I think someone said it here yesterday, the moment we’re mathematically out of the playoff spots, Brad likely starts every game. Until that happens, he just got to take the chances Duff gives him.
It’s definitely planned. Everyone does it. We have done it for years. But sitting down more than once for a non contact ‘injury’ I find hard to take myself. And as far as I can recall the Gasroom has been calling it out since Ingram and Brown in the olden days
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I think both midfield and defence has broadly improved under Duff but our game management, particularly away from AP can let us down. Absorbing pressure for long periods is gonna result in the odd mistake (Anders at Exeter). Did we choose to retreat to 18 yard line and concede possession or were we forced to cos Exeter were chasing the game. Either way we gave ourselves no out ball and like Plymouth away we concede late. Absorbing constant pressure for most of a half isnt à sustainable tactic. Some will blame Anders for Exeter goal but we were asking for it….again. Duff needs to ask himself why that happens and is throwing on more defenders really the answer.
But then im no manager. My preferred tactics are the orange ones.
I really don’t think Michael Duff is interested in this kind of sentimentality.
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Harsh reality of professional football or poor player management?
I love Michael Duff and a big fan of the majority of his decisions. But he has made some mistakes.
The decisions to play Grimmer and Woodrow yesterday were ultimately correct. The decisions to play them on Tuesday were ultimately incorrect, combined with the negative tactics in the second half.
Duff may also have been slow to react yesterday to us getting outplayed and in the end saved by Lowe. I fail to share the same enthusiasm as others at yesterday’s performance but it wasn’t a bad one.
I’m happy with Duff but he is not immune from criticism either.
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I also stand by my comments earlier in the season that this is an excellent squad (enhanced by January). A half decent manager is helping things but I really don’t think we are there yet and still lacking fluidity.
His substitutions in the 64th minute yesterday changed the game. It turned the momentum back in our favour almost immediately with two of the substitutes finding the net. It was decisive decision making from Michael Duff, which helped us to win the game.
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I would argue - and did at the time - they should have happened 10 minutes earlier. We were getting pasted and could easily have conceded in that 10 minutes.
Your argument is predicated on what could have happened. Mine on what actually happened.
But Duff making changes that needed to happen - and happen sooner - do not make him a managerial genius! Also failing to start Morley in first place was baffling to say the least.
I don’t recall using the word genius. His management style is understated. Simple, sensible and responsible.
Rotating our midfielders isn’t baffling. Caolan Boyd-Munce is widely regarded as being in his best form since signing, and having recovered from his thigh strain, it was sensible to recall him.
Dropping Aaron Morley to the bench, having started two games in four days, is also sensible.
I think we’ll see more rotation over the next few weeks, especially when playing twice in a week.
Why should Fink specifically start every game once the play offs are out of reach. You could use the same argument to play Allen, Taylor, Van Sas etc. Why is Fink so special (other than the ridiculous transfer fee) when he clearly doesn’t deserve a start on merit? Duff is here to win games, not to use them as training sessions!
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I should have caveated my post with IF we are keeping him. If the decision has already been made he is being off loaded in the summer, then my post is moot.
Who’d be a manager eh? In theory it was sensible to sub Hendo against Exeter but perhaps after an hour as was planned rather than HT. Im sure Duff didn’t think that would change the game in the way it did, he trusts Leahy and why wouldn’t he? But it did change the game and ‘sensible’ then looked ‘bizarre’. It seemed a bit ‘Southgate’ to me. So much to praise about GS but recognising and fixing à problem with the right change was often Englands undoing. Duff gets a lot right but not everything. Getting more of those decisions right away from home is the challenge.
I didn’t say he was special. As per my response a moment ago…
“I should have caveated my post with IF we are keeping him. If the decision has already been made he is being off loaded in the summer, then my post is moot.”
Also, despite a few gasroomers disagreeing with me that Hendo could play the “6” role, I suspect that Duff sees Morley and Hendo competing for the same spot. Just a hunch
Amazing how their fans after the game made the analysis that “you know what you’re going to get with Wycombe, in your face, physical”
We haven’t been like that for quite a while but when we beat someone, they always pull that one out.
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Yep saw one on YouTube which some Stevenage fans recorded straight after the game.
I was thinking to myself, we’ve been in the Playoffs twice and the Championship in the last five seasons, and you’re carrying on EXPECTING to beat Wycombe at Adams Park because you so happen to be a few points ahead of us.
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Youre right, no one has a divine right to start games and Duffs job is absolutely to win games. But at the same time Fink is a Wycombe player not a temporary loan. For whatever reason he hasn’t been afforded the opportunities to show what he can do. Starting and playing poorly in a game where everyone else played poorly or being brought on for the last 10 minutes and not scoring appears to have condemned as a failure in many peoples eyes. Conversely Woodrow, who I think is talented, has played week in week out sometimes without contributing much. Same could be said of Harris who arguably keeps Mullins on the bench. I don’t envy Duff and generally I trust his judgement to play the best team to win the game but should he, given the opportunity and match situation like 3-0 up against Donny, seek to introduce Fink when the team is playing well and there’s no risk, if only to improve his confidence. Loan players come and go and Fink may follow having had next to no chance to make an impact. Minutes vs goals like XG is a nonsense way to measure a player or his potential. I fear he won’t get a chance and that doesn’t feel right when we’re helping Fulham develop Harris or giving Luton leverage to raise Woodrow’s transfer fee. If Fink really isnt rated let’s see Cam Stones on the bench. Loan players are essential for clubs our size but we must try to integrate our own players somehow or accept the loan merryground season after season
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