[Jacko The Flopsy Piglet]

One of those nights, I'm afraid. We weren't at our best but still dominated the game. No-one had an outstanding game and no-one was terrible. Nuhiu made up for his awful penalty miss with a good header from one of the few crosses that didn't get cut out before it reached the front post but I'm sure if he'd scored the pen we'd have gone on to win the game. Thought McGeady did well in the first half but faded and wasn't surprised to see him subbed on the hour, it was probably planned and not a result of conceding. Joao did ok when he came on and his last minute header was unfortunately straight at the keeper because he met it well and either side would have been a goal.

QPR were poor, particularly in the first half when they barely had a sniff. Phillips was awful and played like he didn't want to be there, definitely not good enough to play in the prem.

---

P.S. The Long Johns worked a treat and I could still feel my knees when I got home.

[Imre varadi]

too many first team sheets the same !! we need to mix it up against Hull but if hutch isnt fit then the options arnt there ? yes we have joao and forest to change things up top , but Barry doesnt cut it for me as an option in the midddle and the defence is even worse although more options with bennet plamer loovens and turner all of them dont make the team any better !

We are players short !!

[Statesideowl]

The highlights make me want to cry. Then set fire to something. I don't know why it has to end in flames, it just does! I can't say anymore about referee's I'm so sick to death of the worthless sacks of shit at this stage. lord only knows what next season holds. perhaps their new attire could consist of face paint and bright orange wig!

We have no leadership from the back without Hutch, IMO. The difference one true professional can make is astounding. that's not to detract from mixed performances by the other players. However, they just don't have Hutch's natural nose for the game.

We can all agree last night was two more points pissed away, when you look back across our season it's littered with similar opportunities missed. Brighton, Burnley and Bolton to mention but a few!
I keep telling myself to be happy with a top 10 finish but then part of me expects/hopes for more. And, perhaps with this current squad it might be a bridge too far. I said a few weeks back it's going to come down to whomever chokes first, I just hope it doesn't continue to be us.
Now we go into a huge game against Hull, desperately needing a result.

That's a penalty to me.. Even the culprit. QPR's #4 reacts like he made contact. Lee stumbles through the first challenge but it's #4 whom takes him down, and he even knows it. Refs......

[peiowl]

In response to overwhelming requests from my fan base (imre   ) I have to come back.
 
And I've decided to do a re-make of my image. new avatar. new signature. like it, maddix?

May I be so bold as to comment that if CC had let Hooper take that pen we'd be 2-1 up? Possibly.

I think that you will find that I am of the same opinion   I've never said that Nuhiu is the Messiah, I just don't agree with the constant ....... 




Apart from the last sentence I liked what you said. Well, you may be pleased to know (maybe you won't ) that I've decided to take down my tongue in cheek makeover as it might be misconstrued (never!!  ). More important, I couldn't stand looking at that picture of N****!!  It spoiled my breakfast this morning.

So, I've reverted to a previous avatar that is much more pleasing to the eye and a signature that is hard to challenge.

On to the Hull game: I'd start Joao, FF and Hooper.....same as imre.

How am I doing?

[Owlkev71]

Remaining fixtures:

Hull City A Lose
Rotherham H Win
Brighton A Draw
Forest A Draw
Charlton H Win
Village A Win
Blackburn H Win
Bristol City A Win
Ipswich H Draw
MK Dons H Win
Derby A Lose
Cardiff H Win
Wolves A Draw

25pts, that would have us finish on 79pts, would that be enough for a playoff spot????

Most of the home games are winnable

But we do have some tricky away fixtures left.

[OvalOwl]

25pts, that would have us finish on 79pts, would that be enough for a playoff spot????

Most of the home games are winnable

But we do have some tricky away fixtures left.

This Wednesday we are talking about! Easy games seem to become hard for us.
The one saving grace is that we are playing decent football...

...most of the time

[madsteve]

Painful Result

Well it was painful for me in more than one way last night. Was on a tight schedule after a CT Scan in Shrewsbury at 3.45 which meant getting away just before 5.00 and still needing to eat. Grabbed food on the way but still in pain from the four cannulas that had fallen out during the scans and still a little woozy from the drugs. Finally pulled up at 7.30 & set off walking towards ground when my legs gave way beneath me as I crossed the road and I ended up in a heap in front of a car. Fortunately several fans helped me back on my feet & Young Padawan was able to get me to the ground just in time for kick off. Thank you to all those who assisted me.

