02 pm

I'm not convinced it's confirmation bias and the data your quoting can absolutely still back up the eyes as it stands. Aimson might have only lost possession twice (which doesn't look a lot) but where on the field was that? and did it lead to anything from them? Both were in our half. One in the penalty area, which nothing fortunately came from on @47 minutes. Then there was the free kick he conceded on 48, 20 yards out, for which he got a yellow, hit's the wall, comes back in, half assed clearance from Geth, cut-back, goal. So sure not just Aimson, but it all came from the free-kick.

As for Johnston, he might have only played 1 bad pass v Morecambe, but they scored from it. He might have only missed one header v Plymouth, they scored from that too...

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by GhostoftheBok » Thu Apr 07, 2022 3:25 pm

There's also the fact that Aimson is Aimson at 27 with somewhere about 3x the career appearances under his belt as the 23-year-old Johnston. I'm more forgiving of Johnston, in his first ever full professional season, and will admit that readily.

Saying that, I also think there's more to come from Aimson. I've not written him off after not many games a couple of years before his peak years. He's not all that experienced for his age.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:04 pm

Worthy4England wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 3:02 pm
I'm not convinced it's confirmation bias and the data your quoting can absolutely still back up the eyes as it stands. Aimson might have only lost possession twice (which doesn't look a lot) but where on the field was that? and did it lead to anything from them? Both were in our half. One in the penalty area, which nothing fortunately came from on @47 minutes. Then there was the free kick he conceded on 48, 20 yards out, for which he got a yellow, hit's the wall, comes back in, half assed clearance from Geth, cut-back, goal. So sure not just Aimson, but it all came from the free-kick.

As for Johnston, he might have only played 1 bad pass v Morecambe, but they scored from it. He might have only missed one header v Plymouth, they scored from that too...
As I say, I think both outside centre-backs are flawed. Or all of them, if we include Gethin, who's had a good go but doesn't feel a long-term solution. Still think folk tend to pick a narrative, though. Like the ball, trust is hard won and easy lost.
GhostoftheBok wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 2:57 pm
I don't really have an issue with Aimson, but I also don't trust him to make good decisions on the ball. When Geth misplaces a pass I feel like it's usually trying the right ball, but cocking it up. Aimson seems to be left in a lot of space by the opposition, in a way Geth isn't, and invited to pick the wrong pass. As with our goal the other day their player seems to take a step back as an "Oh, it's Aimson, we don't press Aimson" and then realise his roll forward has opened a crossing lane and suddenly try to close him down.

He's far from useless, but I'd rather have Johnston, Santos and Geth in there than Aimson replace any of them. It may be unfair, I can't say I've done a deep-dive watching him all game when I'm at games and you can't do that kind of analysis with the camera angles on iFollow.
That all chimes with how I feel. I don't think he's awful but I do think he's a weak link on the ball, and like you I think the oppo might think so too. But that may be confirmation bias... :D
GhostoftheBok wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 3:25 pm
I also think there's more to come from Aimson. I've not written him off after not many games a couple of years before his peak years. He's not all that experienced for his age.
I expect Aimson will be around next season, and that's OK, but if he plays 20 league games again (as he has this season) I'll be surprised. If he does, I hope it's because he's seriously kicked on rather than a dearth of alternatives.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:26 pm

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2022/april/ ... it-whites/
Dapo, Demps and Rico will all be missing. We feel like Dapo and Demps have a chance of playing in some of the remaining fixtures – Rico probably not. We have had them scanned and will have the reports back at some point later today and will make a decision from then on.

Anybody would miss Rico. He’s a fantastic player. We will hope and have our fingers crossed that he can make it back but we don’t to take any risks with him.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by BWFC_Insane » Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:41 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:26 pm
https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2022/april/ ... it-whites/
Dapo, Demps and Rico will all be missing. We feel like Dapo and Demps have a chance of playing in some of the remaining fixtures – Rico probably not. We have had them scanned and will have the reports back at some point later today and will make a decision from then on.

Anybody would miss Rico. He’s a fantastic player. We will hope and have our fingers crossed that he can make it back but we don’t to take any risks with him.
Others out potentially too. Though not named. Sounds like it is last man standing sort of stuff.

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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by TANGODANCER » Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:45 pm

Feathers will fly and Owls will screech in annoyance if we "steel" the points in this one. Could easily be a snakes and ladders game for either side, although our pure bad luck with three injured first teamers is a real kick in the nuts. Might just upset Mr Moore's pre-plan of action and we could make something if we just play football and don't give away any soft goals. Won't be easy, but we can do it. Kachunga may be the man to shine for us. COME ON YOU WHITES..!...... :oyea:


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Re: Steel the 3 points? Sheff Weds, Sat 9/4 at 3pm(h)

Post by Worthy4England » Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:59 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:04 pm
As I say, I think both outside centre-backs are flawed. Or all of them, if we include Gethin, who's had a good go but doesn't feel a long-term solution. Still think folk tend to pick a narrative, though. Like the ball, trust is hard won and easy lost.
You're assuming the narrative is a set thing and that people are therefore fitting facts to match a viewpoint. Not so. My initial comments re: Johnston were unequivocally positive and I rate Aimson defensively (more as an old fashioned blocker), I was advocating starting him in front of Johnston - I think Brommers offered some stats that he was the best 1v1 we had and nearly top of the League One stats in that regard. I always said that Johnston was strong going forwards, poor at defence, and Aimson the other way around. Whilst I hear Ghosty's view that Johnston is seen as an investment (and I don't disagree with it - I think it's correct to say that's probably what Evatt and the managerial team think), I do think that both are more than capable of costing us goals, games and points. I think Geth is fine, but too short for a CB.

At the end of the day, I suspect we'll do what Ghosty and I think you have suggested - look for a RCB as a starter and look for a LCB to push - the only thing I'd probably do differently is look for a LCB as a starter. As I've said all season, we need to defend better when defending is needed. We've conceded more than 9 out of the top 10 (and the one that we haven't has 13 more in the "For" column). It improved since January but there are still 6 teams better than us, in that timeframe - some are around half our goals against per game. If we are serious about going up, I think we need someone better defensively than Johnston. Of course that might be a Johnston with another closed season under his belt as he develops - then again it might not be :-)

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