Wycombe Wanderers 1 Charlton Athletic 0
And the season finally slams shut, and locked and thrown in the river tied to a concrete slab!
More defensive clumsiness followed by a gift of what was the decisive penalty was an apt way to finish the season ending a 14-game unbeaten run.
I could never get very excited about the unbeaten run. 10 draws in the 14 games is not anywhere comparable to Mike Bailey’s 1980/81 team that won 13 of their 15 games nor the Curbs promotion team that went 14 unbeaten in 1999/2000, winning 12 of those games.
These players can’t hold a light to those sides and many of the players, who remain some of my favourites to ever wear the red shirt.
Today was pitiful really, we had a purple patch in the 2nd half but never looked liked scoring other than Lewis Fiorini hitting the bar from a free-kick.
The Man City loanee was an odd choice to be on the bench, as was Bakinson starting, but Fiorini did show some technical ability, I just don’t know why Jones decided that today he would play him. I’d rather had Terry Taylor on the bench.
There were many that were poor, Ness back in the team was one of them, but you’d have no sense that most were fighting for a contract, maybe a lot of them already knew that they won’t be here next season.
Only Dobbo and Small earned the support at the end from another superb travelling support.
Nathan Jones did what he had to do, but in terms of style and competence this group is still very much a pig’s ear. My optimism for next season is certainly on hold.
MoW: Thierry Small.
Elsewhere: Derby are promoted as runners up after beating Carlisle 2-0. Barnsley and Oxford join Peterborough and Bolton in the play-off’s after managerless Barnsley drew at home to Northampton and Oxford won away at Exeter. Cheltenham are relegated after losing at Stevenage. Burton stay up even after being thrashed at already down Fleetwood.
Photo: Kyle Andrews
Chicago Addick 
Another incompetent performance to end an incompetent season.
NJ did well to save us from relegation, which was a real and genuine threat. However, I’m not totally convinced by him. Some of his team selections and formations have been utterly baffling. His use of subs more often than not, far too late. Withdrawing our best and most likely goal scorer (May) more than once, is confusing.
Nonetheless, he’ll be the manager next season and is talking in terms of major recruitment and therefore, hopefully a major improvement. I hope he gets a chance to build HIS team and I sincerely hope it is a significantly better team than the shambles we’ve witnessed this season.
Until then I remain uncertain as to whether he truly is the messiah.
I was baffled when I saw the team selected for the game it didn’t seem logical to me. No Wickham and no explanation for his omission and we reverted to strike force of May and Kanu, so no target man and nobody to lead the line – too lightweight.
Selecting 3 players unlikely to be with CAFC next season i.e Bakinson, Fiorini and Lua Lua in the squad seemed strange.
Frankly I thought the team selection was an insult to those supporters who travelled to Wycombe, who Jones has previously lauded for their commitment.
With Dobson, the best player leaving, through Andy Scot’s poor judgment of his quality and the numerous mediocre signings under contract where is the scope to realistically sign enough players to improve quality so that a promotion challenge can be made next season.
Wickham was injured rierti.
Well if you’re correct Chig. Wickham may not be worth keeping. He’s had a long injury history and another Aneke is the last thing we need.
I think Wickham is the sort of player we need, but agree we already have Aneke and Leaburn who can’t play regularly, if at all.
Well that was…uninspiring. Very much an end of season match with nothing in it but it showed up a lot of our frailties, we had lots of possession, but didn’t do anything with it or threaten their goal anywhere near enough and we made a defensive error to concede the penalty because we lost the ball outside our penalty area and allowed a pass into the box and a player got behind the defence. Thankfully the season is now over…and the rebuilding can begin. We need a stronger, less porous defence and a creative midfielder in the middle of the park.
I’m encouraged by what I hear/read between the lines with regards investment in new players and that a lot of the squad will be in place before the end of June when pre-season training begins. Thinking back to Chris Powell’s promotion campaign that was the case with only really Yann Kermogant arriving late.
I’m a believer in the strong spine to a club, get that right and the other pieces fall into place.
I expect a lot of news over the next few days – maybe most of the recruitment will kick in after the play-offs.
I agree with what you say SP: in essence another dire season in the desperate depths of Division 3.
Let’s look on the bright side though. Nathan Jones has kept us up and brought a sense of purpose to us, if not those desperadoes masquerading as a team… The owners say that they want NJ to have the team to get us up and out of this zombie division, and, despite recent previous owners utterances, they do deserve a chance at least.
As has been stated, there will be a mass clear out soon.
Let’s see who stays and who goes, and let’s hope that GD sees the light and decides he wants in.
Yes SP we need a strong spine to start with and GD is at the heart of that, so if he goes (thanks AS, for nothing), then we need a really good CMF player with lots of running in him.
HI? No thanks nor Ness. Not strong enough. We need strong backs too who can get forward, and back again, too. More strength in midfield and support for Alfie. Perhaps NJ is keen on Wickham because he realises that between him and Aneke he has about 80% of a decent player.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Let’s enjoy not going down and have a good break all, while we watch the comings and goings down SE7. We deserve a rest from it all, eh?
happy summer CA. Give it a rest boys – the trauma is over. Who cares about NJ team selection once we were safe? please don’t start the sniping already and give the man a chance. That is my biggest fear for next season that expectations are already too high. Curbs had a 10 year plan remember? What sir chris did was exceptional. All go and have a good rest and say the odd prayer that Scott disappears.