McGeady for FF was the unsurprising only change.

We started brightly and had two early chance to score. Lee should have scored from close range then he was asleep when Smithies dropped the ball at his feet after the ball skied under the cross bar. Nuhiu also had two presentable chances in one on ones with the keeper but he scuffed the shots, one being saved & the other going wide.

We totally dominated the first half but just lacked that spark with Bannan having a quieter day and FF's magic missing.

We should have buried the match when Hooper was brought down & we were awarded the penalty. Hooper intended to take it but Nuhiu chased him down & took the ball off him. The result was inevitable. Although he had scored his four previous penalties, none had been convincing with the keepers getting hands on three of them.

Nuhiu pushed it weakly to the keeper's left - an easy save & the momentum of the match (and the season?) moved away from us. QPR scored a fortunate goal after a mix up between Lees & Sasso but then we came roaring back.

Nuhiu, who had been pretty lifeless for much of the game, woke up as if to correct his error, Joao entered the fray and Pudil produced a string of enterprising runs down the left. From one of these, we equalised. A brilliantly weighted cross by Pudil meant Nuhiu just had to guide the ball home, which he did adroitly.

After that, it was a question of could we get a winner. Joao had a couple of flashing headers, one inches wide & one straight at the keeper, Sasso bulleted a header past the post while Lee was unlucky not to win a penalty after having his heels clipped after he burst into the box.

Westwood - 6 - nothing to do
Hunt - 6 - bright going forward but gives ball away too much
Lees - 6 - solid
Sasso - 6 - brilliant at times but has to cut out mistakes
Pudil - 7 - great attacking option
Wallace - 6 - bright early but faded
Lee - 6 - missed opportunities
Bannan - 6 - below par for him
McGeady - 6 - a bit too ponderous
Hooper - 6 - bright but no opportunities
Nuhiu - 6 - cost us match but part redeemed himself
............................................................
Joao - 6 - looking more like the player we need

Stat Attack:

Goals: 1 - Nuhiu

Assists: 1 - Pudil

Touches: 69 - Pudil, 68 - Bannan, 64 - Lee, 62 - Lees, 60 - Sasso, 54 - Westwood, 52 - Wallace, 51 - Nuhiu, 50 - Hunt, 48 - McGeady, 37 - Hooper, 16 - Joao

Tackles: 4 - Pudil, Lee, 3 - McGeady, 2 - Sasso, 1 - Hunt, Hooper, Joao

Interceptions: 4 - Lees, 2 - Sasso, Hunt,

Clearances: 4 - Lees, Pudil, 3 - Sasso, 2 - Hunt, 1 - McGeady, Nuhiu, Joao

Attempts: 4 - Nuhiu, 3 - Lee, Joao, 2 - Sasso, Wallace, McGeady, 1 - Bannan

Attempts On Target: 3 - Nuhiu, 2 - Joao, 1 - Bannan, Lee

Key Passes: 5 - Wallace, 3 - Hooper, 2 - Lee, 1 - Hunt, Pudil, Bannan, McGeady

Dribbles: 2 - Nuhiu, 1 - Hunt, Wallace, Bannan, Hooper

Dispossessed: 3 - Nuhiu, 2 - McGeady, 1 - Hunt, Bannan, Hooper

Bad Control: 5 - Nuhiu, 2 - Pudil, Bannan, McGeady, Joao, 1 - Hunt, Wallace, Hooper

Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 10 - McGeady (0), 9 - Wallace (3), 5 - Pudil (1), 4 - Bannan (0), 2 - Hunt (1), Lee (1),

Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):

Hooper - 88% (33)
Lee - 84% (51)
Sasso - 82% (50)
McGeady - 81% (27)
Joao - 78% (9)
Bannan - 76% (59)
Hunt - 76% (38)
Wallace - 76% (37)
Pudil - 73% (52)
Lees - 68% (53)
Westwood - 64% (39)
Nuhiu - 58% (33)

Without FF and Bannan functioning below his best, we just lacked that spark up front although we generally played well. Nuhiu gives the ball away far too often but in fairness he did better after QPR scored and partly redeemed himself for the penalty miss. McGeady is nice on the eye but takes too long to get the ball anywhere and all his crosses found a QPR defender. He is getting better but for now is better for 20 minutes from the bench. After a barren spell, Joao is starting to look sharper again and our season could hinge on whether he can produce during the next ten weeks.

