I like to digest a game and come back to the analysis a day later, to give myself some time to think about what has happened.
It is easy to judge a game instantly and not let your opinion be changed. I was incredibly harsh after Rotherham, and while we certainly were not good enough, the cold light of day convinced me we were not 3-0 bad. Were we bad enough yesterday to lose the game?
No, we were not. I will take stick for being propaganda or whatever, but I do not really care anymore. I call a game how I see it, and yesterday a handful of key moments went against us, either through our own doing or through referee Ollie Langford.
There is no doubt we were not good enough in the first half, and Wycombe deserved to lead. Okoronkwo and Street were not in the game, and the numbers back that up. The Everton loanee won just two of his seven duels, losing the ball six times. Street lost the ball 14 times, three of those in his own half. Possession just did not stick, and when it did, those on the field were too tepid.
How many times did we look to break, only to check and come back? I have no problem usually, but once or twice it was more than frustrating. We lacked width, and we lacked a ball carrier, and an organised Wycombe dealt with us well. From our point of view, both goals were pretty poor. The first will have angered Michael Skubala, as it is Street’s man who overlaps, with Street walking back. The cross could still be stopped, Tendayi lunges at the front post and misses, while Wickens is beaten through his legs.
For the second, and I am genuinely not looking for a scapegoat, we are on the attack. Street is beaten in the air and they split us with two passes, one between Bayliss and McGrandles, the other between Reach and Bradley. However, in my eyes, there is a yellow opportunity where McGrandles should have taken their man out and taken one for the team. If he does, it is 1-0 at half time and sure, we lose him for Port Vale at home, but we have our club record signing waiting on the bench.
We also know Langford would not have sent him off, because an early lunge by Luke Leahy did not bring a red. At the time, I said VAR gives it, but watching it back, I am not sure how the referee does not. Leahy is lunging, out of control and studs showing when he catches Ben House. It is really not a good challenge, and the benefit of the replay this morning underlines my belief in that.
Still, if they go to ten men, as someone pointed out in our Discord chat, the game changes, they go deeper, so it would not have been a guarantee of a win. Besides, both of their goals came from swift breaks upfield, the sort of swift break we seemed to put a stop to, turn back from and reset. That is why I understand some of the frustration from supporters.
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