FF's red card cost us a point on Saturday and anther two here because he would have taken the penalty had he played as he could pull rank on Nuhiu whereas Nuhiu pulled rank on Hooper. It was clearly a case of Nuhiu wanting a goal rather than letting better equipped players take the penalty. Don't get me wrong, players miss penalties but every penalty Nuhiu has taken has only just gone in so the save was inevitable. Hooper is on fire and Wallace is a proven penalty taker. Winning the match should have been more important than inflating Nuhiu's ego.

Overall, we played pretty well and moved the ball about nicely. Unfortunately despite 17 attempts on goal, none fell to Hooper as QPR concentrated on blocking his sight of goal. Cannot help thinking that had FF played, this would have been a comfortable three or four goal win.

[Statesideowl]

Exactly. I know you're shooting for an avg possible points there, Kev.
I just don't see as man points as you do, especially as we're fizzling out. Partly due to lack of strength in depth, and woeful displays on the rise. I'm seeing 20pts, finishing on 74. Which is still an improvement on the last seasons 60pts. Roughly where Wolves finished but missed out on the playoffs by GD.
We should never give up the playoff dream. But I do think DC & CC need to start planning for a serious promotion campaign next season. I hope to god that we're currently running the thumb over players around Europe especially. We have a handful of players that need to go. With the teams coming down from the EPL, and the teams already here along side us that will miss out on promotion, next years Championship is going to be a tough one..

I suppose it depends on whether we want the quick fix or gradual climb. We could go up and get battered every week and come down nice and rich. But, what fun will that be as a season ticket holder to watch?
We could invest in every aspect of the club, steadily climb on a solid foundation, then be playing to cement a place in the EPL instead of scrapping out an almost guaranteed relegation battle

---

Painful Result

Well it was painful for me in more than one way last night. Was on a tight schedule after a CT Scan in Shrewsbury at 3.45 which meant getting away just before 5.00 and still needing to eat. Grabbed food on the way but still in pain from the four cannulas that had fallen out during the scans and still a little woozy from the drugs. Finally pulled up at 7.30 & set off walking towards ground when my legs gave way beneath me as I crossed the road and I ended up in a heap in front of a car. Fortunately several fans helped me back on my feet & Young Padawan was able to get me to the ground just in time for kick off. Thank you to all those who assisted me.

McGeady for FF was the unsurprising only change.

We started brightly and had two early chance to score. Lee should have scored from close range then he was asleep when Smithies dropped the ball at his feet after the ball skied under the cross bar. Nuhiu also had two presentable chances in one on ones with the keeper but he scuffed the shots, one being saved & the other going wide.

We totally dominated the first half but just lacked that spark with Bannan having a quieter day and FF's magic missing.

We should have buried the match when Hooper was brought down & we were awarded the penalty. Hooper intended to take it but Nuhiu chased him down & took the ball off him. The result was inevitable. Although he had scored his four previous penalties, none had been convincing with the keepers getting hands on three of them.

Nuhiu pushed it weakly to the keeper's left - an easy save & the momentum of the match (and the season?) moved away from us. QPR scored a fortunate goal after a mix up between Lees & Sasso but then we came roaring back.

Nuhiu, who had been pretty lifeless for much of the game, woke up as if to correct his error, Joao entered the fray and Pudil produced a string of enterprising runs down the left. From one of these, we equalised. A brilliantly weighted cross by Pudil meant Nuhiu just had to guide the ball home, which he did adroitly.

After that, it was a question of could we get a winner. Joao had a couple of flashing headers, one inches wide & one straight at the keeper, Sasso bulleted a header past the post while Lee was unlucky not to win a penalty after having his heels clipped after he burst into the box.

Westwood - 6 - nothing to do
Hunt - 6 - bright going forward but gives ball away too much
Lees - 6 - solid
Sasso - 6 - brilliant at times but has to cut out mistakes
Pudil - 7 - great attacking option
Wallace - 6 - bright early but faded
Lee - 6 - missed opportunities
Bannan - 6 - below par for him
McGeady - 6 - a bit too ponderous
Hooper - 6 - bright but no opportunities
Nuhiu - 6 - cost us match but part redeemed himself
............................................................
Joao - 6 - looking more like the player we need

Stat Attack:

Goals: 1 - Nuhiu

Assists: 1 - Pudil

Touches: 69 - Pudil, 68 - Bannan, 64 - Lee, 62 - Lees, 60 - Sasso, 54 - Westwood, 52 - Wallace, 51 - Nuhiu, 50 - Hunt, 48 - McGeady, 37 - Hooper, 16 - Joao

Tackles: 4 - Pudil, Lee, 3 - McGeady, 2 - Sasso, 1 - Hunt, Hooper, Joao

Interceptions: 4 - Lees, 2 - Sasso, Hunt,

Clearances: 4 - Lees, Pudil, 3 - Sasso, 2 - Hunt, 1 - McGeady, Nuhiu, Joao

Attempts: 4 - Nuhiu, 3 - Lee, Joao, 2 - Sasso, Wallace, McGeady, 1 - Bannan

Attempts On Target: 3 - Nuhiu, 2 - Joao, 1 - Bannan, Lee

Key Passes: 5 - Wallace, 3 - Hooper, 2 - Lee, 1 - Hunt, Pudil, Bannan, McGeady

Dribbles: 2 - Nuhiu, 1 - Hunt, Wallace, Bannan, Hooper

Dispossessed: 3 - Nuhiu, 2 - McGeady, 1 - Hunt, Bannan, Hooper

Bad Control: 5 - Nuhiu, 2 - Pudil, Bannan, McGeady, Joao, 1 - Hunt, Wallace, Hooper

Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 10 - McGeady (0), 9 - Wallace (3), 5 - Pudil (1), 4 - Bannan (0), 2 - Hunt (1), Lee (1),

Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):

Hooper - 88% (33)
Lee - 84% (51)
Sasso - 82% (50)
McGeady - 81% (27)
Joao - 78% (9)
Bannan - 76% (59)
Hunt - 76% (38)
Wallace - 76% (37)
Pudil - 73% (52)
Lees - 68% (53)
Westwood - 64% (39)
Nuhiu - 58% (33)

Without FF and Bannan functioning below his best, we just lacked that spark up front although we generally played well. Nuhiu gives the ball away far too often but in fairness he did better after QPR scored and partly redeemed himself for the penalty miss. McGeady is nice on the eye but takes too long to get the ball anywhere and all his crosses found a QPR defender. He is getting better but for now is better for 20 minutes from the bench. After a barren spell, Joao is starting to look sharper again and our season could hinge on whether he can produce during the next ten weeks.

FF's red card cost us a point on Saturday and anther two here because he would have taken the penalty had he played as he could pull rank on Nuhiu whereas Nuhiu pulled rank on Hooper. It was clearly a case of Nuhiu wanting a goal rather than letting better equipped players take the penalty. Don't get me wrong, players miss penalties but every penalty Nuhiu has taken has only just gone in so the save was inevitable. Hooper is on fire and Wallace is a proven penalty taker. Winning the match should have been more important than inflating Nuhiu's ego.

Overall, we played pretty well and moved the ball about nicely. Unfortunately despite 17 attempts on goal, none fell to Hooper as QPR concentrated on blocking his sight of goal. Cannot help thinking that had FF played, this would have been a comfortable three or four goal win.

Sorry to hear you had a rough night, MS. I commend you for soldiering on! It's always nice to know you're among family in the Blue & Whites.

[Was Wereham Owl]

Having only seen the highlights I will bow to the opinions of the people that actually watch each and every game in full as they see everything ..BUT !

If this time last year anyone would have offered us the players, team spirit and position we are in now we would have all pi$$ed ourselves laughing , yes it's been a bad week (and I suspect may get worse on Friday) , but the long term picture still looks like it's good to be a Wednesdayite right now , and promotion was NEXT seasons target I believe, so even if we lose out in the playoffs come May ..so what ??, we will continue to build the massive to be MASSIVER !!!

No need for all the negativity we have overachieved so far this season with a small(ish) squad, remember ONWARDS AND UPWARDS...

And for the 1st time in around 6 months I looked at Owlstalks forums ... good job they can't get muppeted in some cases , totally unrealistic so called Owls fans on there , one post even called for CC to be sacked as he can't motivate the players !!!!!!!!!!

---

And I know MASSIVER isn't a real word Mr forum policeman !!

[peiowl]

Just a question: whose call is it as to who takes a penalty shot? The coach? The captain? The guy who was brought down? Everyone expected Hooper to take it. If Hooper had the ball as MS says and was intending to take it who decided it should be nuhiu taking it?